Tennis Atlantic

Monday a Mammoth Day for Marathon Matches @FamilyCircleCup

CHARLESTON—Monday was a mammoth day for marathon matches in Charleston.

Olga Govortsova started things off by dropping Jamie Hampton 6-4, 7-6, 6-4 on Stadium Court. Following that match, Stadium Court fans got another three setter when Varvara Lepchenko ousted Christina McHale 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. Mathilde Johansson outlasted Melinda Czink 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 and Stefanie Voegele bested Teliana Pereria 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. Then there was Silvia Soler-Espinosa taking out Francesca Schiavone 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(6) and Jesse Pegula triumphing over Muguruza 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-5.

Those were puny 5K fun runs compared to the 3:42 26.2 miler filed by Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Anastasia Rodionova on Althea Gibson court. The 3:42 is easily the longest match in the 2013 WTA season. After the match, BMS told Rodionova that she was a “warrior”. Understatement of the year but a classy move from Bethanie.

Those who took the express train to victory today included Sorona Cirstea in a 6-4, 7-6 drubbing of Tatiana Malek, Camila Giorgi in a 6-4, 6,-4 win over Mandy Minella, Grace Min in a 6-3, 0-0 retirement over Tamira Paszek, and Genie Bouchard in a 6-2, 6-3 win over Nastassja Burnett. Monica Puig notched a quick 6-4, 6-0 over Andrea Hlavackova, Andrea Petkovic won easily over Taylor Townsend, 6-3 6-0 and Caroline Garcia eliminated Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) 7-6(6), 6-4.

Today, the second round begins with Serena Williams and other seeded players in action including a night match between Americans Sloane Stephens and Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

FAMILY CIRCLE CUP – CHARLESTON, SC, USA $ 795,707.00 MARCH 30 – APRIL 07, 2013

RESULTS – APRIL 01, 2013 Women’s Singles – First Round

[11] S Cirstea (ROU) d T Malek (GER) 64 76(5)

[12] V Lepchenko (USA) d C Mchale (USA) 63 46 62

[Q] G Min (USA) d [13] T Paszek (AUT) 63 00 Retired

C Giorgi (ITA) d M Minella (LUX) 64 64

[Q] M Burdette (USA) d K Mladenovic (FRA) 61 16 60

A Medina Garrigues (ESP) d A Rus (NED) 62 62

[WC] B Mattek-Sands (USA) d A Rodionova (AUS) 64 67(4) 76(3)

M Johansson (FRA) d M Czink (HUN) 57 63 75

M Puig (PUR) d A Hlavackova (CZE) 64 60

[Q] J Pegula (USA) d G Muguruza (ESP) 67(2) 64 75

[Q] C Garcia (FRA) d C Scheepers (RSA) 76(6) 64

[Q] E Bouchard (CAN) d [Q] N Burnett (ITA) 62 63

S Voegele (SUI) d [Q] T Pereira (BRA) 46 62 64

O Govortsova (BLR) d J Hampton (USA) 64 67(3) 64

[WC] A Petkovic (GER) d [WC] T Townsend (USA) 63 60

S Soler-Espinosa (ESP) d F Schiavone (ITA) 36 64 76(6)

ORDER OF PLAY – TUESDAY, APRIL 02, 2013 BILLIE JEAN KING start 10:00 am

A Tatishvili (GEO) vs [15] S Lisicki (GER)

M Oudin (USA) vs [9] J Jankovic (SRB)

[1] S Williams (USA) vs C Giorgi (ITA)

[8] M Barthel (GER) vs [Q] J Pegula (USA)
Not Before 7:00 PM

[4] S Stephens (USA) vs [WC] B Mattek-Sands (USA)

M Moulton-Levy (USA) / S Zhang (CHN) vs [WC] J Alawi (BUL) / D Kanakova (CZE)

ALTHEA GIBSON start 10:00 am

D Hantuchova (SVK) vs M Erakovic (NZL)

A Cadantu (ROU) vs M Keys (USA)

[16] L Robson (GBR) vs E Cabeza Candela (ESP)

[12] V Lepchenko (USA) vs M Johansson (FRA)

K Mladenovic (FRA) / L Safarova (CZE) vs [WC] J Jankovic (SRB) / A Petkovic (GER)

COURT 3 start 10:00 am

[14] Y Shvedova (KAZ) vs [Q] V King (USA)

Y Putintseva (KAZ) vs [10] J Goerges (GER)
Not Before 2:00 PM [7] C Suarez Navarro (ESP) vs S Voegele (SUI)
Not Before 3:30 PM [11] S Cirstea (ROU) vs A Medina Garrigues (ESP)

COURT 4 start 12:00 noon

R Oprandi (SUI) vs M Lucic-Baroni (CRO)

H Chan (TPE) / O Govortsova (BLR) vs L Dekmeijere (LAT) / T Malek (GER)