Women Tennis Update – Doha Saturday, February 16, 2013

Written by: Staff on 15th February 2013

Women Tennis Update - Doha Saturday, February 16, 2013

epa03585483 Maria Sharapova of Russia returns the ball to Samantha Stosur of Australia during their quarter final match of the WTA Qatar Ladies Open tennis tournament at the International Khalifa Tennis Complex Doha, Qatar, 15 February 2013. EPA/STRINGER |

Doha

Singles – Quarterfinal: (3) Maria Sharapova def. (8) Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-4

The organizers here set their schedule very carefully, and we’re going to follow their lead. Maria Sharapova still had a chance to rise, but only with help from those above her, so they put her first. And she kept her hopes alive, for the moment, while costing Samantha Stosur. Stosur was last year’s finalist, so although she remains #9 for now, this left her in danger of falling behind Caroline Wozniacki.

Singles – Quarterfinal: (1) Victoria Azarenka def. (6) Sara Errani 6-2 6-2

This put us a little closer to a decision on #1: If Victoria Azarenka lost this, she lost the top spot. This means that… she waited. It also meant no move for Sara Errani, so there would be no move from #4 to #7 in the rankings.

Singles – Quarterfinal: (2) Serena Williams def. (7) Petra Kvitova 3-6 6-3 7-5

But if the other two matches involved the #1 ranking, this was the biggie. A win here would make Serena Williams #1.

It didn’t look as if she would get it. Petra Kvitova played very well, and Serena wasn’t feeling well; she was said to have a cold. She came very close to losing — she was down 1-4 in the third set, and after the double-fault that cost her the fifth game, appeared to be crying. But… she’s Serena.

She’s also the #1 player in the world. The oldest #1 player in WTA history. Yet again she amazes us…. Azarenka and Sharapova are now playing for #2; the one who lasts longer gets it, with ties to Azarenka.

Singles – Quarterfinal: (4) Agnieszka Radwanska def. (10) Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 7-5

Caroline Wozniacki led for much of the second set of this, but she really doesn’t seem to have the proverbial “killer instinct” any more. She remains stuck at #10 — meaning that there is no change in the top 18 ranking places, except at #1, #2, and possibly #3. What a strange week….

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Errani/Vinci def. Hantuchova/Medina Garrigues 6-3 4-6 13-11

Even though this is a loss, we’re going to be keeping our eyes on Hantuchova/Medina Garrigues after this result. That’s quite a scare for the world’s top team.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (3) Kops-Jones/Spears def. Raymond/Stosur 6-2 6-4

Who would have believes this two years ago? But Kops-Jones/Spears really do seem to have matured into something greater than the sum of their parts.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (2) Petrova/Srebotnik def. (7) Hlavackova/Safarova 6-1 6-1

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (6) Groenefeld/Peschke def. (4) Llagostera Vives/Zheng 6-3 6-0

©Daily tennis news wire

Topics: Caroline Wozniacki, Klara Zakopalova, Maria Sharapova, Sara Errani, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, women tennis update