WTA Aug 19-25 Pilot Pen Open, New Haven, CT Tier II $600,000 28 players - outdoor: hard +ATP Live Scores - in popup window WTA pdf: draws & OOP - notes pics: HC - Yahoo - CBS - WTA NH Register: Pilot Pen - PPT blog Hartford Courant: Pilot Pen New Haven: radar - forecast # 5 Kuznetsova, # 10 Hantuchova # 11 M Bartoli, # 14 D Safina WTA Classic Forest Hills, NY Tier IV $74,800 16 players - outdoor: hard West Side Tennis Club WTA pdf: draws & OOP pics: WTA Forest Hills: radar - forecast # 45 V Razzano, # 46 M Tu # 49 G Dulko, # 50 A Nakamura

Tourney pages: New Haven & Forest Hills: 2006 - 2005 - 2004 New Haven: 2003 previous other tourney pages next New Haven: #5 Svetlana Kuznetsova 5' 8½", 161 lbs, RH 2H-BH New Haven: #39 Agnes Szavay 5' 7", 139 lbs, RH 2H-BH Acapulco, 2006: #49 Gisela Dulko 5' 7", 123½ lbs, RH 2H-BH

    On Saturday in New Haven, in the final of the Pilot Pen Open, the 2004 US Open champion, 22-year-old top-seeded # 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia (who recently changed her residence to tax-free Monte Carlo, Monaco) defeated upwardly-mobile 18-year-old qualifier # 39 Agnes Szavay from Budapest, Hungary, 4-6, 3-0 retired when Agnes could no longer continue due to a low back strain (Svetlana is shown during the final, and Agnes--after cheering up a bit--with Svetlana and the glassware after the match).
    Because Agnes had gone through qualifying, she was playing in her 8th match in 9 days. Her back had been troubling her all week, and she had withdrawn from her doubles quarterfinal earlier in the week due to the injury.

    Agnes said: "Every point it was getting worse and it was just really painful. I felt it when I started playing in the main draw, but at the beginning it was just a little muscle pain and nothing serious. Day by day, it just got worse and worse...
    "Svetlana is a very nice girl - she always makes me smile. She told me she was sorry about it, that she was not happy she won in this way. She's really nice." WTA story
    Svetlana said: "When I saw the she was calling for the physio I was like, 'Please no, not now.' I really feel sorry for [Agnes]. The US Open is coming and it's an important tournament and she's playing very well. Hopefully she can recover."

    It was the third consecutive match which Svetlana has won the unfun way, possibly the first and hopefully the last time this will ever occur. Sveta's quarterfinal opponent, Francesca Schiavone, retired from their match with an ankle injury; in the semis Sveta advanced when her compatriot Elena Dementieva retired due to nausea from gastrointestinal illness.

    Sveta and Agnes had never before met on the field of combat. Agnes was playing in her first-ever Tier II final; she won her first WTA singles title one month ago in Palermo, a Tier IV tourney.
    Svetlana is now 9-11 in WTA singles finals; this is her first title since March of last year at the Tier I Key Biscayne (Miami) tourney. Svetlana now has a 42-13 match record for 2007.
    Agnes is now 1-1 in WTA singles finals; her rank will rise to a career-high # 31 on Monday. Agnes has a 45-12 record for 2007, earned the hard way: 20 of those wins were in qualifying rounds, and 5 in an ITF tourney at Zagreb, which she won.

    In the Forest Hills final on Saturday, 22-year-old 3rd-seeded # 49 Gisela Dulko from Buenos Aires, Argentina handily defeated 24-year-old top-seeded # 45 Virginie Razzano from Nimes, France, 6-2, 6-2 (Gisela is shown being pretty on the beach at Acapulco last year)

    Gisela and Virginie had played only once before, in a quarterfinal on red clay in Estoril, Portugal in 2003, when Virginie won, 7-6(4), 6-4.
    Gisela said: "I never thought it would be this good a result against [Virginie]. I played a really good match today. I served well and mixed it up from the baseline. It was very hot and humid and it was difficult to play, but I think I stayed very focused and positive, and in the end it went my way." WTA story

    Gisela is now 2-2 in WTA singles finals; she won her other title earlier this year in Budapest. Gisela has a 23-19 record for 2007.
    Virginie is now 0-2 in WTA singles finals; she reached her other final at Tashkent in 2004. Virginie has a 31-19 record for 2007.

New Haven player's blog by Lisa Raymond

WTA SCOREBOARD: New Haven & Forest Hills s=seed, #=rank, *=upset, LL=lucky loser ranks are for the previous week How do players get into the "draw"? The Pilot Pen Open  New Haven, Connecticut       NWS weather radar     New Haven current conditions     New Haven: The main draw for New Haven has 8 seeds, with 4 1st-round byes.     There are 4 qualifiers and 3 wild cards in the main draw.     Qualifying finals are on Sunday--and main draw play begins on Sunday.   Yale University courts, New Haven - click for sat pic & street map Latitude: 41.311203 Long.: -72.959561 goto link for World Wind     The time at New Haven is UCT (GMT, Zulu...) -6 hours (=US Eastern Daylight Time, PDT +3). Connecticut news   On Tuesday, Aug 20, 2007 in New Haven, top seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova visited the Sony Ericsson Club at Yale Univerity's Connecticut Tennis Center... On Monday, Marion Bartoli, Dinara Safina, and Daniela Hantuchova met the press and signed autographs during and after the All Access Hour

New Haven, 1st Rd, Sun-Tue 10am losers' prize: $3,855 US (2006: $4,175); points: 1 *#26 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #16 s5 Patty Schnyder SUI 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4 Patty driving a backhand, and Francesca slicing one #17 s6 Elena Dementieva RUS d #28 Mara Santangelo ITA 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 Mon Mara and Elena following backhand drives, and Elena after match point #20 s7 Sybille Bammer AUT d #43 Meghann Shaughnessy USA 6-4, 6-2 Mon Sybille after winning a point #24 s8 Alona Bondarenko UKR d #66 q Olga Govortsova RUS 6-4, 7-6(2) Mon *#81 wc Vania King USA d #25 Tathiana Garbin ITA 6-4, 6-4 Sun Vania's forehand drive, and Tathiana's backhand volley *#33 Agnieszka Radwanska POL d #27 Ai Sugiyama JPN 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4 Tue #29 Sania Mirza IND d #32 A Medina Garrigues ESP 6-3, 6-3 Mon-rain-Tue *#39 q Agnes Szavay HUN d #31 Samantha Stosur AUS 6-2, 6-4 Mon Agnes ready to lightly tap a backhand *#42 Eleni Daniilidou GRE d #36 Martina Muller GER 6-4, 7-6(4) Mon #38 Emilie Loit FRA d #70 LL Dominika Cibulkova SVK 6-0, 7-5 Mon Emilie's service toss *#87 q Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP d #40 Olga Poutchkova RUS 7-6(4), 6-1 Mon *#86 wc Ashley Harkleroad USA d #80 q Tatiana Poutchek BLR 6-1, 6-0 Mon Ashley following a backhand drive

New Haven, 2nd Rd, Tue-rain-Wed 10am Wed WTA story losers' prize: $7,230 US (2006: $7,820); points: 35 #5 s1 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #33 Agnieszka Radwanska POL 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 Wed Agnieszka driving a forehand, and Svetlana's backhand     Svetlana said: "I felt good in the first set, but I think I suffered a little bit from my lack of recent matches, but it's good to have tough tests like this as it is what I need to be ready for the US Open. I know my game is there and all I need is to get time on court and hopefully I will get that this week." *#39 q Agnes Szavay HUN d #10 s2 Daniela Hantuchova SVK 7-5, 6-3 Wed Agnes driving a forehand     It was Agnes's first win over a top 10 player. The highest-ranked player Agnes had previously defeated was then # 29 Francesca Schiavone in the 2nd round in Barcelona in June. Agnes went on to win her first WTA singles title one month ago in Palermo.     Agnes said: "Obviously I'm really happy to beat a Top 10 player, and this result is great for my confidence. I knew I had a chance going into the match, and luckily today I served and moved great, and I could get the win." #11 s3 Marion Bartoli FRA d #87 q Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP 6-0, 6-4 ppd-Wed Marion's backhand drive #14 s4 Dinara Safina RUS d #81 wc Vania King USA 6-1, 6-3 ppd-Wed Dinara following a forehand #17 s6 Elena Dementieva RUS d #86 wc Ashley Harkleroad USA 6-1, 7-6(6) Wed Ashley and Elena following backhands *#42 Eleni Daniilidou GRE d #20 s7 Sybille Bammer AUT 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 Wed #24 s8 Alona Bondarenko UKR d #29 Sania Mirza IND 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 Wed #26 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #38 Emilie Loit FRA 6-1, 6-4 ppd-Wed

New Haven, QFs, Thu 10am WTA story losers' prize: $13,500 US (2006: $14,600); points: 70 #5 s1 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #26 Francesca Schiavone ITA 6-2 retired-- left ankle *#17 s6 Elena Dementieva RUS d #11 s3 Marion Bartoli FRA 6-4, 6-2 Marion's backhand, and Elena reaching for a forehand     Elena said: "I made a very slow start to the match. I found it difficult to get going, but I just kept trying to find my rhythm and fight for every point and once I did my level started to improve. I didn't play my best today, but every match gives me confidence and that's so important before US Open." *#42 Eleni Daniilidou GRE d #14 s4 Dinara Safina RUS 1-6, 7-6(8), 6-2     Eleni said: "We had a very close tiebreak in the second set, many long rallies and exciting points. I guess I got a bit lucky on some of the match points, like when she hit a double fault, but I think we both played great tennis and there were a lot of emotions out there. I was happy with my game in the second set, but in the third [set] I really stepped it up and just played much more aggressive than her." *#39 q Agnes Szavay HUN d #24 s8 Alona Bondarenko UKR 6-1, 6-4 Agnes and Alona following backhands     Agnes said: "Before the tournament if somebody had told me that I'm going to be in the semifinals I would be really happy, but now I'm here I'm determined to go further. I'm just trying to play my own game, match by match, point by point. I think I've really improved a lot in the past year and I'm trying to continue this improvement all the time."

New Haven, SFs, Fri 10am WTA story losers' prize: $25,240 US (2006: $27,300); points: 125 #5 s1 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #17 s6 Elena Dementieva RUS 6-4, 6-3, 3-0 retired-- nausea Elena and Svetlana driving forehands     Elena said: "I'm just a little sick. It was really humid and hot out there, and we just had a very physical game from the first point, lots of long rallies and a really aggressive game." AP story     Svetlana said: "It was hot. I guess [Elena] was feeling dizzy, but I was not well, too. It was weird, at the start I was suffering with the heat and breathing. But I know she was tired. Knowing that, I hung in there." AFP story #39 q Agnes Szavay HUN d #42 Eleni Daniilidou GRE 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 Agnes about to swat a forehand, Eleni driving one, Agnes driving a backhand, Agnes after match point, Eleni congratulating Agnes, Agnes thinking things over, and enjoying the moment     Agnes said: "At the beginning neither of us were playing that well, but I relaxed a little more and decided to play more aggressive. [Eleni] upped her level in the third, though, and I think we were playing some great tennis, and I'm just so happy I got the win."

New Haven, Final, Sat 1pm loser's prize: $47,125 US (2006: $51,000); points: 190 winner's prize: $88,265 US (2006: $95,500); points: 275 #5 s1 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #39 q Agnes Szavay HUN 4-6, 3-0 retired-- low back strain Agnes driving a forehand, Svetlana following a backhand, and Agnes telling Svetlana she cannot continue

New Haven, Doubles Final, Sat eve losers' prize: $14,900 US (2006: $16,120) winners' prize: $27,730 US (2006: $30,000) *cdr31 s3 Sania Mirza & Mara Santangelo d cdr3 s1 Cara Black & Liezel Huber 6-1, 6-2 Sania & Mara, tourney director Anne Worcester, and Cara & Liezel New Haven, Qual Finals, Sun Aug 19 10am losers' prizes: q1:$595 pts:1; q2:$1,105 pts:3; q3:$2,065 US (2006: $2,230) pts:10; qualifier points: 15 #39 Agnes Szavay HUN d #70 Dominika Cibulkova SVK 6-2, 2-1 retired-- low back injury #66 Olga Govortsova RUS d #125 Julia Schruff GER 6-2, 6-3 #80 Tatiana Poutchek BLR d #223 Naomi Cavaday GBR 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-3 *#87 Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP d #85 Ioana Raluca Olaru ROU 7-5, 3-6, 6-0 New Haven, Withdrawals #7 Amelie Mauresmo FRA recovering from March appendectomy #8 Serena Williams USA left thumb sprain #21 Na Li CHN rib injury #30 Vera Zvonareva RUS left wrist

The WTA Classic  Forest Hills, New York   Forest Hills current conditions     Forest Hills: The main draw for Forest Hills has 4 seeds, with NO 1st-round byes.     There is 1 wild card in the main draw.     There are no qualifying rounds.   West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills - click for sat pic & street map Latitude: 40.719583 Long.: -73.848445 goto link for World Wind     The time at Forest Hills is UCT (GMT, Zulu...) -6 hours (=US Eastern Daylight Time, PDT +3). New York City news       Admission to the Forest Hills tourney is free on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday; they charge $10 to see the final on Saturday. There is no qualifying and no doubles. Play at Forest Hills begins on Tuesday, August 20.

Forest Hills, 1st Rd, Tue (rained out)-Wed 10am losers' prize: $1,075 (2006: $1,825) US; points: 1 rain delayed play on Wednesday #45 s1 Virginie Razzano FRA d #74 Jill Craybas USA 6-4, 7-5 ppd-Thu #46 s2 Meilen Tu USA d #53 Roberta Vinci ITA 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 ppd-Wed #49 s3 Gisela Dulko ARG d #68 Yung-Jan Chan TPE 1-6, 6-0, 6-2 Wed #50 s4 Aiko Nakamura JPN d #63 Alla Kudryavtseva RUS 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 ppd-Wed #54 Akiko Morigami JPN d #72 Alicia Molik AUS 6-4, 6-2 ppd-Wed-ppd-Thu *#57 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #56 Vera Dushevina RUS 6-2, 7-5 Wed #59 Elena Vesnina RUS d #67 Severine Bremond FRA 6-4, 6-4 ppd-Wed *#593 wc Audra Cohen USA d #60 Elena Likhovtseva RUS 4-6, 6-4 retired-- lower left leg strain Wed

Forest Hills, QFs, Thu 10am WTA story losers' prize: $3,180 (2006: $3,400) US; points: 30 #45 s1 Virginie Razzano FRA d #54 Akiko Morigami JPN 6-2, 7-6(3)     Virginie said: "It was tough today. I'm feeling tired. Two matches in one day is very difficult, especially when you're playing against very strong players. I am going to try to rest and get ready for tomorrow.." *#57 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #46 s2 Meilen Tu USA 6-4, 6(6)-7, 6-4 Nathalie's forehand drive     Nathalie said: "I am really happy about this win. Meilen played very well the entire match. I was lucky to win at the end. I am very happy about this match." #49 s3 Gisela Dulko ARG v #593 wc Audra Cohen USA 6-1, 6-1     Gisela said: "I played a good match. I didn't make a lot of errors. I took my chances and am very happy that I won." *#59 Elena Vesnina RUS d #50 s4 Aiko Nakamura JPN 6-3, 6-2 Elena following a forehand     Elena was 0-7 in previous quarterfinals. Elena said: "This is one of the first times I've played really well in the quarterfinals. I am so happy to be in the semis. It's very difficult to play against someone who hits two-handed forehands and backhands. You've got to be very patient, aggressive and move fast, or else you will run into problems."

Forest Hills, SFs, Fri 2pm WTA story losers' prize: $5,890 (2006: $6,300) US; points: 50 #45 s1 Virginie Razzano FRA d #59 Elena Vesnina RUS 6-2, 6-0 Virginie driving a backhand     Virginie was 0-3 against Elena in previous matches. Virginie said: "I am very happy. There is one more match to go. I am happy to be in the finals. Today I played a very good player and I won with the game I always play." #49 s3 Gisela Dulko ARG d #57 Nathalie Dechy FRA 7-6(4), 6-2     Gisela was 0-2 against Nathalie in previous matches. Gisela said: "It was tough today with the weather being so hot. I feel tired but very happy to be in the finals. I am looking forward to playing tomorrow."

Forest Hills, Final, Sat 1pm loser's prize: $11,218 (2006: $12,000) US; points: 80 winner's prize: $20,550 (2006: $22,000) US; points: 115 *#49 s3 Gisela Dulko ARG d #45 s1 Virginie Razzano FRA 6-2, 6-2 Gisela about to swat a forehand

Forest Hills, Withdrawals #39 Agnes Szavay HUN New Haven #65 Lourdes Dominguez Lino ESP #184 Karolina Sprem CRO

    (Jul 18, 2007 revised) Former # 1 Lindsay Davenport has entered the doubles in New Haven, partnered with current doubles # 2 Lisa Raymond. She is also playing a little World Team Tennis this month, and Lindsay has also entered the singles in Bali (Sep 10). Lindsay retired at the end of last season, but apparently now intends to return to full-time WTA play.

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

Current WTA Results & Tennis News (tennis home page) - 2007 WTA Schedule with links & photos

Link to hundreds of postmatch interview videos of WTA players at the 2007 WTA Player Interviews page.

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