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Post by jimm on Sept 16, 2008 19:23:15 GMT
Toray Pan Pacific Open Tokyo-JPN September 16-21, 2008 $1,340,000/Tier I Hard/Outdoors
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Singles - First Round (6) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (WC) Aiko Nakamura (JPN) 61 64 Francesca Schiavone (ITA) d. (7) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 61 75 (Q) Kaia Kanepi (EST) d. (8) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 64 36 63 Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 62 62 Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Shahar Peer (ISR) 64 64 Alizé Cornet (FRA) d. (Q) Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 46 63 63 Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. (WC) Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) 06 61 76(8) (WC) Ayumi Morita (JPN) d. Agnes Szavay (HUN) 67(7) 75 64
Doubles - First Round King/Petrova (USA/RUS) d. (1) Srebotnik/Sugiyama (SLO/JPN) 64 64
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Post by jimm on Sept 16, 2008 19:24:43 GMT
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Center (from 11.00hrs) 1. Wozniacki vs. Srebotnik 2. Rezai vs. Petrova 3. Razzano vs. Sugiyama 4. Li vs. Kuznetsova 5. Date Krumm/Fujiwara vs. Chakvetadze/A.Radwanska 6. Cibulkova vs. Safina (NB 17.00hrs)
Court 1 (from 11.00hrs) 1. Chuang/Hsieh vs. Czink/Klepac 2. Fusano/Grandin vs. Kirilenko/Pennetta 3. Shvedova/Tanasugarn vs. Peer/Wozniacki 4. Rezai/S.Uberoi vs. Raymond/Stosur
Court 2 (from 13.00hrs) 1. Hantuchova/Szavay vs. Morita/Nakamura 2. Dushevina/Uhlirova vs. Dellacqua/Schiavone
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Post by Supermarion on Sept 16, 2008 22:37:09 GMT
Be good to see Sugi do well in her home tournament. If teh Japanese association is handing out wc to Moria Hakamura and Fujiwara.. they are desperate for someone to entetain the home fans.
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Post by jimm on Sept 17, 2008 6:54:31 GMT
I likw wee Ai Her smile is as big as she is
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Post by jimm on Sept 17, 2008 6:54:47 GMT
Toray Pan Pacific Open Tokyo-JPN September 16-21, 2008 $1,340,000/Tier I Hard/Outdoors
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Singles - First Round Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. (Q) Aravane Rezai (FRA) 75 62 Virginie Razzano (FRA) d. Ai Sugiyama (JPN) 63 62 (Q) Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) d. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 61 62
Doubles - First Round (4) Chuang/Hsieh (TPE/TPE) d. Czink/Klepac (HUN/SLO) 76(7) 75 Hantuchova/Szavay (SVK/HUN) d. Morita/Nakamura (JPN/JPN) 62 63 Kirilenko/Pennetta (RUS/ITA) d. Fusano/Grandin (USA/RSA) 57 61 108
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Post by Supermarion on Sept 17, 2008 14:12:46 GMT
Sugi...
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Post by Supermarion on Sept 17, 2008 14:15:10 GMT
SREBOTNIK!!!!!!!!! She dumped a big name at USO, and now turned over Caro. She actually had to play qualie tournament.
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Post by jimm on Sept 17, 2008 19:41:17 GMT
Srebotnik having her best season I think. But with Masha and Marion out, and only Aga amongst me favs left, my interest is waning fast.
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Post by jimm on Sept 19, 2008 19:36:27 GMT
September 19, 2008
Jankovic, Dementieva Out; Semifinals Set in Tokyo
TOKYO, Japan - The Toray Pan Pacific Open draw was turned upside down on Friday, as a slew of upsets sent many of the favorites to the sidelines. Perhaps the most notable surprise came as Svetlana Kuznetsova outlasted top seed Jelena Jankovic, who would have reclaimed the No.1 ranking with a title here, in a tough three-setter.
Kuznetsova, the No.5 seed in Tokyo, lost the first set handily but wasn't in any mood for letting the match slip, battling back to win in just under two and a half hours, 26 75 75. It was an upset on paper but not so surprising given the Russian had beaten Jankovic in three of their five prior encounters, improving to 4-2 lifetime against the Serb.
"It was surely a good win for me today," Kuznetsova said. "I struggled to hold serve but I felt confident out there, so I was even serving and volleying a few times. I played the right tactics in the first set but I just couldn't find my way to the net; but I kept to my game plan in the second and third sets and the risk paid off, as I got more and more chances to approach, and I knew what I had to do."
"Svetlana played a very solid match; it was a close match at a high level and with a lot of volleying and long rallies, and unfortunately it went her way," Jankovic said. "The conditions were tough and it was probably warmer inside with the roof closed than outside, but we were both in the same situation so that's just the way it is. I played well at the US Open and it is challenging to keep the intensity up after such a big event. Again, it was a good match and Svetlana played well."
Jankovic was a runner-up to Serena Williams at the US Open and would have replaced the American at No.1 with a title here.
Although Kuznetsova enjoyed a strong start to the season, she hadn't reached a semifinal since Roland Garros, falling in the quarterfinals or before five times since then. But over the weekend she did lead Russia to its fourth Fed Cup title in the last five years, perhaps giving her a boost coming into this Tier I event.
Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito was among the spectators. After each match, players hit four balls into the crowd; Kuznetsova hit one to him and he caught it.
"His catch was very impressive," Kuznetsova said. "It was a great honor to play in front of the prince today and I hope he enjoyed our match."
"It was special to play in front of the prince," Jankovic said. "When we entered the stadium we did the curtsy. It is always an honor."
With No.2 seed Ana Ivanovic's loss on Thursday and Jankovic's defeat, No.3 seed Elena Dementieva was the highest seed remaining. But she was also ousted in Friday's quarterfinals, succumbing to Katarina Srebotnik - who had to qualify for the main draw - in just an hour and 18 minutes, 63 64.
"Elena is one of the best and most consistent players this year - she is Olympic champion and did very well at the US Open. This is a great win," said Srebotnik, who earned her fourth Top 10 win of the year, and the eighth of her career. "I was very solid on my serve and groundstrokes, and my doubles helped with my net game. The last time I was in the semis here was 2000, so this feels good."
This is only the second time a qualifier has made it through to the semifinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. In 1990, Akiko Kijimuta made it this far. But Kijimuta was ranked No.66 in the world; Srebotnik, who is ranked No.25, barely missed the main draw cut-off, and was an easy victor in all three qualifying rounds.
"At first I wasn't too happy I was one out of the main draw but today's result shows it was certainly a good thing," Srebotnik added. "It just all came together today and my qualifying matches probably helped. This is probably the best tennis I've played for a very long time. I'm very happy to be in the semis."
Radwanska also upset; Safina restores order to draw
No.6 seed Agnieszka Radwanska was also bundled out of the tournament, falling to an unseeded Nadia Petrova routinely, 63 60.
"I'm very happy with my performance today; I'm glad I've continued to play well in Tokyo," said Petrova, who beat Ivanovic the day before. "After yesterday's win I came into this match with a lot of confidence, and this helped in the beginning of the match, where I was not 100% yet. I'm definitely ready for more."
The only quarterfinal to go to form was the last one of the day. Dinara Safina, seeded No.4, restored some order to the draw, albeit not until after a fight; she rallied past qualifier Kaia Kanepi in another tough three-setter, 64 67(5) 62.
Both semifinals will take the court on Saturday, with Safina taking on Petrova and Kuznetsova facing Srebotnik. Petrova is a perfect 5-0 in her head-to-head with Safina, although the two haven't met since the younger Russian has gone on her mid-season tear this year. Srebotnik and Kuznetsova are tied 1-1 in completed matches (Kuznetsova did retire in their first encounter); the Slovenian's win did come just a few weeks ago at the US Open, though.
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Post by Supermarion on Sept 20, 2008 22:12:48 GMT
That's a real hammering Petrova gave Aga. I'm surprised by that scoreline. Tennis is a funny game. Sometimes i8t's more about how players actually match up on a one ofr one basis that matters more than ranking, ability, and form.
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Post by jimm on Sept 21, 2008 9:58:37 GMT
That's a real hammering Petrova gave Aga. I'm surprised by that scoreline. Tennis is a funny game. Sometimes i8t's more about how players actually match up on a one ofr one basis that matters more than ranking, ability, and form. Yes, and confidence too. I think sometimes a player thinks "she ranked #7 etc , I cant beat her" and they dont.
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Post by jimm on Sept 21, 2008 10:04:05 GMT
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Singles - Final (4) Dinara Safina (RUS) d. (5) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 61 63
Doubles - Final King/Petrova (USA/RUS) d. (2) Raymond/Stosur (USA/AUS) 61 64
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