Women Tennis News Update – US Open

Written by: Staff on 30th August 2012

Women Tennis News Update - US Open

epa03375408 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia hits a return to Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden during their match on the fourth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 30 August 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/PETER FOLEY |

U. S. Open

Singles – Second Round: (2) Agnieszka Radwanska def. Carla Suarez Navarro 4-6 6-3 6-0

Agnieszka Radwanska’s shoulder problems were clearly evident early in this match; she was having service troubles and missing balls she would ordinarily land easily. But when she finally got into the match, she won eleven games in a row, for the moment keeping alive her hopes of reaching #1. Carla Suarez Navarro, who made the fourth round last year, will fall to around #45.

Singles – Second Round: (4) Serena Williams def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-2 6-4

A good win for Serena, but she still needs at least a semifinal to stay #4 — and that’s if Petra Kvitova cooperates. Of course, we’re talking about Serena here, so that may not be a very high bar. Especially given the way her draw is opening up.

Singles – Second Round: (10) Sara Errani def. Vera Dushevina 6-0 6-1

Hardcourt points are a bonus for Sara Errani. Easy hardcourt points are an even bigger bonus. She seems to be making a real run for the #8 ranking.

Singles – Second Round: (12) Ana Ivanovic def. Sofia Arvidsson 6-2 6-2

This means no Top Forty spot for Sofia Arvidsson, although her Top Fifty ranking is safe. Ana Ivanovic needs one more win to defend her points, and at least that many to defend her #13 ranking.

Singles – Second Round: (13) Dominika Cibulkova def. Bojana Jovanovski 7-6(7-3) 7-6(7-3)

If Dominika Cibulkova can make the semifinal, she might make the Top Ten and will certainly pass Caroline Wozniacki. Who would have believed that at the start of the year?

Singles – Second Round: (14) Maria Kirilenko def. Greta Arn 6-3 6-2

Maria Kirilenko, like Ana Ivanovic, is watching Cibulkova move past her. Like Ivanovic, she needs one more win to defend her points and at least that many to stay at her current #12 ranking.

Singles – Second Round: (20) Roberta Vinci def. Yaroslava Shvedova 3-6 7-5 7-5

Even with the loss, Yaroslava Shvedova should rise to around #35. She won’t have to worry much about facing a seed in the early rounds of the next Slam — she will very likely be seeded.

Singles – Second Round: (30) Jelena Jankovic def. (Q) Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino 6-4 6-2

This is actually starting to feel faintly promising for Jelena Jankovic. She defends her points, meaning that she will be close to the Top 25.

Singles – Second Round: Andrea Hlavackova def. Galina Voskoboeva 6-2 6-7(3-7) 6-3

Galina Voskoboeva will end up around #75 — far below her peak earlier this year, but at least she will be moving up this week.

Singles – Second Round: Ekaterina Makarova def. Elena Vesnina 6-3 6-4

These two are doubles partners, and things like that always make Elena Vesnina nervous. BUt she does help her doubles partner a lot: This will very likely put Ekaterina Makarova in the Top Thirty.

Singles – Second Round: Silvia Soler-Espinosa def. Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4 7-6(7-5)

Silvia Soler-Espinosa started her big run up the rankings here last year, so she still has points to defend, but this will keep her above #70.

Singles – Second Round: Sloane Stephens def. (Q) Tatjana Malek 5-7 6-4 6-2

This should put Sloane Stephens in the Top Forty. That could give us four Americans above that mark: Serena Williams, Christina McHale, Stephens, and Venus Williams.

Singles – Second Round: Tsvetana Pironkova def. Ayumi Morita 7-5 6-2

One more win and Tsvetana Pironkova will hit the Top Fifty. But we know about Pironkova and winning streaks.

Singles – Second Round: (Q) Olga Puchkova def. Kiki Bertens 5-7 6-2 7-5

This was one of those “C’mon, can’t somebody hold serve?” matches. Olga Puchkova finally managed a hold at the very end, and it put her in the third round. It appears this will actually put Olga Puchkova back in the Top Hundred.

Singles – Second Round: Olga Govortsova def. (Q) Johanna Konta 2-6 6-2 7-5

Olga Govortsova is back up to #55. Her fall wasn’t as dramatic as Puchkova’s, but they both came up at about the same time; interesting to see them making a simultaneous comeback, too.

Doubles – First Round: (1) Huber/Raymond def. Daniilidou/Dellacqua 6-4 6-7(8-10) 6-4

Considering that Huber/Raymond really need to do well here to keep the #1 ranking, this is a very disturbing result. But at least they’ll get the chance to do better next time.

Doubles – First Round: (4) Kirilenko/Petrova def. Keothavong/Tatishvili 6-0 6-3

Kirilenko and Petrova need three more wins to defend their points, but Petrova at least now looks pretty safe in the Top Ten.

Doubles – First Round: (6) Makarova/Vesnina def. Erakovic/Watson 3-2, retired

If Makarova and Vesnina had any hard feelings after the singles, they didn’t have time to come out! Elena Vesnina has a pretty good chance for a return to the Top Ten, although things are far from settled at this stage.

Doubles – First Round: Birnerova/Oprandi def. (7) Srebotnik/Zheng 6-4 7-5

And here we thought Katarina Srebotnik was making progress…. Her chances of staying Top Ten look pretty good, but she now has no chance at all to make the Top Five. We currently show the Top Ten as follows:

1..(1) HUBER …………. 7955*

2..(1) RAYMOND ……….. 7955*

3..(3) ERRANI ………….7870*

4..(4) VINCI …………. 7870*

5..(5) HRADECKA ………..5930*

6..(6) HLAVACKOVA ………5850*

7..(9) SREBOTNIK ……… 5270

8..(7) PETROVA ……….. 5015*

9.(12) VESNINA ……….. 4930*

10.(11) KIRILENKO ……… 4695*

Doubles – First Round: (11) Goerges/Peschke def. Date-Krumm/Wozniak 6-1 6-3

Kveta Peschke needs two more wins to defend her points, but at least she did better than ex-partner Srebotnik. This was easy enough that we find ourselves wondering what happened to Julia Goerges in the singles.

Doubles – First Round: (12) Rodionova/Voskoboeva def. Groenefeld/Martic 7-6(7-5) 3-6 6-4

We can’t help but think that Anna-Lena Groenefeld needs to find stronger partners if she is to make a living as a doubles specialist.

Doubles – First Round: (13) Mattek-Sands/Mirza def. Brianti/Cirstea 6-1 6-1

Doubles – First Round: (14) Grandin/Uhlirova def. Chan/Chan 7-6(7-4) 6-1

Doubles – First Round: (15) Jans-Ignacik/Mladenovic def. Arvidsson/Larsson 6-4 6-4

Doubles – First Round: (16) Hsieh/Medina Garrigues def. Krajicek/Parmentier 6-4 6-0

Doubles – First Round: Dekmeijere/Jugic-Salkic def. (WC) Crawford/Kiick 3-6 7-6(7-4) 6-4

Doubles – First Round: Voracova/Zakopalova def. Halep/Savchuk 6-3 6-0

Doubles – First Round: Bratchikova/Panova def. Pliskova/Pliskova 6-2 6-4

Doubles – First Round: Lisicki/Peng def. Peer/Robson 6-0 6-3

Doubles – First Round: Craybas/Scheepers def. Minella/Petkovic 6-3 3-6 6-3

Doubles – First Round: Chuang/Zhang def. (WC) Clijsters/Flipkens 6-3 6-4

All that is left for Kim Clijsters now is the mixed. Rather sad; Flipkens is a friend, but she isn’t the sort of partner Clijsters — who, after all, has won doubles Slams — would have picked in other circumstances.

The players have had a lot to say about the Clijsters re-retirement. Rafael Nadal called her a “great friend” and said “@Clijsterskim I wish you well!” Andy Roddick — who is retiring himself — declared “Tennis loves you @clijsterskim.” And those are male players! Petra Kvitova added, “So sad to see Kim go. Thanks for inspiring us. You always took the time to encourage us even when you beat us good luck for the future.” And Julia Goerges wished her “all the best for her life after the tennis life:).”

Mixed Doubles – First Round: Oudin/Sock def. (5) Srebotnik/Zimonjic 4-6 6-3 15-13 (Match TB)

An upset no matter how you slice it — but arguably less of one under Mixed rankings. Mixed would have promoted Srebotnik/Zimonjic to the #2 seeds — but would have promoted Oudin/Sock to the #5 seeds! Which isn’t such a big upset in our book.

Mixed Doubles – First Round: (7) Hradecka/Cermak def. Goerges/Nestor 3-6 6-3 10-6 (Match TB)

A worse result that the preceding for Mixed rankings, which would have demoted Hradecka/Cermak to unseeded, slightly behind Goerges/Nestor (also unseeded).

Mixed Doubles – First Round: Hlavackova/Bhupathi def. Crawford/Krueger 6-2 6-4

We’ve no idea if Crawford/Krueger have ever even played a real Mixed match before; no surprise that they were beaten by a veteran team.

Mixed Doubles – First Round: Lepchenko/Young def. Uhlirova/Marray 6-1 6-3

Topics: Agnieszka Radwanska, Ana Ivanovic, Maria Kirilenko, Sara Errani, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis News, US Open 2012, women tennis news