Wozniacki, Ivanovic go out, Tsonga advances
Source: Agencies |
October 8, 2011, Saturday
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DEFENDING champion Caroline Wozniacki suffered a shock 6-3, 0-6, 6-7 (2) defeat in the China Open quarterfinals as Italian Flavia Pennetta ran rampant yesterday.
The world No. 1's game collapsed in the second set in Beijing and she was repeatedly left stranded by Pennetta's repertoire of lobs, volleys and powerful baseline returns.
Facing match point, Wozniacki, 21, staged a dramatic comeback to force a tie break in the third set but Pennetta superbly lobbed the flat-footed Dane to seal the match.
"I knew that it was going to be tough. I did my best today; it just wasn't good enough. I had my chances and didn't take them," said Wozniacki, who had been the only top-10 women's player left in the event. "Of course it's disappointing right now."
Men's top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga powered past Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semifinal with third seed Czech Tomas Berdych.
Former women's world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic became the latest high-profile player to exit the tournament when the Serbian retired from her quarterfinal against Agnieszka Radwanska with back problems.
The 23-year-old was a set down when the injury she sustained last week in Tokyo flared up.
Ivanovic said she had been fighting a losing battle all week. "I have had lots of treatments on the injury, but it hasn't got much better. I've been fighting it the whole week. I had an MRI here yesterday. The doctors are still looking at the results."
Romanian Monica Niculescu came from behind to beat Maria Kirilenko 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to clinch a semifinal berth while in the men's quarter-finals Croatian Marin Cilic beat South African Kevin Anderson 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1 and Berdych thrashed Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-0.
Frenchman Tsonga predicted a battle of wills in today's showdown against world No. 10 Berdych. "I'm really happy. Tomorrow will be exciting for sure as we both have a lot to win to be safe for the Masters Final (in London)," said the world No. 7.
Also, Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia defeated Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-2 to reach the last four.
In Tokyo, top-seeded Rafael Nadal reached the semifinals of the Japan Open by beating Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 7-6 (6), 6-3 yesterday.
The defending champion was pushed early by the 53rd-ranked Giraldo, who forced a first-set tiebreaker at Ariake Colosseum. In the second set, Nadal broke early but Giraldo had a chance to break back late in the match.
"It was a tough first set. I thought I could play more relaxed in the second set," Nadal said. "He is a very graceful player who can hit winners from everywhere."
The Spaniard will next play Mardy Fish of the United States. The fourth-seeded Fish defeated Bernard Tomic of Australia 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1.
Second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain also reached the semifinals. The fourth-ranked Murray beat David Nalbandian of Argentina 6-4, 7-5.
Murray will next face third-seeded David Ferrer of Spain, who beat seventh-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-2, 7-6 (3).
The world No. 1's game collapsed in the second set in Beijing and she was repeatedly left stranded by Pennetta's repertoire of lobs, volleys and powerful baseline returns.
Facing match point, Wozniacki, 21, staged a dramatic comeback to force a tie break in the third set but Pennetta superbly lobbed the flat-footed Dane to seal the match.
"I knew that it was going to be tough. I did my best today; it just wasn't good enough. I had my chances and didn't take them," said Wozniacki, who had been the only top-10 women's player left in the event. "Of course it's disappointing right now."
Men's top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga powered past Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semifinal with third seed Czech Tomas Berdych.
Former women's world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic became the latest high-profile player to exit the tournament when the Serbian retired from her quarterfinal against Agnieszka Radwanska with back problems.
The 23-year-old was a set down when the injury she sustained last week in Tokyo flared up.
Ivanovic said she had been fighting a losing battle all week. "I have had lots of treatments on the injury, but it hasn't got much better. I've been fighting it the whole week. I had an MRI here yesterday. The doctors are still looking at the results."
Romanian Monica Niculescu came from behind to beat Maria Kirilenko 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to clinch a semifinal berth while in the men's quarter-finals Croatian Marin Cilic beat South African Kevin Anderson 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1 and Berdych thrashed Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-0.
Frenchman Tsonga predicted a battle of wills in today's showdown against world No. 10 Berdych. "I'm really happy. Tomorrow will be exciting for sure as we both have a lot to win to be safe for the Masters Final (in London)," said the world No. 7.
Also, Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia defeated Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-2 to reach the last four.
In Tokyo, top-seeded Rafael Nadal reached the semifinals of the Japan Open by beating Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 7-6 (6), 6-3 yesterday.
The defending champion was pushed early by the 53rd-ranked Giraldo, who forced a first-set tiebreaker at Ariake Colosseum. In the second set, Nadal broke early but Giraldo had a chance to break back late in the match.
"It was a tough first set. I thought I could play more relaxed in the second set," Nadal said. "He is a very graceful player who can hit winners from everywhere."
The Spaniard will next play Mardy Fish of the United States. The fourth-seeded Fish defeated Bernard Tomic of Australia 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1.
Second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain also reached the semifinals. The fourth-ranked Murray beat David Nalbandian of Argentina 6-4, 7-5.
Murray will next face third-seeded David Ferrer of Spain, who beat seventh-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-2, 7-6 (3).
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