TENNISRULZ.com - Sept.2003/Week 37
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WTA BACKSPIN by Todd Spiker
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BALI, INDONESIA (TIER III-Hard)
S: Elena Dementieva d. Chanda Rubin
D: Vento-Kabchi/Widjaja d. Loit/Pratt
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ZOMBIES, PUNCH-DRUNK & ME
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A dark day has descended upon the Backspin corner office.
No, Head Honcho Cantin hasn't decided to move the water cooler just outside
my door to a new position outside the door of that new upstart Maria's office
(the one with the Wonder Girl poster on the door) near the elevator.
Actually, it's time to say so long to a regular around these parts. If
you've been a loyal reader, you should know her well by now. Yes, I'm talking
about good ol' Punch-Drunk. You see, her burial ceremony took place on
Sunday.
Elena Dementieva's alter ego has been a good sport over the past year of
Backspin columns here at Tennisrulz. In fact, she might be your friendly
neighborhood columnist's class favorite. The apple of my eye. I've always
been able to count on Elena's dark side to surface just enough to provide a
vast collection of material to fill portions of this weekly feature on a
regular basis.
But something's happened this summer. Punch-Drunk has been incognito.
Instead, it's been the halo-crowned Punch-Sober who's been making the rounds
in her place on the WTA tour for months now. She first showed up in Amelia
Island back in April, then quickly went on a long hiatus. Now, though,
Punch-Sober appears to be back for good.
With Dementieva's second career title (and second of 2003) in Bali last
week, her career reaches a new level. She's now the top-ranked Russian once
again, looks well on her way to qualifying for the season-ending WTA
Championships, and is finally regularly flashing the talent that got her into
the US Open SF back in 2000.
The talent's always been there, of course, it's just been Dementieva's head
and frayed nerves that have betrayed her as she held onto her dubious
unoffical title -- "the OTHER Russian who's never won a singles title"-- for
far too long. She was 0-4 in finals in her career coming into this season.
In 2003, she's 2-0.
Her routine run to the Bali final, then her lethal 6-2, 6-1 thrashing of
Chanda Rubin on Sunday, though, was the backing up of the Amelia Island title
that everyone's been waiting patiently for. It could be that the career-long
tease is over, and Dementieva is about to reclaim her lost potential... and
that means Punch-Drunk must be laid to rest.
Of course, it's possible that ol' Punch-Drunk is fooling us all, and we
haven't seen the last of her. But if she ever does walk the earth again, it
will have to be in zombie form. She's been interred six feet under the court
in Bali where she bid her final adieu.
Thus, the formality of relegating her to the dustbin of history is now
complete. Yes, it's a sad day here at Backspin.
Punch-Drunk, you've been a valued companion to whom I hate to say goodbye.
But, alas, it's a chore that must be done. I'll try to embrace Punch-Sober.
She has her good qualities, for sure, but it just won't be the same. She
pales in comparison. You were so much more interesting.
So, I bid a fond farewell to you, Punch-Drunk... I just hope you'll drop by
on occasion to reminisce about old times.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Elena Dementieva
....confidence brimming, she has two titles (and counting).
RISER: Maria Vento-Kabchi
....as the fall beckons, Vento-Kabchi won't let go of her great summer. She
followed up her upset of Rubin at the US Open with another Top 20 win over
Conchita Martinez on her way to the Bali SF. Oh, and she won the doubles,
too.
SURPRISE: Saori Obata
....she's been posting some attention-getting results for a while this year,
but the 25-year old from Japan didn't reach her first career WTA SF until last
week in Bali.
VETERAN: Chanda Rubin
....Rubin had to go to the other side of the world to erase her nightmarish US
Open 1r exit, then she must have felt like she accidentally stepped into
Dementieva's personal dream in the Bali final. She might get another shot at
her this week, though (see below).
FRESH FACE: Ivana Abramovic
....the Croat qualified in Bali (knocking off Arantxa Parra), then upset
Emilie Loit in the 1r of the main draw.
DOWN: Jelena Dokic
....the 1r Bali loss to #100 Tathiana Garbin (Dokic's 3rd loss of the season
to a player ranked #100 or worse) was the ninth time she's lost her opening
match in a tournament this season. She's 20-24 for the year.
1.Bali Final - Dementieva d. Rubin
....6-2/6-1. So long, Punch-Drunk (sniffle). You've beaten me into
submission.
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2.Bali 1r - Tanasugarn d. Pratt
....6-0/6-0. Tanasugarn met the Thai King, then did THIS to Nicole Pratt.
This time she had every right to celebrate early.
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3.Bali 1r - Garbin d. Dokic
....if you're wondering how Dokic could drop from #4 to out of the Top 20 in
barely a year, just look at her '03 record against players ranked #80 or worse
(3-6) for a clue.
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4.Bali 2r - Vento-Kabchi d. Martinez
....it's been a long summer for Conchita.
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5.Bali 1r - Widjaja d. Safina
....it's been a long summer for Dinara, too. But her's has been a long AND
successful one.
**MULTIPLE WTA SINGLES TITLES**
7...Henin-Hardenne
6...Clijsters
4...S.Williams
2...Dementieva
2...Rubin
2...Myskina
2...Pistolesi
2...Serna
**RUSSIAN SINGLES TITLES**
2...Dementieva (A.Island,Bali)
2...Myskina (Doha,Sarasota)
1...Safina (Palermo)
1...Zvonareva (Bol)
SHANGHAI, CHINA; Sept.15-21
Tier II; Hardcourt Outdoor
2002 Final: Pistolesi d. Kournikova
2003 Top Seeds: (1)Dementieva & (2)Rubin
==============================
SF: Dementieva d. Safina; Rubin d. Molik
FINAL: Rubin d. Dementieva
....Punch-Drunk lives? No, it's only Chanda not wishing to be smashed in the
face by Punch-Sober's suddenly golden racket for a second straight week.
