The field at Brisbane boasted the likes of Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams, Sam Stosur, Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Francesca Schiavone. The tournament started to turn into a medical ward with Hercog succumbing to a back injury, Pervak to a migraine, Williams sprained her ankle, Clijsters injured her hip and Schiavone fell ill. This combined with upsets gives us the surprise final of Daniela Hantuchova and Kaia Kanepi.
The first semi of the night placed Kim Clijsters against Hantuchova, who benefited from Williams' ankle injury in the quarterfinal, and things didn't go according to plan. Clijsters, who lead Hantuchova 9-0 in H2H results, was out of sorts at the start of the match, spraying errors left, right and center and was quickly down 4-1. Daniela served for the set at 5-3 and decided to give us her trademark choke. And about 10 minutes later we had set points for Kim.
The second set got underway, and you began to feel there was something wrong with Kim. Fears were confirmed when she called the trainer and left court for a medical time out trailing 1-2. With the movement and athleticism, which is an essential aspect to her game, obviously hampered Kim played one more game before retiring. The injury has been confirmed has a left hip injury and similar to the injury Kim sustained in 2010.
Heading onto court earlier than expected, emerging talent Kaia Kanepi and WTA warrior Francesca Schiavone, was a match that promised so much. Unfortunately the battle between the two such contrasting games did not relieved the expectation that it had promised. Their most recent encounter was a three set thriller in Moscow last year, in this encounter Francesca manged three games against the power hitting barrage of Kaia Kenpi.
Hantuchova leads Kanepi 3-0 in H2H, but as most things this week, I expect that to change to the favor of the Estonian.
37 comments:
The tennis gods are favoring the "Choking Goddess" Dani H.
Auckland: Pennetta is in the singles and doubles final.
I'm predicting Flavia and Cap's woman Julia will lose in the doubles final after two grueling matches in the QF and semis, fatigue will catch to them. I said that the Srebotnik team would take the title but the Czech team put a hurting on them in the semis 6-4, 6-0. Czechs will take the doubles title in straight sets.
I'm taking Flavia to win the singles title (I'm biased I know).
I'm not a happy camper! Or as they say in Oz Land "Not happy Jan". Rain spoiled my fun. I got scoreboard watching the last moments of the super tie breaker. Great, great, effort by Flavia and Caps' woman Julia, I was hoping for them to take to take title. They were leading 7-6 in the tie breaker but ended up losing 10-7.
This means that I'm sucking at predictions in 2012. I did said the Czechs were going to win it but in two sets.
BTW I'm still taking Flavia in the single finals. XP
Ostrich apparently doesn't like dirty hair and has dispatched Bartoli in the Hopman Cup!
Sydney Qualis
S. ARVIDSSON dumps Princess out 6-3, 6-0.
Ula vs. King (not sure when this is getting played)
MOORILLA HOBART INTERNATIONAL
CHAKVETADZE, Anna vs. NICULESCU, Monica
PEER, Shahar vs. HRADECKA, Lucie
PERVAK, Ksenia vs. CIRSTEA, Sorana
VESNINA, Elena vs. KERBER, Angelique
Apia International Sydney
First Round:
PAVLYUCHENKOVA, Anastasia vs. PETKOVIC, Andrea
GOERGES, Julia vs. JANKOVIC, Jelena
DOKIC, Jelena vs. HOLLAND, Isabella
ZVONAREVA, Vera vs. KUZNETSOVA, Svetlana
SAFAROVA, Lucie vs. IVANOVIC, Ana
STOSUR, Samantha vs. SCHIAVONE, Francesca
HANTUCHOVA, Daniela vs. VINCI, Roberta
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Coach: Clijsters should be fine for Aussie Open
Ticker - Saturday, January 7, 2012
Kim Clijsters' injury in Brisbane has been diagnosed as a thigh muscle spasm and she should be able to play the Australian Open, her coach, Carl Maes, told The Age. Defending champion Clijsters retired down 7-6 (4), 1-3 against Daniela Hantuchova in the Brisbane semifinals. ''Kim will be resting for a few days and get intensive treatment" and her Australian Open appearance ''should not be in danger at the moment," Maes said. Clijsters is scheduled for another check-up on Wednesday.
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Kvitova, Berdych lead Czechs to Hopman Cup title
AP - Saturday, January 7, 2012
PERTH, Australia (AP)—Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Tomas Berdych had straight-set singles victories over France on Saturday to give the Czech Republic its second Hopman Cup title.
Kvitova won the last three games of the first set and went on to beat Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-1, while Berdych was perfect in a first-set tiebreaker and beat Richard Gasquet 7-6 (0), 6-4. The Czech pair were unbeaten in singles through three matches leading to the final.
The Czechs won the eight-country mixed teams title for the first time in 1994 when Jana Novotna and Petr Korda beat Germany in the final.
France has never won the Hopman Cup, a runner-up finish to Slovakia in 1998 its best showing. France has played 18 times in the 24-year history of the tournament.
Kvitova, who could overtake Caroline Wozniacki for the No. 1 ranking if she wins the Sydney International next week, beat American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova and Denmark’s Wozniacki in round-robin play before defeating Bartoli on Saturday.
Berdych was playing for the Czech Republic at the Hopman Cup for the third time. He beat American Mardy Fish, Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov and Denmark’s Frederik Nielsen in earlier play.
“It couldn’t be better, it was a great week,” Berdych said. “I think that was the best final that we could have come up with.”
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This one is a special delivery filed under the WE ALL BET catagory
Wozniacki doesn't fear losing No. 1 after loss
Ticker - Friday, January 6, 2012
After her 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4 loss to world No. 2 Petra Kvitova at the Hopman Cup exhibition, world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki tells reporters that she does not fear for losing her top ranking spot. Kvitova could take over No. 1 next week by winning the tournament in Sydney. "I'm not feeling any pressure about the ranking," Wozniacki said. "I've finished No. 1 for two years in a row and I think that's a great achievement. Very few people have ever done that. I'm playing well and enjoying my tennis and I'm excited a new year is starting. It was a great match from both of us. It could have gone either way. I feel like my form is starting to go on the up. All I can do is keep focused and win as many matches and tournaments as possible. We have just over a week before the Australian Open starts. I think I've got a lot to look forward to."
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Hey! This is not fair to the fans!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/tennis/6227798/ASB-Classic-final-moves-indoors
Never saw the Flavia match. I waited, waited, and waited. Next thing I knew the match was over. Flavia retired with lower back injury. Booooooooooooooooooo!
My favs Licki Bean and now Flavia retired with lower back injury. Coincidence?
Interesting results in Sydney:
Lucie Safarova over the Fist Pumping Imbecile 7-6 (5), 6-1. Typical of the Imbecile giving up after losing the first set. This gives the Imbecile an early losing record for 2012.
Dokic double bageled a wild card!
Urszula advanced to the main draw after King retired (adductor strain). Her reward: to play her sister Aggie in the first round. Another match where Caps' women are going head to head. 2012 seems to be the year for Mr. Caps.
Peng and Cibulkova in the third set with the diminutive one leading 4-3. Match was suspended by rain.
Moorilla Hobart:
Lickitongue was licking her chops ^-^ winning 6-0, 6-4. Would love to see more bagels from the crafty Russian.
Radwanska sisters upset about Sydney draw
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8400522
Hobart:
Sara Errani (ITA) d Johanna Larsson (SWE) 6-3 6-3
[4] Angelique Kerber d Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-2 6-4
Casey Dellacqua (AUS) d Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) 7-5 4-6 6-4
Mona Barthel (GER) d Romina Oprandi (ITA) 6-1 6-4
[1] Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d Marina Erakovic (NZL) 7-5 6-4
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) d Heather Watson (GBR) 7-6(10) 3-6 7-6(2)
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) d Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6-2 6-2
Sydney:
n3 s3 Victoria Azarenka BLR d n138 q Stefanie Voegele SUI 6-2, 6-1
n5 s4 Na Li CHN d n53 q Ekaterina Makarova RUS 6-0, 6-3 Mon
n11 Francesca Schiavone ITA d n6 s5 Samantha Stosur AUS 6-2, 6-4
n19 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d n7 s6 Vera Zvonareva RUS 6-1, 6-2
n8 s7 Agnieszka Radwanska POL d n105 q Urszula Radwanska POL 6-1, 6-1
n9 s8 Marion Bartoli FRA v n36 q Polona Hercog SLO 6-3, 6-3
n10 Andrea Petkovic GER v n16 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS 6-2, 6-3 Mon
n14 Jelena Jankovic SRB d n21 Julia Goerges GER 6-1, 3-1 Ret'd
n17 Shuai Peng CHN v n18 Dominika Cibulkova SVK 2-6, 6-4, 3-4 Sun-rain-Mon cC m2
*n25 Lucie Safarova CZE d n22 Ana Ivanovic SRB 7-6(5), 6-2 Sun
n24 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d n23 Roberta Vinci ITA 7-5, 6-2
n38 q Chanelle Scheepers RSA v n143 q Melinda Czink HUN 6-4, 6-2
n66 wc Jelena Dokic AUS d n183 wc Isabella Holland AUS 6-0, 6-0 Sun
n78 n65 LL Alexandra Dulgheru ROU d q Sofia Arvidsson SWE 6-1, 6-1
Thanks for the link Caps.
I always say that the same players keep playing each other as if the draw is rig or something. For Aggie to say that would rather play her sister in the QF or semis is a joke for some reason Urszula is playing qualies.
Cibulkova won over Peng 6-4 final set.
Two final scores that attracted my attention was Kuznetsova over Vera Z. and Schiavone over Mr. Sam Stosur.
Games that caught my eye:
JJ vs. Angry Bird: I'm going with Ms. Angry, don't let me down future ex wife. :P
Dokic vs Sponge Bart: I think Square Pants will win but I'll root for Dokic.
Petkovic vs Aggie: Well Aggie is 5-0 against Petkovic. Let the streak continue! I'm taking Aggie.
Cibulkova over Bunny: Seems the Diminutive one has the number on Stuffed Bunny as of late. I predict racket throwing from the Bunny and daddy lots making trips to the court sidelines.
I'm rooting for Cibulkova as well... Should start around 7:00pm Eastern.
On an unrelated note:
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Petkovic: Americans either love me or hate me
Ticker - Monday, January 9, 2012
Andrea Petkovic’s father Zoran tells the Sydney Morning Herald that his daughter has changed her post match victory "Petko Dance" after complaints from players and American media. The 24-year-old is now celebrating by imitating a slam dunk action inspired by German soccer player Bastian Schweinsteiger.
"[People] didn't tell me to my face and I don't read about myself so I wouldn't know [if there was criticism], but the questions they started saying, 'Don't you feel like it's disrespectful towards your opponent?' and this question came up over and over again," Andrea Petkovic said. "The thing I used to say was always, 'Listen, the soccer players when they shoot a goal and they celebrate with all kinds of things and they don't even win the match, and nobody would ever say something against them. Or the American football guys, when they do a touchdown they do a cha-cha-cha and nobody ever says anything against them.' It's strange — on the one hand the Americans really like me and they come to my matches, but they're like really bipolar. They either love me or they hate me."
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Thanks forvthe article Caps. You know how to get my motors running.
Just when I was starting to like creature. I remember having this conversation with a friend of mine back in the early 90s. Soccer is a sport that you score once in a while so you can understand the players' excitement when they score. In American football you get penalize for over celebrating that is 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct (in basketball you get a technical foul). This Dancing Buffoon should learn the facts. Is she actually saying that I'm part of the American media when I never taken a college journalism course? How unresearched are you D.B.? While I'm at it, you suck at your own dance! Aggie proved that!
Ostrich & Lickitongue both play at 8:30 Eastern but different cities. (Dokic should come on around 10:00.)
But, I watched a couple seconds of 'Hobart' tennis the other day and the camera looked like a 'fixed' web cam and it comes across as a practice session. Just awful!
IMO, I think people celebrating in 'team sports' is different than after a one on one contest. But, boxers do it, eh.
Good point Caps, but if someone paid me a couple of millons after kicking some dude's butt, I would be celebrating.
In other news Bunny took the first set 7-5. Booooooooo! I hooe Cibulkova raises her level of play.
I say Cib takes set 2 and 3. Bunny is a joke.
OH WOW! Cib was up 4-0 in the third set and lost it 6-4. IIRC Bunny didn't have her dad come out to coach either. (Perhaps, 'training' for the grand slams?)
I'm IRATE! Now onto my favorite Ostrich.
Also Aggie and Petko are battling. They just had a 20 minute point... But, I can't find any video.
Now tied up 4-4 in the first set.
Yeah, this made me mad too! And this coming from a guy whose name is Angry. Cibulkova choke ala Dani. Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Also, Lickitounge is up 4-0 in the first set. And the hobart feed doesn't have a webcam anymore.. Announcers and multiple camera views.
Lickitongue ended up winning 6-3. Up 2-0 in the second
Lickitongue won!!
Caps, what is up with your woman Ostrich?
Sydney doubles: Princess/Petrova vs Aggie/Dani. Once again Caps is one lucky man! The winner could possibly face Julia G's team. Damn, Caps must be in heaven.
Ostrich lost the second set 3-6. It was a parade of unforced errors from the Ostrich, some comical.
Ostrich was just toying around out there. No need to worry, she's victorious!
That said, Ostrich reminds of Kimmie big time. Her game is either great or awful and can turn on or off at any time.
Julia G pulled out of doubles and is already headed to Melbourne. Not sure why she's always sick... Maybe she's just allergic to anything but clay?
Love how Aggie took care of Petko. But, I'm getting tired of Aggie getting courts in the early rounds without television. They need to start showing her some respect.
Woah, we got Ostrich vs Dani at 3:30am and Aggie vs Bunny at 5:00am. Guess I'll see most if not all of Aggie's match but no way for Ostrich. Wonder if she'll get by without me? Oh yeah!
We all know Aggie the trickster is very smart. So, hopefully she'll put forth a game plan to come out on top. Although, I'm unsure if she'll really get slick out there because if Bunny broke her ankle or something on a dropper she'd probably feel bad.
In other words, this 'friendship' needs to 'break up' so Aggie can go full bore and send Bunny packing.
Caps you seen what I've seen, The Bunny's Kryptonite is the drop shots. Last year Lickitongue made a couple of drop shots against the Bunny (in Copenhagen), left her paralyze on court.
Unfortunately the Bunnster has the number on Aggie; you are right Caps that friendship needs friction like Dani H. and the Imbecile. Lets start rumors to impose friction between them.
I'm taking Ostrich and Aggie too.
Ms. Angry (soon to be Mrs. Angry haha) over Square Pants.
Safarova over Na. Li's game still doesn't convince me. Hope she gets her game going again, not a fan of hers but I would like to see Na on top of her game.
Na just won in straight sets. 6-2, 7-6 (3).
Somewhere in Brisbane Clefairy just let out a scream. XP
Well, its 4:55am and I'm awake!
Ostrich is winning 6-0 and 3-3.
Ostrich wins 6-0, 6-4! The last couple points I managed to see we're of HIGH quality.
Next up Aggie vs. Bunny.
Going to sleep, Ostrich won 6-0, 6-4.
I'll astral project to the stadium where the Bunny will play and wreak havoc. :P
Turned match off with Aggie losing 4-5 in the second set. Check scoreboard and she won it 7-5! Now onto the third, Aggie is up 2-1 and Bunny is stalling with a faux injury timeout on her wrist. Nothing like unsportsmanlike conduct from this so-called friend.
Aggie needs to sever ties with this woman.
3-6, 7-5, 6-2!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aggie wins it!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad she lost hahaha!
Typical Bunny, asking an injury time out when she is losing.
My astral projection worked (hi Clefairy). XP
Carlos, I was thinking perhaps Bunny is using this 'injury' to say she didn't really 'lose' the #1 spot and got injured. Would that be too far fetched? Or was she just stalling because Aggie was kicking her cotton tail? Maybe a combo?
19:00 Cirstea - Kerber (WTA Hobart)
20:30 Gajdosova - Barthel (WTA Hobart)
22:00 Li - Kvitova (WTA Sydney)
22:00 Wickmayer - Halep (WTA Hobart)
23:30 Azarenka - Radwanska (WTA Sydney)
01:00 Kirilenko / Petrova - Huber / Raymond (WTA Sydney)
03:00 Chakvetadze - Peer (WTA Hobart)
I'm definitely watching Li - Ostrich and most likely Azarenka - Aggie.. Sadly I've been up since around 5am so I will be sleeping when Lickitongue faces Peer.
Here is a link for a new Aggie interview with a google translation its on a Polish site. I haven't had a chance to read it yet.
http://tinyurl.com/6tsu2bq
My picks for today Sydney:
Ostrich over Na. Too many three setters for Na.
Angry Bird over Aggie. Sorry Caps I have to take my woman on the side, Ms. Angry.
Hobart:
I'm taking Lickitongue, WickiWkickiWicki, The chipmiunk voiced Romanian, and Jarmilla.
Can someone (Clefairy) tell Simona to call me. ;) Hahahaha.
Caps I didn't see your last post, sorry.
Since the Bunny has used this tactic in the past to me she was stalling trying to get Aggie off rythm. It is not far fetched Caps, indirectly she is saying she lost the number one ranking due to her injury. If you read or hear her statements, she cares more about being ranked number one than winning important titles.
BTW the chipmunk voiced Romanian lost in three sets, she got bageled in the first.
This year keep an eye on the American doubles team of Spears/Kops-Jones.
Ostrich lost Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Jarmilla lost.
Wicki saves me today she has been the only one out my predictions who has won.
The Ostrich match didn't start on time and I went to sleep. Good thing, I hate seeing my women lose!
Ya know, I'm not surprised Na Li beat Ostrich because I remember back when she also won against Clijsters with that low ball style.
It was a good run for Aggie but guess she couldn't pull this one out.
Watching the live stream on Hobart's website. For some reason when I go full screen, the borders are white instead of black which makes for a very 'bright' viewing experience and sucks!
Licki won the first set 6-4, lost the second 4-6 and now we're going to the third set.
On a side note, Peer finally got a decent looking dress but she's wearing it with black shoes.. Really?
Crap, Licki just retired down 0-1! Guess she had treatments for cramping? Missed whatever the cause was this time.
Caps I'm the same way, I can't stand to see my girls lose.
Lickitongue is the very early contender to the "Snap, Crackle, and Pop" 2012 award.
I'm still going to make predictions. :P
Sydney: My woman on the side Angry Bird to take the title.
Hobart: WickiWickiWicki all the way.
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