Daily Women Tennis News – Update (05/23/12) Brussels, Strasbourg, Roland Garros

Brussels

Singles – Second Round: (1) Agnieszka Radwanska def. (LL) Lesia Tsurenko 6-1 6-0

It really doesn’t matter much what Agnieszka Radwanska does this week; she needs a final to budge her ranking total, and she will be #3 no matter what. But at least she isn’t using up much energy….

In a strange footnote, Tsurenko has the unusual distinction of having suffered three bagels in one tournament: She suffered two in her qualifying loss, plus one here.

Singles – Second Round: (Q) Urszula Radwanska def. (2) Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-2

Hm. There are no hard assignments the week before a Slam, but there is pressure, and there are appearance fees…. This means that Marion Bartoli won’t be regaining the #7 ranking she just lost.

Singles – Second Round: (4) Dominika Cibulkova def. Yanina Wickmayer 6-3 6-4

Yanina Wickmayer might rise to #35, but that is as far as she can go.

Singles – Second Round: (8) Kaia Kanepi def. (LL) Bojana Jovanovski 6-2 6-2

It appears this will take Kaia Kanepi to #23.

Singles – Second Round: Tsvetana Pironkova def. (10) Nadia Petrova 6-3 6-2

Back-to-back wins are a very rare thing for Tsvetana Pironkova, so this spells a pretty big move — she may even hit the Top Forty. Nadia Petrova will very likely remain at #29.

Singles – Second Round: Simona Halep def. Monica Niculescu 6-1 6-1

Monica Niculescu loses another Top Thirty chance.

Singles – Second Round: Sofia Arvidsson def. (Q) Arantxa Rus 6-2 3-1, retired (low back injury)

This is mostly luck, no doubt — but Sofia Arvidsson prefers fast hardcourts. Anything she earns on clay is a substantial bonus.

Singles – Second Round: (WC) Alison Van Uytvanck def. Chanelle Scheepers 4-6 6-4 6-2

Could Alison Van Uytvanck’s early success be due to the fact that she didn’t have to travel far? She certainly seems to like playing near home! She leaves Chanelle Scheepers still below #40.

Doubles – First Round: K Bondarenko/Niculescu def. Kapshay/Wienerova 6-4 7-5

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (3) Rosolska/Zheng def. Dekmeijere/Kondratieva 6-4 6-3

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (4) Mattek-Sands/Mirza def. (WC) Bovina/Van Uytvanck 6-2 3-6 10-1 (Match TB)

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Dellacqua/Rodionova def. McHale/Oudin 6-1 7-5

Strasbourg

Singles – Second Round: (2) Francesca Schiavone def. (Q) Mirjana Lucic 6-1 6-2

Truly Francesca Schiavone seems to be rediscovering her clay form just in the nick of time. It’s no help to her ranking yet, and nothing she can do here will matter much next to the finalist points she has to defend next week, but one more win would take her to #13.

Singles – Second Round: (4) Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Hsieh Su-Wei 7-6(11-9) 7-6(7-2)

Anabel Medina Garrigues continues to struggle hard — and she still hasn’t earned any points! If she can win her next match, though, she is likely to hit the Top Thirty.

Singles – Second Round: Johanna Larsson def. (8) Tamira Paszek 6-2 6-0

The breakdown machine that is Tamira Paszek loses another chance to hit the Top Fifty.

Singles – Second Round: Pauline Parmentier def. Stephanie Foretz Gacon 3-6 6-2 6-3

Pauline Parmentier is at a spot where it is tough to move in the rankings. But she is in the place of the #1 seed. If she can win any more, she could rise fairly substantially.

Singles – Second Round: Sloane Stephens def. Timea Babos 6-2 3-6 6-3

Timea Babos remains below #60.

Singles – Second Round: Ayumi Morita def. (WC) Virginie Razzano 6-1 6-3

Ayumi Morita just took a big rankings drop, going from #77 to #88. This will get her about half of that ground back.

Singles – Second Round: (Q) Alexandra Panova def. Lucie Hradecka 6-3 4-6 6-3

Lucie Hradecka will probably remain at #60, which is where she came in. Alexandra Panova will probably rise above #75.

Singles – Second Round: (WC) Alize Cornet def. Shahar Peer 4-6 6-4 6-0

Once again Shahar Peer loses the chance to return to the Top Fifty. Indeed, it appears she will lose a ranking spot.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Grandin/Uhlirova def. Chang/Chuang 7-5 6-4

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (2) Govortsova/Jans-Ignacik def. Gamiz/Hermoso 6-2 7-5

Gamiz/Hermoso had a first round walkover, so they don’t pick up any points for this.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (4) Babos/Hsieh def. Naydenova/Pereira 6-3 6-4

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Cadantu/Keothavong def. Adamczak/Bengson 6-3 6-3

Roland Garros

No new withdrawals….