TENNIS NEWS – WOMEN’S RESULTS & SCORES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

Written by: Staff on 3rd May 2015

TENNIS NEWS - WOMEN'S RESULTS & SCORES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

epa04731935 German tennis player Andrea Petkovic in action against Italian Flavia Pennetta during the second round match of the Madrid Mutua Open tennis tournament match at the Caja Magica pavilion in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2015. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN |

TENNIS TIDBITS

* Halep shocked by Cornet in Madrid

* Bouchard also out — is that a surprise?

* Azarenka wins battle of former #1s over Venus WILLIAMS

* Stosur ends Kerber’s clay streak

* Sharapova routs Bacsinszky to start quest for return to #2

* Pliskova, Svitolina earn sixth straight wins

WOMEN’S NEWS

Madrid

Singles – First Round: (1) Serena Williams def. Madison Brengle 6-0 6-1

Some things are just inherently unfair. This perhaps qualifies — if you’re going to have any chance at all against Serena Williams, you need a way to hurt her, and although Madison Brengle plays good defense, she doesn’t do offense. Hence this score. The WTA hasn’t released the new week’s rankings, so we can’t give you a real rankings estimate, but we know that Brengle will remain below the Top Thirty. And, of course, that Serena will stay at #1.

US tennis player Serena Williams returns the ball to her countryman Madison Brengle during the second jouney of the Madrid Mutua Open tennis tournament match at the Caja Magica pavilion in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2015. The Madrid Mutua Open runs from 01 to 10 May 2015. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN

Singles – First Round: Alize Cornet def. (2) Simona Halep 7-6(8-6) 6-3

Simona Halep just wasn’t right. That was obvious. But it was a very bad time for her to be off. First, because this is a mandatory event, and second, because she was defending finalist points. That means she has no chance at all of taking the #1 spot in the WTA Race, and there is just a chance she will fall to #2 in the rankings:

Singles – First Round: (3) Maria Sharapova def. Timea Bacsinszky 6-2 6-3

After a lousy event at Stuttgart, it’s clear Maria Sharapova has rediscovered her clay game. Extra practice time obviously helped. With Simona Halep out so early, Sharapova can regain the #2 ranking by making the final here. She leaves Timea Bacsinszky still below the Top Twenty.

Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova arrives at the players’ party at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2015. EPA/ALBERTO MARTIN

Singles – First Round: (4) Petra Kvitova def. (Q) Olga Govortsova 3-6 6-1 6-4

More evidence, as if it were needed, of just how up and down Petra Kvitova can be. The good news is, she’s safe at #4…

Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki serves to Australian Jarmila Gajdosova during the second round match for the Madrid Mutua Open tennis tournament at the Caja Magica pavilion in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2015. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN

Singles – First Round: (5) Caroline Wozniacki def. Jarmila Gajdosova 6-3 6-0

…although it appears Caroline Wozniacki can move to within 10 points of the #4 ranking with a title here. (We reiterate that that’s a less-than-usually-accurate estimate, since we’re estimating two weeks from the last ranking list, not just one.) And Wozniacki seems much more confident on clay than in the past. On the other hand, she hasn’t won a big title in a very long time!

Singles – First Round: Barbora Strycova def. (6) Eugenie Bouchard 0-6 6-3 6-3

So what else is new? Eugenie Bouchard doesn’t lose any points, so odds are that she’ll stay at #6; Ana Ivanovic needs a semifinal to pass her. But of course Bouchard won’t rise. Barbora Strycova has a shot at the Top Twenty this week, but she isn’t there yet.

Singles – First Round: (10) Carla Suarez Navarro def. Zarina Diyas 6-4 6-4

Carla Suarez Navarro still needs one more win just to defend her points, but her chances of staying Top Ten look pretty good.

Singles – First Round: (11) Andrea Petkovic def. Flavia Pennetta 6-3 7-5

And Andrea Petkovic also looks like she’ll probably be in the Top Ten. She and Suarez Navarro are for practical purposes tied for #9/#10; whichever lasts longer is all but sure to be Top Ten, with ties to Petkovic. Flavia Pennetta will remain below the Top 25.

Singles – First Round: Samantha Stosur def. (12) Angelique Kerber 4-6 6-3 6-3

Talk about a turnaround. Angelique Kerber was undefeated on clay in 2015; Samantha Stosur has been doing nothing lately. Maybe Kerber was tired…. But that means she has no chance of returning to the Top Ten; the competitors for the last two Top Ten spots, in addition to Suarez Navarro and Petkovic, are Karolina Pliskova and Agnieszka Radwanska.

Singles – First Round: (14) Karolina Pliskova def. (WC) Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-1 6-2

Funny that Karolina Pliskova had an easier match at this strong tournament than she did last week in the much weaker event in Prague. It really does seem as if she was nervous when she was playing at home. She has a long way to go to reach the Top Ten — it would take at least a semifinal — but after this, it’s looking possible again.

Singles – First Round: (15) Sara Errani def. (Q) Paula Badosa Gibert 3-0, retired

Not exactly a dramatic match, but it does all but guarantee Sara Errani’s Top Fifteen ranking, because of the following:

Singles – First Round: Victoria Azarenka def. (16) Venus Williams 6-3 7-5

There isn’t much question that Venus Williams is more comfortable on clay than Victoria Azarenka, but these days, Venus is much more up-and-down. And, perhaps, she was thinking about the potential third round meeting with Serena. This loss ends her hopes of making the Top Fifteen, although with Madison Keys also out, there is almost no chance that Venus will fall below #16.

Belorrussian tennis player Victoria Azarenka in action against US Venus Williams during the second jouney of the Madrid Mutua Open tennis tournament match at the Caja Magica pavilion in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2015. The Madrid Mutua Open runs from 01 to 10 May 2015. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN

US tennis player Venus Williams in action against Belorrussian Victoria Azarenka during the second round match of the Madrid Mutua Open tennis tournament match at the Caja Magica pavilion in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2015. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN

Singles – First Round: (Q) Christina McHale def. Mona Barthel 6-3 6-2

Christina McHale is doing surprisingly well on clay this year. Let’s hope that’s an omen for other surfaces.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Julia Goerges def. (Q) Marina Erakovic 6-1 0-6 6-4

No surprise on clay — the surprise is that Marina Erakovic even made it through qualifying.

Singles – First Round: (Q) Mariana Duque-Marino def. Heather Watson 0-6 6-3 7-6(13-11)

Not much to say except “only on clay.”

Singles – First Round: Ajla Tomljanovic def. Belinda Bencic 6-4 6-3

This appears to mean no Top Thirty ranking for Belinda Bencic.

Singles – First Round: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Peng Shuai 6-1 6-2

The good news is, Peng Shuai managed to return to action. The bad news is, of course, the score. She won’t rise above her current #24; she may fall.

Singles – First Round: Caroline Garcia def. (Q) Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-4 6-4

Caroline Garcia is defending quarterfinalist points, so she will probably need more than this to stay Top Thirty. But it’s a good start.

Singles – First Round: CoCo Vandeweghe def. Sabine Lisicki 7-6(7-3) 3-6 7-5

An impressive result for CoCo Vandeweghe on clay; she drops Sabine Lisicki out of the Top Twenty.

Singles – First Round: Elina Svitolina def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-0 6-3

Six straight wins for Elina Svitolina, who now looks almost certain to hit the Top Twenty.

Singles – First Round: Garbine Muguruza def. (WC) Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor 6-1 6-1

This appears to keep Garbine Muguruza in the Top Twenty in safe points, although she needs more to clinch. Our best estimate — and we repeat, again, that this is not certain — is that the Top 25 looks like this:

1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 9831*

2..(2) HALEP …………. 7115

3..(3) SHARAPOVA ……… 6590*

4..(4) KVITOVA ……….. 5735*

5..(5) WOZNIACKI ……… 5725*

6..(6) BOUCHARD ………..4122

7..(7) IVANOVIC ………..3850*

8..(8) MAKAROVA ………..3465

9.(11) PETKOVIC ………..3315*

10.(10) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..3280*

11.(12) KERBER ………….3230

12.(13) KAPLISKOVA ………3085*

13..(9) ARADWANSKA ………3020*

14.(14) SAFAROVA ………..2840*

15.(15) ERRANI ………….2665*

16.(16) VWILLIAMS ……… 2601

17.(17) KEYS ……………2325

18.(21) SVITOLINA ……… 2095*

19.(18) Jankovic ………..2075

20.(20) MUGURUZA ………..2075*

21.(19) LISICKI ……….. 2017

22.(22) BACSINSZKY ………1981

23.(23) STRYCOVA ………..1940*

24.(24) PENG ……………1871

25.(24) STOSUR ………….1780*

Singles – First Round: Roberta Vinci def. Monica Puig 2-6 7-6(8-6) 6-4

Roberta Vinci needs all the points she can get these days, so this has to feel very good.

Singles – First Round: Tsvetana Pironkova def. Camila Giorgi 6-1 6-1

Quite a surprise on this surface, and a real blow to Camila Giorgi’s Roland Garros seeding hopes.

Singles – First Round: Varvara Lepchenko def. (Q) Andreea Mitu 7-6(7-3) 6-4

Varvara Lepchenko hasn’t had a lot of matches lately, and clay isn’t her best surface anyway, but she’s so much better than her opponent that it didn’t matter. This will keep her around #30.

STATS AND FACTS

Rankings

Estimated WTA Rankings As of May 3, 2015

Rank &

Prior

Rank …Name …………. Points

1..(1) SWilliams ……… 9981

2..(2) Halep …………. 7755

3..(3) Sharapova ……… 7525

4..(4) Kvitova ……….. 6060

5..(5) Wozniacki ……… 4510

6..(6) Bouchard ………..4063

7..(7) Ivanovic ………..4000

8..(8) Makarova ………..3465

9..(9) ARadwanska ………3345

10.(11) Petkovic ………..3260

11.(12) Kerber ………….3230

12.(10) Suarez Navarro …..3155

13.(14) KAPLISKOVA ………3050*

14.(13) SAFAROVA ………..2895

15.(15) Errani ………….2720

16.(16) VWilliams ……… 2591

17.(17) Keys ……………2325

18.(18) Jankovic ………..2140

19.(19) Lisicki ……….. 2127

20.(20) MUGURUZA ………..2075

21.(25) SVITOLINA ……… 2040*

22.(21) BACSINSZKY ………1953

23.(22) STRYCOVA ………..1945

24.(23) Peng ……………1926

25.(24) Stosur ………….1835

26.(26) PENNETTA ………..1835

27.(28) CORNET ………….1650

28.(29) Garcia ………….1605

29.(27) KUZNETSOVA ………1592

30.(30) Lepchenko ……… 1430

Draws

Madrid — Week of May 4

1 S Williams

16 V Williams

10 Suarez Navarro

7 Ivanovic

4 Kvitova

15 Errani

11 Petkovic

6 Bouchard

5 Woznaicki

9 A Radwanska

14 Ka Pliskova

3 Sharapova

8 Makarova

12 Kerber

13 Safarova

2 Halep

STATUS OF SEEDS:

1 S Williams

2 Halep………..lost 1R (Cornet)

3 Sharapova

4 Kvitova

5 Woznaicki

6 Bouchard………lost 1R (Strycova)

7 Ivanovic

8 Makarova………lost 1R (Kuznetsova)

9 A Radwanska

10 Suarez Navarro

11 Petkovic

12 Kerber……….lost 1R (Stosur)

13 Safarova

14 Ka Pliskova

15 Errani

16 V Williams……lost 1R (Azarenka)

SCORES

SUNDAY

MADRID

Singles – First Round

(1) Serena Williams def. Madison Brengle 6-0 6-1

Alize Cornet def. (2) Simona Halep 7-6(8-6) 6-3

(3) Maria Sharapova def. Timea Bacsinszky 6-2 6-3

(4) Petra Kvitova def. (Q) Olga Govortsova 3-6 6-1 6-4

(5) Caroline Wozniacki def. Jarmila Gajdosova 6-3 6-0

Barbora Strycova def. (6) Eugenie Bouchard 0-6 6-3 6-3

(10) Carla Suarez Navarro def. Zarina Diyas 6-4 6-4

(11) Andrea Petkovic def. Flavia Pennetta 6-3 7-5

Samantha Stosur def. (12) Angelique Kerber 4-6 6-3 6-3

(14) Karolina Pliskova def. (WC) Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-1 6-2

(15) Sara Errani def. (Q) Paula Badosa Gibert 3-0, retired

Victoria Azarenka def. (16) Venus Williams 6-3 7-5

(Q) Christina McHale def. Mona Barthel 6-3 6-2

(Q) Julia Goerges def. (Q) Marina Erakovic 6-1 0-6 6-4

(Q) Mariana Duque-Marino def. Heather Watson 0-6 6-3 7-6(13-11)

Ajla Tomljanovic def. Belinda Bencic 6-4 6-3

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Shuai Peng 6-1 6-2

Caroline Garcia def. (Q) Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-4 6-4

Coco Vandeweghe def. Sabine Lisicki 7-6(7-3) 3-6 7-5

Elina Svitolina def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-0 6-3

Garbine Muguruza def. (WC) Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor 6-1 6-1

Roberta Vinci def. Monica Puig 2-6 7-6(8-6) 6-4

Tsvetana Pironkova def. Camila Giorgi 6-1 6-1

Varvara Lepchenko def. (Q) Andreea Mitu 7-6(7-3) 6-4

CONTENT VIA Bob LARSON TENNIS NEWS SERVICE.

Topics: Madrid, Mutua Madrid Open, Sports, Tennis News, Wta

Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:

Facebook:

Twitter:

10sBalls_com says:

May 3, 2015 at 5:46 pm

#TENNIS NEWS – WOMEN’S RESULTS & SCORES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE http://t.co/bHQ1L2BM5g #WTA #MMOPEN15 #MadridOpen #Claytennis #MutuaMadridOpen