Family Circle Cup – Five Former Champions Take the Court

Written by: Staff on 5th April 2012

Family Circle Cup - Five Former Champions Take the Court

epa03160273 Serena Williams of the USA hits a return to Samantha Stosur of Australia during their match at the Sony Ericsson Open on Key Biscayne, Florida, USA, 26 March 2012. EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT |

No fewer than five Family Circle Cup champions will take to the courts today, with Serena Williams featuring in the afternoon session and Sam Stosur wrapping things up in the feature night match.

Williams, who won here in 2008 and is this year’s No.5 seed, looked strong in her first match of the week, beating last year’s finalist Elena Vesnina in straight sets. She now faces No.17 seed Marina Erakovic on Stadium court for a spot in the quarterfinals – it will be a first-time meeting.

Stosur, who won here in 2010 and is the No.2 seed this year, also looked solid in her opening round dismissal of American Jamie Hampton, and will face Galina Voskoboeva tonight for a spot in the quarters. The big-hitting Voskoboeva wasn’t even in the Top 300 a year ago and is now Top 50, and she did also win the pair’s last meeting, although that was back in 2006.

Nadia Petrova and Sabine Lisicki, as well as the winner of Wednesday night’s match between Venus Williams and Jelena Jankovic, make up the five former champs in action today. Lisicki is the most recent winner of the group, winning the title in 2009 – she is now on the verge of the Top 10, currently ranked No.13.

The first match of the day, at 11am, sees the No.3 seed, Marion Bartoli, take on Polona Hercog. Bartoli has never lost to Hercog in four meetings, though Hercog has pushed her to three sets in two of those meetings.

Topics: Elena Vesnina, Family Circle Cup, Galina Voskoboeva, Jamie Hampton, Jelena Jankovic, Lisicki, Marina Erakovic, Samantha Stosur, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis News, Venus Wiliams