Sydney 2006

[Annie]

and thank you Ily for all the information

GOOD LUCK TO DINA, NASTYA AND ALL THE OTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Annie]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Seeds Sent Packing in Sydney


Three seeds Richard Gasquet, Tommy Robredo and Radek Stepanek, and Adelaide finalist Xavier Malisse were knocked out in the first round of the Medibank International in Sydney on Monday.

Fourth seed Gasquet was handed his second consecutive first round loss, at the hands of Igor Andreev. The Russian triumphed 6-2, 6-4 in just 65 minutes. ;D

Andreev broke the French teenager twice in the first set to take a commanding 5-1 lead. The 22-year-old won 87 per cent of points on first serve in the set.

Gasquet led 3-1 in the second set, but Andreev – winner of Valencia, Palermo and Moscow in 2005 – regained his composure to break the former junior World No. 1 twice to regain control of the match.

Andreev had an overall first serve percentage of 62% compared to Gasquet’s 48%. The Russian will meet Australian wild card Peter Luczak in the second round.

Luczak defeated Adelaide finalist Malisse 7-6(5), 7-6(3) in windy conditions, just a week after a straight sets loss to the world No. 39.

Many expected Luczak, the world No. 144, to be cannon-fodder but the 26-year-old held his nerve to prevails over Malisee, struggling with blisters and a sore ankle, in one hour and 44 minutes.

Sixth seed Robredo’s preparations for the Australian Open were derailed by Dimtry Turusnov of Russia, who beat the Spaniard 7-6(4), 6-3 in one hour and 33 minutes. ;D ;D

Despite taking a 2-0 lead in the first set, Tursunov fought back and won the last four games of the second set as Robredo’s resistance ended.

Seventh-ranked Czech Stepanek, a semifinalist at the Chennai Open last week, felt the force of Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan in a 6-3, 6-4 loss. Srichaphan, who sepnt one week of the off-season as a Buddhist monk used his focusing skills to cast aside niggling quadriceps pain.

Argentine lucky loser Juan Monaco continued a day of upsets on Tuesday. The late replacement for the injured third seed Thomas Johansson beat world No. 31 Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-3 6-2 in just 63 minutes.

In other first round matches, 1997 Sydney finalist Carlos Moya prevailed in a thriller over Sebastien Grosjean 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(4), Adelaide winner Florent Serra increased his 2006 winning streak beating fellow Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 in two hours and sux minutes, while Italian Andreas Seppi beat Belgium's Kristof Vliegen 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3.

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID:
MOYA: "We [Grosjean] always have really close matches against each other, often with one of us having match points and losing and vice versa. I felt really tired in the middle of the second set, especially with the heat, and then I don't know what happened. I started to feel a lot better and playing better too. It's great to get a win as he's a great player.

"I only arrived on Monday night from Chennai and had a tough three set match today and now another tough match tomorrow against James Blake. Of course I am tired but I will do my best and it's good preparation for the Australian Open."

SRICHAPHAN: "I think I feel my body [is] a lot better. [But] I injured my quad last week. Less than a week before Melbourne, so I will try to do my best here and just try to recover for next week."

LUCZAK: "I set a goal for myself [at the] end of last year that this year I would try to get 500 points within the calendar year. That would get me into about around 90. That's my goal. I'm on 20 now, I think: Five from last week and fifteen here. Long way to go."

[Annie]

Women's Singles
Ana Ivanovic (SCG) Defeated
Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) 6:3, 7:5


Women's Singles
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) defeated Dinara Safina (RUS) 6:3 ret. I am looking into this


Women's Singles
Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) Defeated Vera Dushevina (RUS) 6:2, 6:2

Women's Singles
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) Defeated Yuliana Fedak (UKR) 6:3, 6:3

Women's Singles
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) Defeated Patty Schnyder (SUI) 3:6, 6:3, 6:4

Women's Singles
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) Defeated Zi Yan (CHN)
3:6, 7:6, 6:1

Women's Singles
Kim Clijsters (BEL) Defeated Na Li (CHN) 6:3, 6:1


Men's Singles
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) Defeated Tomas Berdych (CZE) 7:6, 6:3 MOLODETS KOLYA!!!!


Men's Singles
Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) Defeated Radek Stepanek (CZE) 6:3, 6:4

Men's Singles
Juan Monaco (ARG) Defeated Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6:3, 6:2

Men's Singles
Carlos Moya (ESP) Defeated Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) 5:7, 7:5, 7:6 what a score

Men's Singles
Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) Defeated Tommy Robredo (ESP) 7:6, 6:3 ;D ;D


Men's Singles
Florent Serra (FRA) Defeated Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 5:7, 6:2, 6:4


Men's Singles
Peter Luczak (AUS) Defeated Xavier Malisse (BEL) 7:6, 7:6

Men's Singles
Igor Andreev (RUS) Defeated Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6:2, 6:4 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Men's Singles
Andreas Seppi (ITA) Defeated Kristof Vliegen (BEL) 6:3, 6:7, 6:3



Men's Doubles
Fabrice Santoro (FRA) / Nenad Zimonjic (YUG)Defeated Igor Andreev (RUS) / Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) oh well..concentrate on your singles, my boys

[Annie]

Great great day for Russian boys ;D

[SAFINNO1]

Thanks for the info Annie, great day for the russians

[SAFINNO1]

Wednesday OOP

CENTRE COURT 11am
1.Svetlana Kuznetsova vs Ana Ivanovic
2. James Blake vs Carlos Moya
3. Lleyton Hewitt vs Jurgen Melzer
4. Justine Henin-Hardenne vs Nadia Petrova
7.30pm
5. Kim Clijsters vs Francesca Schiavone
6. Paradorn Srichaphan vs Ivo Karlovic

COURT 2 11am
1. Igor Andreev vs Peter Luczak
2. Daniela Hantuchova vs Nicole Vaidisova
3. Agustin Calleri vs Nikolay Davydenko
4. Andreas Seppi vs Chris Guccione



COURT 4 11am
1. Arnaud Clement vs Juan Monaco
2. Florent Serra vs Dmitry Tursunov

[Annie]

DAVAYTE MY BOYS!!!!!!!! Udachi Good luck to Nadia and Sveta, too even though their opponents are

[alsl]

what happened to sveta vs dina???did dina get injured??

sveta vs ana ivanovic is a replay of hopman cup..this line up should be interesting...

[Annie]

Dina got blisters on her left foot and had to retire

[alsl]

pictured (L to R) are Juan Carlos Ferrero, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Anastasia Myskina, Tommy Robrdeo and Stefan Koubek with the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background.

from wtatour.com

[SAFINNO1]

High Five: Players Take Leap of Faith on Sydney Tower

Spanish stars JUAN CARLOS FERRERO and TOMMY ROBREDO prepared for their first round encounters at the Medibank International in Sydney in a unique way, by going to the top of the Sydney Tower and experiencing the 'Skywalk', over 250 meters above ground. The players wore special suits and harnesses to ensure full safety atop the tower and were able to get a bird's eye view of the sites of Sydney.

The Skywalk is the second tallest free standing structure in the southern hemisphere. "I really think sydney a beautiful city and it's amazing to be able to see it from this height. As players we travel so much but it's great to be able to experience things like this. Luckily I am not scared of heights though," said Robredo. The players were also accompanied by GUILLERMO GARCIA-LOPEZ, STEFAN KOUBEK and WTA player Anastasia Myskina.

[marats]

Nice pics !!!
Congrats Nikolay with your victory !!!

[annie]

darn, i'm getting weak knees just looking at those pics at the sydney tower...

[Annie]

I know annie, I am petrified of height

Well it has been another great day for the Russians today, all three (Tursunov, Davydenko and Andreev) won their matches. The bad thing is that Igor and Dima face each other in the next round

UDACHI MY BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some other results today:

Sveta Kuznetsova beat Ana Ivanovic 7:6, 6:3 ;D
Vaidisova beat Hantuchova (Daniela retired) 6:3, 3:1
Kolya beat Calleri 6:4, 7:6 ;D ;D ;D ;D
Clement beat Monaco 7:6, 6:3
Igor fantabulously fighting and saving 2 MPs beat Luczak 6:7 (5), 7:6 (5), 7:6 (6) ;D ;D ;D
Dima beat Serra 7:6, 6:2
Hewitt beat Meltzer 6:1, 6:4
Seppi beat Guccione 7:5, 7:6

Carlos Moya retired from his match with James Blake with hip flexor injury

[Annie]

and here goes another one

Clijsters pulls out of Sydney with hip injury
2006-01-11 08:53:27 GMT (Reuters)

SYDNEY, Jan 11 (Reuters) - A hip injury forced Kim Clijsters to withdraw from the Sydney International on Wednesday, just five days before the start of the Australian Open.

The Belgian, ranked second in the world, was due to play Italian Francesca Schiavone in the quarter-finals but announced her withdrawal just moments before the match was due to start.

Clijsters has been plagued by injuries over the past two seasons and won last year's U.S. Open. The Australian Open starts in Melbourne on Monday.