Qualifiers Shine at Bank of the West Classic
STANFORD, Calif. (www.BankOfTheWestClassic.com) –Qualifiers Aleksandra Wozniak and Samantha Stosur highlighted Thursday action with upset victories to advance to the quarterfinals where they will square off for the second time at the Bank of the West Classic at the Taube Family Tennis Center on the campus of Stanford University.
Ironically, earlier in the week Wozniak knocked off Stosur in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2 in the final round of qualifying which sets up a rare re-match between the two qualifiers on Friday. Stosur was the lucky loser replacing Davenport after she withdrew from the tournament due to a knee injury.
Additionally, the match-up guarantees that a qualifier will reach the semifinal round since Maria Vento-Kabchi accomplished the feat in 2003.
Stosur ripped off 10 aces including three in the final game on her way to a suprising straight-set, 6-3, 6-2, win over third-seeded and No. 11 in the world Vera Zvonareva.
“I haven’t done that before,” said Stosur, referring to her rematch with Wozniak. “I guess it’s a good opportunity to try to redeem myself after my loss on Monday. She has been playing very well having won two matches in the main draw so I have to be on top of my game.”
Meanwhile, Wozniak opened the day’s action by clinching a spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Austrian Sybille Bammer.
“I have more time on the court and I’m getting used to the heat,” said Wozniak who was playing for the sixth-straight day. “Obviously I still feel good and I am looking forward to tomorrow night.”
In a tournament that has already seen upsets over four of the top eight seeds, the day marked a stronger showing for the top players as No. 5 Patty Schnyder and No. 6 Marion Bartoli advanced.
Bartoli suffered the biggest scare of the day needing to grind out a three-set, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 win over British No. 1 Anne Keothavong. The 2007 Wimbledon finalist capitalized on three double faults and a break in the second game to jump out to an early 1-0 lead.
After each player held serve in the opening two games of the second set, Keothavong stormed back to run off five straight games and even the match at two games apiece.
Keothavong continued her momentum into the deciding set and was in command throughout taking a 4-1 lead. However, Bartoli, the No. 15 in the world, regained control to take six of the next seven games to secure a meeting with second-seed and defending champion Anna Chakvetadze.
Schnyder, a tour veteran, outlasted Alisa Kleybanova in straight-sets, 7-6, 6-4. The decision clinches a fourth consecutive quarterfinal appearance for the Swiss Olympian and sets up a battle with tournament top seed and eight-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams Friday afternoon.
In doubles action, two teams secured their spot in the semifinals.The tandem of Alisa Kleybanova and Monica Niculescu topped the Japanese Olympic duo of Ayumi Morita and Ai Sugiyama, 6-1, 6-4. In the nightcap, the No.1 doubles team in the world, Cara Black and Liezel Huber, cruised to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Eva Hrdinova and Vladimira Uhlirova.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, call the box office at 866-WTA-TIXS (866-982-8497) or log on to www.BankoftheWestClassic.com.
The Bank of the West Classic, a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event, will be played July 14-20 at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium at Stanford University and features a 28-player singles draw as well as a 16-team doubles draw. The event is owned and operated by IMG and serves as the opening women’s event of the Olympus US Open Series.
ABOUT THE BANK OF THE WEST CLASSIC: The Bank of the West Classic is the longest-running women-only professional tennis tournament in the world and is the first stop of the US Open Series. A Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Tier II event, the Bank of the West Classic features a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw with total prize money of $600,000. Held on Stanford University’s campus at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium since 1997, former champions include: Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams. The Bank of the West Classic is owned and operated by IMG.
ABOUT BANK OF THE WEST: Founded in 1874 and headquartered in San Francisco, $62 billion-asset Bank of the West is the second-largest commercial bank based in California. Bank of the West offers a full range of business, trust, international and personal banking services. The bank currently operates more than 700 commercial and retail banking locations in 19 Western and Midwestern states. In 2008, Bank of the West ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Retail Banks in the West” by J.D. Power and Associates. Bank of the West's holding company, BancWest Corporation, is owned by BNP Paribas, a leading global financial services institution ranked by Standard & Poor's as one of the world's four strongest banks. More information is available at www.bankofthewest.com.
Aleksandra Wozniak
On her thoughts of the match…
“I beat her at Roland Garros and I knew she would want her revenge and try her hardest on the hardcourt. I thought she played really good and I think it was bit tough mentally with her.”
On playing through qualifiers…
“I have more time on the court and getting used to the heat. Obviously I still feel good and I am looking forward to tomorrow night.”
On upcoming quarterfinal match…
“I played Samantha in the qualifying in the last round so if I see her, well hello again. Vera, I played at Roland Garros in the third round and I lost that match but obviously I hope to play much better tomorrow if I play her.”
Patty Schnyder
On playing against younger players …
“Actually I already played her at the Gold Coast. It’s true, all of those years you face up-and-coming players who have nothing to lose and most of them are really big hitters. So I just try to mix it up so it’s tough for them the first time around to see how they can adapt.”
On whether or not she changes her strategy during a match …
“Both can happen. Today I had a plan but it was just a matter of how many points she would allow me to do it. She was trying to dictate everything, either winners or errors. At one stage I tried to serve more into her body and that was an adjustment I made that worked.”
Marion Bartoli
On coming back from being down…
“It was almost the end for me, but at one point I decided that I was going to win this match no matter what it takes. I went for my shots, I got some pretty good down the line shots and I was able to comeback but it was hard definitely.”
On playing aggressive…
“It was the only way for me to win. She was playing so well from the baseline. At one point I had to go up to the net and force it and try to win the point quicker. I was able to do it under pressure which is hard to do but it was the only for me to win this match.”
On getting down in the second set…
“You don’t always know what to expect from her and she moves really well on the court. She hits so many balls back where with the other girls you get some winners but she forces you to play another shot.”
On playing Anna Chakvetadze in the quarterfinal…
“I was able to win last year in Luxembourg in something like three hours and thirty minutes. So its quite hard all the time against her. I played her in Paris again this year and it went to three sets. Obviously I won two matches here so I am on a good roll. Its always interesting and I’m really looking forward to playing this quarterfinal.”
Samantha Stosur
On being the lucky loser…
“I guess I made the most of my opportunity getting in with a bit of luck. I found some form out there tonight. It was a good win for me.”
On her thoughts of the match…
“I served pretty good, I had a few double faults but I also got a bunch of aces and got them at the right time. I played aggressive and I felt like everything out there felt pretty good tonight. I hit the ball deep and I attacked when I could and played pretty good defense when I needed to.”
On playing Aleksandra Wozniack for the second time this week…
“I haven’t done that before but I guess it’s a good opportunity for me to try to redeem myself after my loss on Monday. She has been playing very well as well having won two matches in the main draw so I have to be on top of my game.”