Sharapova wins debut match in L.A.

Maria Sharapova was in no tough positions on Monday night, as the Russian demolished her opponent in straight sets, while the highest seed playing on Day 1, No. 11 seed Flavia Pennetta, went to three sets against lucky loser Varvara Lepchenko and won the last set in a bagel.

Wearing a headband for the first time, Sharapova faced Jarmila Groth, and was not put under pressure by the Slovakian, winning with a score of 60 64.

"She was swinging away all through the match and a lot of them started to go in, but she couldn't consistently do it," Sharapova said of her opponent. "Playing all of these tournaments is a great benefit for me. This is my sixth tournament back and this is going to be a process on things I want to improve and work on in my game. It has been a good ride so far."

Pennetta thwarted Lepchenko's hopes of advancing to the next round, as the Italian was in tough positions sometimes, but succeeded in winning with a score of 62 57 60.

Anna Chakvetadze broke her losing run after besting No. 11 seed Virginie Razzano, 76(5) 63.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Singles - First Round

(10) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. (LL) Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 62 57 60

Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) d. (11) Virginie Razzano (FRA) 76(5) 63

Lucie Safarova (CZE) d. (15) Kaia Kanepi (EST) 63 76(4)

(Q) Jill Craybas (USA) d. (16) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 76(7) 62

Alona Bondarenko (UKR) d. Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) 36 63 63

Elena Vesnina (RUS) d. Agnes Szavay (HUN) 61 60

Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (Q) Michaella Krajicek (NED) 63 67(4) 63

Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) 61 63

Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) 61 61

Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Jarmila Groth (SVK) 60 64

Shahar Peer (ISR) d. (Q) Anastasia Rodionova (RUS) 75 41 ret. (left ankle injury)

Ai Sugiyama (JPN) d. (Q) Carly Gullickson (USA) 63 61

(WC) Vania King (USA) d. Sybille Bammer (AUT) 63 62

(WC) Coco Vandeweghe (USA) d. Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 64 64

Dushevina wins first title of career after demolishing Hradecka in straight sets

Vera Dushevina worked hard in her Sunday final in Istanbul, Turkey, and won the tournament to Lucie Hradecka in 41 minutes, making it the Russian's first WTA Tour title.

On her way to the final, fifth seeded Dushevina never lost more than four games in her matches, and playing against eighth seeded Hradecka was no harder, as she crushed the Czech with a score of 60 61.

"I was serving very well today. I tried to be aggressive and push forward so she didn't have any chance to attack. If she played better it would have been a much tougher match, but it wasn't easy for me - it was a final," Dushevina said. "I'm very happy to win my first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title. I've played three finals before this so finally I have a title!"

Dushevina's title run was so devastating, she also holds the honor of the least games lost en route to a title this year, with 16. Flavia Pennetta was the prior record holder for 2009, losing 24 in Palermo. Not since 2005 has anyone lost that few, the last to do so being Anna Smashnova that year (12 at Budapest).

"Before I came to Istanbul, I lost early in Portoroz, and I wasn't very excited about playing again this week. I was upset, and I didn't come here thinking I could win," Dushevina continued. "It was a tough tournament with a lot of top players, so I'm very happy I was able to win the title."

Hradecka is now 0-3 herself in Tour singles finals, also having finished runner-up at Bad Gastein last year and Strasbourg this year.

"I slept well today, until 1pm, but maybe it wasn't enough because I still feel tired," Hradecka said. "Vera played very well today though. She didn't make any mistakes. Before the tournament, if somebody came and told me I'd play the final of singles and win the doubles, I'd have said they were joking."

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Singles - Final

(5) Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. (8) Lucie Hradecka (CZE) 60 61

Bartoli crushes Venus in three sets to win Stanford crown

No. 2 seed Venus Williams was stunned in the final of the Bank of the West Classic by No. 8 seed Marion Bartoli, as the American fought hard, but not hard enough, and Bartoli was able to execute the win in three sets.

Williams hadn't lost a set in the tournament before the final. Bartoli was in good shape, and won the first set easily. Venus gained strength and was able to go from 4-5 down to win the set 7-5. In the third set, both players fought with everything they had, but Bartoli came out on top to win the title. The final score was 62 57 64.

"It was really hard mentally to win the second set, because it was getting tighter and tighter... when I served for the match, she sensed I was tight, and she started coming up with big winners," Bartoli said. "I just tried to stay positive and focused in the third set. We had some great rallies in the third set. It was so hard to win the last game. The only chance to win that was to take my chances, because otherwise Venus wouldn't give me anything. I gave everything I had today."

"Marion played really well today. I have to give her credit for playing so well," Williams said. "I was fighting myself out there as well as her. It was a tough day. I had to fight through it and in the end I ran out of time. My last few matches were so good, but today I just couldn't execute the way I wanted."

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Singles - Final

(8) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. (2) Venus Williams (USA) 62 57 64

Venus to face Bartoli in Stanford final

No. 2 seed Venus Williams was successful in reaching the final in Stanford, as the ousted No. 3 seed Elena Dementieva in straight sets, while Marion Bartoli, the No. 8 seed, came back from losing the second set to winning to Samantha Stosur to get to the final.

Williams didn't have a tough day in her semifinal match against Dementieva, as the American achieved the win with a score of 60 61.

Bartoli was a bit challenge by her Australian opponent, but managed to score the win, 63 16 61.

The head-to-head result between Williams and Bartoli is 1-0 Williams, their only meeting being in the 2007 Wimbledon final, when Williams won 64 61.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Singles - Semifinals

(2) Venus Williams (USA) d. (3) Elena Dementieva (RUS) 60 61

(8) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 63 16 61