****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* Bartoli overwhelms Flipkens to return to Wimbledon final
* To face weary Lisicki
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Wimbledon
Singles – Semifinal: (15) Marion Bartoli def. (20) Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2
There really isn’t much to say about this match. Kirsten Flipkens couldn’t get her first serve in, couldn’t win the point even when she did, and was flatly blown away. It will be a match to forget — but, obviously, a Wimbledon to remember, since she made the first Slam semifinal of her career, and will hit a career high.
Marion Bartoli is back in the Wimbledon final — only her second Slam final, six years after her first. And although the oddsmakers say she will be something of an underdog this time, it seems clear that her chances are much better than in 2007 against Venus Williams. And even if she loses, she has herself back up to #8 in the world. It is quite a turnaround after a long slump that had dropped her down to #15 coming in.
Singles – Semifinal: (23) Sabine Lisicki def. (4) Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 2-6 9-7
This should have been over earlier; Sabine Lisicki had served for the match in the middle of the third set. But Agnieszka Radwanska, bandaged as she was, kept on breaking Lisicki — she built a 3-0 lead in the final set. Problem is, she couldn’t hold. Sooner or later, it seemed inevitable that Lisicki would come through. And so it happened. There were five breaks in the final set, which lasted an hour and nine minutes.
Who would have believed it? A Wimbledon final between #15 and #23?
Agnieszka Radwanska was #4 win or lose this match, but her standing relative to the Top Three has been slipping all spring. She is now almost 3000 points behind #3 Victoria Azarenka, and is in real danger of falling out of the Top Five this summer. Plus she loses another chance to win a Slam.
Sabine Lisicki, on the other hand, just keeps climbing. We show her up to #18. And she is regarded as the favorite in the final. Win that and she is #11. Even if she loses, Germany has its best result by a female player since Steffi Graf….
Mixed Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Soares/Raymond def. Peers/Barty 7-6(8-6) 7-6(7-4)
Bruno Soares lost his chance to make the Top Five this week, but he still has a good shot at taking home a Slam. He’d probably take that deal….
Mixed Doubles – Quarterfinal: (3) Zimonjic/Srebotnik def. (11) Matkowski/Peschke 7-6(12-10) 6-7(6-8) 6-4
We’re seeing a fair number of ex-partner matches in these last few rounds, including this one between Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. No idea if that had any psychological significance. It is interesting to note, in light of the closeness of the match, that Mixed rankings would have put these to teams right next to each other — Matkowski/Peschke #3, Zimonjic/Srebotnik #4. Of course, that also means that this was an upset under mixed rankings.
Mixed Doubles – Quarterfinal: (8) Nestor/Mladenovic def. (2) Tecau/Mirza 7-6(7-5) 7-6(7-5)
Horia Tecau has matured into a pretty good doubles player, but he still hasn’t shown that in mixed. And Kristina Mladenovic is turning into an excellent all-around player. Not much surprise here.
Mixed Doubles – Quarterfinal: Rojer/Dushevina def. (7) Bopanna/Zheng 6-3 3-6 6-3
Another non-surprise; Mixed rankings would have demoted Bopanna/Zheng to the #13 seeds.
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
KEYWORDS: No Feature Today
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Wimbledon (Slam/Grass). Defending Champion: Serena Williams
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Budapest (International/Clay). Defending Champion: Sara Errani
Palermo (International/Clay). Defending Champion: Sara Errani
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
**RANKINGS
Estimated WTA Rankings As of July 4, 2013
Rank &
Prior
Rank….Name…………..Points
1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 11895
2..(3) SHARAPOVA ……… 9235
3..(2) AZARENKA ………..8825
4..(4) ARADWANSKA ………5965
5..(6) LI ……………..5555
6..(5) ERRANI ………….5180
7..(8) KVITOVA ……….. 4435
8.(15) BARTOLI ……….. 4075*
9..(7) KERBER ………….3970
10..(9) WOZNIACKI ……… 3660
11.(11) VINCI …………. 3060
12.(10) KIRILENKO ……… 2976
13.(13) STOSUR ………….2965
14.(14) JANKOVIC ………..2925
15.(20) FLIPKENS ………..2906
16.(17) STEPHENS ………..2870
17.(12) IVANOVIC ………..2740
18.(24) LISICKI ……….. 2650*
19.(16) PETROVA ……….. 2505
20.(18) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2440
21.(19) CIBULKOVA ……… 2295
22.(22) VESNINA ……….. 1889
23.(21) PAVLYUCHENKOVA …..1805
24.(46) KANEPI ………….1781
25.(27) MAKAROVA ………..1742
26.(23) CIRSTEA ……….. 1700
27.(38) ROBSON ………….1685
28.(28) Kuznetsova ………1657
29.(30) SAFAROVA ………..1655
30.(32) HALEP …………. 1635
**DRAWS
Wimbledon — Week of May 24
…………………3R………………..4R………….QF………..SF………F
1 S Williams………(1)Williams………..Williams
28 Paszek…………Date-Krumm
23 Lisicki………..(23)Lisicki………..Lisicki……..Lisicki……Lisicki….Lisicki
14 Stosur…………(14)Stosur
10 Kirilenko………Robson…………….Robson
24 Peng…………..Erakovic
31 Oprandi………..Riske
7 Kerber………….Kanepi…………….Kanepi………Kanepi
4 A Radwanska……..(4)Radwanska……….Radwanska……Radwanska….Radwanska
30 Barthel………..Keys
21 Pavlyuchenkova….Pironkova………….Pironkova
13 Petrova………..Martic
11 Vinci………….(11)Vinci………….Vinci
18 Cibulkova………(18)Cibulkova
32 Zakopalova……..(32)Zakopalova
6 Li……………..(6)Li……………..Li…………..Li
5 Errani………….Puig………………Puig
26 Lepchenko………Birnerova(Q)
17 Stephens……….(17)Stephens……….Stephens……..Stephens
9 Wozniacki……….Cetkovska(Q)
15 Bartoli………..(15)Bartoli………..Bartoli………Bartoli….Bartoli….Bartoli
22 Cirstea………..Giorgi
27 Safarova……….Knapp……………..Knapp
3 Sharapova……….Larcher de Brito(Q)
8 Kvitova…………(8)Kvitova…………Kvitova………Kvitova
25 Makarova……….(25)Makarova
19 Suarez Navarro….(19)Suarez Navarro….Suarez Navarro
12 Ivanovic……….Bouchard
16 Jankovic……….Dolonc
20 Flipkens……….(20)Flipkens……….Flipkens……..Flipkens..Flipkens
29 Cornet…………(29)Cornet
2 Azarenka………..Pennetta…………..Pennetta
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 S Williams………lost 4R (Lisicki)
2 Azarenka………..WITHDREW from 2R
3 Sharapova……….lost 2R (Larcher de Brito)
4 A Radwanska……..lost SF (Lisicki)
5 Errani………….lost 1R (Puig)
6 Li……………..lost QF (A. Radwanska)
7 Kerber………….lost 2R (Kanepi)
8 Kvitova…………lost QF (Flipkens)
9 Wozniacki……….lost 2R (Cetkovska)
10 Kirilenko………lost 1R (Robson)
11 Vinci………….lost 4R (Li)
12 Ivanovic……….lost 2R (Bouchard)
13 Petrova………..lost 1R (Ka. Pliskova)
14 Stosur…………lost 3R (Lisicki)
15 Bartoli
16 Jankovic……….lost 2R (Dolonc)
17 Stephens……….lost QF (Bartoli)
18 Cibulkova………lost 3R (Vinci)
19 Suarez Navarro….lost 4R (Kvitova)
20 Flipkens……….lost SF (Bartoli)
21 Pavlyuchenkova….lost 1R (Pironkova)
22 Cirstea………..lost 2R (Giorgi)
23 Lisicki
24 Peng…………..lost 2R (Erakovic)
25 Makarova……….lost 3R (Kvitova)
26 Lepchenko………lost 1R (Birnerova)
27 Safarova……….lost 2R (Knapp)
28 Paszek…………lost 1R (Cadantu)
29 Cornet…………lost 3R (Pennetta)
30 Barthel………..lost 2R (Keys)
31 Oprandi………..lost 1R (Riske)
32 Zakopalova……..lost 3R (Li)
******** SCORES ********
THURSDAY
Wimbledon
Singles – Semifinal
(23) Sabine Lisicki def. (4) Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 2-6 9-7
(15) Marion Bartoli def. (20) Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2
Mixed Doubles – Quarterfinal
(1) Soares/Raymond def. Peers/Barty 7-6(8-6) 7-6(7-4)
(8) Nestor/Mladenovic def. (2) Tecau/Mirza 7-6(7-5) 7-6(7-5)
(3) Zimonjic/Srebotnik def. (11) Matkowski/Peschke 7-6(12-10) 6-7(6-8) 6-4
Rojer/Dushevina def. (7) Bopanna/Zheng 6-3 3-6 6-3
©Daily tennis wire
Topics: Kirsten Flipkens, Marion Bartol, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Wimbledon, women tennis news