By Pat Byrd  Story Updated January 13, 2012

Sydney, Australia--Victoria Azarenka weathered an up and down three set match against the number 4 seed and defending champion Li Na to win  6-2, 1-6, 6-3, in the final of the Apia International Sydney on Friday.

This was their first lead up tournament to the Australian Open and the field was packed  with nine of the world's top ten players.  Azarenka made her way to the final by defeating a bit of a surprise in the number 7 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals; Radwanska had an unexpected three set victory over the number 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.  Wozniacki injured her left wrist and at 6-2, 5-7, 2-5, questioned if she should continue with the match, but did and virtually gave away the final game to Radwanska surprisingly not on her two handed backhand which managed to stay in the court, but on her forehand which sailed long on more than one occasion.

2011 French Open Champion Li Na's claim to fame to make it to the final round of the tournament was her 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory over the number 2 seed and 2011 Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitova who was poised to take over the world number 1 ranking with a win in Sydney.

The match showed great ups and downs for bother players; it started with four straight breaks of serve with Azaranka holding first in the fourth game of the match.  The first set lasted just :34 minutes and Azaranka was well in control breaking Li Na's serve again in the pivotal seventh game of the first set allowing her to serve for the first set at 5-2.  To set the tone of the 8th game she began with her second ace of the match.  That was followed up with three straight errors from Li Na.  At 40-15 Azaranka lost her concentration and double faulted giving Li a slight ray of hope to get back in the game at 40-30.  In the next point Azarenka consolidated the game with a huge swinging volley winner to take the game and the first set 6-2.

The second set was all Li Na;  she broke Azarenka's serve in the 4th and 6th games of the set while Azarenka couldn't manage to break Li. In the 6th game of the match Azarenka fought her hardest to get back into the set and hold her serve;  she brought the game to four deuce points, held off two break points and hit five out-right winners but Li was too much and still managed to break her serve giving her a 5-1lead and serving for the second set. It was a combination of winners and errors that gave Li Na set point, but it was a backhand that went wide at 40-30 that gave her the second set in just :36 minutes.

Now the duo had traded sets, Azarenka had been seen by the trainer and the title rested on a third and final set. The third set began much like the first; two games, two breaks of serve. These would be the last breaks of serve for the next five games.  Both players held strong; in the third game Azarenka held at love and appeared to be taking the momentum.  On her next service game she only lost one point; they were staying even, but Azarenka was clearly mentally taking charge.  At 1 hour and 46 minutes of play Li Na's serve was on the line at 0-40.  She managed to save one point but that was all she could do.  With a forehand miss hit long, the game and the ever important break went to Azarenka and she would be serving for the match at 5 games to 3. Azarenka moved quickly to her first match point but hit a forehand down the line wide, then in the next point hit a backhand long, Li Na had a break point. Li Na then made her own mistake and brought the game to its second deuce.  Hitting a forehand out Li Na had her second break chance but Azarenka wasn't giving up easily.  Li Na couldn't make any more opportunities for herself; she hit a forehand in the net to bring up the games third deuce, then a backhand down the line wide to bring up Azarenka's second match point chance.  Li Na responded with a backhand service return long giving Victoria Azarenka the game, third set, and the Championship 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.

Victoria Azarenka will arrive in Melbourne riding high with the Apia International Sydney title in her pocket, a winner's check for $107,000, not bad for a week's work, and the worlds number 3 ranking, just behind number 2 Petra Kvitova and number 1 Caroline Wozniacki.  Li Na will take home $57,000 for her runner-up effort. Azarenka's first round victim at the Australian open will be Heather Watson of Great Britain. Li Na will meet Ksenia Pervak.

Kvitova On Track for Number One in Sydney

By Pat Byrd  Story Updated January 11, 2012

Sydney, Australia--World ranked number two Petra Kvitova had no trouble sweeping past unseeded Daniela Hantuchova 6-0, 6-4 in just 59 minutes in the quarterfinals at the Apia International Sydney tennis tournament.

The lefty Kvitova ran away with the first set beginning by breaking Hantuchova's first service game with a lethal backhand down the line winner, just one of 32 to come off her racket in the two set romp. Hantuchova's serve was broken a total of five times while she only held three times but managed a break of Kvitova's serve once. Kvitova served out the match with a signature forehand down the line winner and managed it on her first match point try.

While the statistics were ugly it hasn't been a bad start to the year for either player.  Kvitova just won the Hopman Cup with her Czech Republic partner Tomas Berdych, and Daniela reached the finals at Brisbane, although she received some help with a walk-over from Serena Williams who withdrew with an ankle injury, and a retirement from Kim Clijsters who dropped out with a hip injury.  But not to short change Hantuchova she did win two very tough three set matches in Brisbane against Dominika Cibulkova and Vania King.

Petra Kvitova's next opponent, or victim depending on your perspective will be a somewhat rejuvenated Na Li who won Sydney last year. Li reached the semifinals via a win over Lucie Safarova 6-2, 7-6(3).

In other quarterfinal action the number 7 seed Agnieszka Radwanska shocked the world number 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki in three sets 3-6, 7-5,6-2 and will meet Victoria Azarenka the tournaments 3rd seed in the semifinals. Azarenka reached the semifinals by way of Hopman Cup finalist Marion Bartoli of France 7-5, 6-4. With the loss in the quarterfinals at Sydney, Wozniacki is in danger of losing the number one spot to Kvitova just before the start of the Australian Open, a goal that seems less and less attainable for Wozniacki at state in her game.

An Unlikely Champion at Eastbourne

By Pat Byrd  Story Updated June 18, 2011

Eastbourne, England—Not since her days playing on the junior circuit had Marion Bartoli played a semifinal and a final in the same day, but due to rainy conditions during the week at the Aegon International tennis tournament,  if she wanted to win the title that’s what she would have to do.

First Bartoli took on the 7^th seed Samantha Stosur in the semifinal who she beat easily 6-3, 6-1.  Her opponent in the finals was the number 5 seed Petra Kvitova who won a retirement match against unseeded Daniela Hantuchova 7-6(9), 4-2 ret’d.

Bartoli faced double break point in her second service game in the first set of the final match, but managed to find her way back to deuce with a service winner.  Kvitova’s serve was broken again in the 6^th game of the first set, Bartoli taking a commanding 5-1 lead served for the first set.  She served out the critical 7^th game at love winning the first set handily 6-1.

As the second set began, errors began to creep into Bartoli’s game. 51 minutes into the match, Bartoli was up a service break and faced double break point on her own serve and was broken putting the set back on serve.  At 4-5 serving with new balls, Bartoli was fighting to stay in the second set.  At 30-40 down, Bartoli hit a cross court passing shot winner to save set point and level the game at deuce.  Losing the next point she faced her second break point.  Kvitova hit a cross court winner to win the game and second set at 6-4; the match was tied one set each.

Bartoli struck first in the third set breaking Kvitova in the 4^th game of the set; Kvitova double faulted on break point.  Serving for the match at 5-4 Bartoli fell behind 15-40, double break point.   Kvitova won the next point putting the set back on serve at 5 games all. Serving in the 8^th game of the set, Kvitova served her 8^th double fault bringing the score to 30-30.  At game point for Kvitova, Bartoli hit a lucky net cord bringing the score to deuce, then winning the next point gaining the ad point, the first break point of the game.  On her second break point Kvitova hit the ball into the net giving Bartoli the most important break of the match going ahead 6 games to 5, serving for the match.  Kvitova only won one point in the next game going down 15-40, Bartoli served with two match points.  Bartoli only needed one match point  opportunity, Kvitova hit the next point into the net, Bartoli winning the game, set, and match 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.

Number 1 doubles seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik landed a 59 minute 6-3, 6-0, victory over the number 2 seeds Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond.

Hantuchova, Stosur Through in Three at Eastbourne

By Pat Byrd  Story Updated June 16, 2011

Eastbourne, England—In quarterfinal action at the Aegon International Tennis Tournament at Eastbourne, Daniela Hantuchova and Samantha Stosur battled their way into the semifinals taking three sets to seal the deal.

Daniela Hantuchova went up against seven time grand slam champion Venus Williams who has been out for nearly five months with hip and abdominal injuries.  Hantuchova had not beaten Williams in ten prior meetings but had momentum on her side beating 2011 French Open champion Li Na the previous day.

From the opening set Hantuchova proved she could be in control beginning her first service game with an ace and breaking Williams on her second and Fourth service games in the first set taking the set 6-2.

The wind was definitely a factor during the match causing many serves to be off the mark and many ground strokes to fly out. Williams was the luckier of the two in the second set breaking Hantuchova in just her second service game with a lucky net cord. The further down Williams got, the harder she hit the ball, serving her second ace and serving out a love game in the pivotal seventh game of the second set.  Hantuchova serving at 5-6, 0-40 seemed to lose some confidence and was broken at love, Williams won the second set 7-5.  There would be a third and deciding set.

In the third set Hantuchova steadied herself breaking Williams in the first game of the set at 30-40 with a precision cross court passing shot.  In the next game she held her own serve at love.  Williams held her next service game and broke Hantuchova putting the set back on serve.  In the following game, in very windy conditions, Williams was broken at love.  Hantuchova held serve then broke Williams once again.  At 5-2 Hantuchova faced a break point at 30-40 but managed to level the score at deuce.  She won the next point giving her ad and her first match point.  Williams hit out on match point giving Hantuchova her first win over Venus Williams in eleven tries.  Hantuchova took the match in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

In the next quarterfinal match of the day, number 7 seed Samantha Stosur took on the number 1 seed Vera Zvonareva.

In the first game of the first set Sam Stosur came out firing on all cylinders winning the game at love capping it off with an ace.  In Zvonareva’s first service game she was not as steady, double faulting to go down15-30 and playing three deuce points before finally winning the game on an error by Stosur.

Stosur’s serve was broken in the third game of the set giving Zvonareva a lead she didn’t relinquish in the first set taking it 6 games to 4.

In the beginning of the second set Stosur fared no better than the first, losing her serve with some good passing shots by Zvonareva, broken at 30-40.  Zvonareva held her own service game at love taking the lead 2 games to none.

In the critical 8^th game of the second set Zvonareva began her service game with a double fault.  At love-40 down she was broken by a brilliant passing shot by Stosur.  The match was now back on serve at 4 games all. They stayed on serve until 6 games all; the tie break began.  Stosur was first to be broken in the tie break at 2-3.  Zvonareva held the lead until Stosur broke back to even things up at 4 all; from that point in the tie break it was all Stosur, she won the next 3 points winning the tie break and the second set 7-6(4).

In the third and deciding set Zvonareva fell to 0-4 before finally holding serve at love, capping it off with an ace.  At 1-5 serving to stay in the match Zvonareva held serve, and in the next game broke Stosur’s serve to move to 3 games to 5.  Serving once again to stay in the match, Zvonareva faced a match point but was able to win the game and move to 4-5.

Serving for the match Stosur took control.  At 30-0 she fired an ace to bring her to her second match point which she did not waste. Samantha Stosur defeated Vera Zvonareva 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4.

In other quarterfinal action 5^th seed Petra Kvitova was victorious over Agnieszka Radwanska 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(2), and 6^th seed Marion Bartoli won a retirement match against Victoria Azarenka the 3^rd seed 6-2, 2-0.

In the semifinals Sam Stosur will meet Marion Bartoli, and Petra Kvitova will take on Daniela Hantuchova.  Hantuchova and Kvitova have had one prior meeting this year where Kvitova was the victor.

Wozniacki, Bartoli, Just Lucky to be There

By Pat Byrd  Story Updated March 20, 2011

Indian Wells, CA—Marion Bartoli, the 15^th seed at the BNP Paribas Open was nobody’s pick to make it to the championship match.  Her tennis style has been described as ‘quirky’, she hits both her backhand and forehand with a two handed grip; her service motion defies logic, but when you put it all together, it works for her.

Bartoli almost didn’t make it to the finals, but for a gift in the round of sixteen where she met Kim Clijsters she wouldn’t be in the finals at all. The first set was over quickly in favor of Clijsters 6-3.  The second set unfolded differently, Clijsters began to struggle and called for the trainer; it was her shoulder.  Kim waged on but at 1-3 she retired from the match, Bartoli won by default 3-6, 3-1.

In the quarterfinals Bartoli earned her way to the semi’s by besting the 19^th seed Ana Ivanovic in a close match 6-4, 7-6(4).  In the semifinals she easily beat Yanina Wickmayer 6-1, 6-3.

Caroline Wozniacki’s road to the finals wasn’t without bumps in the road or gifts.  The first hic-up she encountered was Alisa Kleybanova, the 22^nd seed in the round of sixteen.  Wozniacki won but it took her three sets, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.  In the quarterfinals her opponent was Victoria Azarenka; the match was over before it began, no really, it was.  Azarenka retired with an injury at 0-3.  From there Wozniacki had no trouble with Maria Sharapova in the semifinals winning 6-1, 6-2.

In the finals Wozniacki came out strong breaking Bartoli’s serve three times, once at love winning the first set 6-1. In the second set Wozniacki took a hiatus while Bartoli woke up and held her serve for the first time in the match.  Bartoli then broke Wozniacki’s serve going up 2-0 and once again holding her own serve, 3-0.  Wozniacki showed her frustration by throwing her racket to the ground.  After an hour and nine minutes, Bartoli secured the second set 6-2.  A third set would determine the 2011 BNP Paribas winner.

In the third set Bartoli was broken immediately with a streaking passing shot.  At 4-1 Wozniacki, Bartoli broke back to serve at 2-4, she still needed one more break to get back on serve.  Serving at 3-5 down a match point, Bartoli hit the ball out giving Wozniacki the match 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.

Serena Williams, Out for the Season?

By Sherry Elkins  Story Updated March 2, 2011

Spokeswoman Nicole Chabot told People Magazine that Serena Williams underwent “emergency treatment” Monday for a hematoma suffered as a result of treatment for “a more critical situation,” a pulmonary embolism. Williams now 29 was treated at a Los Angeles hospital.

``I know I will be OK, but am praying and hoping this will all be behind me soon,'' Williams said in a statement. ``While I can't make any promises now on my return, I hope to be back by early summer. That said, my main goal is to make sure I get there safely.'' Williams hasn’t played any competitive tennis since July of 2010 when she cut her foot on broken glass in a German restaurant and has since had surgery on the same foot.

Chabot told the magazine the embolism was discovered after Williams returned to Los Angeles from New York ``for doctor appointments for the ongoing issues with her foot.''

Dr. Mark Adelman, chief of vascular surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center, said a patient with a pulmonary embolism would need to take an anticoagulant for 6-12 months but could play sports on the medication.

``A blood clot can occur in any vein or extremity, most commonly in the leg, and can travel to the lung,'' Dr. Adelman wrote in an e-mail. ``Prior surgery, air travel, prolonged sitting, birth control pills, obesity and pregnancy can predispose a patient to a blood clot in the leg that can travel to the lung.''

Adelman said if a clot-dissolving agent is used to treat an embolism, it can result in bleeding around the catheter used to deliver the drug. Williams' agents said the hematoma was removed.

Williams thanked everyone for their concern and support and expressed that the situation had been extremely hard, scary, and disappointing.  I’m guessing the disappointing part is because it will be one more reason to delay her return to professional tennis.  I don’t want to sound unsympathetic but perhaps I’ve become callused from all the injuries, real and imagined, let’s not forget she admitted in her own biography malingering during a recovery from a knee injury.  Most professional athletes wish they could play in their sport until the ripe old age of 29 or 30, Serena thinks she’s not only going to come back, but come back and win majors, I wouldn’t bet the family farm on it, if anything I’d look for the press conference announcing her retirement.  She’s making more on the Home Shopping Network with her clothing and accessory line than she’s making in tennis at the present.

Women’s professional tennis is moving on without Venus or Serena Williams, if anyone was watching,  the steady grind of tennis week in and week out has never stopped, there’s always someone hungry to take that number one spot.

Doha, Dementieva’s Last Stop

By Pat Byrd  Story Updated October 29, 2010

Doha, Qatar—The WTA Tour is losing one of its top players.  Elena Dementieva announced her retirement after her loss to the 2010 French Open Champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-2 at the WTA year end championships in Doha.

Dementieva, now 29, turned professional in 1998 and was coached by her mother Vera.  She won her first WTA Tour tournament in 2003 at the Bausch and Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, the first home for the WTA Championships in the early 1980’s.  Dementieva would go on to win two other tournaments that year at Bali and Shanghai.  Throughout her 13 year career she won 16 tour titles making it to two Grand Slam finals, won a Gold Medal at the Beijing Olympics, and qualified for the year end WTA Championships 10 straight years.

Dementieva always dreamed of winning the French Open, and although she reached a French Open final, a victory would not happen during her career, she expressed she would leave tennis with no regrets, “If it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen, but I have nothing to blame myself.  I was very professional and I had nothing but tennis, tennis, tennis, and I did it with passion.  So I have absolutely no regrets.  I have so many things to be proud of.  It was a very difficult and long way for me.  So, yeah, I just have very nice and unforgettable memories.”

What’s next for Dementieva? “Well, I study.  I study in one of the best university in Moscow.  I started last year, so obviously now I have more time to do some more study.  To be honest with you, I mean, if I would be a man I would never stop playing.  But in the age 29; I have to think about something else, I think I’m ready for the big change in my life.”  When asked about starting a family she replied, “I hope so, yeah.” 

Elena’s final thought about her career, “You don’t have to be perfect, but you have to try very hard, and I did all the time.”

Brisbane International First Round

January 4, 2010

     Brisbane, Australia—Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, the two comeback kids of the Sony Ericsson WTA tour, cruised through their first round matches, while last year’s comeback kid, Jelena Dokic was ousted by the number three seed Ana Ivanovic whose goal for the year is to get back into the top twenty and qualify for the year end championship in Doha.

     If Henin and Clijsters are truly in match tough shape they should meet in the final.  I know, it’s a little early to call, and Henin’s first match went 75, 75, but it was against the number two seed Petrova, but if you look at the remainder of the draw Henin’s next match is against a qualifier and quite frankly other than Ivanovic who has a lot of ground to make up if she wants to make it to Doha, there’s nothing to stop Henin but Henin.

     Other first round winners were Hantuchova, Wozniak, Czink, and Safarova.

June 18, 2009

The Seeds Are Falling

What in the world happened at Eastbourne this week? Have all the laws of physics suddenly failed to apply?  Has gravity turned us upside down? Things are just unsettling in the world of women’s tennis in Great Brittan.

At Eastbourne the number 1 seed Elena Dementieva fell to unseeded Virginie Razzano 60, 36, 76(4), in the second round, 3^rd seed Jelena Jankovic was defeated by Anna Chakvetadze 67(5), 63, 62, in the first round, 4^th seed Vera Zvonareva still seemed to be suffering from that ankle strain she suffered in Charleston, she was defeated in the first round by Amelie Mauresmo 63, 16, 63. Yet another seed, number 7 Svetlana Kuznetsova, tanked in the first round 60, 63, (ouch!), she was defeated by Aleksandra Wozniak, and now in the quarterfinals one of the two remaining seeds fell. Number 8 seed Agnieszka Radwanska was taken out by unseeded Virginie Razzano who appears to be on a hot streak taking out seeds.

The one remaining seed, if she can manage to stay afloat is number 6 Caroline Wozniacki.  Her road to the final might be a little difficult still, if Aleksandra Wozniak makes it to the semis it will be a rematch of the final she and Wozniacki played in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida at the MPS Group Championships in April on clay where Wozniacki prevailed.

Either way, its Wozniacki’s tournament to win or lose at this point and there are a bunch of unseeded players with plenty of desire to take that win away from her.

Williams Sisters Likely to Boycott Indian Wells

Serena Williams

February 2009

France, Paris—New Paris resident and world number one ranked tennis player Serena Williams will be taking the court Wednesday at the Open GDF SUEZ tennis tournament in Paris.  Her first round opponent will be Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic.

Williams recently purchased an apartment in Paris saying “I love this city.  It may seem strange but I actually enjoy the cool weather here, probably because I’m from Florida.  I love the city itself.  It’s like a second home to me”.  Williams also owns homes in California and Florida.

A three time finalist and two time champion at the Open GDF SUEZ tennis tournament, Serena hopes to continue her Melbourne winning streak and bring home a third trophy in Paris.

Also waiting to play their first round match on Wednesday are second seed Jelena Jankovic, Elena Dementieva, Alize Cornet and former champion Amelie Mauresmo.

Players already through to the second round include Daniela Hantuchova, Nathalie Dechy of France and Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.