Williams sisters survive fourth round matches; Dementieva ousted in straight sets on Day 6 in Miami

After their fourth round wins, the Williams sisters are just one win away from their semifinal clash, as they both won their matches in three tough sets.

No. 5 seed Venus was first to advance, as she faced No. 10 seed Agnieszka Radwanska, and won 46 61 64.

"Every now and then everybody has those kinds of matches. I was hitting really well in practice. I came out and things weren't going to the way I imagined they would, but that's tennis," a relieved Venus said. "She's a fighter. She had some chances to tie it at 5-5. She plays smart and takes advantage of every point."

Venus will next face No. 26 seed Iveta Benesova, who ousted No. 19 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues, 64 61.

Top seed Serena fought No. 17 seed Jie Zheng, and won after losing the second set, 75 57 63.

"I felt like if I didn't straighten up I was going to lose," Serena said. "At that point, I was ready to get the match over. I knew I didn't want to lose, and I knew I had to do what I needed to do to at least play a little better."

Li Na, who won to Ekaterina Makarova 67(3) 62 62, is up next for Serena.

No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva was crushed by No. 13 seed Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets, 75 64.

No. 8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova had a better day than her fellow Russian, as she won her match to No. 24 seed Alisa Kleybanova, 62 61.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Singles - Fourth Round

[1] S Williams (USA) d [17] J Zheng (CHN) 75 57 63

[13] C Wozniacki (DEN) d [4] E Dementieva (RUS) 75 64

[5] V Williams (USA) d [10] A Radwanska (POL) 46 61 64

[8] S Kuznetsova (RUS) d [24] A Kleybanova (RUS) 62 61

[11] V Azarenka (BLR) d [25] A Szavay (HUN) 62 64

[26] I Benesova (CZE) d [19] A Medina Garrigues (ESP) 64 61

S Stosur (AUS) d [20] A Mauresmo (FRA) 64 64

N Li (CHN) d E Makarova (RUS) 67(3) 62 62

Safina, Ivanovic crash out; Williams sisters through

Dinara Safina looked like she would go far in Miami, but that was proven wrong, after she crashed out of the Sony Ericsson Open, losing to an Australian in straight sets. The same thing happened to Ana Ivanovic, who was also ousted, in three sets.

No. 2 seed Safina was sent flying home after Samantha Stosur was sent to the next round, as she won 61 64.

"It's very disappointing. This is what I'm playing for, to be there and to play well. Suddenly I go on the court and I don't even fight for it until the second set," Safina said. "It was bad behaviour from my side. The champions, they don't do this. This is a good punishment for me. I have to get smarter on the court."

No. 7 seed Ivanovic lost to Agnes Szavay, 64 46 61.

"I'm really disappointed with today's match. I hardly did anything well. The way I started the match, I felt like I had so many chances early on, and I was missing by a little bit and got really down on myself."

There were still some good results from the top seeds, as top seed Serena Williams won her match to Shuai Peng 75 62; No. 5 seed Venus won her match to Anna-Lena Groenefeld 75 63; No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva won her match to Carla Suarez Navarro, 62 62; and No. 8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova won her match to Nicole Vaidisova, 61 64.

Other top seeded losers of the day were No. 6 seed Vera Zvonareva, who was beaten by Li Na 64 36 62, and No. 9 seed Nadia Petrova, who lost to Ekaterina Makarova, 75 61.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Singles - Third Round

(1) Serena Williams (USA) d. (32) Peng Shuai (CHN) 75 62

Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (2) Dinara Safina (RUS) 61 64

(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. (31) Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) 62 62

(5) Venus Williams (USA) d. Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 75 63

Li Na (CHN) d. (6) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 64 36 62

(25) Agnes Szavay (HUN) d. (7) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 64 46 61

(8) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) 61 64

Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) d. (9) Nadia Petrova (RUS) 75 61

(10) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (21) Kaia Kanepi (EST) 64 63

(11) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (22) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 61 64

(13) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (18) Patty Schnyder (SUI) 64 64

(17) Zheng Jie (CHN) d. (14) Alizé Cornet (FRA) 64 60

(20) Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) d. (15) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 67(5) 62 62

(19) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. (16) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 76(4) 16 55 ret. (cramping)

(24) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (Q) Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) 63 36 64

(26) Iveta Benesova (CZE) d. Gisela Dulko (ARG) 63 62

Williams sisters shine on opening matches; Jankovic ousted in straight sets

The Williams sisters were on fire in their opening match on Saturday, as they ousted their opponents in easy straight sets, while it was an awful day for No. 3 seed Jelena Jankovic, who was humiliated by Gisela Dulko in straight sets.

Top seed Serena demolished wildcard Alexa Glatch, 62 63, while No. 5 seed Venus won to Shahar Peer, 63 63.

"I played okay. I can probably play better, but there are jitters going out there in your first match. No one wants to go out in the first round. I'll need to keep playing better."

"I hadn't played in almost four weeks, so it was just a little bit of a slow start," Williams said. "Shahar tries on every shot. Even if she's 5-1 down, she's still trying to get that game and that set. I appreciate her attitude. It's refreshing."

Jankovic lost to Dulko with a score of 64 76(5). Jankovic led 4-2 in the first set, and 5-2 in the second, even having two set points.

No. 6 seed Vera Zvonareva won easily to Tathiana Garbin, 64 61; No. 9 seed Nadia Petrova won to qualifier Michaella Krajicek, 36 64 62; and No. 10 seed Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Tamarine Tanasugarn, 46 63 62.

Saturday, March 28, 2008

Singles - Second Round
[1] S Williams (USA) d [WC] A Glatch (USA) 62 63
G Dulko (ARG) d [3] J Jankovic (SRB) 64 76(5)

[5] V Williams (USA) d S Peer (ISR) 63 63

[6] V Zvonareva (RUS) d T Garbin (ITA) 64 61

[9] N Petrova (RUS) d [Q] M Krajicek (NED) 36 64 62

[10] A Radwanska (POL) d T Tanasugarn (THA) 46 63 62

[14] A Cornet (FRA) d B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 64 76(4)

[16] D Cibulkova (SVK) d [Q] K Sprem (CRO) 64 63

[17] J Zheng (CHN) d [Q] J Goerges (GER) 64 62

[19] A Medina Garrigues (ESP) d A Kudryavtseva (RUS) 76(3) 64

[21] K Kanepi (EST) d M Martinez Sanchez (ESP) 46 64 75

E Makarova (RUS) d [23] A Sugiyama (JPN) 63 64

[26] I Benesova (CZE) d S Lisicki (GER) 62 64

A Groenefeld (GER) d [30] S Errani (ITA) 64 63

N Li (CHN) d [29] A Wozniak (CAN) 75 63

[32] S Peng (CHN) d M Santangelo (ITA) 75 63

No. 12 seed Bartoli ousted in straight sets; top seeds move through

All of the matches on Day 3 of the Sony Ericsson Open featured seeds, and only 3 out of 16 seeds were ousted, including No. 12 Marion Bartoli, who lost in straight sets.

No. 2 seed Dinara Safina showed that she was no match for Mathilde Johansson, winning 61 63.

No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva had a tough win over wildcard Anastasia Pivovarova, as she took it to three sets, winning with a score of 60 36 63.

No. 7 seed Ana Ivanovic easily went through after ousting Mariya Koryttseva, 60 63.

No. 8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova had to fight hard to win to qualifier Tamira Paszek, 26 75 61.

Last week's semifinalist and breakthrough player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had a tougher draw in Miami, and was ousted by Victoria Azarenka, who also lost in the semis at Indian Wells, 62 62.

Bartoli was humiliated by qualifier Anastasiya Yakimova, as the Bulgarian won 63 64.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Singles - Second Round

(2) Dinara Safina (RUS) d. Mathilde Johansson (FRA) 61 63
(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. (WC) Anastasia Pivovarova (RUS) 60 36 63

(7) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) d. (Q) Mariya Koryttseva (UKR) 60 63

(8) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (Q) Tamira Paszek (AUT) 26 75 61

(11) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 62 62

(Q) Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) d. (12) Marion Bartoli (FRA) 64 63

(13) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (WC) Jelena Dokic (AUS) 63 57 62

(15) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 64 75

(18) Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 46 61 64

(20) Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) d. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 63 16 62

(22) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) d. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 63 61

(24) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) 62 64

(25) Agnes Szavay (HUN) d. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 26 64 62

Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (27) Sybille Bammer (AUT) 61 61

Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) d. (28) Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 61 60

(31) Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) d. Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) 36 64 76(3)