TENNISRULZ.com - June 2003

WTA BACKSPIN! - MAY QUIZ (compiled by Pierre Cantin)

Well it is my honour to do this month's edition of the quiz to give a well deserved rest to our own Todd Spiker. And also, it's a good chance to know how much HE really knows:) He will surely give out results in his next edition. The subject of this quiz actually does not go back that much, as it is all from the last season on the WTA tour. Now you're probably smiling now, only one year ago... ? Well then go ahead and prove me how much you remember and what details did you pay attention to? Reading Todd's columns helped for some questions if you have a good memory, so anyway best of luck to all of you:)

 

THE QUESTIONS

1.Which of these players received a wildcard and ended up winning the singles title during the 2002 season?
a.Eleni Daniilidou
b.Svetlana Kuznetsova
c.Dinara Safina
d.Fabiola Zuluaga
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2.Obviously, not only the Williams sisters were able to put their name on some trophies and many new players rose a cup for the first time of their careers. Which of these countries did not have a first time winner of a WTA singles title in 2002?
a.Slovakia
b.Switzerland
c.Russia
d.USA
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3.Name the Italian player who improved by a remarkable 194 ranking spots in 2002?
a.Maria-Elena Camerin
b.Tathiana Garbin
c.Flavia Pennetta
d.Antonella Serra-Zanetti
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4.Who played the final opposing the oldest set of players (adding up both ages) - hint.. it happened in the closing stages of the year?
a.Anna Pistolesi vs Jennifer Capriati
b.Lindsay Davenport vs Magdalena Maleeva
c.Lindsay Davenport vs Martina Navratilova
d.Monica Seles vs Chanda Rubin
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5.Which of these players did not get double-baggled (to lose 6-0, 6-0) in 2002?
a.Ashley Harkleroad
b.Mirjana Lucic
c.Mary Pierce
d.Antonella Serra-Zanetti
e.Marlene Weingartner
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6.How many times did a player win both singles and doubles in 2002?
a.3
b.5
c.7
d.9
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7.Which of thse countries won the most singles titles?
a.France
b.Slovakia
c.Spain
d.Switzerland
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8.True or false. Serena only defended one title in 2002 from her 2001 wins
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9.How many players were able to set up a 15 match winning streak?
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10.Which of these players was not born in Canada?
a.Nathalie Dechy
b.Amelie Mauresmo
c.Jana Nejedly
d.Mary Pierce
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BONUS QUESTION:  In what was one of the biggest surprises in Fed Cup history, the USA was eliminated by who?:
1.Australia
2.Austria
3.Denmark
4.Spain
5.Sweden
 

ANSWERS (1 point for each correct answer

1.D.  Fabiola Zuluaga won the Bogota tournament in 2002 as wildcard, the only player to accomplish suich a feat other than Myriam Casanova
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2.D.  Surprising but with 22 titles (second country has 6), USA did not even have one new champion!
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3.C.  That would be Flavia Pennetta, one of the most improved players of the WTA in 2002 as only Zvonareva, Safina, Casanova, Kuznetsova and Zuluaga improved more!
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4.B.  That would be Magdalena Maleeva (27) and Lindsay Davenport (26), who played in the Kremlin Cup final!
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5.A.  Ashley Harkleroad is the only one of those players who did not face such a humiliating feeling. She did however get to see the other side as she defeated Marlene Weingartner 6-0, 6-0 in Bratislava.
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6.C.  7 times... Jelena Dokic, Serena Williams, Patrica Wartusch, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Serena again, Maja Matevzic and Kim Clijsters.
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7.D.  Switzerland! As Martina Hingis (2), Myriam Casanova, Marie-Gainieh Mikaelian and Patty Schnyder contributed to the 5 titles.
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8.Falso.  In fact, Serena did not defend even one title in 2002!
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9.1.  It was done twice..but by the same player, Serena of course!
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10.A.  Amelie Mauresmo was not born in Canada, while all three others were (even though 2 play for France).
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BONUS QUESTION:  USA was stunned by Austria!

 

SCORING

9-11...Time to prepare a speech for your Tennis Hall of Fame induction
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7-8...Time to ask for a wild card into your local tournament
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5-6...Time to spend more time on the practice courts
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3-4...Time to get a new sports psychologist, or ponder early retirement
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1-2...a conceptually impossible feat



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COMING IN JUNE:  The return of Todd Spiker with more very tough questions?

Previous Quiz Links:

March 2003, April 2003, May 2003