Rome Draw! Quite Interesting!

[Sundaymorningguy]

Well, Aga better hope she breaks out of it as she has quite a bit of points to defend at Wimbledon!

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Serena is getting better at protecting her serve on the clay which will be instrumental in Paris.

 

[jhar26]

Aga was never much of a claycourt player though. So there's no need to panic as far as she is concerned just yet. But as you say, at Wimbledon (and beyond) she has loads of points to defend, so she needs to get her act together pretty soon.

 

[tossip]

Robson looked exhausted at the end of the match..

 

[Hoergren]

Schedule for Wednesday 15.May

CENTRALE Start 12:00 noon
3rd match after two ATP
[Q] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) v [2] Maria Sharapova (RUS) 26 26

Not Before 9:00 PM
Julia Goerges (GER) v [3] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 26 06

SUPERTENNIS ARENA Start 11:00 am
Jie Zheng (CHN) v [5] Na Li (CHN) 36 16
After 2 ATP
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) v Romina Oprandi (SUI) 64 62

PIETRANGELI Start 11:00 am
[WC] Nastassja Burnett (ITA) v [13] Roberta Vinci (ITA) 16 46
[7] Sara Errani (ITA) v Christina Mchale (USA) 75 57 62

COURT 1 Start 11:00 am
2nd match
Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) v Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 26 06

COURT 2 Start 11:00 am
[Q] Melanie Oudin (USA) v [14] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 75 16 36

Not Before 1:00 PM
Shuai Peng (CHN) v [9] Samantha Stosur (AUS) 67 06
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) v [LL] Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP) 46 46
double
Urszula Radwanska (POL) v Ayumi Morita (JPN) 36 16

COURT 4 Start 11:00 am
3rd match
[16] Sloane Stephens (USA) v Kiki Bertens (NED) 46 63 62

COURT 6 Start 12:00 noon
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) v [12] Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 36 16

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

WOW!!
I am away for half a day and all hell breaks loose?

What a terrible clay season for Caro! And Aggie!! What happened to the defenders? This is clay, they should find plenty of time to defend.

Sabine and Ana...

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Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) v Jelena Jankovic (SRB) Balkan duel can be an exciting match

What an intriguing match-up, all tied up at 1-1 in their previous meetings and the winner gets the winner of the Chinese duel.
Did you know Jie leads Na 4-1 in their previous duels?

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Some big names tomorrow too! Will there be upsets tomorrow too? Vika could get upset as Julia does like the clay. Maria vs Muguruza should be fun.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

JJ is on a war path! And she keeps handing out bagles, it was Bojana the Caro dismisser this time!

JJ will face Li Na next.

 

[kskate2]

She won't bagel Li. Anyway, quite a match unfolding between McHale and Errani. Sara had 5 MP's and was up huge in the 2nd set. Christina battled back and took the set 7-5. We are now in the decider.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Jankovic likes this tournament, and this match up versus Li can be a very entertaining match.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

McHale didn't make it, lost the third set 6-2

Sloane was behind 0-2 in the first set, pulled even at 4-4 but got broken again, Kiki is serving for the set.

 

[MashaFan]

Great openings match from Masha who defeated Gabine Muguruza 62, 62 - It's either Kiki Bertens (NED) or Sloan Stephens (USA) in R3 - You go gurl!!!

 

[10isfan]

Good to see Sloane winning again. My comment about her lack of mental toughness was not made because she is in a slump. That can happen to anyone. Sloane just does not seem to have that fighting spirit which distinguishes a great player from a champion. Let's see how she fares in the next round. I hope she can take Pova to three sets, but doubt it.

Eager to watch Vika vs Goerges. i expect a tight match.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Can you imagine Franny and Slammin' Sammy playing doubles togehter?
Well it's happening right now in Rome, they are playing against BMS and Mirza.

 

[kskate2]

JJ is on a war path! And she keeps handing out bagles, it was Bojana the Caro dismisser this time!

JJ will face Li Na next.

Great openings match from Masha who defeated Gabine Muguruza 62, 62 - It's either Kiki Bertens (NED) or Sloan Stephens (USA) in R3 - You go gurl!!!

It'll be Sloane, but I don't expect her to give Maria much trouble.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Rome is happening!

Lil' Domi will face Serena in the 3rd round, Lil Domi pushed Serena to 3 sets in Miami.

Petra will face Samantha, Slammin' Sammy has never beaten Petra in 4 previos encounters in this battle of X slam champs.

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This is the picture of the day, Masha showing her tummy and her forehand.

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Tonight's future match is about to begin and I am about to get my Tennis fix!

 

[jhar26]

WOW!!
I am away for half a day and all hell breaks loose?

What a terrible clay season for Caro! And Aggie!! What happened to the defenders? This is clay, they should find plenty of time to defend.

Yes, but on a claycourt they can get less advantage out of their footspeed because it's harder to quickly change directions. Plus that their lack of power is more of a disadvantage than on a hardcourt. On a hardcourt they can use the pace generated by opponents to their advantage. On a claycourt they often have to generate their own pace which they find hard to do.

 

[Hoergren]

Thursday, May 16, 2013
CENTRALE
12:00 [7] Sara Errani (ITA) V [12] Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 63 20 ret.
19:30 [16] Sloane Stephens (USA) V [2] Maria Sharapova (RUS) 26 16

SUPERTENNIS ARENA
11:00 [1] Serena Williams (USA) V [14] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 60 61

PIETRANGELI
11:00 Jelena Jankovic (SRB) V [5] Na Li (CHN) yay JJ 76 75
13:00 Simona Halep (ROU) V [13] Roberta Vinci (ITA) 64 62
19:00 [8] Petra Kvitova (CZE) V [9] Samantha Stosur (AUS) 57 62 16

COURT 2
11:00 Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) V Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP) 62 63
16:00 Ayumi Morita (JPN) V [3] V. Azarenka 16 02 ret.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Rome 2013: Round of 16

....
Eager to watch Vika vs Goerges. i expect a tight match.

What a mismatch that second set turned out to be with Vika handing out a bagel to Julia.

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And what a juicy line of match-up we have tomorrow!!
It's like WTA all out bonanza.

Li vs JJ--Serena vs. Domi--Maria K vs. Sara(could this be it for Sara?)--Sloane vs. Masha, Vika, Petra...

Oh My!!

 

[tossip]

winners:
LI
SERENA
ERRANI
MARIA
PETRA

 

[rubydo]

Like your choices tossip, but I am going to go with MK over Sara. Time for Maria to really step it up and win some matches against tough competition. I plan on interviewing her at Eastbourne, all going well, next month. Her future hubby done with hockey, so he maybe travelling with her too. Would make for a fine combo interview.

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Well, Aga better hope she breaks out of it as she has quite a bit of points to defend at Wimbledon!

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Serena is getting better at protecting her serve on the clay which will be instrumental in Paris.

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Aga played a lot of tennis at the beginning of the year, and last year she started to stumble around this time. Did not do well at French Open being thrashed by Sveta, and then losing to Pironkova in Eastbourne. I remember asking her if there was something wrong, and she admitted she felt tired. However, she had a little break before Wimby and was really strong at Wimbledon and for much of the remainder of the year.