WTA Odds N’ Ends… Radwanska’s Rise

Written by: Staff on 8th May 2012

WTA Odds N' Ends... Radwanska's Rise |

Original Story: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120507/wta-odds-n-ends-radwanskas-rise_2256076_2763201

Breakthroughs, ranking movers and much more – every week wtatennis.com will be serving up a summary of stats in WTA Odds N’ Ends…

Radwanska Climbs To New Career-High
Agnieszka Radwanska is off to a remarkable start this year, having collected two titles and 29 match wins, just one short of World No.1 Victoria Azarenka for most wins on the WTA. In fact, all five of the Pole’s losses have come at the hands of Azarenka. Ironically, Radwanska climbed a spot to a career-best No.3 on the rankings on Monday after a week in which she did not even play. Here are some notable ranking accolades from her career:

9/11/06: Top 100 debut
1/29/07: Top 50 debut
2/18/08: Top 20 debut
7/7/08: Top 10 debut
2/27/12: Top 5 debut
5/7/12: Top 3 debut

Other Ranking Movers
Also making ranking news was Marina Erakovic. In going from No.45 to No.39, she made her Top 40 debut. Her run to the semifinals last week in Budapest week was her fifth quarterfinal-or-better showing in the last 12 months.

On the doubles rankings, Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka rose to No.7 and No.8, respectively, career-highs for both.

Errani’s Clay Court Streak
Sara Errani was triumphant in Budapest for her third straight clay court title following Acapulco and Barcelona. And after being victorious in her opener in Madrid on Monday, she now has won 16 straight matches on clay – tied for the second-best streak on the surface this century:

Justine Henin: 27 wins (’05-’06)
Sara Errani: 16 wins (’12)
Dinara Safina: 16 wins (’09)
Serena Williams: 16 wins (’02-’03)

Errani will go into second place by herself if she wins her second round match in Madrid, but that will be quite a challenge, as she faces Agnieszka Radwanska. In more good news for the Italian, she ascended three spots to a career-high No.24 on the new rankings.

Kanepi’s Heroics
Kaia Kanepi overcame two match points in the second set tie-break of the Estoril final against Carla Suárez Navarro. She is the third player this year to save match points en route to a title and the first to do so in a final since Jelena Dokic last year in Kuala Lumpur:

2012 Estoril champ Kaia Kanepi saved two in second set of F
2012 Copenhagen champ Angelique Kerber saved two in third set of QF
2012 Stuttgart champ Maria Sharapova saved one in second set of QF

First Time’s The Charm In Doubles
Both of last week’s doubles titlists were playing their first event together. Janette Husarova and Magdalena Rybarikova captured Budapest and Chuang Chia-Jung and Zhang Shuai took Estoril. Husarova now has 25 doubles titles to her name, with only six active players having more:

Lisa Raymond: 78
Rennae Stubbs: 60
Cara Black: 54
Liezel Huber: 52
Paola Suárez: 44
Katarina Srebotnik: 30

Topics: Agnieszka Radwanska, Victoria Azarenka, Wta