2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Nadal 'should have higher seeding to avoid Djokovic quarter-final'

Rafael Nadal should have a higher French Open seeding to avoid a potential quarter-final with Novak Djokovic, says Roland Garros committee member Guy Forget.
Nadal, the defending French Open champion, has slipped to fifth in the world rankings after missing seven months of competition with a knee injury, and could be drawn in the same section as world number one Djokovic at next month's claycourt Grand Slam.
"Since we can see them meeting in the finals of the biggest events in the next weeks, it would be a shame to have them in a quarter-final in Roland Garros," Forget told Reuters in Monte Carlo on Sunday, where Djokovic ended Nadal's eight-year reign as champion with a 6-2 7-6 victory.
"The rules state the Grand Slam events have the right to change the seeding regarding the situation of the players. Wimbledon have done that in the past," Forget added.
"I would not find it illogical to change the seeds."
Nadal trails world number four David Ferrer in the ATP standings, and has few chances to bridge the points gap before the French Open begins on May 26.
Nadal, who will seek an eighth crown in Paris, won in Barcelona and the Rome Masters Series last season, meaning he cannot accrue additional ranking points in those events over the coming weeks. He can secure only 910 points in Madrid, where he lost in the last 16 in 2012.

 

[Smallville22]

Russia in final after dramatic comeback against Slovakia

Russia completed a remarkable fightback to beat Slovakia 3-2 in a dramatic Fed Cup semi-final by sweeping the last three rubbers on Sunday.
The Russians will play Italy or the Czech Republic in the final in November. Italy led the top-ranked Czechs 2-1 after a rain-interrupted second day in Palermo and the tie will be finished on Monday.
Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina secured the winning point for hosts Russia when they outlasted Dominika Cibulkova and Daniela Hantuchova 4-6 6-3 6-1 in the decisive doubles to clinch the two-day tie on Moscow clay.
After splitting the first two sets, the Russians broke Cibulkova in the fourth game and Hantuchova in the sixth to run away in the final set as the Slovak duo slowly ran out of steam.
"We hadn't played such hard and dramatic matches in Fed Cup for a very long time," Vesnina told Russian television NTV Plus.
"After a disastrous first day we still believed we could win. Luckily we did it."
Slovakia, appearing in their first semi-final since 2002 when they went on to win the competition for the only time, led 2-0 after the first day when Cibulkova beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 5-7 6-1 6-4 and Hantuchova made short work of Kirilenko 6-2 6-4.
But the Russians, who had won both previous ties on clay against Slovakia by the same 3-2 score, came roaring back on Sunday urged on by a partisan home crowd.
Missing their top two players, world number two Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova, who led them to their last Fed Cup title in 2008, the hosts found an unlikely hero in 24th-ranked Makarova.
After replacing Pavlyuchenkova for Sunday's reverse singles the Muscovite beat Hantuchova 6-3 4-6 6-4 to level the tie at 2-2 after Russia number one Maria Kirilenko dispatched Cibulkova 7-5 6-1 in the earlier match.
"She was our true hero today, she kept us going," Vesnina told reporters, pointing to her doubles partner.
World number 13 Kirilenko, who looked out of breath and committed numerous errors in her 6-2 6-4 defeat by Hantuchova on Saturday, was also running on all cylinders against Cibulkova.
"After yesterday's failure I managed to find my tennis today and it was the key to the match," said Kirilenko, who reeled off consecutive games in the second set to seal the win.
Italy and the Czech Republic will go into a third day after Czech Petra Kvitova beat Sara Errani 2-6 6-2 6-0 on Sunday.
Kvitova, who lost every service game in her match against Roberta Vinci on Saturday, finally held at the third attempt against Errani and despite struggling with a shoulder injury she found her form in the second set.
The former Wimbledon champion began to dominate the contest and although Errani saved three match points Kvitova sealed victory in just under two hours.
Persistent rain had delayed that match by five hours and the singles clash between Czech Lucie Safarova and Vinci will start at 1100 local time on Monday.
If Safarova wins, the tie will go to a decisive doubles.

 

[Smallville22]

Vinci sends Italy into final

Roberta Vinci sent Italy into the Fed Cup final for the fifth time in eight years with a 6-3 6-7 6-3 victory over Czech Republic's Lucie Safarova in Palermo.
The match was held over because of rain on Sunday.
Italy, winners of the trophy in 2009 and 2010, now have an unassailable 3-1 lead over the twice defending champions with one rubber remaining.
The Italians face Russia in the final in November after they came back from 2-0 down to beat Slovakia 3-2 in Moscow on Sunday.

 

[Smallville22]

Davydenko through to face Berdych in Barcelona

Nikolay Davydenko set up a clash with third seed Tomas Berdych in Barcelona with a 6-1 6-4 win over Roberto Carballes Baena in round one.
Davydenko, twice a semi-finalist in Barcelona, was devastating when receiving, breaking six times. The 31-year-old could be a stern test for Berdych, having won nine of his 12 matches against the Czech on the ATP Tour.
Two qualifiers, Ernests Gulbis and Dmitry Tursunov, advanced into round two with victories over Radek Stepanek and Denis Istomin respectively.
Awaiting them are two clay court experts from Spain – Fernando Verdasco will take on Gulbis and David Ferrer will face Tursunov.
Rafael Nadal, gunning for an eighth title in Barcelona, is the top seed and favourite, and will begin his campaign later in the week.

Barcelona Open results

Round 1

Pablo Andujar (Spain) beat Grega Zemlja (Slovenia) 6-7(8) 7-6(3) 6-2

Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat Roberto Carballes (Spain) 6-1 6-4

Guillermo Olaso (Spain) beat Gerard Granollers (Spain) 6-4 1-6 6-4

Albert Montanes (Spain) beat Ricardas Berankis (Lithuania) 6-4 6-3

Pablo Carreno (Spain) beat Robin Haase (Netherlands) 6-1 2-6 7-6(5)

Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) beat Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 7-6(4) 6-2

Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) beat Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) 6-3 6-4

Paolo Lorenzi (Italy) beat Guillaume Rufin (France) 6-4 6-2

Ivan Dodig (Croatia) beat Aljaz Bedene (Slovenia) 6-7(6) 6-3 6-2

Andrey Kuznetsov (Russia) beat Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) 6-1 6-3

Bucharest International results

Round 1

8-Viktor Troicki (Serbia) beat Marinko Matosevic (Australia) 7-6(5) 6-3

David Goffin (Belgium) beat Adrian Ungur (Romania) 6-3 6-1

Daniel Brands (Germany) beat Tatsuma Ito (Japan) 6-3 6-4

Marrakech Grand Prix results

Round 1

Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) beat 2-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) 6-3 6-1

Maria Teresa Torro (Spain) beat Arantxa Rus (Netherlands) 6-1 6-1

 

[Smallville22]

Plans unveiled for roof over number one court

Wimbledon's Number One Court will have a retractable roof by 2019, the All England Club announced on Tuesday.
Wimbledon broke with tradition by installing a roof on Centre Court in 2009 so play can continue even during the often fickle British summer weather.
Chairman Philip Brook told a news conference the design process would begin shortly, taking two years to complete before a three-year construction process.
He also moved to justify a staggering 40 per cent rise in total prize money that will give the 2013 championships the biggest prize fund in tennis.
Players at this year's grasscourt Grand Slam, which starts on June 24, will receive a total of £22.6 million with the men's and women's singles champions each pocketing £1.6 million, slightly more than this year's Australian Open winners.
Last year's Wimbledon singles champions earned £1.15 million.
"These are significant increases and we have made them because we wanted to and not because we had to," All England Club chairman Philip Brook told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday that also outlined plans to put a roof over Court One by 2019.
Asked if the rises were justifiable during a harsh economic climate in which many people struggled to afford tickets for the tournament, he said Wimbledon had to compete with other major sporting events.
"I know the economic climate is difficult, I accept that, but the world that we live in is a world where we are competing with other international tennis events and we also keep an eye on what is happening in other sports.
"We do think that this was a moment in time when we could respond to a subject that has been spoken about a lot over the last 18 months and we have chosen to make these increases this year because we feel it's the right thing to do."
Brook said there had been no pressure from the world's leading players but said the prize-money increases reflected calls for more money for the lesser-ranked players who are often beaten in the early rounds.
Players who lose in the opening three rounds at Wimbledon this year will be the chief beneficiaries of the prize money rises with increases of between 62 and 64 per cent.
Those who fail to survive a match at the championships will be rewarded with a £23,000 cheque, up from £14,500 last year.
Even defeat in the qualifying rounds will be tempered by a 41 per cent rise with £12,000 going to players who fall at the last hurdle before the main draw.
"We started last year focusing the prize-money increases on those that lose in the early rounds or qualifying," Brook told Reuters. "These are not players who are superstars (but) players who are finding their way and not making a lot of money.
"We wanted to build on what we did last year and our increases reflect that.
"We have listened to players and today was a day for us to express how we feel about the players and their importance to Wimbledon."
Outlining plans for the upgrading of the facilities at the All England Club, Brook said a roof over Court One, like the one installed over Centre Court in 2009, would help to maintain Wimbledon's place among the elite tournaments.
Designing a retractable roof on the 11,500-capacity court would be "complicated", Brook said.
"The design process will take two years and then, in view of the fact that the Centre Court Roof took three years to construct, we are looking at 2019 for it to be working."
Other plans included three more show courts, enhanced practice facilities and more landscaping of the south-west London site.

 

[Smallville22]

Myanmar cancels Davis Cup events over security concerns

Myanmar has decided to opt out of hosting two Davis Cup events due to security concerns following last month's anti-Muslim riots, the head of the country's tennis association said on Tuesday.
Myanmar was to host the 2013 Asia/Oceania Zone Group III and IV events from April 22-May 5 in Yangon where 19 nations were set to take part.
Sectarian ******** in Buddhist-majority Myanmar ****** 43 people last month. Thousands, mostly Muslims, were driven from their homes and businesses as bloodshed spread across the Southeast Asian country.
"The government informed us on April 13 that we will need to postpone the events due to security reasons," Aung Maw Thein, president of the Tennis Federation of Myanmar, told Reuters.
"While the sports ministry did not divulge the details, I think it was because of last month's problems."
Players from a number of Muslim countries like Malaysia, Bahrain and Iraq were scheduled to play in the event and the International Tennis Federation has not yet decided on alternative dates and a venue.
The world governing body could not be reached for comment.

 

[Smallville22]

Berdych tested by Davydenko in Barcelona

World number six Tomas Berdych was given a tough workout by Nikolay Davydenko at the Barcelona Open on Tuesday before seeing off the former number three 3-6 7-5 6-4 to secure a berth in the last 16.
Czech Berdych, who had a bye into the second round and is seeded three on the clay at the Real Club de Tenis, served poorly against the 31-year-old Russian, who had won nine of their 11 previous matches.
After having his service broken twice in losing the first set, Berdych managed to turn things around to edge the second before lifting his game in the decider and sealing victory with a ninth ace.
The 27-year-old will play the winner of the match between Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, the 14th seed, and 2004 champion Tommy Robredo of Spain for a place in the quarter-finals.
Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis provided the surprise of the day when he thumped former world number seven and 12th seed Fernando Verdasco of Spain, who won the event in 2010, 6-3 6-4.
World number five Rafa Nadal begins his bid for an eighth Barcelona title in nine years with a second-round clash against unseeded Argentine Carlos Berlocq on Wednesday.
Recently back from seven months out with a knee injury, Nadal is seeded second and beat top-seeded Spanish compatriot David Ferrer, the world number four, in the final in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Ferrer plays his second-round match against Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov on Wednesday.
In the doubles event there was a great win for British duo Colin Fleming and Jonathan Marray as they disposed of fourth seeds Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-4 2-6 10-6.

ATP Barcelona results

Round 2

3-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) beat Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 3-6 7-5 6-4

8-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat Andrey Kuznetsov (Russia) 6-3 6-7(5) 7-6(2)

Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) beat 12-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 6-3 6-4

6-Kei Nishikori (Japan) beat Guillermo Olaso (Spain) 6-1 6-3

10-Jeremy Chardy (France) beat Paolo Lorenzi (Italy) 6-2 6-4

Round 1

Albert Ramos (Spain) beat Jan-Lennard Struff (Germany) 6-4 7-6(2)

Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat Marc Lopez (Spain) 2-6 6-2 6-2

Blaz Kavcic (Slovenia) beat Alejandro Falla (Colombia) 6-3 6-0

Edouard Roger-Vasselin (France) beat Jan Hajek (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-7(1) 6-2

Bernard Tomic (Australia) beat Kenny De Schepper (France) 6-4 4-6 6-2

Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver (Spain) 7-5 6-4

ATP Bucharest results

Round 1

Victor Hanescu (Romania) beat Matthias Bachinger (Germany) 6-4 6-3

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) beat 7-Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) 3-6 6-4 6-0

Santiago Giraldo (Colombia) beat Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 6-1 6-2

Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic) beat Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) 7-6(4) 6-2

Gael Monfils (France) beat Filippo Volandri (Italy) 6-4 6-2

Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukraine) beat Jaroslav Pospisil (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-2

5-Florian Mayer (Germany) beat Flavio Cipolla (Italy) 6-0 7-6(1)

Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) beat Evgeny Donskoy (Russia) 1-6 6-4 7-6(3)

Tobias Kamke (Germany) beat Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) 6-1 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

German-slayer Ivanovic downs Petkovic

Ana Ivanovic continued her superb clay court form against Germany's top players by defeating Andrea Petkovic 6-3 6-2 in Stuttgart.
The Serbian beat both Angelique Kerber and Mona Barthel in a losing Fed Cup effort at the same venue last weekend and has carried on her good form.
The 2008 French Open champion blasted six aces and was only broken once as she beat Petkovic who was awarded a wild card for the event after recovering from the calf-injury that saw her withdraw from Charleston mid-tournament at the start of the month.
Nadia Petrova was the only seed in action and the eight-seed had to work hard to beat German qualifier Dinah Pfizenmaier 7-6(2) 6-4
The top four seeds – Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Kerber and Sara Errani – all recived byes into the second round.

WTA Stuttgart results

Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat Andrea Petkovic (Germany) 6-3 6-2

8-Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Dinah Pfizenmaier (Germany) 7-6(2) 6-4

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (Croatia) beat Elena Vesnina (Russia) 6-0 6-4

Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat Nastassja Burnett (Italy) 6-3 6-4

WTA Marrakech results

Round One

4-Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) beat Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) 4-6 6-3 6-2

Simona Halep (Romania) beat Nina Bratchikova (Russia) 6-1 6-3

Mandy Minella (Luxembourg) beat Estrella Cabeza Candela (Spain) 7-6(3) 4-6 7-5

7-Kristina Mladenovic (France) beat Alexandra Cadantu (Romania) 6-4 4-6 6-4

Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain) beat Misaki Doi (Japan) 6-2 4-6 6-2

Silvia Soler Espinosa (Spain) beat Michaela Honcova (Slovakia) 7-6(4) 6-2

3-Alize Cornet (France) beat Fatima El Allami (Morocco) 6-1 6-1

5-Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) beat Timea Babos (Hungary) 7-5 6-2

9-Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) beat Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) 7-5 6-1

Karin Knapp (Italy) beat Lina Qostal (Morocco) 6-0 6-1

 

[Smallville22]

Tursunov stuns Ferrer in Barcelona, Nadal cruises through

Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov stunned top seed and world number four David Ferrer 7-5 3-6 6-1 in the second round of the Barcelona Open on Wednesday.
Four-time finalist Ferrer had pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters event last week with an unspecified leg injury picked up when losing in the Miami final to Andy Murray last month.
The Spaniard capped an error-strewn display in sunny, but blustery conditions when he overhit a cross-shot to hand Tursunov victory.
"It was the worst match that I've played in the last couple of years," said Ferrer.
Rafa Nadal, who beat Ferrer in last year's final, kicked off his bid for an eighth Barcelona title with a comfortable 6-4 6-2 success against Argentine Carlos Berlocq.
The straight-sets win extended his streak at the event to 35 victories.

Barcelona Open results

Round two

Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) beat 1-David Ferrer (Spain) 7-5 3-6 6-1

2-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) 6-4 6-2

4-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) beat Ivan Dodig (Croatia) 6-1 7-5

5-Milos Raonic (Canada) beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin (France) 6-4 6-2

7-Juan Monaco (Argentina) beat Bernard Tomic (Australia) 6-0 6-2

Albert Ramos (Spain) beat 9-Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) 4-6 6-2 6-3

11-Martin Klizan (Slovakia) beat Albert Montanes (Spain) 6-3 6-4

13-Benoit Paire (France) beat Pablo Andujar (Spain) 6-4 5-7 6-3

Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat 14-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) 7-5 6-1

15-Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Blaz Kavcic (Slovenia) 6-3 6-1

Bucharest International results

Round two

2-Gilles Simon (France) beat Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) 4-6 6-4 6-4

Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic) beat 3-Andreas Seppi (Italy) 6-1 3-6 6-3

8-Viktor Troicki (Serbia) beat Tobias Kamke (Germany) 6-4 6-2

Daniel Brands (Germany) beat Gael Monfils (France) 7-6(1) 2-0 (Monfils retired)

 

[Smallville22]

Wozniacki suffers first-round defeat in Stuttgart

Caroline Wozniacki suffered another chastening defeat as she lost to Carla Suarez Navarro 7-6(6) 6-1 in the first round of WTA Stuttgart.
Wozniacki, the seventh seed, lost inside two hours as she was edged out in a topsy-turvy first set despite assuming a 3-0 early lead, eventually losing it 8-6 in an extended tie-break.
But the world number 10 folded alarmingly in the second as she mustered just a single game with Suarez Navarro able to coast through to the second round.
It was a fine performance from the world number 23, who capitalised on a shaky display on serve from the Dane – who committed three double faults - and found 76 per cent of first deliveries herself.
Suarez-Navarro wrapped up her sixth career win over a top 10 player on her first match point when Wozniacki's baseline shot was ruled out.
"I played well and am very happy," Suarez Navarro said. "Caroline is a very good player and fights. It was a difficult first set, very close."
Next up for Suarez Navarro, who has reached four WTA finals but has yet to lift a trophy, will be a second-round encounter with Yaroslava Shvedova.
And sixth seed Samantha Stosur was also dumped out of the event in the final match of the day, losing 6-4 6-4 to Jelena Jankovic.
The Serb saved the only break-point chance her Australian opponent had while securing a break in each set to earn a spot in the second round.
Fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic did progress but only after struggling to beat wild-card entry Annika Beck of Germany 7-5 6-7 (0) 6-3.

WTA Stuttgart results

Round 1

5-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat Annika Beck (Germany) 7-5 6-7(0) 6-3

Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) beat 6-Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-4 6-4

Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) beat 7-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 7-6(6) 6-1

Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) beat Roberta Vinci (Italy) 6-4 6-2

Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) beat Mona Barthel (Germany) 6-4 6-1

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) beat Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) 6-7(5) 7-5 6-4

Bethanie Mattek-Sands (U.S.) beat Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) 6-2 6-1

Julia Goerges (Germany) beat Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) 6-2 2-1 (Flipkens retired)

Marrakech Grand Prix results

Round two

3-Alize Cornet (France) beat Karin Knapp (Italy) 1-6 7-5 6-0

Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) beat Maria Teresa Torro (Spain) 6-2 6-1

Round one

6-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Petra Martic (Croatia) 7-6(8) 6-4

Olga Puchkova (Russia) beat Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 3-6 7-6(5) 7-5

Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) beat Mathilde Johansson (France) 6-3 6-4

Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Melinda Czink (Hungary) 6-1 7-6(2)

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal faces busy Friday after rain hits Barcelona Open

Rafael Nadal may have to play two matches at the Barcelona Open on Friday after his third round clash against Frenchman Benoit Paire was postponed by rain.
The world number five and second seed, gunning for an eighth Barcelona title, will face Paire on Friday morning with either sixth seed Kei Nishikori or Albert Ramos waiting in the next round should Nadal avoid an upset.
Third seed Tomas Berdych was also frustrated by the weather and will play his third round against Spaniard Tommy Robredo on centre court on Friday.
Before the weather intervened Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov, who shocked top seed David Ferrer on Wednesday, was ousted by 16th-seed Thomaz Bellucci 4-6 6-1 6-3.
Fourth seed Nicolas Almagro and seventh seed Juan Monaco will clash in the quarter-finals after straight set victories over Marcel Granollers and Jeremy Chardy respectively.

Barcelona Open results

Round 3

4-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) beat 15-Marcel Granollers (Spain) 6-3 6-4

16-Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) beat Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 4-6 6-1 6-3

7-Juan Monaco (Argentina) beat 10-Jeremy Chardy (France) 6-0 7-6(11)

Bucharest International results

Round 2

1-Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) beat Santiago Giraldo (Colombia) 6-3 6-3

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) beat Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukraine) 1-6 6-3 6-4

Victor Hanescu (Romania) beat 4-Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) 6-4 6-3

5-Florian Mayer (Germany) beat David Goffin (Belgium) 7-6(2) 1-6 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Sharapova grinds into Stuttgart quarter-finals

Maria Sharapova made hard work of Lucie Safarova before edging into the Stuttgart quarter-finals 6-4 6-7(3) 6-3.
Sharapova was far from her best, hitting eight aces but as many double-faults.
Safaraova, the world number 25, was not overawed, and levelled the match with composure in the tie-break, but the top seed held her nerve, and after three hours and nine minutes finally set up a last-eight clash with Ana Ivanovic. The Serb was a straight-sets winner over eighth seed Nadia Petrova.
It was a similar grind for Petra Kvitova, who had to come back from losing the first set to beat Julia Goerges 2-6 7-6(4) 6-2.
Goerges had the support of her home fans, but could not finish the match off and tired as the Czech fifth seed ran away with the final set.
Third seed Angelique Kerber gave the locals something to cheer about though with a regulation 6-0 6-4 win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia.
Kerber now meets Yaroslava Shvedova after the Kazakh downed Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 7-5 6-4 to book her place in the last eight of the claycourt tournament.
Second seed Li Na took just 74 minutes to seal her progression through to the quarter-finals with a 6-1 6-2 win over Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.
The Chinese star lost her serve twice against the Croatian qualifier, but was utterly dominant in capitalising on seven of 17 break points on her opponent’s serve.
It was a comprehensive victory for the 31-year-old and world number five, who already has a WTA singles title to her name this season and a 17-3 match record. Li now plays Petrova.
But there was disappointment for fourth seed Sara Errani, who was stunned 6-0 4-6 6-1 by American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the late match.
Mattek-Sands will play Sabine Lisicki for a place in the semi-finals after the German saw off Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 7-6(3) 7-5.

Stuttgart Grand Prix results

Round 2

Bethanie Mattek-Sands (U.S.) beat 4-Sara Errani (Italy) 6-0 4-6 6-1

Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 7-6(3) 7-5

1-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-7(3) 6-3

5-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat Julia Goerges (Germany) 2-6 7-6(4) 6-2

Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat 8-Nadia Petrova (Russia) 6-4 6-3

Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) beat Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 7-5 6-4

3-Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 6-0 6-4

2-Li Na (China) beat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (Croatia) 6-1 6-2

Marrakech Grand Prix Results

Round 2

6-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Simona Halep (Romania) 6-3 6-2

5-Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) beat Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 7-6(0) 4-6 6-4

7-Kristina Mladenovic (France) beat Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) 6-3 6-3

Silvia Soler Espinosa (Spain) beat Olga Puchkova (Russia) 6-0 6-3

Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain) beat 9-Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) 1-6 6-4 6-3

Mandy Minella (Luxembourg) beat 4-Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 3-6 6-4 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal recovers to beat Paire in Barcelona

Rafael Nadal overcame another hurdle on his way to a possible eighth Barcelona Open title in nine years when he recovered from a poor start to beat Benoit Paire 7-6 6-2 in their delayed third-round match on Friday.
Nadal had been set to meet the 13th-seeded Frenchman on Thursday before rain washed out the day's play and he is due to play his quarter-final against Spanish compatriot Albert Ramos later on Friday, the first time he will play two matches in one day since the Monte Carlo Masters in 2009.
However, more rain is forecast in the Catalan capital, raising the prospect of one or more quarter-finals being postponed until Saturday.
Ramos surprised Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori 6-4 7-6 in their delayed third-round match before another unseeded Spaniard, 2004 champion Tommy Robredo, upset third-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych 3-6 7-6 6-3.
Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber became the first player to reach the last four when his quarter-final opponent, Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil, pulled out of the tournament with an abdominal injury.
Kohlschreiber will play fourth seed Nicolas Almagro of Spain or Argentine Juan Monaco, the seventh seed, for a place in Sunday's final.
Paire, who turns 24 next month and had never played Nadal before, began aggressively on the clay at the Real Club de Tenis and broke the world number five in the opening game.
Nadal had the usual strapping on his troublesome left knee but showed no sign of the injury that sidelined him for seven months before his return in February, breaking back before taking the tiebreak 7-2.
Further breaks in the fifth and seventh games of the second set secured victory for the 26-year-old Majorcan and extended his winning streak at the tournament to 36 matches.
"It wasn't brilliant but getting the victory was the most important thing," Nadal, chasing a fourth title of the year, said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster TVE.
"Today is going to be a long day and it was good to win in two sets after a bad start," he added.
"We are taking things step by step and this afternoon's opponent is going to be at a very high level so let's see if I can play better than this morning."
Robredo, who denied Berdych his 400th victory on the ATP Tour, will meet Milos Raonic for a place in the last four later on Friday after the Canadian fifth seed dispatched Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis 6-2 7-6.
Top seed and world number four David Ferrer, another Spaniard whom Nadal beat in the final in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012, lost to Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov in the second round on Wednesday.

ATP Barcelona results

Quarter-finals

8-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat 16-Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) WO

4-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) beat 7-Juan Monaco (Argentina) 6-3 7-5

Round 3

Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat 3-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 3-6 7-6(5) 6-3

5-Milos Raonic (Canada) beat Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) 6-2 7-6(6)

Albert Ramos (Spain) beat 6-Kei Nishikori (Japan) 6-4 7-6(4)

2-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat 13-Benoit Paire (France) 7-6(2) 6-2

8-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat 11-Martin Klizan (Slovakia) 1-6 7-6(2) 7-6(5)

ATP Bucharest results

Quarter-finals

5-Florian Mayer (Germany) beat Victor Hanescu (Romania) 6-3 7-6(3)

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) beat 1-Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) 6-3 3-6 6-4

Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic) beat 8-Viktor Troicki (Serbia) 6-3 6-1

2-Gilles Simon (France) beat Daniel Brands (Germany) 6-1 7-5

 

[Smallville22]

Robson and Watson to play in Edgbaston in June

British top two Laura Robson and Heather Watson have signed up to play the Aegon Classic in Edgbaston ahead of Wimbledon.
Former Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli of France is also scheduled to feature on the grass at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham in June.
"I always enjoy the grasscourt season and I am excited to return to the Aegon Classic in Birmingham and to play in front of a home crowd," said teenager Robson, the British No.1.
"It’s fantastic preparation ahead of Wimbledon."
Watson, 20, was diagnosed with Glandular Fever after the tournament in Miami in March, where she had complained of burnout after losing in the first round.
However she was at the tail-end of the illness and hopes to return in time for the French Open then grasscourt season.
"It’s fantastic news for the tournament that we now have our two top British players confirmed to play at the event," said Lawrence Robertson, commercial director for the LTA.
"Laura has risen through the ranks of tennis this past year and we’re all excited to get the chance to watch her back on British soil again."
Robson has climbed into the top 40 after a brilliant 2012 - in which she reached the last 16 of the US Open - and start to 2013.
She beat former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in January's Australian Open.
The Aegon Classic will be held from June 9-16. Former winners of the event include Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Pam Shriver, Maria Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic and Li Na.

 

[Smallville22]

Sharapova downs Ivanovic in another Stuttgart epic

Maria Sharapova was pushed all the way for the second successive match as she beat Ana Ivanovic 7-5 4-6 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the WTA Stuttgart event.
After taking over three hours to beat Lucie Safarova in the previous round, Sharapova did not need quite as long but still took over two and quarter hours to secure the victory.
There was some controversy in the match though as Sharapova took a lengthy toilet break after the second set just when it looked like the momentum had shifted to the unseeded Serbia.
The second seed will now play the third seeded home favourite Angelique Kerber who had an easier time disposing of Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3 7-6(2).

WTA Stuttgart results

Quarter-finals

2-Li Na (China) beat 5-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) 6-3 7-5

1-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 7-5 4-6 6-4

Bethanie Mattek-Sands (U.S.) beat Sabine Lisicki (Germany) 6-4 6-2

3-Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) 6-3 7-6(2)

WTA Marrakech results

Quarter-finals

6-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat 3-Alize Cornet (France) 6-4 6-4

Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) beat 7-Kristina Mladenovic (France) 6-1 6-2

Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain) beat 5-Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) 6-4 4-6 6-3

Mandy Minella (Luxembourg) beat Silvia Soler Espinosa (Spain) 6-3 3-6 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal wins two matches in one day in Barcelona

Rafael Nadal stayed on course for an eighth Barcelona Open title in nine years with two wins on Friday.
Chasing a fourth title of the year after returning from a seven-month injury layoff in February, Nadal recovered from a slow start on the clay at the Real Club de Tenis to beat Benoit Paire 7-6 6-2 in their delayed third-round match.
The world number five had been set to meet the 13th-seeded Frenchman on Thursday before rain washed out the day's play.
After a few hours rest, Nadal returned to centre court to dispatch fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos 6-3 6-0 for his 37th consecutive Barcelona Open win.
It was the first time he had played two matches in one day since the Monte Carlo Masters in 2009.
"I played much better than this morning," Nadal said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster TVE.
"Making the semi-finals is great news and I am pleased to get through a difficult day like today," he added.
To the relief of organisers, the rain forecast for the Catalan capital held off, allowing Thursday's postponed matches to be completed before the quarter-finals were played.
Ramos, the world number 64, surprised Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori 6-4 7-6 in their delayed third-round match before 2004 champion Robredo came back from a set down to upset third-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych 3-6 7-6 6-3.
Raonic, the world number 13, beat Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis 6-2 7-6 before battling back from a set down against Robredo to win 6-7 6-3 7-6.
Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber became the first player to reach the last four when his quarter-final opponent, Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil, pulled out of the tournament with an abdominal injury.
Kohlschreiber will play Nicolas Almagro for a place in Sunday's final after the Spanish fourth seed beat Argentine Juan Monaco, the seventh seed, 6-3 7-5.
Paire, who turns 24 next month and had never played Nadal before, began aggressively and broke the French Open champion's serve in the opening game.
Nadal had the usual strapping on his troublesome left knee but showed no sign of discomfort, breaking back before taking the tiebreak 7-2.
Further breaks in the fifth and seventh games of the second set secured victory for the 26-year-old Majorcan as he seeks to bounce back from his defeat by Serbia's world number one Novak Djokovic in Sunday's Monte Carlo Masters final.
Ramos also played some aggressive shots in the opening set against Nadal but faded badly in the second and did not manage a single break point, while Nadal converted four of his five chances.
Top seed and world number four David Ferrer, another Spaniard whom Nadal beat in the final in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012, lost to Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov in the second round on Wednesday.

ATP Barcelona results

Quarter-finals

2-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Albert Ramos (Spain) 6-3 6-0

5-Milos Raonic (Canada) beat Tommy Robredo (Spain) 6-7(5) 6-3 7-6(2)

8-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat 16-Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) WO

4-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) beat 7-Juan Monaco (Argentina) 6-3 7-5

Round 3

Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat 3-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 3-6 7-6(5) 6-3

5-Milos Raonic (Canada) beat Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) 6-2 7-6(6)

Albert Ramos (Spain) beat 6-Kei Nishikori (Japan) 6-4 7-6(4)

2-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat 13-Benoit Paire (France) 7-6(2) 6-2

8-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat 11-Martin Klizan (Slovakia) 1-6 7-6(2) 7-6(5)

ATP Bucharest results

Quarter-finals

5-Florian Mayer (Germany) beat Victor Hanescu (Romania) 6-3 7-6(3)

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) beat 1-Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) 6-3 3-6 6-4

Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic) beat 8-Viktor Troicki (Serbia) 6-3 6-1

2-Gilles Simon (France) beat Daniel Brands (Germany) 6-1 7-5

 

[Smallville22]

Li ousts Kvitova to book Stuttgart semi-final spot

World number five Li Na withstood a late comeback from Petra Kvitova to beat the fifth-seeded Czech 6-3 7-5 on Friday and set up a Stuttgart Grand Prix semi-final with American qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
The second seed from China was put under early pressure by a series of sizzling Kvitova groundstrokes but responded by rattling off five consecutive games to snatch the first set.
World number eight Kvitova took an early 2-0 lead in the second set before Li bounced back again, reeling off another five straight games.
The Australian Open runner-up then twice had her serve broken as the mercurial Kvitova blasted a string of superb service returns past her opponent to level at 5-5.
A fine volley and a brilliant return from an unimaginable angle put Li 6-5 ahead and she finally went through on her third match point when the Czech netted a backhand.
Mattek-Sands advanced with a 6-4 6-2 win over German Sabine Lisicki.
Earlier, top seed and defending champion Maria Sharapova struggled to dispose of former world number one Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 7-5 4-6 6-4.
The world number two has had to work hard in the event, saving two match points in a three-hour battle with Czech Lucie Safarova in her first match this season on clay on Thursday.
"I prefer playing tough matches instead of training at home," the Russian told reporters. "It was hard to get my body going - I need some time to warm up."
Sharapova next meets third-seeded German Angelique Kerber who put out Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3 7-6.

 

[Smallville22]

Rain delays Barcelona Open semis

The Barcelona Open semi-final between Spanish fourth seed Nicolas Almagro and eighth-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber on Saturday, due to start at 11:30 BST, has been delayed by rain.
"It's still raining in Barcelona," the ATP said on its official Twitter feed.
"Further updates ... will be posted when available," it added.
Rafa Nadal, the second seed, is due to play Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic in the second semi-final as he continues his bid for an eighth Conde de Godo trophy in nine years.

 

[Smallville22]

Sharapova to face Li in Stuttgart final

Top seed Maria Sharapova will take on second seed Li Na in the final of WTA Stuttgart.
Sharapova was pushed all the way by third seeded German star Angelique Kerber before winning 6-3 2-6 7-5.
Kerber was on the back foot for most of the match but consistently grabbed her chances better than the Russian, saving five of the 10 break points against her.
Sharapova's serving and returning under pressure in the final set proved to be key, however. Kerber had her chances to win and broke Sharapova twice, but the Russian hit back with breaks of her own before breaking once more and clinching the match.
Li, by contrast, faced few problems as she dismissed American qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4 6-3, giving the world number five hopes of a second title of the year.
Lourdes Dominguez Lino will face Francesca Schiavone in the final of WTA Marrakech after both came through their semi-final matches.
Sixth seed Schiavone fought through a tough opening set against South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers, but then found her range and cruised through the second set to win 7-6(4) 6-1.
Dominguez, meanwhile, looked in trouble after Luxembourg's world number 91 Mandy Minella stormed through the opening set.
But the tables were then turned in extraordinary style, with the Spaniard blitzing her opponent in the next two sets to run out a 2-6 6-0 6-1 winner.

Results:

WTA Stuttgart semi-finals

2-Li Na (China) beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands (U.S.) 6-4 6-3

1-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat 3-Angelique Kerber (Germany) 6-3 2-6 7-5

WTA Marrakech semi-finals

Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain) beat Mandy Minella (Luxembourg) 2-6 6-0 6-1

6-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) 7-6(4) 6-1

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal routs Raonic to close on eighth Barcelona title

Rafa Nadal moved to within one victory of an eighth Barcelona Open title in nine years when he thrashed Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic 6-4 6-0 on Saturday to set up a final against fourth-seeded Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro.
Chasing a fourth title of the year after returning from a seven-month injury layoff in February, Nadal recovered from a slow start on the clay at the Real Club de Tenis when he lost his serve in the second game to fall 2-0 behind.
The French Open champion broke straight back and again for a 4-3 lead before closing out the first set and he turned the screw in the second to secure a comfortable third win in three matches against the big-serving world number 13.
"I am very happy to be in the final again," Nadal said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster TVE.
"Whatever happens tomorrow it has been a great tournament for me and to reach six finals out of six since I returned from injury could hardly be better," he added.
Almagro, who reached the semi-finals in 2006 and 2011, improved his head-to-head record against eighth-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber to five wins and three defeats with a similarly clinical performance.
The 27-year-old, bidding for a 13th career title, did not face a single break point and converted four of his seven opportunities to seal a 6-2 6-1 victory in just over 50 minutes.
"I know that Nico is playing at a very high level and has had a fantastic week," Nadal said.
"I will try to play aggressively and dominate the points although it will be very hard against a player like him."
It was a relief for organisers to get both semi-finals out of the way after the rain that has fallen throughout the week in the Catalan capital delayed the start of play.
Nadal is looking to bounce back from his defeat by Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic in Sunday's Monte Carlo Masters final.
The 26-year-old Majorcan, who like Raonic had to play twice on Friday because of the rain delays, extended his winning streak in Barcelona to 38 matches, his only defeat coming against compatriot Alex Corretja, now Spain's Davis Cup captain, in the second round in 2003.