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Shanghai
TENNISRULZ.com
- Sept.2003/Week 38
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WTA BACKSPIN! by Todd Spiker
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HONOR THY ELENA
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SHANGHAI, CHINA (TIER II-Hard)
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S: Elena Dementieva d. Chanda Rubin 6-3,7-6
D: Loit/Pratt d. Sugiyama/Tanasugarn
Amazing what a little confidence can do, isn't it?
Elena Dementieva celebrated last week's Bali buriel of Punch-Drunk by renting
a cement mixer and placing just a little more concrete between her past and
present (as well as future). Suddenly, all the dormant talk about her
"potential" is front of mind all over again.
In 2001, Dementieva made the final in Moscow (losing to Jelena Dokic). But
that was that OTHER Elena. As long as fatigue doesn't get the best of her,
might she finally be able to make a title-winning run in her hometown after
taking time off this week? The wrong could be there to be righted, and
Dementieva's form couldn't be much better than it is right now.
That'll be the new Dementieva's next test. Winning in Asia is great, but can
she do it with the pressure of the eyes of Muscovites on her? A few weeks ago,
the answer would have been a decisive no. Now? Well... maybe.
If she can win again, we might have to give her yet another nickname:
SuperElena.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Elena Dementieva
....and now it's THREE titles and counting
RISING: Anca Barna
....the 26-year old German's late-blooming continued in China as she knocked out
Cho and Harkleroad en route to the QF.
SURPRISE: Akiko Morigami
....she elbowed both Conchita Martinez and Alicia Molik out of her way as she
reached the SF.
VETERAN: Chanda Rubin
....sure, she lost to Dementieva again. But she's made back-to-back finals, and
that shouldn't be overlooked.
FRESH FACE: Maria Sharapova
....the Supernova burns again. Maybe not as brightly as at Wimbledon, but at
least she avenged her US Open loss to Loit.
DOWN: Conchita Martinez
....it's been a wicked summer. Maybe the age IS finally starting to show after
some nice work with mirrors early in the season.
1.Final - Dementieva def. Rubin
....the second time is just as nice. For Elena, anyway.
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2.1r - Sharapova def. Loit
....that'll teach her for taking away Maria's would-be spotlight in New York.
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3.QF - Dementieva def. Sharapova
....at the moment, there's another Russian soaring even higher and shining
brighter than the Supernova. Dementieva would have surely lost this match
earlier this season.
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HM-2r - Safina def. Dokic
....it's a "Backspin Sing-a-Long" selection, Motown category. All together
now... "it's the same -- dut,dut,dut -- old song"... for poor Jelena
**MOST WTA SINGLES TITLES**
7...Justine Henin-Hardenne
6...Kim Clijsters
4...Serena Williams
3...Elena Dementieva
**BEST WIN PCT. IN FINALS (3+)**
100%...Elena Dementieva (3-0)
87.5%..Justine Henin-Hardenne (7-1)
80%....Serena Williams (4-1)
**WON BACK-TO-BACK TITLES**
April - M.Serna (Estoril/Budapest)
Jul/Aug - A.Pistolesi (Sopot/Helsinki)
Sept - E.Dementieva (Bali/Shanghai)
**RUSSIANS IN 2003 WTA FINALS**
3-0...Elena Dementieva
2-0...Anastasia Myskina
1-0...Vera Zvonareva
1-0...Dinara Safina
0-1...Lina Krasnoroutskaya
0-1...Elena Likhovtseva
LEIPZIG, GERMANY
(II-Supreme)
2002 Final: S.Williams d. Myskina
2003 Top Seeds: Clijsters(1) & JHH(2)
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SF: Clijsters d. Myskina; Henin-Hardenne d. Farina Elia
FINAL: Clijsters d. Henin-Hardenne
....It's not a slam or a Tier I, so it's safe for Kim to go back into the
water. But if Justine is going to truly stake an early claim on the #1 ranking
this fall, Leipzig is a golden opportunity to create an even more effective
mental block in the mind of the so-called #1.
-------------------------------
COMING SOON:
BACKSPIN SEPTEMBER QUIZ (the 3rd Quarter)
Visit the Kim Clijsters page
here
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