WTA Update From Istanbul

Written by: on 24th October 2013
WTA Championships in Istanbul
WTA Update From Istanbul

epa03919404 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts during her match against Sara Errani of ?taly at the round-robin stage of the WTA Championships tennis tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, 22 October 2013. EPA/SEDAT SUNA  |

****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******

 

* Li improves to 2-0, will probably reach semifinal from White Group

* Radwanska wins only four games against Kerber, eliminated from semifinal hunt

* Serena clinches first place in Red Group

****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******

 

Istanbul

 

Singles – Round Robin: (4) Li Na def. (7) Jelena Jankovic 6-3 2-6 6-3

The strange thing about this match is that it was so close. If we kept track properly, in the middle of the third set, Jelena Jankovic had faced 18 break points, and saved 14 of them. With Li Na having faced only half as many break points, you’d have thought Li would have been dominating. But no, she had won only half the points, and the set was tied 3-3. But just as the match hit the two hour mark, Li converted break point #19, and that was pretty well the match.

Li is now 2-0, leading the White Group; a place in the semifinal seems pretty close to certain. For the moment, though, she is still only #5 in the rankings.

Jelena Jankovic is 1-1, which means she is tied in matches with Victoria Azarenka (although she has a better record in sets). The remaining White Group matchs are Li versus Azarenka and Jankovic versus Errani. That means we have four possible outcomes:

* If Li and Jankovic win — which seems the likeliest outcome given that Errani is having no success at all and Azarenka says she’s worn out — then Li and Jankovic make the semifinal (with Li #1 and Jankovic #2 in the group).

* If Li and Errani win, then Li makes the semifinal and Azarenka, Errani, and Jankovic are tied at 1-2 and it will come down to a tiebreak. But Errani cannot qualify; in practice it’s Azarenka or Jankovic.

* If Azarenka and Jankovic win, then Azarenka, Li, and Jankovic are tied at 2-1 and it will come down to a tiebreak.

* If Azarenka and Errani win, then Li and Azarenka make the semifinal (with Li #1 and Azarenka #2 in the group).

Singles – Round Robin: (8) Angelique Kerber def. (3) Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-2

A truly abominable tournament for Agnieszka Radwanska. She not only didn’t win a match, she didn’t even win a set. She will be last in the Red Group, and will not advance to the semifinal. Amazingly, she doesn’t even earn enough points to count toward her ranking! That means she stays behind Maria Sharapova in the rankings; Radwanska will end the year no better than #4 — and Li Na still has a shot at her if she can make the final. Angelique Kerber is still #9 in safe points, but she has at least a shot at going higher, since her semifinal hopes are still alive.

Singles – Round Robin: (1) Serena Williams def. (5) Petra Kvitova 6-2 6-3

So much for the idea that Petra Kvitova would be the biggest rival to Serena Williams here! Serena goes 3-0 in her group, clinching her semifinal spot and moving some 4400 points ahead of Victoria Azarenka in the contest for #1. Kvitova and Angelique Kerber are now tied at 1-1, and they haven’t played each other yet. So the winner of their contest will be in the semifinal; the loser will be #3 in the group and done for the year.

******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********

 

THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:

Istanbul (Championships/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Serena Williams

NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:

Sofia (International Championships/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Nadia Petrova

************ STATS AND FACTS ************

 

**RANKINGS

 

Estimated WTA Rankings As of October 24, 2013

 

Rank &

Prior

Rank….Name…………..Points

1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 12450*

2..(2) AZARENKA ………..8046*

3..(3) Sharapova ……… 5891

4..(4) ARADWANSKA ………5890

5..(5) LI ……………..5525*

6..(6) KVITOVA ……….. 4615*

7..(7) ERRANI ………….4275*

8..(8) JANKOVIC ………..4170*

9..(9) KERBER ………….3965*

10.(10) Wozniacki ……… 3520

11.(11) Stephens ………..3185

12.(12) Bartoli ……….. 3172

13.(13) Vinci …………. 3170

14.(14) Halep …………. 3085

15.(15) Lisicki ……….. 2920

16.(16) Ivanovic ………..2765

17.(17) Suarez Navarro …..2735

18.(18) Kirilenko ……… 2640

19.(19) Stosur ………….2580

20.(20) Flipkens ………..2495

21.(21) Kuznetsova ………2341

22.(22) Cirstea ……….. 2170

23.(23) Cibulkova ……… 2076

24.(24) Makarova ………..2066

25.(25) Vesnina ……….. 1920

26.(26) Pavlyuchenkova …..1890

27.(27) Cornet ………….1790

28.(28) Hampton ……….. 1781

29.(29) Safarova ………..1775

30.(30) Kanepi ………….1752

**DRAWS

 

Istanbul — Week of October 22

 

RED GROUP……….SWILL….ARADW….KVITO….KERBE….W/L….Sets

1 S. Williams……XXXXX….SWILL….SWILL….SWILL….3/0….6/0

6 Kvitova……….SWILL….KVITO….XXXXX….+++++….1/1….2/2

8 Kerber………..SWILL….ARADW….+++++….XXXXX….1/1….2/2

3 A. Radwanska…..SWILL….XXXXX….KVITO….KERBE….0/3….0/6

 

WHITE GROUP……..AZARE….LI…….ERRAN….JANKO….W/L….Sets

4 Li……………+++++….XXXXX….LI…….LI…….2/0….4/1

7 Jankovic………JANKO….LI…….+++++….XXXXX….1/1….3/2

2 Azarenka………XXXXX….+++++….AZARE….JANKO….1/1….2/2

5 Errani………..AZARE….Li…….XXXXX….+++++….0/2….0/4

******** SCORES ********

 

THURSDAY

Istanbul

Singles

White Group

(4) Li Na def. (7) Jelena Jankovic 6-3 2-6 6-3

Red Group

(1) Serena Williams def. (5) Petra Kvitova 6-2 6-3

(8) Angelique Kerber def. (3) Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-2

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