Elitsa Kostova in the main draw of Civitechia 25,000$

The bulgarian player Elitsa Kostova won her final qualifying round in the italian city of Civitechia near rome against her opponent Shamayko from Russia. Her opponent started gutsy as she broke Kostova and held her serve untill 4:2. Then Kostova rebroke and took the first set 7:5. However her opponent continued trying as she broke again at the start of the set and held her serve doing incredible winners from the baseline that were going deep and hard to return for Kostova. However this didn`t affect the 18 year old bulgarian hope as she cruised throught the third set breaking her opponent 3 times and packing her second consecutive main draw at a 25,000$ tournament. Her last tournament ended in the first main dra match against Isable Cabeza Candella 7:5 6:4. Kostova this time took an easier draw and she will take on the out of form Marinne Giraud from Mauritius. They haven`t met before but this years results from Kostova are much better then hers as Kostova reached a semifinal at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and got throught the qualifies of 2 consecutive 25k$ tournaments. She also plays doubles with Kinnie Laisne from France as in the first round she will meet another bulgaria Dia Evtimova and Valerie Tetreault from Canada. Lets hope any of them wins the match reach atlest the semifinals.

Jankovic celebrated

Jelena Jankovic celebrated her new title from Andalucia Tennis Experience with her brother Marco and her coach in the city of Marbella. She went to the magazines and bought her a nice dress using the 110,000 to prepare celebrating her new title. This was her first title of the year as she have lost twice in second round of Indian Wells and Miami and the 4th round of Australian open. However she have reached the semifinals of Paris and this was her best appearance untill yesterday when she defeated hardly the number 4 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues 7:5 6:2. Althought it didn`t look hard the two sets were incredible hard fought as the first set lasted a hour and thirty minutes while the second last fifty minutes to make the grand total of two hours and twenty minutes. In the quaters she had to fight from a set down to defeat Roberta Vinci who has defeated suprisingly Tsvetana Pironkova and Nicole Vaidisova before she pushed Jankovic to the limit losing 6:3 3:6 7:6(6). In the two previous matches Jelena didn`t have any problem destroying her opponents and finding her feat on clay against Francesca Schiavone 6:1 6:2 and against Selima Sfar 6:4 6:0. Lets hope she continues her good form and win much more tournaments.

Jankovic outlasts Navarro to take Anadalucia crown

The number two seed from Serbia Jelena Jankovic outlasted the number 5 seed from Spain Carla Suarez Navarro. The canarian didn`t start the match well and she got broken twice to lead 5:2. However Navarro returned one of the breaks but this wasn`t enought as Jankovic closed out the first set 6:3. The second set was all around as Navarro breaking through the set breaking Jankovic to close it out 6:3. The third set was a real drama as Jankovic again led 5:2. Then she had 2 match points on Suarez serve but missed them and then saved 2 game points. However at the end Jankovic lost her game and had to serve for the match. In this game the crowd had a big hope for Navarro coming back as she held 3 break points but lost them and then Jankovic used her 4th match point after missing one more at 40:30. This was the end as Jankovic packed the trophy and 110 000 dollars for home with her first title of the year. She got through a big competition in the last 2 matches and today wasn`t any different as she had to play 2 hours and 23 minutes to pack up the tournament in her backpack with a thriling 6:3 3:6 6:3 victory. For the 24 year old this was her 10th title as she won 4 last year. Ahead of her there is a big challenge defending the crown from Rome.

Cirstea stuns fauvorite

Sorana Cirstea from Romania has finished her black series of loses in Marbella as she made 3 consecutive victories. Todays match against Kaia Kanepi prooved incredibly hard for her as she won it 6:4 2:6 7:5. In the first set things were even but Sorana showed character and broke in the most important time and packed it in the pack 6:4 just under 50 minutes play. However Kanepi fought back in the second set as she started making alot winners from the baseline. Cirstea started to play much better at the end but it wasn`t enought as the estonian stopped her opponents rush as she took the second set with 2 breaks under her belt. In the third set Cirstea lead by 2 breaks and she had match points on Kanepi serve but she lost them and had to serve twice for the match. But when the important moments came she wasn`t good enought at serving and the number 3 seed who plays with a wildcard to the main draw broke back twice and putted the match into the deciding games. In them the romanian played her best tennis of the match and broke to lead 6:5. Although she had some problems being led by 15:30 she fought to pack the semifinal spot in the backpack where she will meet the number 5 seed Carla Suarez Navarro from spain who defeated Klara Zakopalova from the Czech Republic 6:1 6:2.

Jankovic outlasts suprise Vinci

Jelena Jankovic, the number two seed from Serbia continued her wining streak in Marbella as she defeated the suprise of the week Roberta Vinci from Italy. Jankovic started well the match as she held her two service games. But then the slice of Vinci`s backhand prooved to spiny for Jelena as she lost the first set 3:6. However the second set was all the way around as Jankovic reduced her unforced errors and started to play much better meanwile the italian`s game fell dramaticly down and she made 5 errors more than Jankovic but much more less winners.The third set was a real drama as Jankovic led 2:0. Then Vinci had some break points but didn`t convert then and Jelena lead 3:1. However Vinci came back and pushed things into an interesting tiebreak in the third set for the crowd. In it Jankovic was making always one minibreak but lost it on her service game. After she missed a match point already in the tiebreak she won Vinci`s service point at 7:6. Jankovic continues to the semifinals with a win 3:6 6:3 7:6(6) where she will meet the number four seed Anabel Medina Garrigues from spain who defeated Sara Errani again in 3 sets 6:2 6:7(4) 7:5.

Garrigues wins match of survival

Anabel Medina Garrigues and Sara Errani have made the longest match of the tournament as Medina fought for the victory with 6:2 6:7(4) 7:5 in 3 hours and 4 minutes. The match started evenly as both players held untill 2:2. Then Anabel`s game started to vibrate and she won the next 4 games to close out the first set 6:2. The second set started very well for Errani as she broke twice to lead 3:0. But then Garrigues started to play her game and made things 4:3 for her. Fighting back Sara made sure she leads with another break but Medina again evened and then the tiebreak came. There Errani led 6:1 points. But the spaniard got power from the crowd and took 3 consecutive points. However an unforced error into the net from Garrigues closed out the set in a tiebreak for the italian 6 seed. But the fourth seed wasn`t about to give up as she led a break up in the second but it was not enought as Errani broke back and she evened things at 5:5. But then the spanish homegirl won two straight games to book her spot in the semifinals of the first edition of the Andalucia Tennis Experience in Marbella.

Duo`s fight for semifinal spots

Anabel Medina Garrigues and Medina Ruano Pascual have outlasted the unseeded duo of Francesca Schiavone and Roberta Vinci to reach the semifinal of they`re home tournament in Andalucia. The italian duo looked for win in three sets after they easyly lost the first 6:2. Then in the second the spaniards who clashed in the second round of the singles main draw served for the match at 6:5. But they got broken and then in the tiebreak it was a real cat fight with powerfull volleys into the bodies of they`re opponents. At the end the team that prevailed in it was the italian duo 7:6(6). In the match tiebreak it was all the spaniards with they`re vocals the crod as they prevailed 10:5.


The number two seed from Poland, Jans and Rosolska were much more concentrated in both sets and they crushe the ukrainian duo of Beygelzimer and Kapshay 6:4 6:1. The first set was a catfight between the girls as a break at 5:4 in the game 40:40 deciding point a ball sent to the net by Kapshay gave the first set to the easteren europeans. The second set was onesided as the polish players dominated the clay courts and winning games freely securing they`re semifinal spot where they will meet most probably the number 3 seed Ani and Voracova the Estonian-czech combination.

Next on court was the duo of Hercog and Uhlirova against the romanian duo of Olaru and Cirstea. Although Hercog lost her second round match earlier in the day when se had set points in the second set she didn`t seem to be affected. Cirstea and Olaru were playing badly and the rookie team used it to win easyly the match 6:0 6:1 just shy of the one hour mark. This was Uhlirova`s second win after she had 11 straight loses in the doubles. Cirstea defeated Olaru in the first round of the main draw in singles and after that she ousted Andreja Klepac from Slovenia. Hercog now had the slovenian revenge defeating her in the doubles match and entering the semifinals together with her new partner. Next they will meet he number one seeds from spain Medina Garrigues and Ruano Pascual.

Zakopalova and Kanepi continue wining streak

Klara Zakopalova won the czech clash in the second round of the Andalucia Tennis Experience in Marbella against Renata Voracova with 7:6(7) 5:7 6:0 and continued todays tradition in every match there should be a bagle. Just after Klara stuned the number one seed Serena Williams she made her second win this week prevailing in the head to head now leading 2:1 plus one junior victory against her opponent. The first and second set were tight afairs as both players played well. However this didn`t afect the winner as she dominated the third with strong baseline shots and powerfull smash. In the next round she will meet Carla Suarez Navvaro who had a shacky match against qualifier Ekaterina Ivanova where she had to ``rebagle`` in the third set as she lost the first 6:0. Zakopalova will have to face not only Carla but the spanish crowd too.

Kaia Kanepi has continued her recent good form as the number 3 seed ousted her Netherland opponent in 1 hour and 24 minutes 7:5 6:2. Arantxa Rus who came from the qualifies started the match very gutsy but this wasn`t enought to stop the inform Estonian as she won the third set with great fight 7:5. The second set Rus just capitulated as she was broken twice and she was down 0:4. She just took her 2 service games and didn`t put even a fight trying to break. Kanepi closed it out 7:5 6:2. In the next round she will meet the searching form romanian Sorana Cirstea. The seventh seed defeated Andreja Klepac 4:6 6:1 6:1 just shy of the 2 hours mark.

Jankovic bagles, Navarro rebagles

Jelena Jankovic continued her excelent form on the clay courts of Andalucia with an easy victory over tunisian Selima Sfar 6:3 6:0. Jankovic started confusingly and got broken in her first service game and sfar led 2:0. Jelena tried to comeback imediatly but her entusiasm was stoped by Sfar as she used short balls to suprise her opponent and win her next service game as she led 3:1. But then the serbian tennis player started playing amazing tennis using her backhand and forehand very aggresively and making alot winners. She didn`t waste much time as she made 5 consecutive games to win the first set 6:3. This prooved vitaly as Sfar didn`t have nay will to continue allowing Jankovic to bagle her for the second set and win it 6:0. Jelena secured a quaterfinal spot against italian spoiler Roberta Vinci. She has defeated in the first round Tsvetana Pironkova from Bulgaria in 3 sets 6:7(4) 6:2 6:4 and then she continued with the suprises defeating Nicole Vaidisova 6:3 6:3.


Carla Suarez Navarro won her second round match against gutsy russian qualifier Ekatetirna Ivanova 0:6 6:3 6:0. Ivanova started very aggresively and broke freely to bagle the homegirl infront of the spanish crowd. She used her forehand very well and done alot winners. Navarro then got on bigger tempo and started play much more aggresively and started catching those short balls that were horrifying for her in the first set. The second set was an onesided afair although it was the set with the most games of the whole match. Ekaterina started making alot mistakes from both swings and that proved vitaly as Suarez Navarro won it 6:3. In the break Ivanova called her coach and seemingly she was disapointed with her game in the second but he said that she must not be sad if she loses as Navarro is in great form. Ivanova then started playing freely but it was just not her match as she got baggled and let Navarro go infront.

Uhlirova and Hercog win in Marbella, polish duo wins

Vladimira Uhlirova from the Czech Republic and Polona Hercog from Slovenia defeated Ekaterina Ivanova and Masa Zec Peskiric 6:3 6:4. This was Uhlirova first victory from the last 11 matches she has played in doubles. Her last victory was in 100,000+H in Krakow, Poland together with Ipek Seneglo from Turkey. Hercog who suceeded to qualify and then she reached the second round of the main draw defeating Stephanie Cohen-Aloro from France 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 for first time with Vladimira and this duo seems to have big sucess.

Other duo had big sucess too. The polish team of Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska defeated Andreja Klepac and Selima Sfar 6:4 6:2 and ensured second round clash with Beygelzimer and Kapshay from Ukraine. They have defeated he russian-french duo of Kondratieva and Lefevre 5:7 6:2 10:6. Jans and Rosolska are the number 2 seeds of the tournament.

Zakopalova stuns Serena

Klara Zakopalova from the Czech Republic made the bigest upset in the tournament as she defeated the number one in the world Serena Williams. The world number 95 showed character from the start of the match against her opponent to who se lost twice in they`re two meetings.
The match started shaky from both sides as the breaks were falling from the sky untill 3:2 where Zakopalova consolidated for 4:2. Then Serena and Klara held as the czech closed the first set 6:4. Here we saw incredible points from Zakopalova who was aggresive from both swings but especially from the backhand.
Serena fought back in the second set as she ralied for 4:1 lead. Then again the two sides held all they`re serve untill Serena packed it up 6:3 to put things into a desider.
Seemingly not in her best form Serena held her first service game but her will for fight ended here as Zakopalova was breaking freely and easyly to pack up her first victory over the american. In the next round she will meet her compatriot Renata Voracova. They`re head to head is 1:1 as Voracova wining once in Bratislava in 3 sets while Klara wining in Sydney 2003 in straight sets. Zakopalova however has a victory in the Czech junior open in 1999 again in straight sets.

Medina Garrigues wins spanish derby

Anabel Medina Garrigues has defeated her compatriot Virginia Ruano Pascual infront of the spanish crowd.
Homegirls started the match evenly with both holding they`re serves untill 2:2. There Garrigues earned an oppurtunity to break and used it. She consolidated and then broke again. When she was serving for the set she had some problems but suceeded to serve out the set.
The second set looked like an open book as Anabel broke and led 3:0. Then after 11 deuces Pascual won her service game. Then she lost 2 games in a roll but didn`t want to leave so soon and she returned with 2 games in a roll. When Medina served for the match Virginia led 0:30 but lost her advantage as Medina made 4 consecutive points and packed up the match 6:2 6:3.

Cirstea finds form

Sorana Cirstea from Romania has finally found her form and won second straight match after loosing her all 6 previous matches in the season. Her opponent was Andreja Klepac from Slovenia who really made her work for this victory.
The first set was a dream for Klepac as she broke twice. Cirstea didn`t wait much and attacked using her first break opurtinity. Bur she couldn`t do much and Klepac closed it out 6:4.
The second and third set were all diferent story. Cirstea using her forehand and backhand perfectly to break freely. In both sets she led 5:0. In the second Andreja held to make things better at 5:1 but Cirstea served it out easy. The third set Sorana had an opurtinity to baggle her opponent but got broken at 5:0. But she took her break back in the next game and closed out the match in 2 hours.
In the next round she will meet the winner of the match between Kaia Kanepi from Estonia who beat Silvia Soler Espinosa from spain 6:4 6:2 or Arantxa Rus who defeated spanish big tennis hope, 16 year old Maria-Terresa Torro-Flor 4:6 6:2 6:0.

Spaniards to clash in second round of Marbella

Virginia Ruano Pascual and Anabel Medina Garrigues will clash in the second round of the 500,000 dollar tournament of Marbella in Spain.
The unseeded Pascual won in three sets against Tathiana Garbin from Italy 6:1 2:6 6:1 for 1 hour and 48 minutes. In the first set Virginia cruised breaking freely to win it 6:1. However Garbin fought back breaking twice to win the second set 6:2. The third again was an onesided afair when Ruano Pascual broke twice to win it 6:1 and mark her place in the round of 16.
Her opponent was decided in the next match. For it the stadium court got very big audience. The first set was quick for both players but in it Medina Garrigues destroyed her opponent 6:1. In the second set Medina broke for 2:0 but Yakimova didn`t want to leave so soon and rebroke. Then she led by 2:3 but that was all she could do against the number 3 seed. Anabel wining the next 4 games in a roll to win against Anastasya Yakimova from Belarus 6:1 6:3.

Jelena Jankovic cruises in Marbella

The new world number 4 Jelena Jankovic has cruised through her opening round in Marbella defeating Francesca Sciavone 6:2 6:1 in just over an hour. This is her first victory in the last 3 tournaments she has played.
The first set started very well for the number 2 seed when se raised to 3:0 leed for just 13 minutes. But Schiavone wasn`t about to give it without a fight and broke back to 3:2. But she couldn`t do anything more and with beatifull winners from backhand and forehand Jankovic closed it out 6:2.
The third set was all Jankovic as she raised into a 5:0 leed quite easy. However the wind showed again and she couldn`t break her opponent to win the match. But when it came to her serve it all ended and she closed it 6:1.
In the next round she will meet the winner of the match between Selima Sfar from Tunisia and Estrella Cabeza Candella from Spain.

Pironkova makes pathetic showing in Marbella

Tsvetana Pironkova lost to Roberta Vinvi from Italy 7:6(4) 2:6 4:6. She showed horrible forehand slices and made alot of unforced errors from backhand and forehand.
The first set began with a break from Vinci for 1:0 but Pironkova fought back and made it 1:2. But yet again Vinvi broke and made thing 4:2. However Pironkova made things go to a tiebreak which she won with three nice shots for the last three points. The second set was a tragedy. Vinci played calm and she broke twice Tsvetana and won it easy 6:2. The third set Tsvetana showed a comeback breaking in the first game, but after that she got rebroken and it was all she could do. At 5:2 the bulgarian won her serve and then broke. But she again showed pathetic service and got broken with the first oportunity that her opponent had...
Now she lost her first match as a seed in WTA. I hope she reaches atleast 2nd round in Barcelona ..