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Post by jimm on Jan 15, 2008 16:15:32 GMT
Sania considered quitting before Australian Open
Tired of being dragged into various off-court controversies time and again, Sania Mirza on Tuesday disclosed that she considered quitting tennis last week.
The world number 31 from India, often in the eye of storm, said she found it tough to deal with question marks on her loyalty towards the country after being photographed at the Hopman Cup in Perth with her bare feet positioned near Indian national flag and was charged for "disrespecting" the tricolour.
"It's not easy to deal with things like that off the court. I am not a superhuman so it does affect me. As much as I try to block it out, it's still in the back of your mind... A lot of thoughts went through my head in the past couple of weeks, and one of the thoughts was (quitting)," said the player who was also criticised by the orthodox Muslim clergy for her short skirts and T-shirts.
"But I wouldn't say that they were serious enough that I would quit right now... (But) it was very tricky to play again, I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to blank out everything and play a tennis match," she said after defeating Uzbekistan's Iroda Tulyaganova 6-4 6-2 in the first round of the season's first Grand Slam.
Sania defended herself by saying, "I wouldn't do anything to disrespect my country, I love my country. I wouldn't be playing Hopman Cup otherwise. But other than that, I am not allowed to comment because it is before the courts.
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 18, 2008 9:35:23 GMT
Perfect example of what I was saying a week or two back.
The cultural hysteria that Sania has to endure may have hindered her progress in the game. With support like that, who needs it. Lovely chick. Shame about the crap she gotta put up with.
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Post by jimm on Jan 18, 2008 11:48:41 GMT
Mauresmo crashes out in Melbourne Mauresmo struggled against an inspired opponent
Former champion Amelie Mauresmo made a shock exit in the third round of the Australian Open at the hands of home favourite Casey Dellacqua.
The 18th-seeded Frenchwoman, who won the title in 2006, was woefully off form and committed 43 unforced errors on her way to losing 3-6 6-4 6-4.
"Confidence was the problem and not playing with the aggression that I should have," admitted Mauresmo.
Dellacqua, ranked 78 in the world, now faces third seed Jelena Jankovic.
Highlights: Dellacqua stuns Mauresmo
Mauresmo, 28, has endured a torrid time since going out of last year's tournament at the fourth-round stage.
606: DEBATE Have your say on this story in 606
She had an appendectomy in March and sat out two months, then missed another two months with an injured groin muscle and did not play at the US Open.
The injuries and indifferent form meant she ended last year ranked 18th, a drop from number three the previous year when she had Grand Slam wins at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon.
Two weeks ago, she re-injured her groin muscle during training before the Sydney International the week before the start of the Melbourne tournament.
Against Dellacqua, the Frenchwoman's game was littered with errors and 10 double faults.
It's a wonderful feeling to be out here and to do myself and Australia proud
Casey Dellacqua
"Well, it's definitely not the best thing to do in key moments, for sure" she said.
"Not only that, I'm sure you have other statistics on unforced errors and things like that that are pretty high."
Dellacqua, was overwhelmed after her win, and said: "I'm shaking so much. I'm so excited.
"It's a wonderful feeling to be out here and to do myself and Australia proud."
Dellacqua, whose win saw her become the new Australian number one, is now ready to give it her all again in her fourth-round clash with Jankovic.
"I've got nothing to lose," she said.
"I've played Jelena before so I know a bit about her game so I'll just go out there and have fun and go for it."
She came back to the game too soon after surgery. Takes 12 months for a healthy person to fully recover. Elegant player
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Post by jimm on Jan 18, 2008 12:01:38 GMT
Maria Sharapova wins after struggle, By PAUL ALEXANDER, Associated Press Writer January 18, 2008
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Maria Sharapova was struggling.
She had never played a match against another Russian across the net who bore a strong resemblance to her, physically and in style of play. Her usually reliable serve was getting broken.
Then it all clicked Friday, and last year's runnerup at the Australian Open was through to the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Elena Vesnina that was a lot harder than the score indicated.
After routing Lindsay Davenport in the last round -- a match that Sharapova said she prepared for as if it were a final -- she seemed puzzled and frustrated that she couldn't put away Vesnina until she finally put it all together and ran off the last nine games.
"I really tried to keep the intensity I had in the previous match, but that's always difficult," said Sharapova, who next faces another Russian, No. 11 Elena Dementieva, who beat Israel's Shahar Peer. "She came out having not really much to lose."
Sharapova grunted louder and louder and hit harder and harder as she was broken twice in the first set by Vesnina, who was in constant trouble on her own serve. Known for her deliberate routine before she serves, Sharapova also got a warning for taking too much time and double-faulted on the next point.
"When it got close, I felt like I had a huge advantage ... whether that's experience or her being a little tight," Sharapova said. "I still felt like I had the edge in the match."
Finally finding her rhythm, particularly on badly executed drop shots and other softer offerings from Vesnina that turned into little more than target practice, Sharapova had 11 winners to only five unforced errors in the second set, breaking Vesnina for the seventh consecutive time to end the match.
QF Sharapova vs Dementieva
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 18, 2008 17:08:42 GMT
I expected Mauresmo to exit early. And sure enough.
I used to like her. But I wish she would give less of her opinion about Marion to the media. Instead she should just get on with playing tennis. I was happy for her slam double. But with Amelie it isnt about ability but her nerve. I am doubtful even now, that she really overcame her tiny demons.
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 18, 2008 17:14:30 GMT
Helps Marion to remain French #1
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Post by jimm on Jan 19, 2008 5:49:05 GMT
The other Maria dares to dream The other Maria dares to dream Saturday, 19 January, 2008 By Adam Lucius Maria Kirilenko has hailed her shock third round Australian Open win over compatriot Anna Chakvetadze as a career breakthrough following years of misery at Grand Slam tournaments. The No. 27 seed, a regular first or second round loser at slams, powered past her highly-rated opponent 6-7 (8-6) 6-1 6-2 in one of the real surprises on day six at Melbourne Park. It sets up a fourth round clash with either Daniela Hantuchova or Virginia Ruano Pascual - a rarefied position for a player who lists classical music as one of her great loves. "I think it's quite a good win for me," Kirilenko said. "I have beaten a couple of good players in the top 10 (in other tournaments) but usually I'm losing every time in the first round in Grand Slams. It's good I broke this tradition here, so I'm quite happy." "I'm working really hard and now everything's coming together and I'm starting to play better." Chakvetadze had a hold over Kirilenko leading into the Australian Open, boasting a 4-1 career record against her childhood friend from juniors. But despite the losing trend and dropping the first set, Kirilenko's confidence soared as Chakvetadze tired and began making a series of unforced errors. "There's always competition between us to see who would be better and the last few times I lost to her I got really pissed off," Kirilenko revealed. "It's not really easy to play against her because she plays quite deep and she has good hands. "But today I felt like I was running well and I felt strong, like I can play the ball how I want." Kirilenko, who turns 21 on Friday, will now play in the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. So is she daring to dream? "I wish I can keep going like this. If I'm can keep playing a good game then I'm going to go far," she said. "But I want to think about each game, each opponent. "It's better step by step."
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 19, 2008 22:15:53 GMT
Her form has been generally pretty good the past few months. It's a good win by any measure.
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Post by jimm on Jan 20, 2008 7:17:03 GMT
Sharapova slips through in style Sunday, 20 January, 2008 By James Ranson Elena Dementieva has been humbled by fellow Russian and No.5 seed Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-0 in just 62 minutes on Vodafone Arena.
The tall Russian was in devastating touch and took care of the tournament's 11th seed with 18 winners in the process.
Dementieva was disappointing, barely raising a whimper as she won just 28 points to Sharapova's 57 for the match.
It was Sharapova's best performance so far and will surely give her great confidence to know she has yet to drop a set for the tournament.
In fact, no player has taken more than four games off her in the eight sets she has played.
The 2007 Australian Open runner-up now faces a far greater test, paired against No.1 seed Justine Henin in the quarter finals.
Current Match on Vodafone Arena Vodafone Arena - Women's Singles - 4th Round Elena Dementieva RUS (11) 2 0 Maria Sharapova RUS (5) 6 6 Match Facts - Sharapova hit the only two aces for the match - Dementieva served at 81 per cent on her first serve - Dementieva won only 37 per cent of points on her first serve and failed to win a point on her second - Dementieva hit 20 unforced errors to just 11 from Sharapova - Dementieva won only 28 points
Big Masha could win this slam on this form
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Post by jimm on Jan 22, 2008 10:47:49 GMT
Brilliant Sharapova hammers Henin
Maria Sharapova produced a magnificent display of clean hitting to thrash world number one Justine Henin 6-4 6-0 in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
The Russian came out flying to break in the second game and though Henin pulled it back in game nine, a fantastic cross-court backhand won her the set.
Sharapova then waltzed through the second with a succession of winners to end Henin's 32-match winning run.
The fifth seed will now take on Jelena Jankovic in the last four on Thursday.
It is the fourth year running she has reached that stage and few will back against her going all the way after a quite awesome performance which left her Belgian opponent in a daze.
Right from the start she thundered powerful groundstrokes to the corners, leaving Henin struggling to stay in rallies.
The top seed has not been at her best in Melbourne and that lack of fluency was ruthlessly exposed.
Sharapova had lost six of their eight previous meetings but a seventh never looked likely as she smashed 30 winners to take the opening set.
It was one-way traffic in the second, with Henin suffering her first 6-0 rout since 2002 and first defeat since Wimbledon.
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 22, 2008 18:49:32 GMT
Astonishing. A bagel! We thought Marion's 6-1 was amazing.. But Sharapova's straight sets is mighty!
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Post by jimm on Jan 23, 2008 19:32:08 GMT
Third seed Ana Ivanovic was pushed all the way by Venus Williams before edging to a 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 victory in a tense Australian Open quarter-final.
Neither player could hold their serve in a pulsating first set, which Ivanovic eventually won in a tie-break.
Williams came out fighting in the second, but was reeled in by Ivanovic's punishing forehand, and the Serb held her nerve to close out the match.
Ivanovic will play Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in the last-four.
Hantuchova, 24, marched into her first Grand Slam semi-final by thumping Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska.
Radwanska, 18, looked nervous early on and Hantuchova took full advantage, dictating play from the baseline, and running away with the first set.
I'm just so happy I pulled through the whole two sets - it was an amazing match
Ana Ivanovic
The Slovakian kept up the tempo in the second, destroying Radwanska's serve, and quickly closed out a 6-2 6-2 victory.
That match was completely one-sided but Ivanovic had to work much harder to end the challenge of Williams, the eighth seed, in one hour and 46 minutes.
Both players were returning serve ferociously and it was not a great surprise that there were six breaks in the first set.
But it was Williams who was making more unforced errors, with her backhand volley particularly unreliable, and two of them ended up in the net in quick succession as Ivanovic took the tie-break.
The former world number one was stung into action and, briefly, her serve regained its reliability to help her move 3-0 up in the second set.
Hantuchova's groundstrokes were too powerful for Radwanska
Ivanovic kept her cool, however, and some stinging cross-court forehands helped her break back and move level again.
The accuracy of the Serbian's groundstrokes was the difference between the two players and two more mistakes from Williams gave Ivanovic another break at 5-4.
Williams raised her game again but Ivanovic served her way back to deuce before closing out a famous victory, her first over the American in five attempts.
"I'm just so happy I pulled through the whole two sets," Ivanovic said. "It was an amazing match, we had lots of long rallies, she's an amazing competitor and she was also playing very well today."
Ivanovic, who has family living in Melbourne, was roared on by a vocal crowd at the Rod Laver Arena and was quick to pay tribute to her fans.
"It's amazing, thank you guys so much, you helped me get through that second set," the 20-year-old said. "Most of all I'm thrilled that it happened here because I just love playing here and I'm so comfortable here on court."
Williams, meanwhile, refuted claims that her defeat was further indication that she is a waning force in women's tennis.
I've got nothing to lose. I'm in a great position. I'm feeling like I'm playing well
Daniela Hantuchova on meeting Ivanovic next
"There has been a lot of talk every single year," she said. "I think what's important to me is what goes on in my head. I've been a champion.
"I have full expectations and aspirations to continue to play high-quality tennis and to continue to be a champion."
Hantuchova is looking forward to meeting Ivanovic, saying: "I've got nothing to lose. I'm in a great position. I'm feeling like I'm playing well.
"I'm just really looking forward to be out on the court again, giving my best and seeing what happens."
Maria Sharapova takes on Jelena Jankovic in the other women's semi-final.
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 23, 2008 19:57:50 GMT
That's Ivanovic's first win over Venus in 5 meetings. It's a real breakthrough for her.
What an unlikely last four. It just shows how much more open and competitive the womens tour is to that of the mens.
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Post by jimm on Jan 25, 2008 17:33:05 GMT
Bondarenko sisters win first doubles title Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:48am EST
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Ukraine's Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko overcame sibling rivalry to win their first women's doubles title at the Australian Open on Friday.
The sisters came from a set down to win 2-6 6-1 6-4 against 12th seeds Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Israeli Shahar Peer in a match lasting nearly two hours and uncharacteristically dominated by baseline rallies.
"Last year we play not very good doubles because sometimes we fight on the court," Alona Bondarenko told reporters.
"But now we start to listen each other and understand, and maybe that's the key."
It was the first time the Bondarenko sisters had won a doubles title in their 38th tournament playing together.
Their previous best was reaching three semi-finals in WTA Tour events.
They had the chance to serve for the match at 5-2 but were broken before sealing victory on their first match point at 5-4 when Azarenka hit a backhand return into the net.
They said they would continue to play both singles and doubles -- Alona was seeded 21st in the singles at Melbourne Park -- but would prefer not to meet each other in tournaments.
"Yeah, for me it's not easy because she plays more winners (and has a) good serve, good shots," Alona said of her younger sister. "For me it's very tough because she knows me and can easier win with me."
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 26, 2008 0:36:52 GMT
We're on the nightshift Jim. Get the caffeine bubbling!
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