Today’s Women’s News (10/17)

Written by: Staff on 17th October 2012

Today's Women's News (10/17)

epa03420825 Elena Vesnina of Russia hits a return against opponent Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during their third round match at the China Open in Beijing, China, 04 October 2012. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG |

Moscow

Singles – First Round: (7) Maria Kirilenko def. (WC) Elena Vesnina 7-5 6-1

Elena Vesnina loses semifinal points, meaning that she will fall from #65 to around #82. Ironically, that happens as she has been showing signs of life overall; maybe next year will be better.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Valeria Solovieva def. (Q) Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-2

Funny that this was one of the matches they held off as long as possible. But big for #216 Valeria Solovieva; she will rise to around #180.

Singles – Second Round: Sofia Arvidsson def. (2) Marion Bartoli 6-3 6-0

Talk about ending with a whimper. Not only is the singles race over, but the contest for the alternate spots is over. Samantha Stosur will be the #1 alternate. Marion Bartoli will not rise above #10 this week, in race or rankings, and might even end the year below the Top Ten; Caroline Wozniacki still has a shot at the year-end #10 ranking. Sofia Arvidsson adds points but hasn’t moved much yet.

Singles – Second Round: (3/WC) Caroline Wozniacki def. Urszula Radwanska 6-1 6-3

This doesn’t earn Caroline Wozniacki any points, but Bartoli’s loss is a real boost to her hopes of ending the year in the Top Ten. Bartoli still has a substantial edge, but Bartoli probably won’t play any more matches this year, while Wozniacki has both Moscow and Sofia. Urszula Radwanska will be falling out of the Top Thirty, not because she loses points but because Klara Zakopalova adds.

Singles – Second Round: (5) Dominika Cibulkova def. Tsvetana Pironkova 6-2 6-3

Dominika Cibulkova extends her winning streak here; even though she still has 350 points to defend, she now looks pretty likely to stay Top Fifteen.

Singles – First Round: Klara Zakopalova def. (8) Lucie Safarova 6-4 6-4

Lucie Safarova will not qualify for Sofia due to lack of titles, so this means that she will end the year outside the Top Fifteen.

Doubles – First Round: (4) Shvedova/Srebotnik def. Pavlyuchenkova/Safarova 7-5 2-6 10-5 (Match TB)

Doubles – First Round: Kops-Jones/Spears def. Groenefeld/Peschke 6-3 1-6 11-9 (Match TB)

Talk about a close-run thing! But Kops-Jones/Spears keep themselves alive in the race. It is now a straight slog — if they can outlast Kirilenko/Petrova, Kops-Jones/Spears will qualify for Istanbul.

Doubles – First Round: Rodionova/Voskoboeva def. (WC) Frolova/Gasparyan 6-1 6-0

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (2) Kirilenko/Petrova def. Lee-Waters/Moulton-Levy 6-1 3-6 10-7 (Match TB)

Kirilenko/Petrova keep the pressure firmly on Kops-Jones/Spears, who now need a final to have any hope of playing Istanbul.

Luxembourg

Singles – First Round: Daniela Hantuchova def. Arantxa Rus 3-6 6-4 6-1

Daniela Hantuchova came in at #38, and she needs a semifinal to improve her point total. That doesn’t sound like much chance for her to end the year in the Top Thirty. On the other hand, she came in at #9 in the Race to Sofia, and if she makes the semifinal, she will probably rise to #8. And odds are that #9 will play Sofia anyway. So she still has an outside shot.

Singles – First Round: Ksenia Pervak def. (Q) Vera Dushevina 6-3 7-6(7-2)

Vera Dushevina was defending 120 points — one of the best results she had left. She’ll fall from #121 to around #135.

Singles – First Round: Andrea Petkovic def. (Q) Garbine Muguruza 4-6 6-2 6-1

Now that it’s too late to rescue her season or her ranking, Andrea Petkovic seems finally to be coming to life.

Singles – First Round: (LL) Anne Keothavong def. Kiki Bertens 6-2 6-2

There must be something Anne Keothavong likes about this place. Last year, she made the semifinal, and here she bounces back from a qualifying loss. She still has a lot of defending to do, though. Kiki Bertens will end the year right around #60.

Singles – Second Round: Lucie Hradecka def. (Q) Annika Beck 6-1 6-1

As we thought, Annika Beck won’t end the year in the Top Hundred. She might well get direct entry into the Australian Open, though. Lucie Hradecka defends her points and assures her Top Fifty ranking.

Singles – Second Round: Lourdes Dominguez Lino def. Magdalena Rybarikova 6-2 6-3

This looks as if it will put Lourdes Dominguez Lino in the Top Fifty.

Doubles – First Round: (4) Martic/Minella def. Jugic-Salkic/Khromacheva 6-4 4-6 10-4 (Match TB)

Doubles – First Round: (WC) Barthel/Jankovic def. Klemenschits/Malek 6-2 6-1

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Hlavackova/Hradecka def. Arruabarrena-Vecino/Dominguez Lino 6-7(2-7) 7-6(8-6) 10-5 (Match TB)

Pity the poor umpire who had to call this. But pity also any team that faces Hlavackova/Hradecka these days.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (2) Begu/Niculescu def. Bertens/Rus 6-4 6-3