Clijsters to Attempt Defense of WTA Indian Wells Title

Posted on March 10, 2004

Only 13 of the Top 20 WTA players will feature later this week at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, an indication of the rash of injuries debilitating the women's ranks in 2004. The women's draw for the Indian Wells draw was released Monday, with play to start Wednesday. The men's draw will be released Wednesday, with play starting Friday.

The Top 16 seeds in the women's draw are Justine Henin-Hardenne, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Anastasia Myskina, Chandra Rubin, Vera Zvonareva, Nadia Petrova, Paola Suarez, Jelena Dokic, Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi, Conchita Martinez, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Maggie Malleva, Francesca Sciavone, Fabiola Zuluaga, and Maria Sharapova.

The 32 seeds receive first round byes, so not many surprises in the early rounds, but unseeded floaters in the draw include American Amy "Joltin' Joe" Frazier (possible vs. (13)Malleva second round), former French Open winner Iva Majoli (possible vs. (22)Alicia Molik second round), Alexandra "Dr. A" Stevenson (possible vs. (17)Magui "Don't Call Me Maggie" Serna second round), French 16-year-old phenom Tatiana Golovin (possible vs. (8)Suarez second round), and Hungarian comer Aniko Kapros (possible vs. (15)Zuluaga second round).

Potential quarterfinal Tennis-X match-up predictions are (1)H-H vs. (5)Rubin, (4)Myskina vs. (18)Raymond, (3)Davenport vs. (9)Dokic, and (2)Clijsters vs. (6)Zvonareva. No Williams sisters in the field, last seen in 2001 when they were booed off the stadium court, and have not been seen since in these parts. In last year's final, (1)Clijsters d. (4)Davenport 6-4, 7-5.

ATP WIN LEADERS
(through March 8, 2004, stats from ATP Tour:)

1. Carlos Moya (ESP) 18-3
2. Dominik Hrbaty (SVK) 17-3
3. Andy Roddick (USA) 17-4
4. Roger Federer (SUI) 16-1
5. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 14-1
6. Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) 14-4
7. Sjeng Schalken (NED) 11-5
8. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 11-7
9. Joachim Johansson (SWE) 10-3
10T. Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) 10-6
10T. Agustin Calleri (ARG) 10-6
10T. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 10-6

WTA WIN LEADERS
(through March 8, 2004, stats from WTA Tour, including minor-league events for some reason:)

1. Iveta Benesova (CZE) 24-5
2. Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) 16-1
3T. Silvia Farina Elia (ITA) 15-6
3T. Lindsay Lee-Waters (USA) 15-6
5. Kim Clijsters (BEL) 14-1
6. Jill Craybas (USA) 14-4
7. Mara Santangelo (ITA) 14-6
8. Gisela Dulko (ARG) 13-6
9T. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 12-5
9T. Dinara Safina (RUS) 12-5

ESPN INDIAN WELLS TENTATIVE SCHEDULE (EST)
ESPN2 03/14/04 SUN 02:00P 04:00P LIVE EARLY ROUND COVERAGE DAY #1
ESPN2 03/15/04 MON 05:00P 07:00P LIVE EARLY ROUND COVERAGE DAY #2
ESPN2 03/15/04 MON 10:00P 12:00A LIVE EARLY ROUND COVERAGE DAY #2
ESPN2 03/16/04 TUE 05:00P 07:00P LIVE EARLY ROUND COVERAGE DAY #3
ESPN2 03/16/04 TUE 10:00P 12:00A LIVE EARLY ROUND COVERAGE DAY #3
ESPN 03/17/04 WED 03:00P 05:00P LIVE WOMEN'S QF OR MEN'S 4TH RD
ESPN2 03/17/04 WED 05:00P 07:00P LIVE WOMEN'S QF OR MEN'S 4TH RD
ESPN2 03/17/04 WED 10:00P 12:00A LIVE WOMEN'S QF OR MEN'S 4TH RD
ESPN 03/18/04 THU 03:00P 05:00P LIVE WOMEN'S QF OR MEN'S QF
ESPN2 03/18/04 THU 05:00P 07:00P LIVE WOMEN'S QF OR MEN'S QF
ESPN2 03/18/04 THU 10:00P 12:00A LIVE WOMEN'S QF OR MEN'S QF
ESPN 03/19/04 FRI 03:00P 05:00P LIVE WOMEN'S SF #1 OR MEN'S QF
ESPN2 03/19/04 FRI 05:00P 07:00P LIVE WOMEN'S SF#1 OR #2 OR MEN'S QF
ESPN2 03/20/04 SAT 01:00A 02:30A DELAY WOMEN'S SF#2 OR MEN'S QF
ESPN 03/20/04 SAT 03:00P 05:00P LIVE MEN'S SF #1
ESPN 03/20/04 SAT 05:00P 07:00P LIVE MEN'S SF #2
ESPN2 03/21/04 SUN 03:00P 05:00P LIVE WOMEN'S FINAL
ESPN2 03/21/04 SUN 05:00P 07:00P LIVE MEN'S FINAL

INDIAN vs. INDIAN
One of the greatest doubles teams in Open Era history, Indians Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, despise each other that much we know. While they will play the 2004 Athens Olympics together for country, they compete with other partners on the regular tour. Here is the head-to-head facing each other with different partners:
'99 Indianapolis, 2nd rd., Paes/Delaitre d. Bhupathi/Pavel
'02 MS-Hamburg, 2nd rd., Bhupathi/Gambill d. Paes/Cibulec
'03 MS-Indian Wells, 2nd rd., Paes/Rikl d. Bhupathi/Henman
'03 French Open, QF, Paes/Rikl d. Bhupathi/Mirnyi
'03 Wimbledon, SF, Bhupathi/Mirnyi d. Paes/Rikl
'04 Dubai, F, Bhupathi/Santoro d. Paes/Bjorkman

NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Russia's Anastasia Myskina broke into the Top 5 on the WTA Rankings with her win at Doha, the first Russian to rank in the Top 5...There are five Russian women ranked in the Top 15...According to the Daily Telegraph, the verdict on Greg Rusedski could come down as early as Tuesday...WTA players pulling from Indian Wells include Anca Barna (GER), Amelie Mauresmo (FRA), Jennifer Capriati (USA), Virginie Razzano (FRA), Amanda Coetzer (RSA), Patty Schnyder (SUI), Elena Dementieva (RUS), Katarina Srebotnik (SLO), Maja Matevzic (SLO), and Marlene Weingartner (GER)...According to the WTA, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Lindsay Davenport will skip the Nasdaq/Miami following Indian Wells.