(Martina is shown during the match; Ana is shown with the see-through trophy after the match).
Ana is now 2-0 in WTA singles finals; she won her previous title in Canberra in 2005. Martina, who has won 41 WTA singles titles (including 5 Grand Slam tourney titles) wanted this one very much; she is not content with having won only a single title (at the Tier I
) in 15 tournaments since her return to the WTA Tour after 3 years away due to ankle injuries. Despite the loss, former # 1 Martina's WTA ranking will be back in the top 10 this week for the first time since her injury layoff.
Ana and Martina will now have a week to rest and prepare for the 2006 US Open.
bat, a control racquet with a 98 square inch head, which is slightly heavier, slightly stiffer, and balanced slightly more head-light than the
. It is the same model that Flavia Penneta uses.
| On Sunday in Montreal, Martina Hingis got in some serious practice time. Later on Sunday, 2005 Montreal champ Kim Clijsters, Sania Mirza, and Canadian wild card Aleksandra Wozniak goofed off at the players fashion show. And on Monday Nicole Vaidisova, in the players lounge, showed all the symptoms of being pretty, 17, and a top-ten player.
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Looking good at the fashion show: Camille Pin, Severine Bremond, Marie-Eve Pelletier, Gisela Dulko, Anastassia Rodionova, and Alina Jidkova
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Montreal, 1st Rd, Mon-Tue 11am
losers' prize: $3,340 US; points: 1
#16 s10 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER d #58 LL Julia Schruff GER 6-3, 6-3 Tue
#17 s11 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #31 Gisela Dulko ARG 6-2, 6-0 Tue
#18 s12 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #95 q Galina Voskoboeva RUS 6-3, 6-1 Mon
 Flavia after match point
#19 s13 Ana Ivanovic SCG d #24 Tatiana Golovin FRA 6-4, 6-2 Mon
Ana's forehand volley, and Tatiana's forehand drive
#20 s14 Katarina Srebotnik SLO d #36 Michaella Krajicek NED 6-3, 7-5 Mon
Katarina serving, and chasing a forehand
#21 s15 Maria Kirilenko RUS d #70 Jelena Kostanic CRO 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 Mon
Maria serving, following a backhand, and after winning a point
*#333 wc Marie-Eve Pelletier CAN d #22 s16 Na Li CHN 6-4, 6-2 Tue
Marie-Eve serving, Na launching a backhand, Marie-Eve chasing a forehand, and after match point
Marie-Eve is the first native Canadian woman to win a match at their own national tourney since 1984, when Helene Pelletier (no relation) defeated Elizabeth Smylie 6-2, 6-2 in the 1st round (Helene then lost to Claudia Kohde-Kilsch). Cambodia-born former WTA #28 Patricia Hy-Boulais, who became a Canadian citizen in 1991, reached the Canadian Open quarterfinals in Montreal in 1992, and won her last Canadian Open match in 1995, 11 years ago.
Marie-Eve said: "It's my best victory ever, yes, for sure. And yes, to do it here on centre court, it's awesome. Awesome." post-match interview
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#23 s17 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP d #56 Laura Granville USA 7-5, 6-4 Mon
#25 Shahar Peer ISR d #115 q Varvara Lepchenko UZB 6-4, 6-4 Mon
#26 Marion Bartoli FRA d #64 Anna Smashnova ISR 6-3, 6-3 Mon
#27 Ai Sugiyama JPN d #131 wc Aleksandra Wozniak CAN 6-3, 7-5 Tue
Ai serving, and about to belt a backhand
#28 Jelena Jankovic SCG d #65 Alona Bondarenko UKR 6-3, 6-4 Tue
#29 Anna Chakvetadze RUS d #61 LL Vera Dushevina RUS 7-5, 6-3 Tue
#34 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #139 q Tzipora Obziler ISR 6(3)-7, 6-2, 6-1 Mon
Tzipora fielding a forehand, and Nathalie about to swat a backhand
#35 Jie Zheng CHN d #41 Catalina Castano COL 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 Tue
#38 Lucie Safarova CZE d #103 q Virginie Razzano FRA 7-5, 6-4 Mon
#40 Mara Santangelo ITA d #43 Sybille Bammer AUT 6(2)-7, 6-4, 6-2 Mon
*#59 q Jamea Jackson USA d #42 Lourdes Dominguez Lino ESP 6-1, 6-0 Tue
*#148 q Alberta Brianti ITA d #44 Sania Mirza IND 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 Mon
#45 q Shenay Perry USA d #62 Kveta Peschke CZE 7-5, 6-2 Tue
*#153 wc Stephanie Dubois CAN d #57 LL Tathiana Garbin ITA 6-4, 6-4 Mon-dark-Tue
Stephanie serving, launching a backhand drive, and after match point
Stephanie joined Marie-Eve Pelletier in becoming the first Canada-born women to win matches at their own national tourney in 22 years. Due to rain delay on Monday, Stephanie's match started earlier, but ended later than Marie-Eve's.
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#74 q Marta Domachowska POL d #204 SR23 Alicia Molik AUS 7-6(1), 7-6(5) Tue
Marta following a backhand, and firing a forehand
#108 q Nicole Pratt AUS d #119 q Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez ESP 6-1, 6-2 Tue
*#354 q Cara Black ZIM d #256 q Neha Uberoi USA 7-6(6), 6-2 Tue
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Montreal, 2nd Rd, Tue-Wed 11am Tue WTA story - Wed WTA story
losers' prize: $6,590 US; points: 25
*#153 wc Stephanie Dubois CAN d #2 s1 Kim Clijsters BEL 1-6 3-2 retired-- left wrist sprain Wed
Stephanie serving, Kim driving a backhand, Kim having her left wrist attended to by the trainer, Kim getting up from a fall which aggravated the wrist injury, and Kim leaving the court, unable to continue
2005 US Open champ Kim missed most of the 2nd half of the 2004 season due to left wrist injuries. Since then, Kim said: "I definitely have days where it feels a lot stiffer, but not in a way where it restricts me. I warm it up, and then that's fine when I get out there-- but not like this." Kim won 9 tourneys in 2005.
Kim said: "Halfway through the first set I just started feeling my backhand, I couldn't get down with my racquet. I couldn't produce the spin that I normally do. It was fine because [Stephanie is] not a hard hitter, it didn't have that big of an impact. But then I started slicing and just trying to protect, it kind of got worse and just stiffened up and then I called the trainer out. Obviously with the history that I have with my wrist, it's something that really worries me. These next few weeks are really important for me. Falling on it definitely didn't help, either. I'm going to have some more tests done tomorrow, too, and I'll get to know more." postmatch interview
(Aug 18, 2006) 2005 US Open champion and WTA # 2 Kim Clijsters will miss the 2006 US Open because of a left wrist injury. Kim will be out of action for at least several weeks, and possibly two months, which means she is also likely to miss the Belgium v Italy Fed Cup final in September.
An MRI exam and X-ray showed the injury is worse than originally believed. Kim is returning to Belgium for more tests. AP story
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*#29 Anna Chakvetadze RUS d #5 s3 Nadia Petrova RUS 6-1, 6-4 Wed
Nadia serving, Anna's forehand drive, and Anna laughing during a "Hawkeye" review of a point she had lost
Nadia won three substantial tourneys in a row during clay court season, at Amelia Island, Charleston, and Berlin. Then she was sidelined by injury, and has struggled since, losing 4 matches in a row, two of them to Anna Chakvetadze. Hopefully Nadia will "find her rhythm" again soon. Petrova record
Nadia said: "It's really hard for me to hold my concentration from the beginning to the end. I started making some unforced errors, which is very unusual for me and I'm getting quite disappointed about it. I started thinking 'what's happening' and that takes so much energy away from me and also it takes my focus from the match."
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#7 s4 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #74 q Marta Domachowska POL 6-1, 6-3 Wed
Marta about to swat a backhand, and Svetlana following a forehand
#9 s5 Nicole Vaidisova CZE d #38 Lucie Safarova CZE 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 Tue
 Nicole's forehand drive
*#25 Shahar Peer ISR d #11 s6 Anastasia Myskina RUS 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-4 Wed
 Anastasia lining up a forehand (no photos of Shahar could be found)
#12 s7 Martina Hingis SUI d #40 Mara Santangelo ITA 7-5, 7-6(5)Tue
Martina stepping into a forehand, devastating the entire area with her total warfare smile, and after match point
Martina said: "I don't think it was an easy match from the beginning. I've never played [Mara] before. I knew what she was going to be like, but it's not so easy to always try to control those wide shots. And she served very well, a very high percentage and it was hard to break her. I think overall it was a good match to win in straight sets."
Martina trailed 1-4 in the 2nd set--then Mara took a medical timeout. During the break Martina asked her mother and coach Melanie Molitor to come on court, which is being permitted during breaks in this tourney for the first time as part of a WTA trial of on-court coaching, which is normally prohibited by the rules.
Martina said: "It was just to loosen up. [My mother] knows my game inside and out and sometimes when you have an overview from the outside, it helps. She told me just try to play your game."
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*#28 Jelena Jankovic SCG d #14 s8 Francesca Schiavone ITA 6-1, 6-4 Wed
#15 s9 Dinara Safina RUS d #354 q Cara Black ZIM 6-2, 6-2 Wed
 Dinara's service toss
*#45 q Shenay Perry USA d #16 s10 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER 7-6(5), 6-2 Wed
Shenay about to drive a forehand, and Anna-Lena following one
#17 s11 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #59 q Jamea Jackson USA 7-6(7), 6-2 Wed
Daniela about to fire a forehand, Jamea straightening her strings (only photo available), and Daniela after match point
*#26 Marion Bartoli FRA d #18 s12 Flavia Pennetta ITA 7-5, 2-1 retired-- left wrist inflammation Wed
#19 s13 Ana Ivanovic SCG d #35 Jie Zheng CHN 6-4, 6(5)-7, 6-2 Wed
#20 s14 Katarina Srebotnik SLO d #148 q Alberta Brianti ITA 6-3, 6-4 Wed
*#34 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #21 s15 Maria Kirilenko RUS 6-4, 6-4 Wed
Nathalie serving, Maria and Nathalie belting backhands, and Nathalie after match point
*#27 Ai Sugiyama JPN d #23 s17 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP 6-4, 6-2 Wed
#108 q Nicole Pratt AUS d #333 wc Marie-Eve Pelletier CAN 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 Wed
Nicole's forehand, and Marie-Eve's backhand
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Montreal, 3rd Rd, Thu 11am CP story
losers' prize: $13,000 US; points: 42
#7 s4 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #27 Ai Sugiyama JPN 6-2, 7-6(6)
*#108 q Nicole Pratt AUS d #9 s5 Nicole Vaidisova CZE walkover-- r shoulder tendonitis
Nicole was sidelined by shoulder trouble earlier this year, and the shoulder was sore again. Nicole said: "I'm just preventing it from getting injured. It's too close to the U.S. Open to risk anything further. I've done this before and I've learned from my mistakes. I just really want to make sure nothing happens. I still have a long career ahead of me. I'm 17 and my health is my No. 1 priority."
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#12 s7 Martina Hingis SUI d #17 s11 Daniela Hantuchova SVK 7-5, 6-4
Daniela serving, and Martina's forehand and backhand drives
#15 s9 Dinara Safina RUS d #45 q Shenay Perry USA 7-5, 6-3
Dinara's forehand, and after winning a point
#19 s13 Ana Ivanovic SCG d #28 Jelena Jankovic SCG walkover-- r shoulder tendonitis
#20 s14 Katarina Srebotnik SLO d #153 wc Stephanie Dubois CAN 6-3, 6-2
 Katarina's running forehand
Stephanie said: "I'm really proud of myself and how I played this week. [Katarina] played a great match. She's in the top 20 in the world and I went on the court and gave it my all."
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#25 Shahar Peer ISR d #26 Marion Bartoli FRA 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
#29 Anna Chakvetadze RUS d #34 Nathalie Dechy FRA 6-1, 6-4
Anna serving, Nathalie running down a forehand, and Anna watching her running backhand fly
Anna said: "Even with the score, it wasn't easy. She started paying better at the end of the first set. But I held my serve pretty well."
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Montreal, QFs, Fri 11am WTA story
losers' prize: $25,650 US; points: 75
*#12 s7 Martina Hingis SUI d #7 s4 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS 7-6(4), 6-3
Martina serving, Svetlana's primary weapon, her forehand drive, Martina's backhand, and after match point
Martina said: "[Svetlana] played some unbelievable points, then she had a few lacking shots; that gave me hope over and over again to come back into the match. I knew I had to come up with the best in me so I did. Sometimes, she was looking for too much of a risk because she knew she had to go for the winner otherwise I would keep hitting it back."
It was Svetlana's first tourney since Wimbledon. In her Montreal player's blog Svetlana said: "If I had closed it out in the first set it would have been a different match. But I wasn't really seeing the ball that well, it was also my first night match in a while, so it was tough...
"I think Martina is playing really well. Even though when I play her it depends on me a lot, she's playing very consistently, and it's very interesting to play her. It's good to have her back. She's really friendly and I get along well with her.
"So to wind down tonight I might just have a glass of wine and relax, then have an easy day on Saturday, and leave for New Haven. On Sunday I'll start practicing for New Haven. I'll probably play my first round on Monday because I'm up against a qualifier."
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#15 s9 Dinara Safina RUS d #108 q Nicole Pratt AUS 6-1, 6-0
Nicole following a serve, and Dinara driving a forehand
Dinara said: "I'm glad that I could keep my nerves inside and play really solid today. The next match is going to be really tough; it will be a good match. And I'm going to have a look a little bit to see how they are playing."
It was 33-year-old Nicole's first Tier I quarterfinal. Nicole said: "I'm very proud of my achievement this week. Unfortunately, today I just didn't have much energy out there and I was really struggling to get out for every point. But, all credit to Dinara. She didn't really give me a chance to get into the match."
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#19 s13 Ana Ivanovic SCG d #20 s14 Katarina Srebotnik SLO 6-4, 6-4
Ana serving, Katarina unhappy with a call (only photo available), Ana happy with a point, Ana's backhand, and after match point
Ana will play in her 2nd WTA Tier I semifinal. Ana said: "I've put in a lot of hard work the last few weeks and months and I'm happy to see the results already coming. Today's match was not easy and I'm happy I took the opportunities I had. And playing semis here, it's a great feeling for me. Also I enjoyed the crowd. It's great and it's a very nice place to be."
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*#29 Anna Chakvetadze RUS d #25 Shahar Peer ISR 7-6(3), 7-5
Anna's service toss, Shahar and Anna driving forehands, and Anna after match point
Anna has not yet reached a WTA singles final; this will be her third semifinal, and first Tier I SF. Anna said: "I am happy that I won in two sets because it could have been three sets and much tougher than it was. It's the best result of my career, so I'm very happy, but I definitely want to be in the finals."
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Montreal, SFs, Sat 1pm & 7pm WTA story
losers' prize: $50,600 US; points: 135
#12 s7 Martina Hingis SUI d #29 Anna Chakvetadze RUS 6-3, 3-1 retired-- right forearm strain 1pm
Martina's service toss and serve, Anna leaping for a smash, Martina's backhand, Anna while the trainer examines her right arm, and Anna leaving the court, unable to continue
Anna said: "I wanted to retire in the end of the set, but then I felt okay, so I tried to play; but if something is bothering you, you can't play. I felt it yesterday and I had treatment but it wasn't bad and in practice I felt okay. But in the start of the first set I felt something wrong with my hand. It was really stiff and hurting when I served and hit forehands.
"I thought I could win; if I didn't, I'd never go to the court. And I told Martina that the next time I'll be ready, and it'll be a tougher match. I'm really sad because I knew that I could be in the finals."
About a few people booing when she left the court, Anna said: "People are upset because there were so many withdrawals this week. I know it was not personal. I wish I could have played until the end, but I just couldn't." post-match interview
Martina said: "It's kind of disappointing to win a match like this, but [Anna] continued, so you still have to keep the focus, because you don't know how much it's hurting and how much she still can play. I had never played her before. And those down-the-line backhands were really quite impressive."
About her potential opponents in the final, Martina said: "[Dinara and I] played in the finals of Rome, we've played also in Indian Wells on hard court. Both times I was successful. So definitely if I would play her, I'm looking forward to it... And against Ana, I've never played her; a very good player, a very high potential. She's impressed definitely this week. You can see that she's training hard, she has the fitness and a new coach and it must be working for her." post-match interview
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#19 s13 Ana Ivanovic SCG d #15 s9 Dinara Safina RUS Sat 7pm-rain-to Sun 11am-rain-4pm
Ana serving, Dinara's forehand drive, Ana's forehand, Ana volleying a backhand, and after match point
Rain on Saturday night stopped the match with Ana leading 6-1, 3-4, on serve. Play was to resume at 11am on Sunday but it was still raining. The match did not resume until 4pm, and Ana then won three quick games in succession to finish the match in front of almost empty stands. The final was postponed to Monday at 2pm.
Ana said: "We had to be here the whole morning so I think it was a little bit hard, but it was the same for both of us. I'm really happy the way I played these three games because it was important and I'm just happy I took the opportunities I had and I could win this match. It feels much better."
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Montreal, Final, Sun 1pm rain delay-ppd to Mon 2pm
loser's prize: $99,850 US; points: 210
winner's prize: $196,900 US; points: 300
*#19 s13 Ana Ivanovic SCG d #12 s7 Martina Hingis SUI 6-2, 6-3 Mon
Ana driving a forehand, Martina likewise, Ana driving another, and after match point
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Montreal, Doubles Final, Sun-ppd-Mon 11am
losers' prize: $29,940 US
winners' prize: $59,000 US
*cdr78 Martina Navratilova & Nadia Petrova d cdr14 s2 Cara Black & Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-1, 6-2 Mon
 Nadia & Martina-- it was Nadia's 12th WTA doubles title, and Martina's 175th. Martina will retire (again) after the 2006 US Open.
Montreal, Qual Finals, Sun Aug 13 10am
losers' prize: $1,700 US
#45 Shenay Perry USA d #106 Anastassia Rodionova RUS 6-4, 6-3
*#95 Galina Voskoboeva RUS d #57 Tathiana Garbin ITA 6-3, 7-5
*#108 Nicole Pratt AUS d #58 Julia Schruff GER 6-4, 7-5
#59 Jamea Jackson USA d #101 Ivana Lisjak CRO 6-0, 6-4
*#115 Varvara Lepchenko UZB d #61 Vera Dushevina RUS 6-0, 6-3
#74 Marta Domachowska POL d #117 Maria Emilia Salerni ARG 6-2, 6-2
*#354 Cara Black ZIM d #92 Olga Savchuk UKR 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2
*#148 Alberta Brianti ITA d #94 Kateryna Bondarenko UKR 6-4, 6-3
*#139 Tzipora Obziler ISR d #100 Stephanie Foretz FRA 7-6(12), 7-6(3)
#103 Virginie Razzano FRA d #309 Liga Dekmeijere LAT 6-0, 6-2
#119 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez ESP d #214 Ting Li CHN 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
*#256 Neha Uberoi USA d #254 Maria Fernanda Alves BRA 6-0, 6-4
Montreal, Withdrawals
#1 Amelie Mauresmo FRA right shoulder strain
#3 Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL right knee
#4 Maria Sharapova RUS fatigue
#8 Patty Schnyder SUI
#13 Mary Pierce FRA foot?
#30 Venus Williams USA left wrist
#51 Jill Craybas USA
#54 Shuai Peng CHN dizziness
#253 SR55 Paola Suarez ARG hip
#NR Chanda Rubin USA left knee & ankle
#NR Elena Bovina RUS right shoulder
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late Saturday (due to general fatigue), causing a major rearrangement of the drawsheet. Maria is tuckered out after 9 matches in 13 days, and wants to be ready for that festival in Flushing Meadows.
(right knee), # 8 Patty Schnyder (reason unknown), # 13 Mary Pierce (foot?) and # 30
Link to many postmatch interview videos of WTA players from Grand Slam tournaments at the
: the current top 20 Women's Tennis rankings with player photos, links, and bio info.
