****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Beijing
Singles – First Round: (1) Serena Williams def. Elena Vesnina 6-4 6-2
Poor Elena Vesnina has had two tough draws in a row. She might have had a chance to earn points last week even so, but not this week. She will remain below the Top Twenty — probably for the year, unless she has better luck in Moscow.
Singles – First Round: (3) Agnieszka Radwanska def. Stefanie Voegele 4-6 6-4 6-4
This should not have been so tough. Is Agnieska Radwanska still feeling the effects of playing Seoul and the Pan Pacific back-to-back?
Singles – First Round: (4) Na Li def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-0 6-4
This was very strange — Li Na won the first ten games, then Daniela Hantuchova four of the next five before Li finished it off. That probably means no Top Thirty spot for Hantuchova.
Singles – First Round: (13) Sabine Lisicki def. Chanelle Scheepers 6-3 6-2
Sabine Lisicki keeps herself barely alive in the Race. But some of the numbers here were a bit disturbing. She had seventeen break chances against Chanelle Scheepers — and converted only five.
Singles – First Round: Lucie Safarova def. (15) Samantha Stosur 7-5 6-3
For the second straight week, Lucie Safarova tops Samantha Stosur. Which means that Stosur is officially out of the WTA Race. She will remain around #20 — maybe lower.
Singles – First Round: Lauren Davis def. Mona Barthel 6-0 5-7 6-4
It appears Mona Barthel will end the year below #30.
Singles – First Round: Laura Robson def. Klara Zakopalova 7-6(7-3) 4-6 6-1
Probably no Top Thirty spot for Klara Zakopalova this year either. Laura Robson still has a chance, but she’ll need more.
Singles – First Round: Misaki Doi def. Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-1 6-1
Misaki Doi won her opener in Tokyo also. By her standards, it has been a very good Asian swing.
Singles – First Round: Kaia Kanepi def. Julia Goerges 7-5 6-4
When Kaia Kanepi can play, she’s usually trouble…. This probably means Julia Goerges will end the year around #50.
Singles – First Round: Madison Keys def. Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 6-3
There will be no spot at Istanbul for Dominika Cibulkova. She will remain below #20.
Singles – First Round: Maria Kirilenko def. Jie Zheng 7-5 6-2
Maria Kirilenko is still in the Istanbul hunt, at least officially, though it would take a near-miracle for her to qualify.
Doubles – First Round: Mladenovic/Pennetta def. Jurak/Minella 6-2 6-2
Doubles – First Round: Pavlyuchenkova/Safarova def. Lepchenko/S Zheng 5-7 6-0 10-6
Doubles – First Round: King/Voskoboeva def. Kuznetsova/Stosur 7-6(7-5) 6-3
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Beijing (Premier Mandatory/Hard). Defending Champion: Victoria Azarenka
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Linz (International/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Victoria Azarenka
Osaka (International/Hard). Defending Champion: Heather Watson
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
**RANKINGS
Estimated WTA Rankings As of September 28, 2013
Rank &
Prior
Rank….Name…………..Points
1..(1) SWilliams ……… 12260
2..(2) AZARENKA ………..9480
3..(3) Sharapova ……… 7641
4..(4) ARADWANSKA ………5995
5..(5) Li ……………..5565
6..(6) ERRANI ………….4300
7.(11) KVITOVA ……….. 3945*
8..(8) WOZNIACKI ……… 3735
9..(9) KERBER ………….3645
10..(7) Bartoli ……….. 3622
11.(10) JANKOVIC ………..3300
12.(12) VINCI …………. 3060
13.(13) STEPHENS ………..3045
14.(14) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2775
15.(16) IVANOVIC ………..2775
16.(15) Lisicki ……….. 2770
17.(18) HALEP …………. 2685
18.(19) Kirilenko ……… 2620
19.(20) FLIPKENS ………..2596
20.(17) STOSUR ………….2445
21.(21) CIRSTEA ……….. 2245
22.(22) Makarova ………..2146
23.(23) CIBULKOVA ……… 2126
24.(24) VESNINA ……….. 2125
25.(27) KUZNETSOVA ………2063
26.(25) Hampton ……….. 1851
27.(28) CORNET ………….1790
28.(29) PAVLYUCHENKOVA …..1750
29.(32) PENNETTA ………..1730
30.(30) Kanepi ………….1671
**DRAWS
Pan Pacific — Week of September 22
WINNER: Petra Kvitova
………………..3R……………..QF………..SF………F
1 Azarenka……….V.Williams………Williams…..Williams
13 Halep…………(13)Halep
9 Stephens……….Bouchard………..Bouchard
6 Jankovic……….(6)Jankovic
3 Errani…………Kuznetsova………Kuznetsova
15 Cirstea……….(15)Cirstea
10 Suarez Navarro…Keys
7 Kvitova………..(7)Kvitova………Kvitova……Kvitova…..Kvitova
8 Vinci………….Safarova………..Safarova
12 Stosur………..(12)Stosur
14 Flipkens………Rybarikova
4 Wozniacki………(4)Wozniacki…….Wozniacki….Wozniacki
5 Kerber…………(5)Kerber……….Kerber…….Kerber……Kerber
11 Ivanovic………(11)Ivanovic
16 Cibulkova……..(16)Cibulkova
2 A Radwanska…….(2)A.Radwanska…..Radwanska
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Azarenka………lost 2R (V.Williams)
2 A Radwanska……lost QF (Kerber)
3 Errani………..lost 2R (Kuznetsova)
4 Wozniacki……..lost SF (Kerber)
5 Kerber………..lost F (Kvitova)
6 Jankovic………lost 3R (Bouchard)
7 Kvitova……….WON TOURNAMENT
8 Vinci…………lost 2R (Safarova)
9 Stephens………lost 2R (Bouchard)
10 Suarez Navarro..lost 1R (Keys)
11 Ivanovic……..lost 3R (Kerber)
12 Stosur……….lost 3R (Safarova)
13 Halep………..lost 3R (V. Williams)
14 Flipkens……..lost 2R (Rybarikova)
15 Cirstea………lost 3R (Kuznetsova)
16 Cibulkova…….lost 3R (A. Radwanska)
Beijing — Week of September 29
1 S Williams
16 Halep
11 Stephens
6 Wozniacki
3 A Radwanska
14 Ivanovic
10 Vinci
7 Kerber
5 Errani
9 Kvitova
13 Lisicki
4 Li
8 Jankovic
12 Suarez Navarro
15 Stosur
2 Azarenka
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 S Williams
2 Azarenka
3 A Radwanska
4 Li
5 Errani
6 Wozniacki
7 Kerber
8 Jankovic
9 Kvitova
10 Vinci
11 Stephens
12 Suarez Navarro
13 Lisicki
14 Ivanovic
15 Stosur………..lost 1R (Safarova)
16 Halep…………lost 1R (U Radwanska)
******** SCORES ********
SUNDAY
Beijing
Singles – First Round
(1) Serena Williams def. Elena Vesnina 6-4 6-2
(3) Agnieszka Radwanska def. Stefanie Voegele 4-6 6-4 6-4
(4) Na Li def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-0 6-4
(13) Sabine Lisicki def. Chanelle Scheepers 6-3 6-2
Lucie Safarova def. (15) Samantha Stosur 7-5 6-3
Lauren Davis def. Mona Barthel 6-0 5-7 6-4
Laura Robson def. Klara Zakopalova 7-6(7-3) 4-6 6-1
Misaki Doi def. Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-1 6-1
Kaia Kanepi def. Julia Goerges 7-5 6-4
Madison Keys def. Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 6-3
Maria Kirilenko def. Jie Zheng 7-5 6-2
Doubles – First Round
Mladenovic/Pennetta def. Jurak/Minella 6-2 6-2
Pavlyuchenkova/Safarova def. Lepchenko/S Zheng 5-7 6-0 10-6
King/Voskoboeva def. Kuznetsova/Stosur 7-6(7-5) 6-3
* Kvitova edges Kerber in Tokyo
* Black beats ex-partner Huber in doubles
* Quiet start to Beijing main draw, but lots of upsets in qualifying
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Pan Pacific
Singles – Final: (7) Petra Kvitova def. (5) Angelique Kerber 6-2 0-6 6-3
This was such a seesaw contest that, despite going three sets, it lasted only an hour and thirty-nine minutes. There were more momentum swings than even the score indicates. Petra Kvitova built a 4-0 lead in the final set, then started to struggle; she needed four match points to finish it off.
It’s her second title of the year, following Dubai, and the biggest — indeed, the biggest for her since she won last year’s Canadian Open. This marks the third straight year in which she has won at least two titles. She will rise to #7 (from #11) as a result.
And she has completely changed the picture in the Race. She came in at #7. She is now effectively tied with Sara Errani for #6. That makes it very likely that both Errani and Kvitova will qualify — but it also reduces the odds of Errani qualifying this week.
Angelique Kerber hasn’t won a title since Copenhagen 2012. And she didn’t add enough points to improve her ranking; she remains #9. But she came in at #12 in the Race, and it appears she’ll be rising to #8. So, suddenly, she has good chances to play Istanbul also. It was a disappointing final, but a good week….
Doubles – Final: Black/Mirza def. H Chan/Huber 4-6 6-0 11-9
There is always a lot of interest when Cara Black faces Liezel Huber. When it happens in a final, it gets all the more interesting. And even more interesting since they came in ranked right next to each other — Black #24, Huber #25. That must grate a bit on Huber, given that she had the advantage of a higher ranking for most of the year. Not any more; Black will now be far ahead. Huber is still looking for her first title since New Haven 2012.
Black earns her first title since Auckland, and her biggest since she and Huber won Cincinnati 2009.
Sania Mirza earns title #4 of 2013, all Premier events, although this is the biggest. She might yet make the Top Ten this year. Unfortunately for her, those four titles came with three different partners. So she isn’t in contention for Istanbul. If she can find a regular partner, she might well have a chance next year.
Beijing
It was a wild day in Beijing qualifying. Eugenie Bouchard, the top qualifying seed, managed to win — but six other qualifying matches ended in upsets. #2 Marina Erakovic lost to #11 Galina Voskoboeva, #3 Kimiko Date-Krumm retired before countrywoman Misaki Doi, #13 Polona Hercog upset #3 Lourdes Dominguez Lino, #12 Chanelle Scheepers beat #6 Lesia Tsurenko, #14 Lauren Davis beat #7 Karolina Pliskova, and Sharon Fichman took out #10 Yaroslava Shvedova. Our other qualifier is Silvia Soler-Espinosa, who advanced when Virginie Razzano retired. (That was one of three retirements on the day; perhaps it’s a side effect of this being a Premier Mandatory.)
Singles – First Round: (5) Sara Errani def. Kirsten Flipkens 7-6(7-3) 6-1
Good news for Sara Errani after all her recent struggles; she needed a win over a solid opponent like Kirsten Flipkens. For Flipkens, this officially ends her chances to qualify for Istanbul (not that she had much chance in the first place).
Singles – First Round: (10) Roberta Vinci def. Elina Svitolina 6-2 6-2
Roberta Vinci slipped in the Race standings after her bad result in Tokyo, but this at least keeps her alive.
Singles – First Round: (11) Sloane Stephens def. Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4 6-4
Stephens, too, keeps alive, although she will probably need at least one more withdrawal to have a shot.
Singles – First Round: (12) Carla Suarez Navarro def. Kristina Mladenovic 6-2 3-6 7-5
After a good start to the year, Kristina Mladenovic is really struggling at the end.
Singles – First Round: Urszula Radwanska def. (16) Simona Halep 7-6(7-4) 7-6(7-2)
Simona Halep led for most of the second set, but couldn’t hold her lead. A tough end (or near-end) to a great year; she is formally out of the Race.
Singles – First Round: Monica Niculescu def. Annika Beck 7-6(7-4) 6-4
After a lost year, Monica Niculescu seems to be finishing strong.
Singles – First Round: Francesca Schiavone def. Alize Cornet 3-2, retired
Francesca Schiavone is having a much better second half than first half, too.
Singles – First Round: Varvara Lepchenko def. Heather Watson 1-6 6-3 6-3
Varvara Lepchenko might not have gotten direct entry based on her current ranking, but at least she’s showing signs of life again.
Doubles – First Round: (6) Kops-Jones/Spears def. Govortsova/Rosolska 6-1 6-1
The doubles draw here is surprisingly lacking in Istanbul contenders. Errani/Vinci (seeded #1) and Hsieh/Peng (seeded #2) are here, but Ekaterina Makarova is out, so Elena Vesnina is seeded #7 with Marina Erakovic. Nadia Petrova can’t play, so Katarina Srebotnik is with Jelena Jankovic; they’re #4. Barty/Dellacqua are #3, Groenefeld/Peschke #5. Also missing are Hlavackova/Hradecka. Which means that the U. S. Open champions are out of the Race. In that field, Kops-Jones/Spears are genuine contenders for the title — but the Race is looking even more as if the qualifiers will be Errani/Vinci (clinched), Hsieh/Peng, Makarova/Vesnina, and Petrova/Srebotnik. Assuming they can all play, anyway.
Doubles – First Round: Goerges/Zahlavova Strycova def. Aoyama/Moulton-Levy 7-5 4-6 10-8
©Daily tennis news wire
Topics: Angelique Kerber, Beijing, Pan Pacific, Petra Kvitova, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News