Apia International Sydney 2015

[Hoergren]

Another week with another WTA event - Sydney - and second week on the tour "down under". I'll try to give some background info and show the schedule and results as always and hope you'll step in with comments and match report about your favorite player. As usual I'll concentrate about a few. Return to this thread later - this was just a "teaser" Order of play Sunday follows here - the last Qualifying matches shown with a Q behind - rest is 1st round. Only WTA matches are shown and as always - times are local and only shown as a hint to when the match will be played - OK? Because of delays matches have begun late:

Sunday, January 11, 2015
Ken Rosewall Arena
18:00 Madison Keys (USA) V Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 64 64
20:00 Daria Gavrilova (RUS) V Belinda Bencic (SUI) 63 60 :nono
22:00 Lucie Safarova (CZE) V Samantha Stosur (AUS) Postponed

Grand Stand
18:00 [1] Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) V Nicole Gibbs (USA) Q 63 61
20:00 Johanna Konta (GBR) V [6] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) Q 36 63 36
22:00 Andrea Petkovic (GER) V Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) postponed

Court 3
18:00 Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) V Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) Q 60 36 46

Court 7
18:00 Polona Hercog (SLO) V Timea Babos (HUN) Q 36 76 62

The Australian tour is also known as "The Margaret tour" after Australia's famous Margaret Smith Court. Here are som impressive stats of the famous Australian - quite impressive too:

Time span ------ Record accomplished -------------------------------------Players matched
1960–1977 ----- All time women's record of 192 Singles titles ----------- Stands alone
1968-1976 ----- Open era record of 46 career grass court singles titles-- Stands alone
1968–1977 ----- Open era career singles match winning percentage (all surfaces) 91.17% (593–56) Stands alone
1968–1977 ----- Open era career singles match winning percentage (hard court) 91.73% (111-10) Stands alone
1968–1977 ----- Open era career singles match winning percentage (grass court) 93.01% (293-22) Stands alone
1970 ------------ Open era record of 21 singles titles won in one year Stands alone
1973 ------------ WTA Tour record of 18 singles titles won in one year Stands alone

Today 72 years old and is Christian minister in Perth, Australia - here ishe is in a picture from 1964:

First BIG surprise Belinda Bencic defeat. How on earth can she be called newcomer of the year - she went totally down mentally in second set to a player who actually played a bit like Caroline did when she won 60 60 over Bencic in Turkey. Mental coach is really needed:nono

 

[Hoergren]

Schedule Monday, January 12, 2015 - let's hope that showers will keep away Monday

Ken Rosewall Arena
12:00 Lucie Safarova (CZE) V Samantha Stosur (AUS) 67 75 36
13:30 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) V [4] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 64 11 ret. sore tendon
15:30 [3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) V Alizé Cornet (FRA) 63 62

Grand Stand
12:00 Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) V Sara Errani (ITA) 60 75
14:00 Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) V [5] Angelique Kerber (GER) 61 46 36

Court 3
12:00 Elina Svitolina (UKR) V [6] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 67 26
14:00 Andrea Petkovic (GER) V Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) 16 67
16:00 [8] Flavia Pennetta (ITA) V Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 36 67
18:00 [1] Raquel Kops-Jones / Abigail Spears (USA / USA) V Dominika Cibulkova / Jarmila Gajdosova (SVK / AUS) 64 64

Court 4
12:00 Sabine Lisicki (GER) V Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) 36 63 67
14:00 [7] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) V Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 62 62

Court 5
12:00 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) V Shuai Peng (CHN) 61 67 46
14:00 Polona Hercog (SLO) V Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 46 46
16:00 Alla Kudryavtseva / Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS / RUS) V [4] Hao-Ching Chan / Kveta Peschke (TPE / CZE) 64 46 5-10

Court 6
12:00 Marina Erakovic / Arantxa Parra Santonja (NZL / ESP) V Bethanie Mattek-Sands / Sania Mirza (USA / IND) 36 26
14:00 Arina Rodionova / Olga Savchuk (AUS / UKR) V Anabel Medina Garrigues / Yaroslava Shvedova (ESP / KAZ) 46 75 4-10

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ I will be attending Apia International Monday,showers are predicated again,hopefully the weather report will be wrong,it will give the officials nightmares,schedule wise,as this tournament runs so close to the Australian Open.

 

[Hoergren]

^ I will be attending Apia International Monday,showers are predicated again,hopefully the weather report will be wrong,it will give the officials nightmares,schedule wise,as this tournament runs so close to the Australian Open.

Hope you'll cover some of the matches + post some pictures - would be much appreciated

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ I hope to,I will be interviewing the linesperson on Monday the 12th,the officials can't give me a estimated time for the interview,as I will have to wait around for the linesperson to complete his/her on court duties.There are some good WTA matches on as well.

 

[Hoergren]

Players party - some examples - sorry for the cut offs

 

[colleen66]

Petra always looks so lovely when she is dolled up and her hair is hanging loose! She is almost unrecognizable from how she looks on the court.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

The draw is interesting.
http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2015/702/MDS.pdf
Top 2 seeds get first round bye. That would be Simona and Petra.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Garbie Barbie just took out Sara in straight sets, handed her an bagel in the first.

I found the video from the party:
[video=youtube]http://youtu.be/pVuWYBUU5W4[/video]

I need to crash one of these parties!
:snigger

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Lucie and Samantha have been going at it for two and half hours and they just started the third set!
Lucie enjoys a 9-2 record against Samantha...

A Top 10 Makarova returns to action and takes out Elina Svitolina.

 

[Hoergren]

Sore tendon and Wozniacki is out losing 46 11. Get well to the AO - should be time for healing.

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr76RbqZAUE[/video]

 

[10isfan]

Sad to see Woz having to retire. Wishing her a speedy recovery. She is a legitimate contender for the AO title so I hope she is fit for Monday.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just returned from Apia International,had a great day and after my interview with the linesperson,I watched some interesting WTA matches on the centre court.

Safarova v Stosur

This match was a tight match all the way,the wind does swirl around on the center court,it came down in the end,which player could hold serve quite frankly.Safarova gifted the match to Stosur,having 3 double faults in her service game,unbelievable,seeing Safarova played well during the Hopman Cup for Czech.Stosur had a easy service game,she handled the conditions in the end better than Lucie and won the 3rd and final set 63.This was a great relief for Stosur,who was defeated in her first round match at the Brisbane International Tournament.

Woznicaki v Strycova....Strycova won by retirement 64 1 all in the 2nd set

I am sorry Leif that Caroline had to retire,I hope the wrist issue isnt serious,being so close to the first Grand Slam tournament of the year,I felt Caroline did the correct thing in retiring.

Radwanska v Cornet

Really enjoyed this match,both ladies going toe to toe on the baseline.Impressed with Cornet,she was trying to hit through Aga on court,though sometimes she tended to push her shots,other times when she used more controlled aggression it paid off.Cornet seemed to be clutching at her stomach early in the 2nd set,her serve went astray,I thought she may had pulled a stomach muscle,cause that is usually the first sign,when your serve does go off.Cornet didnt call for the trainer and still tried the best she could.Aga winning 63 62.

I have taken photos of the players,also players practicing.I will post a separate link soon with these photo's.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Here are the photo's I took at the Apia International Tournament,Monday 12th of January,

Enjoy everyone!

http://s457.photobucket.com/user/toshmarne/library/Sydney%20Apia%202015%20Women

 

[sk310]

Im kind of glad Carolien is out. I always hate that she so often plays the week before a slam. She's a contender this year I'd like to see her well rested.

 

[special700]

Im kind of glad Carolien is out. I always hate that she so often plays the week before a slam. She's a contender this year I'd like to see her well rested.

Co-sign

 

[Hoergren]

Order of play Tuesday 13 January 2015

KEN ROSEWALL ARENA

Not Before 17:00
Samantha STOSUR (AUS) vs Barbora ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA (CZE) 67 26
Not Before 19:00
Shuai PENG (CHN) vs Petra KVITOVA (CZE) [2] 16 57

GRAND STAND
Starting At: 13:00
Simona Halep has had to withdraw from the Apia International Sydney due to a GI illness, but she's hoping to make a speedy recovery in time for the Australian Open.
(LL) N. Gibbs vs Karolina PLISKOVA (CZE) 06 06
Not Before 15:30
Agnieszka RADWANSKA (POL) [3] vs Garbiñe MUGURUZA (ESP) 63 67 26
ATP match
Dominika CIBULKOVA (SVK) [7] vs [WC] Jarmila GAJDOSOVA (AUS) 61 36 46
[WC] Daria GAVRILOVA (RUS) vs Angelique KERBER (GER) [5] 76 67 36 Ended 03.10 local time in Sydney must be a record ending time?

COURT 3
Starting At: 13:00
Carla SUÁREZ NAVARRO (ESP) vs Ekaterina MAKAROVA (RUS) [6] 46 61 64
[Q] Tsvetana PIRONKOVA (BUL) vs Madison KEYS (USA) 46 41 ret.
ATP match
After Suitable Rest
Garbiñe MUGURUZA (ESP)/Carla SUÁREZ NAVARRO (ESP) [3] vs
Caroline GARCIA (FRA)/Katarina SREBOTNIK (SLO) W/O

COURT 4
Starting At: 13:00
3 ATP Matches
Julia GOERGES (GER)/Anna-Lena GROENEFELD (GER) vs Martina HINGIS (SUI)/Flavia PENNETTA (ITA) [2] 06 26

COURT 5
Starting At: 13:00
4 ATP matches
After Suitable Rest
Michaella KRAJICEK (NED)/Barbora ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA (CZE) vs Timea BABOS (HUN)/Kristina MLADENOVIC (FRA) 64 36 4-10

COURT 6
Starting At: Not Before 15:30
Kimiko DATE-KRUMM (JPN)/Karolina PLISKOVA (CZE) vs [WC] Belinda BENCIC (SUI)/Lucie SAFAROVA (CZE) 60 76

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Some really interesting matches,pity I cannot make it to Apia International,I have a urgent dentist appointment,though I will be attending Apia later in the week.

Some of the matches that have caught my attention are,

Peng v Kvitova,I hope Petra finds her serve in Sydney,I was disappointed in her last match,where it went AWOL and she lost the match.

Halep v Pliskova,Halep will be tested by Karolina,Karolina has been playing good solid tennis of late,impressed with her win over Azarenka at Brisbane

Cibulkova v Gajdosova.I am tipping a upset in this match,I was impressed with Jarmila yesterday in her match,if she brings that game to this match,I feel she can win.

Gavrilova (soon to be a Aussie) v Kerber.Kerber had the doctor on court yesterday in her match,checking her blood pressure,I stayed for a little while,Kerber appeared to be alright and went on to win her match.I am impressed by Gavrilova,especially her win over Belinda Bencic.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Simona Halep just gave her notice, she is out of Sydney due to gastrointestinal illness.

 

[kskate2]

^ Good. She played last week and won a tournament. She doesn't need another week deep into a tournament.