Russians Sharapova, Dementieva, Myskina Highlight WTA Moscow
Posted on October 10, 2005The withdrawal of Venus Williams makes for no American participation this week at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, where it remains to be seen whether Maria Sharapova's chest injury will let the top-seeded Russian participate.
Seeded along with Sharapova are Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce, Russian Elena Dementieva, Patty Schnyder, Russian Anastasia Myskina, Alicia Molik, and struggling Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.
The top four seeds receive byes in Moscow, leaving a potential Thursday start for the recuperating Sharapova, but a handful of early-round match-ups exist in (1) Sharapova vs. one of the young upstarts in German Anna-Lena Groenefeld or Serb Ana Ivanovic in the second round, (3) Pierce vs. countrywoman Nathalie Dechy in a potential second-rounder, Vera Douchevina vs. Elena Likhovtseva in a battle of Russian "B"-players, (5) Schnyder vs. Russian comer Anna Chakvetadze, (6) Myskina vs. (WC) Maggie Maleeva, (4) Dementieva vs. Jelena Jankovic in the second round, (8) Kuznetsova vs. countrywoman Maria Kirilenko or Vera Zvonareva in the second round, and (2) Mauresmo vs. Francesca Schiavone in a potential second-rounder.
Myskina is the defending champion, last year rolling past countrywoman Dementieva 7-5, 6-0.
Main draw matches Monday in Moscow are Douchevina vs. Likhovtseva, and Chakvetadze vs. Schnyder.
Seeded along with Sharapova are Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce, Russian Elena Dementieva, Patty Schnyder, Russian Anastasia Myskina, Alicia Molik, and struggling Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.
The top four seeds receive byes in Moscow, leaving a potential Thursday start for the recuperating Sharapova, but a handful of early-round match-ups exist in (1) Sharapova vs. one of the young upstarts in German Anna-Lena Groenefeld or Serb Ana Ivanovic in the second round, (3) Pierce vs. countrywoman Nathalie Dechy in a potential second-rounder, Vera Douchevina vs. Elena Likhovtseva in a battle of Russian "B"-players, (5) Schnyder vs. Russian comer Anna Chakvetadze, (6) Myskina vs. (WC) Maggie Maleeva, (4) Dementieva vs. Jelena Jankovic in the second round, (8) Kuznetsova vs. countrywoman Maria Kirilenko or Vera Zvonareva in the second round, and (2) Mauresmo vs. Francesca Schiavone in a potential second-rounder.
Myskina is the defending champion, last year rolling past countrywoman Dementieva 7-5, 6-0.
Main draw matches Monday in Moscow are Douchevina vs. Likhovtseva, and Chakvetadze vs. Schnyder.