Sharapova wins in 3 Wozniacki beats Sloane 1&0 in Miami 2014

Written by: Staff on 23rd March 2014

Sharapova wins in 3 Wozniacki beats Sloane 1&0 in Miami 2014

epa04138343 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark waves after defeating Sloane Stephens of the USA following their match at the Sony Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne in Miami, Florida, USA, 23 March 2014. EPA/RHONA WISE |

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* Li, Radwanska easily reach fourth round

* Cibulkova edges Cornet to keep Top Ten hopes alive

* Stephens offers little resistance to Wozniacki

Miami

Singles – Third Round (late Saturday): (4) Maria Sharapova def. (26) Lucie Safarova 6-4 6-7(7-9) 6-2

This match took almost three hours, and Maria Sharapova blew two match points in the second set because of her miserable second serve. She really would be better off allowing herself to double-fault and hitting an actual serve on her second ball. But she survived, moving up to #9 in safe points. That guarantees that she will at least stay Top Ten after Miami. Lucie Safarova loses her shot at the Top 25.

Singles – Third Round (late Saturday): (Q) Coco Vandeweghe def. (16) Samantha Stosur 5-7 7-5 7-5

Samantha Stosur wasn’t defending anything, so merely making the third round was enough to effectively assure her Top Twenty spot; she’s #19 in safe points. But add her to the list of severe under-performers here; she had a real shot at the Top Fifteen.

Singles – Third Round: (2) Na Li def. Madison Keys 7-6(7-3) 6-3

Finally Li Na earns some points; due to a walkover in the round before, she had to win this to pick up any points at all. She leaves Madison Keys still below #35.

Singles – Third Round: (3) Agnieszka Radwanska def. (32) Elena Vesnina 7-5 6-3

Elena Vesnina will stay right around the #35 ranking she came in with.

Singles – Third Round: (10) Dominika Cibulkova def. (22) Alize Cornet 7-6(8-6) 6-4

It took these two two hours to play a set and a half. Any question about their respective defensive skills? There were more breaks than holds. Hardly surprising, when the two were at about 50% of points won even on first serves. But Dominika Cibulkova had better numbers on second serves (there really wasn’t much difference between her first and second balls), and that gave her just enough edge. Cibulkova is now about 200 points away from the Top Ten; Cornet, who made the fourth round last year, will fall one or perhaps two ranking spots.

Singles – Third Round: (11) Caroline Wozniacki def. (17) Sloane Stephens 6-1 6-0

Based on current rankings, these seedings should have been reversed — Sloane Stephens came in ranked #16, Caroline Wozniacki #18. But you would never have known it! And, because Stephens was defending 140 points and Wozniacki only 80, that will reverse — Stephens will fall to no better than #18, with Wozniacki probably #17 and with the chance to go higher.

Singles – Third Round: (15) Carla Suarez Navarro def. (24) Kaia Kanepi 6-2 6-1

Despite the seedings, this is a bit of a surprise — certainly a surprise that it was such a blowout. Carla Suarez Navarro needs one more win to hit the Top Fifteen.

Singles – Third Round: (29) Venus Williams def. (WC) Casey Dellacqua 6-4 5-7 6-4

Talk about a year of crazy weather — it’s only March, but they had to take a heat break at the end of the second set of this. That perhaps helped revive Venus Williams, who is, after all, very tall, and would have a hard time shedding heat. She now looks sure to rise to #28, although she’ll need two more wins to go any higher. Casey Dellacqua is having a great year, but this will leave her just below the Top Fifty, at least for now.

Singles – Third Round: Elina Svitolina def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 4-6 6-4 6-1

It looks as if this will take Elina Svitolina to another career high — she will likely reach #35. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova will be just below #55.

Singles – Third Round: Varvara Lepchenko def. Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4 6-7(5-7) 7-6(7-2)

Another three hour match! And on a very warm, humid day, too — let’s hope both players got plenty of fluids after it was over. Even if Ajla Tomljanovic doesn’t suffer physically, this is going to hurt her ranking pretty badly; she made the fourth round last year, and will fall to around #75. Varvara Lepchenko is up to probably #46.

Doubles – Second Round: (8) Kops-Jones/Spears def. King/Zheng 3-6 7-5 10-6

With this, Kops-Jones/Spears start to add points, but they haven’t moved above #18 yet.

Doubles – Second Round: Kudryavtseva/Rodionova def. Niculescu/Zakopalova 6-3 7-5

This contest featured two of the best stealth teams of the year. That may be a good sign for Kudryavtseva/Rodionova.

Doubles – Second Round: (WC) Muguruza/Suarez Navarro def. Husarova/Melzer 6-2 6-0

With results like these, we find ourselves wondering why Carla Suarez Navarro doesn’t play doubles more often. She has only eight events, and is ranked #79. Or was; she’ll be climbing significantly.

****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******

Rankings Update: Miami

The line in the trainer’s room is long, which has the ironic effect of making the rankings feature short. Withdrawals quickly settled things at the top of the rankings. Serena Williams was sure all along of being #1, and Li Na had clinched the #2 ranking before play started, but the withdrawals of Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep clinched that Agnieszka Radwanska would stay #3 and that Azarenka would be #4.

Halep’s #5 rankings looks pretty safe but isn’t quite guaranteed. Petra Kvitova could pass her with a final, or Angelique Kerber with a title.

Jelena Jankovic, #6 coming in, will fall to no better than #7, and it could be lower.

Also assured of Top Ten rankings are Kerber and Maria Sharapova. Sara Errani is currently #10 in safe points, but could still lose that spot to Dominika Cibulkova or Ana Ivanovic.

Serena, Li, Radwanska, Azarenka, Halep, Kvitova, Jankovic, Kerber, Sharapova, Errani, Cibulkova, Flavia Pennetta, and Ivanovic are all certain to be Top Fifteen, and we’d say Sabine Lisicki is safe in practice. Roberta Vinci is in danger of losing her Top Fifteen spot, with Carla Suarez Navarro the leading candidate to replace her.

As of right now, we have no new names in the Top Twenty, and not much chance that there will be any — Eugenie Bouchard, who has fallen from #19 to #20 in safe points, is still 200 points ahead of Ekaterina Makarova, who at #22 in safe points is the next active player.

Out of the Top Thirty is Klara Zakopalova, who will be replaced by Venus Williams. Svetlana Kuznetsova is also in danger of losing her Top Thirty spot, probably to Elina Svitolina, but it hasn’t happened yet; Svitolina would need two more wins.

In doubles, Peng Shuai is sure to stay #1 and Hsieh Su-Wei #2. Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci are currently co-#3, but Elena Vesnina can earn the #3 spot and Ekaterina Makarova can rise to #4 if the Russians make the final.

Rankings

Estimated WTA Rankings As of March 23, 2014

Rank &

Prior

Rank …Name …………. Points

1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 11780*

2..(2) LI ……………..7055*

3..(3) ARADWANSKA ………5885*

4..(4) Azarenka ………..5441

5..(5) Halep …………. 4695

6..(8) KVITOVA ……….. 4275*

7..(6) JANKOVIC ………..4150

8..(9) KERBER ………….4090*

9..(7) SHARAPOVA ……… 3691*

10.(10) ERRANI ………….3645

11.(11) CIBULKOVA ……… 3450*

12.(12) PENNETTA ………..3270

13.(13) IVANOVIC ………..3120*

14.(15) LISICKI ……….. 2720

15.(14) VINCI …………. 2685

16.(17) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2660*

17.(18) WOZNIACKI ……… 2645*

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 ……… 1617*

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)……..Vandeweghe

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………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……Williams

22 Cornet…………(22)Cornet

10 Cibulkova………(10)Cibulkova…….Cibulkova

13 Vinci………….Zahlavova Strycova

18 Bouchard……….Svitolina………..Svitolina

32 Vesnina………..(32)Vesnina

3 A Radwanska……..(3)A.Radwanska……Radwanska

7 Jankovic………..Lepchenko………..Lepchenko

30 Muguruza……….Tomljanovic

17 Stephens……….(17)Stephens

11 Wozniacki………(11)Wozniacki…….Wozniacki

15 Suarez Navarro….(15)Suarez Navarro..Suarez N

24 Kanepi…………(24)Kanepi

31 Hantuchova……..Keys

2 Li……………..(2)Li……………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…………lost 3R (Vandeweghe)

17 Stephens

18 Bouchard……….lost 2R (Svitolina)

19 Flipkens

20 Pennetta……….lost 3R (Ivanovic)

21 Pavlyuchenkova….lost 2R (Vandeweghe)

22 Cornet…………lost 3R (Cibulkova)

23 Makarova

24 Kanepi…………lost 3R (Suarez Navarro)

25 Cirstea………..lost 2R (Pironkova)

26 Safarova……….lost 3R (Sharapova)

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………..lost 3R (A. Radwanska)

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

SUNDAY

Miami

Singles – Third Round

(2) Na Li def. Madison Keys 7-6(7-3) 6-3

(3) Agnieszka Radwanska def. (32) Elena Vesnina 7-5 6-3

(10) Dominika Cibulkova def. (22) Alize Cornet 7-6(8-6) 6-4

(11) Caroline Wozniacki def. (17) Sloane Stephens 6-1 6-0

(15) Carla Suarez Navarro def. (24) Kaia Kanepi 6-2 6-1

(29) Venus Williams def. (WC) Casey Dellacqua 6-4 5-7 6-4

Elina Svitolina def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 4-6 6-4 6-1

Varvara Lepchenko def. Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4 6-7(5-7) 7-6(7-2)

Doubles – Second Round

(8) Kops-Jones/Spears def. King/Zheng 3-6 7-5 10-6

Kudryavtseva/Rodionova def. Niculescu/Zakopalova 6-3 7-5

(WC) Muguruza/Suarez Navarro def. Husarova/Melzer 6-2 6-0

Topics: 10sballs, Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki, Coco Vandeweghe, Li Na, Lucie Safarova, Madison Keys, Maria Sharapova, Miami, Samantha Stosur, Sloane Stephens, Sony Open, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Venus Williams, Wta

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10sBalls_com says:

March 23, 2014 at 9:36 pm

Sharapova wins in 3 Wozniacki beats Sloane 1&0 in Miami 2014 – http://t.co/er8XYmL9R1 @MariaSharapova @CaroWozniacki @sloanetweets #Miami