Wk.8 - A Very Russian Winter

Tennisrulz.com WTA BACKSPIN February 28, 2005 A VERY RUSSIAN WINTER by Todd Spiker After some uncharacteristically shaky play Down Under, the Horde (save the Czarina) shaped up a bit in February. Four weeks of action produced four Russian championships from three different players (the Supernova, as usual, just had to set herself apart by claiming two). With four titles claimed by Russians thus far in '05 -- Italy is the only other nation with more than one (both by Flavia Pennetta), the WTA landscape is starting to look a little more familiar. So, was Melbourne simply an aberration? A mirage? Is the stage being set for another three-slam year? Time will tell, but as for February... **PLAYERS OF THE MONTH** 1.Maria Sharapova 2.Flavia Pennetta 3.Amelie Mauresmo 4.Dinara Safina 5.Sania Mirza RISER: Flavia Pennetta SURPRISE: Alyona Bondarenko VETERAN: Conchita Martinez FRESH FACE: Sania Mirza DOWN: Karolina Sprem *PERFORMANCE OF THE MONTH* Dinara Safina in Paris ...she defeated Sprem, Golovin and Mauresmo for her third career title, and the biggest (Tier II) so far. *MATCH OF THE MONTH* Tokyo TPP Final - Sharapova d. Davenport ...6-1/3-6/7-6. Nobody puts losses behind them quicker than the Supernova. A week after letting match points for an Oz final appearance slip away, she claimed her first Tier I title on her fourth MP. *CHOKE OF THE MONTH* Antwerp Final - Mauresmo d. V.Williams ...4-6/7-5/6-4. Williams served at 5-4 in the 2nd set, and was up 4-2 in the 3rd. Afterward, she talked about a potential stomach muscle injury. On Monday, she followed up this match with a loss in straights to Silvia Farina Elia in Dubai. Maybe she had a hangnail this time? *COMEBACK OF THE MONTH* Conchita Martinez in Pattaya ...the vet won her first singles title in nearly five years (her 33rd overall), defeating Anna-Lena Groenefeld in a three-set final. *BREAKOUT OF THE MONTH* Sania Mirza in Hyderabad ...the Indian Princess came to her hometown and became the first from her country to win a WTA crown. The 18-year old isn't sleeping on her success, either (listening Ms.Sprem?). She ended the month on Monday by fighting for a three-set win in Dubai over Jelena Kostanic. *UPSET OF THE MONTH* Bogota SF - Dominguez-Lino d. Zuluaga ...7-6/7-6. Zuluaga had won three straight titles in her hometown tournament, but she couldn't get past a world #193 who'd never been past a WTA QF before the day she upset the Colombian. *REAWAKENING OF THE MONTH* Vera Zvonareva in Memphis ...while she isn't quite Rumpelstilskin, Zvonareva awakened from a month-long sleep to finally get her 2005 tennis legs by successfully defending her title from '04. *"BEST SEASON SERIES" NOMINEE* Dinara Safina vs. Tatiana Golovin ...tied 1-1 in February *TOP FEBRUARY STORIES* 1.Russians Rule in Winter 2.Princess Sania Claims Her Crown 3.Legit Comebacks: Martinez & Hantuchova 4.Legit Comeback (so far): Kim Clijsters 5.Corrupted "Comeback": Martina Hingis ====================================== ====================================== ==WEEK 8== DOHA, QATAR (II-HO) S: Sharapova d. Molik 4-6/6-1/6-4 D: Molik/Schiavone d. Black/Huber ================================= ACAPULCO, MEXICO (III-RC) S: Pennetta d. Cervanova 3-6/7-5/6-3 D: Jidkova/Perebiynis d. Andres-Rodriguez/Medina-Garrigues ==PLAYER AWARDS== PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Maria Sharapova & Flavia Pennetta ...the Supernova showed she has a long memory, upping her record against Molik to 2-0 since losing to her in the Zurich final last October. After defeating the Aussie in Doha, Sharapova's now an impressive 13-1 in pro finals (9-1 in WTA events). Meanwhile, Pennetta made it 2-for-2 in '05 red clay events, winning her second title in as many weeks in Acapulco. She's not in Sharapova's class, but she seems to have gotten the hang of these finals. After going 0-2 in finals to start '04, she's now won in her last three appearances. ====================================== RISERS: Alicia Molik & Daniela Hantuchova ...Molik didn't win Doha, but she got a huge win over Mauresmo to climb to a career-best #8 singles ranking. Then, she won the doubles with Francesca Schiavone to move to #10 in doubles (knocking off #1 Ruano-Pascual/Suarez along the way). Wonder Girl is gaining some momentum as Indian Wells (where her lone WTA title was claimed in '02) approaches, "upsetting" the likes of Maggie Maleeva, Elena Bovina and Conchita Martinez en route to the Doha SF. ====================================== SURPRISE: Antonella Serra-Zanetti ...Pennetta wasn't the only Italian who faired well in Acapulco. Serra-Zanetti, 24, didn't match her career-best WTA result ('03 Casablanca RU), but she did manage to advance to the SF. ====================================== VETERANS: Conchita Martinez & Dally Randriantefy ...Martinez, nearly 33, got the week's biggest upset in Doha with a 2nd Round win over Anastasia Myskina en route to the QF (and it wasn't even a clay event!). Madagascar's Randriantefy turned 28 last week in Mexico, and celebrated with wins over Angela Haynes and Emilie Loit to reach the SF, her best career WTA result. ====================================== FRESH FACES: Maria Kirilenko & Kristina Barrois ...the Supernovette qualified in Doha with a win over Samantha Stosur, then upset Patty Schnyder on the way the QF. Meanwhile..."Kristina who?" is the first thing that comes to mind with Barrois, right? Well, I agree. But the 23-year old German has already won three ITF titles this season (the 2004 ITF title co-leader was Mirza with six), so she might be someone to keep an eye on. ====================================== DOWN: Anastasia Myskina & Samantha Stosur ...the Czarina was the two-time defending Doha champ, then she got bounced in straight sets by Martinez in the 1st Round. She's now 5-4 in WTA matches in '05. As for Stosur... well, she's out of Australia and things aren't going nearly as well. Last week, she lost twice in Doha -- in the final qualifying round (to Kirilenko) and then again in the 1st Round (to Sugiyama) as a lucky loser. ==LINK OF THE WEEK== ...this week's entry is the first '05 nominee for "Name of the Year." The 24-year old American in question, ranked #478, lost in the second round of qualifying last week in Acapulco. Her name: Kaysie Smashey. Here's her WTA bio: http://www.wtatour.com/players/playerprofiles/PlayerBio.asp?ID=&EntityID=1&CustomerID=0&OrderID=0&ReturnURL=/&PlayerID=190657 ==MATCHES== 1.Doha F - Sharapova d. Molik ...4-6/6-1/6-4. Sharapova is now tied for the most WTA titles ever won by a Russian woman (9). ====================================== 2.Doha SF - Molik d. Mauresmo ...7-6/6-1. The Steamer's best career win prevented Mauresmo from swiping #1 away from Davenport...but, as noted before, #1 isn't her "main concern." Obviously. ====================================== 3.Doha 2r - Martinez d. Myskina ...6-4/7-5. Anastasia...wake up! ====================================== 4.Acap F - Pennetta d. Cervanova ...3-6/7-5/6-3. Pennetta's undefeated on red clay, with a 10-match winning streak. ====================================== 5.Doha 2r - Kirilenko d. Schnyder ...6-0/1-6/6-2. When will the first Supernova vs. Supernovette final take place? ====================================== HM--Doha SF - Sharapova d. Hantuchova ...6-2/6-4. HM--Doha 2r - Hantuchova d. Bovina ...6-0/3-6/6-3. Has it already been three years since Wonder Girl was christened the "next big thing" in Indian Wells? ====================================== ====================================== ==WTA LISTS== **SHARAPOVA IN PRO FINALS** 9-1...WTA 4-0...ITF **MOST CAREER TITLES - RUSSIANS** 9...Olga Morozova (1969-75) 9...Maria Sharapova (2002-05) 9...Anastasia Myskina (1999-04) 5...Svetlana Kuznetsova (2002-04) **MOST 2005 SINGLES TITLES** 2...Maria Sharapova 2...Flavia Pennetta **MOST SINGLES TITLES - 2004/05** 7...Sharapova (5/2) 7...Davenport (7/0) 6...Mauresmo (5/1) 5...Henin-Hardenne (5/0) **2005 LONG WTA WINNING STREAKS** 10...Flavia Pennetta (February-current) 10...Ana Ivanovic (January) **2005 AVERAGE W/RU RANKINGS** JANUARY: 50.3/54.0 FEBRUARY: 34.7/58.3 **BACK-TO-BACK WTA FINALS** =January= Samantha Stosur (0-2) =Jan/Feb= Lindsay Davenport (0-2) =February= Amelie Mauresmo (1-1) Flavia Pennetta (2-0) **2005 TOP 10 SINGLES/DOUBLES** [simultaneous Top 10 rankings] Svetlana Kuznetova (8 weeks) Alicia Molik (1 week) ====================================== ====================================== ==WEEK 9 WHISPERS== ...hmmm... wonder if Sharapova and Pennetta would have won last week if I'd put my name on the picks? Still, I DID pick two winners last week... even if Pierre gets the "credit." This week, I go for three in a row, while Myskina and Kuznetsova try to make it five straight weeks with a Russian champion. I guess I'd better just pick someone before the spirits get wind that it's my voice returning to this section this week, so... DUBAI Final - Serena Williams def. Lindsay Davenport Hope that worked. All for now.

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Wk.7 - Random Spins...

Tennisrulz.com WTA BACKSPIN February 21, 2005
RANDOM SPINS ON WEEK 7 by Todd Spiker

Week 7 of 2005... it could turn out to be a transforming moment in the seasons of many current (and former) top players. Or maybe not... at this point, who can tell? Still, it's worth a look to see which players managed to make the headlines for all the good reasons:

Kim Clijsters -- Is the Almost Mrs. Hewitt back, for real? FilaKim opened her season in impressive fashion last week in Antwerp, one year after admitting to getting goose pimples after winning the title, her first WTA championship in her home country. She ultimately went down quickly to Venus Williams in the QF, but wins over Jelena Kostanic (good, but also expected) and Nadia Petrova (nice, especially the 6-1 3rd set) showed that Clijsters could become an immediate threat again as long as her troubling wrist holds up. Now, we're just waiting for the return of Queen Justine and then the tour can really start popping again... and maybe the faux #1 player will finally be forced to vacate the spot.

Vera Zvonareva -- Is she ready to finally become a full-fledged member of the Horde's ruling class? Vera the Almost has suffered through an extremely slow start to her '05 season, but finally shifted her game into gear in defending last year's title in Memphis last week. Maybe she'll take off from here, but as of now she's not ready to shed the "Almost" moniker.

Alica Molik -- The Aussie Steamer's SF run in Antwerp moved her up to #9 in the ranking, a new career high. Also, at #11 in doubles (just 20 points behind #10 Lisa Raymond), she's poised to join Svetlana Kuznetsova as the only players currently ranked in the Top 10 in both disciplines. Red Clay -- No, ol' Red isn't the latest umpire to make a match-turning mistake. But, as this week's season-christening results in Bogota displayed, all bets are off when it comes to tennis' messiest surface. Come now, who actually figured that the semifinals would include the world #193 (Lourdes Dominguez-Lino) and a player (Clarisa Fernandez) who hadn't won a match in nineteen months? Sure, it'd be no surprise that a Spaniard would go all the way to a clay final, but LDL? She'd never made it past a WTA QF until last week (and THAT previous QF result was all the way back in '02), and needed an 8-6 3rd set TB win in the qualifying finals to even make it into the main draw. Still, she knocked off hometown favorite and three-time defending champ Fabiola Zuluaga in two TB sets in the SF. Ah, don't you just love the clay. (Answer, from Backspin's POV, at least: not really.)

Amelie Mauresmo -- Her Antwerp title run included her second appearance in a final in the past two weeks (the third woman to do that this season, she's the only one not to go 0-2), and she'll have a shot at three in a row this week in Doha. Of more note, though, was the actual, honest-to-goodness spine she showed in coming from behind to defeat Venus Williams in the final. She won the last three games of the 2nd set, then the last four in the 3rd to overcome one break deficits in both. Such fortitude would be something to truly cheer about... if it'd been shown in Melbourne, Paris, SW19 or Flushing Meadows, that is.

Venus Williams -- Does Venus really WANT it now, or was last week in Belgium just a brief glimpse of what USED to be? Her easy win over Clijsters and three-set triumph over Anastasia Myskina speaks well of her desire... but then came the final. She served at 5-4 in the 2nd set against Mauresmo, but lost the set, then led 4-2 in the 3rd and didn't win another game. Afterward, she complained of a problem with the same stomach muscle that kept her out for six months in 2003. I'll pause here while you all express SHOCK that a Williams sister would say she was injured (or ill, or had a headache, etc.) after losing a match that she should have wrapped up in straight sets. Hard to believe, huh? I'll bet you didn't see THAT coming from Venus. Yeah, right.

Maria Sharapova -- Okay, I know she didn't even play last week. But now she's back in action in Doha, and there's no way to put a negative spin on that. In fact, it might even mean that I could get a champion prediction CORRECT this week. But, wouldn't you know it, if she does win I won't get "official credit" for the pick. I'd explain here, but then you may not stick around until the end of this column to find out what I'm talking about.

==WEEK 7 CHAMPIONS==
ANTWERP, BELGIUM (II-GSI)
S: Amelie Mauresmo d. Venus Williams 4-6/7-5/6-4
D: Black/Callens d. Medina-Garrigues/Safina
======================================
MEMPHIS, TN USA (III-HO)
S: Vera Zvonareva d. Meghann Shaughnessy 7-6/6-2
D: Saeki/Yoshida d. Granville/Spears
======================================
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (III-RC)
S: Flavia Pennetta d. Lourdes Domnguez-Lino 7-6/6-4
D: Gagliardi/Pisnik d. Kurhajcova/Strycova

==PLAYER AWARDS==
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Amelie Mauresmo
...after showing some rare chutzpah, Mauresmo's just 111 points behind Davenport for the #1 ranking. But she's already said the top spot isn't her main concern.
======================================
RISERS: Vera Zvonareva & Flavia Pennetta
...Zvonareva was the third Russian to win a WTA title this month, claiming her third career trophy by repeating in Memphis. Maybe more psychologically pleasing, though, could have been the settling-the-score SF victory over Evgenia Linetskaya. Pennetta opened the red clay year in Bogota with her second career WTA title, and heads to Acapulco this week with momentum and a #1 seeding.
======================================
SURPRISES: Lourdes Dominguez-Lino & Clarisa Fernandez
...LDL, 23, barely qualified in Bogota, but rode the high of her 8-6 3rd set TB win to get into the main draw and lasted all the way to the final after popping the bubble of hometown heroine Zuluaga in the SF. Her previous best WTA result was a QF in Estoril in '02. Also 23, one-time Roland Garros semifinalist ('02) Fernandez got her first wins in nineteen months in her own Bogota run to the SF, knocking off Emmanuelle Gagliardi and Emilie Loit to get there.
======================================
VETERAN: Els Callens
...at 34, Callens' home country doubles title (w/ Cara Black) in Antwerp made her the oldest woman to win a WTA title this season... until Martina Navratilova finally gets another one, that is.
======================================
FRESH FACES: Nicole Vaidisova & Jamea Jackson
...Vaidisova didn't quite make the Memphis final, but her SF defeat at the hands of Meghann Shaughnessy was the unfortunate result of being on the short end of a great fight. Shaughnessy won in straight sets, but only after twin tie-breaks that ended with 10-8 and 8-6 scorelines. Also in Memphis, American Jackson made the QF after knocking off players from both ends of the age spectrum -- 32-year old #1 seed Amy Frazier and 15-year old Sesil Karatantcheva.
======================================
DOWN: Karolina Sprem
...another 1st round loss. This time in Antwerp. This time to Russian teen Anna Chakvetadze. What is it about a player's proximity to a Bikic brother and 1st round exits?

****BACKSPIN POP QUIZ****
Fabiola Zuluaga's attempt to win a fourth straight title in Bogota was shut down by Lourdes Dominguez-Lino in the semifinals. With Zuluaga's loss, which player now sports the current longest-running streak as the champion of a single event?
a.Maria Sharapova (Tokyo AIG)
b.Serena Williams (Miami)
c.Justine Henin-Hardenne (Dubai)

==MATCHES==
1.Ant F--Mauresmo d. V.Williams
...4-6/7-5/6-4. Wonder if Venus would have mentioned her stomach if she'd won?
======================================
2.Ant 2r--Clijsters d. Petrova
...7-5/6-7/6-1. Hope this is a good sign. Backspin wants Kim back... if only to have the "pleasure" of kicking her around again.
======================================
3.Bog SF--Dominguez-Lino d. Zuluaga
...7-6/7-6. Talk about coming from nowhere.
======================================
4.Memph F--Zvonareva d. Shaughnessy
...7-6/6-2. When Zvonareva defeated Raymond in the '04 final, she had to survive match points against to do it in one of the best matches of the '04 season. This year it was a little easier.
======================================
5.Ant 1r--Golovin d. Safina
...6-4/6-7/6-3. Vengeance is the Frussian Pastry's. This little matchup isn't exactly Serena vs. The Supernova, but it has potential.
======================================
6.Bog F--Pennetta d. Dominguez-Lino
...7-6/6-4. If LDL had won, at #193, she'd been the fifth lowest-ranked player to ever win a WTA title.
======================================
7.Memph SF--Shaughnessy d. Vaidisova
...7-6/7-6. It took the Shillelagh five MP to finally put the Darthette away, in just about the closest straight set match you're gonna find.
======================================
8.Memph SF--Zvonareva d. Linetskaya
...6-4/6-1. Call it even now, Evgenia.
======================================
9.Ant 1r--Clijsters d. Kostanic
...6-2/6-3. Did Kim get goose pimples after this one? Hey, just knowing Hewitt wasn't waiting for her back in the room was probably enough to make her smile, right?
======================================
10.Ant SF--V.Williams d. Myskina
...6-3/3-6/6-3. Still waiting for the Czarina to arrive in '05.
======================================

==WTA LISTS==
**MOST WEEKS AT SINGLES #1**
[as of February 21]
377...Steffi Graf
331...Martina Navratilova
262...Chris Evert
209...Martina Hingis
178...Monica Seles
57....Lindsay Davenport (current)
57....Serena Williams
46....Justine Henin-Hardenne

**MOST SINGLES TITLES - last 2 years**
7...Davenport (7/0)
6...Mauresmo (5/1)
6...Sharapova (5/1)

**CONSECUTIVE YEARS WITH TITLE**
==7==
Venus Williams (1998-04)
Serena Williams (1999-05)
Amelie Mauresmo (1999-05)
==6==
Kim Clijsters (1999-04)
==4==
Justine Henin-Hardenne (2001-04)

**2005 FINALISTS BY COUNTRY**
5...USA (1 win)
3...Russia (3 wins)
3...Australia (1 win)

======================================

****POP QUIZ ANSWER****
B.Serena Williams. Serena's three-year run in Miami is now the tour's current long-running reign. This week, though, Myskina will attempt to stretch her Doha streak to three, before Serena can increase her title-winning Florida run to four next month. Here's the list of the WTA's standing championship streaks:

==3 years==
Serena Williams (Miami 2002-04)
==2 years==
Anastasia Myskina (Doha 2003-04)
Justine Henin-H. (Dubai 2003-04)
Maria Sharapova (Tokyo AIG 2003-04)
Anastasia Myskina (Moscow 2003-04)
Amelie Mauresmo (Philadelphia 2003-04)
Vera Zvonareva (Memphis 2004-05)

=====================================

**WEEK 8 PREDICTIONS**
...for a while there last week, the Backspin picks were looking good. I had 9/12 seminalists picked correctly, and all six finalists were alive. Then Zuluaga lost to #193, Vaidisova lost in two TBs, and Myskina went down in three sets. So much for that. Pardon me if I feel a little punchy after the experience. So, to alleviate a little of the pressure, head honcho Cantin steps in this week to give his take on the Week 8 tournaments:

(take it, Pierre)

==DOHA==
SF: Mauresmo def. Molik
...Ah, Alicia has been playing well this year and I think she will keep up the momentum. But running into an Amelie Mauresmo with renewed confidence will prove too much to handle for Alicia. She'll go down in a tight match!

SF: Sharapova def. Myskina
...This would be something! Clearly, these two players have a lot to prove, but while Myskina is still not at full speed, Sharapova looks like she's ready to go. And although Myskina does enjoy success indoors, if you think about it, Maria's game is a better fit.

FINAL: Sharapova def. Mauresmo
...Big occasion! This would be a good test for Maria. Can she handle the spins of Mauresmo? Actually, I think she will! I really think Maria's game has improved in 2005. Also consider that Amelie did not have much time to rest between her win in Belgium, so I think Maria will win this one!

==ACAPULCO==

SF: Pennetta d. Pin
...The French scrambler could have a good tournament in Mexico as the clay season really kicks in! I think she'll do well until she goes up against the much improved Italian Flavia Pennetta!

SF: Sanchez-Lorenzo d. Loit
...If the Spaniard can get things together, she has a shot in this weak part of the draw.

FINAL: Pennetta def. Sanchez-Lorenzo
...Well, this could be a good match. I guess Maria's movement would be a difference maker as she won't be able to cover as much ground.

(okay, I'm back now)

...of course, as it turned out, Pierre's picks were mirror images of mine (oddly enough, even those of Pin and MSL). So, either he'll go down in flames, too, or, since he'll have his name "on the books," if he/we go 2-for-2 we'll really know that the tennis gods are angry with me this season.

Next week, February awards.

All for now.

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Wk.6 - An Indian Supernova?

Don't look now, but there might just be an Indian Supernova in our midst. Her name? Sania Mirza.

Until recently, the most popular Indian celebrity in the world has likely been Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai, dubbed by some "the most beautiful woman in the world." Don't look now, but the world of tennis has produced her teenaged sporting equivalent in the 18-year old Mirza. The WTA's "Indian Princess" provided further evidence of her ascendency this weekend in her hometown of Hyderabad, where she walked away with her first career tour singles title.

Already adored back home, where she's breaking barriers for Muslim females in both her country's sports establishment, as well as society in general, Mirza's burgeoning tennis career can't help but continue to do wonders for the self image and perception of India's Muslim women. In this particular "Supernova's" case, her success is about far more than simply ironically rising forth from a Siberian birthplace to take a place amongst a sport's elite (though the Sharapova-esque mobile phone and cosmetic ads are in Mirza's present and future plans). Here, there's some real, honest good that can take place because of the exploits of a teenaged girl who's athletically adept with a tennis racket in her hand... and it doesn't simply begin with the "untraditional" Muslim attire she wears on the court, or end with her appointed role as ambassador for the "Save the Girl Child" campaign, which promotes equal treatment of boys and girls in India.

For a little insight into what the rise of Sania means in her home country, take a look at this article.

Just a few weeks ago, Mirza went into the Australian Open with the likes of well-regarded tennis commentator Mary Carillo (ESPN) saying she didn't even know who she was. After becoming the first Indian woman to win two matches in a grand slam, and then keeping her wits in a 3rd Round encounter with Serena Williams, even staying with her groundstroke for groundstroke for a while in the 2nd set, Mirza made a nice case for never being overlooked again. Of course, her tour-leading six ITF titles last season had already made her a name to watch (and, yes, she did win a Backspin "Fresh Face" award back in Week 42 of '04). Victories last week over the likes of Jie Zheng, Maria Kirilenko and Alyona Bondarenko (in the final) to celebrate her career's most recent high point in her hometown only takes her game up to another level... and gives her another "first," since she's the first Indian woman to ever win a WTA event.

Under the watchful eyes of her parents (no Damir in sight here, or even a Yuri -- see the "Link of the Week" below), and mentor Krishna Bhupathi, father of ATP pro Mahesh, Mirza harbors dreams of a Top 10 ranking. Time will tell whether her talent allows such a climb (she was #134 heading into Hyderabad), but her ability to maintain her confidence and focus under pressure and, conceivably, in potential danger (she was playing in an under-14 junior event in Pakistan in '99 when an Indian Airlines plane was hijacked in Kandahar, yet still managed to play out the event before leaving for home) bodes well.

Against Bondarenko, a nervous start (three DF and going down 0-2) turned into a gradually strengthening game as Mirza battled to a 3rd set. She even thought she'd won the title at one point, and began to celebrate before learning the call hadn't actually gone her way. She ended up getting her serve broken in that game, then had to wait through a changeover before getting another opportunity to serve for her country's inaugural WTA celebration. This time, she did everyone proud.

So, remember her now. It's S-A-N-I-A M-I-R-Z-A. "Princess Sania," if you will. Look out, world. She's ready to make a name for herself.
==============================
**PARIS, FRANCE (II-GSI)** S: Dinara Safina d. Amelie Mauresmo 6-4/2-6/6-3 D: Benesova/Peschke d. Medina-Garrigues/Safina ==============================
**HYDERABAD, INDIA (IV-HO)** S: Sania Mirza d. Alyona Bondarenko 6-4/5-7/6-3 D: Yan/Zheng d. T.Li/Sun ==============================

**PLAYER AWARDS**

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Dinara Safina
...the combustible Russian 18-year old had a grand week in Paris, thanks to Serena Williams withdrawing from their QF match due to illness. But Safina's wins over the likes of Karolina Sprem, Vera Douchevina, Tatiana Golovin and Amelie Mauresmo in the final more than make up for the match that she never had to play en route to winning her third (and biggest) career WTA title. ============================
RISERS: Zi Yan & Jie Zheng
...China's best doubles team knocked off its second-best, Ting Li/Tian Tian Sun, in the Hyderabad final. In so doing, Yan/Zheng becomes the tour's first two-time title-winning duo in 2005 (they also won in Hobart). ============================
SURPRISE: Alyona Bondarenko
...the 20-year old from Ukraine, ranked #102, defeated Melinda Czink and got a walkover from Anna-Lena Groenefeld before finally losing in three sets to Mirza in the Hyderabad final, her best WTA result to date. ============================
VETERAN: Maggie Maleeva
...not a great deal of success from the vets this week, though Kveta Peschke won the doubles in Hyderabad and Silvia Farina Elia reached the Paris QF (and double-bageled Koukalova in the 1st Round). But I'll go with Maleeva, who also reached the Paris QF before going down to Amelie Mauresmo, mainly for her dismantling (6-4/6-0) of Jelena Jankovic in the 2nd Round. ============================
FRESH FACES: Sania Mirza & Maria Kirilenko
...the Indian Princess became her country's first-ever WTA champ, of course. On her way there in Hyderabad, Mirza took down Kirilenko in the SF. But the Russian Supernovette deserves a mention for following up her '04 RU in the event by knocking off #1-seeded Na Li. ============================
DOWN: Na Li & Jelena Jankovic
...since I can't give the award to the Paris fans, who missed out on Serena/Supernova V because of a flu bug, these two will share it. So far in '05, Li isn't looking like that Great Chinese Hope. As the #1 seed in Hyderabad, she was the only player who made the QF who'd ever won a WTA title before Saturday's final, yet she still wasn't able to show that she's got championship stuff outside her own country's borders. Jankovic is looking like that other Jelena (what's her name again?), as she's off to a slow 5-5 start on the season and was crushed 0-6 by Maleeva on her way out of the Paris 2nd Round last week.


**LINKS OF THE WEEK**

...It's a Sania-palooza this week! Yes, it's another Asian tennis revolution on the WTA tour, albeit a single-player one starring none other than the Indian Princess herself. Here's a few links to stories about her family's role in her success, plus a bit more: here and here and here.

**MATCHES**
1.Hyd F--Mirza d. A.Bondarenko
...6-4/5-7/6-3. And away she goes.
---------------------------
2.Paris F--Safina d. Mauresmo
...6-4/2-6/6-3. You know it's a weird week when Mauresmo is the healthiest top player in the draw. But you also know it's not SO weird the results are unrecognizable, since Mauresmo still found a way to lose in Paris. We've certainly seen THAT before.
---------------------------
3.Hyd Doub.F--Yan/Zheng d. T.Li/Sun
...6-4/6-1. The top two teams of Cookies faced off, and it was Yan/Zheng who had the good "fortune."
---------------------------
4.Hyd QF--Kirilenko d. Na Li
...6-4/6-3. No wonder Kirilenko is the Supernova's favorite Russian.
---------------------------
5.Paris SF--Safina d. Golovin
...6-1/4-6/7-6. They'll meet again in the 1st Round in Antwerp, with the winner facing Myskina.
---------------------------
HM--Hyd 2r--Pelletier d. Peer
...6-4/6-3. So much for Peer's "breakthrough." But it WAS the Canadian Pelletier's first career WTA QF appearance.
---------------------------

**LISTS**

==2005 1st-TIME CHAMPS==
Jan...Jie Zheng (Hobart, age 21/China)
Jan...Ana Ivanovic (Canberra, age 17/Serbia)
Feb...Sania Mirza (Hyderabad, age 18/India)

==2005 TEENAGED CHAMPS==
17y2m1w Ana Ivanovic (Canberra)
17y9m3w Maria Sharapova (Tokyo TPP)
18y3m0w Sania Mirza (Hyderabad)
18y9m2w Dinara Safina (Paris)

==2005 LOW-RANKED CHAMPS==
#134 Sania Mirza (Hyderabad)
#100 Ana Ivanovic (Canberra)
#87 Katarina Srebotnik (Auckland)
#82 Jie Zheng (Hobart)

============================

**WEEK 7 WILD GUESSES**

...okay, I see. So the Backspin predicted champion in Paris (Sharapova) gets sick before playing a match and pulls out of the tournament. With a "new" draw, a "new" player (Serena) takes her place as the Paris pick. She wins a match, then gets sick and pulls out of the tournament. It's just been that kind of season.

ANTWERP, BELGIUM (II-GSI)
04 F: Clijsters d. Farina Elia
05 TOP: Mauresmo/Myskina ==============================
SF: Mauresmo d. Molik; Myskina d. V.Williams
FINAL: Myskina d. Mauresmo

...Mauresmo and Myskina are two of the best indoor players, so it seems a decent bet. The Czarina's gotten off to a slow start, but she has to right herself sometime, right?

MEMPHIS, TN USA (III-HO)
04 F: Zvonareva d. Raymond
05 TOP: Zvonareva/Frazier
==========================
SF: Linetskaya d. Zvonareva; Vaidisova d. Spears
FINAL: Vaidisova d. Linetskaya

...Linetskaya has been making a habit of defeating better-known teen stars this season (and already has a win over Vera the Almost).

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (III-RC)
04 F: Zuluaga d. Sanchez Lorenzo
05 TOP: Zuluaga/Pennetta ==============================
SF: Zuluaga d. Sanchez Lorenzo; Pennetta d. Czink
FINAL: Zuluaga d. Pennetta

...ah, the first the red clay event of the season. So, who the hell knows what'll happen? But Zuluaga's already won her hometown tournament three years running, so...

All for now.

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Wk.5 - Supernovian Acts

Tennisrulz.com WTA BACKSPIN February 7, 2005 SUPERNOVIAN ACTS by Todd Spiker How a prospective champion reacts to failure is a sure sign of whether it will dog them for the majority of their career. After a disappointment, does the player go into an extended tailspin before righting themselves, or immediately rededicate and improve? Last fall, after her mediocre results during the American hardcourt season, Maria Sharapova showed herself to belong in the latter group by winning two minor titles and then wrapping up 2004 by claiming the Tour Championship to finish the season at #4. Last week in Tokyo, just days after blowing three match points in her Australian Open SF matchup with Serena Williams, she did it again. Anyone who questions the direction the Supernova's supertrain is heading need only to reference the teenager's actions in winning her eighth career WTA title. Melbourne showed her to be mortal, but not for very long. So far, each time a crack has appeared in her exterior, she's sured it up with the tennis equivalent of brick and mortar before it could expand and threaten her planned course of action. "My job is to go out and perform well. I have no timetable to become #1 in the world," the Russian said on Sunday, "If it happens, it happens." Anyone who still believes it won't happen before the calendar turns over to 2006 should start to reconsider. It's impossible not to sense the moment coming, so much so that a win over world #1 Lindsay Davenport in the Tokyo final for her first career Tier I title somehow feels like an afterthought, a footnote in a resume that will soon be filled with far grander accomplishments than this one. Unlike the American veteran, holding onto the top ranking despite not having won a slam crown since 2000 and grasping for the one last huge career moment that likely won't come, Sharapova is all about the future even as she zoomed to a career-best #3 ranking on Monday (just four points behind #2 Williams). He ascent is so expected at this point, that her "long-awaited" assuming of the top-ranked Russian position on the computer following the Australian Open rated nary a mention anywhere (even here). Maybe it was because Sharapova was never quite on top of things in Melbourne. She dropped every close set she played, no matter the quality of her opponent, and wasted a handful of opportunities to get another win over eventual champion Williams. It wasn't a foreign concept to think that she'd go to Tokyo and do just what she did, buzz through the field and then pull out a close match once Davenport finally stretched her to a third set tie-break. Thing is, it took her four match points to finally put Davenport down... so she still hasn't quite rounded into TOP form. Might it happen this week in Paris? Williams will be there, and the "Serena vs. the Supernova" show could produce a Part V come the semifinals. Hmmm... so, Sharapova will have an opportunity to reverse a recent disappointment, huh? You don't suppose she might just completely erase the memory of Melbourne from her mind with a win over her Oz conqueror, do you? Why that would be simply Supernovian, wouldn't it? Not to mention being no surprise at all. **WEEK 5 CHAMPIONS** TOKYO (TPP), JAPAN (I-CI) S: Maria Sharapova (#4) d. Lindsay Davenport (#1) 6-1/3-6/7-6 D: Husarova/Likhovtseva d. Davenport/Morariu ===================================== PATTAYA, THAILAND (IV-HO) S: Conchita Martinez (#43) d. Anna-Lena Groenefeld (#68) 6-3/3-6/6-3 D: Bartoli/Groenefeld d. Domachowska/Talaja **PLAYER AWARDS** PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Maria Sharapova ...Naturally. Sharapova repeated her Wimbledon triumph over Davenport with another three-set victory in Tokyo. In her last Tier I, Sharapova was defeated by Alicia Molik in Zurich (her only loss in a pro singles final). She got her revenge on the Aussie just two weeks later in Philadelphia. Hmmm... seems to be a pattern, doesn't it? Oh, Serena? ===================================== RISERS: Anna-Lena Groenefeld & Daniela Hantuchova ...the 19-year old German, maybe the long-awaited inheritor to at least a portion of the Graf legacy, battled through a series of three-setters in Pattaya to reach her first WTA singles final. She won the doubles title. Meanwhile, Wonder Girl is showing signs of breaking out after reaching the Tokyo QF and pushing Svetlana Kuznetsova to two tie-breaks once she got there. ===================================== SURPRISES: Shinobu Asagoe & Alyona Bondarenko ...Japan's Asagoe is quietly having quite an early season string of results. She upset an ailing Elena Dementieva in Tokyo and advanced to the SF, a nice companion to her Auckland RU result from a month ago. Bondarenko, Katerina's older 20-year old sis, took out Mashona Washington and Jelena Dokic in Pattaya before finally falling to Groenefeld in the QF. ===================================== VETERAN: Conchita Martinez ...with Davenport now being a combined 0-4 in singles/doubles finals in 2005, Martinez gets the sole nod here. Reports of the 32-year old's demise have been greatly exaggerated, as the Spaniard acted out her role as the experienced vet with a thing or two to teach the youngsters. In winning her 33rd career title, and first since May '00 (in Berlin), she ran her younger opponents (like Evgenia Linetskaya) into submission and topped off her week by outlasting Groenefeld in a three-setter in the Pattaya final. ===================================== FRESH FACES: Evgenia Linetskaya & Michaella Krajicek ...18-year old Russian Linetskaya followed up her Oz 4th Round result with a SF run in Pattaya that included wins over Vera Zvonareva and Tamarine Tanasugarn before the heat (and Martinez's tendency to run her from one side of the court to the other in the intense weather) finally got to her. Krajicek, 16, earned her initital '05 ITF title (and 5th in her career) in Ortisei with good wins over the likes of Martina Sucha, Sybille Bammer and Sandra Kleinova. ===================================== DOWN: Vera Zvonareva & Ai Sugiyama ...Zvonareva's now been knocked out of successive tournaments by Russians younger than she is, as Hordettes Vera Douchevina (Australian) and Linetskaya (Pattaya) have suddenly passed her by. Sugiyama, meanwhile, dropped her 1st Round match to Roberta Vinci in Tokyo, meaning she's still looking for her first win (0-4) in 2005. **LINK OF THE WEEK** ...with no pics to be found of Jennifer Capriati and the porn star (hmmm... could Prediction #5 be getting more and more possible?), here's another side of the Aussie Steamer as Alicia Molik gets, while not "steamy," all "dolled up." http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=150619 **MATCHES** 1.Tokyo F - Sharapova d. Davenport ...6-1/3-6/7-6. Davenport's effort for a third straight Tokyo title were finally dashed on Sharapova's fourth MP. ===================================== 2.Patt F - Martinez d. Groenefeld ...6-3/3-6/6-3. Guess Conchita shouldn't retire yet, after all. Wonder if she was inspired by the presence of another former Wimbledon champ in the Pattaya draw (see #4)? ===================================== 3.Patt QF - Linetskaya d. Zvonareva ...6-4/6-2. Fear not, Vera the Almost, Punch-Drunk started slowly last year, too. And we know how well she rebounded. Maybe she should talk to Sharapova about how to overcome disappointment? Yeah, like THAT will happen... the Spartaks might disown her. ==================================== 4.Patt 1r - Weingartner d. Hingis ...1-6/6-2/6-2. Maybe the Blue Angel thought Hingis was a G.O.C. spy in the 1st set? Either way, Hingis eventually looked like a player who hadn't played a WTA match since October '02. Hingis, Queen of Things Coming Easily, might just realize after this that she still doesn't want to put in the work it'd take to reclaim her tennis career. ==================================== 5.Tok 2r - Hantuchova d. Kirilenko ...4-6/6-0/6-2. The road back is getting shorter and shorter. ==================================== HM-New Zealand Exhib. - Navratilova d. Seles ...6-4/6-4 and 4-6/6-2/6-4. Ah... it's like 1989 all over again. ====================================== ====================================== **LISTS** ==WTA TOP 7== 1.Lindsay Davenport (4965) 2.Serena Williams (4336) 3.Maria Sharapova (4332) 4.Amelie Mauresmo (4322) 5.Svetlana Kuznetsova (3745) 6.Anastasia Myskina (3738) 7.Elena Dementieva (3717) ==SHARAPOVA TITLES== *2002* Gunma, Japan (ITF) Vancouver, Canada (ITF) Peachtree City, USA (ITF) *2003* Tokyo Princess Cup (III) Quebec City (III) *2004* Birmingham (III) Wimbledon Seoul (IV) Tokyo Princess Cup (III) WTA Championships *2005* Tokyo TPP (I) ==MOST WTA TITLES - RUSSIANS== 9...Olga Morozova (1969-75) 9...Anastasia Myskina (1999-04) 8...Maria Sharapova (2003-05) 5...Svetlana Kuznetsova (2002-04) ==MOST WTA TITLES - ACTIVE== 45...Lindsay Davenport 33...Conchita Martinez 31...Venus Williams 26...Serena Williams 21...Kim Clijsters === (Seles-53, Hingis-40) ===================================== ===================================== **WEEK 6 PREDICTIONS** ...is the long Backspin nightmare finally over? Sharapova's Tokyo win got the prediction corner off the hook. Ahh, if only Groenefeld had knocked off Martinez, it'd been a "miracle" 2-for-2 week. Alas, nothing comes so easily. Well, I'll give it another try this week. PARIS, FRANCE (II-GSI) 04 F: Clijsters d. Pierce 05 TOP: S.Williams/Mauresmo =========================== SF: Sharapova d. S.Williams; Dechy d. Mauresmo FINAL: Sharapova d. Dechy ...unfortunately, the presence of Mauresmo here means a potential Serena/Sharapova V is relegated to a SF match instead of a final. As the match comes closer to becoming a reality, Williams will surely be saber-rattling (or is that a bracelet?). Thing is, as Sharapova's '05 game's level climbs the ladder, Tokyo's three blown MPs showed she's still not quite to her top rung. But she nearly took out Serena in Melbourne anyway... and that was two rungs ago. If the progression continues, the Australian disappointment will be overturned in the usual Supernovian fashion. HYDERABAD, INDIA (IV-HO) 04 F: Pratt d. Kirilenko 05 TOP: Na Li/Groenefeld ======================== SF: N.Li d. Mirza; Peer d. Groenefeld FINAL: N.Li d. Peer ...I'm tempted to go with Groenefeld again, but Li should be well rested and (hopefully) ready to prove she can win outside of China. Still, I get the sneaky feeling it might be time for Peer's big tour breakthrough. I'll probably regret not picking her. All for now.

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