Today’s Women’s News (08/14)

Written by: Staff on 14th August 2012

Today's Women's News (08/14)

epa03280927 Venus Williams of the US takes on Elena Vesnina of Russia during their first round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 25 June 2012. EPA/JONATHAN BRADY |

Editor’s Note: 10sballs.com wishes the tourney directors of the world would give Bethanie Mattek – Sands a wildcard. She deserves one…. Lots… Some… Any…. Beth is a great player. A great competitor and a great crowd pleaser. She’s been out with injuries and needs a break. Going through qualies is great. But she deserves WILD CARDS!

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Cincinnati

Singles – First Round: (WC) Venus Williams def. (12) Maria Kirilenko 6-3 6-7(5-7) 6-2

Even given the fairly high probability of withdrawals, this effectively assures that Maria Kirilenko will not get a Top Twelve U. S. Open seed; she will be no better than #14.

Singles – First Round: Ekaterina Makarova def. (15) Nadia Petrova 7-6(10-8) 3-1 retired

Nadia Petrova was defending quarterfinalist points, so she will fall at least two ranking spots; it might be three or four.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Yaroslava Shvedova def. (16) Lucie Safarova 6-3 6-4

Having had a big week last week in Canada, what does Lucie Safarova do here but fizzle? She loses her shot at a Top Sixteen U. S. Open seed (barring a withdrawal). Yaroslava Shvedova is likely to rise above #45.

Singles – First Round: (17) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Carla Suarez Navarro 6-4 6-0

This draw was made incredibly late, and even so, there was time for a last-minute withdrawal. Ana Ivanovic bailed out with a foot injury, creating a seeded spot for Pavlyuchenkova. Ivanovic may stay #12, but she will have to wait to see how Dominika Cibulkova performs. Carla Suarez Navarro loses her slight chance for a U. S. Open seed; she will be around #40.

Singles – First Round: Roberta Vinci def. (Q) Madison Keys 6-3 6-3

Roberta Vinci doesn’t gain a lot of points for this, but players around her are losing enough points that this might put her into the Top 25.

Singles – First Round: Daniela Hantuchova def. Zheng Jie 2-6 7-6(7-1) 6-3

This may cost Zheng Jie her U. S. Open seed; we show her falling to #33 in safe points, with a good chance it will be lower. Although she remains ahead of Daniela Hantuchova, who is just barely Top Forty in safe points.

Singles – First Round: Sorana Cirstea def. Yanina Wickmayer 6-7(6-8) 6-2 6-3

Yanina Wickmayer’s seed is probably safe, but she still faces some slight risk; she will remain around #30. Sorana Cirstea appears likely to hit the Top Forty after this.

Singles – First Round: Sofia Arvidsson def. Tamira Paszek 6-1 2-1 retired (Migraine)

Tamira Paszek suffers from an amazing number of chronic problems. Had she been able to overcome this one, she would likely have earned a U. S. Open seed. Not now.

Singles – First Round: Chanelle Scheepers def. Christina McHale 2-6 6-3 3-0, retired

The heavy summer schedule is clearly taking its toll on the players this week…. Christina McHale loses the chance to clinch her Top 25 spot. At least she gets some rest.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Sesil Karatantcheva def. (Q) Kiki Bertens 6-2 6-1

Kiki Bertens was one of last week’s biggest movers, but she won’t be moving much this week.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Andrea Hlavackova def. (Q) Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-3 7-5

Bethanie Mattek-Sands is at #232. Just qualifying helps her a little, but she will remain in the #220 range.

Singles – First Round: (LL) Anna Tatishvili def. Klara Zakopalova 7-6(7-5) 7-5

Even with this loss, Klara Zakopalova appears likely to hit the Top Thirty and certain to earn a U. S. Open seed.

Singles – First Round: (WC) Sloane Stephens def. Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4 6-1

This guarantees Sloane Stephens’s Top Fifty spot — and Tsvetana Pironkova’s lack of same.

Singles – Second Round: (2) Serena Williams def. (Q) Eleni Daniilidou 6-3 6-4

The second set of this was much closer than one would expect — could Serena still be adjusting from the Olympics? But she survived — and has a shot at the #3 ranking if she wins the title here.

Singles – Second Round: (3) Samantha Stosur def. Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3 6-7(6-8) 6-4

Not a good match for Samantha Stosur — but worse for Anabel Medina Garrigues, who loses her chance to clinch a U. S. Open seed. She still has a shot, especially if there are withdrawals, but this will leave her below the Top Thirty.

Singles – Second Round: (5) Angelique Kerber def. (LL) Timea Babos 3-6 6-1 6-2

No points yet for Angelique Kerber. The next win will count — but she needs at least a final to move up.

Singles – Second Round: (Q) Johanna Larsson def. (8) Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-2

This stunning result ends Marion Bartoli’s hopes for a return to the Top Ten; she will not rise above #11, and Dominika Cibulkova could overtake her with a final.

Doubles – First Round: (8) Srebotnik/Zheng def. Dellacqua/Klepac 6-3 6-3

Doubles – First Round: Goerges/Peschke def. Chan/Chan 6-4 3-6 16-14 (Match TB)

Finally some post-Katarina Srebotnik good news for Kveta Peschke!

Doubles – First Round: (WC) Lepchenko/Stephens def. Jans-Ignacik/Rosolska 6-3 6-4

A fast end to Klaudia Jans-Ignacik’s winning streak….

Doubles – First Round: Makarova/Tatishvili def. Mattek-Sands/Mirza 2-6 6-1 10-8 (Match TB)

Doubles – First Round: Cibulkova/Hantuchova def. Gajdosova/Zakopalova 4-6 6-1 10-4 (Match TB)

Doubles – First Round: Rodionova/Voskoboeva def. Dulko/Schiavone 6-4 6-2

Interesting that both Gisela Dulko and Paola Suarez played here, but not with each other. And not with much luck. Of course, Dulko may have been hoping to play with Flavia Pennetta, who ended up not playing.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Ekaterina Makarova, Maria Kirilenko, Nadia Petrova, Tennis News, Venus Williams