Update: Stuttgart - Quarter's, Semi's & Final

Hi everyone,

While Eurosport keeps boycotting me (not transmitting anything from the main tournaments anymore!), I remembered again how Na Li won Roland Garros in 2011. The Chinese produced a convincing win over Kvitova in the quarter's: 6-3, 7-5. In the semi's she faced Mattek-Sands after Lisicki stranded against her the round before: 6-4, 6-3. In the photo you just see her think: wow you look ... different.

 

 

On the other side of the draw number two Sharapova needed another three setter against Ivanovic in the quarter's: 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 before battling Kerber in the semi's in another long match: 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. She's had a lot of practice on the Stuttgart gravel, you can say that!

 

 

In doubles, two German teams did very well. Kerber and Petkovic reached the semi's while the Barthel - Lisicki pairing won the title!

 

 

 

 

Oh yes, the final between Na Li and Sharapova, a totally worthy Roland Garros final if you ask me! I'll let youtube do the talking with these highlights:

 

 

So that's another Porsche for Maria, I'm excited to see what the next tournaments around Southern Europe will bring, keep posted!

 

Update: Stuttgart - Road to the Quarterfinals

Hi everyone,

A lot of potential winners were already send home in the first round in Stuttgart! Wozniacki was upset by gravel specialist Suarez Navarro: (6)6-7, 1-6 while Stosur couldn't handle Jankovic: 4-6, 4-6. Winner in last week's WTA Katowice Vinci is also surprisingly out against Shvedova: 4-6, 2-6 despite the Italian normally being very strong on clay.

 

- Granny pants! -

Team Deutschland had mixed results in the first round. Ivanovic proved to be too strong for a newly returned Petkovic: 6-3, 6-2 but in doubles with Kerber, they did defeat the third seed Makarova - Vesnina pairing in two sets. Petkovic is looking good alright, that's the most important (and funny as always)!

 

Lisicki battled her way into the second round while Barthel had another disappointing first round loss against Safarova: 4-6, 1-6. German teenager Beck played tremendously against Kvitova in the first round. The Czech needed three sets after completely blowing the second set tiebreak: 7-5, (0)6-7, 6-3. Goerges took her first hurdle when leading: 6-2, 2-1 before Flipkens retired due to stomach problems.

 

 

 

The second round proved destructive for Italian Errani (after getting a bye in the first) when facing a surprisingly strong Mattek-Sands: 0-6, 6-4, 1-6. The American always makes quite an impression, right? The other seeded players all got through with Na Li and Kerber in two sets while Sharapova needed three in a tough battle against Safarova: 6-4, (3)6-7, 6-3. It did deserve three sets though, the level in this match was very high!

 

 

 

Besides Kerber just one German reached the quarterfinals also: Lisicki. She had a tight victory over Jankovic: 7-6(3), 7-5. It's good to see her perform well again with an upcoming grass season to look forward to! Kvitova defeated Goerges while the German had the best start in the match: 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2.

 

 

The quarterfinals consists of a Kerber - Shvedova mash-up, Lisicki vs. Mattek-Sands but most exciting: Sharapova vs. Ivanovic and Kvitova taking on Na Li. Keep posted!

Introducing - Porsche Tennis Grand Prix - Stuttgart

Hi everyone,

 

After the green clay in Charleston for the Family Circle Cup (where Serena defended her title succesfully after an ass-whooping 6-1, 6-2 against Venus in the semi's and defeating Jankovic: 3-6, 6-0, 6-2) and the red clay in a new tournament in Poland: BNP Paribas Katowice Open (where Vinci established her gravel-skills by beating Kvitova in the final in an extraordinary fashion: 7-6(2), 6-1, we're finally at the true European clay court tournaments!

 

First up is the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart with this amazing poster of the German players:

 

 

They played their Fed Cup against Serbia (edging it: 3-2) in Stuttgart, so I'm expecting them to make a strong start here because the draw isn't a walk in the park at all!

 

First round matches to look forward to = Ivanovic vs. Petkovic, Pavlyuchenkova vs. Makarova, Stosur vs. Jankovic.

 

Underdog of the tournament = Goerges has to get past a strong Flipkens (eight places ranked higher than her) in the first round before encountering Kvitova second and most likely Na Li in the quarterfinals. Either Stosur of Errani will probably await in the semifinals before Sharapova in the finals. Goerges has had incredible results in Stuttgart (upsetting Stosur and Wozniacki, the then number one, to take the title in 2011) but that's one tough cookie right there: good Glück German girl!

 

Last year winner was Sharapova by defeating Azarenka: 6-1, 6-4 in the final. We're missing the Belarussian here, so she'll lose some more points but her third spot in the WTA rankings isn't at risk since Radwanska is way behind and isn't competing here either. Keep posted!

 

Update: Miami - Fourth round, Quarter's, Semi's and Final

Hi everyone,

The fourth round delivered quite a splash!

Serena did have trouble against Cibulkova, but as usual the American could turn a set and break behind into a win: 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Number four Radwanska also faced a set down against Sloane Stephens before turning it around: 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. On the other hand Sharapova had another convincing win: 6-2, 6-2 against Zakopalova. Na Li had a tough first set against Muguruza: 7-6(6), 6-2. Errani had a beautiful win over Ivanovic in the fourth round: 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

 

 

In such a packed tournament, I was very pleased with a Vinci - Jankovic quarterfinal. The two gave everything they had and eventually Jankovic came out victorious: 6-4, (6)6-7, 6-3. Vinci's doublespartner Errani was also outplayed in the quarterfinals against number two Sharapova: 7-5, 7-5. Serena had a better start in the quarterfinals, but it was quite necessary against Na Li: 6-3, 7-6(5). Belgian Flipkens (who is having a few very succesfull American tournaments) had an amazing start against Radwanska, but the Pole managed to turn it around in three sets: 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Check out this (possibly) point of the year!

 

I was so looking forward to the semifinal between Serena and Radwanska, but the Pole really didn't have a chance against the super focused American (not even a backhand flip pirouette smash volley or something). Serena definitely meant business and wasn't about to make a bad start: 6-0, 6-3. I started to think we finally would get an exciting battle between the number one and two after Serena had slacked a bit the last couple of matches, but after the crushing of Radwanska, I wasn't that sure anymore. Sharapova did give a good impression against Jankovic: 6-2, 6-1 but with Serena on top of her game, it would get tricky in the final!

 

Sharapova did try everything she got and even took the first set before the impressive Williams bounced back with a third set bagel: 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. Watch the highlights:

We've got the Family Circle Cup in Charleston left before we turn to Europe for the gravel preparations for Roland Garoos, keep posted!