Women´s Tennis Blog

WTA Showdown Heading to Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Sat, 11 May 2013 11:16:00 +0000

WTA Showdown Heading to Singapore

The WTA has announced its end-of-season Championships will move away from Istanbul in 2014 and take root in Singapore in a deal that is likely to boost the reputation of women’s tennis.

Held every November, the WTA Championships brings together the eight highest-ranked players on the women’s circuit to compete for a record prize pot of £4.2 million by 2014. Much like the ATP Tour Finals on the men’s scene, these Championships are widely regarded as the fifth Grand Slam; so important is it to the competitors.

Leaving Istanbul for Singapore is a huge move for the WTA and signifies how much the women’s game is developing. Over the past decade, the sport has grown into the Asian markets and with players such as Li Na impressing on the Grand Slam stage, interest in the WTA is predicted to get bigger in the coming years.

For Singapore to bid for and win this prestigious tournament is great news for tennis fans, for the prize fund on offer and the importance of the event itself means we should witness some outstanding tennis at the $1bn Singapore Sports Hub.

Betting news outlets are already predicting who will make Singapore this November, with Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova naturally leading the pack. Both players should be in Turkey for the 2013 WTA Championships and will probably be joined by Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska and Angelique Kerber.

Yet the final three posts are very much up for grabs and betting fans can expect some entertaining tennis over the coming months as upwards of 10 players strive to earn one of those remaining places.

The WTA Championships is a major event on the women’s sporting calendar and Istanbul has done it justice over the past two years. Now it is Singapore’s turn to showcase this sport to the world and few tennis betting news sites expect them to fail in that pursuit.

Bartoli must improve before French Open

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:24:00 +0000

Bartoli must improve before French Open

Marion Bartoli is staring at an early exit from Roland Garros if she doesn’t improve this month after the world number 14 crashed out of the Portugal Open first round on Tuesday.

Expectations are high for Bartoli to impress at the French Open yet this defeat at the hands of Shuai Peng means her preparations for the Grand Slam are in tatters.

Bartoli suffered a major crisis of consistency over the three-set match as she lost the opener to love before hitting back with a strong set of her own. Unfortunately, despite clawing her way back into the match a final set break meant a 6-0 1-6 6-4 exit for Bartoli, who now has little clay preparation heading into Madrid next week.

Indeed, if Portugal was too much for Bartoli then a mandatory event at the Madrid Open will be even harder and tennis betting fans should seriously consider her a safe bet to exit before round two.

This year hasn’t gone too well for the French star, with three quarter-final berths from eight singles tournaments all she can boast of from 2013.

Having dedicated all her efforts to hard-surface tournaments this spring, Bartoli was never expected to progress far in her first clay event in Portugal yet her inability to immediately adjust to the new bounce is a major concern.

Bartoli herself has expressed little worry about the performance and is likely to use her week off to train hard before Madrid, but training isn’t enough and match practice at this stage of her French Open preparations is crucial.

Sadly, Bartoli won’t get too much time on the competitive court before the first serve at Roland Garros and even if she makes if through the first two rounds in Paris betting fans (click here for the latest bet365 tennis odds) can safely back her to exit before week two.

Williams Sisters Confirm Fed Cup Commitment

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:16:00 +0000

Williams Sisters Confirm Fed Cup Commitment

Williams Sisters Confirm Fed Cup Commitment

Serena and Venus Williams have renewed their commitment to the Fed Cup after the pair confirmed they will play for team USA against Sweden later this month.

The team also includes world number 16, Sloane Stephens, and number 27, Varvara Lepchenko, meaning the US is a far stronger outfit from the one that lost 3-2 to Italy in round one last February.

That defeat cast the US into a World Group playoff and they must be on form if they are to overcome Sweden on the weekend of 20 April.

Surviving the dreaded playoffs is a difficult ask for any team but with the Williams sisters set to come on board, Betfair pundits are backing them heavily to overcome Sweden.

For Serena is on form this spring after winning the Miami Masters and Charleston titles recently. The American has three WTA trophies to her name this season and her only final defeat came at the hands of Victoria Azarenka in Doha.

Venus, meanwhile, has made two semi-final appearances this term and Stephens has impressed on the tour with advances in Melbourne, Hobart, and Brisbane.

Although no one can take the Fed Cup lightly, team USA should have no problem up against a Sweden side not exactly brimming with world-renowned talent. Number one, Sofia Arvidsson, is ranked 54th in the world and has won just three competitive matches since Sydney, while second in command, Johanna Larsson’s best finish was a quarterfinal berth in Auckland.

The Williams sisters and Stephens should have no problem disposing of this Swedish pair and tennis betting fans can expect a swift demolition on the Delray Beach hard court. Serena’s appearances in particular should play out as practice matches and put her in good stead for the Madrid Open next month.

Time for Watson to take a Break

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:51:00 +0000

Time for Watson to take a Break

Heather Watson is facing a potential plummet in the WTA world rankings if she does not take a break from tennis as initially planned before her exit at the Miami Masters.
Watson, 20, revealed before her first-round clash with Ayumi Morita at the Sony Tennis Open that she would take time out of the tour to correct her bad performances in the wake of feeling “burnt out”, yet 24 hours later and after a 1-6 7-5 6-4 defeat has performed a dramatic U-turn on her stance.

Now, instead of withdrawing from the tour, she will instead return home to Guernsey before playing Charleston on 1 April.

“I’m going to carry on with my schedule,” Watson told tennis news reporters. “I basically just want to put my racquet down for three or four days, have a rest, and see my friends and family, as I haven’t done that this year yet.”

For many Betfair French Open pundits, this news will come as a great surprise, for Watson looks in need of a serious rest after her Miami defeat and three or four days of home comforts may not be enough.

The British number one has not won a match since reaching 39 in the world and has crashed out in the opening rounds of her last two tournaments. These results mean she is set to drop down the rankings over the coming weeks.

If Watson is to compete at the French Open and Wimbledon this summer she needs to relax her schedule and work on her game – most importantly her durability over three sets – which would give her confidence and have a less detrimental effect on her ranking.

It is not an easy thing to do to withdraw from the tour but, with Fed Cup competition and the Roland Garros just around the corner, maybe a longer rest is what is required to get her physically and mentally prepared for the challenge.

Quarters Draw Showcases WTA’s Strength

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:14:00 +0000

Quarters Draw Showcases WTA’s Strength

Top-level women’s tennis is going from strength to strength as seven of the top eight seeds made the BNP Paribas Open quarterfinals in Indian Wells this week.

After four rounds of tennis under the spring Californian sun, the crème has truly risen to the top with first-seed, Victoria Azarenka, leading the way. In the absence of Serena Williams, Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Angelique Kerber have all excelled in the tournament.

They were followed by fifth-seed, Petra Kvitova, Sara Errani (6), Sam Stosur (7) and eighth-seed, Caroline Wozniacki.

The only player outside the top eight to make the quarters was Russia’s Maria Kirilenko (13), who performed magnificently against third-seed, Agnieszka Radwanska, to produce the first major shock of at Indian Wells.

Indeed, that one result is the only anomaly in a predictable tournament for fans who bet on tennis, many of who have backed the favourites to great rewards so far.

Indeed, this quarter-final line-up proves that backing favourites on the WTA tour does work and, with the Grand Slam summer just around the corner, fans should seriously consider backing multiple results in the early rounds.

At both Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year, the women’s draw will pit strong seeds against lowly qualifiers and, while the odds on the elite stars, Williams, Azarenka, and Sharapova, will be fairly unrewarding, those backing top-10 multiples such as Kvitova, Kerber, and Li Na should earn a good profit.

Betting on the winner at the French Open and Wimbledon is a little different and fans should not expect many surprises from the tennis news; the elite will compete for these titles this season. However, the real money lies in Grand Slam opening weeks where the strength of the WTA top seeds prove too much for the rest of the field.

Radwanska has real chance of Indian Wells crown

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:50:00 +0000

Radwanska has real chance of Indian Wells crown
By Joe Short

World number four Agnieszka Radwanska must take her chance to make the BNP Paribas final in Indian Wells this moth after being drawn in the same half as Maria Sharapova.

Radwanska is seeded third for the mandatory WTA event, behind Sharapova, and so avoids meeting first-seed Victoria Azarenka until at least the final.

In avoiding Azarenka, for now, the Pole has a huge weight lifted from her shoulders and should she make the semis – as expected – is in for a fierce showdown with Russian Sharapova.

The pair have met 10 times before with Sharapova, always popular in the tennis betting offers, taking eight of those clashes, but as Radwanska in in good form this early 2013 there is a real chance she can take victory and progress to the final.

The Pole has already won Auckland and Sydney this season and only Melbourne finalist Li Na stopped her run to the Australian Open crown at the quarter-final stage. She lost to Azarenka in the Doha semis and to Petra Kvitova in the Dubai quarters, with both opponents going on to win their respective events.

Radwanska, therefore, can count herself unlucky to have met so many finalists and champions in her season to date. Up against Sharapova she will take advantage of a more powerful serve on the Indian Wells hard surface to claim games with ease.

What she must not do is let Sharapova settle into a service rhythm herself, for the Russian is technically more agile than Radwanska and can find impossible angles on the court.

Indian Wells promises to be an exciting tournament – especially in the absence of Serena Williams – and Radwanska has a real chance of making the final. Whether or not she can then bypass a solid Azarenka for the trophy is another matter, but fans in the bet365 tennis betting world should be confident of seeing her on the last Saturday.

How to Play Tennis on an Indoor Surface?

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:20:00 +0000

How to Play Tennis on an Indoor Surface?

Tennis is an Olympic sport but it is played at all levels, by all ages. Anyone can play the game as long
as they can hold a racket, and the fundamental aim is to get the ball over the net, without your
opponent being able to make a return.

Sound easy? Well, there are various types of surface that the sport can be played upon including
clay, hard and grass; and each surface will affect the speed and height in which the ball bounces.

Hardcourts are predominantly used for indoor games; some might say this has diminished the
prestige of the sport because the indoor surface is no longer distinct from other tournaments. For
years, players played on a carpet surface but this was phased out from 2008. Instead, it has been
replaced with hardcourt or plexipave.

The question is, how can you play on it?

• Hardcourts are faster than clay but not as fast as grass courts, so take this into account when
swinging.

• The sand and paint can greatly affect the rate at which the ball slows down, so bear this in
mind.

• If you love to hit the baseline hard, this style court is ideal for you.

• Some reports claim that too much hardcourt tennis can be lethal for your joints, so make
sure you take regular breaks to relax the muscles, and seek a physiotherapist if you start to
suffer from any injuries or pains.

• A big, flat first service is less risky because the game will be faster. Also, try to hit balls with
topspin to ensure it lands deep in your opponent’s court. By taking pace off your shot, you
will have better control when the ball bounces lower.

• The rallies tend to be longer, so work on your cardiovascular endurance levels.

• The tennis has slowed down indoors for spectators, which means you need to play from the
back.

• Don’t be fooled- indoor and outdoor tennis are very different forms of the same game, and
should be treated differently.

•
Take into account that indoor tennis will be warmer than playing outside. This will affect
how you play and what you wear.

• Depending on the quality of the indoor court, lighting may be an issue. Some indoor courts
are poorly lit, so bear this in mind when training.

• The environment won’t be an issue as there is no wind, rain or sunlight to contend with.
Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, to stay hydrated.

• You will need different shoes for hardcourts, preferably a smooth sole.

Do you have any advice on how to play on an indoor surface? We’d love to hear your personal tips
and experiences!

(Image courtesy of Shutterstock)

This article was written by Lauren Grice on behalf of Wimbledon Debenture Holders, the go-to-
experts for Wimbledon tennis tickets for 2013. Visit www.wimbledondebentureholders.com today
for the most competitive prices on the marketplace.

Chest Infection could Hamper Robson Progression

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:47:00 +0000

Chest Infection could Hamper Robson Progression

Laura Robson’s hopes of breaking into the WTA top 30 by the end of this season are under threat after the British number two revealed a chest infection she has had since last summer is getting worse.

Robson has had a poor start to 2013, having lost in the first round in three of her five tournaments this year. Despite helping Great Britain through to the Fed Cup playoffs in early February, she has twice crashed out in first rounds of tennis events this fortnight and looks a shadow of her 2012 self.

“[The chest infection] is something that I’m living with,” Robson told The Independent. “It was on and off since the Olympics; now, it’s worse.”

Having lost 6-4 6-1 to Daniela Hantuchova in Doha last week, the world number 43 crashed out of round one in Dubai to Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva 6-4 2-6 7-6 on Monday.

Her performance was erratic, far from composed, and exposed her weaknesses as an inconsistent groundstroker when given the freedom to dictate the court.

For the match really was Robson’s to win, with Putintseva playing the majority of her tennis in defence mode on the baseline. Robson just could not find her line, too often hitting balls long and, after over 2:20 hours of tennis, had made 49 unforced errors.

Maybe her chest infection has strangled her development this season, but she nevertheless should have easily disposed of Putintseva on Monday evening.

Her form is now a genuine concern for pundits giving tennis betting tips, who may turn against the Brit should she fail to live up to early expectations set about by that silver medal performance alongside Andy Murray at London 2012.

While compatriot, Heather Watson, goes from strength to strength, Robson is looking increasingly unlikely of making the WTA top 30 this year, a real shame for a 19-year-old talent with so much potential in this sport.

Three Reasons to Watch WTA Doha 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:05:00 +0000

Three Reasons to Watch WTA Doha 2013

The Qatar Total Open has already begun, with Day One winners including Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova. The $2 million Premier 5 event sees
the world’s best players competing alongside one another for the first time since the Australian Open, and it promises to be one of the most hard-fought and entertaining tournaments of the year.

Here are three reasons to watch the action from Doha this week.

1.The number one ranking is on the line.

Not two but three women have a chance to end the week as the WTA’s number one player. Current Queen Bee, Victoria Azarenka, won Doha on 2012, so has a lot of
ranking points to defend this year. The Belarusian needs to reach at least the final of the Qatar Total Open to even have a chance of holding on to the top spot.

Only 355 points separate Azarenka from the current number two, Serena Williams. As Serena didn’t play in the Middle East last year, she can secure the number one ranking by reaching the semi-finals.

Finally, Maria Sharapova also has a shot at becoming the new world number one, but to unseat Azarenka she will have to win the title and hope that Serena loses before the semi-finals.

2.We are guaranteed high-quality, high-stakes matches.

With such a strong field - nine of the world’s top 10 are playing in Doha - the potential for classic matches is huge. We could see a number of mouthwatering clashes from as early as the third round, with Wozniacki, in desperate need of a good result, seeded to meet Angelique Kerber and Maria Sharapova set to face the darling of the Australian Open, Sloane Stephens.

But the latter stages of the tournament will be fascinating. Many observers expected Serena Williams to pull out of Doha; the American plays a famously light schedule, and she suffered a painful ankle injury in Melbourne. However, Serena is in, and there is no doubt that she’s in to win. Whether motivated to regain the top ranking for the first time since 2010, or to reassert her dominance after a disappointing Australian Open, the 15-time Grand Slam champion will be the star of Qatar.

A blockbuster Serena-Sharapova semi-final would be a battle between two of the most powerful games, and two of the biggest personalities, in the sport. Similarly, a Serena v Azarenka final would be an intense affair, and an opportunity for Azarenka to show that she has what it takes to beat the legend. Serena is favourite to win any tournament she enters, but it will be exciting to see which, if any, woman can stop her.

3.Laura Robson has a chance to make another big impact at a major event.

Fresh from leading the British Fed Cup team to a World Group promotional play-off, Laura Robson is back on the WTA Tour and determined to continue her ascent of
the rankings. The 19-year-old proved beyond doubt that she was the real deal when she upset former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in Melbourne, and she has a prime opportunity to further establish herself in Doha. An opening round clash with the powerful but inconsistent Daniela Hantuchova is definitely winnable, but she will be the underdog in a likely second round meeting with in-form 12th seed Maria Kirilenko.

However, should Robson manage to score that upset, she would then have an excellent chance against sixth-seeded Sara Errani. Although a solid and dogged competitor,
Errani lacks firepower, and can be overwhelmed by power players like Robson. Such a win would confirm the Brit’s status as one of the fastest-rising players on tour, and send her ranking soaring.

Written by Steven Webb from Live-Tennis.com.

Ranking Rise Great Credit to British Duo

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:09:00 +0000

Ranking Rise Great Credit to British Duo

There is almost nothing to separate Britain’s two top-ranked women’s singles players, Heather Watson and Laura Robson, as they continued their rise up the WTA rankings this week following positive results at the Australian Open.

Three years ago, British women’s tennis was an embarrassment, with former national number one, Elena Baltacha, topping the WTA charts at world number 49. The Lawn Tennis Association was being grilled for not producing the talent required, while, over in the men’s section, we hadn’t had a Grand Slam champion for over 70 years.

Now, however, Britain can boast two major female tennis talents in their arsenal as both Watson and Robson progress through the rankings on the WTA circuit. They made history last week after rising to 40th and 43rd place respectively, the first British pair to both make the top-50 since Jo Durie and Sara Gormer 26 years ago.

It is a credit to both players’ professionalism and determination to get this far in world tennis, and tennis betting news pundits are expecting even more from them this 2013 season. The pair are now in the big time and expectations will rise according to their place in the world rankings, with Watson proving her mettle in defeating former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in Melbourne.

While Watson admits she is targeting a top-20 spot by the end of the year, Robson will want to capitalise on her first WTA tour final in Guangzhou last September with a title on her mantelpiece.

Both women made the third round in Australia, a real feat for British tennis and one that should be bettered when Roland Garros begins this summer. The future of British women’s tennis looks increasingly bright and, although this pair may never make the head-spinning heights of world number one, they are nevertheless earning plaudits in the sports betting news, and flying the flag for future generations.

Azarenka vs Li Na at Australian Open final

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Azarenka vs Li Na at Australian Open final

Victoria Azarenka beat Sloane Stephens 61 64 to advance to the Australian Open 2013 final where she will face Li Na, a 62 62 winner over No. 2-ranked Maria Sharapova.

Azarenka finished her win over Stephens after a medical timeout for rib and knee injuries. The No. 1-ranked player had wasted five match points in the game immediately before leaving the court for medical attention, then returned to break Stephens' serve to end the match.

"Well, I almost did the choke of the year," Azarenka said. "At 5-3, having so many chances I couldn't close it out."

Australian Open officials said the tournament doctor reported that Azarenka had left knee and rib injuries.

"I just felt a little bit overwhelmed. I realized I'm one step away from the final and nerves got into me for sure," Azarenka said.

Her on-court comments after the match led to speculation about the timing of her medical timeout. She didn't help herself in a second television interview after the match that suggested she was suffering from a severe case of the nerves.

"I couldn't breathe. I had chest pains," she said. "It was like I was getting a heart attack. After that it wasn't my best, but it's important to overcome this little bit of a struggle and win the match."

In her official post-match news conference Azarenka felt a need to explain her comments immediately after the match.

"I think I just really misunderstood what (the on-court interviewer) asked me because the question was I had few difficulties and why I went off," Azarenka said. "I completely thought of a different thing, why I couldn't close out of match, you know, that I had few difficulties.

"So I understand the whole situation right now, but it just really (is a) simple misunderstanding of a question. I guess it was my bad."

Pressed again to explain her earlier TV comments, Azarenka said: "I did say that. I did say I couldn't breathe. It was locked. That came from my back."

Stephens didn't think the timing of the medical break affected the outcome of the match.

"It's happened before. Last match, match before, I've had people going for medical breaks, going to the bathroom," she said. "Didn't affect me. Just another something else that happens."

In the other semifinal, Sharapova served double-faults to lose the first two points and conceding a break in the first game.

The crowd got behind Li early in the match, yelling "Come on, Li Na!" and others yelling "Jia You!" which is "Come on" in Chinese.

After she broke Sharapova to take a 5-2 lead, the Chinese fans in the crowd shook Chinese flags and shouted again, "Jia You!"

"I don't know what happened, (but) I always play well here, so thanks guys," said Li. "I just came to the court feeling like, 'OK, just do it.'"

The heat and the speed of the court surface suited Li's game.

She broke Sharapova in the third game of the second set and served an ace to move within a point of a 4-2 lead, but lost the next three points to give her opponent a break opportunity.

Two big second serves took Sharapova by surprise, and Li fended off the challenge.

Li's coach, Carlos Rodriguez, pumped his fist over his heart after Li won the game.

Sharapova had control in her next service game, but Li scrambled from side to side and pushed the reigning French Open champion to go for the lines, getting a series of unforced errors and another break.

Li has been working since August with Rodriguez, and credits him with reviving her career with a renewed emphasis on condition.

"I'm happy. I know I have a tough coach, a tough physio," Li said, looking across to the stands and adding: "You don't need to push me anymore. I will push myself."

Sharapova admitted it was hard to get into the match against Li.

"She was certainly much more aggressive than I was, dictating the play. I was always on the defense," said Sharapova. "When I had my opportunities and break points in games that went to deuce, I don't think any of them really went my way."

AP Photo/Aaron Favila

Williams power may be counting against her

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:49:00 +0000

Williams power may be counting against her

Serena Williams’ powerful game may in fact hamper her title aspirations in the future as her ageing body struggles to cope with the physical playing style that has served her so well in the past.

Williams, a 15-time Grand Slam champion, is widely regarded by fans on Betfair tennis as the best player on the WTA circuit despite being ranked third in the world. For years she has avoided low-ranking tour events to focus on winning majors, a tactic that has proved fruitful as she keeps her body in prime physical fitness.

However, after more than a decade on the tour it is clear her body may be telling her to slow down a bit – a warning that was sounded in her shock quarter-final defeat at the Australian Open this week.

For Serena, heavy favourite to win the Australian Open in Melbourne, crashed out 3-6 7-5 6-4 to compatriot Sloane Stephens much to the surprise of fans. Having had her Grand Slam preparations hampered by toe surgery in the winter and rolling her ankle in week one at Melbourne, Serena complained of back spasms early in the second set and was treated by her trainer on court.

Yet she failed to sufficiently recover as Stephens fired back into the game, able to capitalise on Serena’s physical weaknesses. The 31-year-old’s serve – that can compete with the strength of many top male professionals – failed her; while her groundstrokes lacked that usual sting off the court.

Playing through pain is never a comfortable thing and Serena’s game visibly suffered from her lack of power on court. Her serve speeds fell and her returns became sporadic as Stephens capitalised like a merciless professional.

It was disappointing yet not too surprising that Serena blamed her injury after the game, for her robust style demands so much off this ageing body. She made 31 aces in Melbourne – 13 more than second-highest Petra Kvitova when she exited the tournament – and had lost just eight games before her quarters defeat.

Her exit, however, proves that injuries can ruin the best of forms and if Serena wants to add to her Grand Slam haul in 2013 she must consider changing not only her playing style but also her calendar.

Photo by Getty Images

Australian Open Results Day 8: Monday 21 January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:09:00 +0000

Australian Open Results Day 8: Monday 21 January 2013

Results from the Australian Open Women's Singles Round 4 matches

3-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat 14-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) 6-2 6-0

29-Sloane Stephens (U.S.) beat Bojana Jovanovski (Serbia) 6-1 3-6 7-5

1-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat Elena Vesnina (Russia) 6-1 6-1

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat 10-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 6-2 2-6 7-5

Australian Open Results Day 5: Friday 18 January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:18:00 +0000

Australian Open Results Day 5: Friday 18 January 2013

Results from the Australian Open Women's Singles Round 3 matches

2-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat 25-Venus Williams (U.S.) 6-1 6-3

Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat Valeria Savinykh (Russia) 6-2 4-6 6-3

6-Li Na (China) beat 27-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) 6-4 6-1

13-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat 22-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 7-5 6-3

19-Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) beat 11-Marion Bartoli (France) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-4

18-Julia Goerges (Germany) beat Zheng Jie (China) 6-3 1-6 7-5

5-Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Madison Keys (U.S.) 6-2 7-5

4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Heather Watson (Britain) 6-3 6-1

Video: Venus Press Conference at Australian Open Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:20:00 +0000

Video: Venus Press Conference at Australian Open Day 3

Venus Williams reflects on her win against Alize Cornet in the second round at the 2013 Australian Open.

Video: Sharapova Australian Open Press Conference Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:19:00 +0000

Video: Sharapova Australian Open Press Conference Day 3

Women's No.2 Maria Sharapova speaks following her smashing win against Japan's Misaki Doi in the second round.

Video: Australian Open Day 4 highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:01:00 +0000

Video: Australian Open Day 4 highlights

The scorching heat wasn't enough to deter the players or the crowds at another stunning day of the Open.
Kimiko Date-Krumm continued to wow the crowds with her win as well as local Bernard Tomic moving onto the third round, plus more from day four of AO 2013

Video: Serena hits herself in the face - Australian Open 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:37:00 +0000

Video: Serena hits herself in the face - Australian Open 2013

After an injury mishap in the first round, Serena's bad luck continues in the second - this time catching herself in the face with her own racquet.

Australian Open Order of Play Day 5: Friday 17 January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:14:00 +0000

Australian Open Order of Play Day 5: Friday 17 January 2013

Rod Laver Arena 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 3rd Round
Angelique Kerber (GER) [5] v Madison Keys (USA)
Women's Singles - 3rd Round
Na Li (CHN) [6] v Sorana Cirstea (ROU) [27]
Men's Singles - 3rd Round
Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] v Radek Stepanek (CZE) [31]
Rod Laver Arena 7:00 PM
Women's Singles - 3rd Round
Venus Williams (USA) [25] v Maria Sharapova (RUS) [2]
Men's Singles - 3rd Round
David Ferrer (ESP) [4] v Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) [28]

Hisense Arena 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 3rd Round
Heather Watson (GBR) v Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [4]
Women's Singles - 3rd Round
Ana Ivanovic (SRB) [13] v Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [22]
Men's Singles - 3rd Round
Kevin Anderson (RSA) v Fernando Verdasco (ESP) [22]
Hisense Arena 7:00 PM
Men's Singles - 3rd Round
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) [26] v Tomas Berdych (CZE) [5]
Mixed Doubles - 1st Round
Sania Mirza (IND) [3] / Bob Bryan (USA) [3] v Samantha Stosur (AUS) /Luke Saville (AUS)

Margaret Court Arena 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 3rd Round
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) [19] v Marion Bartoli (FRA) [11]
Not Before:1:00 PM
Men's Singles - 3rd Round
Julien Benneteau (FRA) [32] v Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) [8]
Men's Singles - 3rd Round
Sam Querrey (USA) [20] v Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [15]
Margaret Court Arena 7:00 PM
Men's Doubles - 2nd Round
Daniele Bracciali (ITA) /Lukas Dlouhy (CZE) v Alex Bolt (AUS) /Greg Jones (AUS)

Show Court 2 11:00 AM
Mixed Doubles - 1st Round
Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) /Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) v Olivia Rogowska (AUS) /Marinko Matosevic (AUS)
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Ashleigh Barty (AUS) /Casey Dellacqua (AUS) v Maria Kirilenko (RUS) [3] /Lisa Raymond (USA) [3]
Men's Doubles - 2nd Round
Mike Bryan (USA) [1] /Bob Bryan (USA) [1] v Flavio Cipolla (ITA) /Andreas Seppi (ITA)
Men's Singles - 3rd Round
Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) v Kei Nishikori (JPN) [16]

Show Court 3 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 3rd Round
Julia Goerges (GER) [18] v Jie Zheng (CHN)
Mixed Doubles - 1st Round
Bojana Bobusic (AUS) /Chris Guccione (AUS) v Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) /Bruno Soares (BRA)
Men's Singles - 3rd Round
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) [10] v Jerzy Janowicz (POL) [24]
Women's Singles - 3rd Round
Valeria Savinykh (RUS) v Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)

Court 6 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Mathilde Johansson (FRA) /Pauline Parmentier (FRA) v Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) [15] / Shuai Peng (CHN) [15]
Men's Doubles - 2nd Round
Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) / Potito Starace (ITA) v Marcel Granollers (ESP) [3] /Marc Lopez (ESP) [3]
Men's Doubles - 2nd Round
Samuel Groth (AUS) /Matt Reid (AUS) v Jeremy Chardy (FRA) /Lukasz Kubot (POL)
Men's Doubles - 2nd Round
Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) /Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) v John Peers (AUS) / John-Patrick Smith (AUS)

Court 7 1:00 PM
Men's Doubles - 2nd Round
Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) [6] /Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) [6] v Xavier Malisse (BEL) /Dick Norman (BEL)
Men's Doubles - 2nd Round
Eric Butorac (USA) /Paul Hanley (AUS) v Michael Kohlmann (GER) /Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) [4] /Elena Vesnina (RUS) [4] v Mandy Minella (LUX) /Megan Moulton-Levy (USA)

Court 8 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) /Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) v Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) [2] /Lucie Hradecka (CZE) [2]
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Xinyun Han (CHN) /Yi-Miao Zhou (CHN) v Liezel Huber (USA) [6] /Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) [6]
Men's Doubles - 2nd Round
Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) /Robert Farah (COL) v Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) /Go Soeda (JPN)
Mixed Doubles - 1st Round
Julia Goerges (GER) [8] /Daniel Nestor (CAN) [8] v Tamira Paszek (AUT) /Alexander Peya (AUT)

Court 13 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) /Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) v Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) /Ksenia Pervak (KAZ)
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Sara Errani (ITA) [1] /Roberta Vinci (ITA) [1] v Jill Craybas (USA) /Chanelle Scheepers (RSA)
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) [7] /Jie Zheng (CHN) [7 v Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) /Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)

Court 15 1:00 PM
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Raquel Kops-Jones (USA) [8] /Abigail Spears (USA) [8] v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) /Lucie Safarova (CZE)
Women's Doubles - 2nd Round
Natalie Grandin (RSA) [14] /Vladimira Uhlirova (CZE) [14] v Melinda Czink (HUN) /Bojana Jovanovski (SRB)

Australian Open Results Day 4: Thursday 17 January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 11:35:00 +0000

Australian Open Results Day 4: Thursday 17 January 2013

Results from the Australian Open Women's Singles Round 2 matches

29-Sloane Stephens (U.S.) beat Kristina Mladenovic (France) 6-4 6-3

Bojana Jovanovski (Serbia) beat 17-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 7-5 7-5

10-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) beat Donna Vekic (Croatia) 6-1 6-4

Kimiko Date-Krumm (Japan) beat Shahar Peer (Israel) 6-2 7-5

Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) beat Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) 1-6 7-6(5) 6-2

Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) beat Daria Gavrilova (Russia) 7-5 6-3

20-Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) beat Jana Cepelova (Slovakia) 7-6(8) 7-5

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat 26-Hsieh Su-Wei (Taiwan) 6-2 6-1

3-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) 6-2 6-0

Jamie Hampton (U.S.) beat Luksika Kumkhum (Thailand) 6-1 6-2

14-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Peng Shuai (China) 7-5 6-2

Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat 21-Varvara Lepchenko (U.S.) 6-4 6-2

16-Roberta Vinci (Italy) beat Akgul Amanmuradova (Uzbekistan) 6-3 6-2

Ayumi Morita (Japan) beat Annika Beck (Germany) 6-2 6-0

1-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) 6-1 6-0

Australian Open Results Day 3: Wednesday 16 January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:59:00 +0000

Australian Open Results Day 3: Wednesday 16 January 2013

Results from the Australian Open Women's Singles Round 2 matches

25-Venus Williams (U.S.) beat Alize Cornet (France) 6-3 6-3

13-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat Chan Yung-Jan (Taiwan) 7-5 1-6 6-4

Heather Watson (Britain) beat Ksenia Pervak (Kazakhstan) 4-6 7-6(7) 6-2

22-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) beat Maria Joao Koehler (Portugal) 2-6 7-6(5) 6-2

2-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Misaki Doi (Japan) 6-0 6-0

27-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat Kristyna Pliskova (Czech Republic) 1-6 6-3 6-2

Zheng Jie (China) beat 9-Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-4 1-6 7-5

11-Marion Bartoli (France) beat Vesna Dolonc (Serbia) 7-5 6-0

19-Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) beat Stephanie Foretz Gacon (France) 6-3 6-3

Madison Keys (U.S.) beat 30-Tamira Paszek (Austria) 6-2 6-1

6-Li Na (China) beat Olga Govortsova (Belarus) 6-2 7-5

18-Julia Goerges (Germany) beat Romina Oprandi (Switzerland) 6-3 6-2

Valeria Savinykh (Russia) beat 15-Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 7-6(6) 6-4

4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Irina Begu (Romania) 6-3 6-3

5-Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-1

Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat 23-Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-0

Australian Open Order of Play Day 3: Wednesday 16 January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:59:00 +0000

Australian Open Order of Play Day 3: Wednesday 16 January 2013

Rod Laver Arena 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) v Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [4]
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Guillaume Rufin (FRA) v Tomas Berdych (CZE) [5]
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Jie Zheng (CHN) v Samantha Stosur (AUS) [9]
Rod Laver Arena 7:00 PM
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Venus Williams (USA) [25] v Alize Cornet (FRA)
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] v Ryan Harrison (USA)

Hisense Arena 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) [10] v Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP)
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Na Li (CHN) [6] v Olga Govortsova (BLR)
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Tatsuma Ito (JPN) v Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) [28]
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Misaki Doi (JPN) v Maria Sharapova (RUS) [2]

Margaret Court Arena 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Angelique Kerber (GER) [5] v Lucie Hradecka (CZE)
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Julia Goerges (GER) [18] v Romina Oprandi (SUI)
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
David Ferrer (ESP) [4] v Tim Smyczek (USA)
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Ana Ivanovic (SRB) [13] v Yung-Jan Chan (TPE)
Margaret Court Arena 7:00 PM
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Xavier Malisse (BEL) v Fernando Verdasco (ESP) [22]

Show Court 2 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) [15] v Valeria Savinykh (RUS)
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Tobias Kamke (GER) v Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [15]
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Maria Joao Koehler (POR) v Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [22]
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Lukas Lacko (SVK) v Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) [8]

Show Court 3 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Carlos Berlocq (ARG) v Kei Nishikori (JPN) [16]
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Madison Keys (USA) v Tamira Paszek (AUT) [30]
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Vesna Dolonc (SRB) v Marion Bartoli (FRA) [11]
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) v Radek Stepanek (CZE) [31]

Court 5 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) / Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) v Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino (ESP) / Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Robert Lindstedt (SWE) [7] / Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) [7] v Michael Llodra (FRA) / Nicolas Mahut (FRA)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Michael Kohlmann (GER) / Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) v Colin Fleming (GBR) / Jamie Murray (GBR)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Lukas Rosol (CZE) / Viktor Troicki (SRB) v Flavio Cipolla (ITA) / Andreas Seppi (ITA)

Court 6 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) v Klara Zakopalova (CZE) [23]
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Sam Querrey (USA) [20] v Brian Baker (USA)
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) [19] v Stephanie Foretz Gacon (FRA)
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Julien Benneteau (FRA) [32] v Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA)

Court 7 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) [10] / Sania Mirza (IND) [10] v Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) / Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Polona Hercog (SLO) / Francesca Schiavone (ITA) v Ashleigh Barty (AUS) / Casey Dellacqua (AUS)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) [13] / Scott Lipsky (USA) [13] v Eric Butorac (USA) / Paul Hanley (AUS)
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) / Klara Zakopalova (CZE) v Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) [15] / Shuai Peng (CHN) [15]

Court 8 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Somdev Devvarman (IND) v Jerzy Janowicz (POL) [24]
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Ksenia Pervak (KAZ) v Heather Watson (GBR)
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) v Kevin Anderson (RSA)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
James Duckworth (AUS) / Chris Guccione (AUS) v Samuel Groth (AUS) / Matt Reid (AUS)

Court 10 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Melinda Czink (HUN) / Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) v Simona Halep (ROU) / Arantxa Rus (NED)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) / Go Soeda (JPN) v Julian Knowle (AUT) [14] / Filip Polasek (SVK) [14]
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) / Christina McHale (USA) v Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) [2] / Lucie Hradecka (CZE) [2]

Court 11 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Rika Fujiwara (JPN) / Mervana Jugic-Salkic (BIH) v Jill Craybas (USA) / Chanelle Scheepers (RSA)
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Mathilde Johansson (FRA) / Pauline Parmentier (FRA) v Kiki Bertens (NED) / Tatjana Malek (GER)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Ivan Dodig (CRO) [10] / Marcelo Melo (BRA) [10] v Daniele Bracciali (ITA) / Lukas Dlouhy (CZE)
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) / Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) v Annika Beck (GER) / Liga Dekmeijere (LAT)

Court 13 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Alicja Rosolska (POL) / Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) v Maria Kirilenko (RUS) [3] / Lisa Raymond (USA) [3]
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [23] v Evgeny Donskoy (RUS)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Mike Bryan (USA) [1] / Bob Bryan (USA) [1] v Oliver Marach (AUT) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) / Lukasz Kubot (POL) v Frantisek Cermak (CZE) [15] / Michal Mertinak (SVK) [15]

Court 15 11:00 AM
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) [6] / Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) [6] v David Goffin (BEL) / Simon Stadler (GER)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Alex Bolt (AUS) / Greg Jones (AUS) v Alejandro Falla (COL) / Santiago Giraldo (COL)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Dustin Brown (GER) / Christopher Kas (GER) v Marcel Granollers (ESP) [3] / Marc Lopez (ESP) [3]
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Pablo Andujar (ESP) / Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) v Mahesh Bhupathi (IND) [5] / Daniel Nestor (CAN) [5]

Court 19 11:00 AM
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Simone Bolelli (ITA) / Fabio Fognini (ITA) v Johan Brunstrom (SWE) / Frederik Nielsen (DEN)
Men's Singles - 2nd Round
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) [26] v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
Women's Singles - 2nd Round
Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) v Sorana Cirstea (ROU) [27]
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Natalie Grandin (RSA) [14] / Vladimira Uhlirova (CZE) [14] v Viktorija Rajicic (AUS) / Storm Sanders (AUS)

Court 20 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) / Shahar Peer (ISR) v Darija Jurak (CRO) / Katalin Marosi (HUN)
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Shuko Aoyama (JPN) / Irina Falconi (USA) v Vania King (USA) [11] / Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) [11]
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Sara Errani (ITA) [1] / Roberta Vinci (ITA) [1] v Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) / Johanna Larsson (SWE)
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Leonardo Mayer (ARG) / Albert Ramos (ESP) v Robin Haase (NED) / Igor Sijsling (NED)

Court 22 11:00 AM
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Petra Martic (CRO) / Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)v Mandy Minella (LUX) / Megan Moulton-Levy (USA)
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Andreja Klepac (SLO) / Anna Tatishvili (GEO) v Xinyun Han (CHN) / Yi-Miao Zhou (CHN)
Women's Doubles - 1st Round
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) / Lucie Safarova (CZE) v Timea Babos (HUN) / Laura Robson (GBR)

TBA 2 Not Before:5:00 PM
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Brian Baker (USA) / Raven Klaasen (RSA) v Victor Hanescu (ROU) / Martin Klizan (SVK)
Not Before:5:00 PM
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Matthew Barton (AUS) / John Millman (AUS) v Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) / Marinko Matosevic (AUS)
Not Before:5:00 PM
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Rohan Bopanna (IND) [12] / Rajeev Ram (USA) [12] v Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) / Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
Not Before:5:00 PM
Men's Doubles - 1st Round
Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) / Potito Starace (ITA) v Benjamin Becker (GER) / Frank Moser (GER)

Australian Open Results Day 2: Tuesday 15 January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:45:00 +0000

Australian Open Results Day 2: Tuesday 15 January 2013

Results from the Australian Open Women's Singles Round 1 matches

Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) beat 24-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 7-5 3-6 7-5

Jamie Hampton (U.S.) beat 31-Urszula Radwanska (Poland) 6-2 6-4

Luksika Kumkhum (Thailand) beat Sofia Arvidsson (Sweden) 7-6(5) 6-4

Jana Cepelova (Slovakia) beat Greta Arn (Hungary) 6-2 6-2

Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) beat Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) 7-5 5-7 6-4

Daria Gavrilova (Russia) beat Lauren Davis (U.S.) 6-3 6-7(2) 6-4

Kristina Mladenovic (France) beat Timea Babos (Hungary) 6-3 4-6 11-9

Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) beat Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) 4-6 6-1 14-12

Akgul Amanmuradova (Uzbekistan) beat Mathilde Johansson (France) 6-4 6-2

Ayumi Morita (Japan) beat Anna Tatishvili (Georgia) 6-3 6-3

Laura Robson (Britain) beat Melanie Oudin (U.S.) 6-2 6-3

Donna Vekic (Croatia) beat Andrea Hlavackova (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-2

29-Sloane Stephens (U.S.) beat Simona Halep (Romania) 6-1 6-1

Annika Beck (Germany) beat 28-Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) 6-2 6-7(7) 6-3

Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) beat Christina Mchale (U.S.) 6-1 6-7(0) 6-2

Bojana Jovanovski (Serbia) beat Maria Teresa Torro (Spain) 2-6 6-4 6-3

17-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) beat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (Croatia) 7-6(4) 6-4

8-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 6-4 2-6 6-2

1-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat Monica Niculescu (Romania) 6-1 6-4

16-Roberta Vinci (Italy) beat Silvia Soler Espinosa (Spain) 6-3 7-5

3-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat Edina Gallovits-Hall (Romania) 6-0 6-0

21-Varvara Lepchenko (U.S.) beat Polona Hercog (Slovenia) 6-4 6-1

Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Caroline Garcia (France) 3-6 6-3 6-1

Shahar Peer (Israel) beat Alexandra Panova (Russia) 6-4 1-6 6-3

10-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) beat Sabine Lisicki (Germany) 2-6 6-3 6-3

26-Hsieh Su-Wei (Taiwan) beat Lara Arruabarrena Vecino (Spain) 7-6(5) 6-2

14-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Vania King (U.S.) 6-4 6-2

Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) beat 7-Sara Errani (Italy) 6-4 6-4

Kimiko Date-Krumm (Japan) beat 12-Nadia Petrova (Russia) 6-2 6-0

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain) 6-2 6-1

Peng Shuai (China) beat Rebecca Marino (Canada) 6-3 6-0

WTA Event Upgraded to Aide Grand Slams

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:11:00 +0000

WTA Event Upgraded to Aide Grand Slams

British tennis has received a boost to its WTA calendar after the AEGON Birmingham Classic was upgraded to a Premier 600 event as part of the tennis circuit’s continued efforts to restructure the schedule gap between Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Birmingham, which has struggled in recent years to attract major stars to its annual event, has been upgraded as part of efforts to widen the fortnight gap between Roland Garros and Wimbledon to three weeks, giving competitors time to rest, adapt, and prepare for the biggest event in tennis.

If successful, the tournament could not only boost revenues for the Lawn Tennis Association but also inspire more Britons to take up the sport in the future.

“The upgrade to the AEGON Classic will mean more prize money and more ranking points for competitors, meaning more of the world’s best players will come to Birmingham,” said LTA commercial director Lawrence Robertson.

Indeed, the LTA could do with an upgrade in their competitive tournaments, for many fall into obscurity squeezed between the two Grand Slams. While Birmingham’s most high-profile winners in the last 10 years are a young Maria Sharapova (2004 & 2005) and Li Na, Eastbourne hasn’t yielded a major winner since Kim Clijsters in 2005 and Queens is now the hunting ground of tennis betting favourite, Andy Murray.

In upgrading Birmingham and increasing the prize money, there is real hope the LTA can replicate Australia and attract major starts before their home Grand Slam. For Australia’s WTA and ATP tournaments in 2013 have been a success leading up to a compelling Australian Open this January.

Hobart, Auckland (NZ), Sydney, and Brisbane were all hotly contested and this is what the LTA should be looking at to replicate in the UK. If Birmingham can bring in the top seeds this summer, then British tennis will feel the benefits for years to come.

Australian Open Order of Play Day 2: Tuesday 15 January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Abad) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:48:00 +0000

Australian Open Order of Play Day 2: Tuesday 15 January 2013

Rod Laver Arena 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Robin Haase (NED) v Andy Murray (GBR) [3]
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) [1] v Monica Niculescu (ROU)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Benoit Paire (FRA) v Roger Federer (SUI) [2]
Rod Laver Arena 7:00 PM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Bernard Tomic (AUS) v Leonardo Mayer (ARG)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) [20] v Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS)

Hisense Arena 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [10] v Sabine Lisicki (GER)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Serena Williams (USA) [3] v Edina Gallovits-Hall (ROU)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [7] v Michael Llodra (FRA)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) [6] v Adrian Mannarino (FRA)

Margaret Court Arena 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) v Sara Errani (ITA) [7]
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) v Petra Kvitova (CZE) [8]
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Sloane Stephens (USA) [29] v Simona Halep (ROU)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Marinko Matosevic (AUS) v Marin Cilic (CRO) [12]
Margaret Court Arena 7:00 PM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Gael Monfils (FRA) v Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) [18]

Show Court 2 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Vania King (USA) v Maria Kirilenko (RUS) [14]
Men's Singles - 1st Round
James Duckworth (AUS) v Benjamin Mitchell (AUS)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Albert Montanes (ESP) v Richard Gasquet (FRA) [9]
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Jamie Hampton (USA) v Urszula Radwanska (POL) [31]

Show Court 3 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) v Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Milos Raonic (CAN) [13] v Jan Hajek (CZE)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Melanie Oudin (USA) v Laura Robson (GBR)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Tommy Haas (GER) [19] v Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)

Court 5 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Blaz Kavcic (SLO) v Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) [29]
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Annika Beck (GER) v Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) [28]
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Grega Zemlja (SLO) v Marcel Granollers (ESP) [30]
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Greta Arn (HUN) v Jana Cepelova (SVK)

Court 6 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Nadia Petrova (RUS) [12] v Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Go Soeda (JPN) v Luke Saville (AUS)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Ayumi Morita (JPN) v Anna Tatishvili (GEO)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Gilles Simon (FRA) [14] v Filippo Volandri (ITA)

Court 7 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Joao Sousa (POR) v John-Patrick Smith (AUS)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) v Christina McHale (USA)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Tommy Robredo (ESP) v Jesse Levine (CAN)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) [24]

Court 8 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Rebecca Marino (CAN) v Shuai Peng (CHN)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) [21] v Polona Hercog (SLO)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Steve Darcis (BEL) v Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) [17]
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Ivan Dodig (CRO) v Di Wu (CHN)

Court 10 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Caroline Garcia (FRA) v Elena Vesnina (RUS)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) v Adrian Menendez-Maceiras (ESP)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Aljaz Bedene (SLO) v Benjamin Becker (GER)

Court 11 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Ricardas Berankis (LTU) v Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) v Bojana Jovanovski (SRB)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Daria Gavrilova (RUS) v Lauren Davis (USA)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Martin Klizan (SVK) [27] v Daniel Brands (GER)

Court 13 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Andreas Seppi (ITA) [21] v Horacio Zeballos (ARG)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) v Roberta Vinci (ITA) [16]
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) v Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Dudi Sela (ISR) v Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)

Court 15 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Shahar Peer (ISR) v Alexandra Panova (RUS)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Amir Weintraub (ISR) v Guido Pella (ARG)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Mathilde Johansson (FRA) v Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) v Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP)

Court 19 11:00 AM
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) [26] v Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino (ESP)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Josselin Ouanna (FRA) v Alejandro Falla (COL)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) v Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) v Rajeev Ram (USA)

Court 20 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Florian Mayer (GER) [25] v Rhyne Williams (USA)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) v Donna Vekic (CRO)
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Jamie Baker (GBR) v Lukas Rosol (CZE)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Luksika Kumkhum (THA) v Sofia Arvidsson (SWE)

Court 22 11:00 AM
Men's Singles - 1st Round
Igor Sijsling (NED) v Denis Istomin (UZB)
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) v Lucie Safarova (CZE) [17]
Women's Singles - 1st Round
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) v Timea Babos (HUN)