Heard Around

by Savannah

The WTA final at Madrid will feature Dinara Safina against Caroline Wozniacki. Should be an interesting match between two women who hit the snot out of the ball. It's ironic that both women reached the final by defeating two women who actually play clay court tennis. Then again Schnyder is past her prime and Amelie, who served for the first set at 5-3 and was broken never mentally recovered her poise. It is what it is. The two have apparently never played each other before.

Meanwhile Dinara is telling all of her critics to stop hating. In this INTERVIEW given after her quarter final victory over Alona Bondarenko - another match TennisTV didn't bother to air- the few reporters who attended seemed to focus on the criticism directed her way for being a Slamless number one and only winning her first tournament of 2009 last week in Rome.

I guess they're jealous that I'm so young and No. 1.," Safina said at the Madrid Open on Friday. "I don't know. I really don't know."
(...)
"To become No. 1 it's not just winning the Grand Slams, it's how you compete the whole year," the 23-year-old Russian said. "I won last year four tournaments ... I beat almost all the top-10 players so I think I deserve that spot."
(...)
"Yes, I didn't win a Grand Slam but I was in two finals and in one semifinal in one year. Many people can't achieve that in a career," Safina said. "Overall, I think I'm where I should be for the consistency of my whole year."
(...)
Only a handful of journalists bothered to attend Safina's press conference after a quarterfinals victory over Alona Bondarenko in front of half-empty bleachers in the "Magic Box" tennis center's main stadium.

I hate to break it to Dinara but 23 is pushing middle age in professional tennis. And yes she was in two GS finals and one GS semi final during the twelve month period just past, but Serena Williams WON two Grand Slams and made the final of another during the same twelve month period. I'm just sayin'.

Maria Sharapova's Return

Here is the Main Draw for the WTA Premier event in Warsaw, Poland. Whoever it was who called me out about Maria's seeding or lack thereof was right.

Main Draw

[1]Wozniacki Caroline (DEN) v Q
Garbin Tathiana (ITA) v [WC]Sharapova Maria (RUS)
Domachowska Marta (POL) v Amanmuradova Akgul (UZB)
[WC]Piter Katarzyna (POL) v [8]Bondarenko Alona (UKR)

[4]Wozniak Aleksandra (CAN) v Goerges Julia (GER)
Dokic Jelena (AUS) v Q
Gallovits Edina (ROU) v Craybas Jill (USA)
Keothavong Anne (GBR) v [7]Mattek-Sands Bethanie (USA)

[5]Errani Sara (ITA) v Bondarenko Kateryna (UKR)
Mayr Patricia (AUT) v Voskoboeva Galina (KAZ)
Q v Pironkova Tsvetana (BUL)
Q v [3]Zheng Jie (CHN)

[6]Hantuchova Daniela (SVK) v Llagostera VIVES Nuria (ESP)
Radwańska Urszula (POL) v Koryttseva Mariya (UKR)
Zakopalova Klara (CZE) v Czink Melinda (HUN)
Govortsova Olga (BLR) v [2]Radwańska Agnieszka (POL)

Wozniacki is in the Final at Madrid. I'm guessing she won't play until Wednesday.

Idle Chit Chat

• The web site for the Madrid Open is one of the worst I've ever seen. I just wanted to get that in.
  
• Did I mention that the seats were basically empty this morning for the women's semi finals? No? Am I beating a dead horse? Yes? Moving on.
  
• Is it news that Caroline Wozniacki attended dinner with Fernando Verdasco's family last night at one of the family restaurants?
  
• Speaking of web sites what does it mean that I don't speak, read or write Polish but that the website is easy to use and to find information on?
  
• Wimbledon provided, via Twitter, verbatim news from the presser in relation to the Centre Court dedication featuring Andre Agassi, Stefanie Graf and Kim Clijsters in almost real time?
  

If you haven't seen the artists drawings of the new Roland Garros please click on this LINK and enjoy yourself. Pay close attention to the details. You'll see various players going about their business in the complex.