Today’s Women’s News (06/08) – Roland Garros

Written by: Staff on 8th June 2012

WTA Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Nusa Dua, Bali

Today's Women's News (06/08) - Roland Garros

Nadia Petrova of Russia returns the ball during her semifinal match against Ana Ivanovic of Serbia at the WTA tennis Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, 05 November 2011. Ivanovic won the match 6-1, 7-5. EPA/MADE NAGI |

Roland Garros

Doubles – Final: (4) Errani/Vinci def. (7) Kirilenko/Petrova

4-6 6-4 6-2

The psychological aspects of this were truly interesting. Nadia Petrova we know to have nervous jitters. But she has a lot more experience in big events than Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci, who until Madrid and Rome had never won anything big. On the other hand, the Italians came in having absolutely and completely dominated the clay season. And Errani is on an incredible high, since she is also in the singles final. That probably helped keep her morale up during the rain delay and the slow start. And who knows what winning this title will do for her in the singles final?

What it does in the immediate term is cement the Italians at #3 and #4 in the doubles rankings. We currently estimate the rankings as follows:

1..(1) HUBER …………. 9590

1..(1) RAYMOND ……….. 9590

3..(8) ERRANI ………….7940*

4..(9) VINCI …………. 7940*

5..(3) PESCHKE ……….. 7305

6..(4) SREBOTNIK ……… 7305

7.(12) KIRILENKO ……… 6190

8..(5) SHVEDOVA ………..6155

9..(6) KING ……………6115

10..(7) VESNINA ……….. 5450

11.(15) PETROVA ……….. 5450

The Italians are, obviously, still far behind #1 Raymond/Huber. But Roberta Vinci won ‘s-Hertogenbosch last year; there is no particular reason to think grass will halt their run — after all, while five of their six titles this year were on clay, they did win a hardcourt title as well. They now have a fifteen match winning streak, and a 37-4 record in 2012.(90.2%). By contrast, Huber/Raymond are 25-7, 78.1%; Peschke/Srebotnik a miserable 14-9, 60.9%; Kirilenko/Petrova 19-6, 76%; King/Shvedova 5-2, 71%; Hlavackova/Hradecka 20-6, 76.9%; Dulko/Suarez 14-8, 63.6%. No question about the dominant team of 2012 so far!