Update: Dubai Duty Free

Hi everyone,

Let's try to get a whole tournament in one post, shall we?
It's the end of February, that means looking for a place where it isn't too freakin' cold to play tennis! I introduce you Dubai, where it's a comfortable 25 degrees (77 Fahrenheit):

Wish I could be there (oh right, for the tennis as well of course!).

The draw looked promising and when Azarenka had to withdraw because of an ankle injury, anything was possible!

I'm watching the final as we speak and it's remarkable that both Radwanska and Goerges had a tough first round match. Radwanska struggled against Wozniak (I'm so glad it's at least an 'i' different, otherwise I would always get confused!): 6-1, (6)6-7, 7-5. Goerges battled Kuznetsova in the first round (whoever did the draw, is my hero!): 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-4. Fortunately they got through, because they're playing one hell of a final right now! No such luck for Schiavone and Bartoli, who both got knocked out immediately in the first round.

I watched two interesting matches:
- Radwanska v. Lisicki = 6-2, 6-1. Yes of course, Radwanska won (otherwise I wouldn't be watching her battling it out with Goerges for the title) but how, is definitely worth mentionning! Because really, this wasn't a match. Lisicki was just piling up the unforced errors, I've never seen her play this bad! She actually had to put her jacket back on while Radwanska did an amazing knee spinning thing to keep herself warm. It would have been 6-0 if Lisicki didn't have some lucky shots at the end of the second set.

- Goerges v. Wozniacki = Now, this was a match! Wozniacki struggled with Goerges high balls but fought back from a 5-3 deficit to eventually lose it in the tiebreak (3)6-7. Goerges was playing amazing! She just shattered the Danish wall with fabulous forehands and beautiful backhands (and yes, I've been searching for that alliteration since yesterday!). The second set began with one break after the other and Wozniacki was the first to hold and lead 4-2. After that, she missed her chances and made too many mistakes. She got that frustrated, she even argued with hawkeye (you do now it's a machine, right?). Goerges took advantage and won with 7-5 in the second set.

Wozniacki's game has been slipping since she lost the number one ranking and Goerges leads the head-to-head with 3-2 now.

And now the final of course! Radwanska against Goerges. I was really excited to see this match. On the one hand Radwanska is so incredible consistent and on the other hand Goerges is having a dream of a tournament at Dubai.

Radwanska started really good by taking a break and leading 4-2. The next 3 games went to Goerges but the Pole stayed calm and took the first set 7-5. The played amazing games and the first set almost took an hour. Goerges lost her concentration in the second set and was quickly trailing 1-4. Surprisingly she broke Radwanska and even forced a breakpoint when the Pole was serving for the match. In the end Goerges made too many unforced errors and Radwanska won the tournament in her first try in Dubai with 7-5, 6-4. She'll jump to the fifth place, the highest in her career so far.

See you next for Indian Wells, March 5th!

Update: Open GDF Suez Paris - Qatar Total Open 2012

Hi everyone,

Sorry to keep you in the dark for the past few weeks but I can't help it, tennis keeps on going while I'm on (a very deserved) vacation!

First of all: Open GDF Suez in Paris.

That has to be the single most boring advertisement, I have ever seen. But the fact that the tournament is played in the city of romance, makes up for a lot! A pity it already ended February 12th and didn't last until Valentine!
Back to tennis! Na Li had to retire from her match against Pironkova in the first round due to a back injury which will keep her from playing in Qatar as well. She had lost the first set in a tiebreak (5)6-7 and was trailing 2-3 in the second.
Wickmayer played a superb tournament but encountered an even better Kerber and lost in three close sets: 7-6, 3-6, 4-6. Next up, Kerber demolished Sharapova with 6-4, 6-4 to set up a match against Bartoli, who had a quite straight forward path to reach the final.

And it was Kerber who came out victorious with 7-6, 5-7, 6-3. Since that wonderful run in the US open of last year (she reached the semifinal by defeating Radwanska and Pennetta but eventually fell to later champion Stosur), she's getting more and more wins in other tournaments as well.

Next up: Qatar Total Open in Doha.

This was the tournament where most seeded players failed in the first or second round. Hantuchova, Pavly, Zvonareva, Jankovic, Goerges, Peng, Ivanovic, they all couldn't pull out their best tennis to advance in this tournament.
Notable was the second round win of Wickmayer against Schiavone with 7-6(4), 6-4 and Wozniacki's loss against Safarova 6-4, 4-6, (3)6-7. It seems losing her number one spot, left her without much confidence. And I want to see battles been fought for that highest ranking, so come on Wozniacki! Win like a Grandslam, just to give the critics a heartattack!

Four seeded players eventually withstood the test and battled it out in the semi's. Azarenka smashed Radwanska aside with 6-2, 6-4. Bartoli, who is having a good start of the season, had to retire against Stosur after losing the first set 6-3.

I saw the final between Azarenka and Stosur and Sammy wasn't playing her best. Just too much unforced errors and never having a chance on the Azarenka serve. On the other hand the Belarussian broke Stosur's serve three times in the first set to take it 6-1. Stosur didn't really get in the match when facing an early break in the second set as well. When heading 40-15 in her own service game, she still let Azarenka break her to win the match with 6-2 and the tournament was hers!

It's been all Azarenka this past month! And while doing a little dance when winning, she seals her 17th consecutive win. The question now is: who is going to defeat her? I have to admit, she's a good number one but I still have to get used to it.

Last, but nog least, let's check the rankings where Sharapova jumps over Kvitova to take the number two spot. Kerber heads into the top 20 with her win in Paris. Kuznetsova drops a shocking 9 places from 18 to 27. More dropping is happening for Kim Clijsters, now down to 35 (the seeded players spot is in jeopardy at the Grandslams!). Hopefully, she'll make up for it in Miami which starts March 21th. First up is Indian Wells coming up, March 3th so keep posted!