Rome WTA - Quarterfinal
1 Caroline Wozniacki d 5 Jelena Jankovic - 63 16 63
People keep bitching about Caro - but you know what guys?
SHE SEEMS TO KEEP PLAYING ON THE WEEKENDS.
Caro has reached the Sf's or better at 7 of the 10 events she played in '11.
Serena is off the tour & Kim is part-time - how is this Caro's fault?
She plays by all the sames rules everyone else does...
Get over it people.
Photo: Getty Images
Rome ATP Masters Series 1000 - Quarterfinal
4 Andy Murray d Florian Mayer - 16 61 61
Slow start there but we all know Andy is not much of a morning person.
Suddenly a clay court specialist too - he was also a Sf'ist at Monte Carlo.
This is his 3rd Sf on an otherwise poor season: 1-1.
Andy became the 1st Brit to go this far in Rome since 1932!
Andy: I want to be playing at the latter stages of these events...
If I want to get to No. 1 in the world then you need to play well on all of the,
Surfaces because Roger, Rafa and Novak all play well on all the courts.
Speaking of Novak - he's next and will be a considerable test. H2H: 5-3/ND.
Will Andy be the one to hand Novak his 1st loss this year?
Photo: Getty Images
Rome ATP Masters Series 1000 - Third Round
16 Richard Gasquet d 3 Roger Federer - 46 76(2) 76(4)
Long wait: Richard won their 1st meeting back in '05 - Roger won the next 8.
To be honest Rome is one of 2 Masters 1000 were he's not performed well.
Ridiculous to say as he's been to 2 finals - but compared to the others...
Strange fact: Roger has only won 3 Masters 1000 titles in the last 4 years.
This is Richard's 1st Qf at Rome & 8th at a Masters 1000: 5-2.
He will next face Tomas Berdych tomorrow - H2H: 2-2.
That'll be one to watch for sure.
Photo: Reuters
Stan tweeted this photo not long ago.
He's prepping fo his big match against Novak Djokovic today in Rome.
Stan is looking to do what NO man has done all year:
Had Novak his first loss of 2011.
Mmm. Donut.
Rome ATP Masters Series 1000 - Second Round
1 Rafael Nadal d Q Paolo Lorenzi - 67(5) 64 60
Rafa sure escaped an early scare today as that 2nd set was far too close.
This is the 1st time in his career he's lost the 1st set in 3 straight matches.
Of course he's tired - he just played a very grueling weekend in Madrid.
Even Judy Murray (Andy's mum) tweeted before the match:
Saw Rafa in hotel lobby... He looked exhausted. Cud c it in his eyes.
He'll next play the winner Lopez/Kohlschreiber - playing a 3rd set now.
Rafa: Tomorrow will be better because it can't get any worse.
He needs to make the Sf's to secure that #1 ranking.
Photo: From GQ Italia - via Rafaholics
Rome ATP Masters Series 1000 - Second Round
2 Novak Djokovic d Q Lucasz Kubot - 60 63
This was Novak's 8th bagel serving of the year.
33-0: Nole's assault on 2011 continued in devastating form today.
Can he make it an astonishing 7 titles in-a-row?
He'll next face Stanislas Wawrinka - H2H: 8-2/ND.
Stan hasn't beaten him since '06 - he'll give it a good go tomorrow.
Surely every player on tour would like to be the one to end Nole's run.
As all things do, it has to end sometime.
Photo: Getty Images
I see Jelena picked me up something nice from Gucci.
She is playing in Rome and is in Caroline Wozniacki's quarter of the draw.
Photo from Jelena's Facebook page.
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez d 7 Jelena Jankovic - 76(5) 75
This is easily Maria's biggest title in her surging career.
She is the 1st unseeded player to win Rome in the tournaments history.
And 1st Spaniard since Conchita Martinez in 1996.
How'd she pull this one off? The drop shot - she dropped Jelena to death.
The win will move her inside the top 20 for the first time in her career.
A factor come Roland Garros?
Photo: Getty Images
Tomorrow's Final
7 Jelena Jankovic vs Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez - H2H: 1-1
That Jankovic loss was back in '01 - what was she 11?
Jelena is looking for her 3rd Rome title following wins in '07 & '08.
Jelena is looking for her 13th title (& 2nd in '10) - Maria her 3rd.
***
Semifinal Results
7 Jelena Jankovic d 1/WC Serena Williams - 46 63 76(5)
Sloppy match filled with unforced errors and double faults.
But entertaining none-the-less.
Serena even revisited her hand-up while oponent is serving tactic again.
Jelena becomes the 7th player to beat the Williams Sisters back-to-back.
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez d Ana Ivanovic - 64 62
It's the 1st time in over a year Ana's won 4 matches in a row.
Photo: Getty images
Tomorrow's Semifinals
1/WC Serena Williams vs 7 Jelena Jankovic - H2H: 4-3
Welcome back Serena. The game has missed you.
It's a battle of former Rome winners: Serena in '02 - Jelena in '07 & '08.
Ana Ivanovic vs Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez - H2H: 0-0
Welcome back Ana. The game has missed you.
Too close to call - this match could go either way.
Ana has never been past the 3rd round in Rome.
*****
Today's Quarterfinal Results
1/WC Serena Williams d Maria Kirilenko - 61 64
Rusty no longer!
7 Jelena Jankovic d 4 Venus Williams - 60 61
One game?
Ana Ivanovic d 14 Nadia Petrova - 62 75
Who is this Ana girl?
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez d Lucie Safarova - 76(6) 64
4 names makes me wanna route against you.
Photo: Reuters
No Ana, you were #1 - at the moment you need to add another 57 to that.
THIRD ROUND
1/WC Serena Williams d Andrea Petkovic - 62 36 60
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez d 2 Caroline Wozniacki - 64 62
4 Venus Williams d 16 Shahar Peer - 63 64
Ana Ivanovic (above) d 6 Elena Dementieva - 61 76(5)
7 Jelena Jankovic d 11 Yanina Wickmayer - 62 60
Lucie Safarova d 8 Agnieszka Radwanska - 16 63 76(1)
14 Nadia Petrova d Alexandra Dulgheru - 60 36 62
Maria Kirilenko d Dominika Cibulkova - 46 61 61
Photo: Ana Ivanovic - Getty Images
1/WC Serena WIlliams d Andrea Petkovic - 62 36 60
Serena is still shaking of the rust but stays very much alive in Rome.
The win improves her W/L record on the year to 12-1.
Serena takes a 2-0 H2H lead into her next match against Maria Kirilenko.
She has drawn sister Venus for a potential semifinal showdown.
***
4 Venus Williams d 16 Shahar Peer - 63 64
Venus is 21-2 on the year - which includes titles in Dubai and Acapulco.
Venus is a former champion here - in 1999! Beating Mary Pierce in the final.
Wow, talk about feeling Jurassic - I remember that match.
Venus will next play Jelena Jankovic - H2H: 5-5.
Photo: Reuters/Getty Images
Ana Ivanovic d 9 Victoria Azarenka - 64 64 - 2nd Round
This is only 2nd time Ana has won back-to-back matches since Wimbledon.
She will next play Elena Dementieva - can she make it 3 matches in Romes?
Alexandra Dulgheru d Dinara Safina - 64 67(5) 61
Dinara's comeback hit another snag as she crumbled in the 3rd set.
She now falls 1-2 in her return to the WTA tour.
As the defending champ in Rome she will likely take a rankings hit.
*****
Other winners today include:
1/WC Serena Williams d Timea Bacsinszky - 76(2) 61
2 Caroline Wozniacki d WC Maria Elena Camerin - 61 60
4 Venus Williams d Patty Schnyder - 62 62
6 Elena Dementieva d Yaroslava Shvedova - 64 75
7 Jelena Jankovic d Q Bethanie Mattek-Sands - 63 36 61
Photos: AP
1/WC Serena Williams d Timea Bacsinszky - 76(2) 61 - 2nd Round
PHEW
Serena was down a break for most of that 1st set before she forced the TB.
Once that was secured she switched on the ol' cruise control.
Not bad for her first competitive match since winning in Australia in Jan.
She will next face #49 Andrea Kvitova of Germany in the 3rd round.
Photo: Reuters
Maria Kirilenko d 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova - 62 36 64 - 2nd Round
And so Sveta's miserable year continues...
She has failed to reach the quarters in all 7 tournaments played this season.
This, as Roland Garros looms - where she is the defending champion. Um...
1st Round Winners Today Included:
11 Yanina Wickmayer d Q Karolina Sprem - 63 16 64
12 Flavia Pennetta d Q Akgul Amanmuradova - 62 63
13 Francesca Schiavone d Daniela Hantuchova - 36 62 62
Ana Ivanovic d Elena Vesnina - 61 63
Q Bethanie Mattek-Sands d Melanie Oudin - 61 63
Photo: Getty Images
ROME - Projected Quarterfinals:
1 Serena Williams vs 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova
4 Venus Williams vs 7 Jelena Jankovic
***
3 Dinara Safina (above) vs 6 Elena Dementieva
2 Caroline Wozniacki vs 8 Agniezska Radwanszka
***
ESTORIL - Projected Semifinals:
1 Agnes Szavay vs 4 Anabel Medina Garrigues
2 Sorona Cirstea vs 3 Aleksandra Wozniack
***
Photo: Dinara Safina wins Rome '09 - Reuters
3 Rafael Nadal d 13 David Ferrer - 75 62
Rafa withstood two rain delays to bite the trophy in Rome for a 5th time.
He now shares the record for most Masters 1000 titles with Andre Agassi.
Agassi collected his record 17th at the age of 34 - Rafa is a mere 23.
Rafa is now 27-2 in finals on clay. Federer is responsible for those losses.
He extends his streak to 6 years winning at least 2 Masters 1000 titles.
Rafa will take a week off before he goes to Madrid - where he won in '05.
He seems headed to Roland Garros the heavy heavy favorite.
Warning ahead: Rafa is #1 in ranking points earned so far this year...
***
Ferrer is in the midst of a terrific 2010.
He is the tour leader in matches won including a title in Acapulco.
As a reward for making his 1st Masters 1000 final he will jump to #12.
David has played 3 straight weekends - time for some well-deserved rest.
We will next see Ferrer try to keep his good form going in Madrid.
Photo: Reuters
Samantha Stosur into Final at WTA Rome
Rome WTA - Semifinals
6 Samantha Stosur d 4 Li Na - 76(6) 60
Here we go... Samantha is finally get her Roland Garros legs sorted.
Remember: She is an impressive 11-2 in her last two years in Paris.
This is Sam's first final of her very sub-par season.
She is looking for her 3rd WTA title. I forgot she only has two.
Oy oy oy.
Photo: Getty Images
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