Tuesday, 21st – May, 2013

May 21, 2013 / / No comments

Tennis ball

 

Dear tennis nerds and other No-Life,

Let’s all sing together: “There were two sisters of County Clare, oh the wind and the rain…”. Okay so no. There weren’t two sisters of County Clare in today tennis but certainly a lot of wind and rain.

Nb. I hope you all appreciate the clever side of this wonderful introduction.

And who says rain says… Delays. Or even cancellations like in Brussels where players spent their time playing cards and getting a manicure.

But thankfully, Strasbourg was in full (disastrous) swing.

What’s to keep in mind?

1 – The Double Fault Award goes to

Camila Giorgi who hit 16 of them during her match against Marion Bartoli. Don’t be worried, the French tried to balance the whole thing by hitting 10 of them herself.

Camila defeats Marion 6-3 6-2

2 – Being Seeded

Isn’t always the best thing that can happen to you. I mean, ask Tamira Paszek. Seed #2 and she loses in the first round to Virginie Razzano, in straight sets.

Virginie defeats Tamira 6-1 6-4

3 – The French in France

They have this tendency to lose mysteriously right from the beginning. Besides Marion Bartoli, Caroline Garcia, Claire Feuerstein and Mathilde Johansson followed this tradition.

Alize Cornet and Virginie Razzano are the only survivors.  But for how long?

Suspense, suspense.

4 – Make It Last

Rain delays? No problem. But once on court, the players will definitely take their time there. And I mean it.

Three matches lasted over 2 hours today; two out of these three lasting over 2 hours and a half, actually.

5 – Make It Short

Virginie Razzano doesn’t seem to really like point 4 of this letter so she made it as short as possible and stayed on the court for an hour and 5 minutes.

We never know when the rain is going to strike again so the faster the safer.

…..

In other news, I have no news.

Maria Sharapova will be responsible of the French’s tooth problems starting tomorrow at 4pm at the trendy store Colette. In a word, she will launch her Sugarpova there.

What else… I don’t really know. Everyone is here and around complaining about the rain and let’s face it, it’s rather understandable and fair. The French Open is pretty much screwed on this one.

Tennistically yours,

Me.

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Category: Agathe Rigault, Contributors, Tennistically Yours / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Top 25 Women’s Tennis Rankings, Schedules, & Throwback Rankings (May 20, 2013)

May 20, 2013 / / No comments

Top 25 Women’s Tennis
Rankings & Schedules
May 20, 2013

1. Serena Williams – Roland Garros
2. Maria Sharapova – Roland Garros
3. Victoria Azarenka – Roland Garros
4. Agnieszka Radwanska – Roland Garros
5. Sara Errani (+1) – Roland Garros
6. Li Na (-1) – Roland Garros
7. Petra Kvitova (+1) – Roland Garros
8. Angelique Kerber (-1) – Roland Garros
9. Samantha Stosur (+1) – Roland Garros
10. Caroline Wozniacki (-1) – Brussels, Roland Garros
11. Nadia Petrova – Roland Garros
12. Maria Kirilenko – Roland Garros
13. Marion Bartoli (+1) – Strasbourg, Roland Garros
14. Ana Ivanovic (-1) – Roland Garros
15. Roberta Vinci – Brussels, Roland Garros
16. Dominika Cibulkova – Brussels, Roland Garros
17. Sloane Stephens – Brussels, Roland Garros
18. Jelena Jankovic – Roland Garros
19. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – Roland Garros
20. Carla Suarez Navarro (+2) – Roland Garros
21. Kirsten Flipkens – Brussels, Roland Garros
22. Ekaterina Makarova (-2) – Roland Garros
23. Klara Zakopalova – Roland Garros
24. Julia Goerges (+1) – Brussels, Roland Garros
25. Lucie Safarova (+2) – Roland Garros

Top 25 Women’s Tennis
Throwback Rankings
May 19, 2003

1. Serena Williams
2. Kim Clijsters
3. Venus Williams
4. Justine Henin-Hardenne
5. Amelie Mauresmo
6. Lindsay Davenport
7. Jennifer Capriati
8. Chanda Rubin
9. Daniela Hantuchova
10. Jelena Dokic
11. Anastasia Myskina
12. Monica Seles
13. Elena Dementieva
14. Eleni Daniilidou
15. Magdalena Maleeva
16. Ai Sugiyama
17. Amanda Coetzer
18. Meghann Shaughnessy
19. Patty Schnyder
20. Elena Bovina
21. Lisa Raymond
22. Vera Zvonareva
23. Anna Pistolesi
24. Conchita Martinez
25. Nathalie Dechy

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Category: Player Schedules, Rankings, Throwback Rankings / Tags: , ,

Friday, 17th – May 2013

May 17, 2013 / / No comments

Tennis ball

 

Dear tennis nerds and other No-Life,

Today, I had to face a tennis dilemma. For at least two long minutes, I weighed in: do I write a tennis recap letter or not considering only five matches got played in Rome?

Immediately, I assumed I could. If only because I had already missed out on my writing duties on Tuesday and because five matches were still five matches. So, little by little, I decided I could definitely write a very long intro in which I would go in circles or I could simply tell you my life and all the things I had done today like going to a concert or creating an envelope when realizing I had none left and I was too lazy to go buy some.

Still here?

Wow. You’re good.

So let’s come back to tennis.

What’s to keep in mind?

1 – Potassium

No, we aren’t back to school, little science geeks. But Maria Sharapova withdrew from Rome because of a suspiciously high level of potassium in her blood.

As soon as House calls me back, I clarify what that exactly means. In the meantime, I have no idea.

2 – For the first time

Maria withdrawing means Sara Errani going straight to the semis which means that for the very first time, an Italian female player will still be on a court and not just for practice.

3 – Drama

Where there is a Jelena, there is drama. Which never disappoints us, obviously.

While leading 3-0 in the third set against Simona Halep, the Serbian went suddenly quite off… To the point of losing the match.

O.U.C.H. as that British commie would say.

Simona defeats Jelena 4-6 6-0 7-5

4 – A Matter of Time

Perhaps someone needs to tell Serena Williams that she is allowed to stay for over an hour on court.

I’m sure her opponents would appreciate it too. Right, Carla Suarez-Navarro?

In 56′, Serena defeats Carla 6-2 6-0

5 – The Double Fault Award

It’s been a while, right? I know you were all waiting for it so here we go…

8 double faults: congrats, Victoria Azarenka.

And yet she won the match against Samantha Stosur.

Victoria defeats Sam 6-4 1-6 6-3

…..

As if losing in singles wasn’t enough, Jelena Jankovic lost in doubles too. Uh oh.

Alright so… I don’t have much more to tell you. No more Rome picture, all Paris talk already… And that damn sun that won’t show up in the French capital… How do I know this? Well, because I live in Paris.

Tennistically Yours,

Me.

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Category: Agathe Rigault, Contributors, Tennistically Yours / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, 16th – May, 2013

May 16, 2013 / / No comments

Tennis ball

 

Dear tennis nerds and other No-Life,

Out of 8 matches, 6 of them got played entirely. Yes, there are days like this. And it rained. Excellent. Perfect. Whatever.

What’s to keep in mind?

1 – For the first time

Samantha Stosur got the best – although “best” is here quite relative of Petra Kvitova but not before hitting a statue with a lost ball, which I had alluded to a couple of days ago.

Drama, drama, drama.

Sam defeats Petra 7-5 2-6 6-1

2 – Serena is in a hurry

I don’t know where though. Ask Dominika Cibulkova, she might know. I mean, if she had enough time herself to ask for it.

Serena defeats Dominika 6-0 6-1

3 – Maria Sharapova is in a hurry

Because it is trendy. Ask Sloane Stephens.

Maria defeats Sloane 6-2 6-1

4 – Hmm

Simona Halep solved The Vinci Code and no, don’t thank me for this wonderful pun you have never heard before. It is free. Enjoy.

Simona defeats Roberta 6-4 6-2

5 – Jelena Jankovic likes Rome

And she is proving it. Too bad for Li Na who was on the receiving end, though.

Jelena defeats Na 7-6(2) 7-5

….

Maria Kirilenko retired due to a knee injury. Not sure what happened to Ayumi Morita but she didn’t finish her match either. If it goes on, seeds in Paris will be quite unexpected.

On the double front, Lisa Raymond and Laura Robson didn’t survive against Dominika Cibulkova and Monica Niculescu. They lose 4-6 4-6.

Let’s also note Sam Stosur’s victims won their match against Liezel Huber and Maria Martinez-Sanchez. And by victims, I mean Su-Wei Hsieh and Shuai Peng.

Tennistically Yours,

Me

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Category: Agathe Rigault, Contributors, Tennistically Yours / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, 15th – May 2013

May 15, 2013 / / No comments

Tennis ball

 

Dear tennis nerds and other No-Life,

I know. I know. I know. I should have written your daily and oh so lovely letter yesterday but things happened. And by things, I mean pints of beer and a bottle of sake.

Now that I am back to the tennis life – liver-less, though – let’s focus on what happened in Rome, today.

What’s to keep in mind?

1 – Closing it out

Sara Errani just didn’t feel it, today. Winning or not, that’s the question. So somehow she let go of the second set against Christina McHale, along with 8 match points.

Finally she felt it. On the 9th.

Sara defeats Christina 7-5 5-7 6-2

2 – Playing last

Sometimes, it just doesn’t turn right because your opponent is then in a hurry to go back to the hotel and catch the last episode of Grey Anatomy.

Julia Goerges can confirm. Victoria Azarenka was just not on the court to take her time.

Victoria defeats Julia 6-2 6-0

3 – Lucky Loser II

Everything is going fine for Lourdes Dominguez-Lino. While she took advantage of Angelique Kerber’s withdrawing to make it straight to the second round, she decided to stay a bit longer in the Foro Italico.

And that means bad news for Yanina Wickmayer.

Lourdes defeats Yanina 6-4 6-4

4 – For blue skies

Agnieszka Radwanska has a shoulder injury. Reason why she withdraw from the Brussels Open. As if it weren’t enough, she is uncertain for the FO and the grass season.

Uh oh.

5 – In top form

Jelena Jankovic has forgotten her German defeat against Sabine Lisicki. The proof is, she literally destroyed Bojana Jovanovski, today.

Bojana who – in case you have missed it – defeated Caroline Wozniacki yesterday.

Jelena defeats Bojana 6-2 6-0

….

Wild Cards for Roland Garros are in. Among the lucky girls, we have Ashleigh Barty, Caroline Garcia and Virginie Razzano. And probably the rain. The weather has been terrible in Paris so far.

Caroline Wozniacki is fine. Especially since she was said at the spa that she looked like she was 17. Order is restored, obviously.

On the double front, Laura Robson and Lisa Raymond won in extremis their match against Flavia Pennetta and Svetlana Kuznetsova: 6-7(2) 6-4 10-7.

Also, Francesca Schiavone and Samantha Stosur will officially play together in Paris and London. Sorry for the StoSicki buddies.

Tennistically Yours,

Me.

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Category: Agathe Rigault, Contributors, Tennistically Yours / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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