WTA Previews: Sopot, Vancouver

Russian Anastasia Myskina takes to the red clay this week at Sopot, Poland in preparation for next week's play on hardcourt at the Athens Olympics, joined by seeds Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi, Dinara "Little Sis" Safina, Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues, Iveta Benesova, Flavia "Of the Day" Pennetta, Marta Marrero, and Klara "Kouky" Koukalova. First round matches of interest are: none. In last year's Sopot final, (3)Smashnova-Pistolesi thumped Kouky 6-2, 6-0. Former champs in the field are Smashnova-Pistolesi (2003) and Safina (2002).

On court Monday in Sopot are (WC)Domachowska vs. Martina "Nurse, I Need a" Sucha, Gubacsi vs. Jans, Cervanova vs. (4)Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues, (4)Birnerova vs. Muller, Marrero vs. Castano, (3)Sfar vs. Bondarenko, Ondraskova vs. Cohen-Aloro, and Prusova vs. (7)Mamic.

No. 56-ranked Marion Bartoli heads the low-as-you-can-go-and-still-be-a-tour-event Tier V field this week in Vancouver, joined by seeds Milagros Sequera, Aline Jidkova, Laura Granville, Melissa Irvin, Rita "Ain't It" Grande, Anna-Lena Groenefeld, and Lindsay Lee-Waters. On court today are Granville vs. Reeves in an all-"C" American match-up, An.Serra Zanetti vs. Sequera, Grande vs. Callens, Arvidsson vs. Voskoboeva, and Foretz vs. Hopkins. This is the first time for Vancouver hosting a WTA event after earlier this year being moved up from Challenger status.