NeuroTennis Signs WTA Player Lauren Davis To Official Sponsorship Deal For 2021
Arlington, Va., February 4, 2021 – Tennis players around the world can now “Do It Like Davis” as smart tennis wristband company NeuroTennis, Inc., has announced that American WTA player Lauren Davis has been signed to an official sponsorship deal to represent the popular wearable in 2021.
Currently ranked No. 75 in the WTA World Tour rankings, the 27-year-old Davis has landed Down Under in advance of this year’s first Grand Slam, the 2021 Australian Open to be played Feb. 8-21 in Melbourne.
Using the NeuroTennis wristband, professional, collegiate, junior and even recreational players can take part in a virtual tennis lesson with Davis called “Do It Like Davis.” The lesson is composed of five drills, including:
1) Laurentating forehands (She calls out the shots she wants you to hit)
2) King Kong Backhands
3) Cardiac Arrest (High low drill)
4) Serving Shouldn’t Be Nerving
5) Rapid Fire Volley Drill
All instructions within NeuroTennis can be downloaded using Davis’ voice. Each of her specific instructions come with a video of her explaining what each instruction means.
“In preparation for the Australian Open I’ve incorporated the NeuroTennis technologies into my training and workouts,” said Davis, who is based in Jupiter, Fla., and coached by Eddie Elliott of WOW Sports, Inc. “The NeuroTennis wristband trains you to focus, react quickly and work on specific improvements in your game. It’s been a nice added feature to mix in with my workouts as I prepared for the 2021 season.”
Originally from Gates Mills, Ohio, the speedy and aggressive playing Davis ascended to a WTA career-high world ranking of No. 26 in 2017. She has reached the third round three times at the Australian Open, and twice at Wimbledon. A lucky loser in 2019 at the All-England Club, Davis upset defending champion Angelique Kerber in three sets in the second round.
At the 2018 Australian Open, Davis played one of the most memorable matches over the past several years as she held match points against world No. 1 and eventual champion Simona Halep before falling in the third round 15-13 in the final set in nearly four hours and tying a tournament record for most games played in a match at 48.
“If you are serious about improving your tennis…NeuroTennis is for you,” said NeuroTennis COO Cameron Lickle.
NeuroTennis is available now at NeuroTennis.com and sells as a pair for $329. For more information on how to train your brain and raise your game, visit NeuroTennis.com.
Qualifying Sunday Underway With 8 Main Draw Spots on Line at Volvo Car Open Steve Fogleman in Charleston
The carnival rides from the South Carolina State Fair were in full motion as I pulled up to the Volvo Car Open for opening round qualifying yesterday on Daniel Island, South Carolina. It’s a fitting metaphor for this place, which gets far less attention than the “Tennis Garden”. The grounds, like the clay courts themselves, are expertly manicured. At the East Coast’s last women-only tour level tennis event, there’s a carnival atmosphere, an almost Disney-like feeling here with an overwhelming amount of choices for a fan.
Madison Keys, Jelena Ostapenko, Shelby Rogers and Belinda Bencic hosted hundreds of fans sitting in on their practices on Stadium court, while thousands packed Althea Gibson court and outer courts to watch sixteen qualifying matches.
If you were an American and your last name began with a D, you won yesterday. Lauren Davis started the D run with a 7-6(2), 6-0 breezer over Lyudmyla Kichenok on Gibson. And just like that, she’s already qualified this morning in a walkover of Varvara Flink.
Francesca DiLorenzo, a 2019 Charleston qualifier, prevailed against Volvo Car Open pre-qualifier Jessica Ho, 6-3, 6-3. After the match, DiLo told me “I love the clay. I’ve been practicing on it for a couple of weeks now and getting used to it again, but I really like it.” On her opponent, Jessica Ho, she said “I thinks she played really well today. She gets a lot of balls back and I knew it was going to be a grind of a match. She’s such a tough player and she fights for every ball. I just tried to stay patient, look for opportunities and go for it when I had the chance.”
For DiLorenzo, a chance to be in Charleston is not one to miss.
“I really like the environment. I just like Charleston in general. Last year, I qualied here so that’s cool for me. I enjoy the clay and I enjoy the city so that always helps.”
Caroline Dolehide advanced to a qualifying final with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lidziya Marozava and faces Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine for a spot in the main draw.
Kayla Day needed three sets to upset Bibiane Schoofs, 7-5, 6-7(1), 6-3 to set up an All-American matchup today with DiLorenzo. “I got a wild card in to the main draw (last year) and I remember I lost in three sets on this court, so it feels really good to win today,” Day told me. “Every single match I’ve played here has gone three sets so I’m always prepared for a fight here.” She opined that “for first round of qualies, the support was amazing. Not many WTA tournaments you go to have this kind of atmosphere in the first round of qualies. This felt like a final. It was great.”
And though, with not a D in her name, Nicole Melichar survived Silvia Soler-Espinosa in three, 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-3 to take on top qualifying seed Kateryna Kozlova for a main draw berth.
It should be a short day with seven matches lined up and a threat of showers in the later afternoon before a major climate change moves through. The temperature is predicted to drop 30 degrees in the next 24 hours, so expect a slow-moving ball on Monday when main draw play begins.
Stacked: @CitiOpen With Big Guns Out for 49th Birthday of DC’s Pro Tournament
World No. 8 Dominic Thiem and ATP Next Gen Leader Alexander Zverev headline Men’s Field; World No. 12 Kristina Mladenovic and 2016 Finalist Lauren Davis lead WTA roster
Daria Kasatkina (Photo: Tony Callaio)
WASHINGTON (June 20, 2017) — The 2017 Citi Open® Tennis Tournament boasts one of its strongest men’s and women’s fields in its 49-year history with the announcement of its world-class roster. Collectively, the international fields, representing 26 countries worldwide, account for two Grand Slam singles titles, six Grand Slam finals, 111 ATP/WTA singles titles, including one former World No. 1.
Nick Kyrgios, one of the ATP World Tour’s most electrifying players, will make his Citi Open debut this summer, while top American Jack Sock returns to the DC hard courts for the fifth time. The field showcases five of the top ten ATP Next Gen players, with Hyeon Chung, Daniil Medvedev, Jared Donaldson, and Casper Ruud along with previously announced Alexander Zverev. Other players to watch include South African Kevin Anderson, Americans Steve Johnson, Ryan Harrison and Donald Young, Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund and Daniel Evans, Australian Bernard Tomic, and 2014 Citi Open finalist Vasek Pospisil. They join three-time Citi Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, defending champion Gael Monfils, and three-time Citi Open finalist John Isner.
In addition, Mike and Bob Bryan, the winningest doubles team in ATP history, owners of a record 112 titles, have confirmed their participation. The full doubles field is expected the week of July 17.
Belinda Bencic & Kiki Mladenovic (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots)
On the women’s side, Kristina Mladenovic, who recently reached a career-high ranking of WTA World No. 12, joins the Citi Open field after reaching the French Open quarterfinals. Former U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur and 2016 Citi Open finalist Lauren Davis will also return to the tournament this summer. Daria Kasatkina, who won her first career WTA singles title this year and defeated current WTA World No. 1 Angelique Kerber twice this year, will make her Citi Open debut. Other players to watch who will be joining Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig and Canadian starlet Eugenie Bouchard are 2013 Citi Open finalist Andrea Petkovic, 2014 Citi Open finalist Kurumi Nara, 2013 Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki, Americans Christina McHale and Shelby Rogers, Former WTA World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic and 2012 French Open finalist Sara Errani.
“This is a phenomenal field. The depth on both the men’s and women’s side speaks volumes about the growth of this Tournament,” said Keely O’Brien, Tournament Director. “I’m thrilled that our fans will get to see these stars compete in our backyard in just a few short weeks. The field will continue to evolve up until the start the tournament, so fans should stay tuned for more exciting additions in the coming weeks.”
Single session tickets, weeklong packages and other ticket plans are on sale now at http://www.citiopentennis.com or by calling the hotline 202.721.9500. Each ticket provides fans access to the action on all six courts, with both men’s and women’s matches, for as many as 24 matches per session. Tickets to gain admission to the tournament’s signature events, including tailgate events, a cocktail challenge, and the first-ever Citi Open Kickoff Party are also on the website.
The Citi Open Tennis Tournament benefits underserved and low-income kids in the D.C. community through the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation. It is one of only 13 elite ATP World Tour 500-level events worldwide and the only one at this level held in the United States. The tournament represents a WTA International event and having both ATP and WTA players provides fans the opportunity to watch simultaneous competitions of both world-class men’s and women’s tennis throughout the nine-day event. It is one of only five U.S. tournaments that include both men’s and women’s fields. Main draw matches of the tournament will be broadcast starting Monday, July 31, on Tennis Channel.
American Roundup at @VolvoCarOpen: Day’s Wild Card, Kenin’s Big Win & A Cooler, Confident Lauren Davis Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic
The Americans are always here en masse in Charleston. After all, it’s America.
17-year-old Kayla Day picked her own first round opponent yesterday out of the draw bucket: fellow American Alison Riske. What did she think about a WC to a place like no other?
“It means so much,” she told me. “It’s such a great tournament and such a high-level tournament and I’m pretty excited. The fans seem really involved and excited and that’s really cool to have such a good tennis crowd.”
As for picking Riske: “I was the last to be chosen (for the draw) so I picked the last chip. She’s one of the great American players and she’s playing so well this year. I’m definitely excited to play her.” I guess she’s not superstitious yet.
Last summer, Lauren Davis was in the 50s but told me she expected top 20 by the end of the year. She’s halfway there now, but I sense a sea change of attitude as I watch her at ease doing media events. I had a sense that this is a cooler, more open side of Lauren Davis as she finds her way to the top.
“I’m focused on being more of a whole person rather than just a tennis player,” she told me yesterday. “There’s so much more to me than just the tennis side of things. I’ve gotten into some other hobbies and other interests in order to be more than just a tennis player. It’s really translated onto the court.”
Those hobbies include surfing, gymnastics, snorkeling and fishing.
Her faith helps her keep everything in perspective.
“Last year this time, I was in a tough spot and God opened my eyes to see how blessed I am in order to be able to do what I love every single day,” she said. “I’m blessed with some great gifts and my duty is to make the most of them and enjoy them.”
Finally, Sofia Kenin surprised some with an upset over top qualifying seed Taylor Townsend on Althea Gibson Court. “I played really well,” she said after the win. “I know she’s a great player. I had to battle out there. I’m so happy I won. I love this crowd, I love this court and I love everything here. I couldn’t be happier with my game. I’ve been practicing really hard so I’m happy it’s paying off now.”
Kenin gets her favorite court again today, this time against Fiona Ferro for a spot in the main draw.
Wickmayer Wins Washington Two Times Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic
Yanina Wickmayer (Photo: Christopher Levy, @Tennis_Shots)
Yanina Wickmayer won’t soon forget her 2016 trip to Washington. Almost 24 hours after winning the Citi Open doubles title with Monica Niculescu of Romania, she prevailed in straight sets in the singles final against Lauren Davis, 6-4, 6-2.
Thefinal was sparsely attended, as a result of the intense heat in Washington, where fans had just sweated through an ATP final of over two hours and a long trophy presentation.
Wickmayer got the early break in the first, but Davis hung on after that, resulting for a 6-4 finish. In the second, Wickmayer raced out to a 3-0 lead while looking the worse of the two as far as exhaustion. She stalled for time, walking deliberately slowly, and at one point took a rather long break to speak to the chair about having a ball kid get a trash can in case she needed to vomit.
Yanina Wickmayer (Photo: Christopher Levy, @Tennis_Shots)
The sprightly Davis attempted to take advantage of the situation, as she naturally should. She broke Wickmayer at 1-5 and it was just a matter of whether Wickmayer had a service game left in her. She did, and swept Washington in the process. Throughout the week, she beat Madison Brengle, Shuai Zhang, Kiki Mladenovic and Yulia Putintseva to reach the final.
Lauren Davis Had a Tremendous Week
Davis had an amazing week, taking out Shelby Rogers, Monica Puig, Camila Giorgi and Jessica Pegula to reach her first WTA tour level final. She told Tennis Atlantic that she wants to end 2016 in the top 50 or 60. She was ranked #122 last week, but has now moved up to #104 in the rankings. It could happen if she keeps playing the way she did in D.C.
Giorgi, Ozaki, Mladenovic, Davis Complete Women’s Quarterfinals Field at Citi Open Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic
Risa Ozaki!
WASHINGTON (July 21)—Risa Ozaki did the most impressing on a light day for women’s singles at the Citi Open in Washington, as she won in three sets. In other action, Camila Giorgi won in a walkover as Tamira Paszek withdrew to injury, and Kristina Mladenovic and Lauren Davis both booked their trip to the quarters in straights.
Ozaki had the perseverance to be down a break in the third after dropping the second set. She’d won the first, 6-1, and looked to be on cruise control until Naomi Broady willed the second set, 7-5.
I interviewed her after the win, but before doubles, which she also won with Shuko Aoyama, 6-4, 5-7, 10-5. She credited her serve today and she’ll need it for…
Tomorrow: Yulia Putintseva.
Lauren Davis scored an upset against Monica Puig 6-4, 6-2.
“It was a great win for me. Monica’s an amazing player and she’s been doing really well this year,” the gracious American said of her opponent in an interview with Tennis Atlantic. She also said she’d like to finish the season in the top 50 or 60. Next up is Camila Giorgi in the women’s nightcap.
Kiki Mladenovic loves to come to Washington for good reason. She’s a 2014 quarter finalist in singles and the defending doubles champ. She breezed past Sabine Lisicki in 67 minutes and looked like she could go another three sets when I spoke with her 3 & 3 win over the former Wimbledon finalist. Yanina Wickmayer awaits.
Top seed Sam Stosur plays wild card Jesse Pegula for the final semi-final spot.
2015 WTA Indian Wells (@BNPParibasOpen) Preview and Predictions Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic
After an eventful first two months of the 2015 season, we reach the almost month long American hard court series, with back to back Premier tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami.
The first stop will be in the beautiful state of California for the BNP Paribas Open. The Indian Wells Tennis Garden will play host to the world’s best players from both the men’s and women’s tour with the main court holding over 16,000 spectators.
The BNP Paribas Open was originally a men’s only event in 1976. Thirteen years later the Garden would also host the women, albeit a week after the men’s tournament. In 1996, the decision was made to have the men’s and women’s tournaments run simultaneously, and it has since become one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world.
Among Indian Wells’ many accolades are being named the WTA’s Premier Tournament Of The Year five times – in 1997, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2013 – and the Premier Mandatory Tournament Of The Year in 2014; becoming the first event in the world to offer the Hawk-Eye challenge system on every match court in 2011; and becoming the first ATP/WTA combined tournament to distribute $1 million in prize money to each of its singles champions in 2012.
Previous champions include the likes of Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova, Maria Sharapova and Monica Seles. Flavia Pennetta is the defending champion, as she overcame Agnieszka Radwanska in last year’s final.
Despite all the history, and the prestige of the event, the big story is the return of Serena Williams to Indian Wells.
The world number one hasn’t played in the tournament for 14 years, after the crowd heckled her and her sister Venus after alleged match fixing. It was also alleged that the reaction was also racially motivated. This led to the Williams sisters boycotting the event for 14 years; until now. Serena announced earlier this year that she will be returning to Indian Wells in an exclusive with TIME Magazine where she discussed both the happy and sad experiences from the event.
“It has been difficult for me to forget spending hours crying in the Indian Wells locker room after winning in 2001, driving back to Los Angeles feeling as if I had lost the biggest game ever – not a mere tennis game but a bigger fight for equality,” Williams wrote in her exclusive piece for TIME.
“I’m fortunate to be at a point in my career where I have nothing to prove. I’m still as driven as ever, but the ride is a little easier. I play for the love of the game. And it is with that love in mind, and a new understanding of the true meaning of forgiveness, that I will proudly return to Indian Wells in 2015.”
Venus however, will not return to the BNP Paribas Open this year.
For more information on the Williams sisters’ boycott of Indian wells and Serena’s return, please read my article posted yesterday.
BNP Paribas Open
Tier: Premier Mandatory
Location: Indian Wells, USA
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $ 5,381,235
Date: March 11th- March 22nd
Top eight seeded players (Ranking)
1. Serena Williams (1)
2. Maria Sharapova (2)
3. Simona Halep (3)
4. Caroline Wozniacki (5)
5. Ana Ivanovic (6)
6. Eugenie Bouchard (7)
7. Agnieszka Radwanska (8)
8. Ekaterina Makarova (9)
The notable exception is Petra Kvitova who withdrew from the tournament due to fatigue. Otherwise the top players are all in action, which should lead to an exciting tournament.
Note: There are 32 seeded players in the draw, all of which receive a first round BYE
Julia Goerges vs Heather Watson:
Britain’s Heather Watson made a fantastic start to 2015 by winning the Hobart International tournament just before the Australian Open. However, the 22 year old hasn’t been able to capitalise on that momentum, only winning one match since. Goerges on the other hand has had a good start to the year, winning more often than not. That includes a round four appearance at the Australian Open where she lost to Ekaterina Makarova. These two previously met on the clay courts of Roland Garros three years ago, and it was The German who came out on top in straight sets. Watson’s form since Hobart hasn’t convinced me, but this is tennis and anything can happen. Expect the Brit to try counter Goerges’ power and remain consistent. The German will look to use her power to overwhelm Watson, forcing short balls and errors. It’s hard not to back Goerges given their respective forms, but if The 26 year old is spraying errors, except Watson’s consistency to shine through.
Anna Schmiedlova vs Lauren Davis
Two youngsters ranked within two places of each other, both looking to play their way into form, and one of them is American? Sounds like an enticing Indian wells opener to me. Schmiedlova vs Davis might be a match-up you see more of in the future, but this is their first ever meeting, meaning we have little to go by when it comes to deciding the winner. Schmiedlova recently made the final of Rio, but lost to Sara Errani in straight sets. The 20 year old hasn’t won a match since the clay court event in Brazil, losing both her opening round matches in Mexico. Davis hasn’t won since the Australian Open, albeit she has only played two matches since the first Grand Slam of the year. No matter which way it ends up going, this match should be close and will likely go the distance. The reward will be a round two clash with Jelena Jankovic.
(WC) Taylor Townsend vs (WC) Bethanie Mattek-Sands
One for you American fans out there. Taylor Townsend is younger than yours truly, and is in the top 100, making her one of the brightest prospects on tour. Mattek Sands is 11 years older and vastly more experienced, and she’s much better than her 187 ranking suggests. The 29 year old suffered an injury last year, which saw her ranking plummet from top 50 to outside the top 100. Townsend is still very young and learning her way around the tour, therefore the 18 year old isn’t yet the complete product. I expect Mattek-Sands’ experience to shine through as I don’t believe Townsend is ready to handle the pressure of the big crowd at Indian Wells yet.
Serena’s Quarter
The world number one’s triumphant return to Indian Wells will be met by the crafty Monica Niculescu or Aleksandra Krunic. The focus here won’t be on the tennis, but on how the crowd will react to Serena Williams after her 14 year boycott of the event. If the crowd is gracious, and Serena displays her usual form, there should be little to no trouble in her opening matches. Youngster, Zarina Diyas will await in round three, but that shouldn’t be a problem for Williams, who should over-power the Kazakh with ease.
Serena’s draw gets interesting in round four, where Angelique Kerber or Svetlana Kuznetsova should be awaiting her. Both players are in need of wins after failing to really set the world alight in 2015. At this point they should both have a win under their belt to give them somewhat of a confidence boost heading into their third round clash. Interestingly, the head to head is tied at 3-3, but Kerber has a win this year on the hard courts of Dubai. The German overcame Kuznetsova in straight sets on that occasion, and I can see the same happening here.
Kerber has beaten Serena on American soil before three years ago in Cincinnati, but apart from that straight sets win, she has failed to take a set off the world number one. Serena’s record here speaks for itself, so I’ll be shocked if she doesn’t make it to the quarter finals.
Serena’s return might dominate the headlines, but on the court, the fight for the right to face the world number one might just be the show-stealer. This section features two in-form players, who right now are at their career high ranking. Lucie Safarova is just shy of the top 10 following her triumph in Doha. The Czech is dangerous and in excellent form. I wouldn’t want to draw her at Indian Wells.
Timea Bacsinszky is coming off a double title salvo in Mexico, making her perhaps the most in-form player heading into the tournament. The Swiss is at a career high ranking of 26, and is 11th in the race, such is her good form this year. Bacsinszky has in an interesting round three prospect against the eighth seeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova. Bacsinszky leads the head to head 2-1, including a straight sets win in Wuhan last year. However, Makarova brings her best on the big occasion, and that makes her extremely dangerous. The Swiss’ good form will make a lot of people lean towards her, and I understand why, but Makarova is still overall the better player and I favour her in this match-up despite the stats saying otherwise.
The Makarova vs Safarova match will decide who faces Serena in the quarter finals. The battle of the lefties should be close, with both Safarova and Makarova currently in the form of their careers. The Czech should be full of confidence after her exploits in Doha, where she beat Makarova in the round of 16 in three sets. With the head to head and form book in the favour of the world number 11, I will back Lucie to be Serena’s opponent in the quarter finals.
The world number three doesn’t have it easy in Indian Wells, with some dangerous seeded players being drawn into her section. Halep was forced to withdraw from Doha with a rib injury, so her fitness might be in question. There isn’t any news heading into the tournament about tis injury, so I presume she’ll be healed up enough to make a good go of this.
The Romanian’s first test will come in the form of Vavara Lepchenko in the third round. The American has suffered from an illness this season, but she’s very dangerous with her powerful ground strokes being her main weapon. The home crowd could inspire Lepchenko, but the chances are Halep will be too consistent for the American.
The third round clash between Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza is mouth-watering, with the winner facing Halep for a quarter final place. Both Plsikova and Muguruza have been tipped to be the future of the WTA, making this a match-up we could be seeing a whole lot more of in the future. The Czech has been in awesome form this year, climbing towards the top 10 in the rankings with some big wins along the way. Muguruza has played well too, earning some big wins of her own. These two have met twice before, and on both occasions they have been tight three setters. Expect more of the same here, with some huge hitting from both sides of the court. I have a feeling Muguruza will be the victor this time around. She was close in Dubai without playing well and looking tired, so I believe The Spaniard will edge out the Czech on this occasion.
With The Spaniard likely going long with Plsikova, look for Halep to take advantage of a tired Muguruza. The world number three has been prone to being blown off the court by the likes of Garbine, but on this occasion she’ll weather the storm. Muguruza will come out flying, but eventually will slow down as fatigued starts to kick in allowing Halep to complete a three set win.
Seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska isn’t in the best of form at the moment and could find herself facing an early exit. Camila Giorgi is projected to meet in round three, and with the Italian’s power, The Pole could find herself being blown away. The Italian however is vastly inconsistent, especially with the serve, and could easily fall in the second round to Goerges or Watson. Radwanska might not be in the best form, but she was a finalist here last year, so she has proven she can play well here. I will predict the world number eight to make round four.
The likely opponent will be the winner of the interesting Carla Suarez Navarro vs Barbora Zahalova Strycova round three clash. These two players aren’t known for their power, but they show a lot of variety and bring experience to the table. The Spaniard leads the head to head 6-1, but they have never met on a hard court. Despite the lack of hard court meetings it’s difficult not to back Suarez Navarro in this match, with the 12th seed being overall the better player, in better form and leading the head to head.
Suarez Navarro will therefore face Radwanska in round four with a quarter final place at stake. The seventh seed leads the head to head 2-0, but these two haven’t faced each other since the 2012 US Open. In the two and a half years that have passed, Radwanska has somewhat regressed, whilst Suarez Navarro has improved to become a solid top 20 player. The Spaniard heads into the tournament in better form, and therefore I see her overcoming Radwanska in three sets.
The fourth seeded Caroline Wozniacki will be coming into Indian Wells in good spirits after claiming the Kuala Lumpur title last week; her first of 2015. Wozniacki should make round four, but there are some tricky matches along the way. Kaia Kanepi may await in the second round, and the Estonian is always dangerous. Rising star Belinda Bencic is projected to meet the former world number one in the third round, but the teen isn’t in the best of form this year possessing a 2-5 singles record. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Swiss fall in the second round to Jovanovski or Bertens, albeit these two aren’t in the best of form either. Either way, Wozniacki should defeat either of those three players without too much trouble.
Come the fourth round, her possible opponents include Madison Keys, Jelena Jankovic or 2007 winner Daniela Hantuchova. Keys will be the favourite given her exploits in Melbourne, but the big hitting American may struggle under the pressure of the home crowd. Madison is still young, and with the weight of expectation on her shoulders it will be interesting to see how she copes. The first test will likely be in the form of Hantuchova, who since her 2007 triumph is 1-7 at this event. Hantuchova got some decent for under her belt by winning the Patteya open but has since struggled. Jelena Jankovic is a shell of her former self, and has a tough round two against the winner of Davis vs Schmiedlova. Jankovic bowing out early wouldn’t be much of a shock, but the winner of the second round match-up will likely lose to Keys or Hantuchova in round three.
Keys vs Wozniacki should be the fourth round match, setting up an interesting clash of styles. Keys is pure power, swinging hard and hitting powerful strokes off both wings. Wozniacki is one of the best movers and tour, and her retrieving could frustrate the American. The 16th seed has the power to blow the world number five off the court, but on this occasion on a fairly slow court, I expect Wozniacki to pull through. The Dane has a great record here, being a former champion and finalist.
Could we be in for an all blonde showdown in the quarter finals? Sixth seed Eugenie Bouchard will certainly hope so. The Canadian’s first test will come in round three against big serving American Coco Vandeweghe. Bouchard’s form is unknown as she’s only played one match since the Australian Open, losing to Mona Barthel in Antwerp. Given that she’s fully fit, Bouchard’s early ball striking could get Vandeweghe on the move, making the American less effective. If the 30th seed can get the upper-hand in the rallies with her forehand, then Bouchard could be in trouble. It’s still difficult not to back the sixth seed on this occasion, but this one could be tricky.
Bouchard’s fourth round opponent will likely come down to the winner of Andrea Petkovic vs Alize Cornet. Petkovic might have a difficult time getting past Annika Beck in the second round, but realistically it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. The German is in better form than Cornet, but the Frenchwoman leads to head to head 3-1, including a victory in Miami last year. Petkovic is now a top 10 player, and therefore should be more confident this time around, and that will be enough to see her past the 20th seed.
Bouchard’s biggest problem is handling the big hitters, and Petkovic doesn’t really fall into the category. However, you have to consider that Bouchard’s fitness and form is unknown. The world number seven has only played one match since Melbourne. Petkovic hasn’t set the world alight since Antwerp, but she’s hardly looked awful. Knowing where the German’s fitness and form is at, I feel she’s the safer bet to make the quarter finals.
Sharapova’s Quarter
With Azarenka’s injury woes causing the former world number one to fall down the rankings, she was always going to create a tough draw for a top player. This time it’s Maria Sharapova. The pair are scheduled to meet in the third round with Azarenka only just claiming a seeding position due to Kvitova’s withdrawal. Providing nothing gets in their way, this will undoubtedly be the match of the early rounds. Azarenka boasts a 6-1 record on hard courts against the world number two, but their last meeting on this surfaced was over two years ago. Azarenka is slowly building her ranking back up, but she isn’t at the level she displayed in 2012 and 2013 just yet. Maria Sharapova pulled out of Acapulco with illness 2 weeks ago, but that shouldn’t be problem now surely? Expect a tight, (and loud match) with both players wrestling momentum from each other during the match. It will likely come down to mental strength, which is where Sharapova thrives. How many times have we seen the Russian pull through tight matches where she hasn’t played too well? You can’t count them on your fingers that’s for certain. I feel this will be another one of those matches where Sharapova sneaks the win despite being outplayed throughout the majority of the match.
She will then go on to likely face the defending champion Flavia Pennetta. Her victory here last year proved that she likes these courts, and is capable of showing a high level here. Unfortunately for the Italian she won’t reach a high enough level to topple the second seed, and she’ll likely go down in straight sets.
Fifth seed Ana Ivanovic will look to use this tournament to rebuild some confidence after a disappointing defeat to Caroline Garcia last week. These two are on the collision course this week too, with the Serb looking to extract her revenge. Ivanovic will almost certainly make the third round, but Garcia’s participation at this stage isn’t set in stone. Former Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva is the Frenchwoman’s likely second round opponent. The Russian is continuing her comeback from injury, and despite not being at her 2010 level, she’s still a dangerous unseeded player to draw. Garcia reached back to back finals in Mexico, but lost twice to the surging Timea Bacsinszky. It will be interesting to see how the Frenchwoman responds after being only a win away from a title two weeks in a row. These losses can dent your confidence or make you hungry to go that one further. It’s interesting to see which path Garcia will end up going down.
Sara Errani is the projected fourth round opponent of Ivanovic/Garcia/Zvonareva, but the Italian consistency can often leave her prone to being overpowered. Speaking of power, Sabine Lisicki has it in abundance, but the German struggles for consistency outside of Wimbledon, making her an upset target for unseeded players. Jarmila Gajdosova and Roberta Vinci will be looking to take advantage of that, but first they must battle each other in an intriguing round one match. Vinci is experienced, crafty, and a former top 20 player, but you feel her singles form is declining as she reaches her advanced years. The 32 year old seems more focused on doubles nowadays with her partner Sara Errani. Gajdosova has shown some good form this year, and as she closes in on the top 50, I expect her to take advantage of a decent draw and make the fourth round. I don’t feel she can go any further though.
Round of 16:
Serena def. Kerber in 2
Safarova def. Makarova in 3
Halep def. Muguruza in 3
Suarez Navarro def. Radwanska in 3
Petkovic def. Bouchard in 3
Wozniacki def. Keys in 3
Ivanovic def. Gajdosova in 2
Sharapova def. Pennetta in 2
Quarter Finals:
Serena def. Safarova in 3
Halep def. Suarez Navarro in 2
Wozniacki def. Petkovic in 2
Sharapova def. Ivanovic in 3
Safarova’s good form will allow her to hand Serena her first set loss in the tournament, but Serena’s power and mental strength will be too much for the Czech to handle. Suarez Navarro will have a good run to the quarter finals, but Halep will prove too consistent, and too good for the Spaniard. Wozniacki loves playing at Indian Wells, and that will show with another deep run here. She shouldn’t have too many problems dispatching Petkovic like most of their previous meetings.
Sharapova vs Ivanovic will be dramatic, and will be very similar to the world number 2’s clash with Azarenka in round two. Sharapova will pull through in another battle of grit and determination. Make sure to check your blood pressure whilst watching this one.
Semi Finals:
Serena def. Halep in 2
Wozniacki def. Sharapova in 3
Serena had her troubles with Halep at the Tour Championships last year, but I hardly expect a repeat. The world number one will be determined and that will see her through in one tight and one dominant set. Wozniacki vs Sharapova is an interesting match-up. The head to head is close at 5-4 in The Russian’s favour, but the Dane has won their past two meetings, both of hard courts. With that in mind, I am predicting Wozniacki to grind her way through in 3 tight sets.
Final:
Serena def. Wozniacki in 2
The battle of best friends will decide the championship at Indian Wells, and as usual Williams will be the victor. The American leads the head to head 10-1, and has a good record at this tournament despite not playing here since 2001. The world number one will cap her return to Indian Wells with another Premier title.
2015 WTA Acapulco Preview & Predictions Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic
After a week full of surprises, the WTA reaches Mexico, and Qatar for the tournaments held in Acapulco and Doha.
WTA Acapulco
The Abierto Mexicano TELCEL first started as an ATP event in 1993, but in 2001 it welcomed the WTA tour and has since become a regular on the calendar. It is hugely popular among the players, as they have voted it the WTA’s International Tournament of the Year seven times and the WTA’s Tournament of The Year/Americas in 2014.
Four players have won the title two times in their careers: Amanda Coetzer, Sara Errani, Flavia Pennetta and Venus Williams. Dominika Cibulkova is the defending champion.
Abierto Mexicano TELCEL
Tier: International
Location: Acapulco, Mexico
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $250,000
Date: February 23rd- February 28th 2015
The eight seeded players (Ranking)
1. Maria Sharapova (2)
2. Sara Errani (12)
3. Caroline Garcia (30)
4. Irina Begu (33)
5. Timea Bacsinszky (37)
6. Roberta Vinci (38)
7. Sloane Stephens (41)
8. Madison Brengle (44)
One name stands out from the rest, and that is Maria Sharapova. We also have Rio winner Sara Errani as the number two seed. The rest of the field is filled with top 50 players.
First round matches to watch:
Daniela
Daniela Hantuchova vs Lauren Davis
Hantuchova only missed out of a seeding by one ranking position, whilst Lauren Davis is only ranked 10 places behind the Slovak, so naturally it may end up being one of the tightest round one matches. Hantuchova is having a good year thus far after winning the Pattaya title two weeks ago, and despite the hammering she received from Simona Halep last week, the 31 year old will be in fine spirits heading into this tournament. Lauren Davis started the year well in Auckland, but she has only won one match since. Then again, she hasn’t played since Melbourne. The American has one thing in her favour, and that’s the head to head. Davis leads 1-0 after defeating Hantuchova in Eastbourne last year. Hantuchova is in much better form this time around though, and Davis’ form is unknown with her not playing a match since the Australian Open. I expect a much tighter match this time around.
Tereza Smitkova vs Monica Puig
This is a match to watch simply because we could be seeing a lot more of these two in the future. Puig is just shy of the top 50 at the moment, sitting at number 51 in the world rankings. Smitkova is 10 places behind the Puerto Rican, and holds a decent 3-3 record this year including an impressive win over Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in Melbourne. These two young guns met at the US Open last year, and it went the distance with Puig coming out the victor. The world number 51 will be favourite, but I sense that this has potential to be a close three setter than could go either way.
Top Half
One name stands out In the top half, and that is Maria Sharapova. The world number two is a surprise inclusion in this tournament, with it only being an International tier event. Maybe she is here because Grigor Dimitrov is too? Either way it’s hard seeing Sharapova losing to anyone in the draw, let alone anyone in this half. The most interesting story of the first quarter is who will face Sharapova in the quarter finals. I believe it will be the winner of Daniela Hantuchova vs Timea Bacsinszky in the second round. The Swiss has been in fine form this year with her only losses coming against Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep, but she hasn’t played a tour match since the loss to Muguruza in Melbourne. If Timea shows the form from the Australian swing, then she should make the quarter finals here, but she’ll likely lose to Sharapova at this stage.
Sharapova’s semi final opponent will be decided by the eight players in the second quarter of the draw. The top seed in this section is France’s Caroline Garcia. The third seed has the talent to make a successful career, but she has often shown a lack of effort during her matches. If she bothers to show up however, she should find herself in the semi finals, despite some stiff competition from the likes of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Madison Brengle.
Bottom Half:
Number two seed Sara Errani will be heading into Acapulco full of confidence after winning her 1st title of the season in Rio last week. The Italian will be looking to continue her climb back towards the top 10 here, but she will have to get through some dangerous outsiders if she is to do so. Puig or Smitkova will await the world number 12 in round two, and with the tournament not being on clay anymore, she could find herself in a bit of trouble. However, form and confidence will no doubt do her wonders to I expect Errani to make the quarter finals to face her doubles partner Roberta Vinci. They have dominated the womens doubles scene for years, but they must put their friendship aside if they are to meet here. Errani however leads the head to head 6-3, and is currently the better player, so she should defeat her doubles partner to make the semi finals here.
Despite being the seventh seed here, Sloane Stephens is perhaps the biggest name in the final quarter of the draw. Once touted as a future star, Stephens has failed to kick on after a breakthrough tournament at the Australian Open 2013. The American now finds herself down at number 41 in the world with no sign of getting back to her late 2012/early 2013 form. Despite that Stephens should get through her first round match to meet Anna Schmeidlova in the second round. Schmeidlova made her first WTA final last week in Rio so she’ll be in good form this week, and I expect her to take out the 7th seed to make the quarter finals. Irina Begu will likely await the Slovak at this stage. Schmeidlova got the better of the Romanian last week, but that was on clay. It’s a difficult match to predict, but I will go with Begu in three sets.
Predictions:
Semi Finals:
Sharapova def. Garcia in 2
Errani def. Begu in 2
Final:
Sharapova def. Errani in 2
Yeah, I have been boring and gone with the seeding here. Sharapova should win this without any trouble.
2015 WTA Hobart Preview andPredictions Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic
2015 WTA Hobart Preview
WTA Hobart
Many stars of the WTA venture to Hobart, Australia, to continue their preparations for the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne.
The tournament was launched in 1994. Interestingly it has produced a different winner every year. Hobart is usually won by rising stars or relatively unknown players who look to kick start their season. Past champions include the likes of Petra Kvitova, and Kim Clijsters. The 2014 edition saw young star Garbine Muguruza win her maiden title. The Spaniard came through qualifying and dominated the field en route to winning the Hobart crown.
Hobart International WTA International Series Hobart, Australia January 11-January 17, 2015
Prize Money: $250,000
*Lepchenko withdrew and will be replaced by a lucky loser
Unfortunately, the original number 4 seed, Vavara Lepchenko was forced to withdraw from the tournament. She has been replaced by a lucky loser, and Stephens is now the number 4 seed. Roberta Vinci is the next highest ranked player and therefore gets seeding.
The number one seed will return from Hopman Cup duty for the home Aussies in Perth to square off against American Lauren Davis in Hobart. What makes this match interesting is the respective form of the two players leading into the event. Dellacqua struggled in the Hopman cup, not winning any of her singles matches. Meanwhile, Davis started the year well by reaching the semi finals in Auckland before losing convincingly to compatriot Venus Williams. There is big potential of an upset here, so this certainly a match to keep an eye on. Dellacqua will no doubt be the home crowd favourite, but look for the 21 year old American to silence them.
Monica Puig vs. Kaia Kanepi
Not all interesting matches have to feature a seeded player, do they? Hobart has produced some interesting round one matches this year, but this particular match may fall under the radar. It is another one of those ‘Youth vs experience’ matches with Puig (21) facing Kanepi (29). Kanepi started the season with a Quarterfinal run in Brisbane, losing to Ana Ivanovic. Puig on the other hand lost her opener in Auckland to Marina Erakovic. Expect the Estonian to try and use her power to overwhelm Puig, who in return will look to use that power to counter Kanepi. I expect another tight 3 setter here that could go either way.
The top half of the Hobart draw is stacked with talent and potential winners. Number one seed, Casey Dellacqua will no doubt be one of those players looking to take the Hobart crown. However, the Aussie doesn’t come into the tournament in good form and might get dumped out earlier than you’d expect from a top seed. The winner of the Dellacqua-Davis will likely make the Quarter Final where I expect either Mona Barthel or Kirsten Flipkens will be waiting. Barthel is talented, yet inconsistent, and has also recently suffered from an injury. The 7th seed could be another player who is dumped out earlier than expected. I can see unseeded players, Davis and Flipkens making the Quarter finals here.
The second quarter is headlined by number three seed Camila Giorgi. The big hitting Italian is another young star who can do a lot of damage. The 23 year old will face Australian wildcard Storm Sanders in the first round. It should be a relatively comfortable match for Giorgi who should over power her opponent. Puig or Kanepi will await her in the second round in another potential slobberknocker (Copyright WWE’s Jim Ross). No matter which one of them advances, it will no doubt be one of the matches of the week should. Interestingly, I expect Kanepi to beat Giorgi, and Giorgi to dispatch Puig despite the 2-0 head to head in favour of the Puerto Rican. If I was to hazard a guess, I would say Kanepi makes the Quarter Finals. Giorgi’s form is unknown and Puig lost her opener last week. There, the Estonian will likely meet Czech Republic’s Klara Koukalova. The number six seed was a finalist last year so knows these courts well. She will face Kurumi Nara in an interesting round one battle. I expect the 32 year old to advance in a tight match despite a round one loss last week. Koukalova’s experience will likely guide her through to the quarterfinals, where I believe she will face Kaia Kanepi. Out of all the likely opponents I expect the Czech to bow out at this stage as the other section of this quarter is just too strong.
Zarina Diyas is the number two seed and therefore the automatic favourite to advance from this half. But tennis isn’t that simple, especially in the WTA. Diyas faces a qualifier or lucky loser in the first round, which isn’t as simple as it may seem. Qualifiers can often be streaky players, so It will be tough, but I believe Diyas will pull through. Daniela Hantuchova should await in the second round, but the lottery of the qualifier/lucky loser also awaits the Slovak in round one. I will stay safe and predict Diyas defeats Hantuchova in the second round. Any of the four potential quarterfinal opponents for the Kazakh could realistically make it to the last eight. The seeded player is Alison Riske. The 24 year old got off to a bad start in Brisbane where she was dumped out in the first round, so the American will look to kick start her 2015 with a win over fellow countrywoman Christina McHale. The world number 45 also lost in the first round of Brisbane, and will be looking for her first win of the season in Hobart. McHale lost to potential second round opponent Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in Brisbane. Baroni was the 2014 comeback player of the year and is the most experienced player out of the four. Her first round opponent is Bojana Jovanovski. The world number 57 lost to Kvitova in the Shenzhen 2nd round, so her form is also unknown. I will go with experience here, and say Lucic Baroni faces Diyas in the Quarter finals after battling through Jovanovski and Riske.
The 4th seed is Sloane Stephens from the USA. The American was once a highly touted youngster, but she was unable to build on her 2013 form. Sloane will look to start her climb back up the rankings with a successful run in Hobart. The 21 year old lost to fellow American Lauren Davis in the 2nd round of the ASB Classic, so doesn’t come into the event in any sort of form. She faces crafty Romanian Monica Niculescu in round one in Hobart. The 27 year old lost to Polona Hercog in the opening round in Shenzhen; a disappointing result for the Romanian. Sloane will be fairly confident of getting by Niculescu and her round two opponent, who I expect to be Heather Watson. The Brit will be returning from Hopman Cup duty, where she lost two of three matches, but I expect the 22 year old to squeeze past Magdalena Rybarikova. The replacement 5th seed, or 9th seed is experienced Italian Roberta Vinci. The 31 has one of the best slices in the game and will be a handful for her first round opponent, Olivia Rogowska. Vinci should be good enough to make the second round at least here, where she will face either Annika Beck or Jana Cepelova. Cepelova will be low on confidence after her thrashing at the hands of Venus Williams, so Beck will be the favourite to face Vinci In round two. Beck is one of the steadiest players on tour, but Vinci has more variety which will see her through to the Quarter finals.
Predictions
Semis: Kanepi d. Davis Diyas d. Stephens
Kanepi had a good week in Brisbane, and could have gone further that the Quarter Finals if it wasn’t for Ana Ivanovic. Davis went one further in Auckland, but lost comfortably to Venus Williams. I feel Kanepi will be a little too much for Davis here, and defeats the American in 3 sets. Diyas vs Stephens could be match of the tournament. Both are talented youngsters looking to really kick start their seasons by winning the Hobart title. Diyas is currently the higher ranked and better player of the two, so I will predict her to squeeze past Stephens in a very tight 3 setter.
Final: Kanepi d. Diyas
The Estonian will build on a good Brisbane run to take the crown in the Hobart. Kanepi won their only previous meeting at Roland Garros in 2010. However, the Kazakh was raw at that time, so you can’t take much from that match. Diyas will be hoping to win her first WTA title here in her second final. That time she lost to Sam Stosur in Osaka, and I expect something similar here. Kanepi’s experience will see her beat Diyas in 2 or 3 tight sets and win the Hobart title.
Americans Davis, Keys, Min Advance to 2nd Round @FamilyCircleCup Stephan Fogleman, Tennis East Coast
Keys
You couldn’t have picked a prettier day to open main draw play at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston. After a weekend of qualifying where fans and players were pelted by rain one day and hit with gale force gusts the next, Daniel Island’s famous perfect spring weather sprung just in time.
The top 8 seeds gave interviews to the press. Serena Williams, straight off another Miami title, was stoic and serene in interviews to the press at the nearby Daniel Island Club.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the US upstarts were trying to earn their keep.
American Lauren Davis was the first American to win a spot in the tournament’s second round with a 6-1, 6-4 routining of Dinah Pfizenmaier.
Madison Keys followed up that effort with a straight sets tiebreak win over Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, 7-6(0), 7-6(3).
It took another four hours for an American to emerge victorious. It was Grace Min who finished the day with a third Charleston win in a row for the US at 7:39 p.m., edging Michelle Larcher de Brito, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Not all news was good news for the home squad.
Chanelle Scheepers and Alison Riske opened up Stadium Court this morning. After a nice first set, Riske faded and Scheepers advanced, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Scheepers
Petra Cetkovska won a see-saw match over Varvara Lepchenko, 6-1, 2-6, 6-0.
Qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva advanced over Christina McHale, 6-3, 7-5.
And the scrappy Jana Cepelova took out Melanie Oudin, 7-6(2), 6-2.
The big match of the day not involving Americans was the upset of #29 Maria Kirlenko at the hands of Swiss Miss Belinda Bencic, who I like to call “Fed-Ette”. It has a much better ring than “Baby Hingis”.
Bencic
Kirlienko was listless and erratic, but mad props to Fed-Ette for her composure in that third set. Other players would have dropped the set and the entire match with the pressure on. Chair Guru Eva Asderaki blew a call late in the third, but Bencic was able to brush it off. Bencic moves on to the second round, 6-1, 7-5.
Yaroslava Shvedova always has a trick up her sleeve. Today, she came out strong, retreated and saved her energy for a three set win over Saisai Zheng, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.
Kiki Bertens has won three matches in a row in Charleston, following up her qualifying wins this weekend with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Paula Ormaechea.
Elina Svitolina won it by a nose over Jarmila Gajdosova, 6-1, 7-5, 7-6(5), the second straight match in which the Aussie had trouble shutting the door. She got away with it yesterday against Taylor Townsend, but not today.
Shelby Rogers and Daniela Hantuchova kick it off on Stadium tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., with Serena Williams headlining the nightcap at 7:00 p.m.
RESULTS – MARCH 31, 2014
Women’s
Singles – First Round
[9] L Safarova (CZE) d J Larsson (SWE) 62 63
[Q] B Bencic (SUI) d [10] M Kirilenko (RUS) 61 75
[15] M Keys (USA) d M Lucic-Baroni (CRO) 76(0) 76(3)
J Cepelova (SVK) d [WC] M Oudin (USA) 76(2) 62
P Cetkovska (CZE) d V Lepchenko (USA) 61 26 60
[Q] G Min (USA) d [Q] M Larcher de Brito (POR) 63 16 63
T Pereira (BRA) d P Mayr-Achleitner (AUT) 61 76(5)
[Q] K Bertens (NED) d P Ormaechea (ARG) 75 36 63
E Svitolina (UKR) d [Q] J Gajdosova (AUS) 61 57 76(5)
Y Shvedova (KAZ) d [Q] S Zheng (CHN) 62 36 75
V Razzano (FRA) d J Goerges (GER) 60 57 62
[Q] A Kudryavtseva (RUS) d C Mchale (USA) 63 75
C Scheepers (RSA) d A Riske (USA) 46 62 63
ORDER OF PLAY – TUESDAY, APRIL 01, 2014
BILLIE JEAN KING start 10:00 am
[12] D Hantuchova (SVK) vs [WC] S Rogers (USA)
Not Before 11:30 am
B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) vs [11] V Williams (USA)
[7] S Stosur (AUS) vs Y Shvedova (KAZ)
[6] E Bouchard (CAN) vs [Q] A Kudryavtseva (RUS)
Not Before 7:00 pm
[1] S Williams (USA) vs J Cepelova (SVK)
J Husarova (SVK) / V Lepchenko (USA) vs [4] J Goerges (GER) / A Groenefeld (GER)
ALTHEA GIBSON start 10:00 am
[16] S Zhang (CHN) vs S Hsieh (TPE)
[14] A Petkovic (GER) vs [Q] L Tsurenko (UKR)
T Pereira (BRA) vs [8] S Cirstea (ROU)
V Razzano (FRA) vs [9] L Safarova (CZE)
A Rosolska (POL) / C Scheepers (RSA) vs [WC] S Cirstea (ROU) / M Kirilenko (RUS)
COURT 3 start 10:00 am
V King (USA) vs J Glushko (ISR)
A Medina Garrigues (ESP) vs L Dominguez Lino (ESP)
M Erakovic (NZL) vs [WC] N Petrova (RUS)
L Huber (USA) / L Raymond (USA) vs [WC] J Jankovic (SRB) / A Petkovic (GER)
COURT 4 start 12:00 noon
A Schmiedlova (SVK) vs [13] E Vesnina (RUS)
Tennis Atlantic 