* Czechs win long-delayed Fed Cup match with Spain; have to hurry to Doha
* Bad omen for Vinci in quest to keep doubles #1; loses singles opener to Pironkova
Once again loses Top Ten chance
* Stephens, only other seed in action, falls to upset artist Cetkovska; cannot rise above #18
* Pennetta makes it three upset victims; will not rise above #22
* Petrova makes first main draw of year as a qualifer — but loses to Peng
* Venus Williams starts strong against Martic
* Beck wins all-German battle with Barthel, who remains below #50
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Doha
Venus Williams saved face for the American sisters after the Doha pullout of world No. 1 Serena, powering into the second round over Petra Martic 6-2, 6-2. The elder sibling next faces fellow former Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, with the Czech making her first appearance since a first-round Australian Open loss following a recovery from a virus.
Williams, 33, lost just six points on serve in her rout. The American is playing the Gulf event for only the second time and secured her first win at the tournament after a 2008 loss.
Czech Petra Cetkovska beat 14th seed Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-1 as US disappointments continued in 2014. Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova handed 11th seed Roberta Vinci a 6-3, 6-3 loss to leave the Italian 0-5 on the season. Taiwan qualifier Hsieh Su-Wei began with a defeat of Italy’s Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3 while China’s
Peng Shuai sent out Russian Nadia Petrova 7-6(5), 7-5. Annika Beck won a German battle with Mona Barthel 7-6(5), 6-2.
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Doha (Premier Five/Hard). Defending Champion: Victoria Azarenka
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Dubai (Premier/Hard). Defending Champion: Petra Kvitova
Rio de Janeiro (International/Clay). Defending Champion: New Event
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
Rankings
1 (1) SWilliams 12660
2 (3) LI 6570*
3 (2) Azarenka 5681
4 (4) ARADWANSKA 5475*
5 (5) Sharapova 5206
6 (6) KVITOVA 4645*
7 (7) ERRANI 4325*
8 (8) JANKOVIC 4310*
9 (9) KERBER 4005*
10 (10) HALEP 3660*
11 (11) WOZNIACKI 3200*
12 (12) IVANOVIC 3155*
13 (14) VINCI 3070
14 (13) CIBULKOVA 3056*
15 (15) Lisicki 2820
16 (17) SUAREZ NAVARRO 2685*
17 (16) STOSUR 2605*
18 (18) STEPHENS 2415
19 (19) BOUCHARD 2355*
20 (20) FLIPKENS 2295*
21 (21) PAVLYUCHENKOVA 2240*
22 (22) PENNETTA 2165
23 (24) Kirilenko 2046
24 (23) Makarova 2011
25 (25) CORNET 1985*
26 (26) CIRSTEA 1940*
27 (27) KANEPI 1932*
28 (28) SAFAROVA 1775*
29 (29) Kuznetsova 1617
30 (31) Hampton 1601*
Draws
Doha — week of February 10, 2014
1 Li
–bye
Schiavone
Rybarikova
Zhang
Zanevska (Q)
Cetkovska (Q)
14 Stephens
9 Ivanovic
Hantuchova
Svitolina
Zakopalova
Ka. Pliskova
Buyukakcay (WC)
–bye
6 Kerber
3 Kvitova
–bye
V Williams
Martic (Q)
Peng
Petrova (Q)
Safarova
16 Flipkens
10 Cibulkova
Kleybanova (WC)
Voegele
Cornet
Knapp
Garcia
–bye
5 Jankovic
7 Halep
–bye
Kanepi
Lepchenko
Barthel
Beck
Pironkova (Q)
11 Vinci
15 Bouchard
Mattek-Sands
Niculescu
Al Nabhani (WC)
Hsieh (Q)
Pennetta
–bye
4 Errani
8 Wozniacki
–bye
Petkovic
Wickmayer
Mladenovic
Cepelova
Erakovic
12 Stosur
13 Suarez Navarro
Pavlyuchenkova
Lucic-Baroni (Q)
Meusburger
Kudryavtseva (Q)
Cirstea
–bye
2 A Radwanska
******** SCORES ********
MONDAY
Doha
Singles – First Round
(Q) Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) d. (11) Roberta Vinci (ITA) 63 63
(Q) Petra Cetkovska (CZE) d. (14) Sloane Stephens (USA) 75 61
Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (Q) Nadia Petrova (RUS) 76(5) 75
Venus Williams (USA) d. (Q) Petra Martic (CRO) 62 62
Annika Beck (GER) d. Mona Barthel (GER) 76(5) 62
(Q) Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) d. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 75 63
Doubles – First Round
Pliskova/Pliskova (CZE/CZE) d. (WC) Al Nabhani/Honcova (OMA/SVK) 63 62
Buryachok/Diatchenko (UKR/RUS) d. Dushevina/Parra Santonja (RUS/ESP) 63 26 103 (Match TB)
(WC) Jankovic/Kleybanova (SRB/RUS) d. Lepchenko/Panova (USA/RUS) 76(3) 06 102 (Match TB)
Topics: 10sballs, Doha, Fed Cup, Flavia Pennetta, Mona Barthel, Petra Kvitova, Roberta Vinci, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Tsvetana Pironkova, Venus Williams, Wta