Women Tennis News Update – Australian Open (01-17-13)

Written by: Staff on 17th January 2013

Women Tennis News Update - Australian Open (01-17-13)

epa03536161 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark celebrates match point during her match against Sabine Lisicki of Germany at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 15 January 2013. EPA/MARK DADSWELL AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Australian Open

Singles – Second Round: (1) Victoria Azarenka def. Eleni Daniilidou 6-1 6-0

Victoria Azarenka answers all of Maria Sharapova’s bagels with one of her own. Of course, the real question on this day was how Serena Williams would do.

Singles – Second Round: (3) Serena Williams def. Garbine Muguruza 6-2 6-0

It seemed to take Serena Williams one or two games to test her ankle. Then — she used it to stomp on her opponent and get into the bagel parade. All four of the top seeds have now had 6-0 sets — Sharapova four, Serena three, Azarenka and Radwanska one each. Serena is looking more and more like our new #1 by the day.

Singles – Second Round: Laura Robson def. (8) Petra Kvitova 2-6 6-3 11-9

This was the late, late match — made even later by the fact that Laura Robson was broken the first time she served for the match. But she eventually won, after midnight, to put herself just below the Top Forty. Petra Kvitova will probably stay #8, but a very weak #8.

Singles – Second Round: (10) Caroline Wozniacki def. Donna Vekic 6-1 6-4

Caroline Wozniacki keeps her Top Ten hopes alive, but she has a long way to go.

Singles – Second Round: (14) Maria Kirilenko def. Peng Shuai 7-5 6-2

Maria Kirilenko has defended her points, but she needs at least one more win to stay Top Fifteen. Peng Shuai will be just short of the Top Thirty.

Singles – Second Round: (16) Roberta Vinci def. Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3 6-2

Roberta Vinci hasn’t guaranteed any particular ranking yet, but one more win might well raise her to #14.

Singles – Second Round: Bojana Jovanovski def. (17) Lucie Safarova 7-5 7-5

Lucie Safarova loses her Top Fifteen chance; we’d guess she will stay #17. Bojana Jovanovski should rise above #45.

Singles – Second Round: (20) Yanina Wickmayer def. Jana Cepelova 7-6(10-8) 7-5

Yanina Wickmayer keeps herself in the Top Twenty hunt — she’s currently #20 in safe points. But that is far from settled.

Singles – Second Round: Elena Vesnina def. (21) Varvara Lepchenko 6-4 6-2

Amazing what confidence is doing for Elena Vesnina. She has now won seven matches in a row. She has also clinched a Top Forty spot. Varvara Lepchenko, even with the loss, may well stay Top Twenty.

Singles – Second Round: Svetlana Kuznetsova def. (26) Hsieh Su-Wei 6-2 6-1

Hsieh Su-Wei looks likely to make the Top 25, but perhaps not with much margin. Svetlana Kuznetsova merely defends her points, so she remains in the #75 range.

Singles – Second Round: (29) Sloane Stephens def. Kristina Mladenovic 6-4 6-3

Sloane Stephens has now added enough points that she appears to have clinched her Top 25 spot. And she can make it all the way to the quarterfinal without facing another seed.

Singles – Second Round: Ayumi Morita def. Annika Beck 6-2 6-0

A significant surprise, given how well Annika Beck has been playing lately. Ayumi Morita rises to around #60.

Singles – Second Round: Carla Suarez Navarro def. Yulia Putintseva 1-6 7-6(7-5) 6-2

Carla Suarez Navarro adds a few points but appears to need at least one more win to hit the Top Thirty.

Singles – Second Round: Jamie Hampton def. Luksika Kumkhum 6-1 6-2

Jamie Hampton was defending points, so she hasn’t moved very much yet, but she continues to look like she will be going higher. Although perhaps not just yet, since she faces Azarenka next.

Singles – Second Round: Lesia Tsurenko def. Daria Gavrilova 7-5 6-3

Lesia Tsurenko’s amazing rise continues; this ought to take her above #70.

Singles – Second Round: Kimiko Date-Krumm def. Shahar Peer 6-2 7-5

Kimiko Date-Krumm is the oldest singles player around, but she made Shahar Peer look like the one who was old and tired. Date-Krumm will be the higher-ranked of the two after this.

Doubles – First Round: (4) Makarova/Vesnina def. Amanmuradova/Foretz Gacon 6-2 7-5

Doubles – First Round: (5) Petrova/Srebotnik def. Bobusic/Moore 6-4 6-2

Apparently Nadia Petrova is in better shape than we thought after her disastrous first round singles match.

Doubles – First Round: (6) Huber/Martinez Sanchez def. Doi/Morita 6-2 7-6(7-4)

Doubles – First Round: (7) Llagostera Vives/Zheng def. Chan/Chan 6-3 6-3

It was a pretty amazing first round for the top players — the only one of the Top Fifteen to lose was Sania Mirza. We currently show the Top Fifteen as follows:

1..(1) VINCI …………. 8950*

2..(2) ERRANI ………….8950*

3..(3) HLAVACKOVA ………7340*

4..(4) HRADECKA ………..7340*

5..(5) PETROVA ……….. 7255*

6..(7) KIRILENKO ……… 6430*

7..(6) RAYMOND ……….. 6405*

8..(8) HUBER …………. 6290*

9..(9) VESNINA ……….. 5370*

10.(10) LLAGOSTERA VIVES …5210*

11.(11) MAKAROVA ………..4830*

12.(13) MARTINEZ SANCHEZ …4295*