Miami / Sony WOMEN’s Tennis Update & More

Written by: Staff on 22nd March 2014

Miami / Sony WOMEN's Tennis Update & More

epa04116094 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia returns a shot to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine during their match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California USA, 08 March 2014. EPA/PAUL BUCK |

content supplied by BOB LARSON’S TENNIS NEWS Service

Mathematical memo to Maria Sharapova and her entourage: During the first two sets of Sharapova’s match with Lucie Safarova, she was winning 34% of second serve points. At the same time, she was putting in 64% of first serves, and winning 70% of those points. Had she fired a first serve on her second serve, she would have double-faulted dozens of times but would have won 45% of second serve points. And would have won her match with Safarova in straight sets. Instead, they’re in the third set, in a match already closer to three hours than to two. And that’s what was supposed to be a day match but became a night match due to rain delays and three earlier long matches. With more matches to follow; they’ll be playing long past midnight. So we’re going to have to leave the Sharapova/Safarova and Vandeweghe/Stosur match for tomorrow’s edition. Win or lose, Stosur will be #19 in safe points. Sharapova needs to win her match to stay above #10. Safarova will be no better than #26 if she loses.

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

* Ivanovic ends Pennetta’s streak

* Makarova outlasts Errani

* Lisicki latest to pull out

* Serena survives major scare from Garcia

* Top doubles seeds Hsieh/Peng surprised in opener; Errani/Vinci also out

****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******

Miami

Singles – Third Round: (1) Serena Williams def. Caroline Garcia 6-4 4-6 6-4

There was a rain delay in the third set of this, which Serena probably spent hunting for her missing serve. She never did locate it that we could tell, but she did just well enough on Caroline Garcia’s deliveries to survive a two and a half hour contest. Serena of course stays at #1; Garcia will be around #70.

Singles – Third Round: (5) Angelique Kerber def. Tsvetana Pironkova 6-0 6-2

When Tsvetana Pironkova runs out of steam, she tends to run out big time. The loss means she won’t be making the Top Forty. Angelique Kerber is now certain to at least keep the #9 ranking she came in with; she is likely to rise to #8.

Singles – Third Round: (8) Petra Kvitova def. (Q) Donna Vekic 6-3 6-4

Petra Kvitova has now all but clinched the #7 ranking, with a very good chance for #6 and a shot at #5 if she can win the title.

Singles – Third Round: (23) Ekaterina Makarova def. (9) Sara Errani 6-3 2-6 6-4

Give Sara Errani this much credit: For one match, at least, she really fought. For two and a half hours, in fact. But Ekaterina Makarova is an upset artist, and Errani is struggling badly, plus she prefers clay; this isn’t really a big surprise. Makarova will almost certainly rise at least one spot, and it might be more — if this doesn’t tire her too much. (Note that she had doubles to play after this — and in very hot, sticky weather.) Errani when this ended was actually ahead of Maria Sharapova in safe points, meaning she had a theoretical chance to move up despite losing quarterfinalist points — but Sharapova was still to play.

Singles – Third Round: (12) Ana Ivanovic def. (20) Flavia Pennetta 6-4 6-3

Flavia Pennetta went up an early break in this match, and then all but vanished. Which means that her winning streak ends at seven, with Pennetta still short of the Top Ten. Based on the new rankings, this is actually an upset — Pennetta came in at #12 and Ana Ivanovic at #13. That could change if Ivanovic can win two more matches.

Singles – Third Round: (19) Kirsten Flipkens def. (14) Sabine Lisicki walkover (illness)

By the looks of things, it isn’t just Martina Hingis who is back. So is the Hingis Curse, this time afflicting the player she coaches. Sabine Lisicki might well rise to #14, but she won’t go higher than that .Looks like flipper plays Sharapova again.

Doubles – First Round: Date-Krumm/Zahlavova Strycova def. (1) Hsieh/Peng 6-2 7-6(9-7)

We have no word on what happened here, but it’s a tremendous shock. Maybe Hsieh/Peng were resting on their laurels; they are absolutely safe at #1 and #2.

Doubles – First Round: (2) Makarova/Vesnina def. Erakovic/Martic 4-6 6-4 10-6

What a day for Ekaterina Makarova. Good thing she gets Sunday off from singles — especially since she and Elena Vesnina have quarterfinalist points to defend.

Doubles – First Round: Muguruza/Suarez Navarro def. (3) Errani/Vinci 7-6(9-7) 1-6 12-10

Unlike Ekaterina Makarova, at least Sara Errani gets to rest…. But this raises a substantial prospect of Errani and Roberta Vinci losing the #3 rankings they just gained from Makarova and Vesnina — the Russians are now the top team left in the draw. We currently show 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 ………..6605*

7..(5) SREBOTNIK ……… 6265*

8..(8) MIRZA …………. 5655*

9..(9) PESCHKE ……….. 5365*

10.(10) BLACK …………. 5250*

Doubles – First Round: Jurak/Lucic-Baroni def. Hantuchova/Parra Santonja 6-4 6-4

Doubles – First Round: Medina Garrigues/Shvedova def. Babos/Jankovic 6-2 6-2

Jelena Jankovic must be wondering why she even bothered coming here; not only did she lose in singles, she got blitzed in doubles despite playing with a very solid partner. Something really seems to be wrong.

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

Rankings

Estimated WTA Rankings As of March 22, 2014

Rank &

Prior

Rank …Name …………. Points

1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 11780*

2..(2) LI ……………..6945*

3..(3) ARADWANSKA ………5830*

4..(4) Azarenka ………..5441

5..(5) Halep …………. 4695

6..(8) KVITOVA ……….. 4275*

7..(6) JANKOVIC ………..4150

8..(9) KERBER ………….4090*

9.(10) ERRANI ………….3645

10..(7) SHARAPOVA ……… 3636*

11.(11) CIBULKOVA ……… 3395*

12.(12) PENNETTA ………..3270

13.(13) IVANOVIC ………..3120*

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 ………..2240*

23.(22) CORNET ………….2155*

24.(25) KANEPI ………….2110*

25.(23) FLIPKENS ………..2085*

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………………..4R

1 S Williams………(1)S.Williams………Williams

27 Zakopalova……..Garcia

21 Pavlyuchenkova….Vandeweghe(Q)

16 Stosur…………(16)Stosur

9 Errani………….(9)Errani

23 Makarova……….(23)Makarova……….Makarova

25 Cirstea………..Pironkova

5 Kerber………….(5)Kerber………….Kerber

4 Sharapova……….(4)Sharapova

26 Safarova……….(26)Safarova

19 Flipkens……….(19)Flipkens………Flipkens

14 Lisicki………..(14)Lisicki

12 Ivanovic……….(12)Ivanovic………Ivanovic

20 Pennetta……….(20)Pennetta

28 Kuznetsova……..Vekic(Q)

8 Kvitova…………(8)Kvitova………..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…………lost 3R (Makarova)

10 Cibulkova

11 Wozniacki

12 Ivanovic

13 Vinci………….lost 2R (Zahlavova Strycova)

14 Lisicki………..WITHDREW from 3R

15 Suarez Navarro

16 Stosur

17 Stephens

18 Bouchard……….lost 2R (Svitolina)

19 Flipkens

20 Pennetta……….lost 3R (Ivanovic)

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 ********

SATURDAY

Miami

Singles – Third Round

(1) Serena Williams def. Caroline Garcia 6-4 4-6 6-4

(5) Angelique Kerber def. Tsvetana Pironkova 6-0 6-2

(8) Petra Kvitova def. (Q) Donna Vekic 6-3 6-4

(23) Ekaterina Makarova def. (9) Sara Errani 6-3 2-6 6-4

(12) Ana Ivanovic def. (20) Flavia Pennetta 6-4 6-3

(19) Kirsten Flipkens def. (14) Sabine Lisicki walkover (illness)

Doubles – First Round

Date-Krumm/Zahlavova Strycova def. (1) Hsieh/Peng 6-2 7-6(9-7)

(2) Makarova/Vesnina def. Erakovic/Martic 4-6 6-4 10-6

Muguruza/Suarez Navarro def. (3) Errani/Vinci 7-6(9-7) 1-6 12-10

Jurak/Lucic-Baroni def. Hantuchova/Parra Santonja 6-4 6-4

Medina Garrigues/Shvedova def. Babos/Jankovic 6-2 6-2

Topics: 10sballs, Ana Ivanovic, Angelique Kerber, Flavia Pennetta, Kirsten Flipkens, Lucie Safarova, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Miami, Petra Kvitova, Samantha Stosur, Sara Errani, Serena Williams, Sony Open, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Wta

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March 22, 2014 at 9:04 pm

Miami / Sony WOMEN’s Tennis Update & More – http://t.co/IM13aZrulp #Miami @SonyOpenTennis #WTA #tennis #results