WTA Premier Mandatory, Beijing 2013

[tenisplayrla08]

Just a minute ago there were 3 of the 4 singles matches being played that had a score of 4-1. And while that isn't particularly amazing, I just thought it was cool. Upon second look though, what is significant is that all of the players who were winning were the ones who are the underdog in the match. I'm watching the Pavlyuchenkova v Jankovic match and Pavly is winning that one. Which I love. Because I'm a Pavly fan and not a fan of Jankovic AND Jankovic is one of 3 or 4 players who stand in Sloane's way of making the YEC (I know I know, it's not likely).

Meanwhile though Panetta is up on Ivanovic. And while Panetta is a former top 10 player and went to the semis at the US Open recently, Ivanovic is still technically the seeded player. And then Bouchard is up on Rybarikova, who, while unseeded, is still ranked higher than Bouchard I believe. And then there is Jovanovski v Cirstea. That one didn't go to 4-1. But when the other ladies had 4-1 Jovanovski was up 3-2. Now she's up 5-2. Cirstea who has had a pretty good year is also the higher ranked player in that one, so Jovanovski, who just won 2 small titles in the last 2 or 3 weeks here in Asia, is perpetuating the upset trend going on at the moment.

And as I press post reply, Pavlyuchenkova has just won the first set against Jankovic 6-1. In Jankovic's defense, she hasn't played since the US Open. But, while Jankovic did help out Pavly a bit, it was mostly Pavly's solid form that won the set. Returned well and served great!

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Jovanovski pulled off the first set 6-3 and is now up 2-0 in the second. And while Bouchard did allow Rybarikova to get back on serve at 4-3 and it got to 5-4, she broke for a 6-4 first set. But she's been broken in the first game of the second set, though she now has 2 break points in Rybarikova's first service game of the set. And well, hold that, she has broken back so we've got 1-1 in the second. Pavlyuchenkova is trying to hold for 2-2 in the second. Jankovic has definitely been better in this second set and has managed to hold both games, though Pavlyuchenkova has certainly gotten into those games. She's down break point right now after hitting 2 double faults in a row. But it'll go back to deuce now after Jankovic's ball just went long. Interesting tidbit about this match, it's on an outside court so their is no hawkeye. And Pavlyuchenkova has managed to hold, so we're all square in the second. Really hoping she can pull this out in two because if Jankovic continues to get better and takes the second set, I fear Pavlyuchenkova's anger and her weaker mind will do her in in a third set. Meanwhile Bouchard has held to keep it on serve in the second.

AND though down 4-1 and 5-2 in the set Ivanovic has gotten it to a tiebreak (she was actually up 6-5 before Panetta won a game (Idk if she held or broke) to take us to a tiebreak) and is winning it. Though right now it's just 4-3. So still anyone's set.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Ivanovic and Panetta are now at 6-6 in the tiebreak.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Pavlyuchenkova is now struggling with double faults. And though she went down a break point, she hit a wonderful up the line forehand to take it to deuce. I LOVE when she plays well. So good.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Beautiful lob just now from Jankovic to take it back to deuce after Pavlyuchenkova got the advantage after saving that break point.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Jankovic now has another chance to break but I've started to watch the Panetta v Ivanovic tiebreak. It's now at 9-9. But Jankovic has been gifted the break by another double fault from Pavlyuchenkova.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Beautiful return from Ivanovic to get to 10-9. And then she hit a good first serve that won her the point to take it 11-9. Good little tiebreak there. The commentator revealed that Panetta was actually up 4 games to love in the set. So when I saw it at 4-1, Ivanovic had already started her comeback. She either lost at 4-1 to go down 5-1 or won and got it to 4-2 before going down 5-2. I don't know how that went down, all I know is that I saw it at 5-2 at one point. And clearly she would have had to win three games in a row from there to get to 5-5 and actually like I said earlier I saw that she had 6-5, so she won 4 games in a row at least, before Panetta won a game to take it to a tiebreak. Great fight from Ivanovic there then. Now she'll need to back it up.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

I know that I'm blowing this up. It's just that this has been a really good hour of women's tennis, of that I can watch and that I can only look at on the live scores. Bouchard is up 3-1 now in the second set. Jankovic held after breaking Pavly to go up 5-2 in the second. So it's looking more and more like we're going to a third and it's because Pavly is double faulting and dealing with anger already. Hopefully she can get that under control or it will be frustrating to see Pavlyuchenkova lose this one after taking that first set. I'll try to slow these posts down now. And in an effort to do that I'll throw in that Jovanovski is up 5-2 in the second. She's having such a good run right now. Playing some strong, confident tennis. Unfortunately for her, she's got Li in the next round. Of course, Li can be inconsistent and facing a confident and powerful opponent like Jovanovski could test her. BUT this is in the Chinese capitol so she'll be striving to do her best and should take it. Unless Jovanovski can show that she's just simply better. I haven't watched her at all so I don't know if she is or not. But if she does beat Li I'll officially put her in group with Stephens and Bouchard as the best of this young 20 and under crop of ladies. Keys is also working to join that group. I want to put her in that group. But she hasn't quite shown that yet. But she's got the weapons to do it.

And meanwhile Pavlyuchenkova has held and broken back to 5-4 and back on serve in the second. She's serving to stay in the set for the second time now. It's 15-all.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

And Jankovic has broken Pavlyuchenkova to send this to a third set. Hopefully though Pavlyuchenkova's break and hold to get it back to 5-4 signals that she's righted her ship and can at least make this competitive in the third if she doesn't win it. Jankovic is at full speed now. So I think I may have to give the edge to her because she's been so good this season. But still hoping Pavly can pull this out.

Meanwhile Jovanovski has just finished off Cirstea and Bouchard finished off Rybarikova 6-1 in the second set. Bouchard will now play Sloane Stephens for the second week in a row (she beat Sloane in Tokyo last week in a third set after Sloane served for it in the second. She then beat Jankovic in straights before losing to Venus in three in the quarters.*

*I said in an earlier post that Jankovic's match with Pavly here in Beijing was her first since the US Open - I heard the commentator say that and repeated it. So he was wrong. I actually remember Bouchard beating Jankovic now that I've seen in that draw. But I had forgotten about it. Which is odd, because that's a pretty big upset for the young Bouchard.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Ivanovic dominated the second set to take it 6-1. Typical let down of a player who had a big lead, lost it and couldn't cope. And Pavlyuchenkova hasn't been able to do much of anything in this third set. So Jankovic is currently up 4-0. Very disappointing. Because Pavlyuchenkova could be so good if she could just keep her head on straight. I really feel like she could be dominant. A top 10 player easily and perhaps a top 5 player. And it's also disappointing because as I said earlier, Jankovic is one of the players who stands in Stephens way of making it to the YEC.

And Jankovic now has 5-0. Pavlyuchenkova managed to get it to deuce. She hit an easy down the line (no dtl shot is that easy) into the net to give Jankovic the hold. She's just completely gone. Really sucks.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Well Pavlyuchenkova has lost 6-0 in the third set. She had game point in her final service game but hit a ball wide and it went to deuce. From there she hit her 9th double fault to give Jankovic match point and then hit a backhand into the net to give her the match. I didn't get a look at the winners to unforced errors count but I have a feeling that it would just show a ton of errors for Pavlyuchenkova in the last 2 sets. Jankovic certainly didn't win this with winners. The match was on her racquet. I don't know what happened. But she just lost it in the head. What's crazy is that Pavlyuchenkova actually leads the h2h 3-1. Though now it will go to 3-2. I hate to see good players suffer from mental weakness. The Williams sisters are starting their doubles campaign here. Some men's singles matches are taking place on some of the courts now. Two Chinese female players are probably fixing to take the center court (the national tennis stadium as they call it). Then Azarenka will play Petkovic. I'm not really interested in any of the other matches though.

 

[kskate2]

The Williams go out in the 1R of doubs after being up 7-6 4-1. They don't win another game in the match. Held 2 MP's in the super breaker only to eventually lose it on Serena's DF on MP. I think if they are serious about winning another major or the Olympic games in 2016 they will need a little more effort and energy.

 

[kskate2]

Vika down a set and a break to Petko 6-4 2-1. We'll see if she can turn it around.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Wow second straight tournament Vika bows out early in not a good way for her to be ending the season and begin next season.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

I guess that was an interesting match between Vika and Petko after all.

Genie won, she WILL play Sloane.

 

[kskate2]

No excuses this time either Sunday. She was in complete health as she mentioned before her match that she had recovered from whatever was ailing her last week against Venus. She is not closing the gap w/ that serve. DF's galore. It's starting to remind me of another blonde Russian who had the same issue (Dementieva). She was the same way. Up & down w/ her serve but once the point started she was lethal from the baseline.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Yeah. I saw Serena and Venus lost in doubles after being up. I don't know what is going on there. I don't know if they are going into doubles expecting to coast and not have to work for it or what is the deal there. Well, we shall see what happens this tournament. Serena gains even more ground in ranking as Azarenka loses a ton of points. Serena quite possibly can maintain her number 1 ranking for quite a long time I would say at least through the clay season depending on how that goes for her. She does have a ton of points to defend next clay season.

 

[kskate2]

These stands in Beijing are largely empty. The Williams doubs match on a smaller outer court appeared to be standing room only, but Vika's match was on the main court and had plenty of empty seats as well as the Errani match.

 

[kskate2]

Yeah. I saw Serena and Venus lost in doubles after being up. I don't know what is going on there. I don't know if they are going into doubles expecting to coast and not have to work for it or what is the deal there. Well, we shall see what happens this tournament. Serena gains even more ground in ranking as Azarenka loses a ton of points. Serena quite possibly can maintain her number 1 ranking for quite a long time I would say at least through the clay season depending on how that goes for her. She does have a ton of points to defend next clay season.

Alot will depend on what happens at AO. If she wins that she will be so far in front that even if she doesn't play Dubai or Miami she would have #1 until the clay season.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

These stands in Beijing are largely empty. The Williams doubs match on a smaller outer court appeared to be standing room only, but Vika's match was on the main court and had plenty of empty seats as well as the Errani match.

This is only the first/second round and that is a huge stadium.