Dubai, Memphis, Bogota Updates

The biggest shock so far from the Dubai Tennis Championships is that Agnieszka Radwanska has been put out in straight sets by her sister Urszula, 6-4, 6-3.

Also, Daniela Hantuchova beat Swiss wildcard Stephanie Vogele 7-5, 6-2, to advance. Virginie Razzano beat Kateryna Bondarenko and Monica Niculescu beat Shuai Peng.

In Memphis, the overnight winners were fifth seed Marina Erakovic, Kristina Barrois and future tip Melanie Oudin.

Player of the Week - Amelie Mauresmo

This is something that we hope will become a weekly feature: Player of the Week

Of course, there are no prizes for guessing that this week it goes to the new 'Comeback Queen' Amelie Mauresmo (her face is behind her hands in this picture). After two years in the relative tennis wilderness, the former Australian and Wimbledon champion and world number one returned to her old form with a bang in her home event, the Open GDF Suez in Paris.

En route to the final, she saw off Italian Sara Errani 6-2, 6-0 (who she had lost to in Fed Cup duty last weekend), Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-2, 6-1, fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-0 and second seed Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 0-6, 6-1. In the final she was drawn against Russia's Elena Dementieva, arguably the best tour event player in recent months. Mauresmo used her serve, volleys and backhand to great effect, winning a superb final 7-6, 2-6, 6-4, in well over two hours. As a result, she colected one of the nicest looking trophies on the WTA Tour (check their website for a picture).

Unfortunately, this win means she will not be participating in the Dubai Tennis Championships this week, where she made the quarter finals last year before losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova. We don't yet know who she will be replaced by.

Morita replaces Peer

Shahar Peer, the Israeli number one, has been denied a visa to compete in the Dubai Tennis Championships in the UAE. The WTA Tour has said it will review the future of the tournament, and in the meantime, Japan's Ayumi Morita will replace Peer to play fifteenth seed Anna Chakvetadze.


Elsewhere in Dubai, Ana Ivanovic will set out for revenge in her second round match. She will play Russian teenager Alisa Kleybanova after she beat compatriot Anna Lapushchenkova in three sets. Other winners were sixteenth seed Kaia Kanepi, who saw off qualifier Tamira Paszek in three sets, thirteenth seed Jie Zheng, Tsvetana Pironkova, Vera Dushevina, Sybille Bammer, Julia Schruff and Sara Errani, who will now play Serena Williams.

In Memphis, Jelena Dokic has been drawn against top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the first round of the Cellular South Cup after beating Alexandra Panova to qualify for the event. The pair met at the Australian Open, with Dokic winning in three sets.

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships Draw

Here is the draw for the Dubai tournament:


S Williams (USA) 1 Bye
YJ Chan (Tpe) vs S Errani (Ita)
S Stosur (Aus) vs M Rybarikova (Svk)
A Rodionova (Rus) Q vs J Zheng (Chn) 13
A Radwanska (Pol) 9 vs U Radwanska (Pol) Q
A Szavay (Hun) vs T Tanasugarn (Tha)
A Lapushchenkova (Rus) Q vs A Kleybanova (Rus) WC
A Ivanovic (Srb) 8 Bye
E Dementieva (Rus) 4 Bye
M Koryttseva (Ukr) vs S Bammer (Aut)
O Govortsova (Blr) vs A Bondarenko (Ukr)
A Mauresmo (Fra) vs A Medina Garrigues (Esp) 14
A Cornet (Fra) 10 vs A-L Groenefeld (Ger)
J Schruff (Ger) Q vs P Kvitova (Cze)
M Kirilenko (Rus) vs A Pavlyuchenkova (Rus)
V Williams (USA) 6 Bye
S Kuznetsova (Rus) 7 Bye
E Vesnina (Rus) Q vs N Li (Chn)
T Pironkova (Bul) vs V Kutuzova (Ukr)
S Cirstea (Rom) vs D Cibulkova (Svk) 12
K Kanepi (Est) 16 vs T Paszek (Aut) Q
S Mirza (Ind) WC vs E Makarova (Rus)
S Peng (Chn) vs M Niculescu (Rom)
J Jankovic (Srb) 3 Bye
V Zvonareva (Rus) 5 Bye
V Dushevina (Rus) WC vs Z Yan (Chn)
F Schiavone (Ita) vs C Dellacqua (Aus)
A Sugiyama (Jpn) vs M Bartoli (Fra) 11
A Chakvetadze (Rus) 15 vs S Peer (Isr)
S Vogele (Sui) WC vs D Hantuchova (Svk)
K Bondarenko (Ukr) vs V Razzano (Fra)
D Safina (Rus) 2 Bye


First of all, despite withdrawing from the Open GDF Suez tournament today with a knee injury, top seed Serena Williams is still scheduled to appear in Dubai. This is the first non-Grand Slam event to boost such a strong field. Nadia Petrova is the only member of the top ten not appearing in Dubai, because of a stress fracture (in her foot, we think). We are not going to give any verdicts on who we think will win the tournament as it looks very close, but the first round match we recommend you watch would be the Radwanska sisters. This draw boasts three pairs of sisters in the singles main draw alone!

Cellular South Cup Draw

Here is the draw for next week's championships at Memphis:

C Wozniacki (Den) 1 vs Qualifier
K Flipkens (Bel) vs S Bremond (Fra)
K Barrois (Ger) vs J Groth (Svk)
Qualifier vs A Kudryavtseva (Rus) 7
A Keothavong (GBR) 4 vs ME Camerin (Ita)
M Larcher de Brito (Por) WC vs S Arvidsson (Swe)
M Oudin (USA) WC vs J Craybas (USA)
J Ditty (USA) vs M Erakovic (Nzl) 5
S Lisicki (Ger) 6 vs E Bychkova (Rus)
S Foretz (Fra) vs M Czink (Hun)
A Stevenson (USA) WC vs V King (USA)
M South (GBR) vs L Safarova (Cze) 3
P Parmentier (Fra) 8 vs J Coin (Fra)
L Hradecka (Cze) vs Qualifier
Qualifier vs S Cohen Aloro (Fra)
V Lepchenko (USA) vs V Azarenka (Blr) 2

Obviously, the massive ranking gap between Victoria Azarenka, the second seed, and Lucie Safarova, the third seed, makes Azarenka and Dane Caroline Wozniacki favourites for the title, probably with Azarenka edging it due to current form. However, there is plenty of potential in this draw. We recommend that you watch out for form players Anne Keothavong and Sabine Lisicki, young guns Melanie Oudin and Michelle Larcher de Brito and Alexandra Stevenson, who seems to be making a return for the first time in many years. Jelena Dokic is playing qualifying here, so if she makes it through, she will be an obvious contender. For the first round, we think that if Dokic is drawn against Wozniacki, that would be a very interesting clash indeed, but of the guaranteed matches, we would pick Melanie South's clash with third seed Lucie Safarova, which we feel could produce an upset. Please comment on your views for this tournament (nobody has for ages and we're lonely!)

Saturday Results Round Up

Congratulations must go to Amelie Mauresmo, who took her most significant victory in about two years after a victory over world number three Jelena Jankovic at the Open GDF Suez in Paris, surviving a second set blip to go through 6-2, 0-6, 6-1. She will meet third seed Elena Dementieva in the final after newly crowned Australian Open champion Serena Williams withdrew prior to their semi final due to a knee injury which she exacerbated. She is still epected to play in next week's megastar Dubai Tennis Championships.

Top seed Vera Zvonareva's recent form seems inexorable after she eased into the PTT Pattaya Open final in Thailand after a breezy 6-1, 6-4 victory over Israeli seventh seed Shahar Peer. In the final, she will play India's Sania Mirza after she surprised eighth seed Magdalena Rybarikova, battling to a 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 victory.

Oh My Lord

Who remembers this moment?

This is arguably Amelie Mauresmo's most special victory, when she won Wimbledon in 2006. Since that marvellous year, when she added the Australian Open to her trophy cabinet as well, such moments of joy haven't really happened (we argued that it was because of her appendectomy, and that her appendix was the source of all her powers.)

Well today, a moment of joy could be felt around the tennis world. Amelie looks like she is making a return, baby! Her crushing 6-2, 6-0 romp of Agnieszka Radwanska, the world number nine), at the Open GDF Suez, was a joy to behold (albeit, not to the Pole), as she produced tennis that flowed so effortlessly off the strings of her racket. We have to admit, we have missed the Mauresmo that leapt to the net like a gazelle and produced tennis so beautiful, it was like a van Gogh masterpiece, but all this week she has recreated some of that form.

Just to make the victory even sweeter perhaps, was that Mauresmo was the only Frenchwoman to win in front of her home crowd, as her three compatriots failed to make the last four.

In the semi finals in Paris, the competition will take itself a step up. Jelena Jankovic, the world number three, wearing the most hideous dress we think we have ever seen (not impressed ANTA!) battled hard but managed to defeat teenager Alize Cornet 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Elsewhere, the rightful top duo in the world (in our opinion), Elena Dementieva and Serena Williams cruised into the semis, dropping just five games against their French opponents Nathalie Dechy and Emilie Loit respectively.

Thousands of miles away, in Thailand, Magdalena Rybarikova set up a semi final with Sania Mirza after a surprise 6-4, 6-1 win over second seed Caroline Wozniacki. In the other semi, top seed Vera Zvonareva will play Israeli Shahar Peer.

PTT Pattaya Open

Top seed Vera Zvonareva marched into the semi finals of the tournament in Thailand after the Russian beat China's Shuai Peng 6-2, 6-3.

Second seed Caroline Wozniacki's so-so year continues after she was a surprise casualty, losing to eighth seed Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-1.

Seventh seed Shahar Peer makes her first semi final in what seems like an age after battling past unseeded Russian Vera Dushevina 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Home favourite Tamarine Tanasugarn is currently 4-4 in the first set with Indian megastar Sania Mirza, despite going an early break down.

Going now to a bit of Memphis news, Jelena Dokic begins her quest at the Cellular South Cup, playing her opening qualifying match against Yuliana Fedak of the Ukraine.

Fed Cup Action, Near Closing Time

The Czech Republic have completed a 4-1 victory over Spain in World Group I thanks to a straight-set doubles victory for Kveta Peschke and Iveta Benesova.

Germany have pulled through the live doubles rubber against Switzerland in Zurich. Anna Lena Groenefeld and Tatjana Malek saw off Patty Schnyder and Stephanie Vogele 6-4, 6-3.

Kirsten Flipkens salvaged something for Belgium in Bratislava, after beating Slovak Lenka Wienerova 6-3, 4-6, 6-0.

Ana Ivanovic eased to victory over Ayumi Morita to put Serbia 4-0 ahead of Japan in Belgrade

Fed Cup Day 2

Sara Errani has pulled Italy into a 4-0 lead over France thanks to a surprise 6-3, 6-4 victory over Amelie Mauresmo. Perhaps Mauresmo was feeling the effects of Flavia Pennetta's backlash in yesterday's infamous clash at Orleans.

Russia have whitewashed China 5-0, thanks to a doubles victory from top ten players Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova. The pair lost the first set 6-1 to the pairing of Tiantian Sun and Zi Yan, but regrouped to win the next two 6-4, 6-4. This follows Anna Chakvetadze and Alisa Kleybanova's singles victories earlier today.

Ukraine have pulled Israel back to 2-2 in Kharkhiv after Kateryna Bondarenko won her match against Tzipora Obziler 6-1, 4-6, 6-0. Earlier, Alona Bondarenko lost to Shahar Peer 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Estonia, Poland and Canada have qualified for the World Group II play-offs. Estonia beat Belarus 2-0, Poland beat Great Britian 2-1 and Canada beat Paraguay 3-0.

Fed Cuppage

Italy will play Russia in the semi finals after Flavia Pennetta cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over France's Alize Cornet. Amelie Mauresmo is 4-1 down to Sara Errani in the first set of their dead rubber.


The Czech Republic will play either Argentina or the USA for their place in the final after they shocked last year's runners up Spain. Lucie Safarova put the team 2-1 ahead when she beat the erratic Carla Suarez Navarro 6-4, 6-3, and Petra Kvitova sealed the deal with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Nuria Llagostera Vives.


Russia and China are at one set all in the doubles dead rubber. Earlier, Alisa Kleybanova crushed Tiantian Sun 6-1, 6-1.

Jelena Jankovic gave the Belgrade fans something to cheer about as she gave Serbia an unassailable 3-0 lead by beating Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-2.

Dominika Cibulkova powered to a 6-0, 6-3 victory against Belgian Yanina Wickmayer to guarantee Slovakia's place in the World Group I play-offs.

Anna Lena Groenefeld eased to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Timea Bacsinszky to push the Switzerland-Germany tie into a live doubles match in Zurich (exciting!). Earlier, Patty Schnyder put the home side into a 2-1 lead by beating Sabine Lisicki.

Israel have taken a 2-1 lead over the Ukraine thanks to a Shahar Peer victory.

Fed Cup Day 2

Russia have secured their place in the last four after taking an unassailable lead versus China. Anna Chakvetadze, replacing Elena Dementieva, routed Zi Yan 6-1, 6-2, for the victory.


Last night, the USA and Argentina split their first two rubbers. Jill Craybas crushed Betina Jozami 6-2, 6-1. Argentina's number one Gisela Dulko faced a tougher time than expected against teenager Melanie Oudin, but came through 6-2, 7-5.

Fed Cup Review: First Day

Here is a review of the first day of the first Fed Cup ties of the year (Argentina v USA is not included):



France v Italy: The Orleans crowd will go home feeling more than deflated from the action they saw today. During the afternoon, things looked like they couldn't go any better. Amelie Mauresmo was a set and a break up against her higher ranked opponent, Flavia Pennetta, and then Alize Cornet would take on Francesca Schiavone, ranked about twenty places lower than her. However, then Mauresmo lost her serve, and the second set. She looked as though she could redeem herself in the final set, when she led 4-1, but then she lost that too. The crowd was silent as Schiavone won the first set of her match 6-1, yet then Cornet halted this, and took a 4-0 lead in the second, which translated to 6-2 success. The final set was tense, and the pair traded breaks of serve early on, but it was Schiavone who prevailed, winning it 8-6. France will go home defeated as they know that these two matches today were within touching distance.


Flavia Pennetta (Italy) bt Amelie Mauresmo (France) 2-6, 7-6, 6-4
Francesca Schiavone (Italy) bt Alize Cornet (France) 6-1, 2-6, 8-6


Czech Republic v Spain: Last year's finalists Spain, without their top player Anabel Medina Garrigues, took on the Czech team, who were newcomers to World Group I. Carla Suarez Navarro, straight from her Melbourne conquests, looked erratic and off-form as she lost to teenager Petra Kvitova in straight sets. Iveta Benesova looked as though she would breeze through her match against Nuria Llagostera Vives when she romped through the first set 6-1. However, Llagostera Vives responded by winning the second by the same margin, and then took the third 6-4 to keep Spain afloat. There is a lot to play for tomorrow in Brno.

Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) bt Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 6-4, 6-4
Nuria Llagostera Vives (Spain) bt Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4

Russia v China: The trophy that the Russians have treasured for the past four years out of five looks like it is going to stay in their cabinet. A weakened Chinese team, without Jie Zheng, Na Li or Shuai Peng, never looked a threat today against two top ten players, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva. Kuznetsova opened the proceedings in Moscow against Zi Yan, and Yan put up a reasonable fight, but it was no match for Kuznetsova's power, and she won in straight sets. Dementieva looked even more supreme, taking apart Shuai Zhang with considerable ease. Unless the Williams girls show up, the trophy is surely Russia's, but what astounds us is that, unlike Serbia, Russia could have fielded their D team today and could probably have achieved the same result.

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) bt Zi Yan (China) 6-2, 6-4
Elena Dementieva (Russia) bt Shuai Zhang (China) 6-3, 6-0

World Group II Results:

Serbia 2-0 Japan
A Ivanovic bt A Sugiyama 6-4, 6-4
J Jankovic bt A Morita 6-1, 6-0

Switzerland 1-1 Germany
P Schnyder bt AL Groenefeld 7-6, 6-3
T Bacsinszky l. to S Lisicki 0-6, 4-6

Slovakia 2-0 Belgium
D Cibulkova bt K Flipkens 7-6, 6-1
D Hantuchova bt Y Wickmayer 7-6, 6-3

Ukraine 1-1 Israel
A Bondarenko bt T Obziler 6-4, 6-4
K Bondarenko l. to S Peer 3-6, 7-6, 3-6

More Fed Cupdates

Jelena Jankovic has pleased the fans of Belgrade with a 6-1, 6-0 rout of Japan's Ayumi Morita. This follows Ana Ivanovic's victory over Ai Sugiyama earlier. Serbia lead 2-0.

Slovak Daniela Hantuchova beat Belgian number one Yanina Wickmayer 7-6, 6-3 to give Slovakia a 2-0 lead going into the final day in Bratislava.

Shahar Peer made things all square for Israel against the Ukraine after a 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 win over Kateryna Bondarenko in Kharkiv.

France's Alize Cornet lost the first set 6-1 to Italian Francesca Schiavone in World Group I, but is currently 2-0 up in the second in Orleans.

Sabine Lisicki evened the Germany-Switzerland tie following an easy 6-0, 6-4 victory over Timea Bacsinszky in Zurich

Fed Cupdate

Flavia Pennetta has won her match against Amelie Mauresmo. Mauresmo was seemingly heading for an easy victory as she was a set and a break up, but lost the match 2-6, 7-6, 6-4. What makes it more agonizing for Mauresmo is that she was 4-1 up in the final set with a break, but lost five games in a row. Italy now have a 1-0 lead.

Nuria Llagostera Vives won a topsy-turvy match against Iveta Benesova to put Spain back on track at 1-1. Despite losing the first set 6-1 to her Czech opponent, Llagostera Vives won the next two 6-1, 6-4 to record victory.

PTT Pattaya Women's Open

Vera Zvonareva, Caroline Wozniacki, Dominika Cibulkova and Sybille Bammer (where Nadia Petrova and Victoria Azarenka are, we have no idea) headline the field. Here is the main draw:

V Zvonareva (Rus) 1 vs A Klepac (Slo)
Y Shvedova (Kaz) vs T Paszek (Aut)
G Voskoboeva (Kaz) vs J Groth (née Gajdosova (Svk))
M Santangelo (Ita) vs S Peng (Chn) 5
S Bammer (Aut) 4 vs U Radwanska (Pol)
V Dushevina (Rus) vs E Bovina (Rus)
A Rodionova (Rus) vs Qualifier
N Lertcheewakarn (Tha) WC vs S Peer (Isr) 7
T Tanasugarn (Tha) 6 vs A Amanmuradova (Uzb)
J Moore (Aus) vs N Silva (Por)
S Mirza (Ind) vs N Lertpitaksinchai (Tha) WC
Qualifier vs D Cibulkova (Svk) 3
M Rybarikova (Svk) 8 vs K Date Krumm (Jpn)
Qualifier vs Qualifier
K Pervak (Rus) vs T Yonemura (Jpn)
Y-J Chan (Tpe) vs C Wozniacki (Den) 2

We would have to select Vera Zvonareva as the favourite, although her draw through to the semi finals could well be quite tricky. Wozniacki also looks like a good bet for the title, but she should watch out for Ksenia Pervak, the recently crowned Australian Open Girls champion. Home favourite Tamarine Tanasugarn has quite an easy draw for the first two rounds, but we doubt she would get past Dominika Cibulkova. We're looking forward to the Date Krumm and Rybarikova match, which has much potential.

Fed Cup Updates

World Group I:

Russia are firmly in command of their tie against China. Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Zi Yan 6-2, 6-4 and Elena Dementieva cruised past Shuai Zhang 6-3, 6-0 to record a 2-0 lead going into tomorrow.

Last year's finalists Spain are in danger of going out after their best player here, Carla Suarez Navarro, was surprisingly beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. Nuria Llagostera Vives lost the first set 6-1 to Iveta Benesova, but won the second set by the same score.

Amelie Mauresmo won the first set 6-2 for France against Flavia Pennetta of Italy, yet Pennetta retaliated and has just taken the second on a tie-break. Alize Cornet plays Francesca Schiavone later on today.

The USA will have to rely on a mix of experience and youth, as Mary Joe Fernandez's team takes on Argentina in Arizona later today. Jill Craybas, now 35, is scheduled to play Betina Jozami, whereas Melanie Oudin, who is 17 (we think), plays the highest ranked player here, Gisela Dulko.

World Group II:

Patty Schnyder has given Switzerland a 1-0 lead against Germany in Zurich by beating Anna Lena Groenefeld 7-6, 6-3. Timea Bacsinszky will play the higher ranked Sabine Lisicki in the hope of increasing that lead.

Dominika Cibulkova, the new Slovak number one (Hantuchova's had that for an age), defied a strong challenge in the first set from Belgian Kirsten Flipkens, but eased through the second to win 7-6, 6-1. Daniela Hantuchova will play teenager Yanina Wickmayer in the second tie.

Serbia can expect a massive turnout for their match in Belgrade (their first home tie ever) against Japan. Ana Ivanovic has just beaten Ai Sugiyama 6-4, 6-4. Ayumi Morita plays Jelena Jankovic later.

Ukraine are currently 1-0 up against Israel after Alona Bondarenko defeated Tzipora Obziler 6-4, 6-4. Sister Kateryna Bondarenko plays Shahar Peer later today.

Other:

In the competiton for the World Group play-offs, the ties are as follows:

Euro-Africa zone: Belarus v Estonia, Britain v Poland
Asia-Oceania zone: Australia bt New Zealand 3-0
Americas zone: Canada v Paraguay

Relegation - Euro-Africa: Luxembourg v Austria, Bulgaria v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Relegation - Americas: Puerto Rico v Brazil, Bahamas v Colombia
Relegation - Asia-Oceania: Chinese Taipei bt India 3-0 (Kazakhstan are to be promoted to the Asia-Oceania Group I next year)

Jankovic replaces Sharapova

After Maria Sharapova's withdrawal from the Open GDF Suez (and from the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships after that), Serbian Jelena Jankovic will be hoping to regain the number one ranking she recently lost to Serena Williams, who will also be in the field. Williams and Jankovic head a stellar field including players such as Elena Dementieva and rising star Alize Cornet.

Daniela Hantuchova's Lady Lumps

Oh no.

First, we'd like to thank Down The Line for this startling second picture, which prompted one of the commenters on their site to say that ol' Daniela Hantuchova here was breastfeeding Ai Sugiyama, an image I am sure you're all repulsed by (as are we). However, this is possibly the direst need we have ever seen for a bra. Her nipples are actually leaking in that second pic!

The Tennis Calendar: February

Here's what we have got:

Fed Cup: First round action between Russia and China, Italy and France (our pick), Czech Republic and Spain and USA and Argentina. We predict that Russia will power through the whole draw this year (again) and claim their fifth victory in six years.

The teams are (according to Diane at Women Who Serve):

Russia: Dementieva, Kuznetsova, Chakvetadze and Kleybanova
China: Zheng, Yan, Zhang, Sun (no Na Li in the mix there)

Winner: Russia. Easily.

Italy: Pennetta, Schiavone, Vinci, Errani
France: Cornet, Mauresmo, Bremond, Dechy

Winner: France. Edging It.

C Republic: Benesova, Kvitova, Safarova, Peschke
Spain: Suarez Navarro, Llagostera Vives, Martinez Sanchez, Dominguez Lino

Winner: Czech Republic

USA: Mattek, Craybas, Oudin, Huber
Argentina: Dulko, Esperon, Jozami, Salut (who?)

Winner: USA

Open GDF Suez: The scheduled return of Maria Sharapova to the indoor Parisian courts. Anna Chakvetadze is the defending champion here but is not scheduled to return. New Australian Open champ and world number one Serena Williams headlines, with a stellar cast of Elena Dementieva, Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Alize Cornet, Katarina Srebotnik, Amelie Mauresmo, Patty Schnyder and Nicole Vaidisova. Watch out for Russians like Alisa Kleybanova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Ekaterina Makarova to spring a few surprises.

PTT Pattaya Women's Open: Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska will not be in Thailand to defend her title as she is in Paris instead. Another blow for fans is that Sania Mirza appears not to be playing here either. However, the cast is still looking deliciously appealing, with Vera Zvonareva, Nadia Petrova, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka heading their way. You can also rely on Tamarine Tanasugarn to fly the flag for the home nation.

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships: Anyone who is anyone in the tennis world is set to be here. All of the top ten players are scheduled to make an appearance, plus Maria Sharapova will hopefully play. Alisa Kleybanova, at 32nd in the world, is the lowest ranked player on the direct acceptance list. This should be a fantastic tournament.

Regions Morgan Keegan Championships: This Memphis event has been around for donkey's years, but putting in the same week as the Dubai event has clearly caused plyer turnout problems. It boasts Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka, but the next highest player according to their website is former champion Sofia Arvidsson, ranked 55th in the world. This tournament could produce a surprising champ.

Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas: The Bogota tournament has clearly lost out to its other rivals for this week. Flavia Pennetta is a perennial here, and will be looking for another title on clay. Aleksandra Wozniak, Australian Open starlet Carla Suarez Navarro, Gisela Dulko, Tathiana Garbin, defending champion Nuria Llagostera Vives, Klara Zakopalova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova round out the top eight here. Watch out for up-and-coming players Masa Zec Peskiric and home favourite Mariana Duque Marino.

Abierto Mexicano Telcel presented by HSBC: The clay continues here in Acapulco. Defending champion Flavia Pennetta will be there, but the star attraction on show here will be Venus Williams. Other players coming for some Mexican sunshine will be Aleksandra Wozniak, Maria Kirilenko, Kaia Kanepi, Carla Suarez Navarro and Gisela Dulko.

Monterrey Open: A new tournament for the WTA. This is the second of their Mexican tour but will be played on hard instead of clay. Early entries include Agnieszka Radwanska, Flavia Pennetta, Agnes Szavay, Marion Bartoli, Carla Suarez Navarro, Jie Zheng, Lucie Safarova, Alla Kudryavtseva and Maria Kirilenko will all be there. This is the final tournament before the Indian Wells - Miami double, so it's crucial for some quick preparation.

The Women's Game, Is Safina Good Enough?

Dinara Safina's performance today left a lot to be desired as we all know. But it hasn't just been today. Her serve all through Australian Open has been faulty at best and her movement and attitude could still do with a touch up. Despite all of these flaws, she is to become the new world number two after the tournament, and probably even the world number one given that she has practically nothing to defend until Berlin, whereas Serena Williams has.

We also think it must be said that the whole quality of the Australian Open tournament for the women has been poor from what we have seen, given that we know that all of the top 50 have really fantastic tennis in them. If we could republish the world rankings on Monday based on the past couple of months and talent alone, here is how ours would look:

1. Serena Williams

2. Elena Dementieva

3. Vera Zvonareva

4. Venus Williams

5. Dinara Safina

6. Jelena Jankovic (we are not impressed)

7. Caroline Wozniacki

8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (she could go there again, if she believed in herself)

9. Victoria Azarenka

10. Nadia Petrova

Serena On Top, Dinara Flails

A picture is worth one thousand words.

From the first point, it seemed like that was where the trophy was, tight in Williams' grasp. Safina, and we doubt anyone else, could have prised it away from her. It took just 59 minutes for the match to go from start to finish, and Williams pounded 23 winners from all around the court, whilst committing just seven unforced errors. Safina's statistics were a different story, hitting 21 errors to 14 winners, and winning just 30% of the points on her second serve. It was clearly a painful experience for a tearful Safina, who managed to regroup for the trophy ceremony. One felt that Serena's comment about this match being a great advertisement for womens tennis in her speech, could have been a low attempt at a joke.

We have to admit, we are now converts to the Serena crowd. After never really being sure about her since after her surgery over six years ago, this is the first time she has conjoined two Grand Slam titles since the 2002-2003 transition when she won the same US-Australian Open combination, completing the 'Serena Slam'. She truly looked every bit the world number one out there. Serena's performance also highlighted what is wrong with Safina's game. Williams' serve is fluid and so natural, whereas Safina's serve is mechanical and fragmented, explaining her capacity to commit so many double faults. Sam Smith's commentary is often hit and miss, but today she was so correct. Serena, unlike almost everyone else in womens tennis, doesn't freeze when playing Grand Slam finals, she relishes them and plays her best tennis, and that her opponent must either have fantastic speed around the court to get all the balls back, or to have an excellent serve which they can use to full effect. None of these Safina has. Serena is now looking to win two Grand Slam titles in a year for the first time since 2003, and on today's display, you can't doubt her.

What The Australian Open Results Mean: Ana Ivanovic

In her quarter final match, Serena Williams described an 'out-of-body experience' she was having against Svetlana Kuznetsova. However, whereas Serena's slump was for a set, Ivanovic's has been going strong for many months now, and shows no sign of relenting. Last year, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour thought they had struck gold with Ivanovic. She was the person who could lift women's tennis out of Henin's shock retirement. Comparatives with Sharapova were always inevitable (she's hot, to put it bluntly), but she seemed to have what Masha didn't: the beaming smile on court, the sense of national pride and the lack of grunting. Sponsors wanted her like crazy, with Yonex grabbing a racket deal worth a whopping forty million dollars and adidas printing her face all over their posters. Come May, and Ivanovic was lifting the French Open trophy high above her head after two weeks of phenomenal tennis, cracking the comeback queen Dinara Safina in the final 6-4, 6-4.

But bad things started to happen. At Wimbledon, she crushed Rossana de los Rios in her first round and everyone was talking her up. Her next match against Nathalie Dechy was a wake up call. Dechy had a match point in the second set and fortunately for Ivanovic, lady luck beamed upon her, causing an extremely lucky ball to practically roll along the width of the net before dropping over. She edged through, but in her next match she was not so fortunate. The world number 133, Jie Zheng, pushed her around the court until the flaky Ivanovic looked like a club player. Zheng won, 6-1, 6-4, and became Wimbledon's darling, whilst Ivanovic trundled away, dejected.

She blamed injury for her loss and was forced to withdraw from the Olympics, and just got to the US Open. This wasn't wholly a good thing. Her first match against Russian Vera Dushevina was going swimmingly when she choked. Ivanovic just croaked through in three sets. It was just putting off her inevitable though, as she was bundled out by the world number 188 Julie Coin in the second round, a catastrophic upset. Ivanovic could not hide behind the curtain of injury anymore, and said she just needed to find rhythm again. It didn't come easily. Losses to Nadia Petrova, Jie Zheng and Dominika Cibulkova swiftly followed, and her year looked over. However, there was respite on the indoor courts of Austria and Switzerland. In Zurich, she pushed eventual champion Venus Williams all the way, before losing a tight three set contest in her semi final. In Linz, as the top seed, she reigned supreme over Vera Zvonareva after a majestic performance in the final. The respite turned out to be brief, as at the Year-End Championships she put in two meek performances before withdrawing with a virus.

2009 was seen by many Ivanovic fans as the new season, a time for a fresh start. In Brisbane, she was the star attraction, but it was clear very soon she was in no kind of form to win, and she was trashed by a supreme Amelie Mauresmo, 6-2, 6-3, in the quarter-finals, and then decided to skip Sydney. Ivanovic then turned up to the Australian Open, playing German Julia Goerges. She soon went a break down and many groaned. "Surely this wouldn't happen for a third straight Slam? Losing to a non-top 100 player again?" Ivanovic turned the match round and won her next encounter against the Italian player, Alberta Brianti, in straight sets. However, she met her match against Russian teen Alisa Kleybanova, and after over two and a half hours of pulsating play, she lost. This came after she served for the first set at 5-3 and went on to lose it 7-5.

Overall, Ivanovic's outlook doesn't look bright, and it looks like that since winning the French Open, something has snapped in her mind. Winning a Grand Slam looks to have been fairly terminal for Mauresmo (and her talented appendix) as she now seemingly can rarely beat anyone higher than her own ranking, and Ivanovic could be heading down that avenue if she's not careful. However, Ivanovic is still young and has a lot of mileage left. She has a lot to give and I would highly doubt that this is the end for the Serbian player.

Womens Tennis Pledges

In light of this tournament, and of Barack Obama's inauguration, I have decided to call of list of pledges some of the top women on the tour should take:

Venus Williams: I will remember that the tennis year starts in January and not in the middle of June.

Elena Dementieva: I will learn how to serve under pressure.

Vera Zvonareva: I will continue to remember that winning matches is much more fun than losing them and crying.

Ana Ivanovic: I will take a step back and ask myself 'WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?'

Jelena Jankovic: I will remember that I am actually a half-decent player and that performances like a certain match against Miss Bartoli will not be tolerated.

Svetlana Kuznetsova: I will believe in myself and get a good, fairly permanent doubles partner who will help me improve.

Jelena Dokic: I will, under no accounts, ever ever ever, reunite with the Evil One (Damir).

Anna Chakvetadze/ Nicole Vaidisova: I will work really hard to get my top-10 form back. Or I shall pray for it back.

Carla Suarez Navarro: I will remember that a Grand Slam event finishes in the final, not the quarters.

Victoria Azarenka: I will continue to decimate those who cross me and not choke (or get ill).

Alisa Kleybanova/ Aleksandra Wozniak: I will note how I am actually quite a good player but I shall undertake a rigorous training porgramme to certify that.

Dominika Cibulkova: I will attack sometimes and not always defend.

Caroline Wozniacki: What Dominika said.

Amelie Mauresmo: I will either quit or work my a*** off to get back to the top, not to stagnate at around the 30 rankings mark forever.

Michelle Larcher de Brito: I will actually qualify for some events.

Australian Open

Match results:

Marion Bartoli v Vera Zvonareva

Vera came back from 3-1 down and then reeled off 11 consecutive games to crush a badly ailing Bartoli.

Dinara Safina v Jelena Dokic

Alas, the Aussie fairytale is over, and it couldn't have happened in a messier fashion. This match isn't one I'd recommend to a friend, and I think I had better leave it at that.

Tonight

Carla Suarez Navarro v Elena Dementieva

Scoreline: 6-4, 6-2 to Dementieva - there will be resistance, but it will not be enough from the Spaniard

Svetlana Kuznetsova v Serena Williams

Scoreline: I don't want to call it. My head knows that Serena will probably win, but my heart is rooting for Sveta.

Elena Dementieva

Never has a zoo visitor been so fabulously attired. I can't upload the picture, but you can see it for yourself at sonyericssonwtatour.com

Fourth Round Part Two Summary

The look on Vika's face says it all really.

Carla Suarez Navarro v Anabel Medina Garrigues

As predicted, Suarez Navarro won through, and it was fairly simple for the proclaimed 'future of women's tennis in Spain'.

Dominika Cibulkova v Elena Dementieva

Cibulkova would have to be playing a perfect game to come anywhere close to beating a player like Dementieva and today she was far too error-prone. The score: 6-2, 6-2 (ouch!)

Jie Zheng v Svetlana Kuznetsova

The match we thought had real promise looked to be over a soon as it had begun. Zheng came out with a strapped hand and Kuznetsova was getting into a rhythm when Zheng fell on her injured hand. Kuznetsova will have to take the 4-1 retirement even though it isn't the best preparation for Serena.

Victoria Azarenka v Serena Williams

Serena chokes through for the third match in a row, thanks to a very ill Azarenka who looked dangerously close to collapsing at some points during the match. For all the Williams fans who think she now has a free ride to the title, bear this in mind: She called a medical timeout as well, she is playing doubles and she has a tough draw. I know I have just made it seem like I hate Serena Williams, which I can assure you, that is not true.

Tonight:

As I am pressed for time, I will give a quick prediction for tonight's matches.

Bartoli v Zvonareva: Zvonareva in three sets

Safina v Dokic: Safina to coast through in straight sets

The predictions weren't wrong yesterday! (The scorelines were)

The Fourth Round Continues

Yep. Our remaining lasses will fight it out in an effort to become quarter-finalists. Here are our match previews (images courtesy of http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/):

Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) v Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) 21

This has to be the first match since the Martinez-Vicario days that two Spaniards have fought each other so late on in a Grand Slam event. The first match on the Hisense Arena has promise, though both can play hot and cold tennis. For our pick we will go for Suarez Navarro because her game is something that Anabel may struggle with, and of course she didn't put out Venus for fun, you know.

Scoreline: 6-4, 6-4 to Suarez Navarro

Elena Dementieva (Russia) 4 v Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 18

Following on Hisense is this match. By taking one glance at their games, you would predict that Dementieva, the more powerful of the two, would walk it, but we feel this match could go far. Dementieva has had two difficult matches so far, and we feel her patience might snap at Cibulkova, the baseline slugger. However, we very much doubt this outcome.

Scoreline: 7-5, 6-1 to Dementieva

Jie Zheng (China) 22 v Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 8

The third match on the Hisense Arena. This match-up is so close. Zheng is seeded 22nd but is playing so much better than what her ranking suggests. Kuznetsova is the better player, and if she can make a majority of her shots in she will win, but that is a big ask when it comes to her. We are pretty sure it won't be like their first meeting in 2006, when Kuznetsova won 6-0, 6-1 in Doha.

Scoreline: 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to Kuznetsova

Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) 13 v Serena Williams (USA) 2

The only women's match on the RLA today and it looks very, VERY promising. We can establish that Serena is not in her best shape right now as her matches so far have been shaky and her shambolic performance against Dementieva in Sydney raised questions about whether she can still fight for more than two sets. Azarenka wil be a step up from her previous opponents in the draw, and we think that unless Serena is in inspired form, it will be tough.

Scoreline: 4-6, 6-3, 8-6 - Williams

Australian Open Midweek

OK, so we have just joined the rush.

Today's Results:

Jelena Jankovic (Srb) 1 v Marion Bartoli (Fra) 16

1-6, 4-6

Nadia Petrova (Rus) 10 v Vera Zvonareva (Rus) 7

5-7, 4-6

Dinara Safina (Rus) 3 v Alize Cornet (Fra) 15

6-2, 2-6, 7-5

Jelena Dokic (Aus) WC v Alisa Kleybanova (Rus) 29

7-5, 5-7, 8-6

The verdicts

Jankovic v Bartoli

Oh dear Jelly. She didn't do anything too horrendous, it was just she stood by while Bartoli blazed her trail. Jankovic now holds on to her number one spot by the skin of her teeth.

Zvonareva v Petrova

We didn't actually see this match, but the 49 unforced errors in just two sets from Petrova speaks volumes about her performance. Zvonareva's three converted break points out of eighteen chances also talks.

Safina v Cornet

Again, the numbers talk. 52 unforced errors from Safina contributed to two match points for Mlle. Cornet (who we then saw in the stands cheering for Baghdatis, anything going on?), but the Frenchwoman couldn't convert. Nevertheless, Safina's reaction to her victory was not one of joy, but more self-loathing.

Dokic v Kleybanova

So tense. Everyone's favourite Australian/daughter of crazed mad-man just squeaked through after three hours and two minutes fascinating display. Kleybanova fought hard, and would often become a woman possessed when attacking Dokic's serve. However, with the Rod Laver Arena firmly behind her, Dokic found the lines when she needed them. If she is fit for the next match (she almost snapped her ankle in two at one point), she will need much more to get past Safina (if she hasn't murdered herself for her performance today).