Today’s Women’s News (09/11)

Written by: Staff on 11th September 2012

Today's Women's News (09/11)

epa03335658 Maria Sharapova of Russia in action during her Women's Singles Quarterfinal against Kim Clijsters of Belgium at the London 2012 Olympic Games Tennis competition in Wimbledon, Greater London, Britain, 02 August 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Tashkent

Singles – First Round: Karin Knapp def. (1) Monica Niculescu 2-6 6-3 7-5

Monica Niculescu is probably still not 100%, and she faced one of the stronger unseeded players in the draw, but it’s still a tough loss and will leave her just a little above #50.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Donna Vekic def. (4) Magdalena Rybarikova 7-6(7-3) 6-3

This is much more surprising than the preceding; Magdalena Rybarikova is healthy as far as we know, plus she faced a weaker opponent than Niculescu. Rybarikova will fall to #55 or lower. Vekic earns her first WTA win.

Singles – First Round: (5) Alexandra Cadantu def. (Q) Ekaterina Bychkova 3-6 6-4 7-5

Ekaterina Bychkova has now gone two years without a WTA win; her last victory was over Sania Mirza at Tashkent 2010.

Singles – First Round: (6) Bojana Jovanovski def. Dinah Pfizenmaier 6-2 2-6 6-4

Dinah Pfizenmaier’s WTA record falls to 1-2.

Singles – First Round: (8) Galina Voskoboeva def. (Q) Vesna Dolonc 3-6 6-1 6-0

Galina Voskoboeva had lost eight of nine matches going into the U. S. Open, but she seems to have genuinely come back to life this month.

Singles – First Round: Irina-Camelia Begu def. Akgul Amanmuradova 6-4 6-3

Akgul Amanmuradova is still seeking her first WTA win since Budapest.

Singles – First Round: Eleni Daniilidou def. (LL) Monica Puig 6-4 6-2

Eleni Daniilidou needs one more win to defend her points, and at least that many to return to the Top Hundred.

Singles – First Round: Misaki Doi def. Julia Cohen 6-3 6-0

This appears to mean no Top Hundred spot for Julia Cohen.

Singles – First Round: Eva Birnerova def. Claire Feuerstein 7-6(7-4) 6-4

Eva Birnerova earns her first WTA win since Monterrey.

Singles – First Round: Vitalia Diatchenko def. (WC) Nigina Abduraimova 6-2 6-4

Vitalia Diatchenko earns her first win since Tashkent 2011. That must be frustrating: Finally win something, and it doesn’t do any good because she merely defends her points.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Anna Chakvetadze def. Lesia Tsurenko 6-4 6-3

That’s Anna Chakvetadze’s first WTA win since Hobart, but we’d still consider her to be relatively high on the favorites list here. Or, rather the less-unfavorites list, since a draw this weak doesn’t really have favorites.

Doubles – First Round: Amanmuradova/Diatchenko def. (2) Bratchikova/Panova 6-7(4-7) 6-4 12-10 (Match TB)

Akgul Amanmuradova is a fairly good doubles player, so we’d call this only a medium surprise.

Doubles – First Round: Chakvetadze/Dolonc def. (4) Cornet/Kudryavtseva 6-2 7-6(7-5)

Doubles – First Round: Cepelova/Cohen def. (WC) Abduraimova/Lykina 6-2 6-3

Doubles – First Round: Ivakhnenko/Kozlova def. (WC) Gavrilova/Sharipova 6-3 6-3

Quebec City (Full Monday results)

The contrast with Tashkent could hardly be greater. In Tashkent, only one qualifying seed made it through, and she was the #8 seed. At Quebec City, it’s all seeds in the main draw. #1 Lauren Davis, #2 Kristina Mladenovic, #5 Heidi El Tabakh, and #7 Maria Sanchez all made the main draw; only Mladenovic lost more than seven games.

Singles – First Round: (2/WC) Yanina Wickmayer def. Alison Riske 6-3 6-3

An efficient start, but Yanina Wickmayer needs one more win before the points start counting.

Singles – First Round: (3) Mona Barthel def. Heather Watson 6-7(5-7) 7-6(7-5) 6-1

Mona Barthel needs two more wins before the points count. Good thing she played on Monday so that she gets some rest after this marathon.

Singles – First Round: Annika Beck def. (5) Romina Oprandi 6-1 7-6(13-11)

Romina Oprandi was defending a hundred points, so she is going to fall below #60.

Singles – First Round: Tatiana Malek def. Alexa Glatch 7-6(7-3) 6-3

It will tell you something about the field here that Tatiana Malek and Alexa Glatch are both below #100, but both had direct entry. Glatch will remain below #100; Malek has the chance to climb but will need more.

Doubles – First Round: Bouchard/Falconi def. Abramovic/Sadikovic 6-2 3-6 10-8 (Match TB)

Doubles – First Round: Mueller/Muhammed def. Litvak/Weinhold 6-0 7-6(7-2)

Doubles – First Round: Coin/Pelletier def. Bovina/Wienerova 6-4 6-3

Doubles – First Round: (WC) Min/Zhao def. Elie/Karatantcheva 6-2 7-5

Quebec City (Partial Tuesday results)

Singles – First Round: (6) Barbora Zahlavova Strycova def. Marie-Eve Pelletier 7-6(7-2) 6-1

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova has champion’s points to defend, so she will need a lot more than this to stay close to the Top Sixty.

Singles – First Round: (7) Petra Martic def. (LL) Jessica Pegula 6-4 7-5

Jessica Pegula reaches only her second WTA main draw; she is still looking for her first win.

Singles – First Round: Anna Tatishvili def. Sesil Karatantcheva 7-5 1-6 6-1

Anna Tatishvili would have been seeded had this week’s rankings been used; indeed, if she can win one more match, she’ll hit the Top Fifty.

Singles – First Round: Melanie Oudin def. Irina Falconi 7-5 7-6(8-6)

One more win would probably suffice to put Melanie Oudin in the Top Hundred.

Singles – First Round: Petra Rampre def. Michelle Larcher def. Brito 6-2 1-6 6-3

Petra Rampre, who has been around forever but who has spend most of her life in Challengers, picks up only her second WTA win (the first was at Bogota this year).

Singles – First Round: Mirjana Lucic def. (Q) Heidi El Tabakh 6-4 3-6 7-6(7-5)

This was your typical no-lead-is-safe match. Mirjana Lucic trailed in the tiebreak, then ended just strong enough. That lets her defend her points. If she can win one more, she’ll rise to just below #100.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Lauren Davis def. Stephanie Dubois 7-5 6-3

This is not an upset; Stephanie Dubois has been sinking like a stone, and is now ranked well behind Lauren Davis. And that gap will likely widen.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Kristina Mladenovic def. Madison Brengle 6-4 6-7(6-8) 6-4

Here again we have a qualifier ranked much higher than her opponent with direct entry. And Madison Brengle doesn’t have much in the way of weapons; she relies mostly on getting balls back. The amazing thing is that Kristina Mladenovic didn’t overwhelm her faster.