**
* Petkovic knocks Mladenovic below #70
* Kvitova withdrawal opens door for Cornet
* Vesnina, Peng win in Pattaya City
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Paris
Singles – Second Round: (3) Sara Errani def. Karin Knapp 6-4 6-3
Sara Errani reasserts her place as Italy’s #1, but she still has a lot of points to defend; she still needs more than this to keep the #7 ranking. The good news is, she’s the only seed left in the bottom half. Karin Knapp will probably hit the Top Forty, but she is a mere #40 in safe points, so it isn’t sure yet.
Singles – Second Round: (8) Kirsten Flipkens def. Yvonne Meusburger 6-1 6-3
Kirsten Flipkens is starting to add points, and now looks certain to return to the Top Twenty. Yvonne Meusburger will probably rise to slightly above #40.
Singles – Second Round: Elina Svitolina def. (Q) Galina Voskoboeva 6-1 6-2
Elina Svitolina has now almost defended her points; this will likely be enough to keep her Top Forty.
Singles – Second Round: Andrea Petkovic def. (WC) Kristina Mladenovic 6-4 6-2
Kristina Mladenovic was a semifinalist last year; that was more than 20% of her points. She will fall from #62 to around #75.
Singles – Second Round: Alize Cornet def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-3 6-7(2-7) 6-3
Petra Kvitova took a wildcard here — and then proceeded to bail out. Seems rather pointless. It’s pointless for her ranking, as well; she will stay at #6. It came close to being pointless for Alize Cornet, too, who spent almost three hours in this struggle. And it was the late match, and she likely needs more than this to stay Top 25. Not what she wanted in a match that started on Thursday and ended on Friday….
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (3) Groenefeld/Peschke def. Jans-Ignacik/Olaru 6-4 6-1
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (4) Babos/Mladenovic def. Husarova/Rosolska 6-3 6-2
Timea Babos already has one Premier title this year (Sydney, with Safarova); this is starting to feel like it could be a very big year for her.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Niculescu/Zakopalova def. Dushevina/Parra Santonja 6-2 4-6 10-4
Niculescu/Zakopalova have been having an amazing year, with two titles already; it’s surprising they aren’t seeded yet. It looks as if it will happen soon, assuming they can continue playing the same events (their singles rankings are significantly different, so Zakopalova can get into most Premier tournaments and Niculescu may have trouble).
Pattaya City
Singles – Second Round: (5) Elena Vesnina def. (WC) Nicha Lertpitaksinchai 6-3 6-3
Not much of a challenge for Elena Vesnina, but it’s the first time this year that she has defended her points fully. She should keep the #33 ranking she came in with. If she can win her next match (against Julia Goerges), she’ll rise to #32, although that’s as high as she is likely to go this week.
Singles – Second Round: (8) Peng Shuai def. (Q) Alexandra Dulgheru 6-3 6-4
This should take Peng Shuai to around #45. Alexandra Dulgheru remains below #100, but maybe this is progress.
Singles – Second Round: Kimiko Date-Krumm def. Tadeja Majeric 7-6(7-4) 6-3
Kimiko Date-Krumm was defending some points, but it looks as if this win will put her back in the Top Hundred.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (2) Hlavackova/Medina Garrigues def. Chuang/Kumkhum 6-4 7-5
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (3) Kudryavtseva/Rodionova def. Date-Krumm/Tomljanovic 7-5 6-1
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (WC) Lertcheewakarn/Zvonareva def. Daniilidou/Krunic 6-1 2-6 10-6
This was a case of “who is more desperate” — Vera Zvonareva or Eleni Daniilidou. We’re not sure of the answer, but we can say that her results here (including a first round win over #1 seeds Makarova/Vesnina) are the first doubles wins of Vera Zvonareva’s comeback. That will take her from #1143 in doubles to around #455.
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Paris (Premier 700/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Mona Barthel
Pattaya City (International/Hard). Defending Champion: Maria Kirilenko
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Fed Cup
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
Rankings
Estimated WTA Rankings As of January 30, 2014
Rank &
Prior
Rank …Name …………. Points
1..(1) SWilliams ……… 13000
2..(2) Azarenka ………..6581
3..(3) Li ……………..6570
4..(4) ARadwanska ………5750
5..(5) SHARAPOVA ……… 5515*
6..(6) Kvitova ……….. 4745
7..(8) Jankovic ………..4310
8..(7) ERRANI ………….4245*
9..(9) KERBER ………….4030*
10.(10) HALEP …………. 3760
11.(11) Wozniacki ……… 3370
12.(12) Ivanovic ………..3160
13.(13) Cibulkova ……… 3056
14.(14) VINCI …………. 3020
15.(15) LISICKI ……….. 2820
16.(17) Stosur ………….2705
17.(16) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2685
18.(18) Stephens ………..2415
19.(19) Bouchard ………..2369
20.(21) FLIPKENS ………..2295*
21.(22) Pennetta ………..2165
22.(20) Kirilenko ……… 2046
23.(23) CIRSTEA ……….. 1950*
24.(24) Kanepi ………….1932
25.(25) CORNET ………….1900*
26.(26) PAVLYUCHENKOVA …..1870*
27.(28) MAKAROVA ………..1860*
28.(27) Safarova ………..1785
29.(29) KUZNETSOVA ………1741
30.(31) HANTUCHOVA ………1625
Draws
Paris (Premier — Week of January 27-February 2)
……………….QF
1 Sharapova……..(1)Sharapova
8 Flipkens………(8)Flipkens
4 Kerber………..(4)Kerber
7 Suarez Navarro…Pavlyuchenkova
6 Vinci…………Svitolina
3 Errani………..(3)Errani
5 Halep…………Petkovic
[Zahlavova St(LL)].Cornet
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 Sharapova
2 Kvitova (WC)…..WITHDREW
3 Errani
4 Kerber
5 Halep…………lost 1R (Mladenovic)
6 Vinci…………lost 1R (Svitolina)
7 Suarez Navarro…lost 2R (Pavlyuchenkova)
8 Flipkens
Pattaya City (International — Week of January 27-February 2)
………………QF
1 Lisicki………Hlavackova
8 Peng…………(8)Peng
4 Makarova……..(4)Makarova
6 Muguruza……..Date-Krumm
7 Mattek-Sands….Ka.Pliskova
3 Cirstea………(3)Cirstea
5 Vesnina………(5)Vesnina
2 Kuznetsova (WC)..Goerges
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 Lisicki………..WITHDREW from 2R
2 Kuznetsova (WC)…WITHDREW from 2R
3 Cirstea
4 Makarova
5 Vesnina
6 Muguruza……….lost 1R (Date-Krumm)
7 Mattek-Sands……lost 1R (Ka. Pliskova)
8 Peng
******** SCORES ********
THURSDAY
Paris
Singles – Second Round
(3) Sara Errani def. Karin Knapp 6-4 6-3
(8) Kirsten Flipkens def. Yvonne Meusburger 6-1 6-3
Elina Svitolina def. (Q) Galina Voskoboeva 6-1 6-2
Andrea Petkovic def. (WC) Kristina Mladenovic 6-4 6-2
Alize Cornet def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-3 6-7(2-7) 6-3
Doubles – Quarterfinal
(3) Groenefeld/Peschke def. Jans-Ignacik/Olaru 6-4 6-1
(4) Babos/Mladenovic def. Husarova/Rosolska 6-3 6-2
Niculescu/Zakopalova def. Dushevina/Parra Santonja 6-2 4-6 10-4
Pattaya City
Singles – Second Round
(5) Elena Vesnina def. (WC) Nicha Lertpitaksinchai 6-3 6-3
(8) Peng Shuai def. (Q) Alexandra Dulgheru 6-3 6-4
Kimiko Date-Krumm def. Tadeja Majeric 7-6(7-4) 6-3
Doubles – Quarterfinal
(2) Hlavackova/Medina Garrigues def. Chuang/Kumkhum 6-4 7-5
(3) Kudryavtseva/Rodionova def. Date-Krumm/Tomljanovic 7-5 6-1
(WC) Lertcheewakarn/Zvonareva def. Daniilidou/Krunic 6-1 2-6 10-6
Topics: 10sballs, Alize Cornet, Andrea Petkovic, Elena Vesnina, Kirsten Flipkens, Paris, Pattaya City, Petra Kvitova, Sara Errani, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News