Davenport Tops Mauresmo at WTA Filderstadt, Closes No. 1 Gap

Posted on October 11, 2004

Amelie Mauresmo's quest to prove her worth as the legitimate No. 1 player in the world took a hit Sunday at the WTA stop in Filderstadt when the Frenchwoman retired after losing the first set 2-6 to No. 2-ranked Lindsay Davenport.

Mauresmo assumed the top spot for the first time last month even though she has failed thus far in her career to win a grand slam title. Mauresmo's rise has coincided with injury-plagued years to former No. 1s Justine Henin-Hardenne, Kim Clijsters, and Serena and Venus Williams.

The win moved Davenport to a mere 15 points behind Mauresmo on the WTA Rankings.

"It's very unfortunate," Davenport said. "I could tell she was having a hard time moving after the time out. I'm pretty sure I've never won a final in this manner, it's quite an empty feeling actually. It's a huge honor to win this tournament again with such a tough field here. It would definitely have felt more satisfying beating the No. 1 properly."

In the middle of the first set the Frenchwoman requested a trainer, and after losing the set retired with a muscle strain in her left leg.

"I felt a little tear or tightness in the third game pushing off for a shot to my left and it got worse as the set went on," Mauresmo said. "I could hardly move. It's too soon to tell how bad it is. I'll have to do some exams tomorrow in Paris and then make a decision about going to Moscow (for the Kremlin Cup). I hope it's nothing serious, I don't think so, but it's important to make sure."

The Filderstadt title is Davenport's tour-leading seventh of the year.

In the doubles final, (1) Cara Black/Rennae Stubbs defeated wildcards Anna-Lena Groenefeld/Julia Schruff 6-3, 6-2 for their fifth title of the year.

Taylor Fails to Make a Dent in Novak at ATP Tokyo

No. 5 seed Jiri Novak made good on his upset of top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt in the semifinals at the ATP stop in Tokyo on Saturday, Sunday outlasting No. 7 seed Taylor Dent 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 for his first title of the year.

"I felt great the whole week," Novak said. "I beat Paradorn (Srichaphan) and (Lleyton) Hewitt, and Dent in the final, so I feel I was playing very well in Tokyo. This is my sixth (career) title and I'm very excited about it."

The two were playing in their first finals of 2004.

"Jiri played very well," said Dent, who seems to still be struggling with obtaining a top fitness level. "He made me work hard to keep holding my service games and I had weary legs in the second and third sets. He played solid throughout the whole match and I was made to work for everything."

In the doubles final the No. 2-seeded team of Jared Palmer and Pavel Vizner defeated No. 4-seeded Czechs Novak and Petr Pala for their third title of the year when Novak retired during the first set with a rib injury.

Soderling Wins First Career Title ATP Lyon

Sweden's Robin Soderling broke through for his first ATP title Sunday at Lyon, outlasting Belgian veteran Xavier "X-Man" Malisse 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

It was the third career title for Soderling after losing in Stockholm last year and Marseille this past February.

"I didn't know what it was like to win a tournament and I almost cried when I realized it was over," Soderling said. "My two previous finals told me that a day like today would come in the near future."

The loss dropped X-Man to 0-6 career in finals.

"There is no jinx," Malisse said. "Soderling is really strong on hardcourt."

The win propelled Soderling to No. 1 on the Tennis-X Euro Series standings (see: www.tennis-x.com).

In the doubles final, Israel's Erlich/Ram defeated Bjorkman/Stepanek 7-6(2), 6-2 for their first title of the year in their third final.

Soderling Takes Lead in Inaugural Tennis-X Euro Series

Swede Robin Soderling, unseeded in play last week at the ATP stop in Lyon, finds himself atop the standings of the inaugural Tennis-X Euro Series after claiming his career-first ATP title.

"I didn't know what it was like to win a tournament and I almost cried when I realized it was over," said Soderling, who was also expected to shed more tears upon realizing he topped the Euro Series.

In its first week the Tennis-X.com Euro Series was hailed by fans, players, and industry executives alike.

"It is the tennis fan who will likely benefit the most through greater exposure on television for tennis, for ATP players and for ATP tournaments," said ATP CEO Mark Miles, here actually talking about the US Open Series.

"I'll have to agree with Mark," said Tennis-X CEO Luke Johnson. "The Euro Series brings the spotlight on the European indoor events leading to the year-ending Masters Cup. It's a slam dunk. Each day I manually calculate who is leading the standings, purely out of interest, sometimes out of boredom. Sometimes I'll put on my Andy Roddick matching shirt and hat before I do it, or my Roger Federer headband...I don't have a whole lot to do around here."

In second place in a prime position for Euro Series cash is Belgian Xavier "X-Man" Malisse, the Lyon runner-up, while tied for third are Lyon semifinalists Vince "Vincenzo" Spadea of the U.S. and Spain's Dave Ferrer.

"I'm going to Metz, Madrid, Stockholm, and qualies for Paris. Still a lot of tennis left after a week like this," said Malisse, here not referring to his hopes of staying near the top of the Euro Series standings. "I think I'm in the main draw in Madrid so that will be the priority and then we'll see."

The 2004 Tennis-X Euro Series is a historic achievement in men's tennis that links the nine men's European indoor tournaments after the US Open leading to the year-ending Masters Cup, creating a cohesive, five-week European indoor season. Players will be competing for bonus prize money to be awarded at the end of the Euro Series and more importantly, the honor that goes with being crowned the Euro Series champion.

Three events will be added to the Euro Series standings this week in the BA-CA Tennis Trophy (Vienna, Austria), the Open de Maselle (Metz, France), and the Kremlin Cup (Moscow, Russia). Other remaining events are the Masters Series-Madrid (Spain), the Davidoff Swiss Indoors (Basel, Switzerland), the if...Stockholm Open (Sweden), the St. Petersburg Open (Russia), and the Masters Series-Paris (France), all leading to the season-ending Masters Cup in Houston.

For more info on the Euro Series or to check the standings, point your browser toward www.tennis-x.com.

Nalbandian, Massu Top Seeds at ATP Vienna

World No. 1 Roger Federer chooses not to defend his 2003 title in Vienna this week, but the BA-CA Tennis Trophy pulls in a solid Euro-heavy field with top seeds David Nalbandian, Olympic gold medalist Nicolas "The Golden Child" Massu, Rainer "Shine" Schuettler, Juan Ignacio Chela, Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan, Guillermo Canas, Tokyo winner Jiri Novak, and Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez.

Tough first-round matches of interest are (4) Chela vs. German riser Florian "Oscar" Mayer (winner to potentially face former No. 2 Tommy Haas), (5) Thai Fighter vs. former Roland Garros champ Al Costa, (8) F-Lo vs. the hot-handed Argentine Agustin Calleri (winner to potentially face Thomas Enqvist), (3) Schuettler vs. Austrian Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, (7) Novak vs. Austrian (WC) Alexander Peya, and (2) Massu vs. veteran qualifier Karol "Little Cat" Kucera.

In the 2003 final, Federer defeated Carlos Moya, who has also chosen to sit this one out.

Haas (2001) is the lone returning champ in the field.

On court Monday are (8) F-Lo vs. Calleri, (WC) Knowle vs. (6) Canas, Robby "Baby Courier" Ginepri vs. "You Say" Potito Starace, (4) Chela vs. Oscar Mayer, and (Q) De Voest vs. Tipsarevic.

Safin Looks to Keep Masters Cup Qualifying Alive at ATP Moscow

Marat Safin, currently on the bubble to qualify for the year-end eight-man Masters Cup field, leads the seeds this week at his home ATP stop in Moscow, joined by Joachim "Pim-Pim" Johansson, Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, Vince Spadea, Russian Mikhail Youzhny, Tomas Berdych, Filippo Volandri, and Russian Nikolay Davydenko.

Opening round matches of interest are (1) Safin vs. Max "The Beast" Mirnyi (Safin leads meetings 3-2), (4) Spadea vs. Russian comer Igor Andreev, (3) The Dominator vs. former Aussie Open winner Thomas Johansson, (7) Volandri vs. Lyon winner Robin Soderling, and in an all-unseeded serving throw-down, "Grinning" Greg Rusedski vs. "Dr." Ivo Karlovic.

Last year's runner-up Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian returns, but 2003 champ Taylor Dent does not. There will be one former champ in the field after the final round of qualifying where former Moscow winnners Marc Rosset and Andrei Cherkasov are facing off on Monday.

The Kremlin Cup is the biggest sports event in Russia, held at the Olympic Stadium which was built for the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

On court Monday in Moscow are (WC) Gabashvili vs. Sargsian, (1) Safin vs. The Beast, Dr. Ivo vs. Grinning Greg, (6) Berdych vs. (WC) Kunitsyn, and Hernych vs. (2) Joachim "Pim-Pim" Johansson.

Ljubicic Leads Ugly Field This Week at ATP Metz

Croat Ivan Ljubicic leads the star-challenged field this week at the ATP stop in Metz, France, a second-year event on the ATP circuit.

Ljubicic is joined among the seeds by Lyon runner-up Xavier "X-Man" Malisse, Jose Acasuso, Olivier "The Roach" Rochus, Juan "The Principality" Monaco, Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau, Dennis Van Scheppingen, and Gilles Muller.

Name the countries of origin of seeds Van Scheppingen and Muller and you win the "True Tennis Fan/Need to Get Outside More" award of the week.

Opening round matches of interest (for locals) are the all-French affairs of Olivier "Mucus" Mutis vs. (WC) Nicolas Mahut and Thierry Ascione vs. Anthony Dupuis, (8) Muller vs. defending champ Arnaud Clement, (6) Benneteau vs. Jan-Mike Gambill, (4) The Roach vs. former No. 2 Alex Corretja, (7) Van Scheppingen vs. (WC) Gasquet, and (2) Malisse vs. French wunderkind Gael Monfils, who won three of the four junior slams this year.

In last year's final, Clement beat Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez in three sets.

Scheduled for Monday in the main draw are Jeff "The Lizard King" Morrison vs. other-brother Christophe "The Roach II" Rochus, Olivier "All We Need is Just a Little" Patience vs. Kohlschreiber, (7) Van Scheppingen vs. (WC) Gasquet, Mucus vs. (WC) Mahut in an all-French, Ascione vs. Dupuis in another all-baguette, and "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter vs. Garcia.

Davenport Looking to Steal No. 1 Ranking This Week at WTA Moscow

Five of the Top 6-ranked players on the WTA Tour compete this week at the Tier I stop in Moscow, though that could change with the possible withdrawal of top seed Amelie Mauresmo, who sustained a muscle pull in her leg Sunday, forcing her to pull from the Filderstadt final.

Joining the world No. 1 Mauresmo among the seeds are No. 2 Lindsay Davenport, a slew of Russians in Anastasia Myskina, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva, Vera "The Crying Game" Zvonareva, Nadia Petrova, and American Venus Williams.

The top four seeds receive byes in typical WTA early-round-buzz-killing style, but potential early matches of interest include (1) Mauresmo vs. Daniela Hantuchova in the second round, (4) Kuznetsova vs. Top 15-ranked Ai Sugiyama in the second round, (5) Dementieva vs. Patty "Handshake" Schnyder in the first round, winner to likely face Mary Pierce, (3) Myskina to potentially face Elena Likhovtseva in an all-Russian second round, and (2) Davenport vs. Russian (WC) Dinara "Little Sis" Safina in a second-round potential.

Davenport, who trails by a mere 15 points, could steal the No. 1 ranking this week from Mauresmo.

In last year's final Myskina rolled Mauresmo in straight sets. Returning champs in the 2004 draw are Myskina (2003), three-time champ Maggie Maleeva (2002, '95-94), and Pierce (1998).

On court Monday are Maleeva vs. (WC) Douchevina, and Farina Elia vs. Schiavone in an all-Italian.

Bartoli Tops Watery Field at WTA Tashkent

France's Marion "Roly Poly" Bartoli tops the star-less field at the Tier IV WTA stop in Tashkent this week, joined by seeds Meghann Shaughnessy, Marta Marrero, Arantxa "Not That Arantxa" Parra Santonja, Anca Barna, Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Tamarine Tanasugarn, and Virginie Razzano.

On Monday in Tashkent are Viratprasert vs. Barna, Muller vs. Beygelzimer, and Ad.Serra Zanetti vs. Yakimova.

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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
In the Tokyo doubles final Sunday, (1) Shinobu Asagoe/Katarina "Robotnik" Srebotnik beat Americans (5) Jennifer Hopkins/Mashona Washington 6-1, 6-4 for their first title as a team, with Washington losing both the singles and doubles titles...Sergi Bruguera beat Jim Courier 6-2, 6-4 on the red clay in the final of the senior tour stop in Paris. In the third place playoff, Michael Stich beat fat German compatriot Boris Becker 6-4, 6-2...Maria "Cell Phone Mannequin" Sharapova on her recent two-week Asian swing where she won Seoul and Tokyo as the only Top 30-ranked player in both draws: "I want to come back. I just, for some reasons, I don't know why, play well and feel really good here, and fans are amazing." Studies show that most top players on the WTA Tour play well when facing opponents ranked outside the Top 30. Sharapova also gave tournament officials some good-natured ribbing for not updating their hardware during the trophy ceremony: "By the way, they haven't updated this trophy, there's not my name on it, the last person is 2001, which is (Monica) Seles. We are in the 21st century. Come on! Three years behind."...Following the prickly Richard Evans' decision to stand down as president of the International Tennis Writers' Association at the US Open, Matt Cronin of the United States and the UK's Eleanor Preston are now joint presidents of the ITWA...Lindsay Davenport, who has been talking retirement for the last couple months, now says she could play the entire 2005 season. Davenport is currently 15 points behind world No. 1-ranked Amelie Mauresmo...No. 49-ranked Marta Marrero has played 30 tournament this year, the most of any Top 50-ranked player, compared to nine events for the No. 10-ranked Kim Clijsters who has been injured for much of 2004.