WTA: May 16-21 2004 Istanbul Cup, Istanbul, TUR Tier III website has English version, little info $200,000 - 30 players - outdoor: red clay draws & schedule .pdf WTA Photo Gallery: Istanbul Istanbul forecast # 14 Venus Williams, # 39 Nicole Vaidisova # 41 Anna Smashnova, # 44 Lisa Raymond Internationaux de Strasbourg Strasbourg, FRA Tier III $170,000 - 30 players - outdoor: red clay Live Scores - draws & schedule .pdf order and results - photo gallery WTA Photo Gallery: Strasbourg Strasbourg: forecast - weather radar - map #16 Nathalie Dechy, # 19 Tatiana Golovin # 20 Silvia Farina Elia, # 22 Shinobu Asagoe

Tourney pages: Strasbourg & Istanbul: 2006 Strasbourg: 2004 - 2003 previous other tourney pages next Strasbourg: #42 Anabel Medina Garrigues 5' 6½", 130 lbs, RH 2H-BH Istanbul: #14 Venus Williams 6' 1", 160 lbs, RH 2H-BH

    On Saturday in the final in Strasbourg, France, 22-year-old # 42 Anabel Medina Garrigues from Valencia, Spain, defeated 19-year-old # 62 Marta Domachowska from Warsaw, Poland, 6-4, 6-3 (Anabel is shown after match point). They had played each other only once before, on a hard court at Indian Wells earlier this year, where Anabel also won, 6-3, 6-2; Anabel is now 3-3 in WTA singles finals.

    Meanwhile in Istanbul, Turkey, 24-year-old top-seeded # 14 Venus Williams from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA, defeated 2nd-seeded 16-year-old # 39 Nicole Vaidisova from Prague, Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-2 (Venus is shown during the trophy presentation). The two leading advocates of the Reebok religion on the WTA Tour had never before met in combat.

    Venus Williams occasionally picks up her mail at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Venus is now 32-20 in WTA singles finals, but this year has been hitting more errors off her forehand, and players have been attacking her there. She is fleet of foot as well as hitting hard and deep; her serve was once clocked at 126 mph, which was the women's record until her sister Serena hit one at 127 mph at Wimbledon in 2004. Venus wears Reebok garb and chops with a Wilson axe, a new nCode model called the N4 OS which is due to reach the stores in the summer of 2005 (her previous bat was the Hammer H4). The N4 OS, with a 111 sq" head, is 27.5" long, weighs 9.4 oz strung, and is balanced 4/5" head heavy. Venus reportedly has her bats strung with Wilson 16-gauge Natural Gut. She is coached by her father, Richard Williams.
Venus Williams career record - Venus & Serena Williams Wallpaper

    Nicole Vaidisova, though Czech, has spent much of her youth at the Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton, Florida (Venus also did some time there years ago), and is their most successful student since Maria Sharapova. She is 5' 11", 139 lbs, wears Reebok and recently switched from a Wilson to a Yonex bat. Nicole was coincidentally born on the same date (6 years later) as Daniela Hantuchova, who is also tall, lean, and Yonex. Nicole is now 2-1 in WTA singles finals. She won her 2 WTA titles last year in Vancouver and Tashkent, and has been progressing up the ranks fairly steadily. She has a complete game, with a very strong serve.

Former WTA # 6 Chanda Rubin did return to play this week in Strasbourg after being sidelined by left knee trouble all year, but was defeated in her 1st round match by # 57 Jie Zheng of China, 6-4, 6-2. Chanda then hustled over to Paris to play in the 1st round of qualifying at Roland Garros, where she unfortunately was defeated by Bethanie Mattek, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1. Hopefully Chanda's knee is now OK, and she can play some good tennis again soon. Chanda at Roland Garros on Wednesday

    Strasbourg time is GMT (UCT, ZULU) + 2 hours (US Pacific Daylight Time +9, EDT +6). Early round play begins at 1pm local time. Strasbourg has a live scoring page.

    Istanbul time is GMT (UCT, ZULU) + 3 hours (US Pacific Daylight Time +10, EDT +7).

WTA SCOREBOARD: Strasbourg & Istanbul s=seed, #=rank, *=upset, LL=lucky loser ranks are for the previous week How do players get into the "draw"? On Sunday evening (May 15), players including Catalina Castano, Mashona Washington, Jenny Hopkins, Nana Miyagi and Liga Dekmeijere took a two-hour cruise (not a three-hour tour) in the straits of Bosphorus; Anna-Lena Groenfeld and Meghann Shaughnessy who train together under coach Rafael Font de Mora, also cruised on Sunday.

Istanbul, 1st Round, Mon-Tue loser's prize: $1,370 US; points: 1 #41 s3 Anna Smashnova ISR d #95 Catalina Castano COL 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 Tue *#76 Akiko Morigami JPN d #44 s4 Lisa Raymond USA 6-1, 6-2 Mon #51 s5 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER d #79 Mariana Diaz-Oliva ARG 6-3, 7-5 Tue *#216 q Tszvetana Pironkova BUL d #54 s6 Meghann Shaughnessy USA 6-3, 7-5 Tue #61 s7 Anna Chakvetadze RUS d #85 An. Serra Zanetti ITA 7-5, 6-2 Mon #67 s8 Mashona Washington USA d #89 Alyona Bondarenko UKR 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 Mon *#77 Yuliana Fedak UKR d #75 Marissa Irvin USA 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 Mon *#90 Tatiana Panova RUS d #84 Jill Craybas USA 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 Mon #96 Shahar Peer ISR d #237 LL Katerina Bondarenko UKR 6-2, 6-2 Tue #97 Marta Marrero ESP d #186 Shiho Hisamatsu JPN 6-0, 6-2 Mon #113 Emmanuelle Gagilardi SUI d #231 q Lina Stanciute LTU 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 Tue #174 Jennifer Hopkins USA d NR Maja Matevzic SLO 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 Mon #202 q Ivana Abramovic CRO d #768 wc Pemra Ozgen TUR 6-3, 6-0 Tue #243 q Elena Vesnina RUS d NR wc Cagla Buyukakcay TUR 6-1, 6-2 Tue

Istanbul, 2nd Round, Tue-Wed noon Tue WTA story - Wed WTA story loser's prize: $2,550 US; points: 16 #14 s1 Venus Williams USA d #97 Marta Marrero ESP 6-0, 6-0 Tue Venus Williams     Venus posted the 3rd main draw double-bagel win of her career. Venus said: "I felt I was playing pretty well, because [Marta is] a very good clay court player. After that long third game I kept telling myself to keep moving forward, moving up the court. My serve wasn't going that well early in the match, but I pulled it all together in the end. I haven't played a match on clay since early April, so it's important for me to get as many matches as possible before Roland Garros." #39 s2 Nicole Vaidisova CZE d #202 q Ivana Abramovic CRO 6-2, 6-3 Wed     Nicole said: "I wasn't too happy with the way I was playing today. I had a good warm-up this morning, so I thought I was going to play better. I made some silly mistakes, especially serving for the first set, but I'm in the quarterfinals so I just hope I play better tomorrow, because I will need to if I'm going to win." #41 s3 Anna Smashnova ISR d #174 Jennifer Hopkins USA 6-1, 6-0 Wed #51 s5 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER d #113 Emmanuelle Gagilardi SUI 6-3, 6-2 Wed #61 s7 Anna Chakvetadze RUS d #90 Tatiana Panova RUS 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 Wed #67 s8 Mashona Washington USA d #243 q Elena Vesnina RUS 7-5, 6-1 Wed *#96 Shahar Peer ISR d #76 Akiko Morigami JPN 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 Wed *#216 q Tszvetana Pironkova BUL d #77 Yuliana Fedak UKR 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 Wed     17-year-old Tszvetana said: "I can't believe that I won again today. This is my first WTA Tour event and to beat two players as good as Shaughnessy and Fedak is more than I thought I could do. But now I'm in the quarterfinals and I hope I can keep going."

Istanbul, QFs, Thu WTA story loser's prize: $4,745 US; points: 30 #14 s1 Venus Williams USA d #61 s7 Anna Chakvetadze RUS 6-2, 6-1 Venus Williams     Venus said: "One of [Anna's] strengths is that she's a fighter. Even towards the end of the match she was trying her hardest, but I was in a good rhythm today, which was good. I've had a great week so far, and it's not over yet. I hope to be here for two more days and take the title with me to Paris." #39 s2 Nicole Vaidisova CZE d #51 s5 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER 7-5, 7-6(6) #41 s3 Anna Smashnova ISR d #67 s8 Mashona Washington USA 6-3, 6-1 *#216 q Tszvetana Pironkova BUL d #96 Shahar Peer ISR 6-3, 7-6(4)

Istanbul, SFs, Fri loser's prize: $8,840 US; points: 55 #14 s1 Venus Williams USA d #216 q Tszvetana Pironkova BUL 6-1, 6-3 Venus Williams #39 s2 Nicole Vaidisova CZE v #41 s3 Anna Smashnova ISR 4-6, 6-1, 6-0

Istanbul, Final, Sat loser's prize: $16,450 US; points: 85 winner's prize: $30,500 US; points: 120 #14 s1 Venus Williams USA d #39 s2 Nicole Vaidisova CZE 6-3, 6-2

Istanbul, Doubles Final, Sun losers' prize: $6,500 US winners' prize: $3,475 US cdr154 s4 Marta Marrero & Antonella Serra Zanetti d cdr323 Daniela Klemenschits & Sandra Klemenschits 6-4, 6-0 Istanbul, Qual Finals, Mon May 16 loser's prize: $735 US #202 Ivana Abramovic CRO d #240 Nina Bratchikova RUS 6-2, 6-2 #216 Tszvetana Pironkova BUL d #252 Lenka Tvaroskova SVK 6-1, 6-2 #231 Lina Stanciute LTU d #237 Katerina Bondarenko UKR 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 #243 Elena Vesnina RUS d #1049 Vladimira Uhlirova CZE 6-2, 6-2 Istanbul, Withdrawals #9 Nadia Petrova RUS r thigh strain #63 Alina Jidkova RUS fatigue syndrome #65 Maria Elena Camerin ITA #81 Barbora Strycova CZE abdom. pain #86 Eleni Daniilidou GRE illness #94 Ludmila Cervanova SVK illness #364 wc Jelena Dokic SCG NR wc Rennae Stubbs AUS

Strasbourg, 1st Round, Mon-Tue 10am loser's prize: $1,300 US; points: 1 *#46 Dally Randriantefy MAD d #20 s3 Silvia Farina Elia ITA 6-2, 7-5 Tue *#52 Vera Douchevina RUS d #22 s4 Shinobu Asagoe JPN 6-2, 6-4 Tue #25 s5 Ai Sugiyama JPN d #151 q Hana Sromova CZE 6-3, 6-2 Tue Ai Sugiyama #28 s6 Karolina Sprem CRO d #73 Martina Sucha SLO 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 Mon-rain-Tue Karolina Sprem #30 s7 Amy Frazier USA d #74 wc Claudine Schaul LUX 6-2, 6-3 Tue Amy Frazier #32 s8 Paola Suarez ARG d #35 Virginie Razzano FRA 6-1, 7-6(1) Tue #42 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP d #55 Samantha Stosur AUS 7-6, 6-1 Tue #48 Shuai Peng CHN d #68 Tamarine Tanasugarn THA 6-3, 6-0 Tue *#214 LL Julia Vakulenko UKR d #49 Katarina Srebotnik SLO 7-5, 6-4 Tue #57 Jie Zheng CHN d #128 Chanda Rubin USA 6-4, 6-2 Tue Jie Zheng #59 Iveta Benesova CZE d #177 q Sunitha Rao USA 6-1, 6-4 Tue #62 Marta Domachowska POL d #279 q Natalia Gussoni ARG 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 Tue *#80 Emilie Loit FRA d #69 Marlene Weingartner GER 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 Tue #116 wc Stephanie Cohen-Aloro FRA d #244 q Katarina Kachlikova SVK Tue

Ai Sugiyama, Karolina Sprem, Silvia Farina Elia, Tatiana Golovin, and Nathalie Dechy were introduced to tourney sponsors at the players' party Strasbourg, 2nd Round, Wed 11am Wed WTA story loser's prize: $2,200 US; points: 16 #16 s1 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #59 Iveta Benesova CZE 6-3, 6-2 Nathalie Dechy *#48 Shuai Peng CHN d #19 s2 Tatiana Golovin FRA 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 Shuai Peng     Tatiana said: "I really have a hard time moving around on the red clay. My shots aren't as effective against my opponents on this surface. I'm obviously disappointed to lose my first match, but I feel I played better than I did in Rome and that's the positive feeling I'll take from today. Also, it felt great to be seeded No.2 and to have a full stadium of fans cheering for me." *#62 Marta Domachowska POL d #25 s5 Ai Sugiyama JPN 6-2, 6-7(7), 7-5 Marta Domachowska #28 s6 Karolina Sprem CRO d #57 Jie Zheng CHN 6-4, 6-3 *#42 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP d #30 s7 Amy Frazier USA 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 *#116 wc Stephanie Cohen-Aloro FRA d #32 s8 Paola Suarez ARG walkover-- left adductor strain #46 Dally Randriantefy MAD d #214 LL Julia Vakulenko UKR 6-3, 6-4 #52 Vera Douchevina RUS d #80 Emilie Loit FRA 6-3, 6-1

Strasbourg, QFs, Thu 11am WTA story loser's prize: $4,000 US; points: 30 #16 s1 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #116 wc S Cohen-Aloro FRA 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 Nathalie Dechy     Nathalie said: "I felt the first set was a little too easy. In the second, I was concentrating on my serve too much and let her back into the match. She was playing well. Finally in the third I was able to put my serve out back in perspective and just play more naturally and I was able to win it. I expected to reach the semifinals here, so I am happy."     About her semifinal opponent, Nathalie said: "Medina Garrigues will be difficult, all the Spanish are good on red clay, but I feel I can do well." *#46 Dally Randriantefy MAD d #28 s6 Karolina Sprem CRO 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 Dally Randriantefy #42 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP d #52 Vera Douchevina RUS 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-1 Anabel Medina Garrigues *#62 Marta Domachowska POL d #48 Shuai Peng CHN 4-6, 7-5, 6-2

Strasbourg, SFs, Fri noon loser's prize: $7,500 US; points: 55 *#42 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP d #16 s1 Nathalie Dechy FRA 6-4, 6-1 *#62 Marta Domachowska POL d #46 Dally Randriantefy MAD 6-3, 6-3

Strasbourg, Final, Sat 2pm loser's prize: $ 14,500 US; points: 85 winner's prize: $ 27,000 US; points: 120 #42 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP d #62 Marta Domachowska POL 6-4, 6-3

Strasbourg, Doubles Final, Sat 11am losers' prize: $4,250 US winners' prize: $8,000 US cdr198 Rosa Maria Andres & Andreea Vanc d cdr187 Marta Domachowska & Marlene Weingartner 6-3, 6-1 Strasbourg, Qual Finals, Mon, May 16 loser's prize: $ 650 US #151 Hana Sromova CZE d #173 Tian Tian Sun CHN 6-0, 6-4 #177 Sunitha Rao USA d #302 Zi Yan CHN 6-3, 7-5 Mon-rain-Tue *#244 Katarina Kachlikova SVK d #214 Julia Vakulenko UKR 6-4, 7-6(5) *#279 Natalia Gussoni ARG d #236 Pauline Parmentier FRA 6-3, 6-2 Strasbourg, Withdrawals: #27 Magdalena Maleeva BUL #33 Na Li CHN r ankle sprain #40 Klara Koukalova CZE #50 Evgenia Linetskaya RUS

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