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Post by jimm on Mar 15, 2011 8:21:25 GMT
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Stadium 1 (from 11.00hrs) 2. Marion Bartoli vs. Kim Clijsters (NB 13.00hrs)
Marion has nothing to lose and a lot to gain by a win here. They do not come much tougher than Kim C , who is currently jousting for the #1 spot with Wozniacki. Kim is not the quickest off the baseline, so I hope Marion will try a lot of drop shots if the opportunity is there
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Post by jimm on Mar 15, 2011 21:39:12 GMT
IW R4: Bartoli def Clijsters 36 31 ret
Not the way to win that Marion would have wanted, but she will take it. I have to say that Marion was not at her best, her serve was off and doubles faults too the fore. Kim was obviously in pain with shoulder from the start of the match, no striking the ball with her usual power. Even so she took the 1st set, but as the 2nd set progressed the injury got worse.
Marion plays Ivanovic next, and from what I saw of Big Anna today (seeing off Jankovic comfortably) Marion will have to get her game together ASAP
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Post by jimm on Mar 16, 2011 8:44:12 GMT
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Stadium 1 (from 11.00hrs)
2. Ana Ivanovic vs. Marion Bartoli (NB 13.00hrs)
Good luck Marion!!
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Post by jimm on Mar 16, 2011 21:12:30 GMT
Marion takes 1st set 6-4!!! Fighting point for point ball for ball!
Come on Marion!
Just stay focused and try some drop shots! Allez!!!!
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Post by jimm on Mar 16, 2011 22:18:31 GMT
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Post by jimm on Mar 17, 2011 7:49:12 GMT
Bartoli Beats Ivanovic, First Into Final Four March 16, 2011
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA - Marion Bartoli became the first player to reach the final four of the $4.5-million BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday afternoo, battling past Ana Ivanovic in a tight two-setter on Stadium 1, 64 76(4).
Ivanovic, the No.19 seed, was the only player to reach the quarters here without losing a set, and had also won four of her previous six meetings with Bartoli; but the No.15-seeded Frenchwoman was just too solid throughout the match, making half as many winners (19 to 39) but also half as many unforced errors (22 to 44). She was just that bit better on her serve - there were 13 breaks in 22 service games during the match, seven going to Bartoli, six going to Ivanovic.
Bartoli completed the victory on her first match point, firing a big serve then hitting a crosscourt overhead winner off a popped Ivanovic return.
"I'm so happy to be in the semifinals of Indian Wells for the first time," Bartoli said in her on-court interview. "I was a little bit sick this morning and it was really hot today, but during the first set the physios helped a lot. I have a day off tomorrow and I'll try to recover, and I look forward to seeing you all on Friday."
Bartoli recorded her 17th match win of the season, second only to Kim Clijsters and Peng Shuai, who each have 18 so far this year. It is possible for Bartoli to return to the Top 10 here, depending on she and other players' results here.
Bartoli was asked whether she felt tired, given this is already her seventh tournament of the year. "Not at all," she replied. "I'm totally enjoying what I'm doing. There are a lot of kids in the world who would like to be where I am. I try to take it in a positive way. Of course sometimes it's tiring because you have some long journeys, but at the end of the day, I'm very lucky to be where I am."
"I created a lot of opportunities but didn't use them," Ivanovic said. "At 4-all in the first set she played some good shots and broke me and then the set was gone. I lost a few service games but didn't feel I was serving badly. I made a few unforced errors from my forehand side and that was a little bit disappointing.
"It's a good base to go to Miami from, though. Coming into this week I didn't expect to get this far in the tournament and I can learn a lot from this match."
Next up for Bartoli will be either No.10 seed Shahar Peer or No.23 seed Yanina Wickmayer, who played the second quarterfinal under the lights.
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Post by jimm on Mar 17, 2011 16:18:30 GMT
Marion Bartoli battles into Indian Wells semi-finals
Bartoli is currently 17th in the world rankings
Marion Bartoli shrugged off a stomach bug to reach the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals with a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) win over former world number one Ana Ivanovic.
The Frenchwoman, at 26 the oldest player left in the draw, won three consecutive games to claim an error-strewn first set in California.
She ended the match by clinching the second set tie-break 7-4 with an overhead smash into an open court.
"I'm super-excited and so happy to be in the semi-finals," said Bartoli.
The 15th seed was handed a place in the last eight when Belgian second seed Kim Clijsters retired during the second set of their encounter the previous day with a shoulder injury.
But Bartoli thought her luck had run out on Wednesday when she was unable to eat anything for breakfast.
"I slept before my match because I was really feeling sick," she said. "I went on court and at the beginning, the weather was not that hot, so it kind of helped me.
"But then it started to feel really hot and then in the end of the first set I was definitely not feeling very good.
"I was taking a lot of time between the points, walking very slowly.
"I really took the bit of energy I still have in my body to try to save it. I knew I had to finish in two sets, because three would have been very difficult."
There were eight breaks of serve in a wildly fluctuating second set before Bartoli, renowned for her two-handed play on both sides, took control in the tie-break.
"To be able to still win these kinds of matches against a player as good as Ana, it means a lot to me," added the former Wimbledon finalist.
Ivanovic, Indian Wells champion in 2008 and runner-up in 2009, had been aiming to reach her first WTA semi-final of the year.
Bartoli, who is chasing a sixth WTA title, will face Clijsters' compatriot Yanina Wickmayer for a place in the final.
Wickmayer, the 23rd seed, upset 10th-seeded Shahar Peer 6-3 6-3 after breaking the Israeli's serve five times. It was her third victory over Peer in five meetings.
The other two quarter-finals, pitting top seed Caroline Wozniacki against eighth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and then former world number one Maria Sharapova against China's Peng Shuai, take place on Thursday.
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jorn1
Full Member
Posts: 136
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Post by jorn1 on Mar 17, 2011 21:32:25 GMT
Well done Marion! Now Yanina waits tomorrow. Caro also into Final 4 as Vika retired from match at 3-0. Can we hope for Caro vs Marion Finale?
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Post by jimm on Mar 17, 2011 23:36:44 GMT
Watching Sharapova vs Peng.. Marion and Dr.B were there for the 1st set as were Caro and her Dad. Sharapova's serve was good for 1 set, then goes to bits in the 2nd. But she leads by a set at the moment. Serving to stay in the 2nd 4-5. Unless she can produce something spectacular, I cant see her winning a 3rd set.
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Post by jimm on Mar 17, 2011 23:43:17 GMT
Peng leads 6-5 in 2nd. Given Sharapova to serve to try and force a tiebreak.
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Post by jimm on Mar 17, 2011 23:47:54 GMT
As expected Sharapova drops the 2nd set. Really poor serving. Peng looks good for the win.
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jorn1
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Posts: 136
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Post by jorn1 on Mar 18, 2011 0:56:51 GMT
Masha won 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
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jorn1
Full Member
Posts: 136
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Post by jorn1 on Mar 18, 2011 0:58:46 GMT
Marion vs Wickmayer plays Friday at 20:00 GB time (21:00 CET) Live on Eurosport.
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Post by jimm on Mar 18, 2011 7:33:34 GMT
Thanks Jorn. I was tired and didnt see the rest of the match. She fights too the last point. But I think Caro will beat her. Caro's serve is better. (I hope)
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Post by jimm on Mar 18, 2011 21:48:20 GMT
Marion was outstanding today against Yanina, winning 6-1 6-3. Marion dominated the match from start to finish. It was refreshing to hear the Eurosport commentators remark on Marions "Thinking Game" and that she has never bee given the credit for either her game or what she has achieved thus far.
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