2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Nalbandian moves into Sao Paolo final

David Nalbandian beat Simone Bolelli 6-3 7-5 to move into the final of the Brasil Open in Sao Paolo.
Nalbandian served up 11 aces in his clash with Italy’s Bolelli, winning most of his first-serve points despite only landing just over half of them in.
The clean-hitting baseliner’s return game was exceptional, winning just under half of his points against first serve and a whopping 70% when facing second serve.
Bolelli, meanwhile, failed to save a single of five break points faced, double faulting on as many occasions.
The veteran Argentine is in his first ATP Tour final since he was disqualified at Queen’s Club last June for injuring a line judge after kicking an advertising hoarding in frustration.
He had been a set up in that match against Marin Cilic, although he may have to face Rafael Nadal in Sunday’s final.
The 31-year-old has an 11-12 career finals record and is through to a clay-court final for the first time in five years, having lost to Nicolas Almagro in Mexico in 2008.
Nadal, on the comeback trail after over half a year out injured, faces Martin Alund in the second semi-final.

 

[Smallville22]

Serena beats Sharapova to face Azarenka in Qatar final

The world’s top two players will contest the Qatar Open final after Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka beat Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska in their respective semi-finals in Doha.
Top seed Azarenka of Belarus downed Poland’s world number four Radwanska of Poland 6-3 6-3 in their last-four clash.
Williams, seeded second at this tournament but back on top of the WTA rankings after reaching the semis, went one better with a 6-3 6-2 win over third seed Sharapova of Russia.

 

[Smallville22]

:update:
Del Potro eases into Rotterdam final

Argentine Juan Martin del Potro is determined to go one step further than his runner-up finish 12 months ago at the World Indoor Tournament as he reached the final with a 6-4 6-4 win over Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday.
Runner-up last year, he will face Julien Benneteau, conqueror of champion Roger Federer, in Sunday's final after the Frenchman eliminated compatriot Gilles Simon 6-4 7-6.
Del Potro has been in devastating form and reached the title match without dropping his serve all week.
From the moment the lanky Argentine broke his Bulgarian opponent's service in the third game, when Dimitrov missed an easy volley, there seemed to be only one winner.
"My serve is really going well and that gives a lot of confidence for the rest of my game plan," Del Potro told reporters.
"I'm satisfied with this win against a player with a great potential who can be top 10 of 20 in the near future."
Despite his favourite status in the final, 2009 U.S. Open champion Del Potro did not want to talk up his chances.
"It was a bit of surprise that Roger went out but it doesn't please me as I don't pay any attention to the other half of the draw before the final," he said.
"It doesn't matter who I play tomorrow, I just have to stick with my game plan and play it hard."
Benneteau has yet to lift a tour title in his 13-year career despite reaching seven previous finals.
He retained his form from Friday when he ousted top seed Federer, although the 31-year-old had to wait for his chances against Simon.
"I handled yesterday's win ok. I put it behind me after I woke up this morning," Benneteau said.
"Though it is tough to come back on court after such a big win especially when you face someone you know so well, like Gilles."
Benneteau got his first break chances in the ninth game of the first set he and converted the third when Simon volleyed into the net.
Simon underwent treatment to his left thigh in the second set before his defensive game plan proved to be no answer to the variation of Benneteau who rushed to a 7-1 tie break win to reach the final.
"My experience is helping me and also will play a role to put the seven lost finals behind me," he added.

 

[Smallville22]

Serena beats Sharapova to face Azarenka in Qatar final

The world’s top two players will contest the Qatar Open final after Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka beat Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska in their respective semi-finals in Doha.
Top seed Azarenka of Belarus downed Poland’s world number four Radwanska of Poland 6-3 6-3 in their last-four clash.
Williams, seeded second at this tournament but back on top of the WTA rankings after reaching the semis, went one better with a 6-3 6-2 win over third seed Sharapova of Russia.
"Maria is always playing really well and so consistent, but I'm trying to be consistent as well," Williams said. "I love it here in Doha. I've never played this particular tournament but I've played in Doha before and had some good results, and I hope to have a good result in the final tomorrow, too."
It was the 10th time in a row the American has beaten Sharapova.
"When I go into a match, everything starts from scratch, even if I'm going against someone I've beaten many times," the Russian said.
"That's the way you have to look at every single match, no matter what your winning or losing record is against them. There's a reason why the nets go up in the morning.
"I'm certainly capable of beating a player like that, like Serena, no doubt - that's why I'm always eager to get better and make my game better in order to go out onto the court and beat her."
Azarenka's triumph was her seventh straight win against Pole Radwanska .
"I think it was a really high performance match from both of us," Azarenka said.
"It was a little bit shaky in the beginning - I think I did a little bit too many unforced errors and rushed a little bit into the rallies.
"But I started to be patient and more aggressive and dominant, really going for my shots when there was an opportunity, and taking advantage of every short ball she gave me. I'm glad I could turn it around."

:update:

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal battles into Sao Paulo final

Rafael Nadal qualified for back-to-back finals after launching his comeback, but it was tough work as he beat Martin Alund 6-3 6-7(2) 6-1 in the semi-finals at Sao Paulo.
Spaniard Nadal, an 11-times Grand Slam champion, suffered a surprise defeat to world number 73 Horacio Zeballos last week after reaching the final in Chile.
That was his first tournament since a knee injury ruled him out of the US Open and Australian Open last year, but the world number five now has another chance to claim a confidence-boosting title at the Brazil Open.
Nadal will face David Nalbandian in Sunday's final after he beat Simone Bolelli 6-3 7-5 to move into his first title match since his remarkable implosion at Queen's last year.
Nalbandian served up 11 aces in his clash with Italy’s Bolelli, winning most of his first-serve points despite only landing just over half of them in.
The clean-hitting baseliner’s return game was exceptional, winning just under half of his points against the first serve and a whopping 70 per cent when facing the second serve.
Bolelli, meanwhile, failed to save a single one of five break points faced, double faulting on as many occasions.
The veteran Argentine was disqualified from the final at Queen’s Club last June for injuring a line judge after kicking an advertising hoarding in frustration.
He had been a set up in that match against Marin Cilic.
The 31-year-old has an 11-12 career finals record and is through to a clay-court final for the first time in five years, having lost to Nicolas Almagro in Mexico in 2008.

 

[Smallville22]

Veteran Haas reaches San Jose final

Veteran Tommy Haas reached his first final in six months at ATP San Jose with a 6-3 6-4 win against big-serving US contender John Isner.
Haas, who turns 35 in April, will meet Milos Raonic after both men came through semi-finals in straight sets.
"At my age, you're always looking for another title," Haas said. "Hopefully I can play well again tomorrow.
"You can always improve your game. You might start thinking that all these younger guys have ****** you by, but you can help your all-around game. That's what you have to keep thinking."
Isner said: "Normally I can serve better than how I did. That's what decided the match. He played a lot better than I did. He didn't miss too many serves. He was very good."
Top seed Raonic made short work of American Sam Querrey, booming 12 aces in a 6-4 6-2 victory.
"He's the only guy in the field who has been over 140 (mph) on his serve consistently all week," Querrey said of Raonic, who has not lose a service game all tournament.
"Even if you can get your racket on it, you might not get it clean. You try to get the ball in play and go from there. I wasn't even close to getting to it."

 

[Smallville22]

Del Potro beats Benneteau in Rotterdam final

Juan Martin Del Potro clinched his first title of the year as he overcame Julien Benneteau 7-6 6-3 in the final of the World Indoor Tournament in Rotterdam on Sunday.
Del Potro, beaten in last year's final by Roger Federer, lost his serve in the first set but Benneteau had no answer to his solid baseline performance which earned him the tiebreak 7-2.
After an early break in the second set Del Potro never looked back against 39th-ranked Benneteau, still seeking a first title having lost all eight finals he has contested.
"It was so important to win the tie-break as I missed several opportunities through mistakes I made to clinch the first set sooner," Del Potro told reporters.
Del Potro became only the second Argentine after Guillermo Vilas to triumph at the tournament.
"I had a great week and really enjoyed the tennis I played from the first round on," added Del Potro.
Benneteau said he had fought with all his might to match the hitting and power of world number seven Del Potro.
"It was tough to stay in the first set as I was under pressure every game, as well on my own serve as his," said the Frenchman, who beat Federer in the last eight.

 

[Smallville22]

Azarenka holds off Serena to defend Qatar title

Outgoing world number one Victoria Azarenka showed that being second best was not an option for her as she outclassed Serena Williams 7-6 2-6 6-3 to win the Qatar Open on Sunday.
Williams will replace Azarenka on top of the WTA rankings when the new list is released on Monday but the American's hopes of capping off a memorable week with a 48th singles title were dashed by an opponent who extended her 2013 record to 12-0.
Williams's game sparkled as brightly as the diamond ring on her playing right hand during the second set but it was Azarenka who was running rings around her in the third.
The Belarussian leapt to a 3-0 lead and never relinquished that advantage, polishing off Williams with an unreturnable serve in just under 2-1/2 hours.
In case anyone in the crowd had forgotten that she had entered the tournament as top dog in the world rankings, she celebrated by holding both arms aloft and wagging her index fingers towards the night sky of Doha.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal wins first title since comeback

Rafa Nadal's comeback from a seven-month injury lay-off gathered pace as he brushed aside Argentine David Nalbandian 6-2 6-3 to win the Brazil Open on Sunday, his first title since the 2012 French Open.
Spaniard Nadal, an 11-times Grand Slam champion, suffered a surprise defeat to world number 73 Horacio Zeballos last week after reaching the final in Chile.
That was his first tournament since a knee injury ruled him out of the US Open and Australian Open last year, but the world number five went one better in his second outing by easily beating the 31-year-old Argentina Nalbandian.
It was Nalbandian's first final since he was disqualified for kicking a line judge while a set up in the Queen's Club title match last June.
The former world number one, playing only his second tournament following his return from injury, broke twice in the first set and recovered from 3-0 down in the second to win in 78 minutes.
Nadal, who said he still suffers pain in his troublesome knees, has chosen to return to action on the clay courts he favours as he tries to work his way back to match fitness.

 

[Smallville22]

Azarenka holds off Serena to defend Qatar title

Outgoing world number one Victoria Azarenka showed that being second best was not an option for her as she outclassed Serena Williams 7-6 2-6 6-3 to win the Qatar Open on Sunday.
Williams will replace Azarenka on top of the WTA rankings when the new list is released on Monday but the American's hopes of capping off a memorable week with a 48th singles title were dashed by an opponent who extended her 2013 record to 12-0.
Williams's game sparkled as brightly as the diamond ring on her playing right hand during the second set but it was Azarenka who was running rings around her in the third.
The Belarussian leapt to a 3-0 lead and never relinquished that advantage, polishing off Williams with an unreturnable serve in just under 2-1/2 hours.
In case anyone in the crowd had forgotten that she had entered the tournament as top dog in the world rankings, she celebrated by holding both arms aloft and wagging her index fingers towards the night sky of Doha.
"It's amazing to have achieved what I have achieved," the Belarussian said in a courtside interview.
"I just wanted to fight and give myself every opportunity to get back. I told myself 'you have to keep it together, you have to do something otherwise Serena's on a roll and she's going to bring her A-game'.
"I had to really step up my game and I'm glad that I could turn it around, stay tough and focussed."
Williams had entered the match on a high after reclaiming the top ranking for the sixth time and beating rival Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals.
Two days after becoming the oldest woman to claim the world number one accolade, it seemed the efforts of the week finally caught up with her 31-year-old limbs.
The player who has a reputation of blowing away opponents was in danger of suffering the same fate herself in the third set.
She hung in to save one match point on her serve at 5-2 down, thanks to a serve that was incorrectly called in, but Azarenka was not about to let her off the hook.
The American saved another match point on Azarenka's serve with a thumping backhand service return but it was the Belarussian who was soon thumping her chest and blowing kisses to the crowd.
Williams did not appear too disappointed with the Sunday's result.
"It's been great," Williams said. "It was a good match overall. Victoria played really well and did a great job."

:update:

 

[Smallville22]

Raonic wins third straight San Jose title

Canada's Milos Raonic beat Tommy Haas 6-4 6-3 on Sunday to win his third straight San Jose Open title and bring the final curtain down on the second oldest men's professional tournament in the United States.
Raonic became the tournament's first three-times winner since Tony Trabert (1953-55) and said it was a pity he would not have a chance to chalk up another win at the event, which dates back to 1889 and is being dropped from the ATP schedule.
"I'm really sad to see it go," Raonic said. "It was a got-to part of my schedule and it's really unfortunate I won't get the chance to play it again."
Raonic, who has only been broken twice in 12 match wins in the past three years, nailed 19 aces and never faced a break point.
The 34-year-old Haas could never get into his service games, while Raonic broke the German three times. The 22-year-old Raonic also fired in a 148mph (238kph) ace.
"If he plays like that consistently, on this type of surface, in this arena, take anybody at the top of the world and I would say he's got a shot at beating them," Haas said.
"He played extremely well. He placement on the serve was extremely good. His speed and power at times ... especially on that surface, where it kind of skids and goes through, it's really tough to try to control and get it back.
"I didn't play a bad match, I just came up against a guy who played some unbelievable tennis."
Raonic, who won his fourth overall title, said he had improved so much since winning the 2011 title.
"I'm a much better player in general and a better competitor and I have more experience in knowing how to deal with situations," he said.

 

[Smallville22]

Watson makes meal of Memphis opener

Heather Watson needed a third-set tie-break to get past Galina Voskoboeva in the first round of the US National Indoor Tennis Championships in Memphis.
The British number one, seeded fourth in Memphis, won an error-strewn clash 7-5 5-7 7-6(4) in a whopping three hours and 24 minutes to move into the second round.
Watson, the world number 41, faced an incredible 18 break points but saved 11 of them; Kazakhstan’s world number 109 Voskoboeva was also broken seven times, having faced 11 break points.
Watson’s risky service game – she managed eight aces and six double faults – was countered by some better returns, but she was far from her best form.
The Channel Islander was 5-2 up in the third set before allowing herself to be pegged back to a tie-break, but she managed to grind out the win.
Watson next faces the winner of Melanie Oudin’s match with Andrea Hlavackova.
The top seed is world number 34 Kirsten Flipkens, with Sofie Arvidsson (38) and Sabine Lisicki (40) the others ranked above Watson in what is a winnable tournament for the Briton. They all play on Monday.
Another Briton was in action on Sunday, as Watson's Fed Cup team-mate Johanna Konta lost 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 to Croatia's Tereza Mrdeza in Bogota, Colombia.

WTA Memphis results (round one):

4-Heather Watson (Britain) beat Galina Voskoboeva (Kazakhstan) 7-5 5-7 7-6(4)

Coco Vandeweghe (U.S.) beat 6-Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) 6-2 6-1

Lauren Davis (U.S.) beat Ksenia Pervak (Kazakhstan) 5-7 6-1 6-3

7-Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Stephanie Foretz Gacon (France) 6-3 6-1

Melinda Czink (Hungary) beat Olga Puchkova (Russia) 4-6 6-3 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal wins first title since comeback

Rafa Nadal's comeback from a seven-month injury lay-off gathered pace as he brushed aside Argentine David Nalbandian 6-2 6-3 to win the Brazil Open on Sunday, his first title since the 2012 French Open.
Spaniard Nadal, an 11-times Grand Slam champion, suffered a surprise defeat to world number 73 Horacio Zeballos last week after reaching the final in Chile.
That was his first tournament since a knee injury ruled him out of the US Open and Australian Open last year, but the world number five went one better in his second outing by easily beating the 31-year-old Argentina Nalbandian.
It was Nalbandian's first final since he was disqualified for kicking a line judge while a set up in the Queen's Club title match last June. He is now 11-13 in finals, although this was his first on clay since losing the 2008 Acapulco final to Nicolas Almagro.
The former world number one, playing only his second tournament following his return from injury, broke Nalbandian twice in the first set and recovered from 3-0 down in the second to win in 78 minutes.
It was Nadal's 51st ATP Tour title, and his fifth win against Nalbandian in seven matches.
Nadal, who said he still suffers pain in his troublesome knees, has chosen to return to action on the clay courts he favours as he tries to work his way back to match fitness.
"When the knee hurts I can't move properly," Nadal said. "And if I can't move properly, I can't hit the ball cleanly.
"When my knee gets better, the tennis will get better, the head (will get better), everything will get better. Today was the day I felt best on court."
Although he was clearly a long way from his best, Nadal showed the same swashbuckle that took him to the top of the game. In a reference to his first title in Brazil in 2005, the year he burst on to the world scene, he said he hoped this win would mark a new beginning for him.
"Brazil will always be in my heart, this is the second time I have been here," he told fans after the game. "In 2005, big things started to happen for me after winning here and I hope this time again it is the start of something good."
The Spaniard is expected to play in the Mexico Open in Acapulco later this month as he prepares to defend his French Open title in May.

:update:

 

[Smallville22]

Agony for Robson in Dubai thriller

Laura Robson was edged in a thrilling opening match at WTA Dubai as she was beaten 6-4 2-6 7-6(6) by Yulia Putintseva.
Kazakhstan's Putintseva, 18, fought back after dropping her serve to win the first set before the British number two squared the match following another wayward backhand from her stocky opponent.
The final set lasted as long as the first two combined.
Putintseva bludgeoned her way to a double break and a 5-2 lead to allow her to serve for the match.
Robson, despondent, slumped in her chair and looked thoroughly beaten - but her body language proved misleading as the 19-year-old reeled off the next two games to love, before breaking again to go 6-5 ahead.
Still, her Kazakh rival was uncowed, the world number 101 holding to love to ***** a tie-break, then holding her nerve in the tie-break as she took the first match point.
"It just wasn't my day - I either went for too much or too little," a downbeat Robson said afterwards, revealing she had been suffering from a chest infection all year.
Up-and-coming American star Sloane Stephens was an even higher profile casualty on the first day of play in Dubai.
The Australian Open semi-finalist - ranked 16th in the world after her fine display in Melbourne - lost 5-7 6-3 6-2 to Romania's Sorana Cirstea.
Both players had their chances in a closely-fought match, but ultimately it was Cirstea who consistently held her nerve better on the key points: she saved seven of 11 break points against her, while converting six of the 10 break points that she earned against Stephens.
The American suffered a second-round exit in last week's Qatar Open and said she had found it tough going in her first trip to the Gulf.
"It's two tournaments to a place I have never been before, a very different situation for me," Stephens said. "Some days you're going to be on court and it's not just going to turn out the way you want. Today I didn't play my best tennis, and last week I didn't play my best tennis."
The 19-year-old, who defeated newly-installed world number one Serena Williams on the way to reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January, started confidently in front of a sparse Dubai crowd.
She broke in the first set to take a 5-4 lead, but then showed her inexperience, serving a double-fault on set point to allow Cirstea to make it 5-5.
The Floridian - the top ranked teenager - immediately broke again as she went on to claim the first set.
Stephens then took a 3-1 second-set lead, winning nine points in a row, but Cirstea fought back by taking five straight games to square the match.
Cirstea raced through the deciding set in 33 minutes, as the young American's serve collapsed, losing five of her last six service games.
Top seeds Williams and Victoria Azarenka - the world number one and two - are not due on court until Wednesday. Azarenka took three sets to defeat the 15-times Grand Slam winner in Sunday's Qatar Open final.
Serbia's Ana Ivanovic was ****** to battle her way into the second round against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova as she won 6-3 7-6(5).
Ivanovic's career has dipped since she won the French Open in 2008, sinking from number one in the world rankings to 13, and she was far from flawless on the floodlit Dubai court.
She was still too strong for 21-year-old Pavlyuchenkova, breaking in the first game and remaining largely in control thereafter, with her Russian opponent's forehand too often found wanting to really put her higher-ranked adversary in trouble.
"I really want to, you know, break into the top 10 again," Ivanovic told reporters. "I feel I have the game, but I just haven't been consistent enough, especially against the top players."
Ivanovic broke for a second time to go 4-1 up in the first set, a fierce cross-court return earning a break point she converted after Pavlyuchenkova thumped a forehand into the net.
Yet Ivanovic immediately lost her own serve to love as the world number 29 closed to 4-3 but the 25-year-old roused herself again, dropping only two points in the next two games as Pavlyuchenkova double-faulted to gift her the first set.
The Serb charged into a huge lead in the second set, but slipped from 4-0 up to 6-6 as her first serve percentage plunged, before winning the subsequent tiebreak 7-5.
She blamed her second set slump on a troublesome shoulder.
"I have been struggling for weeks now," Ivanovic said. "I was kind of afraid to hit the ball because it was getting a bit sore, but I was just so happy to win in two (sets) so I can regenerate more and try to be ready for the next one."
The Serb will now play Petra Kvitova or Daniela Hantuchova in the second round.
World number 11 Marion Bartoli seemed on course for a surprise exit but recovered from losing the opening set to beat Klara Zakopalova 3-6 6-4 6-1.
Bartoli will play world number one Serena Williams in the second round.

WTA Dubai first round results

Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) beat Laura Robson (Britain) 6-4 2-6 7-6(6)

Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 6-3 7-6(5)

Marion Bartoli (France) beat Klara Zakopalova (Czech) 3-6 6-4 6-1

Hsieh Su-Wei (Taiwan) beat Varvara Lepchenko (U.S.) 6-1 6-3

Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat Sloane Stephens (U.S.) 5-7 6-3 6-2

WTA Bogota first round results

Paula Ormaechea (Argentina) beat Nina Bratchikova (Russia) 7-5 6-2

Mathilde Johansson (France) beat Stephanie Dubois (Canada) 6-4 2-6 6-3

2-Alize Cornet (France) beat Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) 6-2 7-6(6)

Mandy Minella (Luxembourg) beat Tatjana Malek (Germany) 6-4 6-3

WTA Memphis first round results

Victoria Duval (U.S.) beat Johanna Larsson (Sweden) 3-6 6-1 6-3

Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) beat Annika Beck (Germany) 4-6 7-6(6) 6-4

2-Sofia Arvidsson (Sweden) beat Jana Cepelova (Slovakia) 6-4 6-4

Jamie Hampton (U.S.) beat Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) 6-3 6-3

Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) beat Maria Sanchez (U.S.) 6-2 6-4

1-Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat Shahar Peer (Israel) 6-2 6-2

 

[Smallville22]

Almagro moves through in Argentina

Nicolas Almagro eased to a straightforward first-round victory over Guido Pella at the Buenos Aires Open, the Spaniard winning 6-3 6-2.
Second seed Almagro has historically enjoyed success in this part of the ATP season, winning on the clay in Brazil last year before making the final of the tournament in Argentina.
In 2011, he won both Latin American tournaments, although at last week's Brazil Open in Sao Paulo he was ousted in the quarter-finals by eventual finalist David Nalbandian.
"This trip through Latin America has been very good for me in recent years," Almagro said. "But every year is different."
Claycourt specialist Almagro, ranked 11th in the world, won 78 per cent of his first-service points at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club while breaking his Argentine opponent four times to wrap up victory in just under an hour.
Top-seed and fellow Spaniard David Ferrer kicks off his campaign at the Copa Claro on Tuesday against Agustin Velotti.
In first-round action at the Memphis International, world number 12 Marin Cilic had to dig deep and battle back from a slow start to get the better of Ivan Dodig in a 4-6 6-2 6-3 win.
The top-seeded Croat dropped the opening set to his compatriot and friend Dodig, who crucially broke just once, but Cilic roared back in the second and third without further loss of serve to seal a place in the second round against either Juergen Melzer or Igor Sisling.
Second seed Milos Raonic, who won in San Jose last week, headlines the bottom half of the draw.

Buenos Aires Open first round results:

2-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) beat Guido Pella (Argentina) 6-3 6-2

Aljaz Bedene (Slovenia) beat 5-Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) 4-6 7-6(4) 6-3

8-Albert Ramos (Spain) beat Flavio Cipolla (Italy) 6-1 6-0

Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) beat 4-Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) 6-4 4-6 6-1

Federico Delbonis (Argentina) beat Joao Sousa (Portugal) 6-1 6-4

Memphis International first round results:

1-Marin Cilic (Croatia) beat Ivan Dodig (Croatia) 4-6 6-2 6-3

Rhyne Williams (U.S.) beat Steve Johnson (U.S.) 7-6(4) 6-4

Lukasz Kubot (Poland) beat Ryan Harrison (U.S.) 6-4 6-7(4) 7-6(2)

Marseille Open first round results:

Bernard Tomic (Australia) beat 8-Martin Klizan (Slovakia) 4-6 6-3 7-6(7)

7-Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) beat Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-4

 

[Smallville22]

Wozniacki storms into second round in Dubai

Caroline Wozniacki looked in superb form as she crushed Lucie Safarova in the opening round of WTA Dubai.
Eighth seed Wozniacki was dominant in beating Lucie Safarova 6-2 6-2 although the Dane lost her serve at 5-1 in the first set before breaking back immediately.
Safarova double-faulted to gift the world number 10 a 3-1 lead in the second set and the Czech capped a miserable display with a shanked forehand to cede the match to Wozniacki.
"I'm really enjoying the tennis and am happy to be out there - at one point it was just a job but I feel like I've got that hunger back and that enjoyment of the game," said Wozniacki.
The Dane ended 2010 and 2011 as the top-ranked women's player, but endured a tough 2012, slipping down the standings as she made little impression at the grand slams.
This year has also proved difficult for the 22-year-old, who has gone beyond the last 16 in only one tournament, and she will now face Chinese qualifier Jie Zheng before a potential showdown with new world number one Serena Williams in the quarter-finals.
Williams, who got a bye into the second round, will play France's Marion Bartoli on Wednesday.
Grand slam winners Samantha Stosur and Petra Kvitova strolled into the second round of the Dubai championships with straight sets wins while Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka withdrew due to a foot injury.
Australian seventh seed Stosur beat Russia's Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-1 after suffering one wobble on the way when she lost her serve to fall 3-2 behind in the first set after slugging an easy cross-court smash wide.
However, that shocked the 2011 U.S. champion into action and Stosur then won 10 out of 11 games as her opponent wilted.
Makarova, 24, scuffed a backhand into the net to lose the first set, while the second was a formality for Stosur.
"The first couple of games were good - I was getting ahead in the games but not winning them - and then I got down that break and that kicked me into gear," Stosur told reporters.
"It wasn't like anything outstanding, but I played tight games and didn't really give her too much."
Czech Petra Kvitova put an indifferent start to 2013 behind her as she thumped Daniela Hantuchova 6-2 6-1.
Kvitova won Wimbledon in 2011, but suffered a second-round exit at January's Australian Open.
"At the beginning of the season I wish (I had) better results," Kvitova told reporters. "I changed my fitness preparation, so I needed some time to get used to it."
Sara Errani held her nerve to come through a tough opening match at WTA Dubai as she was pushed all the way by Julia Goerges.
World number seven Errani had to save three break points to win the opening set, but 20th-ranked Goerges hit back to ***** a decider.
It was Errani who held her nerve in the final stages, however, saving both break points that Goerges earned against her and grabbing one of her two chances to clinch the match and earn a second round clash against Sorana Cirstea.

WTA Dubai first round results

7-Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) 6-3 6-1

Roberta Vinci (Italy) beat Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 6-3 6-2

8-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) beat Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-2

Zheng Jie (China) beat Urszula Radwanska (Poland) 6-2 2-6 7-5

6-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-2 6-1

Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 5-7 6-3 6-2

5-Sara Errani (Italy) beat Julia Goerges (Germany) 6-3 4-6 6-4

WTA Memphis results:

First round

Claire Feuerstein (France) beat 5-Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-4

3-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat Madison Keys (U.S.) 7-5 6-3

Second round

7-Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Lauren Davis (U.S.) 7-6(2) 6-2

WTA Bogota first round results:

4-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Sharon Fichman (Canada) 4-6 6-4 6-4

Karin Knapp (Italy) beat Eva Birnerova (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-1

Lara Arruabarrena Vecino (Spain) beat Yuliana Lizarazo (Colombia) 6-2 1-6 6-3

Teliana Pereira (Brazil) beat Yvonne Meusburger (Austria) 6-3 6-3

8-Timea Babos (Hungary) beat Beatriz Garcia Vidagany (Spain) 6-4 1-6 7-6(4)

Tereza Mrdeza (Croatia) beat 7-Pauline Parmentier (France) 7-6(5) 6-4

3-Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain) beat Catalina Castano (Colombia) 3-6 6-2 6-1

Maria Teresa Torro (Spain) beat 6-Arantxa Rus (Netherlands) 6-4 6-3

Alexandra Cadantu (Romania) beat Maria Joao Koehler (Portugal) 6-0 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Gasquet stunned in Marseille

World number 10 Richard Gasquet was dumped out of ATP Marseille in the opening round.
The fifth-seeded Frenchman, who won a tournament in Montpellier just over a week ago, easily won the opening set against Luxembourg's world number 70 Gilles Muller.
But Muller battled back to win the second before taking the third set on a tie-break to wrap up a 2-6 6-4 7-6(5) victory.
Muller will now face world number 35 Marcel Granollers in the second round after the Spaniard produced another disappointment for the home fans: a straight sets victory over former world top 10 star Gael Monfils.

ATP Marseille round one results:

Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Gael Monfils (France) 6-4 6-4

Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) beat 5-Richard Gasquet (France) 2-6 6-4 7-6(5)

Roberto Bautista (Spain) beat Filip Krajinovic (Serbia) 4-6 7-6(5) 6-0

Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) beat Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) 6-3 6-2

Michael Llodra (France) beat David Goffin (Belgium) 6-2 6-4

Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukraine) 6-2 4-6 6-2

Somdev Devvarman (India) beat Benoit Paire (France) 7-6(6) 6-7(7) 6-4

ATP Memphis round one results:

Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) beat Jurgen Melzer (Austria) 6-4 7-6(3)

Michael Russell (U.S.) beat Alex Bogomolov Jr (Russia) 6-2 6-4

ATP Buenos Aires round one results:

Andrey Kuznetsov (Russia) beat Filippo Volandri (Italy) 7-6(5) 6-3

Julian Reister (Germany) beat Martin Alund (Argentina) 7-5 6-1

Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat Gastao Elias (Portugal) 6-3 6-0

 

[Smallville22]

Azarenka pulls out of Dubai

Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka has pulled out of the WTA Dubai tournament citing a foot injury.
The world number two and top seed - who beat Serena Williams in the final of WTA Doha on Sunday - said that she had been playing through the injury, but had reluctantly decided that she could not continue to do so.
"It happened last week. I have been obviously playing on it a lot, so going to a new tournament right is too much to handle right now," she said.
"It keeps getting worse. It was an unfortunate decision that I had to make, and obviously I'm very disappointed with that."
It is the second year running that the Belarus star has withdrawn from the tournament.
"We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back in Dubai next year," said tournament director Salah Tahlak.
Azarenka's place in the draw will be filled by lucky loser Carla Suarez Navarro.

 

[Smallville22]

Weary Marino bids farewell to WTA and cyber-bullies

Canada's Rebecca Marino, a rising star in women's tennis, stepped away from the sport in search of a normal life on Wednesday, weary of battling depression and cyber-bullies.
Ranked number 38 in the world two years ago, the 22-year-old admitted she had long suffered from depression and was no longer willing to make the sacrifices necessary to reach the top.
"After thinking long and hard, I do not have the passion or enjoyment to drive myself to the level I would like to be at in professional tennis," Marino explained in a conference call.
"I have previously been number 38 on the WTA singles rankings so I realise the amount of work and sacrifices that have to be put in and at this point I do not think it is worth sacrificing my happiness.
"I feel there is more to life than just tennis."
Big and powerful, Marino appeared destined for a promising career on the WTA circuit and under-scored her potential in a hard fought second round clash with Venus Williams at the 2010 U.S. Open.
"Now I know what it's like to play myself," Williams told reporters after winning the match 7-6 6-3.
The following season, Marino backed up that potential by reaching her first career WTA final in Memphis and advancing to the third round of the French Open.
But the climb up the rankings had already begun to take its toll on the Canadian and in February 2012 she took a seven month break from the sport citing mental and physical fatigue.

CRUEL ATTACKS

Compounding her depression were cruel attacks on Twitter and social media, some coming from angry gamblers who had lost money backing her, while others poked fun at her appearance and weight.
"My depression came way before the so called cyber-bullying; this has been going on for I would dare say six years," said Marino.
"I was getting some comments that were really hurtful, as well as some great comments, but the hurtful ones stick with you a bit more.
"I was getting messages that I should die, that I should go burn in hell, that I'm a dumb ass, an idiot, that I lost them money, a wide variety of things and that is just scratching the surface.
"I like to feel I have a thick skin and I can deal with these sort of things so it wasn't the main factor.
"Social media has taken its toll on me but it is not the main reason ... the reason I am stepping back is that I don't think I'm willing to sacrifice my happiness and other parts of my life to tennis."
After her extended break, Marino returned to the tour last September, winning a Challenger event and then playing at the Australian Open in January.
Her passion for the sport did not return as quickly as her form, however.
"After the Australian Open when I came back into tournaments I just didn't find that spark in myself," said Marino.
"I thought maybe it would come back to me but the more I started playing the more I found it was becoming more-and-more apparent I didn't have the passion it would take."
Marino says the focus of her life will now be on going back to school, finding a job, spending time with friends and ****** and enjoying a normal life.
Although she refused to call her decision a retirement, Marino's tone and words indicated there was little chance of a return.
Marino also doubted she would ever return to social media after shutting down her Twitter and Facebook accounts on Tuesday before making her announcement.
"At this point I can't really see myself going back onto social media but who knows," said Marino. "I don't really find it something I really need in my life at this moment.
"In a way I wish I hadn't joined social media because of the criticism I received but I can't really go about regretting what I've done."

 

[Smallville22]

Serena pulls out of Dubai at 11th hour

Serena Williams withdrew from the Dubai Championships because of a lower back injury just minutes before she was due on court for a second round match against Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli.
The American's withdrawal means that the world's two best players are both out of the tournament after Victoria Azarenka, who beat Williams in the Qatar Open final on Sunday, also pulled out earlier in the week with a foot injury.
Williams, the newly installed world number one, aims to return at the Sony Ericsson Open, which starts in Miami on March 18.
"I've just had some back problems the past couple weeks," Williams told a hastily arranged press conference.
"I thought it would get better as the week went on but it didn't. I don't want to keep pushing it and make it worse."
Williams, 31, said her back also troubled her in last week's Qatar Open.
"It's not at a level where I can compete where I feel comfortable to not make it worse," said Williams, who came on court to apologise to fans for her abrupt withdrawal.
The American's problems appear to stem from January's Australian Open, where she suffered a shock quarter-final loss to U.S. teenager Sloane Stephens, having been ****** to briefly leave the court for medical treatment after jarring her back.
Bartoli will now play former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals after the Dane routed Chinese qualifier Zheng Jie 6-0 6-1.