Women Tennis Update – Indian Wells Friday, March 8, 2013

Written by: Staff on 7th March 2013

Women Tennis Update - Indian Wells Friday, March 8, 2013

epa03583800 Christina McHale of the USA returns the ball to Victoria Azarenka of Belarusduring their third round match of the WTA Qatar Ladies Open tennis tournament at the International Khalifa Tennis Complex Doha, Qatar, 14 February 2013. Azarenka won 6-0 and 6-0. EPA/STRINGER |

Indian Wells

Late Wednesday

Singles – First Round: Christina McHale def. Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3 6-4

A good start, but Christina McHale needs two more wins to defend her points…. Tsvetana Pironkova lost her opener last year also, so she will remain around #50.

Singles – First Round: Francesca Schiavone def. Flavia Pennetta 7-5 6-1

A strange match: Francesca Schiavone broke Flavia Pennetta early on, then Pennetta had a brief strong patch, then collapsed again. She may not be Top Hundred much longer at this rate. Francesca Schiavone needs one more win to defend her points and assure that she stays Top Fifty.

Thursday

Singles – First Round: Monica Niculescu def. Elina Svitolina 6-0 6-0

Monica Niculescu has been playing very well, and is closing in on the Top Fifty — but Elina Svitolina has been in pretty good form, too; clearly there was something wrong with her.

Singles – First Round: Sofia Arvidsson def. Laura Robson 2-6 7-6(7-2) 6-1

Laura Robson loses her chance to make the Top Forty. We’d guess Sofia Arvidsson needs one more win to stay Top Fifty.

Singles – First Round: Alize Cornet def. Monica Puig 6-7(3-7) 6-2 6-2

Just getting through qualifying should move Monica Puig close to the Top Hundred. Alize Cornet was defending substantial points, but it appears this will suffice to keep her Top Forty.

Singles – First Round: Irina-Camelia Begu def. Heather Watson 6-2 6-4

A slight upset, but if Irina-Camelia Begu can win her next match, she might hit the Top Fifty. While Heather Watson loses her sixteenth event score and may fall out of the Top Forty. It wasn’t a good day to be British….

Singles – First Round: Urszula Radwanska def. Arantxa Rus 6-3 6-3

Urszula Radwanska adds a few points and could rise as high as #35.

Singles – First Round: Kimiko Date-Krumm def. Galina Voskoboeva 6-4 3-6 6-4

Kimiko Date-Krumm’s endurance remains amazing. She leaves Galina Voskoboeva below #100.

Singles – First Round: Taylor Townsend def. Lucie Hradecka 3-6 7-6(7-1) 6-3

Wildcard Taylor Townsend came in ranked #471, so this increases her point total by some three-fourths. And she earns her first WTA win.

Singles – First Round: Kiki Bertens def. Annika Beck 3-6 6-4 6-1

Kiki Bertens so far has merely defended, but one more win would take her close to the Top Forty.

Doubles – First Round: (1) Errani/Vinci def. Jurak/Marosi 6-3 6-2

Errani/Vinci will be #1 no matter what happens here. Indeed, no matter what happens here, and in Miami, and probably in Rome and Madrid also. But why take any chances? Points in the bank are always good….

Doubles – First Round: (2) Hlavackova/Hradecka def. Lepchenko/S Zheng 6-1 6-2

This isn’t a great win, but Hlavackova/Hradecka haven’t gotten off to a very promising start this year, so this must feel good.

Doubles – First Round: Hsieh/Peng def. Kuznetsova/Pennetta 6-4 7-6(7-4)

It would seem that Flavia Pennetta’s problems aren’t confined to singles; Hsieh/Peng aren’t a bad team, but in her heyday, Pennetta was far better.

©Daily tennis news wire

Topics: BNP Paribas Open, Christina Mchale, Flavia Pennetta, Francesca Schiavone, Indian Wells, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Tsvetana Pironkova, women tennis news