Henin survives Jankovic challenge in Stuttgart

It was their toughest match yet but the end result was the same as it has always been. Justine Henin continued her mastery over Jelena Jankovic at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, improving to 10-0 in their head-to-head with a 36 76(4) 63 victory in the quarterfinals.

Henin and Jankovic played each other nine times between 2005 and 2007, with the first five meetings going to three sets and the next four ending in straight sets. Friday's clash between the No.4-seeded Jankovic and Henin, a wildcard on account of her recent return to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, was their closest, with Jankovic coming within a few points of victory in the second set.

"Jelena was really aggressive today. Slowly but surely I stayed focused and fought," Henin said. "It was a long time since we had played but a lot of them have been close. I just tried to stay calm and do my job the best I could."

"Today was another match. I wasn't thinking about our other matches," Jankovic said. "I had the match in my hands but unfortunately it didn't go my way. As soon as you drop a little bit, she takes her opportunities and gets on top of you.

"She's playing as well as she used to, maybe better."

Awaiting Henin in the semifinals is Shahar Peer, who pulled off an upset of her own, ousting No.2 seed Dinara Safina, 63 62. Safina was playing her first tournament after a three month injury lay-off and won her first match back the night before, but had little left as she lost to Peer for the fourth straight time.

"It was a good start. I was 3-1 up with a chance to go 4-1 up. I didn't win that game, she won some points, I went a little bit down... I haven't played many matches, that's probably the cause," Safina said. "This was my first time playing points again so to win my first match here is already not a bad result."

"At the start I couldn't find my game, but then I started using the court more," Peer said. "I had it in my mind she hadn't played for a long time, but I knew she wouldn't give it to me. She won her match yesterday so I knew I had to win the match."

Henin and Peer have played each other only once previously on the Tour, with Henin winning their only previous encounter in straight sets.

With Jankovic and Safina out, the only other seed to take the court was No.7 seed Samantha Stosur, and unlike her peers she was not to be ousted. The Australian got past Li Na, conqueror of No.3 seed and defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova a round earlier, in two routine sets, 63 63.

Stosur was phenomenal on the big points against Li, converting on all three of her break opportunities. She never faced a break point on her own serve: "Any match you can go through and not lose serve is a good day. I'm not sure what my percentage was but I saw at the end of the first set it was pretty hot. I knew I was doing the right things and I was able to continue that in the second set."

Stosur will next play qualifier Anna Lapushchenkova, who continued her dream run with a 76(1) 16 61 quarterfinal win over Lucie Safarova in the night match. Lapushchenkova had never won back-to-back matches at any Tour event before this week but has now won three in a row to reach her first Tour semi.

Stosur and Lapushchenkova will be meeting for the very first time.


Friday, April 30, 2010

Singles - Quarterfinals
Shahar Peer (ISR) d. (2) Dinara Safina (RUS) 63 62
(WC) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (4) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 36 76(4) 63
(7/WC) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Li Na (CHN) 63 63
(Q) Anna Lapushchenkova d. (RUS) Lucie Safarova (CZE) 76(1) 16 61

Kunzetsova, Radwanska ousted; Henin goes through in Stuttgart

The first round wrapped up with no surprises but there were certainly some shockers as the second round began at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, as both seeds who took the court - Svetlana Kuznetsova and Agnieszka Radwanska - were sent packing by unseeded players.

Radwanska, seeded No.5, was the first to fall in one of the earlier matches of the day, losing to Shahar Peer, 63 67(4) 62. Peer actually had match point at 63 65 but needed a third set - a quick one, at that - to put the Pole away.

"I'm happy I managed to come back and cruise in the third set," Peer said. "Agnieszka has been in the top for a while and I'm really happy with this win."

Kuznetsova, the No.3 seed and defending champion, followed Radwanska to the sidelines in the last match of the day, losing to Li Na, 63 75. Like Peer, Li held match point at 63 65, three match points in fact; but the Chinese, unlike the Israeli, put it away in straights. She is now 3-6 lifetime against the Russian.

No.4 seed Jelena Jankovic, No.6 seed Victoria Azarenka, No.7 seed Sam Stosur, No.8 seed Yanina Wickmayer and unseeded players Justine Henin and Lucie Safarova all won first round matches at the Premier-level event.

Henin had the most intriguing win of the bunch, rallying from triple set point down at 5-6 in the first set to beat Germany's own Julie Goerges, 76(3) 61.

"She was on fire in the first set and serving really well," Henin said. "I just tried to remember how I've been playing, staying aggressive, and it started going better. It's always nice to play at home so I think she was feeling good today. She's really good and I'm happy I was able to win today."

Jankovic beat tricky clay courter Gisela Dulko, South America's No.1 player, 62 62. Jankovic had lost to Dulko before. "I thought I did well for my first match here," the Serb told the press afterwards. "Dulko is a tough opponent, especially on clay. I played well in the first set; I had some ups and downs in the second set and I lost my concentration at times, but overall it was good."

The rest of the second round takes place at the Porsche Arena Thursday. Among those in action is Dinara Safina, who plays her first match since the Aussie Open.


Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Singles - Second Round
Li Na (CHN) d. (3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 63 75
Shahar Peer (ISR) d. (5) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 63 67(4) 62

Singles - First Round
(4) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. Gisela Dulko (ARG) 62 62
(6) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 61 64
(7/WC) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Marion Bartoli (FRA) 62 61
(8) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 63 63
Lucie Safarova (CZE) d. (Q) Selima Sfar (TUN) 26 30 ret. (right ankle injury)
(WC) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (WC) Julia Goerges (GER) 76(3) 61

Stosur ousts Zvonareva for crown in Charleston

Australia's Samantha Stosur routed Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-0 6-3 in the final of the WTA Family Circle Cup in Charleston.

Stosur continued her recent dominance over her opponent, making it five successive wins, as she picked up her second career title after winning in Japan last year.

The fourth seed was expected to be given a tough ride by Zvonareva, seeded seventh, but last year's French Open semi-finalist dominated from the start and is now poised to break into the world's top-10.

The Russian won just five points in a first set that lasted only 18 minutes and then broke to love in the second game of the next to surge ahead once again.

She then closed out another love-game for 3-0 with an ace up the middle before Zvonareva tried to disrupt Stosur's flow with a series of lobs.

It seemed to pay off although she had to save two more break points before recording her first game after 35 minutes on court and remarkably got back on serve at 3-4 after pressuring the Stosur delivery for the first time.

However, the comeback was short-lived as the Aussie seized two break points in the eighth game, crushing a forehand winner down the line to edge towards victory before crossing the finish line by serving out to love.

The Aussie went home with a first prize of $107,000 and upped her record to 5-2 all-time against Zvonareva.

The Russian fell to 10-12 all-time in title matches and had trouble controlling her emotions. In one outburst, she smashed her racket, bending it nearly in half, then booted it across the court while walking to the sidelines to get a new one.

After earning a warning for racket abuse, Zvonareva won four straight points to briefly get back into the match.


Sunday, April 18, 2010

Singles - Final
(4) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (7) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 60 63

Caroline injured and out; Zvonareva to meet Stosur for title in Charleston

Caroline Wozniacki's quest for the Family Circle Cup title will have to wait for another year, after she sprained her ankle in the first set of her semifinal against Vera Zvonareva and retired a few points later.

Wozniacki, who was 8-0 in the American clay court swing going into the match - winning five matches to take the title in Ponte Vedra Beach last week then extending the streak with three more wins in Charleston - was down 4-2 to Zvonareva when she rolled her ankle chasing down a short ball, falling to the court and, in tears, getting it taped up by the Primary Health Care Provider.

The tape didn't do the trick, though: she stopped a few points later.

"When I fell I heard a snap. I knew right away something was wrong," Wozniacki said. "I wanted to see if it was possible to keep playing. I was surprised I could still stand on my leg. But when I moved to the sides, it was impossible."

Zvonareva, who injured her ankle in Charleston last year, was sympathetic to Wozniacki like nobody else on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour could be.

"When I saw Caroline twist her ankle I had flashbacks in my mind. I even feel like I have pain in my ankle right now," Zvonareva said. "I don't wish anyone to be in that situation because last year it was very difficult for me. I can only imagine what Caroline is going through now. I just wish her a quick recovery."

"Vera had the same experience here last year and her injury was really bad," Wozniacki said. "At the net she told me to take care of it and to make sure I'm okay before I start playing again. I have to look at the MRI tomorrow..."

Wozniacki was the No.1 seed in Charleston; Zvonareva is seeded No.7.

Following Zvonareva into the final was No.4 seed Samantha Stosur, a 63 76(2) winner over No.8 seed Daniela Hantuchova. After taking the first set Stosur was in all sorts of trouble in the second, falling behind 5-2 and even facing double set point at 5-4 down; but she hung tough to close it out in straight sets.

"I expected a tough match from Daniela," Stosur said. "We hadn't played each other for a few years but actually practiced with each other right at the start of the week, so I guess we both got an idea about what we were going to do today.

"Overall, I'm very pleased. Obviously very happy to come back from 5-2 in the second set. I was glad to finish it in two sets."

Stosur and Zvonareva will be playing each other for the seventh time but first on clay. Stosur leads the head-to-head series, 4-2.


Saturday, April 17, 2010

Singles - Semifinals
(7) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. (1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 52 ret. (right ankle sprain)
(4) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (8) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 63 76(2)