Former World Number 1’s Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic both won their SF matches in straight sets, to set up a dream final in Stuttgart. Sharapova was on the court for less than an hour, as she demolished 2012 French Open runner-up Sara Errani 6-1, 6-2. Then Ivanovic in an all- Serbian clash with another former World No1 Jelena Jankovic, got the better off her compatriot with a 6-3, 7-5 victory. Over in Barcelona, Nicolas Almagro was unable to repeat the heroics of his QF win over Rafael Nadal, as the Spaniard went down in 2 sets to un-seeded Santiago Giraldo. Giraldo’s opponent in the final, will be Japan’s Kei Nishikori who demolished Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 6-4.
WTA Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Day 6, Sat- SF’s
Sara Errani was always going to struggle against Maria Sharapova, given she’d never beaten the Russian in 4 previous meetings. One of those was of course on the clay-courts of Roland Garros, in the final of the French Open in 2012. Maria that day annihilated Errani, and it wasn’t going to be any different this time around.
But things were even more intriguing in Saturday’s SF. Whoever won it won be assured of a place in the top 10 rankings as of next week. Maria hadn’t been out of the top 10 since March 2011.
The opening set then was literally a blow-out, with the pint-sized Errani just being torn apart from limb to limb. Maria held serve, then got the early break from there on in. That was all there was to the first set, as Eranni only got 1 game on before Maria wrapped up the set 6-1.
In the 2nd set Errani fought more bravely, but ultimately it was all in vain as the same result transpired. Sara broke at the start of the second, but Maria broke immediately and from there she asserted her authority.
The 27 year old Sharapova, broke Errani twice in the second set, en-route to a routine straight sets win, in just 59 mins.
It was then the turn of the two former Serbian, World Number 1s.
This match-up has always been in the way of Ivanovic, who leads the overall H2H 8-3. Ana of course beat Jelena in the SF’s of the French open in 2008, on her way to lifting the title there.
The first set then suggested that it would yet again go in the way of Ivanovic. Ana got the early break in the match, to go up 3-1. That was all she needed, as she easily went on to win the opening set 6-3 in 27 minutes.
The second set though was much more competitive. This time around it was Jelena who found the early form, breaking Ivanovic to lead 2-0. Ana however broke back instantly and the two went tooth and nail until 5-5.
There it was Ana who got the final say in which way the match would go, as she broke her elder compatriot. Ivanovic serving for the match raced to 2 match points at 40-15. Jankovic stuck in though, saving both mp’s. She subsequently saved a third with a stunning pass into the corner. Ana then got a 4th match-point and this time kept her cool, to wrap up the win 7-5.
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: SF results
9-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat 5-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 6-3 7-5
6-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat 8-Sara Errani (Italy) 6-1 6-2
WTA Marrakech: Sat SF results
R Oprandi (SUI) bt (1/WC) D Hantuchova (SVK): 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
María Teresa Torró Flor (ESP) bt (5) G Muguruza (ESP): 6-0, 6-3
ATP Barcelona: Day 6, Sat- SF’s
It just wasn’t to be for the man who ended Rafael Nadal’s’ incredible 41 match winning streak in the Catalan capital.
A day after ending Rafa’s unbelievable record in Barcelona, Nicolas Almagro was unable to continue his great run.
The Spaniard ultimately went down to Colombian Santiago Giraldo, who outplayed his Spanish rival throughout the match.
Giraldo was literally all gins blazing, firing six aces and 19 winners on his way to a 7-5 6-3 win.
In the final on Sunday, he will face Japanese number 1 Kei Nishikori. Nishikori had just returned to the tour this week, after being out injured for last couple of weeks.
He continued to impress in his return, as he wiped the floor with Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis. Gulbis was simply no match for the ever improving Nishikori. Kei soon ended his opponent’s misery by beating him 6-2, 6-4, in 86 minutes. Nishikori leads Giraldo 5-1 in their H2H, having recently beaten him at Indian Wells last month.
ATP Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell: SF results
S Giraldo (COL) bt (6) N Almagro (ESP): 7-5, 6-3
(4) K Nishikori (JPN) bt (9) E Gulbis (LAT): 6-2, 6-4
ATP Bucharest: Sat, SF results
(1/WC) G Dimitrov (BUL) bt (3) G Monfils (FRA): 5-1r- Monfils retired due to ankle injury
L Rosol (CZE) bt R Haase (NED): 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
TENNIS WORLD NEWS
World number 4 Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from the upcoming Madrid and Rome Masters events, next month due to her on-going foot injury. The Belarusian sustained the injury during January’s Australian Open, where she was the two-time defending champion. Since then she has only played once at Indian Wells, where she lost in the 2nd round to American Lauren Davis. Her foot injury had forced to her withdraw from scheduled stops in Doha, Miami and Monterrey. This latest news on her injury, means she is now a serious doubt for 2nd Grand Slam of the season Roland Garros, which starts in earnest on Sunday May 25th.
All Things Tennis- from Hamza Shakeel 