by Matt De Marco

Hello again everyone! I have decided to do some player reviews to keep all of us avid fans up to speed and excited for 2004!

My first review is Marion Bartoli!

This 19 year old Frenchwoman certainly got some "followers" this year. Let's take a look at her amazing year!

Marion's first accomplishment of the year was cracking the world's Top 100! She certainly came a long way in a short time when her debut ranking was 993 at the end of 1999!

Soon after that, Marion went "Down Under" to play Canberra. As a qualifier she stunned world number 46 (at the time) Laura Granville en route

to the semifinals where she was defeated. What a start to the year for Marion!

When her great run at Canberra ended, she went to Melbourne for Australia's biggest sporting event.......the AUSTRALIAN OPEN!!!!! Marion battled hard but her Australian "swing" ended with a first round loss to number 11 seed Maggie Maleeva!

Australia was in the past and Bartoli was anxiously awaiting her country's first big event. The Paris Indoors attracted such players as Serena Williams and Amelie Mauresmo so this wasn't just a minor event. Marion again lost in the first round but something amazing happened. After she lost, Marion picked up the torch in doubles with countrywoman Stephanie Cohen-Aloro. As a wildcard team, they beat the odds and reached the finals where they lost to number 3 seeds Schett and Schnyder. They came daringly close but lost 2-6 6-2 7-6. It was here in Paris that Marion proved she was a threat to not only singles but also doubles.

The next week she jetted off to the States where she tried to qualify for Scottsdale. She failed but once again she threatened the doubles title with Cohen-Aloro but lost in the semifinals. She stayed in the U.S. where she played the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California. She once again had to qualify but this time she succeeded. In the first round she dismantled Henrieta Nagyova 6-1 6-4 but in the second round she ran into a determined Chanda Rubin and lost 6-3 6-4. All in all it was a good couple of weeks but I personally think the next week was her best tournament so far in her young career.

This time it was off to Miami for the Nasdaq 100 Open. As she had done most of the year she had to qualify. She was victorious and in the first round she was pitted against a talented lefty American, Ally Baker. Bartoli surely made the best of her qualification as she was ruthless in a 6-0 6-0 demolitition of Baker. Suddenly, America was aware of this talented teen with a booming double fisted forehand/backhand combination. In the second round, Marion was to play Australian lucky loser, Evie Dominikovic. It was a thrilling encounter but in the end it was Bartoli with more enegry as she won 4-6 7-6 6-1. So now, the world knew she was talented and also very durable! In the third round, the Miami crowd was treated to a match between two women who people thought really shouldn't be there. Marion was playing a strong tactical game as she beat Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, 6-2 7-5. Wow! This girl can really play but surely Lindsay Davenport will put an end to her amazing run.....won't she? Yes, Lindsay Davenport was the seventh seed, former runner up, and former world number 1 but Bartoli found a way to win. Lindsay Davenport had had an injury plagued 2002 and this time she did it again. She retired after Marion bagelled her in the first set. Reaching the quarterfinals of a Tier 1 event was incredible but Marion wanted to take that one step further, but to do that she'd have to go through World number 1 Serena Williams! Marion went into the match with a positive attitude but in the end it was 6-2 6-1 in favor of Serena. After the match, Serena praised Marion and said that she would definitley watch out for her in the future. Could it get better for Marion? Let's see!

Marion was back at it a week later in Sarasota, Florida for the clay court event. Marion qualified beating Bammer, Obata, and Callens and reaching the main draw where she was drawn against former world number 3 Mary Pierce. Marion gave it a good effort but Mary was to strong in a 6-4 6-2 win. As Marion has done for most of her events, she rebounded in doubles. Playing with Evie Dominikovic, they beat Elena Dementieva and Lina Krasnoroutskaya 6-1 4-6 6-3. In the quarterfinals, Els Callens got her revenge on Marion as she and Emilie Loit beat Marion and Evie 6-4 6-4.

After that, Marion travelled to Charleston where she qualified but was upset by fellow qualifier Tathiana Garbin. After Charlseton, Marion went back to Florida to play the prestigous Amelia Island event. She made it into the first round where lost 7-5 6-0 to Venzuelan qualifier Maria Vento Kabchi. She then TRIED to start her doubles tournament but her and Evie Dominikovic withdrew due to injury before their match against Rennae Stubbs and Jelena Dokic.

Marion's American season ended and it was off to Europe for the Italian Open at Foro Italico! She withdrew from the singles due to a lower leg strain but she was a trooper as she prevailed until the quarterfinals in doubles with Maja Matevzic where they lost. Her European schedule returned to her homeland at Strasbourg on red clay. She beat countrywoman Celine Beigbeider 7-6 6-1. Then she played an inspired Lina Krasnoroutskaya winning 7-6 3-6 7-5 in a dazzling display of athleticism. In the quarterfinals, Vera Zvonareva was just too strong for Marion and she trounced her 6-2 6-1. Her tournament wasn't over though. She and Caroline Dhenin reached the doubles quarters by defeating Ashley Harkleroad and Marissa Irvin 6-3 6-4. In the quarters they were defeated by Zvonareva and Krasnoroutskaya 6-1 4-6 6-4.

After Strasbourg Marion dashed across the country to Paris where France's biggest tennis event was held at Roland Garros! This tournament seemed to be Marion's downfall of late. The past two years she lost to Ai Sugiyama and Catalina Castano, both of whom she could have beaten. Although, there was a sense around the stadium that Marion was destined to do well. In the first round Marion finally got past her "demons" and beat Rossana Neffa-De-Los Rios and she was so happy! In the next round she went into her match with an admirable never say die attitude. The bad thing is, she was playing someone who has perfected this attitude over the past 11 years......Jennifer Capriati. Jenny beat Marion but it was a valuable lesson for Bartoli and in the end she had a great couple of days in her home stadium which no doubt she will one day rule!

Roland Garros was a very good experience for Marion but soon after she had to "report" to Birmingham, England in preparation for Wimbledon. Not a lot was expected from her but she certainly stamped on that one! She reached the quarterfinals by defeating Emilie Loit before losing to number 1 seed Elena Dementieva in three sets. In her last match before Wimbledon, Marion lost to Amelie Mauresmo in s'Hertogenbosch in the 1st round.

Wimbledon was staring right at Marion but could she take that oppurtunity? Not right then she didn't. The big stage got to Bartoli as she was beaten 6-4 6-1 by Daniela Hantuchova. But guess what? Marion still had the doubles. Pairing up with Myriam Casanova, they defeated Pratt and Tulyaganova 6-4 3-6 6-4 in the 1st round. In the second round, experience beat adolescence as Janette Husarova and 1994 Wimbledon champ Conchita Martinez beat them 6-2 7-6. Not bad for a debut Wimbledon!!

Marion took a week off before returning back to North America for the summer hard court season. Her first event was the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford, California. In the first round, Marion beat hometown favorite Laura Granville ( second time that year) 6-4 4-6 6-3. In the second round she played her French Open conqueror Jennifer Capriati. This time it was much closer but in the end it was Capriati who came up with the goods as she won 6-2 4-6 6-1. In the doubles, Bartoli was seeded number 3 along with Alina Jidkova. In the first round they took out the Canadian/American pair of Soukup-Zahalk and Snyder 6-4 6-3. In the quarterfinals they were beaten by the eventual finalists Cho and Schiavone 3-6 6-3 6-4. The hard court season looked promising for young Bartoli.

Once again Marion took a week off before returning in full force in San Diego reaching the 3rd round. She defeated Irvin and Shaughnessy before losing to Kim Clijsters. After San Diego she flew off to L.A. where she had to retire in her first round match against Tara Snyder due to a right elbow strain and heat illness. Oh no!

Never fear said Marion as she came up to Canada! In her first round she crushed qualifier Dally Randriantefy 6-0 6-1. In the second round she faced Justine Henin-Hardenne. Bartoli put up great resistance in both sets before succumbing to the eventual champion! In doubles, Bartoli took to the court with Daja Bedanova and they put up a great effort before losing to Dokic and Morariu 7-5 7-5. Where to next?

New Haven Conneticut is the site of the 2003 Pilot Pen tennis tournament. Marion played only doubles here and she was successful! Playing with Myriam Casanova ( these two are stars for the doubles future as well as singles), in the first round they beat Dechy and Loit 6-4 3-6 6-2. All was good in the quarters as they whipped Bedanova and Reeves 6-0 6-3. The semifinals may well have been the best doubles match of the tournament. Bartoli and Myriam played well only to lose to Alicia Molik and Magui Serna 5-7 7-5 6-4. The US Open was looking good for Marion but did she do well?

Yes and no! Again Dani Hantuchova defeated Marion by losing 5 games and putting a stop to Marions US Open repeat 3rd round dreams. All was not lost though as you probably guessed it.....she played doubles! Marion and Myriam started their US Open with a 6-4 5-7 6-4 win over 11th seeds Gagliardi and Shaughnessy. In the second round Bartoli and Casanova displayed major courage in the second set tiebreak winning the contest over Beygelzimer and Poutchek 6-3 7-6. The third round looked perilous for the young Europeans. They were to take on 6th seeded Russians Dementieva and Krasnoroutskaya. Bartoli had beaten them before so she lead the way with a 4-6 6-1 6-3 nailbiter over the Russians. In the quarterfinals Bartoli and Myriam were expected to be exhausted but that wasn't the case at all as they romped through Vento-Kabchi and Widjaja 6-2 6-2. The US Open was now becoming a dream tournamnet and Bartoli and Casanova were the dream team! The semifinals looked even more dangerous as they took on Kuznetsova and 9 time doubles winner Martina Navratilova. It was a great match but experience shone through with the Russian/American duo winning 6-4 7-6! Now, Bartoli's US Open was over but she surely would be back and look for a title next year!

After New York Marion rushed back to Europe for the indoor season. Her first stop was Leipzig, Germany. She didn't play singles but of course played doubles, this time with Jelena Dokic. In the first round they narrowly defeated Serna and Shaughnessy 6-2 7-6. In the second round they faced much tougher competition, escaping Maleeva and Schnyder 6-2 3-6 7-5. In the semifinals they had nothing left and lost easily to Bartoli's US Open conquerors Kuznetsova and Navratilova, 6-3 6-1

Marion stayed in Germany to play the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt. She tried to qualify and defeated Amy Frazier before losing to Fabiola Zuluaga. Doubles was still happening though! Playing with Casanova in the first round they defeated Bartoli's countrywomen, Cohen-Aloro and Dhenin 7-6 6-3. In the quarterfinals Marion and Myriam got some revenge by defeating Conchita Martinez, who beat them at Wimbledon, and Paola Suarez in a gritty encounter. The young ones beat the veterans 6-3 6-7 7-5! In the semifianls, Casanova was injured and gave Raymond and Stubbs a walkover due to right forearm tendonitis. It was a bad way to END the week but a great tournament all in all!

Off to Austria she went! She played a tough first round match beating Canadian qualifier Sonya Jeyaseelan 6-4 4-6 7-6. The next day she just had nothing left against her Strasbourg foe Vera Zvonareva as she lost 6-2 6-3. She did however have enough to play doubles. In the first round, Marion and partner Silvia Farina Elia defeated Schett and Schnyder, the number 4 seeds, 5-7 6-3 6-0, giving Marion her revenge on the two opponents, the ones who took away her first chance at a title :) ! The quarterfinals were extremely easy as the French Italian duo saw off the Austrian German combo of Haidner and Jerabek 6-2 6-2. They weren't supposed to win the semis but an injury from Petrova sent Marion and Silvia into the finals. Unfortunately they were beaten by Sugiyama and Liezel Huber 6-1 7-6 but Marion formed a strong bond with Silvia which was the best part!

Marions last tournament of the year was in Quebec City! It was a sad ending to an amazing year but Marion was eliminated by world number 91, Milagros Sequera in the quarterfinals.