Wednesday 25 July 2012

Baku anyone?

This week, there is one WTA tournament in Baku... What? Where the hell is that???! If anything, it looks like a glorified ITF event. Anyway, if anyone's interested with the results:

Singles - Second Round
(2) Alexandra Panova (RUS) d. Sandra Zaniewska (POL) 46 76(6) 63
(3) Mandy Minella (LUX) d. Marta Domachowska (POL) 64 75
(5) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) d. (Q) Valeria Solovieva (RUS) 62 63
(6) Nina Bratchikova (RUS) d. Estrella Cabeza Candela (ESP) 60 ret. (abdominal strain)
Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) d. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 61 60
Julia Cohen (USA) d. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) 61 64
Olga Puchkova (RUS) d. Alberta Brianti (ITA) 36 76(2) 61
(Q) Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) d. Laura Pous-Tio (ESP) 76(5) 63

Shockers:

Olga Puchkova (RUS) d. Alberta Brianti (ITA) 36 76(2) 61


How can you go from almost upsetting the top seed in Roland Garros to losing to somebody ranked well outside the top 100? Alberta Brianti should be penalised for total lack of effort after losing that second set. Well, in the first place, she's not supposed to lose many games. Puchkova was a top 50 player about 4 to 5 years back but her best years are over and she's languishing well outside the top 150. And since you've already made the trip halfway round the world, why not put some effort into it? A real disgrace from the old Italian. Maybe she will bid farewell after this year but sadly, not many will miss her.

Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) d. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 61 60


Make no mistake, Tamarine wasn't supposed to win this. But winning just one game off Rybarikova is just sad. It is just awful that she's losing these matches in a lopsided way. It is almost certain that Tamarine will hang her racket after this year and maybe this loss will hasten her decision. Whatever Tamarine does, I wish her all the best and you are the pride of South-East Asia.



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