WTA Stuttgart - Women's Quarterfinal
1 Maria Sharapova d Ana Ivanovic - 75 46 64
The queen of clay (well she was las year) is still on course to defend.
Remember: last year she won clay titles at Stuttgart, Rome & the French.
That's a lot of points to protect in the coming 6 weeks.
But Masha is playing some awesome ball in the last year so...
Will she finally win a 2nd title at a single Slam?
It would be freaky for that to happen on clay at Roland Garros.
But hey, freaky happens.
Australian Open - Women's Fourth Round
4 Agnieszka Radwanska d 13 Ana Ivanovic - 62 64
This is Aga's 3rd straight and 4th overall Qf at the AO: 0-3.
Something tells me she's going at least 1 match further this year.
Remember she won 2 tournaments coming into the Aussie.
In fact, she has yet to drop a set in 13 matches in 2013.
Post match: What can I say?
I'm just very happy I've been able to play at this very high level.
Already 13 matches not even losing a set -
I hope I can keep going for three more.
I wouldn't be mad at that.
US Open - Women's Quarterfinal
4 Serena Williams d 12 Ana Ivanovic - 61 63
Serena's incredible summer season continues.
In 5 matches she has lost 16 games. That's less than 2 a set folks.
Who will beat her here? Certainly not Errani.
This is the 3 time champions 7th trip to the Sf's: 5-1.
She hasn't hoisted the trophy since '08 - she looks really hungry.
Post match: I feel like I'm going to get more focused and serious
and start playing Serena tennis in the next couple of rounds,
if I get to play two rounds, that's my goal.
I don't think I came into this tournament playing my best,
but I've played better in the last two matches.
I hope I have two left. I'll give 200%.
***
Jeez, really? It feels like it's 200% to me.
US Open - Women's Fourth Round
12 Ana Ivanovic d Tsvetana Pironkova - 60 64
This is her 1st Slam Qf since she won Roland Garros in 2008.
Just goes to show that if you chip away long enough...
Post match: I have been in the fourth round here quite a few times,
so to make that step and reach a quarterfinal, as well as first time since '08,
I'm very thrilled. It has been a roller coaster the last four years.
There were good moments and tough ones, but it's all a process.
I understand it better now.
So what's next? How about a Qf match with 4 Serena Willams.
Which is a giant yikes as Serena has won her last 3 sets all at love.
In 3 matches Ana has never taken a set. That won't change on Wednesday.
Roland Garros - Women's First Round
13 Ana Ivanovic d Laura Arruabarrena-Vecino - 61 61
Can it really 4 years since Ana won here already? Time sure does fly.
With the win today she has already bettered last years result.
Post match she said she's getting back to feeling like "the old Ana".
And that folks would be a good thing.
Photo: Getty Images
WTA Indian Wells - Semifinals
1 Victoria Azarenka d 18 Angelique Kerber - 64 63
2 Maria Sharapova d 15 Ana Ivanovic - 64 01 ret.
Final: 1 Victoria Azarenka vs 2 Maria Sharapova H2H: 4-3/Vika
***
Vika is off to a perfect start to the year: 22-0. Which includes 3 titles.
Can she head to Miami still undefeated?
Remember: Vika destroyed Maria in the Aussie final in January - 63 60.
But Maria has tasted victory at Indian Wells as champion in '07.
Odd, but true: Only the 3rd time since '05 #'s 1 & 2 have met in a WTA final.
One thing is a given - this will shatter decibel level records.
I'll be watching this one on mute.
Photos: Reuters
Roland Garros - First Round
Johanna Larsson d 20 Ana Ivanovic - 76(3) 06 62
Ana had set points in the first - blew them all with wayward forehands.
Um, this from a woman who won this tournament in 2008.
Sad stat: In the 3 years since her title she has won a only 4 matches at RG.
In fact, she has yet to win a match at a Slam this year: 0-2.
ADJE. Sadje.
Photo: Getty Images
VA VA VA VOOM!
Ana lost 1st round in Madrid to Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
May she have better luck next week in Rome.
WTA Indian Wells - Fourth Round
19 Ana Ivanovic d 6 Jelena Jankovic - 64 62
This is Ana 2nd straight Premier Mandatory Qf - following Beijing.
Remember, Ana was the IW champion in 2008.
She lost in the 2nd R last year - so this should give her a little rankings bump.
She will probably find herself inside the top 15 come next Monday.
Ana: This kind of match gives me confidence.
ADJE
Photo: From the players party - Getty Images
Seeing double: Well Vera is the 2-time defending champion.
In fact, this was the only title she won last season.
Ana Ivanovic is the only other top 20 player in the field, at #19.
Maria Kirilenko & Daniela Hantuchova round out the top 4 seeds.
Photo: from Vera's Twitter page.
Australian Open - Women's First Round
Ekaterina Makarova d 19 Ana Ivanovic - 36 64 10-8
The definition of a thriller.
I sure hope Ana can leave this match behind her - it was encouraging.
Despite the loss she's on the right track. Keep going Ana.
***
Men's First Round
Benjamin Becker d 24 Ernests Gulbis - 76(5) 62 64
For Ernie this was always gonna be a tough match-up.
Ben is a formidable player. Remember, he sent Agassi into retirement.
But at some point Ernie you have to win a match at a Slam.
Hell, even winning a set would be nice.
The last set he won at a Slam was at Wimbledon in 2009.
That's 5 straight 1st round losses - in straight sets.
Um...
Photos: Getty Images/AP
Just a few short years ago many thought Ana would rule the WTA for years.
Afterall she was winning tournaments and even held the #1 ranking.
She played 3 Slam finals (including AO08) - winning at Roland Garros in '08.
Then the wheels came off.
Since that Paris win her Slam match record has been a very dismal 16-10.
But the Serb, currently ranked #21, thankfully keeps plugging away.
As the 19th seed she's drawn Ekaterina Makarova in the 1st R - H2H: 1-0.
Ana is in the Kim Clijsters quarter of the bottom half of the draw.
Nice to see she's enjoying herself before the tournament begins:
What a great looking mixed doubles team. London 2012 anyone?
They beat the Kazakhstan team of Shvedova & Golubev 3-0.
As a team they won 6 of 7 sets - Novak dropped the 1st set to Golubev.
Novak post match: All in all, I'm just happy to not embarrass Ana.
I was just trying because I wanted to make her happy.
We have known each other since we were five...
And we have a great relationship. She's the nicest girl I know in tennis...
Photo: Alex Willis
I've said it a thousand times but Novak just seems like a whole ton of fun.
D'uh.
Novak & Ana are in Perth playing Hopman Cup - as the top seeded team.
BTW, Novak's little brother Marko won his 1st tour level match today...
A first round tangle in the qualifying tournament at Doha.
A Djokovic Dynasty in the offing?
Winner's Today:
Basel: 1 Roger Federer d 2 Novak Djokovic - 64 36 61
Valencia: 4 David Ferrer d L Marcel Granollers - 75 63
2010 MEN'S TITLISTS
SEVEN titles: Rafael Nadal
FOUR titles: Roger Federer, Sam Querrey
THREE titles: Juan Carlos Ferrero
***
TWO titles: Nicolas Almagro, Juan Ignacio Chela, Marin Cilic,
Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer, Mardy Fish,
Michael Llodra, Albert Montanes, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick,
Fernando Verdasco, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Mikhail Youzhny
***
ONE title: Marcos Baghdatis, Thomaz Bellucci, Juan Ignacio Chela,
Nikolay Davydenko, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
Richard Gasquet, Andrey Golubev, Ernests Gulbis, Lleyton Hewitt,
John Isner, Mikhail Kukushkin, Ivan Ljubicic, Feliciano Lopez,
Jurgen Melzer, Gael Monfils, David Nalbandian, Gilles Simon,
Robin Soderling, Viktor Troicki, Stanislas Wawrinka
TODAY:
Bali: Ana Ivanovic d Alisa Kleybanova - 62 76(5)
Well well well, Ana will finish the year in the top 20!
2010 WOMEN'S TITLISTS
SIX titles: Caroline Wozniacki
FIVE titles: Kim Clijsters
TWO titles: Victoria Azarenka, Elena Dementieva, Justine Henin,
Ana Ivanovic, Alisa Kleybanova, Anastasia Palyuchenkova,
Aravane Rezai, Maria Sharapova, Francesca Schiavone,
Agnes Szavay, Serena Williams, Venus Williams
***
ONE title: Iveta Benesova, Alona Bondarenko,
Anna Chakvetadze, Alexandra Dulgheru, Julia Goerges,
Jarmila Groth, Jelena Jankovic, Kaia Kanepi,
Alla Kudryavtseva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Kateryna Makarova,
Mariana Duque Marina, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Li Na,
Tamira Paszek, Flavia Pennetta, Anastajia Sevastova, Sam Stosur,
Tamarine Tanasugarn, Roberta Vinci, Yanina Wickmayer, Vera Zvonareva
Today: Andy Murray won at the Shanghai Masters 1000.
2010 MEN'S TITLISTS
SEVEN titles: Rafael Nadal
FOUR titles: Sam Querrey
THREE titles: Juan Carlos Ferrero
***
TWO titles: Nicolas Almagro, Juan Ignacio Chela, Marin Cilic,
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Mardy Fish,
Michael Llodra, Albert Montanes, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick,
Fernando Verdasco, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Mikhail Youzhny
***
ONE title: Marcos Baghdatis, Thomaz Bellucci, Juan Ignacio Chela,
Nikolay Davydenko, David Ferrer, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
Richard Gasquet, Andrey Golubev, Ernests Gulbis, Lleyton Hewitt,
John Isner, Ivan Ljubicic, Feliciano Lopez,
David Nalbandian, Gilles Simon, Robin Soderling, Stanislas Wawrinka,
Today: Ana Ivanovic (above) won at Linz, Tamarine Tanasugarn at Osaka.
2010 WOMEN'S TITLISTS
SIX titles: Caroline Wozniacki
FOUR titles: Kim Clijsters
TWO titles: Elena Dementieva, Justine Henin, Alisa Kleybanova,
Anastasia Palyuchenkova, Aravane Rezai, Maria Sharapova,
Francesca Schiavone, Agnes Szavay, Serena Williams, Venus Williams
***
ONE title: Victoria Azarenka, Iveta Benesova, Alona Bondarenko,
Anna Chakvetadze, Alexandra Dulgheru, Julia Goerges,
Jarmila Groth, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Kaia Kanepi,
Alla Kudryavtseva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Kateryna Makarova,
Mariana Duque Marina, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Li Na,
Tamira Paszek, Flavia Pennetta, Anastajia Sevastova, Sam Stosur,
Tamarine Tanasugarn, Yanina Wickmayer, Vera Zvonareva
Linz WTA Women's Final
7/WC Ana Ivanovic d Patty Schnyder - 61 62
That was a complete & impresive 47 minute beatdown.
Surprisingly, this is only Ana's 9th WTA tour title.
This is Ana's 1st title in 2 years. She last won a title here at Linz in 2008.
Linz wasn't even on Ana's schedule - she came in after Serena's withdrawal.
She should consider more wildcards in the future!
Right direction: This win will bump her up the rankings into the 20's.
Photo: AP
Linz WTA Semifinal
7/WC Ana Ivanovic d Roberta Vinci - 63 75
She will face Patty Schnyder in tomorrow's final - H2H: 4-4.
Ana has won the last 4. Patty's last win over her was here at Linz in '05.
The last final Ana contested was a losing effort at Indian Wells in March '09.
The last title Ana actually collected was two years ago here at Linz.
Winning matches: Ana fans should be encouraged by her play of late.
Just stay away from the yogurt - even if Patty puts a bow on it.
Photo: AP
Ana Ivanovic Thru to 4th Round at French Open
French Open - Women's Third Round
14 Ana Ivanovic d Virginie Razzano - 63 62
The '08 champ is thru to the 4th round for the first time since '09.
Of note: Ana has only been to the Qf's once since her French Open win.
Oh and she agrees with Rafa that his scheduling was a 'joke':
When he has to play day after day, I think he’s right. They should play early.I think it’s fair that they play first so they can get more time to recover.
And that's a true story.
Posted at 08:47 AM in Ana Ivanovic, Commentary, French Open, Grand Slam Tennis, Rafael Nadal, Roland Garros, Scores, Womens Tennis | Permalink | Comments (0)
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