Posts Tagged ‘Bank of the West Classic’
Serena’s Comeback Leads to Stanford Title
'It's Like a Drug, Winning. Once You Get It, You Never Want to Stop.'
STANFORD, CALIF. — She’s back. No two ways about it. And to think it only took 11 matches. Playing just her third tournament since her return from an injury layoff bookended by a pair of foot surgeries and hospitalization following a hematoma/pulmonary embolism, Serena Williams stepped back into the winner’s circle on Sunday, defeating Marion [...]
No. 169 Not! Serena Showing Elite Stuff at Stanford
American to Meet Bartoli In Bank of the West Classic Final
STANFORD, CALIF. – Seeing No. 169 next to your name can understandably be a bit awkward for a 13-time Grand Slam titlist who’s spent 123 weeks at No. 1. “It’s kind of funny to me,” laughed Serena Williams, who all but fell off the charts after almost a year away from the court due to [...]
Cibulkova Can’t Stomach Stanford Semis
Bank of the West Pullout Comes Just As Slovakian Was Finding Form
STANFORD, CALIF. — Marion Bartoli received a free pass to the Bank of the West Classic final on Saturday when Domonika Cibulkova pulled out with a left abdominal strain. The withdrawal is an especially unfortunate one for the wildcard entrant, who has been benefiting from a retooled game that has seen her reach quarterfinals or [...]
‘Psycho’ Serena Takes Down ‘Ultimate Enemy’
BOW Classic: Williams Maintains Dominance of Sharapova
STANFORD, CALIF. — It was akin to Ali lauding Frazier. McEnroe endorsing Connors. Tony Stewart ushering Kurt Busch to the checkered flag. Tracing a compelling rivalry that reaches all the way back to 2004, when a then 17-year-old Maria Sharapova outmuscled Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final, the relationship between the Russo-American tandem hasn’t exactly [...]
Lisicki Not Burdened By Great Expectations
Rising Power Server Into Bank of the West Classic Semifinals
STANFORD, CALIF. — Three promising Germans may not amount to one Steffi Graf, but the long-deprived European nation is undoubtedly enjoying its current tennis renaissance. With three women making noise in the top 30 — No. 11 Andrea Petkovic, No. 20 Julia Goerges and No. 26 Sabine Lisicki – Germany hasn’t seen results like these [...]
Bartoli: Mental, Physical Progress Years In Making
BOW Classic Semifinalist: 'Hard Work Starting to Pay Off'
STANFORD, CALIF. — As her recent Grand Slam results fully illustrate, No. 9-ranked Marion Bartoli is a new woman when it comes to improved physical conditioning. The two-hands-off-both-wings Frenchwoman survived three straight three-setters to reach the Roland Garros semis, where she was embraced by her countrymen, then reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for only the second [...]
Sharapova Survives
Russian Outlasts Hantuchova 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 In BOW Classic Thriller
STANFORD, CALIF. – When it comes to closing out matches, there’s no substitute for experience. It’s a high-value commodity. Some might even say priceless. In fact, Maria Sharapova — who’s carved out a comfortable living putting away opponents in her nine years on tour — recently deemed it just that.
Bagel, Anyone?: Serena Soars at BOW Classic
Williams Anything But Rusty In 6-0, 6-0 Blanking of Rodionova
STANFORD, CALIF. — Earlier this week, a surgically repaired Maria Sharapova said her comeback trail has been filled with “a lot of zigzags.” Serena Williams can relate. While the 13-time Grand Slam titlist — who currently owns an out-of-place/out-of-character ranking of No. 169 — says she’s not ready to put a label on her own [...]
Azaraneka Snares First Title of 2010
Belarusian Too Much for Spent Sharapova in Bank of the West Final
STANFORD, CALIF. — Call it a belated birthday gift. A day after turning 21, Victoria Azarenka captured her first title of 2010, breaking Maria Sharapova six times in a 6-4, 6-1 victory at the Bank of the West Classic.
Imperfect Sharapova Reaches Fourth Final of Year
Russian to Face Azarenka for Bank of the West Title
STANFORD, CALIF. – We can’t say we weren’t warned. It was Marion Bartoli who cautioned us, “If you have a Sharapova-Azarenka match, you better come up with some earplugs.” If you’ve got a pair, it looks like it’s time to break them out. And bring a decibel meter while you’re at it.