Serena Defeats Kuznetsova for Birthday Title at WTA Beijing

Posted on September 27, 2004

It was No. 1 versus No. 2 in the final at the WTA stop in Beijing Sunday, and it was birthday girl and top-seeded Serena Williams walking away with the title over No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova in a three-set final.

Serena found herself a set down when the coach-less wonder changed her strategy from hitting the ball hard to hitting the ball even harder in the 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win.

"I was psycho out there. I was trying to hit every ball as hard as I could and I couldn't get a first serve in," said Serena, who fought off two match points in the third. "I think the key to victory today was I never gave up. I really didn't want to lose today."

During her post-match conference Serena wore an orange shirt that said "The ball was in," in reference to the bad call by the chair umpire at the US Open that may have cost her the match against Jennifer Capriati.

While Serena celebrated her 23rd birthday in fighting style, Kuznetsova was this time left holding the runner-up trophy after numerous opportunities.

"I had many chances in the second set and sometimes she served well and there's nothing you can do," Kuznetsova said. "She was also tired and I saw it. The thing is I lost focus, maybe. I lost because I missed some balls I should not have missed... but I think I made her move, I made her work for it."

The loss snapped a 14-match winning streak for Kuznetsova. For Serena it was her second title of the year, her first since winning in her initial tournament back from knee surgery in March at Miami.

"I'm excited because I haven't won a title since March and that's not like me," Serena said with her trademark modesty.

In the doubles final, the Swiss/Russian tandem of Emanuelle Gagliardi/Dinara "Little Sis" Safina defeated the Argentine/Venezuelan pair of Gisela "Sgt." Dulko/Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-4, 6-4 in their first-ever partnership.

Spain Joins U.S. in Davis Cup Final

Spain's next generation came to the forefront Sunday in their Davis Cup semifinal tie against France when Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal was inserted into the singles over the injured (shoulder) Carlos Moya, with The Prodigy clinching the tie 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 over Arnaud Clement.

"I did play brilliantly today but you always think you've played better," Nadal said. "I was surprised when I found out I'd be playing but I was also eager. I started nervously but got my confidence and started playing better."

Nadal was expected to the play the doubles-only role with Tommy Robredo against France, and expects to play the same role against the U.S. in the December final behind Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"I'm more of a singles player than a doubles player but I would expect to be playing doubles again if I'm picked for the final," Nadal said. "Juan Carlos and Charly (Moya) have demonstrated what they can do and if they're fit they'll play. I'd be delighted to be asked to play singles but I don't expect it."

The U.S. clinched their tie over Belarus on Saturday 3-0 to set up the red clay showdown in Spain. On Sunday in the dead rubber singles Andy Roddick defeated Alexander Skrypko in straight sets, and the final doubles was abandoned due to the weather.

The U.S. has defeated Spain at Spain only once in Davis Cup play, in 1972 behind Stan Smith and Harold Solomon. In 2000 the U.S. "B"-team of Todd Martin, Jan-Mike Gambill and Vince Spadea were crushed 5-0 in Spain in the World Group semifinals.

Germany, Britain Shocked Out of Davis Cup World Group for 2005

Two shockers over the weekend in the World Group qualifying as Germany and Great Britain were relegated to a second consecutive year of zonal play.

Germany suffered from no-shows by the injured Rainer Schuettler and Nicolas Kiefer in their loss to the Slovak Republic, and Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski lost the critical Saturday doubles against Austria, setting up the fifth-match decider which Rusedski lost to Stefan Koubek.

Other losers relegated to zonal player for 2005 were Morocco, Canada, Thailand, Paraguay, Japan, and Belgium.

Teams joining Austria and the Slovak Republic in the World Group from qualifying play were Australia, Romania, Russia, Czech Republic, Chile, and Russia.

Already in the World Group for 2005 are the U.S., Spain, France, Belarus, Sweden, Argentina, Switzerland, and The Netherlands.

Complete World Group qualifying results from the weekend:

Australia d. Morocco 4-1
In the two dead rubbers Sunday, the future of Aussie tennis was dealt a blow when Mounir El Aarej beat Aussie prospect Todd Reid in straight sets, and Todd Woodbridge beat Mehdi Ziadi in straights, handing out a bagel in the first set.

Romania d. Canada 4-1
Andrei Pavel clinched the tie for Romania Sunday with an easy 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over 19-year-old Canuck Frank Dancevic. In the dead rubber Victor Ionita of Romania beat Simon Larose when the Canadian retired at 2-4 in the first with injury.

Russia d. Thailand 5-0
Russian completed the sweep in the Sunday dead rubber singles when Nikolay Davydenko beat Sonchat Ratiwatana, and Mikhail Youzhny beat the other Thai twin Sanchai Ratiwatana, both in straight sets.

Slovak Republic d. Germany 3-2
Get ready to hear Boris Becker and Michael Stich cut loose again on the current generation of Germans as Germany was again relegated to zonal play for 2005 after being upset by the Slovak Republic Sunday. The Germans entered the final day of play with a 2-1 lead, but Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty shocked Tommy Haas in straight sets to even the tie at 2-2, and in the decider the veteran Karol Kucera overwhelmed D-Cup neophyte Florian "Oscar" Meyer 6-4, 6-0, 6-2. The Germans were without Nicolas Kiefer and Rainer Schuettler, both on the sidelines with injury.

Czech Republic d. Paraguay 5-0
The Czechs finished the sweep Sunday when Radek Stepanek beat Ramon Delgado, and Mario Tabara crushed Francisco Rodriguez, both in straight sets.

Chile d. Japan 5-0
Chile wins the two dead rubbers on Sunday with Hermes Gamonal outlasting Takao Suzuki in three, and Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez rolling Gouichi Motomura in straight sets.

Croatia d. Belgium 3-2
With the tie already decided, Croatia dropped both dead rubber singles Sunday, with waffle Olivier "The Roach" Rochus beating third-tier Croatian Sasa Tuksar in three sets, and Belgian Giles Elseneer defeating Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic when the Croat retired in the second set with injury.

Austria d. Great Britain 3-2
How many times can "Grinning" Greg Rusedski end up the goat in the final years before his retirement? Last year in Britain's World Group qualifier Rusedski dropped the fifth and final match against Morocco, succumbing to heat exhaustion. One year later Rusedski loses the fifth and final match against Austria, losing to Stefan Koubek 7-6(4), 6-4, 7-5. Grinning Greg held three sets points in the first set before losing in the tiebreak, and played with a bandaged hand after sustaining blisters in the Saturday doubles. Tim Henman and Grinning Greg dropped the rain-resumed doubles Sunday, with Henman beginning by dropping his serve at love. Henman then set up the fifth and final match by rebounding from a first set bagel to beat Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer 0-6, 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-2.

Federer, Roddick Headline High-Powered ATP Bangkok Field

Three current or former No. 1s headline the ATP stop at the Thailand Open in Bangkok this week in world No. 1 Roger Federer, No. 2-ranked Andy Roddick coming from leading the U.S. into the Davis Cup final, and Marat Safin fresh off his Beijing title and leading Russia back into the World Group for 2005.

Other seeds are homecountry favorite Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan, Taylor Dent, Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez, Russian Igor Andreev also coming from Russia's Davis Cup qualifying victory, and Swede Robin Soderling.

First-round matches of interest are (8) Soderling vs. former Masters Series winner Harel Levy, (5) Dent vs. Justin Gimelstob in an all-American, and (6) F-Lo vs. former slam winner Thomas Johansson.

Dent (2003) is the lone returning champion in the field, since the tournament began last year.

Ferrero Pulls From ATP Shanghai

Juan Carlos Ferrero has pulled from the ATP stop in Shanghai, leaving an ugly field at the Heineken Open headed by seeds Jiri Novak, Guillermo Canas, Mark Philippoussis, Hyung-Taik Lee, Jarkko Nieminen, Ricardo Mello "Yello," and Jan-Mike Gambill.

Opening matches of interest on the hardcourts are (5) Lee vs. Wayne "The Serving Machine" Arthurs, (7) Mello "Yello" vs. hot Austrian Alexander Peya, and (2) Novak vs. Taipei comer Yen-Hsun Lu.

Philippoussis (2003) is the lone returning champion in the field.

On court Monday are Carlsen vs. Hernych, Ulihrach vs. Sanguinetti, Garcia-Lopez vs. (3) Canas, and Lisnard vs. Muller.

Gold Medalist Massu Leads Dirt Field at ATP Palermo

The dirtballers get another chance to ply their trade this week at the Campionati Internazionali Di Sicilia in Palermo, Italy. Olympic winner Nicolas "The Golden Child" Massu heads the field along with seeds Florian "Oscar" Mayer, Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco, Russian Nikolay Davydenko, Filippo Volandri of Italy, Spain's Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal and David Ferrer, and Tomas "I Beat Federer" Berdych.

Tough openers on the dirt abound in (1) Massu vs. Spain's David Sanchez, Italy's "You Say" Potito Starace vs. Richard Gasquet, (7) Ferrer vs. Al Martin in an all-ESP, and (2) Mayer vs. Kristof Vliegen.

Returning champs in the field are Massu (2003) and Mariano Puerta (1998).

Clijsters Returns at WTA Hasselt Event in Belgium

Kim Clijsters makes her return to the WTA Tour this week at the Gaz de France Stars event in Hasselt, Belgium, the No. 2 seed behind the top-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva.

The two are joined by fellow seeds Elena Bovina, Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem, Francesca Schiavone, Silvia Farina Elia, Maggie Maleeva, and Croat Jelena Kostanic.

Dementieva and Clijsters receive first-round byes, but there are still a couple opening matches of interest in (4) Sprem vs. Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina, and (9) Kostanic vs. Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual.

Nathalie Dechy pulled from the event with a left thigh strain.

On court Monday are Ruano Pascual vs. Kostanic, Chladkova vs. Parra Santonja, and Maes vs. Bovina.

Sharapova Banked Upon at WTA Seoul

Considering the No. 2 seed is Shinobu Asagoe, the WTA stop in Seoul has banked, literally (as in under-the-table appearance fee), on slumping Wimbledon champ Maria Sharapova carrying the day this week at the Hansol Korea Open.

Sharapova and Asagoe are joined by a motley crew of No. 50-plus-ranked seeds in Germany's Marlene Weingartner, American Mashona "Little Sis" Washington, Slovak Katarina "Robotnik" Srebotnik, Slovak tongue-twister Lubomira Kurhajcova, Japan's Saori Obata, and Aussie Sam Stosur.

No byes for the seeds at this Tier IV event, and no tough first round matches with the massive rankings drop-off. Sharapova faces No. 106 ranked Emmanuelle Gagliardi in the first round, while the No. 2-seeded Asagoe faces a qualifier.

On court Monday are Domachowska vs. Weingartner, JH.Kim vs. Mamic, Cho vs. Stosur, Washington vs. Castano, Ad.Serra Zanetti vs. Talaja, Skavronskaia vs. Spears, and Voskoboeva vs. Sequera.

No Top 30 Players at WTA Guangzhou This Week

After lavish spending in Beijing over the last few weeks of men's and women's events, this week Chinese fans come back to Earth with a star-less Tier III event featuring no players ranked in the Top 30.

The WTA Guangzhou stop this week is headlined by seeds Argentina's Gisela "Sgt." Dulko, Serb Jelena Jankovic, Italy's Flavia "Of the Day" Pennetta, Marion "Roly Poly" Bartoli, Venezuela's Maria "The Round Mound of Rebound" Vento-Kabchi, Kristina "You're a Fine Girl" Brandi, Aussie veteran Nicole Pratt, and Czech Klara "Kouky" Koukalova.

Guangzhou is a first-time event on the WTA Tour.

On court Monday are Sun vs. Kouky, Kleinova vs. Strycova, and Kapros vs. T.Li.

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Serena after winning the Beijing title Sunday: "I never won a tournament on my birthday before! Even though I don't celebrate (as a Seventh Day Adventist), it was a good present. I just didn't want to give up. I didn't want to lose. Fortunately I was able to hold my serve at 4-5 in the second set to even it at 5-all. Even though she had a couple of match points, I never gave up. It was encouraging that I could win without playing my best. I have to work on my double faults. This is my first title since (Miami) so it feels good. I was hoping to break my title drought here in Beijing. I know I look cool and calm on the outside but inside I'm on fire...I didn't realize I was so popular here. I'm so glad I have a lot of fans in Beijing. I just love my support over here. I'm making up some new t-shirts with Nike that say 'The ball was in!'. Others are 'I'm bitter, angry, and depressed...' Should I go on? 'I was robbed!' and 'Oh no no no no no no no!' I feel I should use my sense of humor on what happened in New York (in her quarterfinal loss to Jennifer Capriati)."...Steffi Graf confirmed that husband Andre Agassi will play for another full year on the ATP tour...Goran Ivanisevic says the Croatian Davis Cup captaincy may be in the near future: "Maybe the year after next," he told the Independent. "I am learning whether I like it. It is good because men's tennis in Croatia was never better. We have three guys -- (Mario) Ancic, (Ivan) Ljubicic and (Ivo) Karlovic -- in the Top 50, and four very good guys under 16. And we have Karolina Sprem, 18th in the world. In England they don't understand it. They invest so much money in tennis and here we invest hardly anything. They don't know how it happened. Nor do I."...Can U.S. Davis Cup coach Patrick McEnroe get Andre Agassi to come out of retirement for the final against Spain? Andy Roddick and the French Open champ Agassi, think about it. Of course Andre will say he doesn't want to steal the other players' thunder, etc. Discuss.