Here are your 8 combatants for the season-ending championships in Doha.
1. Caroline Wozniacki 2. Serena Williams 3. Vera Zvonareva
4. Kim Clijsters 5. Samantha Stosur
6. Francesca Schiavone 7. Jelena Jankovic 8. Elena Dementieva
Venus & Justine would've qualified but have ended her years owing to injury.
The tournament begins on Oct. 25 and will be aired live on Tennis Channel.
Hopefully without that annoying ticker...
With the end of the season drawing close there looks to be a six-way race for the year-end #1 ranking. As of now Serena looks to be comfortably ahead of the pack but in taking a closer look all is not as it seems. Kim, Vera, Caro & Venus are all within striking positions. Sure, Jelena is a very big dark horse in this race but I threw her in there simply because she has done it before, in 2008.
This may surprise some but Serena is looking for only her 3rd year-end #1 Even more surprising perhaps is that Venus has never done it - in fact, Venus has spent a grand total of 11 weeks at #1, period. Caroline and Vera have never been to #1 and are certainly in the mix. But... if you want to bet the house I think the best odds are on Kim finishing the year on top.
There are 4 women vying for the year-end #1 that did not win a Slam this year. This has happened 5 times before so I really think that this conversation should be put to rest - it's just not new anymore. Martina Hingis did it in '00, Lindsay Davenport in '01, '04 & '05 and Jelena accomplished the feat in '08. By the way, Lindsay's '01 & '04 years were without even getting to a Slam final.
Current Ranking - Points to Defend thru Year's End
1. Serena Williams has 6995 with 1640 to defend.
The bulk of Serena's point to defend mostly come from winning the Tour Championships in Doha last year. Serena has not played a tournament since Wimbledon and has only just hit the practice courts. If she should happen to call it a year and show up next in Australia she will surely fall from the top. And if she plays in Doha it wouldn't be the first time she's entered a tournament cold and won the title. This will be interesting.
2. Caroline Wozniacki has 5910 with 667 to defend.
Had she not sprained her ankle in Charleston she might already be #1. She doesn't have any really great results to defend except the Sf's in Doha. This is a real possibility. She could use Martina Hingis' 2000 year-end #1 run as inspiration - Martina did not win a Slam that season but sealed the deal by winning the Tour Championships at year's end.
3. Venus Williams has 5786 with 811 to defend.
This just isn't going to happen. She just doesn't play enough - which explains the tepid affair she's had with #1 as I mentioned above. Save for Serena, these other women are going to outplay her right out of serious contention.
4. Vera Zvonareva has 5550 with 381 to defend.
Like Lindsay Davenport in '05 Vera is in the position to grab the year-end top spot on the back of 2 Slam runner-up showings. Vera does not have a lot of points to defend here on out but she might get run over by someone who could roll:
5. Kim Clijsters has 5325 with 30 to defend.
After Kim won the US Open last year in her 3rd tournament back from retirement she played the event in Luxembourg and then called it a year. This year she has qualified for Doha and depending on how many tournaments she enters leading up to the Tour Championships she could easily finish 2010 as the top ranked woman. I'm hoping she sees that and goes for it.
6. Jelena Jankovic has 5205 with 1205 to defend.
Given Jelena's up-and-down play this season she is not a serious contender. There is a very slim outside chance - she'd have to run the table and hope the other ladies ahead of her falter. It's not likely.
Jelena is in Tokyo preparing to play Toray Pan Pacific Open.
This girl will slice and dice up the field one way or another...
Check out that killer two-handed death grip!
Don't be surprised if this photo resurfaces in a year-end recap.
Photos: Getty Images
Sorry guys, I wasn't around much today. And only have time for this quickie.
I'll be fully focued tomorrow - jut in time for the rain. I hate rain delays!
***
US OPEN - SECOND ROUND MATCHES
1 Caroline Wozniacki d Kai-Chen Chang - 60 60
Caro has lost a whopping 2 games in 2 matches. Uh, steamrolling.
Arnaud Clement d Eduardo Schwank - 63 5-5 ret.
The old boy wins again. It's his 6th time to the USO 3rd round: 4-1.
2 Roger Federer d Andreas Beck - 63 64 63
Roger is looking for his 7th straight USO final. He's won 5: '04-'08.
4 Jelena Jankovic d Mirjana Lucic - 64 36 62
Two matches - two 3-setters. Ouch.
Beatrice Capra d 18 Aravane Rezai - 75 26 63
USA's Bea won the second WTA match of her career. This years Believe?
Richard Gasquet d 6 Nikolay Davydenko - 63 64 62
Gasquet keeps giving us hope... Lot's of decent wins this season. Nice.
5 Robin Soderling d Taylor Dent - 62 62 64
Surprisingly, this is only Robins 9th trip to a 3rd round at a Slam: 4-4.
Kei Nishikori d 11 Marin Cilic - 57 76(6) 36 76(3) 61
5 hour match and they both looked like they were going to drop dead.
Photos: Wozniacki - Getty Images. The rest - Reuters
US Open Women's First Round
4 Jelena Jankovic d Simona Halep - 64 46 75
Hey JJ - you're fans are not into this kind of thing for the 1st round.
You had my friend Gymmy (your biggest fan) shitting bricks.
The '08 finalist, JJ has now equalled her showing from last year.
Winning the title will move her to #1 - but after today's match...
***
11 Svetlana Kuznetsova d Kimiko Date Krumm - 62 46 61
Major props to Kimiko. At 39 and still playing awesome tennis.
Un-retired: The last time Kimiko played the Open - 1996!
Sveta is the '04 champion and reached the 4th round last year.
She's not had a good year but then she switched coaches...
And boom, she's playing much better - winning San Diego 2 weeks ago.
Photo: Reuters
Montreal WTA - Second Round
Q Iveta Benesova d 1 Jelena Jankovic - 76(3) 63
Not good: This is the 2nd week in-a-row Jelena's lost to a qualifier.
Since getting to the Sf's at the French she's yet to get to a Qf in 5 tourneys.
To be fair, she retired 2 of those losses owing to injury.
Yesterday she slipped from #2 to #3 - she lose Qf points this week.
OK JJ - let's get it together and step it up for the US Open.
Photo: Reuters
Jelena posted this on her Facebook today...
Some mag somewhere doin' some puff piece on someone we know.
Current World #2 is the top seed in San Diego this week.
It's still up in the air as to whether she'll actually play tho.
She tweeted yesterday that she'll have an MRI today & make the decision.
Stupid injured ankle.
Yesterday Jelena was leading her 2nd round match in Portoroz...
Then sprained her ankle going for a ball and retired after 1 game in the 3rd.
This is the 2nd straight tournament she has retired owing to injury.
She pulled out of her 4th round match against Zvonareva at Wimbledon.
Let's hope this doesn't become a habit. My friend Gymmy will cry. Buckets.
This morning Jelena tweeted a bit of good news for her fans:
Hey guys...rolled my ankle a little. Will be ok. Just a little disappointing.
Will rehab and get ready for San Diego.
Jelena posted a couple hot new pics to her Facebook page today.
Very Carrie - but I so don't get those shoes.
4 Jelena Jankovic d 28 Alona Bondarenko - 60 63
Maybe meeting with the Queen yesterday inspired today's royal play?
JJ is having a resurgent year, quietly working her way to #3 in the rankings.
She is 32-11 win/loss on the year including a title in Indian Wells.
She is long overdue a Slam title but experts wouldn't expect it coming here.
But that's also what radars are for - flying under.
JJ will next play Vera Zvonareva: H2H: 6-5/JJ. Vera has won the last two.
Photo: Reuters
4 Jelena Jankovic d Laura Robson - 63 76(5)
Jelena was up in the 2nd and almost let that set slip away.
Wimbledon is the only Slam she has yet to make a semifinal appearance.
She will next play Aleksandra Wozniak - H2H:3-0/JJ.
Jelena is heading toward a possible quarterfinal against Clijsters or Henin.
***
British Laura Robson, at 16, was the youngest woman in the draw.
The English will no doubt pin loads of expectation on her in the years to come.
Pam Shriver commented that she doesn't think she will be a top 10 player.
Photo: AP
I can not be accused as someone who understands fashion.
Jelena wins for best accessory - a man!
Photos: Getty Images
We are going to get a new Slam champion this weekend - that's excitement.
You have to go back to RG in '08 and Ivanovic's title for a new Slammer.
*****
4 Jelena Jankovic vs 7 Samantha Stosur - H2H: 3-1
They are 1-1 in '10. Jelena won in Indian Wells - Sam got her back in Miami.
This is Jelena's 3rd RG semi and 6th in a Slam - she is 1-4.
In her previous RG semis she lost to eventual champs: '07 Henin, '08 Ivanovic.
Stosur lost her RG semi last year to eventual champ Kuznetsova.
This match should be an absolute thriller as both ladies are playing great ball.
*****
5 Elena Dementieva vs 17 Francesca Schiavone - H2H: 6-4
Elena has won the last 3 matches - Fran last beat Elena back in '07.
Francesca has never been to a Slam semi. This years Majoli? Or Myskina?
Elena is considered to be the best player not to win a Slam. Her moment?
This is her 8th Slam semifinal - she is 2-5 including a final at RG in '04.
This is Elena's 46th consecutive Slam tournament (123-46). That's a wow!
*****
My heart wants JJ & Elena on Saturday.
Photo: Dementieva's Qf Win - Reuters
4 Jelena Jankovic d Yaroslava Shvedova - 75 64
Between Tennis Channel & ESPN2 I haven't seen Jelena hit a single ball live.
At least I'm guaranteed some Jankovic tomorrow.
She moved into her 3rd Roland Garros semi today and 6th in a Slam (1-4).
And it should get her ranking up to #3 on Monday.
For her part Shvedova will move up nicely from her current #36.
Photo: Getty images
*** TOP HALF ***
1 Serena WIlliams vs 7 Samantha Stosur - H2H: 3-1
Her title in '02 was the 1st leg to her 'Serena Slam' - she wants a real one.
This is Serena's 30th Slam quarterfinal - she is 18-11.
This is Stosur's 2nd Slam Qf - she won her other one last year at RG.
This match has the potential to be a real barn-burner.
***
4 Jelena Jankovic vs Yaroslava Shvedova - H2H: 2-1
Shvedova is the gal who beat Jankovic at the US Open last summer.
Shvedova is ranked #36 and barely missed being a seeded player.
Jankovic is a 2 time semifinalist at RG. She is still looking for her 1st Slam.
*** BOTTOM HALF ***
3 Caroline Wozniacki (above) vs 17 Francesca Schiavone - H2H: 0-1
That match was played 2 years ago before Caroline was Caroline.
Francesca played her 1st RG in '01 & made the Qfs - this is her 2nd.
This is Fran's 4th Slam Qf - she has yet to win in this round.
***
5 Elena Dementieva vs 19 Nadia Petrova - H2H: 7-7
Elena has won the last 4 and 6 out of 7 matches played.
This is Elena's 3rd trip to the Qfs at RG (1-1). She was runner-up in '04.
Nadia is looking to move into her 3rd RG semifinal.
Photo: Wozniacki - Getty Images
4 Jelena Jankovic d Kaia Kanepi - 62 36 64
Things got tight there after the 1st set for Jelena...
But drawing on her good form this year she came away with the win.
Jelena has a tricky quarter but I like her getting through it...
She's hasn't seen the 2nd week of a major since the US Open in '08.
I'm kinda pulling for her to finally win a Slam.
Photo: Getty Images
Tomorrow's Quarterfinal Matches
16 Nadia Petrova vs Lucie Safarova - H2H: 3-0
This is both ladies 3rd straight quarterfinal this year, both are 0-2.
7 Jelena Jankovic vs Aravane Rezai - H2H: 2-0
This is Jelena's 5th quarterfinal of 2010 - she is 2-2.
***
4 Venus Williams vs 8 Samantha Stosur (above) - H2H: 3-0
Three of those wins include 2 on clay - but nothing recent.
13 Li Na vs Shahar Peer - H2H: 2-1
Peer got the last one - in Dubai early this year.
*****
Today's Results
7 Jelena Jankovic d Anabel Medina Garrigues - 62 60
8 Samantha Stosur d Patty Schnyder - 76(3) 62
13 Li Na d Alona Bondarenko - 63 64
Shahar Peer d WC Arantxa Parra Santonja - 75 62
Aravane Rezai d Andrea Petkovic - 64 76(8)
Photo: Samantha Stosur - Reuters
Kaia Kanepi Upsets Jelena Jankovic at US Open
US Open - Women's Third Round
31 Kaia Kanepi d 4 Jelena Jankovic - 62 76(1)
Truth be told Kaia got a major assist from the windy conditions today.
That wind is nuts. The balls are taking some crazy bounces.
But Jelena. Jelena, Jelena...
Once again you've rendered my friend Gymmy useles for a few days.
Before every Slam he emails me, "This is the one."
My usual response is, "Could be." Last week I replied, "Not a chance."
As for Kaia she has never lost a 4th round match at a Slam: 2-0.
3-0?: She'll play the winner of Schneider/Wickmayer and that's winnable.
Photo: AP
Posted at 11:28 AM in Commentary, Grand Slam Tennis, Jelena Jankovic, Scores, Upsets, US Open, Womens Tennis | Permalink | Comments (0)
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