The draw is here.

Seeded R16 match-ups:

Henin v Safina
Serena v Radwanska
-
Kuznetsova v Bondarenko
Chakvetadze v Vaidisova
--
Jankovic v Petrova
Dementieva v Schnyder
-
Bartoli v Szavay
Ivanovic v Peer

Yes, Berlin is poised for the latest instalment in the Serena v Henin quarterfinal series. We'll see if what happens in Miami stays in Miami or if Serena has really broken her duck against the No 1. Obviously the outcome of this match will echo loudly in Paris, but first it has to take place. Only Radwanska has the outside chance of playing spoiler, really, or the precarious fitness of both Henin and Serena.

Kuznetsova seems a safe bet for the semis. Vaidisova and Chakvetadze are continually vulnerable this year, and they may not even survive their tricky opening matches against in-form opponents, Fes finalist Dulko and Prague finalist Azarenka respectively, each of whom may have winning streaks going into it. Kuznetsova had a rare win against Henin in the rain-plagued event last year in the semis, so will be looking to repeat that; if it's Serena, then she'll be looking for Miami revenge of her own.

An all-Serbian semifinal between defending champion Ivanovic and Jankovic, who between them split all of last year's clay Tier Is, seems likely - they will have some tests to get through but if they are playing well they should pass them. I wonder if former champion Petrova will find any form after returning from yet another injury layoff.

I fancy a few seeded players making an early exit. Lisicki has taken some big scalps this year and Peer is having a pretty below average season.

Petrova v Srebotnik - it's not exactly a surprise, as such, but Petrova hasn't won a match since the Australian Open and I think she's forgot how to win.

Cibulkova v Bondarenko - gave a very good account of herself in Amelia Island, but Bondarenko defeated Wozniacki and Safina and is classy on the clay. Could go all the way.


Order of play tomorrow
Monday 5th May 2008
STEFFI GRAF STADIUM
starts at 12:00 noon
[14] S Peer (ISR) vs [WC] S Lisicki (GER)
[16] N Petrova (RUS) vs K Srebotnik (SLO)
[WC] J Goerges (GER) vs [13] D Safina (RUS)
[11] A Radwanska (POL) vs [WC] A Kerber (GER)


COURT 1
starts at 11:00 am
D Cibulkova (SVK) vs [15] A Bondarenko (UKR)
Qualifying - J Craybas (USA) vs T Bacsinszky (SUI) To Be Finished 26 76(2) 55
M Sequera (VEN) vs [10] A Szavay (HUN)
[Q] Dzehalevich (BLR) vs [Q] A Bachmann (GER)
M Kirilenko (RUS) vs E Vesnina (RUS)


COURT 2
starts at 11:00 am
F Schiavone (ITA) vs A Cornet (FRA)
V Razzano (FRA) vs L Safarova (CZE)
K Bondarenko (UKR) vs T Paszek (AUT)
S Bammer (AUT) vs M Krajicek (NED)


COURT 3
starts at 11:00 am
[7] Z Yan (CHN) / J Zheng (CHN) vs N Llagostera Vives (ESP) / M Martinez Sanchez (ESP)
C Wozniacki (DEN) vs T Golovin (FRA)
[WC] C Dellacqua (AUS) / P Schnyder (SUI) vs M Koryttseva (UKR) / V Uhlirova (CZE)
E Hrdinova (CZE) / G Navratilova (CZE) vs T Poutchek (BLR) / A Rodionova (RUS)
S Peng (CHN) / T Sun (CHN) vs A Molik (AUS) / B Stewart (AUS)


COURT 4
starts at 1:00 pm
K Knapp (ITA) vs [Q] K Kanepi (EST)
P Parmentier (FRA) vs [Q] Y Chan (TPE)

You made some good calls, as Lisicki summarily disposed of the slumping Peer 7-5, 6-1 (a bit surprising still since Peer's titles have come on clay and she did string some wins together last week in Prague) and Bondarenko v Cibulkova has been stretched to a marathon third-set tiebreaker. Schiavone v Cornet, another tough opener, has gone to a decider also.

I've only just noticed that the J&S Cup in Warsaw is not on this year's calendar, having apparently come to an end. A shame as it seemed a solid event, with notable former champions including Conchita Martinez, Henin (twice), Venus, Clijsters and Mauresmo. Kuznetsova was of course the runner-up three years running (and as a result strangely has no clay titles to her name as yet, despite some big second-place finishes such as at RG and last year's Tier Is). Still, its absence means that there are now no red clay Tier IIs left on the tour, which seems rather amiss to me.

Experience has won out over youth, with Bondarenko besting Cibulkova 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(9), and Schiavone prevailing over Cornet 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Speaking of youth, home favourite Lisicki is probably likely to go another round further after her seeded upset, since she next faces an unimpressive-of-late Bammer and a declining Krajicek, who has yet to win a match all year, seemingly mired in early-2006 Jankovic mode.

On this surface, Schiavone is rather not the ideal opener for Serena, who will have to hit the ground running to keep her three-title winning streak intact.

Mind you, Krajicek has been very unlucky to come up against Cornet twice in the opening round on clay this year!

Petrova is leading 3-2 against Srebotnik, at the moment.

Tati is out in straight sets, I know one individual who will be very pleased with this result! ;)

Who could that be ;) roflmao

Even when she's out of the tourny i'm sure she'll get some exposure with 'Tati's World', that awful, awful program :rolleyes: roflmao

Yay - Petrova 4-1 up in the tie-break after 3h30

Petrova just scraped through 76(5) 36 76(2).

Well this is the last year their will be Tier II's on the WTA tour so it's not going to be a problem for long!

Next year Madrid will be the premier red clay tournament for the ladies then Rome and then Berlin so you could almost say Berlin will be Tier II from next year.

They did hold a round robin exhibition event at the same venue last week which Kuznetsova won, somewhat ironically!

I havn't seen that one Dl, sounds a hoot...:lol:

I did see one program with Tati rabitting on to Flavia Penetta about how she loves to make chocolate fondue, utter garbage... :rolleyes:

I think I'd rather have watched one of her matches... roflmao

yaaay Nadia P!!! :clap: I thought Tati was injured. Also heard that Amelie Mauresmo pulled out with an injury to her "intercoastal " muscle :blink: Anybody knowwhat that is? Hope she gets better. :ill:

It hasn't been on British Eurosport for a while but I remember watching it vaguely once and it was basically just her doing some shopping at some tourney (one of the Florida ones, I think) then she couldn't go somewhere because she didn't have the right passes. It was very profound.

Tati had a back injury and I think this is her first tourney since the Oz Open (maybe apart from Memphis).

Monday, May 5, 2008

Singles - First Round
(10) Agnes Szavay (HUN) d. Milagros Sequera (VEN) 62 30 ret. (right neck injury)
(11) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (WC) Angelique Kerber (GER) 60 53 ret. (right wrist injury)
(13) Dinara Safina (RUS) d. (WC) Julia Goerges (GER) 63 64
(WC) Sabine Lisicki (GER) d. (14) Shahar Peer (ISR) 75 61
(15) Alona Bondarenko (UKR) d. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 64 16 76(9)
(16) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) 76(5) 36 76(2)
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) d. Alizé Cornet (FRA) 75 46 63
Sybille Bammer (AUT) d. Michaella Krajicek (NED) 61 62
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. Tatiana Golovin (FRA) 76(4) 62
Lucie Safarova (CZE) d. Virginie Razzano (FRA) 64 75
Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) d. Tamira Paszek (AUT) 64 63
(Q) Kaia Kanepi (EST) d. Karin Knapp (ITA) 60 61
(Q) Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) d. Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 75 26 64
(Q) Angelika Bachmann (GER) d. (Q) Ekaterina Dzehalevich (BLR) 76(7) 36 63

Postponed due to darkness
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) is tied with Elena Vesnina (RUS) 26 75

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Steffi Graf Stadium (from 12.00hrs)
1. Bartoli vs. Safarova
2. Müller vs. Yan
3. Schiavone vs. S.Williams
4. Vaidisova vs. Dulko

Court 1 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Castaño vs. Voskoboeva
2. Kirilenko vs. Vesnina (tbc)
3. Dementieva vs. K.Bondarenko
4. Dushevina vs. Schnyder
5. Garbin vs. Medina Garrigues

Court 2 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Govortsova vs. Kleybanova
2. Peng vs. Craybas
3. Poutchek/Rodionova vs. Chan/Chuang
4. Camerin/Petrova vs. Bondarenko/Bondarenko
5. Goerges/Kerber vs. Jans/Rosolska

Court 3 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Amanmuradova vs. Rezai
2. Azarenka vs. Dellacqua
3. Safina/Vesnina vs. Amanmuradova/Voskoboeva
4. Dzehalevich/Govortsova vs. Kirilenko/A.Radwanska

All the 2nd round matches were won comfortably by the seeds. Probably Bartoli's best win since Paris.

Singles - Second Round
(5) Serena Williams (USA) d. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 62 63
(7) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 61 62
(8) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 60 63

Schnyder lost rather tamely to Dushevina and will drop down the rankings, as she reached the QF last year. Only other surprise is Rezai losing to Amanmuradova (it's going to take some time before I can remember how to spell her name!)

Singles - First Round
Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. (9) Patty Schnyder (SUI) 62 63
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Casey Dellacqua (AUS) 62 62
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 26 75 62
Yan Zi (CHN) d. (WC) Martina Müller (GER) 62 63
Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (Q) Jill Craybas (USA) 76(4) 57 60
(Q) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. Olga Govortsova (BLR) 60 60
(Q) Catalina Castaño (COL) d. (Q) Galina Voskoboeva (RUS) 62 62
(LL) Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) d. Aravane Rezai (FRA) 75 75

meanwhile Nicole's slump continues being dumped out by Dulko... :(

Yaaay Marion B.!!!

Nicole....Nicole...Nicole ......(nothing more to say .. :unsure: )

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Steffi Graf Stadium (from 12.00hrs)
1. Peng vs. Jankovic
2. Amanmuradova vs. Ivanovic
3. Henin vs. Chan
4. Kuznetsova vs. Castaño

Court 1 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Azarenka vs. Chakvetadze
2. Lisicki vs. Bammer
3. Petrova vs. Kirilenko
4. Yan vs. Szavay

Court 2 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Kleybanova vs. Dushevina
2. Dulko vs. Wozniacki
3. Radwanska vs. Bachmann
4. Lisicki/Woehr vs. Medina Garrigues/Ruano Pascual

Court 3 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Kanepi vs. Safina
2. Medina Garrigues vs. A.Bondarenko
3. Krajicek/Müller vs. Dushevina/Likhovtseva
4. Ji/S.Sun vs. Garbin/Voracova
5. Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez vs. Kirilenko/Radwanska

Court 4 (NB 13.00hrs)
1. Azarenka/Peer vs. Jans/Rosolska (after suitable rest)
2. Dulko/Jozami vs. Craybas/Grandin

Chakvetadze loses to Azarenka :unsure:

Jankovic bagels Peng in the second set :bread:

and Ivanovic through in straight sets against Amanmuradova

Henin dishes out a bagel in the first set :bread:

:yahoo: 3. Henin vs. Chan

:) Radwanska vs. Bachmann

:hug: 1. Peng vs. Jankovic

:coffee: Chakvetadze loses to Azarenka..

Thank goodness, we won't see anymore of Chokevetadze :rolleyes: this week, I mean why so many people are keen to celebrate mediocrity is beyond me... :shrug:

Hopefully on her way out of the top 10... :pray:

Singles - Second Round
(1) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (Q) Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) 60 62
(2) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) d. (LL) Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 76(0) 62
(3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (Q) Catalina Castaño (COL) 63 62
(4) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. Peng Shuai (CHN) 75 60
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (6) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 16 76(1) 64
(10) Agnes Szavay (HUN) d. Yan Zi (CHN) 61 61
(11) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (Q) Angelika Bachmann (GER) 61 61
(13) Dinara Safina (RUS) d. (Q) Kaia Kanepi (EST) 64 63
(15) Alona Bondarenko (UKR) d. Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 75 06 63
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. (16) Nadia Petrova (RUS) 63 63
Sybille Bammer (AUT) d. (WC) Sabine Lisicki (GER) 63 16 76(5)
Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 62 75
Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. (Q) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 62 46 63

beat me to it nevets :P

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Steffi Graf Stadium (from 12.00hrs)
1. Henin vs. Safina
2. A.Radwanska vs. S.Williams
3. Kirilenko vs. Jankovic
4. Bammer vs. Ivanovic

Court 1 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Dementieva vs. Dushevina
2. Kuznetsova vs. A.Bondarenko
3. Bartoli vs. Szavay
4. Black/Huber vs. Dushevina/Likhovtseva

Court 2 (from 12.30hrs)
1. Dulko vs. Azarenka
2. Peng/T.Sun vs. Lisicki/Woehr
3. Dulko/Jozami vs. Bondarenko/Bondarenko

Court 3 (from 12.30hrs)
1. Ji/S.Sun vs. Peschke/Stubbs
2. Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez vs. Poutchek/Rodionova
3. Safina/Vesnina vs. Dellacqua/Schnyder

Sorry ;)

Well, Dulko and Azarenka have really followed up on their good runs last week, as I surmised. But now they have to face each other, with a Tier I QF at stake. Should be interesting.

All the top women have made solid starts to their campaigns, which is good. A shame home favourite Lisicki couldn't close out Bammer - apparently she led 5-1 in the decider. Szavay is finding some form and I'd like to see her reach the quarters against Ivanovic to live up to her ranking at a Tier I, even though Bartoli is technically the higher seed. I wonder if upset-happy Radwanska will cause trouble for Serena.

Henin :wub: vs. Safina

A.Radwanska vs. S.Williams :wub:

Kuznetsova :wub: vs. A.Bondarenko

Matches have started already in Berlin :)

Henin vs. Safina is about to start

but Dementieva and Dushevina have been playing for an hour already, with Dementieva just taking the first set 7-5 :ok:

don't apologise - saves me work :P

Safina has just broken Henin in the first set of their match :unsure:

Dementieva wins her match in straight sets :ok:

Henin loses the second set to Safin 6-3 :o

:blink:

:unsure: ...Kutzy suffering in the 3rd..

Are the women trying to beat the guys in giving us shock defeats?

Kuzzy won the first set 6-1, the lost the second 2-6, and is now 4-1 down in the third. :yikes:

Henin won the first set 7-5, lost the second 3-6 and is now a break down in the third :huh:

umm...make that safina - force of habit :giggle:

Safina can be tricky sometimes.. :)

Justine and Sveta both a double break down in the final set now.... :yikes:

:lol: i hadnt noticed your mistake