Stuttgart
Singles – Second Round: (1) Victoria Azarenka def. Andrea Petkovic 6-2 4-4, retired (right ankle injury)
That was a depressingly short comeback. An event and a half, and Andrea Petkovic is hurt again. Meaning that she won’t rise above #12. Neither will Victoria Azarenka, but that’s because she has gone as high as it is possible to go….
Singles – Second Round: (3) Petra Kvitova d. Francesca Schiavone 6-2 6-2
For Petra Kvitova, that’s two matches in a row against Francesca Schiavone. Without much change in the outcome. Not much change in the rankings, either; Kvitova cannot move this week, and Schiavone had no chance to move up, only down. With Petkovic out, she won’t move at all.
Singles – Second Round: (5) Samantha Stosur def. Julia Goerges 6-2 2-6 6-3
The good news for Julia Goerges, such as it is, is that her points from Stuttgart 2011 are already off, so this doesn’t cost her anything — indeed, she should rise from #21 to #20. But that is a high as she will go, and of course this was her big chance to gain points in Germany….
Singles – Second Round: Angelique Kerber def. (6) Caroline Wozniacki 6-1 6-2
And the Great Dane Slump continues. Caroline Wozniacki will stay #1 for now — the next result guarantees it — but for how much longer? Angelique Kerber is still at #14, but each additional win will gain her another ranking spot. It will be interesting to see who is the top German two or three weeks from now.
Singles – Second Round: (WC) Mona Barthel def. (7) Marion Bartoli 6-3 6-1
How many seeds will Germany have at Roland Garros? It’s starting to look as if it might be four: Petkovic, Lisicki, Kerber — and Mona Barthel. With this, she rises to probably #31. Marion Bartoli is still #7 in safe points, but that may not last….
Singles – Second Round: (8) Li Na def. (LL) Akgul Amanmuradova 6-4 6-4
Li Na now needs only one more win to tie Marion Bartoli in the contest for #7.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Peschke/Srebotnik def. Barrois/Woehr 6-2 6-3
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Goerges/Groenefeld def. Pavlyuchenkova/Safarova 6-4 7-5
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Dulko/Suarez def. Jans-Ignacik/Zhang 6-4 6-3
This should take Paola Suarez above #75.
Fes
Singles – Quarterfinal: (5) Simona Halep def. (1/WC) Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2 6-1
There go Anabel Medina Garrigues’s championship points. She will fall from #26 to probably #32. Simona Halep is now firmly in the Top Fifty — and she is the only seed left here.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (LL) Mathilde Johansson def. (3) Petra Cetkovska 6-3 6-4
Curiouser and curiouser. What in the world did Mathilde Johansson change between losing in qualifying and making the main draw? She rises to around #90. Petra Cetkovska is certain to stay Top Thirty and will likely rise slightly.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (Q) Kiki Bertens def. (Q) Garbine Muguruza Blanco 6-1 6-4
This is perhaps even goofier than the Johansson result. Kiki Bertens will rise more than two dozen places above her current #149.
Singles – Quarterfinal: Laura Pous-Tio def. Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4 6-1
Is there some rule that says that all the players with prospects want out of here? The two top remaining seeds both lost, and so did the two promising youngsters, Muguruza Blanco and Begu. Begu will remain below #55; Pous-Tio defends her points, but that still leaves her around #110.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Begu/Cadantu def. (3) Bratchikova/Jurak 6-2 4-6 16-14 (Match TB)
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Babos/Minella def. (4) Govortsova/Savchuk 6-2 6-2
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Pliskova/Pliskova def. U.Radwanska/Tatishvili 6-4 6-3
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Cetkovska/Panova def. Bertens/Rus 6-4 6-0