Dementieva Wins, Mauresmo Loses; Federer Dishes on Roche
Posted on May 27, 2007
WEEKEND WRAP
The Hypo Group Tennis International
Poertschach, Austria
Singles Final:
Juan Monaco (ARG) d (WC) Gael Monfils (FRA) 7-6(3), 6-0
Doubles Final:
(1) Aspelin/J.Knowle (SWE/AUT) d. Friedl/Skoch (CZE) 7-6(6), 5-7, 10-5
Monaco wins his second career title after Buenos Aires in February. Monfils has lost his last four tournament finals, but in reaching the Poert-sausage final can claim wins over former No. 1s Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt. Unfortunately the bagel in the second confirms Monfils' reputation as a player long on natural talent and short on the fitness ethic.
ARAG ATP World Team Championship
Dusseldorf, Germany
Final:
Argentina d. Czech Republic 2-1
Tomas Berdych (CZE) d. Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5)
Agustin Calleri (ARG) d. Jan Hajek (CZE) 6-3, 6-1
Juan Acasuso/Calleri (ARG) d. Berdych/Damm (CZE) 2-6, 6-4, 10-4
Argentina wins its third WTC, coming from a break down in the second set of the deciding doubles. "We were 4-2 up in the doubles so it was very disappointing. But they played well," Berdych said. "Still, it was a fantastic week, especially the match with the Germans. I have three wins and one loss in singles for the week so everything is fine for Roland Garros."
Internationaux de Strasbourg
Strasbourg, France
Singles Final:
(6) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. (1) Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Doubles Final:
(1) Yan/Zheng (CHN) d. (4) Molik/T.Sun (AUS/CHN) 6-3, 6-4
Ouch. "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues collects her first win over a Top 5 player in her lengthy career, and Mauresmo collects more poor Roland Garros karma, dropping to 24-22 in career finals. The Chinese pair of Yan/Zheng win their ninth career title together and second of 2007 after Charleston.
Istanbul Cup
Istanbul, Turkey
Singles Final:
(2) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Aravane Rezai (FRA) 7-6(5), 3-0 ret. (left patella tendonitis)
Doubles Final:
Radwanska/Radwanska (POL) d. (1) Chan/Mirza (TPE/IND) 6-1, 6-3
Dementieva wins her seventh career title and first of the year, cutting short the 20-year-old Frenchwoman's breakout week. Rezai was making her first appearance in singles final. "It's a real shame that Aravane got hurt today, because she had such a great week, beating Venus and Maria," Dementieva said. "It obviously gives me confidence for Roland Garros -- that was the first place I reached a Grand Slam final, so it has many special memories for me. I hope I can continue to keep winning and have a good result in Paris." In doubles give it up for the unseeded Radwanska sisters.
French Open Schedule Mens Highlights -- Sunday, May 27, 2007
Highlights of men's play Sunday at the French Open:
(22) Marat Safin vs. Fernando Vicente, (7) Ivan Ljubicic vs. Arnaud Clement, (5) Fernando Gonzalez vs. Radek Stepanek, (17) Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Amer Delic, and the all-Serb encounter of Janko Tipsarevic vs. Dusan Vemic.
French Open Schedule Womens Highlights -- Sunday, May 27, 2007
Highlights of women's play Sunday at the French Open:
(1) Justine Henin vs. Elena Vesnina, (26) Venus Williams vs. France's Alize Cornet, (8) Serena Williams vs. Tsvetana Pironkova, and an all-North American conflict in Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak vs. American Ashley Harkleroad.
TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Jelena Jankovic would be ranked No. 1 as of last week if you went by 2007 rankings points earned only, with Maria Sharapova barely in the Top 10, and Amelie Mauresmo outside the Top 10...In late May the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Argentina's Guillermo Canas had no case in attempting to overturn the 15-month doping ban that he served between June 2005 and September 2006. The CAS came to its same earlier verdict that Canas had committed a doping offence but that his negligence was "not significant."...Patty Schnyder pulled out of Istanbul on Thursday with a right thigh injury putting her French Open in jeopardy...Mardy Fish is missing the French Open after visiting the NFL Europe team Rhein Fire on Wednesday and spraining ligaments in his foot trying to kick a field goal: "I don't know how severe it is," U.S. teammate James Blake told reporters. "He's hoping that it is just something where he is off his feet for four, five days and then he can start hitting lightly. If that's the case he will be ready for the grass. It's really unfortunate. We all learn not to do silly things and to be more careful if we are going to do anything like that. But we also have to be human beings and live a life. We can't live in a shell or a bubble and only play tennis and never go out and do anything. It's a tough balance." -- Props to Blake for not using "dumb-ass" in his explanation...Nikolay Davydenko is applying for Austrian citizenship but says he will still represent Russia in tennis competition...Richard Gasquet has a blister on his hand entering the French...Shuai Peng has pulled from the French with an ankle injury. Tommy Haas (shoulder) and Andy Murray (wrist) are also officially out...Sebastien Grosjean and Paul-Henri Mathieu both enter the French with niggling injuries for your punters...Roger Federer on his break-up with coach Tony Roche: "The situation with Tony had become really complex because all of a sudden we just didn't talk any more. Imagine if we had spoken more often, with all he knows and all I know, where we might be, but the communication went, we would spend time on the practice court and barely say a word. It was sad but people change and times change. I suppose it is a special thing to coach me because of the set-up I have, how I am, how I see tennis and I know, as well, what is best for me. For me and my game, it is hard to have a coach but I remain open to anything...I had to get my attitude right [in Hamburg]. So I played doubles with Stan (Wawrinka) and made sure I was 100 percent for everything. I just felt I hadn't been there in Monte Carlo or Rome, my attitude wasn't right, it wasn't me. I had to show myself, my fighting spirit, the Federer tough guy. The way I won and the way I played -- well, let's just say that I like to prove the world wrong."...James Blake has bailed on Prince after the manufacturer supplied one blacked-out frame too many, and has returned to the Dunlop fold...From Reuters: "Indian doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi is ready to reunite with estranged partner Leander Paes to bid for a medal at next year's Beijing Olympics. The pair have had a stormy relationship and they virtually ruled out teaming up for the Olympics after criticising each other following the successful defence of their Asian Games doubles title in December. However, Bhupathi said on Wednesday the former world number one pair should play together to give India the best shot at a medal. They lost the bronze medal playoff at Athens in 2004."...The Tennis Channel website is teaming with Major League Baseball's webcasting to stream multiple courts over TTC website for free during the French Open.