The Daily Swing: WTA Charleston 4-7-2011

Women's Singles - Second Round

[1] C Wozniacki (DEN) d [Q] I Falconi (USA) 61 61 -- I don't know the numbers to back the following statement up, but I'm guessing that no WTA #1 has dispatched significantly lower ranked players with as much consistent ease as Caroline Wozniacki does since the days of Steffi Graf.  Her utter refusal to let matches get interesting probably has not helped her  just refuses to let things get interesting.  Wozniacki seems to have something of a propensity for drawing up-and-coming Americans in early rounds of tournaments (Chelsey Gullickson at US Open, Vania King at Australian Open, Sloane Stephens at Indian Wells), and never once has she been significantly tested. 

[2] S Stosur (AUS) d P Mayr-Achleitner (AUT) 61 62 -- Hurricane Patricia was blown out of the Carolinas with relative ease by defending champ Sam Stosur, a very solid start to what is only her second attempt at defending a singles title.  Stosur needs a good tournament here in a bad way, and has to be hoping that the slippery clay will stop her 2011 slide.  Stosur has only made the quarterfinals at one of her six tournaments so far this year, and has yet to live up to her seeding at any.  But a big start to the clay season could reset things very, very nicely.

[3] J Jankovic (SRB) d T Paszek (AUT) 62 63 -- None of the dramatics of their 2008 Australian Open R1 epic, apparently.  Which is a shame, because that match was one of the most nuts things I've ever seen on a tennis court.

[WC] S Lisicki (GER) d [4] M Bartoli (FRA) 62 63 -- Sabine Lisicki earned the biggest title of her career in Charleston back in 2009, beating Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki on her way to her first and (to this point) only WTA title.  Lisicki relative comfort level on the dusty green stuff is clearly much greater than Bartoli's (who doesn't like clay of any sort despite her nationality), but all the same I'm surprised this match was so lopsided.  Lisicki next faces Sania Mirza in what is an extremely open part of the draw.

[7] N Petrova (RUS) d E Gallovits-Hall (ROU) 61 61

[Q] A Tatishvili (GEO) d [9] M Kirilenko (RUS) 57 75 63 -- Maria Kirilenko has had a year to forget, with its lowest point yet being this loss to the normally quite benign Anna Tatishvili.  Kirilenko has a quarterfinal in Rome and a fourth round at Roland Garros to defend in the next couple months, so if she doesn't regain her form she could be dropping towards Andreev territory in the rankings real soon.

[10] D Hantuchova (SVK) d E Rodina (RUS) 60 61

E Vesnina (RUS) d [14] B Mattek-Sands (USA) 64 76(6) -- A bad break for this tournament, which is now down to only one American (Christina McHale).  This match would normally be a toss-up, but I have to think the surface gave Vesnina a slight edge.

[15] B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) d A Rodionova (AUS) 63 16 63 -- I'm guessing this match was ignored by most spectators, but I would have been courtside with popcorn. I haven't heard any reports of major drama erupting between these two irritable (and irritating) combatants (and believe me, I've looked), but I'm willing to bet there were major fireworks.  Less certain there was a handshake.

Women's Doubles - First Round

[1] K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO) d V Dushevina (RUS) / T Poutchek (BLR) 61 61

S Mirza (IND) / E Vesnina (RUS) d [2] L Huber (USA) / L Raymond (USA) 63 64 -- Personality-wise, Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond seem like a real unworkable pairing.  Then again, I wind up thinking that about every pair that Liezel is half of.

S Peng (CHN) / J Zheng (CHN) d [3] V King (USA) / B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 23 ret'd -- Given all their successes together, I'm surprised Yaroslava Shvedova didn't stick around the US to play this tournament with Vania King.

J Goerges (GER) / N Petrova (RUS) d A Kleybanova (RUS) / Z Yan (CHN) 26 64 10-3

D Hantuchova (SVK) / M Kirilenko (RUS) d A Hlavackova (CZE) / R Voracova (CZE) 67(8) 62 16-14

R Kops-Jones (USA) / A Spears (USA) d M Kondratieva (RUS) / S Lefevre (FRA) 76(5) 67(5) 10-7 -- My favorite US Open quarterfinalists pairing ever took advantage of a very nice draw in their first round, but will be up for a much tougher test against Peng and Zheng in the next round.

A Kudryavtseva (RUS) / A Rodionova (AUS) d [WC] S Rogers (USA) / P Schnyder (SUI) 64 67(8) 10-6 -- A very solid effort from local Shelby Rogers and her elderly partner.  In other news, that Rodionova-Cara Black pairing sure didn't last long, did it?

ORDER OF PLAY - THURSDAY, APRIL 07, 2011

STADIUM start 11:00 am

[Q] A Tatishvili (GEO) vs [6] Y Wickmayer (BEL)

Not Before 1:00 PM

[1] C Wozniacki (DEN) vs [15] B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) -- This one could be fun, especially if Wozniacki starts to get frustrated with herself (as she is unappreciatedly wont to do).

E Vesnina (RUS) vs [2] S Stosur (AUS) -- A rematch of what was a very tough win for Stosur at the 2010 US Open.  The clay should allow Sam to kick the flat hitting Vesnina off the court, theoretically.

[Q] S Mirza (IND) vs [WC] S Lisicki (GER)

Not Before 7:00 PM

[3] J Jankovic (SRB) vs C Scheepers (RSA) -- These two were one of the more random doubles pairings ever at Wimbledon 2010.  Could be a close match if Jankovic is not at her best.

[4] B Mattek-Sands (USA) / M Shaughnessy (USA) vs D Hantuchova (SVK) / M Kirilenko (RUS)

ALTHEA GIBSON start 11:00 am

[5] S Peer (ISR) vs [12] J Goerges (GER) -- This one should be real, real lopsided in Peer's direction.  Shahar can move into the top ten this week.

Not Before 12:30 PM

[7] N Petrova (RUS) vs [11] S Peng (CHN) -- Nice contrast in styles, for sure.  Peng's been way hotter lately, so I'll tip her to win this one.

[10] D Hantuchova (SVK) vs C Mchale (USA)

[1] K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO) vs J Goerges (GER) / N Petrova (RUS)