, 21-year-old former # 1 and current # 134 (due to a prolonged left wrist injury)
from Laguna Beach, California, USA, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 (Kim is shown during the match, and with the large metallic acquatic mammal that she also won in 2003). Kim has won a Tier I title in only her 2nd tourney after returning from career-threatening wrist injuries. The ranking points, including 100 "quality" points for defeating # 1 Lindsay, should move Kim's rank from # 134 up to around # 40 next week, possibly the biggest jump in WTA history.
Lindsay started the match like a replay of her double-bagel win over Maria Sharapova on Friday: she won the first 4 games. Then Kim won 6 straight to snatch the 1st set away from Lindsay, and a 7th to start the 2nd set. From that point on, it looked like anybody's ball game. The loss made Lindsay's 2005 record 19-3, all 3 losses in finals, to Serena Williams (Australian Open), Maria Sharapova (Tokyo Pan Pacific), and now to Kim Clijsters.
"I've played a few matches against Lindsay where she can be playing some unbelievable tennis, and she showed that yesterday [against Maria Sharapova]... But I kept fighting, tried to still win that first set. Tried to turn it around and make sure that I stayed aggressive, and didn't really give her any easy points... If you break her back, she gets a little hesitant, and anything can happen."
"[I] started off really well and... was able in those first few games to pull out some close ones and get a good lead... I was up in the next four games. Had game points in a lot of them. [Kim] kept fighting back and winning them. Pretty soon I felt like the tide turned from me being the aggressor to her being the aggressor and really moving the ball around a lot more. It's funny, when things start spiraling, you feel like they're out of your control. And I felt pretty soon like I was behind the baseline, and she was inside the baseline. And that's not what I wanted to happen."
of Russia (born in Nyagan, Siberia, resides in Bradenton, Florida, near the Bollettieri Academy, also trains in California with one-time Davenport coach Robert Lansdorp) 6-0, 6-0 (photo shown). It was the first double-bagel loss of Maria's career.
"I would have never guessed that in a million years before the match... it's obviously a good win, and I felt like I played well and handled the conditions really well. [Maria] didn't play well... she can be a very streaky player where if she does start to play well, obviously I didn't want to let her back in the match. But it was kind of a weird sensation."
"I didn't feel like I was there today. [Lindsay] came out playing really good tennis. Whenever I didn't give her a hard ball, she would take the opportunity and go for her shots and everything seemed to be going her way. Any opportunities I had, I couldn't do anything with them... I know I play well from behind. But I just wasn't feeling like anything was out there today."
Kim and Lindsay had not played since 2003, but they have a long track record: Kim now leads Lindsay 9-6 in
, and Kim has won the last 6 times they have played.
has now won 22 WTA singles titles in 35 finals. Kim reached the # 1 ranking in WTA singles in August 2003, and although she was displaced by her compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne, retained a solid # 2 position. Then Kim seriously injured her left wrist in her 2nd round match at Indian Wells in March 2004, and when she returned to play in October, she incurred another, separate left wrist injury, which required surgery. This is only Kim's 2nd tourney since returning to play, and she playing very, very well again.
, a terrifically popular 11.2 oz (strung) 27" bat balanced head-light with a 100 sq." string area & stiffness 70. Kim wears
has won 46 WTA singles titles in 80 finals, including 3 Grand Slam tourneys and the 1996 Olympic title. She won 4 in a short order in 2004 at Stanford, LA, San Diego, and Cincinnati, and won 2 weeks ago in Dubai. Before the ascent of the Williams sisters, Tracy Austin was quoted as rating Lindsay's serve as the best in the WTA. Lindsay hits the ball hard and deep, but she is not as mobile as some players.
"nCode" bat, the "nTour" model, a control racket 27.25" long, available with either a 95 or 105 sq." head, 10.8 or 10.4 ounces strung, balanced 1 point head-heavy, with a stiffness rating of about 61. They run about $200. (Wilson's hype for this line originally stated pseudo-technically that gaps in the rackets' structure were filled with "silicone oxide." Silicone is not an element, silicon is. They finally corrected that in current ads to "silicon oxide," but Tennis Magazine racket reviews this month carefully explain that Wilsons are made with "silicone oxide." Of course, this here durned website is frequently full of more errors than you can shake a racket at...)
Lindsay, who was trained in her youth by Robert Lansdorp, has been coached by
The Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells is a 2-week "mini-major". Qualifying was on Monday & Tuesday (2 rounds only), main draw play began on Wednesday, March 9th, with the women's final on Saturday, March 19th.
The 96-player main draw for Indian Wells has 32 seeds, with all 32 receiving 1st-round byes. There are 12 qualifiers and 8 wild cards in the main draw.
WTA SCOREBOARD: Indian Wells
 Maria Sharapova took time off on Sunday, March 6, to watch Davis Cup matches in Carson, California
At the press "all-access" hour on Wednesday, Elena Bovina grinned when she saw that her fellow Russians Maria Sharapova & Elena Dementieva did not have their heads on straight.
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Indian Wells, 1st Rnd, Wed-Thu 10am WTA Mon story WTA Tue story
loser's prize: $2,325 US; points: 1
#50 Emilie Loit FRA d #101 Petra Mandula HUN 6-3, 6-0 Thu
*#57 Nicole Vaidisova CZE d #51 Mashona Washington USA 7-6(4), 6-4 Thu
*#116 Yoon Jeong Cho KOR d #53 Marta Marrero ESP 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 Thu
#52 Dally Randriantefy MAD d #66 Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP 7-6(6), 6-1 Wed
*#153 q Rika Fujiwara JPN d #54 Alina Jidkova RUS 6-3, 6-3 Wed
*#89 LL Alyona Bondarenko UKR d #55 Katarina Srebotnik SLO 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 Thu
*#86 Yuliana Fedak UKR d #56 Virginie Razzano FRA 6-3, 6-0 Wed
*#73 Anna Chakvetadze RUS d #60 Martina Sucha SVK 6-0, 7-5 Wed
*#91 Severine Beltrame FRA d #62 Denisa Chladkova CZE 6-2, 7-6(1) Wed
 Severine Beltrame
*#98 q Antonella Serra Zanetti ITA d #63 Barbora Strycova CZE 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 Thu
#64 Tathiana Garbin ITA d #168 Aniko Kapros HUN 6-1, 6-2 Wed
#67 q Maria Kirilenko RUS d #81 Tatiana Perebiynis UKR 6-0, 6-1 Wed
 Maria Kirilenko
*#138 q Eva Birnerova CZE d #68 Tamarine Tanasugarn THA 6-4, 6-2 Wed
#69 Marta Domachowska POL d #166 q Maria Emilia Salerni ARG 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 Wed
*#90 wc Sesil Karatancheva BUL d #70 Marlene Weingartner GER 6(5)-7, 6-0, 6-2 Thu
 Sesil Karatancheva
Sesil will have a very tough match against native Californian top-seeded # 1 Lindsay Davenport in the 2nd round. Last year at Indian Wells a very vocal 14-year-old Sesil made headline-grabbing remarks about whupping Maria Sharapova in their 3rd round match, then lost to Maria. This year a wiser Sesil is being very humble.
About playing Lindsay, Sesil said: "I'm very excited to play the best player in the world, and I hope that when I go out there I give more than 100 percent of myself. I hope that it's a good match to watch." About her remarks last year, Sesil said: "I think last year was a very good experience for me. I got a lot more confident in myself. I know I wasn't gonna get killed out there. I did a lot of things out of the court that weren't very positive. I can't say I'm sorry for what I did or what I have done. It's a phase that every 14-year-old passes through in their life, says or does something that is kind of funny when you look back after it. When I look back on it, it's funny, but I'd never do again." Desert Sun story
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*#88 Laura Granville USA d #71 Marissa Irvin USA 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 Wed
 Laura Granville
*#104 q Silvija Talaja CRO d #72 Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP 6-2, 6-0 Wed
*#79 Maria Sanchez Lorenzo ESP d #74 Claudine Schaul LUX 7-5, 6-0 Thu
 Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo
*#147 q Shikha Uberoi USA d #75 Akiko Morigami JPN 6-4, 7-5 Thu
 Shikha Uberoi
#76 Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP d #106 q Camille Pin FRA 6-4, 6-0 Wed
*#87 q Mariana Diaz-Oliva ARG d #77 Kristina Brandi PUR 6-4, 6-2 Wed
#78 Jill Craybas USA d #356 wc Alexa Glatch USA 6-1, 6-2 Thu
#80 Abigail Spears USA d #114 Lubomira Kurhajcova SVK 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(0) Wed
#82 Ludmila Cervanova SVK v #124 q Anastasia Yakimova BLR 2-6, 6-2, 6-2Thu
*#434 wc Daja Bedanova CZE d #83 Kveta Peschke CZE 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 Thu
*#134 Kim Clijsters BEL d #92 Nicole Pratt AUS 6-2, 6-1 Wed
 Kim Clijsters
This is former WTA # 1 Kim's second tourney after recovering from left wrist injuries and surgery (although right-handed, Kim needs a healthy left wrist for her 2-handed backhand). Kim said: "They had to cut the tendon and shave the bone. There was a cyst growing there so they had to cut that out too. For three or four weeks I was thinking I might not be able to play again. The doctors were saying that as well. But I wasn't ready to quit tennis... I have always been pretty good at keeping things in proper perspective...
"I felt good, especially once I got going. I feel like I am getting back into my match rhythm and I am happy that my backhand is still there." AFP story
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#94 Anne Kremer LUX d #385 wc Alisa Kleybanova RUS 6-4, 6-4 Thu
*#109 Lindsay Lee-Waters USA d #103 Michaela Pastikova CZE 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 Thu
#107 wc Angela Haynes USA v #167 Mara Santangelo ITA 6-4, 6-4 Thu
*#472 wc Viktoriya Kutuzova UKR d #110 q Emmanuelle Gagliardi SUI 7-6(4), 6-4 Thu
 Viktoriya Kutuzova
*#126 wc Jamea Jackson USA d #111 Anca Barna GER 7-6(4), 6-4 Wed
*#199 wc Jessica Kirkland USA d #149 q Galina Voskoboeva RUS 6-2, 0-6, 7-6(4) Thu
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Indian Wells, 2nd Rnd, Fri-Sat 10am WTA Fri story WTA Sat story
loser's prize: $4,650 US; points: 16
#1 s1 Lindsay Davenport USA d #90 wc Sesil Karatancheva BUL 6-3, 6-2 Sat
 Lindsay Davenport
Lindsay said: "That's twice this year I've had to play 15-year-olds that are pretty good actually. I played [Nicole] Vaidisova at the Australian Open, and now Sesil today. I think she hits the ball really well... It took me till when I was in my 16th [year] to come into the Top 100. I think [the current teen stars] all have a little bit more confidence than I had in those years. And I think they've all been trained and told that that is how it was going to be... These girls seem a little more focused than I was." interview
Sesil did get an early service break against Lindsay in the 1st set. Sesil said: "I got more nervous once I led at 2-1. It was like, 'Holy crap, I'm leading. What the hell is wrong here?' So it was kind of a shock for me. I really never had this experience before. So it's just kind of like, I didn't really know what to do with my lead. I once felt calmer when [Lindsay] was leading. I mean, I'm learning; obviously, I think it's a good experience."
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#2 s2 Amelie Mauresmo FRA d #64 Tathiana Garbin ITA 6-2, 6-1 Fri
 Amelie Mauresmo
Amelie said: "I didn't let her get into her rhythm and get into that match. So that's what I wanted actually before the match. I was able to do it today. So it was good." interview
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#3 s3 Maria Sharapova RUS d #107 wc Angela Haynes USA 6-1, 6-2 Sat
 Maria Sharapova
Play was a bit sloppy in the 1st set, with 5 service breaks in a 7-game stretch. Maria said: "First matches are never easy. You don't know what to expect. [Angela] already played the first round, so she's got a bit of a groove out there. But I felt pretty good. In the first set, I broke her three times and I put a lot of pressure on her serve. The second set, she didn't make as many errors as she made in the first. So the points became a little longer. But then I broke her, and it went on from there." interview audio
Angela said: "I felt I started playing a lot better in the second set. I just wanted to keep it close. I was just trying so hard to hold my serve. I was having a problem doing that. I think if I would have got more forehands in I would have made it a lot tougher for [Maria]. But she played very well; I'm pretty happy about my performance." interview
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#6 s4 Elena Dementieva RUS d #80 Abigail Spears USA 6-2, 7-6(5) Fri
 Elena Dementieva
This was Elena's 1st match since she suffered a right thumb injury at the Paris Indoor in February. Elena said: "I think the first set was quite good. I could play much better in the second. But for the first round, I think it was okay... I was in trouble with my serve a couple times, but I didn't change the motion. I was trying to do the thing I was practicing. I think I did it quite well... I'm just thinking that even if I'm going to lose this point, this game, I'm going to serve this way. Finally I will find my rhythm and my serve will be much better." interview
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#7 s5 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #138 q Eva Birnerova CZE 6-3, 6-2 Fri
Svetlana trailed 1-3 early in the match, and was hampered by an adductor muscle strain. Svetlana said: "In the start it was a little bit difficult. [Eva] played many matches [2 qualifying & 1 first round]. It was my first match. It's tough to get on the court and get straight in the match... I pulled my adductor muscle, so it was so hard to move. Still I was -- I didn't want to take a break because I was completely comfortable and I was all right." interview audio
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#12 s6 Nadia Petrova RUS d #98 q Antonella Serra Zanetti ITA 6-0, 6-1 Sat
#13 s7 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #50 Emilie Loit FRA 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 Sat
*#67 q Maria Kirilenko RUS d #15 s8 Elena Bovina RUS 6-3, 6-1 Fri
This was Maria's 3rd win over a top 20-caliber player (the others: Maria d #14 Patty Schnyder in Doha last month 6-0, 1-6, 6-2; Maria d Elena Likhovtseva, then #26 now #18, at the US Open 7-6(3), 6-3 in 2004). Maria said: "Today I fight like every point. So it was unbelievable... I have a good confidence now. I played in Doha , I pass the qually there, and I beat in second round Patty Schnyder... I think they play both very good. But Bovina, they play like different hit. Patty Schnyder play like slice, like top, different. But Bovina, she play just hard... The score is like easy, but for me it wasn't easy. It was hard." interview
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*#153 q Rika Fujiwara JPN d #17 s9 Francesca Schiavone ITA 6-3, 7-6(5) Fri
*#78 Jill Craybas USA d #18 s10 Elena Likhovtseva RUS 61 64 Sat
*#57 Nicole Vaidisova CZE d #19 s11 Karolina Sprem CRO 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 Sat
Nicole said: "I was in control the first set totally, then I lost it. I made some stupid mistakes. I didn't serve well through the whole match, but I got it back together in the third set. I didn't give [Karolina] many chances in the third... she's definitely a tough player... she hits the ball very hard and moves well. She's definitely a good player, so you have to be very professional with her, you have to go for every ball." interview
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*#126 wc Jamea Jackson USA d #20 s12 Paola Suarez ARG 7-6(9), 7-5 Fri
#22 s13 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #94 Anne Kremer LUX 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 Sat
Daniela trailed 2-5 in the 3rd set, and saved 6 match points in securing the win. Daniela said: "The match isn't over until you shake hands at the net. I was just proud of the way I handled myself on the match points. These kinds of wins give me so much confidence and belief in myself. Anne's a great player and she should definitely be proud of the way she played."
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#24 s14 Tatiana Golovin FRA d #86 Yuliana Fedak UKR 6-3, 7-6(4) Fri
*#472 wc Viktoriya Kutuzova UKR d #25 s15 Flavia Pennetta ITA 7-6(4,) 4-6, 6-3 Sat
*#134 Kim Clijsters BEL d #26 s16 Shinobu Asagoe JPN 6-3, 6-3 Fri
 Kim Clijsters
Rating her own performance, Kim said: "I would say maybe today [was] a six-and-a-half, seven overall. But I haven't really set goals. I'm so happy to be back and happy to be playing matches; I just want to hopefully try to play as good as I can in every match that I play."
About her left wrist injuries & surgery, Kim said: "[The doctors] didn't say, 'You have to stop playing tennis.' But they said, 'You know, you might never get to where you want to be.' And that was tough to hear, but you don't really accept that at the time...
"The main thing now is that my wrist stays well and that I keep doing everything right, to cool it down after matches and everything. That's my main concern at the moment." interview audio
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#27 s17 Amy Frazier USA d #434 wc Daja Bedanova CZE 6-3 6(4)-7 6-2 Sat
*#73 Anna Chakvetadze RUS d #28 s18 Jelena Jankovic SCG 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 Fri
Both Anna, left, & Jelena, right modeled at the tourney fashion show Friday night after the match.
Just-turned-18-year-old Anna trains at Moscow's Spartak Academy. She defeated another Spartakian, then # 3 Anastasia Myskina, 7-6(3), 6-3 in 2nd round of the US Open last September. Last month in Antwerp, Anna defeated then #17 Karolina Sprem, 7-5, 6-3.
On Saturday, though ousted in singles, Jelena returned to the court with doubles partner Emmanuelle Gagliardi and defeated the 3rd-seeded team of Martina Navratilova & Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-2 6-2.
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#29 s19 Fabiola Zuluaga COL d #79 Maria Sanchez Lorenzo ESP 6-2, 7-5 Sat
#31 s20 Mary Pierce FRA d #82 Ludmila Cervanova SVK 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 Sat
*#87 q Mariana Diaz-Oliva ARG d #32 s21 Gisela Dulko ARG 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 Fri
*#199 wc Jessica Kirkland USA d #34 s22 Marion Bartoli FRA 6-0, 6-1 Sat
#35 s23 Conchita Martinez ESP d #52 Dally Randriantefy MAD 6-2, 6-3 Fri
#37 s24 Iveta Benesova CZE d #76 Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP 6-0, 6-2 Fri
#38 s25 Dinara Safina RUS d #109 Lindsay Lee-Waters USA 6-2, 6-4 Sat
*#91 Severine Beltrame FRA d #40 s26 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER 6-3, 7-6(7) Fri
#41 s27 Meghann Shaughnessy USA d #147 q Shikha Uberoi USA 7-5, 6-1 Sat
#43 s28 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP d #69 Marta Domachowska POL 6-3, 6-2 Fri
#44 s29 Samantha Stosur AUS d #116 Yoon Jeong Cho KOR 7-5, 6-3 Sat
#47 s30 Evgenia Linetskaya RUS d #88 Laura Granville USA 6-2, 7-6(4) Fri
#48 s31 Lisa Raymond USA d #89 LL Alyona Bondarenko UKR 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Sat
#49 s32 Maria Vento-Kabchi VEN d #104 q Silvija Talaja CRO 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 Fri
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Indian Wells, 3rd Rnd, Sun-Mon 10am WTA Mon story - WTA Sun story
loser's prize: $9,475 US; points: 28
#1 s1 Lindsay Davenport USA d #41 s27 Meghann Shaughnessy USA 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 Mon
 Lindsay Davenport
For the second straight day very high winds and blowing sand made play difficult. Lindsay said: "[Meghann] served the first game of the third, up 40-15, I was with the wind and able to keep a few balls in and break. It seemed to kind of really dishearten her, whereas when we switched sides, she made a lot of errors with the wind. All you're trying to do is play the conditions. It's a shame because it took out any kind of strategy. You were just hoping the balls went in... I thought in the second set she hit some great shots and she handled the wind better serving-wise. And that really made the difference in that set. Finally in the third, I was able to serve, you know, get 'em in. She made a few more errors in the third." interview
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*#47 s30 Evgenia Linetskaya RUS d #2 s2 Amelie Mauresmo FRA 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 Sun
Windy conditions, with blowing sand, made play difficult. Evgenia said: "I did everything to win, because I was doing my best. I was trying to win every point, just struggling, fighting there. And I believed in myself... First set was pretty tough. That's probably why I lost. I couldn't pick up my game, you know. Was pretty tough to feel the wind and everything... I didn't care that much about that I lost to [Amelie] in Australia. I was just going to play a match, another match. Doesn't matter who's on the other side." interview audio
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#3 s3 Maria Sharapova RUS d #38 s25 Dinara Safina RUS 6-2, 6-3 Mon
 Maria Sharapova
In 2002 at Indian Wells, then 14-year-old Maria was playing in her third pro tourney (the first two were ITF, not WTA). Maria defeated Brie Rippner in the 1st round 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, then was defeated by Monica Seles in the 2nd round. Maria said: "...it was my first sort of big tournament I played. I got a wildcard. I won in the first round. I played Monica Seles... I lost 1 and 0 [actually 6-0, 6-2] but I thought I played so good. 'There's something wrong here...' I think with each single tournament, Maria [Kirilenko] or anyone else that plays that are young, they might feel like they're playing their best tennis, but at the time they might not be physically ready or they might not have the experience behind their backs. I think it just takes time... I went on court, and I remember first two games were really, really difficult against Monica. Deuce, I had breakpoints. I think I might have even broken her. You just think you're playing so good. But the top people, they're not worried. 'Oh, I lost a break.' But they know what to do." interview
Sharapova career record
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#6 s4 Elena Dementieva RUS v #91 Severine Beltrame FRA 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(5) Sun
Elena Dementieva
Elena said: "That was a very tough match to win today. I think I played the worse tennis in my life, and it just was a tough -- with my serve, I couldn't serve. I was missing every single forehand, which was one of my favorite shots to make. I just wanted to win this match. It was windy and sunny, but there was no excuse for me to play this way...
"I was feeling okay before the match, just something that happened during the match. I was playing pretty good... I was leading 5-3, served for the set, and then I just kind of stopped to play, waiting for [Severine's] mistakes and just lost my balance, went out of balance and I lost my game...
"You know this kind of day I hope never, you know, going back to me, you know. And I know the way I can play and I need some time to review this match. It was a long one and I hope I will play much better...
"I play [Tatiana] Golovin the next round. I lost to her, but it was a long time ago. I know she's a good player. We practice. We know each other very well. I have to play better." interview
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#7 s5 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #49 s32 Maria Vento-Kabchi VEN 6-2, 6-1 Sun
 Svetlana Kuznetsova posed for some photos on Monday, a day off between her 3rd & 4th round matches
#12 s6 Nadia Petrova RUS d #48 s31 Lisa Raymond USA 6(7)-7, 6-3, 6-3 Mon
#13 s7 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #44 s29 Samantha Stosur AUS 6-4, 6-7(9) 7-6(4) Mon
*#29 s19 Fabiola Zuluaga COL d #22 s13 Daniela Hantuchova SVK 6-3, 6-2 Mon
#24 s14 Tatiana Golovin FRA d #87 q Mariana Diaz-Oliva ARG 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 Sun
Tatiana said: "I think I started off pretty well. I think in the second I was playing the same, but I was just making those mistakes that I wasn't making in the first set... I think in the third set really I fought. I'm like, you got two hours to spend on the court and you just got to really focus, just try to do your best, keep on hitting the ball... I didn't play as well as I wanted to. But I think as long as I'm playing better with every match, I think that's the most important thing... I think mentally and physically I'm feeling well. Obviously going into my next match, I'll be ready. I want to play. I think that's really important."
About her 4th round match against Elena Dementieva, Tatiana said: "I know how she plays. She knows how I play. I played her a few years ago in Paris. Obviously, I think we've both improved. It's going to be a totally different match. You know, I'm just really looking forward to it. Now I'm the one that's got nothing to lose. I'm just going to go out, really play well, try to play well, and we'll see how it goes." interview
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*#472 wc Viktoriya Kutuzova UKR d #27 s17 Amy Frazier USA 6-3, 6-3 Mon
#31 s20 Mary Pierce FRA v #57 Nicole Vaidisova CZE 6-4, 6-4 Mon
Asked what a player would need to dominate women's tennis today, Mary said: "All-court game, able to do everything. Have a big serve, have big returns, solid returns, be fast, have big strokes from both sides, forehand, backhand. Also, come in, not be afraid to come in, definitely... I think if you don't learn to go in at an early stage then you don't feel comfortable, you don't feel confident doing it. You kind of run to the net, you think, "Uh-oh." Because the point is going to be over pretty soon. I think they get a little bit afraid to lose the point, instead of looking at it as coming forward, being aggressive, you're going to win the point..." interview
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#35 s23 Conchita Martinez ESP d #126 wc Jamea Jackson USA 6-0, 7-5 Sun
*#153 q Rika Fujiwara JPN d #37 s24 Iveta Benesova CZE 7-6(1), 7-6(3) Sun
*#67 q Maria Kirilenko RUS d #43 s28 A Medina Garrigues ESP 6-4, 6-4 Sun
*#134 Kim Clijsters BEL d #73 Anna Chakvetadze RUS 6-1, 7-6(4) Sun
Anna Chakvetadze
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Kim Clijsters
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Kim Clijsters audio interview
*#199 wc Jessica Kirkland USA d #78 Jill Craybas USA 6-3, 6-3 Mon
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Indian Wells, 4th Rnd, Tue 10am WTA story 1 - WTA story 2
loser's prize: $19,350 US; points: 45
#1 s1 Lindsay Davenport USA d #472 wc Viktoriya Kutuzova UKR 6-1, 6-4
Viktoriya Kutuzova
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Lindsay Davenport
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#3 s3 Maria Sharapova RUS d #29 s19 Fabiola Zuluaga COL 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
Fabiola
during the first set
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Maria after winning a point
late in the 3rd set
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Maria led 5-2 in the 3rd set, then struggled, unable to finish Fabiola off until her 5th match point. Maria converted only 3 of 13 break points in the 3rd set; 5 of 17 for the match. Maria said: "Obviously [Fabiola] played amazing. As the weather got a little cooler, I think she got the advantage because it was a little slower. She started getting everything back and the points became a lot longer. We had really long points and I was just making small errors. They weren't going very long... when I was up 40-Love on her serve, three match points [this is the point when the photo of Maria above was taken], I went and made three errors in a row out of nowhere...
"[Fabiola] didn't give me any rhythm on the match points, and I felt like I was going for my shots. I was doing the same thing I was doing the previous points, but for some reason I didn't feel like I hit the ball in the middle of the racquet. I feel like I shanked the ball for no reason at all... I'm not the best player at the net. But those are the things I want to improve in my game, especially when I come into the net... It's good to be able to pull through a match like that because that's wha top players are all about..." interview audio
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#6 s4 Elena Dementieva RUS d #24 s14 Tatiana Golovin FRA 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
 Elena Dementieva
After losing the 1st set 2-6, Elena trailed 1-3 at the start of the 2nd set. Elena said: "I felt a little nervous in the beginning of the match. I feel like I need sometimes, you know, to really get into the match. Sometimes I say it takes me a couple games before I can feel my rhythm and before I can play. Maybe I need to do better warm-up before the match so I can start right from the first one... I feel like today I was playing better [than on Sunday]. Everything was better. But I was far from , you know, the way I can play. But it was a tough match. I think Tatiana was playing pretty good today, especially her forehand she improved a lot. I think she did a lot of winners, so it was very difficult to play against her today." interview audio
Tatiana said: "It's very annoying to lose a match like this because you feel like you're up. I have points 5-3 to go up in the second, then I could be up 3-Love in the third, and you never know how the match is going to turn around if I win those points. It's definitely very frustrating. [Elena is] a very tough player to play. She runs down everything. She's aggressive on every ball basically. So she's a great player... I feel like I need to play more of these kind of matches to really get better. interview
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#7 s5 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #153 q Rika Fujiwara JPN 6-3, 6-2
*#31 s20 Mary Pierce FRA d #12 s6 Nadia Petrova RUS 6-2, 6-2
#13 s7 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #199 wc Jessica Kirkland USA 7-5, 6-2
#35 s23 Conchita Martinez ESP d #67 q Maria Kirilenko RUS 7-5, 6-3
*#134 Kim Clijsters BEL d #47 s30 Evgenia Linetskaya RUS 6-2, 6-1
 Kim Clijsters
Kim said: "I think [Evgenia is] a girl who can put you under a lot of pressure. If you let her dictate the points, I think she can play really well. I saw that [in Evgenia's 3rd round win] against Amelie [Mauresmo], as well. [Evgenia] was really stepping into the court, and she was the one who was always dominating. She didn't really miss. I think today I just had to make sure that I mixed my game up a little bit, not hit with her all the time, just mix it up, hit a few slices, a few dropshots. I think I did that pretty well today."
A sad event occurred at Kim's hotel on the morning of this match. Kim said: "Someone broke in while I was out having breakfast. I lost a lot of money. It is the first time it has happened to me. I have been travelling over 12 years now, old hotels and bad hotels and never had anything like this happen. This is such a good hotel, but it happens. I had to go to the police office and have my fingerprints taken. I have never had that done before. It was a new experience." AFP story
About her quarterfinal opponent, 32-year-old 1994 Wimbledon champ Conchita Martinez, Kim said: She's a player with so much confidence, with so much experience as well. She knows her game so well. She mixes it up. She can make it very tough on a lot of girls because a lot of the girls, especially now a lot of the Russian girls and the younger girls, all sort of hit the same pace. They hit the ball, and they're very steady. They don't miss a lot of balls. But once they get a player in front of them who can mix it up and loop up a few balls and throw in some slices they struggle. And I think that is where Conchi is a very smart player... I think against her you always have to work and the rallies always take a little bit longer because she doesn't really give you a chance, she doesn't always give you a lot of rhythm." interview
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Indian Wells, QFs, Wed-Thu 10am WTA Wed story - WTA Thu story
loser's prize: $39,375 US; points: 81
 Maria Sharapova, right, played a little soccer on Wednesday, a day off for her. Maria's pretty friends were unidentified, but the blonde on the left is almost surely Maria Kirilenko from Moscow, and the brunette looks like Anastasia Yakimova from Minsk, Belarus.
#1 s1 Lindsay Davenport USA d #13 s7 Nathalie Dechy FRA 7-6(2), 6-0 Thu
career matches: Lindsay leads 6-0
Lindsay launching a backhand, and explaining to the chair umpire that she would prefer that if line calls are overruled, it should be done in a timely manner
About the close 1st set score, Lindsay said: "I let [Nathalie] back in the set so many times. Both games up 40-Love, was serving, got broken both of those... you can't let someone get back into the first set like that. So I really felt like once I held to get to 6-all, I never really looked back from that point. But I started the match off well, and played the second set really well. Just some bad games thrown in there in the first." interview audio
Nathalie said: "I think the first set was a pretty good level of tennis, and then I dropped mine in the second set, and [Lindsay] raised hers. So that make the difference on the score board... I started to be much more late on the ball, didn't run as fast. Against a girl like this, it doesn't help... I think she started playing really well when she was down 6-5. She was with the wind, and she really started to change her serve a little bit, started to be more flat, go for -- even on the second serve, she went for some really fast serves. Same in the tiebreak, just went for her shots. And it worked pretty well." interview
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#3 s3 Maria Sharapova RUS d #31 s20 Mary Pierce FRA 6-4, 6-3 Thu
career matches: tied 1-1
Maria is shown serving to Mary, and hitting a left-handed forehand, (which although right-handed, she sometimes does on balls that are tough to reach with her 2-handed backhand) and after winning a game along the way
Maria said: "The first few games were very tough. [Mary] came out hitting some really good shots. I thought I served well. So in the beginning, I held my serve pretty easy, and I think some of her games went to deuce and break points. I think she had a lot of pressure on her because she knew I was serving well. It was important for me to serve well today." interview audio
Mary said: "I definitely give Maria credit. She played a real solid match. In the beginning, she wasn't that aggressive. She was just kind of putting her serves in. From the baseline she was hitting big... she played solid. I think she served well. I think she returned well... I had fun out there. I was enjoying the rallies. We had some good rallies... She definitely challenges me, which is fun. Hits a big ball, so I can see why and how she's been doing well lately, has only lost one match this year." interview
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#6 s4 Elena Dementieva RUS d #7 s5 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 Wed
career matches: Elena leads 3-2
The left photo shows Elena lining up a slice backhand during the match. Even 2-handers like Elena hit the slice 1-handed, because although 2 handed backhands are great for topspin, the biomechanics are all wrong for backspin with a 2-handed grip. On the right: Elena after match point.
Elena said: "We both play very well... I think [Svetlana is] the most powerful player on the tour. I mean, she's very strong. She's good enough to play ATP Tour. Sometimes I was just watching the ball, and it was unbelievable what she did with her forehand. It was a tough match, so I'm very happy to win."
Elena played cleanly, hitting only 29 unforced errors, less than 1 per game. Elena had 7 double faults for the match-- not good, but not too bad for Elena in a 30-game match considering her service problems. Although the online stats show that Svetlana had only 1 double fault, she had 2--but both in the last game, and the second one on Elena's 5th match point. Elena said: "It was my fifth match point and [Svetlana] was playing unbelievable to get these points back. I was waiting for the good serve and I was trying to tell myself I have to be aggressive, I have to attack this one and then she double-faults. I didn't expect such at the end of the match...
"Every time you play someone you lost [to], you feel more motivated. I always feel like a fighter, I want to go there and win this time. It's interesting to play against such a good player like Svetlana. I think I played much better than I did in the final at the U.S. Open. I think it was a great match, we both played very well. It was a very tough match. I'm just happy to win." interview
Svetlana said: "It's not about double fault. Double fault is not about the serve - it's about a mental thing. I didn't double fault all match, and I double fault in the last game twice because I don't know what happened to me." Desert Sun story
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*#134 Kim Clijsters BEL d #35 s23 Conchita Martinez ESP 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 Wed
career matches: Kim leads 4-1
Kim's backhand,
her left wrist is healthy again
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Kim
after match point
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Kim said: "I felt like I was hitting the ball in the first and third set, not at all in the second set. It's just a matter of having that stability, you know, making sure that I can keep it up and don't lose concentration... [In the 2nd set] I lost concentration. [Conchita] definitely started playing a little bit more aggressive on her forehand. I think she maybe changed tactics a little bit in the beginning of the second... got a bit angry at a few line calls... It's not that I was worried after I lost that second set. But I felt like I definitely had to step it up, that I had to make sure that I was playing aggressive again like I was in that first set, make sure that I moved her around, and try not to play too much in the same corner of the court, because that's when she make you move around." interview audio
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Indian Wells, SFs, Fri 10:30am WTA story
loser's prize: $80,000 US; points: 146
#1 s1 Lindsay Davenport USA d #3 s3 Maria Sharapova RUS 6-0, 6-0 m3
career matches: Maria leads 2-1
Lindsay serving to Maria, Maria having a very bad day, and Lindsay, after match point, clearly showing she didn't think it was very much fun either
Lindsay said: "I would have never guessed that in a million years before the match... it's obviously a good win, and I felt like I played well and handled the conditions really well. [Maria] didn't play well... she can be a very streaky player where if she does start to play well, obviously I didn't want to let her back in the match. But it was kind of a weird sensation." interview - audio
Maria said: "I didn't feel like I was there today. [Lindsay] came out playing really good tennis. Whenever I didn't give her a hard ball, she would take the opportunity and go for her shots and everything seemed to be going her way. Any opportunities I had, I couldn't do anything with them... I know I play well from behind. But I just wasn't feeling like anything was out there today...
"From her first return, she just banged the ball in. She's the biggest and most consistent hitter out there. From all over the court today, she could hit any big shots, change direction, hit balls to the same side... I'll learn and I'm going to be stronger from these experiences." interview - audio
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#134 Kim Clijsters BEL d #6 s4 Elena Dementieva RUS 6-4, 6-2
career matches: Kim leads 6-1
Kim is shown serving to Elena, doing her trademark splits, and after match point. Kim likes to slide on all surfaces as if they were clay, and high winds blowing sand onto the court at Indian Wells this year have made sliding easier for her.
Kim said: "Even already in Antwerp, I started hitting the ball really well in those first few matches. So here I kept going upwards. I felt like I've been hitting the ball better towards each match. That's a good thing. That's good to have that feeling back again. And hopefully it will keep rising through to the final." interview
Elena was treated for a hip flexor injury in the second set. Elena said: I just strained a muscle a little bit. I hope it's okay. I have enough time till Miami to recover and feel better for the next event... The therapist was helpful but it was too tight that I couldn't move really... was a lot of three-sets matches for me so I feel like I was a little bit slow today on the court, maybe a little bit tired. Couldn't really play my game... when you realize you can't really move, you just start to use your arms and hit the ball as hard as you can. So that's what I did. I think I did a lot of good winners, but it's not enough when you play against Kim, you have to move very well, as well. interview
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Indian Wells, Final, Sat, 11:30am
loser's prize: $163,000 US; points: 228
winner's prize: $332,000 US; points: 325
*#134 Kim Clijsters BEL d #1 s1 Lindsay Davenport USA 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
career matches: Kim leads 9-6
Lindsay congratulates Kim; Kim holds the hardware before her national colors
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Indian Wells, Doubles Final, Sun
loser's prize: $45,500 US
winner's prize: $91,000 US
cdr3 s1 Virginia Ruano Pascual & Paola Suarez d cdr10 s2 Nadia Petrova & Meghann Shaughnessy 7-6(3), 6-1
 "Vivi" congratulates Paola after match point. Paola now has 38 doubles titles, 15th most of anyone in the "Open Era," while Vivi has 31 doubles titles, 19th most, 1 doubles title less than Chris Evert.
Indian Wells, Qual Finals, Tue Mar 8 10am
#67 Maria Kirilenko RUS d #141 Kelly Mc Cain USA 6-1, 6-3
#87 Mariana Diaz-Oliva ARG d #191 Maureen Drake CAN 7-5, 6-2
*#124 Anastasia Yakimova BLR d #89 Alyona Bondarenko UKR 0-6, 6-3, 6-1
#98 Antonella Serra Zanetti ITA d #159 Yulia Beygelzimer UKR 7-5, 7-5
#104 Silvija Talaja CRO v #187 Cara Black ZIM 6-2, 6-3
*#138 Eva Birnerova CZE d #105 Julia Schruff GER 6-2, 6-1
#106 Camille Pin FRA d #125 Sandra Kleinova CZE 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
#110 Emmanuelle Gagliardi SUI d #260 Seda Noorlander NED 6-1, 5-7, 6-1
*#153 Rika Fujiwara JPN d #133 Melinda Czink HUN 6-3, 6-2
*#149 Galina Voskoboeva RUS d #140 Laura Pous Tio ESP 6-0, 6-4
*#147 Shikha Uberoi USA d #146 Ekaterina Bychkova RUS 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
#166 Maria Emilia Salerni ARG d #208 Jelena Dokic SCG 7-6(2), 6-0
Indian Wells, Withdrawals
#11 Vera Zvonareva RUS
#23 Ai Sugiyama JPN knee injury
#33 Anna Smashnova ISR illness
#39 Klara Koukalova CZE illness
#59 Maria Elena Camerin ITA
#61 Eleni Daniilidou GRE r thumb
#85 Tatiana Panova RUS illness
#123 Chanda Rubin USA chronic left knee
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this year; she has not yet recovered from right shoulder surgery she underwent on Jan 28. The 2004 PLO champ
; although she has reportedly recovered from the right knee injury that has kept her sidelined this year. Justine is training in Florida, preparing for the NASDAQ-100 in Key Biscayne beginning March 20.
the current top 20 Women's Tennis rankings with player photos, links, and bio info.
