Technically speaking, Roberta Vinci isn't a rising star on the WTA Tour. Back in March 2006, the Italian was ranked at a career-high # 37 but injuries saw her slip out of the world's top 100. Since then, she hasn't been able to match her best performance at a major (a third round showing at the 2006 Australian Open and 2005 Wimbledon), but has clawed her way back to the outskirts of the top 50.
Roberta has a game that many people have described as old-school. By that, I am referring to the fact that she isn't a big hitter and likes to come forward to the net frequently. Serve-and-volley players are few and far between on the WTA Tour these days, but she is one of the few who still does.
Despite only really coming to the fore in 2005, she has suffered from her fair share of injuries. In 2006, she missed six weeks during the summer after injuring her wrist. On her return, she won one WTA doubles title (w/ Flavia Pennetta) and two ITF singles titles. In 2008, she withdrew from numerous WTA events with shoulder problems. The 2009 season has seen her withdrew Bogota with a left foot injury, although she has since returned to action.
Her best result so far this season has been a quarter-final in Malaga (d. 8th seed Tsvetana Pironkova, l. to top seed and eventual champion Jelena Jankovic) but she has reached second rounds in Brisbane, Acapulco and Monterrey. She won a WTA event in Barcelona in April, beating 2nd seed Flavia Pennetta in the second round and 6th seed Maria Kirilenko for the loss of just four games in the final. This was her second career WTA title.
Sunday, 19 April 2009
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Spotlight On ... Jarmila Groth
Jarmila Groth (formerly Jarmila Gajdosova) is a Slovakian-born tennis player, who is now married to Australian ATP player Sam Groth. She hit a career-high ranking of # 64 in September 2006 after reaching the third round of the US Open. This was the season in which she first achieved a ranking in the world's top 100. Her 2007 season was not as successful and this saw her drop out of the top 100.
In 2008, things picked up again and she made her first semi-final appearance at WTA level in Tokyo as a lucky loser, beating 6th seed Shahar Peer en route.
Her 2009 season has yet to really get going and she has not been able to progress past the second round of any tournament. She has had several first round exits, including losses to Elena Dementieva, Virginie Razzano, Galina Voskoboeva and Petra Cetkovska.
In 2008, things picked up again and she made her first semi-final appearance at WTA level in Tokyo as a lucky loser, beating 6th seed Shahar Peer en route.
Her 2009 season has yet to really get going and she has not been able to progress past the second round of any tournament. She has had several first round exits, including losses to Elena Dementieva, Virginie Razzano, Galina Voskoboeva and Petra Cetkovska.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Spotlight On ... Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was the junior world number one in 2006, and won several junior Grand Slams (including the Australian Open twice in her junior career and the US Open). She was also a finalist at junior Roland Garros. She is currently making a successful transition from the juniors to the seniors via the ITF circuit. In 2008, she has won a WTA doubles title in Fes (with Sorana Cirstea), along with two ITF singles title in Minsk and Moscow, and three ITF doubles titles. She was also a runner-up in the doubles at WTA Palermo (with fellow Russian Alla Kudryavtseva). Her best WTA result of the 2008 season so far has been a quarter-final showing in Palermo (l. to 7th seed and eventual finalist Mariya Koryttseva).
During her rise up the rankings this season, she has mixed ITF events with low tier WTA tournaments. This has been extremely profitable, as it has allowed her to build up the confidence that comes from winning lots of matches. She has also played several bigger WTA events, including Roland Garros (where she reached the second round before losing to 26th seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta in three sets) and Wimbledon (where she reached the third round before losing to 14th seed Agnieszka Radwanska). In the first round of Wimbledon, she beat 17th seed Alize Cornet to claim her first top 20 scalp. Anastasia qualified for WTA Stockholm, and reached the second round (l. to 3rd seed Katarina Srebotnik). She also reached the second round of the US Open (l. to 15th seed Patty Schnyder) and the quarter-finals of WTA Tokyo (l. to 5th seed Kaia Kanepi, after beating 3rd seed Jie Zheng in the first round).
After stepping down to the ITF circuit for the last few tournaments of her 2008 season, Anastasia won titles in Poitiers (France) and Bratislava (Slovak Republic).
In March 2009, she scored a huge straight sets win over 2nd seed Jelena Jankovic in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. This turned out to be a breakthrough tournament for the young Russian as wins over Karin Knapp, Nuria Llagostera Vives and 7th seed Agnieszka Radwanska saw her book her place in the quarter-finals.
Prior to this tournament, she had achieved second round showings in Paris (l. to Elena Dementieva) and Dubai (l. to Venus Williams) and a quarter-final appearance in Hobart (l. to Petra Kvitova) to bring her ranking inside the top 50.
Anastasia is coached by her father, Sergey. She comes from a tennis-orientated family, as her mother and brother are also tennis coaches.
During her rise up the rankings this season, she has mixed ITF events with low tier WTA tournaments. This has been extremely profitable, as it has allowed her to build up the confidence that comes from winning lots of matches. She has also played several bigger WTA events, including Roland Garros (where she reached the second round before losing to 26th seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta in three sets) and Wimbledon (where she reached the third round before losing to 14th seed Agnieszka Radwanska). In the first round of Wimbledon, she beat 17th seed Alize Cornet to claim her first top 20 scalp. Anastasia qualified for WTA Stockholm, and reached the second round (l. to 3rd seed Katarina Srebotnik). She also reached the second round of the US Open (l. to 15th seed Patty Schnyder) and the quarter-finals of WTA Tokyo (l. to 5th seed Kaia Kanepi, after beating 3rd seed Jie Zheng in the first round).
After stepping down to the ITF circuit for the last few tournaments of her 2008 season, Anastasia won titles in Poitiers (France) and Bratislava (Slovak Republic).
In March 2009, she scored a huge straight sets win over 2nd seed Jelena Jankovic in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. This turned out to be a breakthrough tournament for the young Russian as wins over Karin Knapp, Nuria Llagostera Vives and 7th seed Agnieszka Radwanska saw her book her place in the quarter-finals.
Prior to this tournament, she had achieved second round showings in Paris (l. to Elena Dementieva) and Dubai (l. to Venus Williams) and a quarter-final appearance in Hobart (l. to Petra Kvitova) to bring her ranking inside the top 50.
Anastasia is coached by her father, Sergey. She comes from a tennis-orientated family, as her mother and brother are also tennis coaches.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Spotlight On ... Petra Cetkovska
Petra hails from Prostejov in the Czech Republic, where she still lives. Her career-high ranking is just inside the world's top 50 (at #49), which she achieved in June 2008.
In her career so far, she has won 17 ITF singles titles and 18 ITF doubles titles, as well as one WTA doubles title in 2007 (with Andrea Hlavackova in Prague). Most of her tennis so far this year has been played on the far less glamorous ITF circuit. She has been busy racking up the match wins there with tournament victories in $50K Bucharest (Romania) and $50K Saints-Gaudens (France) in May, and a doubles title in $50K Bucharest. She also reached the quarters of the WTA tournament in Fes (Morocco) during the clay-court season. By the time she entered the qualifying for Roland Garros, she had won twelve of her last thirteen matches - a confidence that showed throughout her Roland Garros campaign.
In her first round match at Roland Garros (2008), she took out Alona Bondarenko in straight sets, and followed that up with wins over Galina Voskoboeva and Iveta Benesova, before running out of steam against world number two, Ana Ivanovic. If this tournament was anything to go by, the Czech has certainly made a name for herself - both on and off the court.
Following on from Roland Garros, Petra made the quarter-finals of WTA Birmingham. She beat top seed Marion Bartoli in the second round before losing out to 12th seed and eventual champion, Kateryna Bondarenko.
After this, her form started to dip again. She lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Tamarine Tanasugarn, who went on to be a surprise quarter-finalist. That was followed by a first round loss in Stockholm (l. to Barbora Zahlavova Strycova), a second round loss in Cincinnati (l. to wildcard Lilia Osterloh, after beating 8th seed Tamira Paszek), and first round losses in Forest Hills (l. to Martina Muller), the US Open (l. to Nicole Vaidisova), Seoul (l. to 2nd seed Shahar Peer) and the Japan Open (l. to qualifier Rika Fujiwara). A return to the ITF circuit brought some much-needed success with quarter-finals in Saint Raphael (l. to 8th seed Julie Coin) and Poitiers (l. to top seed Monica Niculescu).
Her 2009 season didn't get off to a great start after first round losses in Australia (l. to 5th seed Shahar Peer), the Australian Open (l. to Marina Erakovic) and a second round loss in Bogota (l. to Masa Zec Peskiric), but her results have started to pick up again with a quarter-final showing in Acapulco (d. 8th seed Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, before losing to 2nd seed Flavia Pennetta). She caused a big upset in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after dispatching Elena Dementieva.
Petra wasn't a stand-out junior and didn't achieve massive success in the junior Grand Slams . Her best results included a 3rd round at the US Open juniors (losing in straight sets to Swede Sofia Arvidsson in 2000), the 2nd round of the 2001 Australian Open juniors (losing to Karolina Sprem), and the 3rd round of the 2002 French Open juniors (losing to Marta Domachowska).
In her career so far, she has won 17 ITF singles titles and 18 ITF doubles titles, as well as one WTA doubles title in 2007 (with Andrea Hlavackova in Prague). Most of her tennis so far this year has been played on the far less glamorous ITF circuit. She has been busy racking up the match wins there with tournament victories in $50K Bucharest (Romania) and $50K Saints-Gaudens (France) in May, and a doubles title in $50K Bucharest. She also reached the quarters of the WTA tournament in Fes (Morocco) during the clay-court season. By the time she entered the qualifying for Roland Garros, she had won twelve of her last thirteen matches - a confidence that showed throughout her Roland Garros campaign.
In her first round match at Roland Garros (2008), she took out Alona Bondarenko in straight sets, and followed that up with wins over Galina Voskoboeva and Iveta Benesova, before running out of steam against world number two, Ana Ivanovic. If this tournament was anything to go by, the Czech has certainly made a name for herself - both on and off the court.
Following on from Roland Garros, Petra made the quarter-finals of WTA Birmingham. She beat top seed Marion Bartoli in the second round before losing out to 12th seed and eventual champion, Kateryna Bondarenko.
After this, her form started to dip again. She lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Tamarine Tanasugarn, who went on to be a surprise quarter-finalist. That was followed by a first round loss in Stockholm (l. to Barbora Zahlavova Strycova), a second round loss in Cincinnati (l. to wildcard Lilia Osterloh, after beating 8th seed Tamira Paszek), and first round losses in Forest Hills (l. to Martina Muller), the US Open (l. to Nicole Vaidisova), Seoul (l. to 2nd seed Shahar Peer) and the Japan Open (l. to qualifier Rika Fujiwara). A return to the ITF circuit brought some much-needed success with quarter-finals in Saint Raphael (l. to 8th seed Julie Coin) and Poitiers (l. to top seed Monica Niculescu).
Her 2009 season didn't get off to a great start after first round losses in Australia (l. to 5th seed Shahar Peer), the Australian Open (l. to Marina Erakovic) and a second round loss in Bogota (l. to Masa Zec Peskiric), but her results have started to pick up again with a quarter-final showing in Acapulco (d. 8th seed Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, before losing to 2nd seed Flavia Pennetta). She caused a big upset in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after dispatching Elena Dementieva.
Petra wasn't a stand-out junior and didn't achieve massive success in the junior Grand Slams . Her best results included a 3rd round at the US Open juniors (losing in straight sets to Swede Sofia Arvidsson in 2000), the 2nd round of the 2001 Australian Open juniors (losing to Karolina Sprem), and the 3rd round of the 2002 French Open juniors (losing to Marta Domachowska).
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Spotlight On ... Christina McHale
Christina McHale recently won the USTA wildcard play off tournament, winning herself a main draw wildcard into the 2009 Australian Open. The American teenager has a career high ranking of # 373, which she hit in November 2008.
She has been largely confined to the ITF circuit during the 2008 season. Back in January, she reached the second round of $50K Waikoloa, losing to fellow American Julie Ditty. She went one better the following month with a quarter-final in $50K Indian Harbor Beach, beating compatriots Julia Cohen and Alexandra Stevenson, before losing out to Anna Tatishvili. Following this, she notched up a second round in $50K Lexington.
In between these results, she has attempted qualifying for $25K, $50K and $75K events with varied success. In the latter half of the 2008 season, her success rates picked up as she qualified for $50K Lexington (and reached the second round), $50K Lawrenceville (losing in round one) and $25K Augusta (reaching the semi-finals). She signed off her 2008 season with a quarter-final in $50K San Diego, as a qualifier before winning the USTA Australian Open wildcard play off tournament to clinch her place in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time.
She has been largely confined to the ITF circuit during the 2008 season. Back in January, she reached the second round of $50K Waikoloa, losing to fellow American Julie Ditty. She went one better the following month with a quarter-final in $50K Indian Harbor Beach, beating compatriots Julia Cohen and Alexandra Stevenson, before losing out to Anna Tatishvili. Following this, she notched up a second round in $50K Lexington.
In between these results, she has attempted qualifying for $25K, $50K and $75K events with varied success. In the latter half of the 2008 season, her success rates picked up as she qualified for $50K Lexington (and reached the second round), $50K Lawrenceville (losing in round one) and $25K Augusta (reaching the semi-finals). She signed off her 2008 season with a quarter-final in $50K San Diego, as a qualifier before winning the USTA Australian Open wildcard play off tournament to clinch her place in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Spotlight On ... Jessica Moore
Jessica Moore is one of the biggest young hopes for resurrecting Australian tennis. The teenager is moving towards the top 100 after winning her third ITF title in Italy during the summer.
She made her WTA debut back in 2006 when she was handed a wildcard into qualifying for the Gold Coast event. She spent the rest of her time alternating between junior and ITF tournaments. In 2007, she was given wildcards into the main draws of WTA Hobart (New Zealand), the Australian Open and the US Open. Back on the ITF circuit, she won two singles titles (in the UK and Australia) and a doubles title (in Italy).
This year has seen Jessica enjoying more success at WTA level. After failing to qualify for the Gold Coast event and losing in the opening round of WTA Hobart (l. to top seed Alona Bondarenko), she reached the second round of the Australian Open (l. to 17th seed Shahar Peer) and the US Open (d. fellow wildcard Melanie Oudin, before losing to a revitalised Anna-Lena Groenefeld). As well as winning an ITF title in Italy, she has reached the semi-finals of two other ITF events in Australia this year.
She made her WTA debut back in 2006 when she was handed a wildcard into qualifying for the Gold Coast event. She spent the rest of her time alternating between junior and ITF tournaments. In 2007, she was given wildcards into the main draws of WTA Hobart (New Zealand), the Australian Open and the US Open. Back on the ITF circuit, she won two singles titles (in the UK and Australia) and a doubles title (in Italy).
This year has seen Jessica enjoying more success at WTA level. After failing to qualify for the Gold Coast event and losing in the opening round of WTA Hobart (l. to top seed Alona Bondarenko), she reached the second round of the Australian Open (l. to 17th seed Shahar Peer) and the US Open (d. fellow wildcard Melanie Oudin, before losing to a revitalised Anna-Lena Groenefeld). As well as winning an ITF title in Italy, she has reached the semi-finals of two other ITF events in Australia this year.
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Spotlight On ... Mathilde Johansson
Mathilde Johansson was originally born in Sweden, but now lives in and plays for France. She has a career-high ranking of #81 with two ITF singles titles to her name this year (in Colombia and Italy).
Her 2008 season has been largely split between the ITF circuit and the WTA Tour. She reached the second round of WTA Vina del Mar (l. to Flavia Pennetta) and WTA Budapest (l. to Klara Zakopalova, but has reached quarters, semis and finals of ITF events throughout the year. At Wimbledon this year, she qualified and put up a brave fight against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the opening round before going out in three sets.
Post-Wimbledon, Mathilde reached the second round of WTA Budapest (l. to 7th seed Klara Zakopalova) before stepping back to the ITF circuit for a while. She reached the quarter-finals of an ITF event in Biella (Italy) and won an ITF title in Petange (Luxembourg). Back on the WTA circuit, she lost in qualifying for WTA Cincinnati and the US Open. Returning to the ITF circuit, she was a quarter-finalist in Denain (France) and Athens-2 (Greece) and a semi-finalist in Sofia (Bulgaria).
She has been playing in the Grand Slam events since 2005 but has yet to make it past the second round. Those three second rounds have all come at Roland Garros, with losses to 2oth seed Maria Kirilenko, 13th seed Elena Dementieva and 5th seed Serena Williams.
Her 2008 season has been largely split between the ITF circuit and the WTA Tour. She reached the second round of WTA Vina del Mar (l. to Flavia Pennetta) and WTA Budapest (l. to Klara Zakopalova, but has reached quarters, semis and finals of ITF events throughout the year. At Wimbledon this year, she qualified and put up a brave fight against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the opening round before going out in three sets.
Post-Wimbledon, Mathilde reached the second round of WTA Budapest (l. to 7th seed Klara Zakopalova) before stepping back to the ITF circuit for a while. She reached the quarter-finals of an ITF event in Biella (Italy) and won an ITF title in Petange (Luxembourg). Back on the WTA circuit, she lost in qualifying for WTA Cincinnati and the US Open. Returning to the ITF circuit, she was a quarter-finalist in Denain (France) and Athens-2 (Greece) and a semi-finalist in Sofia (Bulgaria).
She has been playing in the Grand Slam events since 2005 but has yet to make it past the second round. Those three second rounds have all come at Roland Garros, with losses to 2oth seed Maria Kirilenko, 13th seed Elena Dementieva and 5th seed Serena Williams.
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