Daily Women Tennis Update – Stuttgart, Fes, Rankings

Written by: Staff on 29th April 2012

Stuttgart

Singles – Semifinal: (1) Victoria Azarenka def. (4) Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1 6-3

Not much news there, is there? Victoria Azarenka of course strengthens her grip on #1. And she makes it a little harder for Agnieszka Radwanska to climb in the coming weeks.

Singles – Semifinal: (2) Maria Sharapova def. (3) Petra Kvitova 6-4 7-6(7-3)

These are the matches Petra Kvitova was winning last year. Which is why she almost became #1, and now finds herself at #3. Which is where she will stay. And Maria Sharapova will stay at #2. Now she just has to find a way to solve Azarenka….

Doubles – Semifinal: Goerges/Groenefeld def. (1) Peschke/Srebotnik 6-4 6-2

Every time we think Katarina Srebotnik is making progress, something like this happens. To be sure, Goerges and Groenefeld are Germans — and Goerges won the singles title last year. Maybe she can make it titles two years in a row, even if not the same title.

Doubles – Semifinal: (5) Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova def. Dulko/Suarez walkover (Suarez: low back injury)

Oh, great. Paola Suarez hasn’t been back long enough to be suffering injuries….

Fes

Singles – Final: Kiki Bertens (Q) def. Laura Pous-Tio 7-5 6-0

Well, we’re in shock. Of course, we would have been in shock no matter what the outcome….

This is the first title of Kiki Bertens’s career. It is also her biggest-ever result — equivalent to about two-thirds of her point total coming in. From #149, she will rise to probably just below #90. She won eight matches in a row. We have no idea what to expect next.

Laura Pous-Tio was defending semifinalist points, so she moves relatively little. Still, she has put herself into the Top Hundred. It’s going to get her into a better grade of tournament. Of course, most of those better tournaments will be after the clay season….

Doubles – Final: Cetkovska/Panova def. Begu/Cadantu 3-6 7-6(7-5) 11-9 (Match TB)

They certainly managed a dramatic ending, didn’t they? Presumably because it was such a big deal for all around. It is only the second WTA doubles title for Petra Cetkovska, her first being all the way back at Prague 2007 (with Hlavackova). Alexandra Panova is a little more experienced; she had two previous titles — one of them Bogota this year. Irina-Camelia Begu was looking for her second, following Hobart; Alexandra Cadantu was looking for her first. Maybe the edge in experience was what counted at the end.

Estimated WTA Rankings As of April 27, 2012

Rank &

Prior

Rank …Name …………. Points

1..(1) AZARENKA ………..9020*

2..(2) SHARAPOVA ……… 8130*

3..(3) KVITOVA ……….. 7170

4..(4) RADWANSKA ……… 6710

5..(5) STOSUR ………….5825

6..(6) WOZNIACKI ……… 5330

7..(7) BARTOLI ……….. 5020

8..(8) LI ……………..4940