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The day session saw all four seeded players in action moving on comfortably, led by No.4 seed Sam Stosur, who lost a seemingly endless 69-minute second set but regrouped in a big way to cruise past Lucie Safarova, 61 67(5) 61.

“Lucie has got a big game and can be a very dangerous player. When she puts it all together it’s hard to play against,” Stosur said afterwards. “I thought I was serving really well tonight. That second set I lost it, but I don’t think I did that much wrong. I had a few opportunities to try and break late in the second set and wasn’t able to take them, but then finally did early in the third.”

Awaiting Stosur in the quarterfinals will be No.8 seed Jelena Jankovic, who was broken in an eight-deuce game to go down 3-1 in the first set but bounced back to win 11 of the next 14 games and get by Flavia Pennetta, 64 62.

“I was down a break in the beginning, then I managed to lift up my game and I started playing a lot more aggressively,” Jankovic said. “Especially I think I served a lot better than her today. I was holding my service games and I was waiting for the opportunities to break her. Overall I think I played pretty well. Flavia is a great player and is playing well, and it wasn’t easy to beat her.”

Jankovic leads Stosur in their head-to-head, 4-2. Their last meeting came here in this same round last year, and it couldn’t have been closer – Jankovic came back from 4-1 down in the third set to edge Stosur, 63 57 76(4).

“We haven’t played each other since the quarterfinals here last year,” Stosur said. “It’s a good chance for me to try and bounce back from that loss.”

Other winners were No.5 seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Israeli wildcard Shahar Peer, 75 64; No.9 seed Sabine Lisicki, who overpowered Czech qualifier Iveta Benesova, 63 63; Ana Ivanovic, who rallied from 4-2 down in the second set to close out Maria Kirilenko, 62 76(4); Julia Goerges, who beat Australian lucky loser Casey Dellacqua, 60 62; and Daniela Hantuchova, who beat Peng Shuai in the first match at night, 75 62.

Ivanovic was pleased with her second set mini-comeback. “It was a little bit of a strange match, especially the second set. There were just so many breaks and return winners. It was hard to get the rhythm. There weren’t too many long rallies then all of a sudden you would have one. I had to get down to business and try and work my way through it though. I thought I kept my composure well.”

Hantuchova had some very nice words about Peng. “She has improved so much, especially over the last 12 months. She had a great year last year and she has worked really hard on her game – on the tennis side, on the fitness side. She is always going to be one of the toughest players to play against, but she’s a great girl. We always practice together. It’s nice to see her do so well.”

Later, No.3 seed Caroline Wozniacki – who is now the highest seed left in the draw – rolled past Romanian qualifier Simona Halep in straight sets, 62 63.

“It’s a great feeling to be back,” said Wozniacki, who is the defending champion here too. “I see my picture together with all the other champions and lifting the trophy, it’s a great feeling. I wish it could be like this every week. It’s nice to see I have some fans here – they were definitely yelling pretty loud out there tonight!”

The tournament was rocked earlier in the day with the withdrawal of World No.1 Victoria Azarenka due to a left ankle injury. Dellacqua took her place.

“It’s very disappointing, but it’s life, it’s sport. I just have to take care of it and that’s it,” Azarenka said. “Last week I hurt it in the semifinals, and I tried to do everything to be able to play in the final. I took a lot of sacrifice by taking a lot of painkillers, but it didn’t get better. I had to adjust my movement and compromise in other parts of my body, which started to hurt, and it’s just too much of a risk.”

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120222/wozniacki-into-qfs-stosur-jj-rematch_2256076_2620355

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No.7 seed Mathilde Johansson was one of the fallen ones, fighting until the bitter end but eventually losing to Mandy Minella of Luxembourg, 61 57 76(5).

Minella seemed headed for a simple win as she raced out to a 61 31 lead, but Johansson won six of the next eight games to take the second set. Minella built a 4-0 lead in the third set, but again Johansson won six of the next eight games to push it to a tie-break. It looked like history was repeating itself one more time as Minella’s 6-3 lead in the breaker shrunk to 6-5, but that’s when her luck finally turned – Johansson hit the dreaded double fault on match point No.3.

“It was a very difficult match. I fought hard for the victory and I’m very happy right now,” Minella said afterwards. “I think I was more aggressive today, and that was the key. She was playing very well too, especially later in the match.”

Minella is part of a growing breed of tennis players who break through later in their careers – the 26-year-old just made her Top 100 debut last week, and she is now one victory away from her very first WTA quarterfinal.

“I think I have a lot more confidence now. I’m at my highest ranking,” Minella commented. “I’ve been improving a lot the last few years. I’ve been playing better tennis and am at a different level than in previous years, I believe.”

Minella was also asked about Monterrey. “It’s a beautiful city. There are a lot of things to see, like stores and museums, and anytime I play in México, like challengers, juniors and WTA events, the people are so nice, very warm and welcoming. I really enjoy myself every time I play in this country.”

Standing in between Minella and that first WTA quarterfinal will be Yaroslava Shvedova, who had a similar story with fellow Kazakh Sesil Karatantcheva, storming out to a 61 42 lead but eventually grinding out a 61 46 63 victory. Shvedova is a former Top 30 player making her way back up the singles rankings after a serious knee injury; she is currently a Top 5 doubles player.

Minella and Shvedova will be playing against each other for the first time.

Joining Johansson on the sidelines were No.4 seed Alexandra Dulgheru, who fell to Sílvia Soler-Espinosa, 63 63, and No.5 seed Gisela Dulko, who had set point in the second set but lost to Patricia Mayr-Achleitner in two, 64 76(2).

No.3 seed Sorana Cirstea, No.6 seed Greta Arn and No.8 seed Lourdes Domínguez Lino all won, although Cirstea nearly fell as well, facing a point for a 5-3 third set deficit but hanging on to beat Stefanie Voegele, 63 26 75.

Other winners as the first round finished in Monterrey were Eva Birnerova, Valeria Savinykh, Alizé Cornet, Timea Babos and Maria Abramovic.

On a lighter note, while two-time Premier-level champion Dulgheru may not have been able to win like Billie Jean this time, she certainly managed to move to Billie Jean at the player party a few days ago – see the YouTube video below.

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120221/minella-hangs-tough-dulgheru-dulko-out_2256076_2619413

With the 62 64 triumph, Lepchenko matched her career-best result – a quarterfinal appearance at Ponte Vedra Beach in 2010. Not only that, but she is the only American still alive at an event that began with eight of them.

“I played great. I was really aggressive and I used all my weapons,” Lepchenko said. “With every match, I’m playing better and better.”

Joining Lepchenko in the quarters were fourth-seeded Marina Erakovic, Vera Dushevina and Michaella Krajicek, who rallied from a two-break, 4-1 deficit in the first set of her 76(2) 63 defeat of Olga Govortsova.

The first round also wrapped up, with No.2 seed Ksenia Pervak and No.5 seed Pauline Parmentier among those advancing. Pervak was a 62 64 winner over last year’s runner-up here, Rebecca Marino, and Parmentier got past Andrea Hlavackova, 64 46 62, in the day’s only three-setter.

“She is a tough opponent, especially on fast surfaces like indoors. Last time we played she beat me, so I’m really happy that I’m through,” said Pervak referring to her meeting with Marino in the first round of the 2010 US Open. “I think everything was pretty good. I played pretty good from the baseline. My serve was really good. Everything was going my way.”

Erakovic and Pervak were also victorious in the first round of doubles, teaming up for a win over American teenagers Lauren Davis and Madison Keys.

Wednesday’s featured second round matches include Parmentier against 2010 Memphis champion Sofia Arvidsson and Pervak versus Alberta Brianti.

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120221/lepchenko-sends-no7-seed-larsson-to-sidelines_2256076_2619392

In Paris, Vinci was within touching distance of victory on several occasions before being reeled in each time and eventually pipped at the post by the irrepressible Bartoli. And against Vandeweghe there were some lingering signs of mental fragility both early on and when the finishing line was in sight.

However, the Italian is World No.23 for a reason, overcoming a shaky start – she was broken back to love in the second game after serving three double faults – and the disappointment of twice failing to serve for the match in the second set to eventually banish the ghosts of Paris with a 75 75 win.

“I had problems closing the match out. I was up two breaks and got nervous,” Vinci said. “The courts are fast and Coco is a strong server, and as the No.1 seed it’s always hard to win the first match, but I’m happy to win. I have to improve for the next round, though.”

Meeting Vinci next is Nina Bratchikova, who won an all-Russian clash with Anastasia Pivovarova, 63 61.

Also in action at the Sierra Madre Tennis Club was Vinci’s Fed Cup team mate and doubles partner, Sara Errani.

Like Vinci, Errani is currently enjoying arguably the most successful period of her career, highlighted by a first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open one month ago. Monterrey is her first tournament since Melbourne and she carried on from where she left off with a dominant 62 62 win over Stéphanie Dubois.

Romania’s Alexandra Cadantu was the other first round winner on Monday, defeating Jelena Dokic, 36 61 75.

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120220/vinci-sees-off-vandeweghe-challenge-in-monterrey_2256076_2618545

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Playing her first match of the week in windy conditions at the Premier event, the No.5-seeded Radwanska cruised through the first set in 28 minutes, 6-1. She broke for 6-5 in the second set and served for the match, even going ahead 30-0, but Wozniak began creeping back with some solid play from the baseline, and she managed to push it to a third set. The Canadian qualifier even built a 5-3 lead in the decider before Radwanska made one last push to win, 61 67(6) 75.

“She started to play much better in the second set,” Radwanska said of Wozniak, a former World No.21 now ranked No.80. “The last time I played her was a long time ago, but I saw she passed the qualies here, and she was just running and moving very well, and being very consistent in the second and third sets. With the wind so strong today it was really hard to finish the points, too.

“The first match is always a tricky one, so I’m just very happy I could come back in this third set, get through it and win the match.”

Awaiting Radwanska in the second round will be Shahar Peer, who is 8-2 in her career in Dubai. Peer leads Radwanska in their head-to-head, 3-2.

Wozniak wasn’t the only player to come out of qualifying and push their first round opponents to the limit. Lucie Safarova nearly let a 5-0 third set lead slip before finally closing out qualifier Petra Martic, 63 57 63, while Daniela Hantuchova was a game away from losing in the second set and twice a game away from losing in the third against lucky loser Polona Hercog, 16 75 76(4).

“It was very tough conditions today with the wind, but I just tried to stick with my tactics and not get upset about it,” Safarova said. “Both Doha and Dubai are very well-organized and very luxurious tournaments, I would say, and for me and the players it’s always nice to come here. These events are at a very high level.”

Qualifiers Iveta Benesova and Simona Halep also scored first round wins, Halep pulling off a 64 62 win over World No.15 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. It was Halep’s fourth career Top 20 win, all of them coming in the last seven months (No.15 Svetlana Kuznetsova at Toronto last August, No.6 Li Na at the US Open last August and No.20 Daniela Hantuchova at Doha last week).

“The victory against Hantuchova last week was important. After that match I believed a lot more in myself and now I’m playing better and better every day,” Halep commented. “My tactic today was to hit away from her body and not very flat because she blocks very well. I tried that today and I did it.”

Halep next faces World No.4 Caroline Wozniacki. “It was my dream to play her when she was no.1, but it’s too late now and she’s No.3, or something like this. But she’s still a good player, a very good player. I will enjoy it.”

The night session saw back-to-back upsets, with Ana Ivanovic surviving a marathon 10-deuce game midway through the second set and eventually closing out No.7 seed Francesca Schiavone, 61 75, and Peng Shuai rallying from 3-0 down in both sets to beat No.6 seed Marion Bartoli in straights, 64 63, a rare match between two players who hit with two hands off both sides.

“Francesca stepped up and really hung in there and gave me a tough match in the second set,” Ivanovic said afterwards. “It’s such a small draw, so you can’t really get any easy matches. And Francesca and I always have long and tough matches. I was impressed the way I started the match and played that first set, because I knew it was probably not going to last in the second set.”

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120221/radwanska-survives-gets-300th-match-win_2256076_2618969

This was just Giorgi’s second career WTA main draw match, having lost her opener at Wimbledon last year. However, she showed few signs of nerves against the Russian in racing out to a 5-1 first set lead and a 4-0 second set lead en route to the 64 62 triumph.

“Everything went well tonight,” Giorgi said. “My serve was consistent. I just feel I played well and stayed focused on the match. I hope to keep going like this.”

This was the second straight year and the fifth time in the event’s 11-year history that the No.1 seed lost their opener.

“She didn’t give me any rhythm. She was playing very aggressive,” Petrova said. “Clearly she wanted to play two-stroke rallies, hard through the middle and put it away. So it was really difficult for me to get into the match. She produced very good tennis today and I thought at some point maybe she would have trouble closing it out, but she stayed solid throughout the whole match.”

Another seed also fell, as Michaella Krajicek made quick work of sixth-seeded Elena Baltacha, 62 61. Third-seeded Lucie Hradecka and fourth-seeded Marina Erakovic did advance, with Hradecka beating Anna Tatishvili, 63 61, and Erakovic defeating Sloane Stephens, 46 60 61.

“At first it was pretty tight and then I got going in the second and third set,” said Erakovic, who reeled off 11 straight games after dropping the first set. “I think I just started to play more aggressive. I started stepping in and taking the ball a little bit early and with that I managed to get a few more winners and start moving her around more.”

In a couple of noteworthy matches involving unseeded players, 2006 Memphis champion and 2010 runner-up Sofia Arvidsson was a 62 63 winner over Heather Watson, and Lesia Tsurenko saved two match points in the second set of her 26 76(5) 62 victory over American qualifier Alexa Glatch.

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120220/giant-upset-for-giorgi-over-petrova_2256076_2618024

The big story at the 12th staging of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on outdoor hardcourts will be World No.1 Victoria Azarenka and her 17-match winning streak to start the year being on the line. She is fresh off her third title of 2012 in Doha, the others coming at Sydney and the Australian Open.

Although she is yet to advance beyond a quarterfinal this year, Caroline Wozniacki is the only former Dubai titlist in the draw and is looking to return to the form that saw her capture last year’s trophy without dropping a set. Petra Kvitova did not win a match in her two previous appearances in Dubai, but she is a greatly improved player since then as she seeks her first title of the season. Although she is also titleless in 2012, Samantha Stosur just reached her first final of the year in Doha.

Agnieszka Radwanska, Marion Bartoli, Francesca Schiavone and Jelena Jankovic are also seeded. Among the unseeded players, three-time Dubai runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova should not be overlooked.

Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond, coming off consecutive titles in Paris and Doha, are the No.1 seeds in doubles. Huber is a four-time champion in Dubai.

Also on outdoor hardcourts, across the globe in México will be the fourth staging of the Whirlpool Monterrey Open. Frequent doubles partners Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani are the Top 2 seeds in singles. Vinci is looking for her first title of the season after a 2011 that saw her capture three of her six career titles. Errani’s year has been highlighted by her first career Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open. An unseeded player to watch is Alexandra Panova, as she is fresh off her best career result – a run to the final in Bogotá.

Errani and Vinci, who are pursuing their sixth WTA title as a duo, are also the No.1 seeds in doubles.

On indoor hardcourts in the United States, the Memphis International is being held for the 11th time. Top seed Nadia Petrova‘s 10 WTA titles are almost as many as the rest of the field has combined – 13. Two of those titles are owned by defending champion Magdalena Rybarikova.

2011 Memphis runner-up Rebecca Marino is back again, as is 2006 champion and 2010 runner-up Sofia Arvidsson. Several up-and-coming American teenagers will be looking to showcase their talents on home soil, including 17-year-old Madison Keys and 18-year-old Sloane Stephens, who is the youngest player in the Top 100.

Reigning French Open champions Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka are the No.1 seeds in doubles. They were runners-up in Memphis last year.

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120218/trio-of-tournaments-on-tap-this-week_2256076_2616665

“Dubai has a special place in my heart and it feels great to return this year as defending champion of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships,” Wozniacki said. “Being an ambassador for Dubai Duty Free is a great honor and it gives me the opportunity to help promote one of my favorite destinations.”

“I am really flattered that Dubai Duty Free asked me to become its brand ambassador,” Ivanovic said of the announcement. “It is a great company that has also been extremely supportive of women’s tennis. I always get excited about traveling to Dubai as it is one of the most exciting cities in the world.”

Dubai Duty Free’s Colm McLoughlin said: “We are delighted to have Caroline and Ana as our brand ambassadors. Both players are supreme professionals and are excellent ambassadors for women’s tennis. We look forward to watching their progress at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and to working with them on our ambassador programme for the year ahead.”

Wozniacki and Ivanovic, both former No.1s and owners of 29 titles combined, will act as Dubai Duty Free’s brand ambassadors, star in the “Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises Travel Show” – a short form-travel series which will be aired on TV and online – and appear at sporting events sponsored by Dubai Duty Free.

The core elements of the WTA’s extension with Dubai Duty Free, including the Player Ambassador Program, are designed to align Dubai Duty Free’s standing as the No.1 duty free retailer in the world with the No.1 sport for women.

A WTA sponsor since 2004, Dubai Duty Free’s partnership with the WTA has over the years been marked by leadership and innovation. Dubai Duty Free has been a longstanding supporter of the WTA, having been the first event in the Middle East to award equal prize money and a strong supporter of the growth of women’s tennis throughout the region. Dubai Duty Free is the owner, organizer and title sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, an equal prize money Premier tournament on the WTA calendar and a cornerstone event for men’s and women’s tennis in the Middle East. The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships take place this week with Victoria Azarenka leading the field.

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120220/wozniacki-ivanovic-ddf-ambassadors_2256076_2617756

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Kirilenko was the first to win, taking 11 straight games from 3-1 down in the first set to beat Monica Niculescu, 63 60. Five years ago at this tournament, in this round, on this court and against this opponent, Kirilenko won by this scoreline – but it was still revenge for the Russian, who had lost their other two meetings.

“One year I played against Niculescu here on center court and I won, 63 60, the same,” Kirilenko remembered. “Today there were some very close games I lost at the start, but I was doing everything right and coming to the net. She was better in those games but I continued to play the same way, then it was better.

“I liked my forehand a lot today. I was playing it well from each position on the court, I think. I was enjoying that shot today and having a lot of fun out there.”

Kirilenko has had a strong start to the season, highlighted by reaching her 10th WTA final at Pattaya City. “I’m quite happy because normally I don’t start the season really well. Two years ago I did quarterfinals at the Australian Open, then I didn’t do anything until after French Open. So now I feel I’m playing more consistently, and I’m winning all the matches I should, which is a good thing.”

Pennetta followed with a 63 63 win over good friend Anabel Medina Garrigues. Pennetta and Medina Garrigues also had a close history with each other, the Italian edging ahead to 5-3 in their head-to-head series with the victory.

“The wind made it hard to control the ball, and it was not easy because she’s one of my best friends,” Pennetta said. “It’s not easy to play against your friend on the court. But tennis is like this – you have to get on the court and try to play your best tennis all the time. It wasn’t easy but I’m happy I won.”

Pennetta, a former Top 10 player, is now No.28 in the rankings. “Last week I was No.21 and because I lost second round in Doha I went to No.28. But every week you have a chance to improve and go back up. It’s not easy every week to defend all the points you made the year before. But if you start thinking too much about winning and losing points and your ranking, for me personally it’s better to just not think about it because I’ll get really nervous.

“I’m just trying to improve my tennis. I just try to focus on playing well, because if I do, I can win so many matches – if I play badly, I don’t win any.”

The Italian was asked about her goals for this year. “I don’t like to put big goals because when you put them too high and don’t get them, it’s frustrating. I prefer to take it step by step and just play each match. Of course the Olympic Games are really important, though, and I would also like to get back to the Top 20 and to finish the year in that position, No.15, No.13, something like that.”

In the only other daytime match, Shahar Peer won an all-wildcard battle with Oman’s Fatma Al Nabhani, 63 61. Peer improved to 8-2 in Dubai with the win.

The feature night match saw Julia Goerges rally from 62 31 down to beat three-time Dubai finalist Svetlana Kuznetsova, 26 76(2) 64. It was a very close affair, with the two only separated by three points: Goerges 101, Kuznetsova 98.

“It wasn’t the best beginning for me, but one of hers probably. She overwhelmed me with her shots,” Goerges said. “I just tried to get back into it, playing more balls in the court and fighting for every ball. I got my chance and took it.”

In the late match, No.8 seed Jelena Jankovic beat Petra Cetkovska, 62 62.

Iveta Benesova, Simona Halep, Petra Martic and Aleksandra Wozniak secured berths in the main draw with wins in the final round of qualifying.

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120220/kirilenkos-deja-vu-pennetta-wins-too_2256076_2617847

Arruabarrena-Vecino made it out of that first round match against No.8 seed Patricia Mayr-Achleitner, battling back for a 61 36 76(3) victory, then didn’t lose a set the rest of the week, in fact losing just 21 games in her next four matches combined. Playing fellow first-time WTA finalist Alexandra Panova in Sunday’s final she had some trouble closing it out, missing out on her first five match points, but she dusted a 62 75 victory off on her sixth match point.

“It was a very tough final today,” Arruabarrena-Vecino said after the match. “Alexandra has been playing so well this week, so I knew it would be tough and I would need to run a lot. But I played well – I was very happy with my forehand today and even though I was nervous at the end, I managed to finish the match.

“Before the tournament, if someone had told me I would win the title, I wouldn’t believe them. And I almost lost first round, too. It was really tough to get used to the conditions but after I came back to win that first match I got more and more confident. I played one of my best matches of the week in the final today.

“I love this court. I love it here. This is a very special title for me.”

Arruabarrena-Vecino also achieved a somewhat unique first – with 18 letters, no WTA champion has ever had a longer last name, excluding married names. Marie Neumannova-Pinterova (19 letters) and Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi (18 letters) also captured WTA titles, but those are both married names.

It was also a breakthrough week for Panova. After also surviving a close one in her first round match – she saved four match points to beat Mandy Minella – the 22-year-old Russian made it all the way to her first WTA final too.

Panova’s breakthrough wasn’t limited to the singles draw either – she and Eva Birnerova of the Czech Republic won the doubles title. Seeded No.1, they beat Minella and Stefanie Voegele comprehensively in Saturday’s final, 62 62. It was Panova’s second career WTA doubles title and Birnerova’s third.

Article source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20120219/arruabarrena-vecinos-bogota-breakthrough_2256076_2616652