Tourney pages: Canadian Open: 2005 - 2004 previous other tourney pages next   WTA Aug 11-17 Rogers AT&T Cup, Toronto, CAN Tier I $1,325,000 - 56 players - outdoor: hard draws & schedule .pdf Live Scores? schedule - results - draw, .html a few post-match interviews weather radar s1 # 1 Kim Clijsters s2 # 3 Justine Henin-Hardenne s3 # 6 Amelie Mauresmo s4 # 9 Daniela Hantuchova

Toronto: #2 Justine Henin-Hardenne 5' 5¾", 126 lbs, RH, 1H-BH Toronto: #38 Lina Krasnoroutskaya 5' 8½", 130 lbs, RH, 2H-BH

    Justine d Russia: - In Sunday's Rogers AT&T Cup Final in Toronto, 21-year-old 2nd seed Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium defeated 19-year-old # 38 Lina Krasnoroutskaya of Russia 6-1, 6-0 to win her 6th WTA singles title of 2003 (Justine is shown in the final, Lina is shown in her SF victory). Justine served 9 aces in her victory; although Lina never gave up, even fighting back from triple break point to win her only game (and avoid the dreaded double bagel), she was no match for Justine today.

    Justine said: "[The Russians] are pretty similar. They all playing the same type of game, hitting the ball very hard. So it was good for myself that I had to play four Russians in a row. I was getting used to the rhythm and that was good for my game... they're very strong on the tour. It's unbelievable. They're all very young and they're playing good tennis. They're good fighters. So it's good for them...
    "[Lina] played great tennis this week and she's very young. So I think that she's going to improve her ranking, her game. But she's very talented, you know."
    Asked how her game differs from the Russians', Justine said: "It's totally different. I just try to mix it up a little bit more. I have my slice. I like to go to the net a little bit. I can play heavy balls. I'm not hitting on every point the ball very hard, but I just try to change my game a little bit... They all have a great backhand, two hands. I have a one-hand backhand, so it's different." interview

    Lina said: "It was really hard for me to play against Justine today, because she's playing that kind of tennis that I don't like... something like men's tennis with a lot of spins, the ball goes just back to you and... you're going back with it. So it was just a little bit difficult for me." interview

    Lina was the 4th Russian player in a row that Justine has defeated, which may be good practice for a possible Belgium v Russia Fed Cup final in November. It was Lina's 1st WTA singles final, and her opponent's 20th: Justine is now 12-8 in WTA singles finals. They had met only once before, in the QFs of the French Open in 2001; Justine won, 6-1, 6-2.
    Justine was pleased to be closing the large gap between herself and the # 1 and # 2 positions: before this tourney she trailed # 2 Serena Williams by 988 points, and # 1 Kim Clijsters by 1032 points. In the Aug. 18th rankings, Justine had gained 300 points on each of them: she is now just 688 behind Serena, and 732 behind Kim. Justine will likely be # 2 after the US Open, and has a shot at # 1.

    The Toronto draw included 12 qualifiers and 4 wild cards. 16 players were seeded, but only the top 8 got 1st-round byes. There were 3 rounds before the QFs.
    To select only this tournament's photos on Yahoo!, try Rogers AT&T; strangely enough, on Yahoo! if you just search for "tennis" you will miss quite a few photos. There are some great offcourt photos at this week's WTA Photo Gallery.

    Did you know?: While Kim Clijsters is # 1, any player defeating her, at any tourney other than grand slams, will receive 100 bonus "quality points" in her ranking (at grand slams, players get double the quality points for defeating other players). Also, players defeating # 2 get 75 points, those defeating # 3 get 66 points, and so on down a sliding scale. Lina Krasnoroutskaya's 100 point bonus for defeating Kim, plus the other points she earned in this tourney, raiseed her to # 27 in the Aug. 18th rankings, the highest rank of her career. See the .pdf "How Rankings Work" if you would like to examine the intricacies of the WTA's ranking system. Note: quality points were abolished in 2006

WTA SCOREBOARD: Toronto s=seed, #=rank, *=upset, LL=lucky loser ranks are for the previous week How do players get into the "draw"? From Toronto's WTA Photo Gallery: photo links may not function; in Jan 2004 the WTA discarded their original photo gallery Kim Clijsters Jelena Dokic & Barbara Schett Justine Henin-Hardenne Daniela Hantuchova Corina Morariu & Cara Black Maria Sharapova Elena Bovina Janette Husarova, Paola Suarez, Virginia Ruano Pascual, & Magui Serna Lina Krasnoroutskaya

Toronto, 1st Round, Monday: #15 s9 Elena Dementieva RUS d #45 Alicia Molik AUS 6-3, 7-6(7) #16 s10 Vera Zvonareva RUS d #53 Barbara Schett AUS 6-1, 7-6(3) *#43 Katarina Srebotnik SLO d #20 s11 Silvia Farina Elia ITA 6-4, 7-5 #31 Magui Serna ESP d #50 Tina Pisnik SLO 7-5, 6-3 *#58 Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP d #33 Laura Granville USA 63 63 #35 Fabiola Zuluaga COL d #162 q Meilen Tu USA 6-3, 6-2 #48 Marion Bartoli FRA s #84 q Dally Randriantefy MAD 6-1, 6-0 #49 Emilie Loit FRA d #259 wc Melanie Marois CAN 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2 *#80 q Saori Obata JPN d #56 Shinobu Asagoe JPN 7-5, 6-4 #59 Virginie Razzano FRA d #93 q Arantxa Parra ESP 6-2, 6-4 *#73 q Angelique Widjaja INA d #65 Emmanuelle Gagliardi SUI 6-2, 6-2 #82 LL Janette Husarova SVK d #96 q Maria Elena Camerin ITA 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 #76 q Jill Craybas USA d #123 wc Maureen Drake CAN 6-3, 6-1 Toronto, 1st Round, Tuesday: #21 s12 Elena Bovina RUS d #55 Maria Sanchez Lorenzo ESP 6-2, 6-4 #22 s14 Nadia Petrova RUS d #63 Marlene Weingartner GER 60 60 #24 s15 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #37 Tamarine Tanasugarn THA 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 *#38 Lina Krasnoroutskaya RUS d #25 s13 Eleni Daniilidou GRE 6-0, 3-6, 7-5 #26 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #110 q Alina Jidkova RUS 7-5, 6-3 *#32 Paola Suarez ARG d #27 s16 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS 6-4 7-6(1) #36 Elena Likhovtseva RUS d #54 Maria Sharapova RUS 7-6(4), 6-1 #52 Cara Black ZIM d #66 Rita Grande ITA 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 #57 q Nicole Pratt AUS d #347 q Beier Ko CAN 6-1, 6-3 #69 wc Mary Pierce FRA d q #86 Maria Vento-Kabchi VEN 6-1, 6-1     Mary said: "It could have been a difficult match because Maria's been playing really well lately, so I just tried to be sure to be really concentrated and focused and not underestimate her or take her lightly. I really felt good. I think the court and the balls really suit my game really well... I like slow courts and heavy balls. So, basically, the court is pretty slow, bounces really high, the balls are pretty heavy and just the weather is humid, I guess it's more or less what I'm used to." interview *#150 q Mashona Washington USA d #144 wc Marie-Eve Pelletier CAN 6-2, 5-7, 7-5

Toronto, 2nd Round, Tuesday: *#31 Magui Serna ESP d #11 s6 Magdalena Maleeva BUL 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 #14 s7 Amanda Coetzer RSA d #80 q Saori Obata JPN 7-6(1), 6-4 #17 s8 Jelena Dokic YUG d #73 q Angelique Widjaja INA 6-4, 6-4     Jelena said: "I think I had a slow start. But after that I played well. She's not easy to play against. And, you know, the courts were a little different from the last few weeks... The colour is different, first of all. But it's a little slower than last week's and the balls are different, also, a little bit heavier, but everything is different. It's a completely different place and it's very humid here." interview Toronto, 2nd Round, Wednesday: #2 s1 Kim Clijsters BEL d #26 Francesca Schiavone ITA 6-1, 6-2 #3 s2 Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL d #48 Marion Bartoli FRA 6-3, 6-3 #6 s3 Amelie Mauresmo FRA d #36 Elena Likhovtseva RUS 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 #9 s4 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #76 q Jill Craybas USA 6-1, 6-2     Daniela said: "I was really pleased with the way I played today. And it's always nice to have a match like this at the beginning of the tournament, which gave me a lot of confidence and I felt really good out there today.     "...the balls are a little bit heavier than we played with the week before and also two weeks ago. But it's just the way it is and we just have to get used to it... I like playing on the centre. I have really nice memories playing Jennifer there two years ago. So it was great to be back there." interview #10 s5 Anastasia Myskina RUS d #57 q Nicole Pratt AUS 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4     Anastasia said: "I didn't really feel good because it was kind of really hot today. And I was dizzy in the first couple of sets, but then I fought back and I did my best make it...     "...[Nicole is a] really good player. She's always fighting for every point. So I knew it was going to be really tough from the first chance. But I kind of didn't know there was going to be three sets and I would be down 6-3, 5-1...     "My coach [Jens Gerlach] left. He was really mad that I was down and I just said that I have to win because I don't want to make him even more angry. So with everything, that I'm going to go home, that I'm going to quit with tennis, I'm not going to go on the court anymore in my life. So there was a lot of things in my mind, everything...     "...it's always when you're losing you don't want to play; you hate tennis. But as soon as you win, everything is really good and nice." interview #15 s9 Elena Dementieva RUS d #82 LL Janette Husarova SVK 6-1, 6-1 #16 s10 Vera Zvonareva RUS d #150 q Mashona Washington USA 6-1, 6-1 #21 s12 Elena Bovina RUS d #52 Cara Black ZIM 6-3, 6-2 #22 s14 Nadia Petrova RUS d #58 Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) *#35 Fabiola Zuluaga COL d #24 s15 Nathalie Dechy FRA 6-2, 7-5 #32 Paola Suarez ARG d #69 wc Mary Pierce FRA 6-4, 7-5 #38 Lina Krasnoroutskaya RUS d #59 Virginie Razzano FRA 6-3, 6-2 #43 Katarina Srebotnik SLO d #49 Emilie Loit FRA 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

Toronto, 3rd Round, Thursday: *#38 Lina Krasnoroutskaya RUS d #2 s1 Kim Clijsters BEL 1-6, 6-4, 6-1     Lina said: "I wasn't really nervous, because I played a lot against [Kim] when we played juniors. And actually I didn't have anything to lose, because she's number one now. And I was just going there to play, you know. And I just did it...     "...for my confidence, I think it's a good win for me, because it's some kind of different game when you play top 10 players. And it's like, another level. So it shows me that I can be there and I can play against them and beat them. That's nice for me." interview     Kim said: "I just don't think that I had the right preparation. Especially with the traveling. But I decided to play [this tournament]. I think today was just one match too much. I just ran out of batteries in the second and the third...     "I think, also, Lina played a really good third set. She played very clean and was hardly making any mistakes." interview #3 s2 Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL v #22 s14 Nadia Petrova RUS 6-3, 7-5     Justine said: "...[Nadia] can play at a high level for sure. She's serving very well, you know, especially in the second set. But I returned so well at the end of the match, I think she was frustrated, too, with my returns. And then she didn't give me a lot of rhythm, so it was hard for me to find my game. But, no, I'm happy because these kind of matches are always hard to win and I did tonight, so it's good." interview #6 s3 Amelie Mauresmo FRA d #35 Fabiola Zuluaga COL 6-4, 6-2 *#32 Paola Suarez ARG d #9 s4 Daniela Hantuchova SVK 6-2, 6-0 *#15 s9 Elena Dementieva RUS d #10 s5 Anastasia Myskina RUS 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 *#21 s12 Elena Bovina RUS d #14 s7 Amanda Coetzer RSA 6-2, 6-1 #16 s10 Vera Zvonareva RUS d #17 s8 Jelena Dokic YUG 6-3, 6-2     Vera said: "I was serving really good today, so it was tough for [Jelena] to get the game on my serve. I think she was a little bit in a rush because she knew that she has to keep her serve or she's going to lose the set and match. So maybe she didn't play her best tennis compared to the last year. Maybe she lost a little bit of confidence, but as soon as she works hard to win a couple matches, she will get it back... I think she really improved her tennis since a couple of months ago and I think she's getting that back. By the end of the year... maybe she will get back in top 10." interview     Jelena said: "[Vera] played well. I couldn't break her at the beginning... generally I didn't play so well. She kept me back, she kept on hitting the ball well and I couldn't do very much... she runs well, too... I think she hit two second serves in the whole match.     "My game's getting better. The first six months, I didn't even play close to this. I really didn't play well at all. So I've been playing better. ...until I get my confidence back completely, it will difficult to win matches. But I've had a good first match. I didn't play well today, but you know, I have to go on." interview *#43 Katarina Srebotnik SLO d #31 Magui Serna ESP 6-1, 7-6(4)     Thursday night the power was out in Toronto, as it was in much of eastern Canada and the US. The players had no electricity at their hotel, but several said that although it was inconvenient, it was no big deal.

Toronto, QFs, Friday: #3 s2 Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL d #21 s12 Elena Bovina RUS 6-2, 6-4     Asked if there were similarities between this match and her previous match against Nadia Petrova, Justine said: "A little bit. But two different kind of players, even if they're [both] hitting the ball hard. It was a little different, especially on the service. I think Bovina served very differently from Petrova did. And it did bother me a lot, because she did a lot of things on my backhand, and I don't like it too much." interview     Elena said: "Justine is the kind of player that... if you have a chance against her, you've got to take it. Otherwise, if you don't take it, she starts to play more and more aggressive, and in no time you can't even control it. She's back into the match... and you're fighting to win your serve..." interview *#15 s9 Elena Dementieva RUS d #6 s3 Amelie Mauresmo FRA 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 *#32 Paola Suarez ARG d #16 s10 Vera Zvonareva RUS 2-6, 6-2, 6-4     Paola said: "I think the three first sets that I played... I made a lot of mistakes, you know. And [Vera] starts to play good. She didn't do it a lot of mistakes, but then I start to feel better, and I start in the second set to be more aggressive and I feel really, really good...     "...she's a little bit upset, but she never give up any point. She's running every point and she stay all the match there... some persons are like this, some persons are more quiet. But she's always into the match, always." interview     Vera said: "...after the first set, I was playing really good and... [Paola] was like, I felt like I don't have place to play, because she's everywhere. And that's why it was sometimes I had bad mistakes, so I was a little bit upset about it. Because against her today, it's not possible. I couldn't do these mistakes. If I wouldn't do them, maybe it's going to be like a different story, but I made them, so I was a little bit upset." interview #38 Lina Krasnoroutskaya RUS d #43 Katarina Srebotnik SLO 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

Toronto, SFs, Saturday: #3 s2 Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL d #15 s9 Elena Dementieva RUS 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-2 *#38 Lina Krasnoroutskaya RUS d #32 Paola Suarez ARG 6-4, 4-6, 7-5     Lina said: "I'm confident now. I think I needed that confidence because I lost it last year because of injury. I'm really happy that I got it back." story

Toronto, Final, Sunday: winner's prize: $192,000 runner up: $97,000 #3 s2 Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL d #38 Lina Krasnoroutskaya RUS 6-1, 6-0

Toronto, Doubles Final, Sunday: s4 Svetlana Kuznetsova & Martina Navratilova d Maria Vento-Kabchi & Angelique Widjaja 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 Toronto, Withdrawals: #5 Venus Williams USA abdominal strain #7 Jennifer Capriati USA shoulder #9 Chanda Rubin USA r. shoulder tendinitis #18 Patty Schnyder SUI wrist injury #19 Meghann Shaughnessy USA back injury #23 Anna Pistolesi ISR unknown #29 Alexandra Stevenson USA r. shoulder strain Toronto, Qualifying Finals, Sunday: #70 Nicole Pratt AUS d #165 Wynne Prakusya INA 6-2, 6-2 #71 Angelique Widjaja INA d #210 Svetlana Krivencheva BUL 6-3, 6-3 *#145 Meilen Tu USA d #73 Janette Husarova SVK 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 #74 Jill Craybas USA d #177 Janet Lee TPE 6-1, 6-1 *#150 Mashona Washington USA d #75 Daja Bedanova CZE 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(4) *#345 Beier Ko CAN d #79 Els Callens BEL walkover Els was in the doubles final in LA #82 Dally Randriantefy MAD d #489 Stephanie Dubois CAN 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 #84 Saori Obata JPN d #155 Tara Snyder USA 6-1, 6-3 #85 Maria Vento-Kabchi VEN d #104 Claudine Schaul LUX 6-3, 6-1 #96 Maria Elena Camerin ITA d #301 Diana Srebrovic CAN 6-2, 6-3 *#101 Arantxa Parra ESP d #97 Julia Vakulenko UKR 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 #110 Alina Jidkova RUS d #338 Sonya Jeyaseelan CAN 7-6(11), 6-1