Washington Puts an End to Maria Mania at WTA New Haven

Posted on August 25, 2004

"Maria Mania" came to an abrupt end Tuesday in New Haven when the No. 4-seeded Maria Sharapova lost in her opening-round match to American journeywoman Mashona Washington 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

"I can't be perfect all the time," said the teen Sharapova, who threw in 12 doubles faults during the match. "I still have so many matches ahead of me where I want to improve. It's all about learning, and at 17, I have a lot to learn."

Washington, the sister of former Wimbledon finalist MaliVai Washington, has struggled on the ITF/Challenger circuit almost exclusively since turning pro in 1995, and has never made it past the second round in seven appearances at Grand Slams.

"I think every player has that one big win or two big wins (in them)," Washington said. "And I was due for mine."

Washington reached a career-high ranking of No. 78 earlier this month, and has never finished a year inside the Top 100.

Other winners on the day were defending champ (3)Jennifer Capriati (d. Golovin) in her first match since pulling out of the Olympics with a hamstring injury, (7)Elena "Lina" Bovina (d. Marrero), and unseeded Daniela Hantuchova (d. Lee-Waters).

On Wednesday in New Haven on why-do-I-have-tickets-for-this-day are Irvin vs. Hantuchova, Raymond vs. Petrova, Schaul vs. Dementieva, Morigami vs. Dechy, and Kostanic vs. Jankovic.

No-names Advance at WTA Forest Hills
There were three winners at the 16-draw no-name-fest at Forest Hills Tuesday in Spaniard Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues (d. (3)Sanchez Lorenzo), Kristina "You're a Fine Girl" Brandi (d. Parra-Santonja), and Marion Bartoli (d. Craybas).

"This tournament blows," is probably what a player would have said if we had sent someone to cover this event. "Why the hell is the WTA putting on a 16-draw event with no doubles, no qualifying and no stars?" they probably would have added. "Are they under their quota for Tier V crap events clogging the calendar? I don't know how I landed here, but my agent is getting an earful later."

On court Wednesday are Srebotnik vs. Garbin, Kobak vs. Benesova, Flipkens vs. Camerin, and Barna vs. Loit. Kids, ready those giant autograph tennis balls.

Hewitt, Thai Fighter Through at ATP Long Island
No. 2 seed Lleyton Hewitt (d. (LL)Olivier "Mucus" Mutis) and No. 4 seed and defending champ Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan (d. (Q)K.Kim) led the charge at the ATP stop in Long Island Tuesday.

"The last three matches were day matches and I haven't played here before, so it took some adjusting tonight before I got into form," said Hewitt on playing under the lights. "I played better the second set."

Other seeded winners were (7)Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson (d. (LL)Elsner) and (9)Luis "Me So" Horna (d. (Q)Popp). There was only one upset on the day, with Cali-Russian Dmitry Tursunov rolling over (6)Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic who continues to struggle with a return from injury.

Other unseeded winners were Fin Jarkko Nieminen (d. (WC)Ginepri), Austrian qualifier Stefan Koubek (d. Ferrer), and Russians Nikolay Davydenko (d. (Q)K.J. "Puffin Stuff" Hippensteel) and Igor Andreev (d. A.Costa in three).

On today's schedule in Strong Island are Andreev vs. (10)Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, Tursunov vs. Gambill, (4)The Thai Fighter vs. Ferreira, and (Q)Koubek vs. (7)The Jackhammer.

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