* Jankovic shocked by Lepchenko
* Halep, Kleybanova withdraw
* Zahlavova Strycova hands Vinci another loss
* Svitolina surprises Bouchard; Muguruza upset by Tomljanovic; Keys tops Hantuchova
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Miami
Singles – Second Round: (2) Li Na def. Alisa Kleybanova walkover (illness)
This is bad news for everyone, really. Alisa Kleybanova because she is sick and doesn’t get any chance to add points — but for Li Na also, because she still hasn’t played any matches and so doesn’t earn any points.
Singles – Second Round: (3) Agnieszka Radwanska def. Romina Oprandi 6-0 6-4
This means no return to the Top Hundred for Romina Oprandi.
Singles – Second Round: Varvara Lepchenko def. (7) Jelena Jankovic 6-3 2-6 7-6(7-2)
Jelena Jankovic actually won more points in this match than Varvara Lepchenko. But, as usual, it’s not how many points you win…. Jankovic was defending semifinal points, so she will fall from #6 to no better than #7. That must be particularly galling since, with Simona Halep out (more on this below), she had a Top Five shot. Varvara Lepchenko was defending third round points, so she hasn’t clinched her Top Fifty spot, but it looks very likely.
Singles – Second Round: (10) Dominika Cibulkova def. Yvonne Meusburger 6-1 6-2
This probably means Yvonne Meusburger won’t be climbing above #35 just yet. Dominika Cibulkova moves a little closer to the Top Ten, but she still has a long way to go.
Singles – Second Round: (11) Caroline Wozniacki def. Monica Puig 6-1 1-6 6-3
The second set of this was frankly pretty ugly, but Caroline Wozniacki survived. She’s still only #17 in safe points, though, and will need a lot more to go any higher. Monica Puig will be around #55.
Singles – Second Round: Barbora Zahlavova Strycova def. (13) Roberta Vinci 6-4 2-6 7-5
This took two and three-quarter hours, but the result was pretty typical of Roberta Vinci lately: She lost. And she was a quarterfinalist last year. She will fall from #14 to at least #15, and it might be lower. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova is a little below #55.
Singles – Second Round: (15) Carla Suarez Navarro def. Chanelle Scheepers 6-4 6-1
The loss by Roberta Vinci means that Carla Suarez Navarro has a real shot at a return to the Top Fifteen, but this alone won’t do it for her.
Singles – Second Round: (17) Sloane Stephens def. (Q) Zarina Diyas 7-5 6-3
This was probably tougher than it should have been — perhaps not promising, considering that Sloane Stephens needs at least one more win to keep the #16 ranking.
Singles – Second Round: Elina Svitolina def. (19) Eugenie Bouchard 1-6 6-1 6-2
This was hardly the day’s biggest surprise; if Eugenie Bouchard has been climbing steadily, so has Elina Svitolina. Still, Bouchard seems to be in a mini-slump; she will lose at least one ranking spot, and there is a slight chance she could fall out of the Top Twenty. It’s just possible that this will put Svitolina in the Top Forty; one more win would clinch it — and she doesn’t have to face a seed; her next opponent is Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
Singles – Second Round: (22) Alize Cornet def. Andrea Petkovic 6-2 6-7(0-7) 6-4
Another contest of players with significant points on the line. Andrea Petkovic will fall at least two spots, to no better than #39; Alize Cornet still needs at least one more win to keep the #22 ranking.
Singles – Second Round: (24) Kaia Kanepi def. Christina McHale 7-6(7-5) 7-6(7-0)
Christina McHale matches her result from last year, but she is yet another victim of points table change; this will cost her at least one ranking spot. Kaia Kanepi, who didn’t play last year, has a good chance to gain a spot.
Singles – Second Round: Ajla Tomljanovic def. (30) Garbine Muguruza 3-6 7-6(8-6) 6-1
Both these two were defending fourth round points, so at least one was likely to suffer here. This will drop Garbine Muguruza to no better than #40. Ajla Tomljanovic is still only about #75 in safe points.
Singles – Second Round: (29) Venus Williams def. Anna Schmiedlova 6-3 6-3
Venus Williams struggled mightily in the first few games of this, and she never really seemed to get comfortable, being broken as she served for the match. But she eventually came through, clinching her Top Thirty spot in the process.
Singles – Second Round: Madison Keys def. (31) Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 6-2
Madison Keys is ranked only five places below Daniela Hantuchova, and she’s American, so this isn’t really much of an upset. Hantuchova won’t rise above her current #33; Keys is likely to gain a spot or two. Probably not more than that, since she faces Li next.
Singles – Second Round: (32) Elena Vesnina def. Alison Riske 6-2 6-2
This looks rather like Alison Riske’s first round, in which she suffered a first set demolition, except that Elena Vesnina actually knows how to finish a match. The loss means that Riske will remain below #45.
Singles – Second Round: (WC) Casey Dellacqua def. (LL) Jana Cepelova 6-4 1-6 6-4
You wouldn’t think Simona Halep would be old enough to be an injury machine — but it’s starting to look as if she is. She had to pull out of the draw with a bad toe. That means she can’t rise above her current #5 (which in turn means that Victoria Azarenka will stay safe at #4). Halep will probably stay at #5, but it’s not quite certain; Petra Kvitova could pass her with a final, and a few others with a title. Halep’s withdrawal was obviously a stroke of luck for Casey Dellacqua, who is now up to #51 in safe points; it really looks as if she’ll hit the Top Fifty this year.
Doubles – First Round: (4) Peschke/Srebotnik def. Kuznetsova/Stosur 6-2 3-6 10-4
After this, we couldn’t help but think what it would be like to have to coach both Svetlana Kuznetsova and Samantha Stosur. Talk about a job that would take a toll on one’s blood pressure…. For Peschke/Srebotnik, this isn’t enough to count, but they continue to look strong this year.
Doubles – First Round: Hingis/Lisicki def. (6) Hlavackova/Safarova 6-1 6-4
After a disappointment at Indian Wells, this is more like what we expected from Hingis/Lisicki. The loss means no return to the Top Ten for Andrea Hlavackova. And that means that there will be no new Top Ten players this week; Cara Black has clinched the last spot. We currently estimate the Top Ten as follows:
1..(1) PENG ……………9105*
2..(2) HSIEH …………. 8985*
3..(3) ERRANI ………….7045*
3..(3) VINCI …………. 7045*
5..(6) VESNINA ……….. 6705*
6..(7) MAKAROVA ………..6495*
7..(5) SREBOTNIK ……… 6265*
8..(8) MIRZA …………. 5655*
9..(9) PESCHKE ……….. 5365*
10.(10) BLACK …………. 5250*
Doubles – First Round: (8) Kops-Jones/Spears def. Mladenovic/Pennetta 6-1 3-6 10-7
An interesting match, because Kristina Mladenovic is ranked ahead of either Kops-Jones or Spears. But this gives the American team a chance at passing her, if they can win two more matches.
Doubles – First Round: King/Zheng def. Huber/Raymond 7-6(7-3) 7-6(7-3)
So much for the Huber/Raymond reunion. And it’s very bad news for Lisa Raymond, who last year made the final with Laura Robson. She loses more than a quarter of her points, and will fall from #31 to around #45.
Doubles – First Round: Husarova/Melzer def. (WC) Flipkens/Ivanovic 7-5 6-4
Iveta Benesova Melzer’s singles comeback is going nowhere, but she’s doing fine in doubles.
Doubles – First Round: (WC) Cirstea/Pavlyuchenkova def. Rosolska/Soler-Espinosa 6-2 3-6 10-5
Doubles – First Round: Niculescu/Zakopalova def. Fichman/Moulton-Levy 6-0 7-5
Niculescu/Zakopalova have been one of the leading “surprise” teams of 2014, and despite a few recent bobbles, it looks like they could do some real damage here.
Rankings
Estimated WTA Rankings As of March 21, 2014
Rank &
Prior
Rank …Name …………. Points
1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 11725*
2..(2) LI ……………..6945
3..(3) ARADWANSKA ………5830*
4..(4) Azarenka ………..5441
5..(5) Halep …………. 4695
6..(8) KVITOVA ……….. 4220*
7..(6) JANKOVIC ………..4150
8..(9) KERBER ………….4035*
9.(10) ERRANI ………….3645*
10..(7) SHARAPOVA ……… 3636*
11.(11) CIBULKOVA ……… 3395*
12.(12) PENNETTA ………..3270*
13.(13) IVANOVIC ………..3065*
14.(15) LISICKI ……….. 2720*
15.(14) VINCI …………. 2685
16.(17) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2605*
17.(18) WOZNIACKI ……… 2590*
18.(16) STEPHENS ………..2550*
19.(20) STOSUR ………….2485*
20.(19) BOUCHARD ………..2445
21.(21) PAVLYUCHENKOVA …..2245
22.(24) MAKAROVA ………..2185*
23.(22) CORNET ………….2155*
24.(25) KANEPI ………….2110*
25.(23) FLIPKENS ………..2030*
26.(27) SAFAROVA ………..1940*
27.(26) CIRSTEA ……….. 1780
28.(31) VWILLIAMS ……… 1562*
29.(29) Kirilenko ……… 1516
30.(30) KUZNETSOVA ………1513
Draws
Miami — week of March 17, 2014
…………………3R
1 S Williams………(1)S.Williams
27 Zakopalova……..Garcia
21 Pavlyuchenkova….Vandeweghe(Q)
16 Stosur…………Bertens
9 Errani………….(9)Errani
23 Makarova……….(23)Makarova
25 Cirstea………..Pironkova
5 Kerber………….(5)Kerber
4 Sharapova……….(4)Sharapova
26 Safarova……….(26)Safarova
19 Flipkens……….(19)Flipkens
14 Lisicki………..(14)Lisicki
12 Ivanovic……….(12)Ivanovic
20 Pennetta……….(20)Pennetta
28 Kuznetsova……..Vekic(Q)
8 Kvitova…………(8)Kvitova
[Cepelova(LL)]…….Dellacqua
29 V Williams……..(29)V.Williams
22 Cornet…………(22)Cornet
10 Cibulkova………(10)Cibulkova
13 Vinci………….Zahlavova Strycova
18 Bouchard……….Svitolina
32 Vesnina………..(32)Vesnina
3 A Radwanska……..(3)A.Radwanska
7 Jankovic………..Lepchenko
30 Muguruza……….Tomljanovic
17 Stephens……….(17)Stephens
11 Wozniacki………(11)Wozniacki
15 Suarez Navarro….(15)Suarez Navarro
24 Kanepi…………(24)Kanepi
31 Hantuchova……..Keys
2 Li……………..(2)Li
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 S Williams
2 Li
3 A Radwanska
4 Sharapova
5 Kerber
6 Halep…………..WITHDREW (replaced by Cepelova)
7 Jankovic………..lost 2R (Lepchenko)
8 Kvitova
9 Errani
10 Cibulkova
11 Wozniacki
12 Ivanovic
13 Vinci…………..lost 2R (Zahlavova Strycova)
14 Lisicki
15 Suarez Navarro
16 Stosur
17 Stephens
18 Bouchard……….lost 2R (Svitolina)
19 Flipkens
20 Pennetta
21 Pavlyuchenkova….lost 2R (Vandeweghe)
22 Cornet
23 Makarova
24 Kanepi
25 Cirstea………..lost 2R (Pironkova)
26 Safarova
27 Zakopalova……..lost 2R (Garcia)
28 Kuznetsova……..lost 2R (Vekic)
29 V Williams
30 Muguruza……….lost 2R (Tomljanovic)
31 Hantuchova……..lost 2R (Keys)
32 Vesnina
******** SCORES ********
FRIDAY
Miami
Second Round
(2) Li Na def. Alisa Kleybanova walkover (illness)
(3) Agnieszka Radwanska def. Romina Oprandi 6-0 6-4
Varvara Lepchenko def. (7) Jelena Jankovic 6-3 2-6 7-6(7-2)
(10) Dominika Cibulkova def. Yvonne Meusburger 6-1 6-2
(11) Caroline Wozniacki def. Monica Puig 6-1 1-6 6-3
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova def. (13) Roberta Vinci 6-4 2-6 7-5
(15) Carla Suarez Navarro def. Chanelle Scheepers 6-4 6-1
(17) Sloane Stephens def. (Q) Zarina Diyas 7-5 6-3
Elina Svitolina def. (19) Eugenie Bouchard 1-6 6-1 6-2
(22) Alize Cornet def. Andrea Petkovic 6-2 6-7(0-7) 6-4
(24) Kaia Kanepi def. Christina McHale 7-6(7-5) 7-6(7-0)
(29) Venus Williams def. Anna Schmiedlova 6-3 6-3
Ajla Tomljanovic def. (30) Garbine Muguruza 3-6 7-6(8-6) 6-1
Madison Keys def. (31) Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 6-2
(32) Elena Vesnina def. Alison Riske 6-2 6-2
(WC) Casey Dellacqua def. (LL) Jana Cepelova 6-4 1-6 6-4
Doubles – First Round
(4) Peschke/Srebotnik def. Kuznetsova/Stosur 6-2 3-6 10-4
Hingis/Lisicki def. (6) Hlavackova/Safarova 6-1 6-4
(8) Kops-Jones/Spears def. Mladenovic/Pennetta 6-1 3-6 10-7
King/Zheng def. Huber/Raymond 7-6(7-3) 7-6(7-3)
Husarova/Melzer def. (WC) Flipkens/Ivanovic 7-5 6-4
(WC) Cirstea/Pavlyuchenkova def. Rosolska/Soler-Espinosa 6-2 3-6 10-5
Niculescu/Zakopalova def. Fichman/Moulton-Levy 6-0 7-5
Topics: 10sballs, Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki, Eugenie Bouchard, Li Na, Miami, Monica Puig, Sony Open, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Venus Williams, Wta
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