No.10 seed Maria Sharapova winning a streaky match against Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-4 1-6 6-2. Kuznetsova was coming off her first title of the year in San Diego; she played a strong second set but after falling behind 3-0 in the decider couldn't catch up.
"It's definitely tough to have a night flight then come and play the day after a final, but it's just bad luck, I cannot change it," Kuznetsova said afterwards. "I just need to get my ranking higher and then I can get a bye. But I also have to give a lot of credit to Maria. She played really well in the third."
"I let her off the hook in the beginning of the second set, and she went with it. Against a player with a lot of experience, you can't do that," Sharapova said. "I had to earn it. The only way I was going to win was by being aggressive."
Leading the first round winners were Top 20 players Flavia Pennetta and Yanina Wickmayer, both moving through in straight sets. Pennetta, the No.11 seed, beat former Top 20 player Zheng Jie, 6-4 6-2, while Wickmayer, the No.12 seed, rolled past qualifier Greta Arn in an early match, 6-2 6-2."It was hot and humid out there but I handled it well," said Wickmayer, who reached the second round at this stop for the third straight year. "Today I played one of my best matches of the year. I'm really happy with my form."
Other daytime first round winners were Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Maria Kirilenko, Andrea Petkovic, Gisela Dulko, Elena Vesnina and Sybille Bammer. Vesnina cruised against American Melanie Oudin, 62 63.
4 comments:
I wonder if Divapova will ever be the same player after the shoulder surgery. I guess time will tell.
I like Oudin, but I think it was all hype after
US Open 09, the Russians kept chocking and she took the opportunities. It hasn't translated to success this year. The U.S. Women's tennis future looks bleak.
Petrova retired due to the heat. I think players should adapt for any conditions. She is a professional not an amateur.
I don't think she can simpy because I think she will struggle to get back to top 10, because she will always have like a Williams' sister or Clijsters or Henin in the 4th round or QF's and scince surgery she can't get to the level she could when she was able to beat them.
I really like Oudin aswell and she just hasn't be able to deal with the pressure of being USA's next big thing, and like you said the futre is bleak! after the Williams' do go they probably wont have any top 50 players. Although they do have Sloane Stevens I think who is doing well on the jouniors.
I think its very weak of Petrova espcilt down 3-5 in the 2nd set she could have allowed her oppenent a win!
Good point on Divapova, I always thought that her shoulder injury was worse than everyone thought. Now I believe that her camp try play the injury down.
I think the injury is alot worse that what we know. I don't know why they would try to play it down, but also I blieve they are not telling us somthing
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