WTA Jul 13-19: Prague & Palermo ECM Prague Open, Prague, CZE INTL $220,000 32m/32q/16d outdoor: red clay - Free Live Video Live Scores - in popup window draws: WTA: S - Q - D - OOP     tourn. draws: S - Q - D - OOP pics: Sap. - Y!: sports - news | WTA videos - Prague: radar - forecast #28 F Schiavone, #30 S Bammer #31 Benesova, #32 Suarez Navarro Internazionali Femminili Palermo, ITA INTL $220,000 32m/32q/16d outdoor: red clay - Free Live Video Live Scores - in popup window draws: WTA: S - Q - D - OOP     tourney: draws: - Q - S - D - OOP pics - WTA pics Italy News - Palermo weather #15 F Pennetta, #21 P Schnyder #23 A Cornet, #33 A Pavlyuchenkova

Prague: 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005   Palermo: 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003 previous other tourney pages next Palermo: #15 Flavia Pennetta 5'7¾" 128lb RH 2H-BH Prague: #30 Sybille Bammer 5'9" 139lb RH 2H-BH

    On Sunday in Palermo, Italy, in the final of the Internazionali Femminili Snai Open, 27-year-old top-seeded #15 (and Italian #1) Flavia Pennetta of Italy (residence: Verbier, Switzerland) defeated her compatriot, the 2008 Palermo champion, 22-year-old 5th-seeded #38 Sara Errani from Bologna, Italy, 6-1, 6-2 (Flavia is shown holding the hardware after the match).

    Flavia's prize is $37,000; Sara's is $19,000.

    Last month in 's-Hertogenbosch, Flavia and Sara teamed up to win the doubles title. In singles, Flavia and Sara had met twice before. In the semifinals in Acapulco in 2007, Flavia defeated Sara 6-2, 6-4. But last year, in the Palermo semis, Sara, on her way to her first WTA title, defeated Flavia 7-5, 6-3.

    Flavia is now 7-9 in WTA singles finals; she won the Vina del Mar and Acapulco titles last year. Flavia is 32-16 in matches this season.
    Sara is now 2-1 in WTA singles finals; she won both her titles last year, in Palermo and Portoroz. Sara has a 17-19 match record in 2009.

    Meanwhile in Prague, Czech Republic, in the final of the ECM Prague Open, 29-year-old 2nd-seeded #30 Sybille Bammer from Linz, Austria, defeated 29-year-old top-seeded #28 Francesca Schiavone of Italy (residence: London, England), 7-6(4), 6-2 (Sybille is also shown with the goodies after the match).

    Sybille's prize is $37,000; Francesca's is $19,000. Due to rain on Saturday, both players had to play their semifinals on Sunday morning. Sybille, who had been leading 3rd-seeded #31 Iveta Benesova 3-0 when the rain stopped play on Saturday, defeated Iveta 6-0, 7-5. Francesca had to spend more time oncourt, defeating qualifier #115 Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

    Sybille and Francesca had met twice before; both of their previous meetings were last year on hardcourts. In the 2nd round at Dubai Francesca defeated Sybille 6-3, 6-2. But on an indoor hardcourt in the 1st round in her hometown, Linz, Sybille defeated Francesca, 7-5, 6-3.

    Sybille is now 2-0 in WTA singles finals; she won her first title at Pattaya City, Thailand, in 2007. Sybille has a 14-12 match record this year.
    Francesca is now 1-9 in WTA singles finals; she won her title at Bad Gastein last year. Wimbledon quarterfinalist Francesca has a 24-17 match record in 2009.

WTA SCOREBOARD: Prague & Palermo s=seed, #=rank, *=upset, LL=lucky loser ranks are for the previous week How do players get into the "draw"? Prague Open,  Prague, Czech Republic   tourney time:        = GMT +2 hours        = US EDT +6 hours        = US PDT +9 hours Czech Republic News Weather Forecast | Weather Maps | Weather Radar     Prague: The 32-player main draw for Prague has 8 seeds, with no 1st-round byes. There are 4 qualifiers and 3 wild cards in the main draw. Qualifying finals are on Monday.   click for broader view   I. Český Lawn-Tennis Klub Latitude: 50.095835 Longitude: 14.439694 goto link for World Wind Prague Open venue address: The Ostrov Štvanice 38 17000 Praha 7 2008: On Wednesday, April 30 in Prague, 16-year-old twin wild cards Karolina and Kristyna Pliskova were looking good despite losing their 2nd round doubles match... Andrea Hlavackova was smiling after winning her 2nd round doubles, and Klara Zakopalova was having a smiling day off in her home town...

Prague, 1st Round, Mon-Tue 11am loser's prize: $1,725 US; points: 1 #28 s1 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #63 Shahar Peer ISR 7-5, 6-3 Mon #30 s2 Sybille Bammer AUT d #83 Tsvetana Pironkova BUL 2-6, 7-6(2), 7-5Mon Sybille lining up a forehand, and Tsvetana's backhand drive #31 s3 Iveta Benesova CZE d #329 wc Karolina Pliskova CZE 6(5)-7, 6-1, 6-3 Tue Iveta driving a forehand, and Karolina waiting to swat a backhand #32 s4 Carla Suarez Navarro ESP d #85 Alexandra Dulgheru ROU 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Mon Alexandra and Carla about to swat backhands *#72 Kateryna Bondarenko UKR d #36 s5 Alona Bondarenko UKR 6-1, 6-3 Tue *#115 q Timea Bacsinszky SUI d #46 s7 Magdalena Rybarikova SVK 6-2, 7-6(5) Tue #56 s7 Lucie Hradecka CZE d #166 q Ksenia Pervak RUS 6-3, 6-2 Tue Lucie fielding a backhand #58 s8 Petra Kvitova CZE d #132 Anna Lapushchenkova RUS 6-1, 6-0 Tue *#67 Kristina Barrois GER d #61 Ioana Raluca Olaru ROU 5-7, 6-1, 7-5 Tue #73 Monica Niculescu ROU d #110 Katie O'Brien GBR 6-3, 6-2 Tue *#96 Karolina Sprem CRO d #80 Tatjana Malek GER 6-3, 6-2 Tue #89 Polona Hercog SLO d #112 Klara Zakopalova CZE 7-5, 6-4 Tue Polona offcourt on Monday, and Klara driving a forehand #93 Stefanie Voegele SUI d #135 q Petra Martic CRO 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 Tue #100 Alla Kudryavtseva RUS d #143 Nicole Vaidisova CZE 7-5, 6-2 Tue *#119 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova CZE d #116 Kristina Kucova SVK 7-5, 6-4 Mon Barbora engaged in friendly discussion with the chair umpire, and Kristina following a backhand *#393 wc Zarina Diyas KAZ d #323 q Kristina Mladenovic FRA 6-4, 6-1 Tue Zarina contemplating a backhand

Prague, 2nd Round, Wed-Thu noon loser's prize: $2,950 US; points: 30 #28 s1 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #89 Polona Hercog SLO 6-2, 6-2 Wed Francesca following a drop shot #30 s2 Sybille Bammer AUT d #100 Alla Kudryavtseva RUS 6-1, 6-1 Wed #31 s3 Iveta Benesova CZE d #73 Monica Niculescu ROU 7-5, 6-4 Thu Monica about to swat a forehand, and Iveta driving one #32 s4 Carla Suarez Navarro ESP d #119 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-1, 6-4 Wed #56 s7 Lucie Hradecka CZE d #96 Karolina Sprem CRO 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 Wed Karolina following a conventional forehand, and Lucie driving her 2-handed forehand with backhand grip, Bartoli-style *#393 wc Zarina Diyas KAZ d #58 s8 Petra Kvitova CZE 6-4, 6-2 Thu Petra and Zarina driving forehand and backhand *#72 Kateryna Bondarenko UKR d #67 Kristina Barrois GER 7-5, 7-5 Thu *#115 q Timea Bacsinszky SUI d #93 Stefanie Voegele SUI 6-4, 6-1 Thu Timea driving a forehand, and Stephanie fielding one on the run

Prague, QFs, Fri noon loser's prize: $5,340 US; points: 70 #28 s1 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #72 Kateryna Bondarenko UKR 6-1, 6-1 #30 s2 Sybille Bammer AUT d #56 s7 Lucie Hradecka CZE 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 #31 s3 Iveta Benesova CZE d #393 wc Zarina Diyas KAZ 6-4, 6-1 Zarina running down a forehand, and Iveta about to slice a backhand *#115 q Timea Bacsinszky SUI d #32 s4 Carla Suarez Navarro ESP 6-4, 6-4

Prague, SFs, Sat noon loser's prize: $10,200 US; points: 130 #28 s1 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #115 q Timea Bacsinszky SUI 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 ppd-Sun Timea and Francesca serving #30 s2 Sybille Bammer AUT d #31 s3 Iveta Benesova CZE 6-0, 7-5 Sat-rain-Sun Sybille and Iveta following forehands

Prague, Final, Sun 3pm loser's prize: $19,000 US; points: 200 winner's prize: $37,000 US; points: 280 #30 s2 Sybille Bammer AUT d #28 s1 Francesca Schiavone ITA 7-6(4), 6-2 Sybille driving a backhand, Francesca volleying one, Sybille following a forehand, and after match point

Prague, Doubles Final loser's prize: $5,750 US winner's prize: $11,000 US cdr108 s2 Alona Bondarenko & Kateryna Bondarenko cdr91 s1 Iveta Benesova & Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-1, 6-2 Prague, Qual Finals, Mon Jul 13 11am losers' prizes: q1 $265 1pt; q2 $460 6pts; q3 $860 10pts; qualifier 16 points #115 Timea Bacsinszky SUI d #156 Ekaterina Ivanova RUS 6-3, 6-4 #135 Petra Martic CRO d #264 Eleni Daniilidou GRE 6-4, 6-2 *#166 Ksenia Pervak RUS d #138 Marta Domachowska POL 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(11) *#323 Kristina Mladenovic FRA d #191 Anna Tatishvili GEO 6-4, 7-5 Prague, Withdrawals #12 Dominika Cibulkova SVK leg injury #26 Sabine Lisicki GER right shoulder injury #92 Anastasiya Yakimova BLR low back injury #155 Petra Cetkovska CZE right ankle injury?

Internazionali Femminili,  Palermo, Sicily, Italy   tourney time:        = GMT +2 hours        = US EDT +6 hours        = US PDT +9 hours Italy News Weather Forecast | Weather Maps | Weather Radar     Palermo: The 32-player main draw for Palermo has 8 seeds, with no 1st-round byes. There are 4 qualifiers and 3 wild cards in the main draw. Qualifying finals are on Monday.   click for broader view   Country Time Club, Palermo, Italy Latitude: 38.189389 Longitude: 13.318852 goto link for World Wind Internazionali Femminili venue address: Country Time Club, Via dell'Olimpo, 5 - Palermo; Tel. +39 091 453782 - Fax +39 091 6841644 2009: On Thursday, July 16 in Palermo, Aravane Rezai and Alize Cornet attended the 2nd round match between Yaroslava Shvedova and Alberta Brianti...

Palermo, 1st Round, Mon-Wed 4pm loser's prize: $1,725 US; points: 1 #15 s1 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #149 q Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP 6-2, 6-3 Tue #21 s2 Patty Schnyder SUI d #179 q Anastasia Pivovarova RUS 6-4, 6-0 Wed *#54 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez ESP d #23 s3 Alize Cornet FRA 6-2, 6-2 Tue *#104 wc Alberta Brianti ITA d #33 s4 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS 6-3, 4-0 retired—right shoulder injury Mon #38 s5 Sara Errani ITA d #88 Mariya Koryttseva UKR 6-4, 6-4 Tue #41 s6 Ekaterina Makarova RUS d #74 Jill Craybas USA 6-3, 6-1 Tue #42 s7 Aravane Rezai FRA d #87 Galina Voskoboeva KAZ 6-2, 6-4 Mon *#50 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER d #45 s8 Gisela Dulko ARG 6-4, 6-1 Tue #48 Roberta Vinci ITA d #78 Lourdes Dominguez Lino ESP 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) Mon #65 Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ d #217 wc Nathalie Vierin ITA 6-3, 6-2 Tue #66 Tathiana Garbin ITA d #114 Edina Gallovits ROU 6-4, 7-5 Tue #68 Olga Govortsova BLR d #99 Maria Elena Camerin ITA 6-3, 6-3 Mon #71 Patricia Mayr AUT d #168 q Olga Savchuk UKR 6-4, 6-4 Tue #90 Varvara Lepchenko RUS d #147 wc Corinna Dentoni ITA 6-3, 6-2 Mon *#102 Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP d #98 Masa Zec Peskiric SLO 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 Tue #108 q Arantxa Rus NED d #231 wc Anna Floris ITA 7-6(3), 6-4 Tue

Palermo, 2nd Round, Wed-Thu 3:30pm-4pm loser's prize: $2,950 US; points: 30 #15 s1 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #48 Roberta Vinci ITA 7-5, 6-1 Wed #21 s2 Patty Schnyder SUI d #102 Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP 6-2, 6-2 Thu #38 s5 Sara Errani ITA d #71 Patricia Mayr AUT 7-6(6), 6-1 Thu *#68 Olga Govortsova BLR d #41 s6 Ekaterina Makarova RUS 6-2, 6-2 Wed #42 s7 Aravane Rezai FRA d #90 Varvara Lepchenko RUS 6(2)-7, 6-4, 6-2 Wed #50 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER d #108 q Arantxa Rus NED 7-6(5), 6-3 Thu *#66 Tathiana Garbin ITA d #54 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez ESP 6-2, 6-3 Wed #65 Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ d #104 wc Alberta Brianti ITA 6-3, 6-2 Thu

Palermo, QFs, Fri 4pm loser's prize: $5,340 US; points: 70 #15 s1 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #42 s7 Aravane Rezai FRA 6-4, 6-4 #50 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER d #21 s2 Patty Schnyder SUI 4-3 retired—left hip flexor strain #38 s5 Sara Errani ITA d #65 Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ 6-2, 7-5 #66 Tathiana Garbin ITA d #68 Olga Govortsova BLR 6-2, 6-1

Palermo, SFs, Sat 5:00pm loser's prize: $10,200 US; points: 130 #15 s1 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #66 Tathiana Garbin ITA 6-1, 6-1 Flavia lining up a forehand, and Tathiana driving one #38 s5 Sara Errani ITA d #50 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 Sara serving, and Anna-Lena driving a backhand

Palermo, Final, Sun 7:30pm loser's prize: $19,000 US; points: 200 winner's prize: $37,000 US; points: 280 #15 s1 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #38 s5 Sara Errani ITA 6-1, 6-2 Flavia and Sara driving forehands, Flavia following a backhand, and after match point

Palermo, Doubles Final, loser's prize: $5,750 US winner's prize: $11,000 US cdr42 s2 Nuria Llagostera Vives & Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez d Mariya Koryttseva & Darya Kustova 6-1, 6-2 Palermo, Qual Finals, Mon Jul 13 4pm losers' prizes: q1 $265 1pt; q2 $460 6pts; q3 $860 10pts; qualifier 16 points #108 Arantxa Rus NED d #201 Catalina Castano COL 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 *#168 Olga Savchuk UKR d #146 Sesil Karatantcheva KAZ 6-3, 7-5 #149 Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP d #180 Ksenia Palkina KGZ 6-0, 6-3 *#179 Anastasia Pivovarova RUS d #164 Irina Begu ROU 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 Palermo, Withdrawals #75 Jelena Dokic AUS low back injury #101 Severine Bremond Beltrame FRA left knee injury

See also: QuickShop: Sporting Goods - Martina Hingis - Anna Kournikova

Current WTA Results & Tennis News (tennis home page) - 2009 WTA Schedule with links & photos

Link to many postmatch interview & match highlight videos of WTA players at the 2008 WTA Player Videos page.

WTA PhotoRankings: the current top 20 Women's Tennis rankings with player photos, links, and bio info.