Today’s Women’s News (5/10) – Madrid

Written by: Staff on 9th May 2013

Today's Women's News (5/10) - Madrid

epa03692995 German tennis player Sabine Lisicki in action against Russian Maria Sharapova, during their Madrid Open tennis tournament round of 16 match at the Caja Magica pavilion in Madrid, central Spain, 09 May 2013. EPA/Chema Moya |

Madrid

Singles – Third Round: (1) Serena Williams def. (13) Maria Kirilenko 6-3 6-1

Maria Kirilenko made a contest of this — for about five games. Then Serena Williams lowered the hammer. Not much else to say except that Kirilenko won’t rise above her current #12.

Singles – Third Round: (2) Maria Sharapova def. Sabine Lisicki 6-2 7-5

This was a lot tougher than the Serena match, but Maria Sharapova extended her clay winning streak. A Serena versus Sharapova final is looking increasingly likely — and, if it happens, the #1 ranking will be on the line. Sabine Lisicki will be around #35, so she will need to add points at Rome if she is to earn a Roland Garros seed.

Singles – Third Round: (7) Sara Errani def. Varvara Lepchenko 7-5 6-3

Varvara Lepchenko was defending quarterfinalist points, so this costs her her Top Thirty ranking; she finds herself right around the cutoff for a Roland Garros seed.

Singles – Third Round: Ekaterina Makarova def. (14) Marion Bartoli 6-3 6-2

The struggles continue for Marion Bartoli, who will not rise above #13. Which, in addition, closes the Top Ten — there will be no new names in the Top Ten. But there will be a new name in the Top Twenty. Ekaterina Makarova is in.

Singles – Third Round: Kaia Kanepi def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-4

The big comeback continues. Kaia Kanepi, who just fell out of the Top Forty, is now back to right around #40.

Singles – Third Round: Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Yaroslava Shvedova walkover

A curiosity: There have been two walkovers and three retirements at this event, and all of them in the top half. Yaroslava Shvedova at least lasted long enough to put herself in the Top Thirty and clinch a Roland Garros seed.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Mladenovic/Voskoboeva def. (3) Makarova/Vesnina 6-4 6-2

We thought Elena Vesnina was over her troubles when she won her doubles opener. But maybe the problem that afflicted her in singles is still there after all. Or maybe it’s just that Kristina Mladenovic is on fire.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Soler-Espinosa/Suarez Navarro def. (4) Kops-Jones/Spears 4-6 6-2 10-4

The clay was bound to catch up with the American pair eventually…. Note that we have no seeds left in the draw; we’re going to have a really shocking winner here.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Pavlyuchenkova/Safarova def. Husarova/Lisicki 6-2 3-6 10-7

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Black/Erakovic def. Kuznetsova/Pennetta 4-6 6-1 10-5

By the looks of things, Svetlana Kuznetsova’s can’t-go-deep-in-singles problem is starting to affect her doubles.