It took Martina Hingis, seeded third, an hour to beat her Austrian foe, Yvonne Meusburger, 6-2, 6-4 and advance into the fourth round of the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells in California, USA.
Hingis cruised to a 4-0 lead in the first set. With some tennis skills and a double fault from Hingis helped Meusburger win the next game. Hingis then replied by winning the next game, leaving the Swiss ace a game away from taking the first set at 5-1. Trying to hang in the game, the Austrian broke Hingis’ serve to extend the match further. Hingis then went on to break Meusburger’s serve and win the first set, 6-2.
Hingis raced to a 4-1 lead over Meusburger. Hingis began to play erratically that after three games, Meusburger levelled the score to 4-4. Hingis smelled trouble then so she stepped up her game and won the next two games, and the set, 6-4.
“The first four games it was unbelievable,” Hingis said. “That’s what I’ve been practicing for and it almost scared me,” a thrilled Hingis added.
Next opponent in the fourth round is Daniela Hantuchova. This will be Hingis’ chance to get even with Hantuchova for her quarterfinal loss at Doha, Qatar, a week ago.
Federer Sheds First Blood in Australian Open Inaugural
Written by Shelly C. Dimaculangan
Top-seeded Roger Federer clinched his first win in the Australian Open as he toppled German Bjorn Phau in three sets (7-5, 6-0, 6-4) at Rod Laver Arena this morning.
Despite a shaky start, Federer got away from Phau’s early attack which broke three of his serves in the first set. Federer was down (5-3) in the opening set, but he sprung back by winning the next nine games.
Federer said in an interview from the Australian Open’s website that he’s happy that he managed to escape from the first set because he thought that it would result to a set loss. He added that Phau gave him a little pressure since the German gave good shots and at the start he wasn’t sturdy at all.
The second set for Federer became too easy, as he had less unforced errors and completely broke Phau’s serves. The Swiss player got the second set shortly after 20 minutes, as compared to the previous 46-minute head-to-head.
In the final set, Federer slowly got his rhythm all the way to win the match. He became more aggressive to the net and became efficient on the baseline. He had a total of 36 out of 48 net approaches and got seven service aces against Phau’s three aces for the entire match.
Federer, twice champion of the Australian Open, will either compete against Swedish Jonas Bjorkman (rank 50th) or French Oliver Patience (rank 115th) in his next match
The Australian Open, which begins today, will go on for the next two weeks.
Vaidisova Says Indian Wells still has a Strong Field
Czech tennis prodigy says the Indian Wells field is still strong despite the absence of for example the Belgians Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters as well as several prominent others.
“Sure the Belgians didn’t show up but then you still have Maria [Sharapova] and Svetlana [Kuznetsova],” the 17-year-old said on Wednesday. “The field is tough. But I am very positive going into this event.”
“I have been practising the last couple of weeks and I came in here last night feeling good,” Vaidisova said.
Vaidisova is on the verge breaking through having reached last year’s Roland Garros semi’s and had a great start at the Australian Open.
“I am excited about this year. I had a good start in Australia and I hope to keep that going,” she said.
In other news Vaidisova has signed a deal with Citizen watches. A decent endorsement I reckon. There is a whole pressrelease available. If you want to read it you can find it by clicking here.
Sharapova wins Pacific Life Open
By Ben Montierth
Russian Maria Sharapova won her 11th WTA Tour Career title after defeating compatriot Elena Dementieva in straight sets, 6-1 and 6-2 in the Pacific Life Open final. Both players were having trouble playing in the wind conditions in Indian Wells, causing both Russians hitting unforced errors. Earlier Sharapova announced she would not play for the Russian Fed Cup team who are to face Belgian in Liege next April. The Siberian born said her body is not just ready to play Fed Cup after two tough tournaments.
The match lasted an hour and 22 minutes on a windy day in Indiana Wells.
The first set started out with both players getting a break. Sharapova then got a second break and went on to win the rest of the games in the set winning 6-1.
Dementieva won the first two games of the second set. The former number one then won the next six games to win the title.
“It was so tough,” said Sharapova of the high winds. “You can be playing great tennis, you come out today, and you can be looking like garbage. You just never know, and I tried to hang in there. You just never know if the ball is going to go in or out, especially on serve.”
Sharapova now leads 4-1 in the head-to-heads against Dementieva and cashed $332.000 after winning at Indian Wells.
Maria will play in the NASDAQ 100 next. She will now move up to fourth in the WTA rankings
Sharapova into fourth round
Written by Ben Montierth
Maria Sharapova won her third round match over Lisa Raymond 6-4 6-0 on Sunday.
Sharapova won the first set 6-4. It was on serve at 3-3 when the number 3 seed broke the unseeded player. Then the 18 year old held on to her serve to go up 5-3. Raymond held serve to stay in the set but then Maria served out the set.
The second set was all Sharapova winning 6-0 and so after 70 minutes the match ended.
Maria will now play twenty first seed Shahar Peer in the fourth round. Peer beat Daniilidou 4-6 7-6 7-5 in her third round match. The two have met once with Maria winning in Beijing last year in three sets.
Australian Open Men's Preview 2007
Written by Jay Jarrahi
The first Grand Slam of the season is almost upon us; the draw has been made, and has thrown up the usual dissections of the 128 man field. Here is a look at what the draw has delivered and the possibilities over the next two weeks.
Easy pickings for Federer
The first quarter of any slam draw in the past few years has seen the same man waltz through each time – world number one, Roger Federer. Between 2004 and 2006, Federer has failed to negotiate his quarter only once (Roland Garros 2004), often ending up with the trophy or a semi-final place at worst. Few would be brave enough (or indeed foolish enough) to suggest he will not continue his efficiency in disposing of his quarters. His toughest test looks likely to come in the 4th round in the form of Novak Djokovic.
Other players and matches to keep an eye on; Can Juan Carlos Ferrero break the losing streak? The former King of Clay has lost six matches on the spin dating back to last season, and will be hoping to remind himself of what victory tastes like against Jan Hajek. Before Djokovic can think of a meeting with Federer, he will first have to get past double Olympic gold medallist, Nicolas Massu. Last year’s final could be this year’s quarter-final, if Marcos Baghdatis can get that far for a re-match with Federer. Three of the ATP’s current crop of young talents have been drawn in close proximity, Baghdatis, Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet. However, 7th seed Tommy Robredo will be looking to uphold his ranking and make the quarter-finals at the expense of these youngsters.
The quarter of aces
A quarter containing Ivan Ljubicic, Mario Ancic, Joachim Johansson, Marat Safin and Andy Roddick can be described as nothing else. Despite the excellent serving likely to be on show from these players, only one at best will be making it out of this quarter in what would be a likely showdown with Roger Federer. Undoubtedly, the most anticipated match up of the first week is a possible 3rd round encounter between Safin and Roddick.
Mario Ancic and Joachim Johansson are set for a 2nd round meeting, meaning that at least two of these four big servers will be gone by the start of the 4th round. Ivan Ljubicic will like his chances of at least equalling his Melbourne performance from 2006, where he reached the quarter-finals. Before last year’s Australian Open, Ljubicic had never been beyond the 3rd round of any Grand Slam in 25 attempts. He backed up his Australian Open effort, by making the last four at the French Open, but has since reverted back to type with 3rd and 1st round exits at Wimbledon and the US Open respectively.
Who wants it?
The highest seeds in the third quarter are Nikolay Davydenko (3) and David Nalbandian (8), not only do they share the same quarter but they also share doubts over their fitness after early season injuries. At the time of writing both players are expected to start the tournament, but whether that remains the case is to be seen, or how long their injuries will hold up if indeed they do begin the tournament at all. There is never a good time to be injured, and both players will be cursing their luck, as each of them will consider they have strong possibilities to come through this quarter.
Brotherly love may be in order in the 2nd round if the Rochus (Olivier & Christophe) brothers can win their 1st round encounters and meet in the following round. Both face tough challenges in the form of Chris Guccione (for Olivier) and Sebastian Grosjean (for Christophe).
Looking to take advantage of the doubts surrounding Davydenko and Nalbandian, will be Tomas Berdych and Tommy Haas. It is approaching the time where tennis fans want to see if Berdych can realise some of his potential in Slams, or whether he will prove to be more hype than substance. The Czech has not yet been past the 4th round of a Slam in 13 attempts, and has an especially poor record to date in Melbourne (2 wins in 3 years). Tommy Haas has been to two Australian Open semi-finals in his career and will be hoping he can take advantage of a draw that sees him avoid Roger Federer (in early 2006 Haas saw Federer block his path in a number of tournaments).
Xavier Malisse versus Arnaud Clement is the pick of the 1st round matches from this quarter.
Who wants it II?
Number two seed, Rafael Nadal, cannot be considered a hot favourite to come through the bottom quarter given his form since Wimbledon 2006. The Spaniard began the season in Chennai, but was disposed of by Malisse, and then had to withdraw in the first set of his tournament in Sydney against Guccione. The injury is not considered serious enough to put his participation in doubt, but nonetheless it is a possible factor counting against him going deep.
In the match of the 1st round, James Blake faces Carlos Moya (both players will be meeting later today in the final in Sydney). The winner of the clash in Sydney will not only pick up a title, but also a huge psychological boost going into the battle in Melbourne. The pressure is on Blake to start delivering in Slams, as of yet, he has failed to reach the quarter-finals of a Slam outside of the USA.
Lleyton Hewitt comes into the 2007 tournament with a new coach, Scott Draper, after Roger Rasheed cut his ties with the former world number one. Hewitt will be encouraged to have avoided a number of players with the potential to blow him off court, and this represents an opportunity for him to build on the quarter-finals he made in the final two Slams of 2006. His first big challenge could come in the form of Fernando Gonzalez in the 3rd round. The Chilean has the firepower to shoot Hewitt down, and it could be another explosive 3rd round match to go with Safin-Roddick.
Another player who will be hoping to go deep into the second week is Andy Murray. A possible 4th round match with Nadal awaits him should both players reach that stage.
Federer Falters at Indian Wells
Written by Jess Plopinio
Swiss top-seeded Roger Federer suffered a shocking second-round loss to unseeded Argentine Guillermo Cañas in straight sets, 7-5,6-2, at the Pacific Life Open,in Indian Wells, California, USA. Cañas ended the 41-match winning streak by Federer who was on the way to breaking Guillermo Vilas’ 46-match winning streak.
Federer, though had five aces to Cañas’ one, started rusty in the first set. He was outclassed by his Argentine foe in every aspect of the game. Playing at the baseline, Cañas never allowed the world number one to control the play. After an hour and forty-five minutes, Federer’s hope of winning his fourth Pacific Life Open title came to an end.
Federer was quick to refute that the pressure of breaking Vilas’ record caused him the match. “You think it’s pressure. It’s no pressure at all because I take it match by match. And you guys think it takes a win to break the record. I’m concerned about winning my first-round match against a lucky loser. … It just shows you how tough it is.”
Federer joins former world number ones Lleyton Hewitt and Marat Safin as big casualties in the second round.
Hingis strikes down Pin
Despite having a first-serve percentage of just 62 % and three double faults, Martina Hingis slipped past French Qualifier Camille Pin in less than an hour in the second round of the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells in California, USA, 6-1, 6-3.Hingis, who received a first round bye, having been seeded nineteenth, finished the first set in just 29 minutes. In the second set, Camille Pin won the first game by holding her serve. Martina then claimed the second game of the set. The first six games of the second set was tightly fought, and then came the seventh game, which Martina won, thereby giving her a 4-3 lead. Hingis then won the next 2 games to win the second set 6-3, and the match 6-1,6-3.
In the third round, Martina will be up against Sybille Bammer of Austria. Should Martina win over Sybille, Martina might set a much-awaited showdown between two previous Pacific Life Open champions, Martina and the tournament’s second-seed Lindsay Davenport, in the fourth round.
Dementieva faces Yakimova in the second round
Elena Dementieva will get her singles campaign underway in Indian Wells today as she takes on world’s number 104 Anastasia Yakimova from Belarus.
Number four seed this week Dementieva has a 2005 semi-final showing to defend so she must be eager to have an easy day at the office today.
The Russian has so far this season been pretty consistent with the exception of her Australian Open faux-pas. She has claimed her first Tier I in Tokyo last February and has reached the semis in Antwerp losing in three sets to eventual runner-up Kim Clijsters.
But Dementieva has already tasted victory in this year’s edition of Indian Wells when she and Pennetta beat Elena’s countrywomen Vesnina/Chakvetadze in a 26 75 64 marathon in the first round of the doubles competition.
Should Dementieva prevail over Yakimova she will most probably face tough-as-nails, and Indian sensation, Sania Mirza.
This year’s Indian Wells tournament has a total of 2.100.000$ to be earned by the participants, the singles winner will earn 332.000$ as well as 325 important ranking points, while the runner-up will get a cheque worth 163.000$ and 228 points.