The Baseline Report - July 24, 2006

On Court:

Kim Clijsters and Patty Schnyder are headlining this week’s Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California. Three-time champion Lindsay Davenport was also scheduled to participate, but she withdrew only weeks ago with a back injury. In addition to Clijsters and Schnyder, the field contains Nicole Vaidisova and America’s latest comeback kid, Chanda Rubin. You can read On the Baseline’s tournament preview by clicking here.

The Tier III Budapest Grand Prix started today in Budapest, Hungary. Last year’s finalist, Catalina Castano, is the top seed, along with Michaella Krajicek and Klara Koukalova. Click here for a quick glance at the main draw.

Last Week’s Recap:

Serena Williams mounted a successful comeback at the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open tennis tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio, but was stopped just premature of the final by Russia’s Vera Zvonareva. Zvonareva, who had reached the final once before in 2004, went on to win the title after defeating Katarina Srebotnik 6-2, 6-2. Maria Elena Camerin and Gisela Dulko defeated the pairing of Marta Domachowska and Sania Mirza in the ladies doubles final 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Click here to see all of the entries on Cincinnati.

Anabel Medina Garrigues won her third title at the Internazionali Femminili di Palermo in Palermo, Italy after knocking out Tathiana Garbin in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. Janette Husarova and Michaella Krajicek blitzed past Italian wildcards Alica Canepa and Giulia Gabba 6-0, 6-0 to capture the ladies doubles trophy.

Ups and Downs:

For the second straight week, the top ten rankings on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour remained the same. Even though she did not defend her title at Cincinnati, Patty Schnyder retained her No. 8 spot, but she is now less than fifty points ahead of No. 9 Mary Pierce.

Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik reached a new career high after reaching the final in Cincinnati, and is now ranked at No. 21. Vera Zvonareva jumped back inside the top forty to No. 37, Italy’s Tathiana Garbin advanced to No. 52 from No. 75, Akiko Morigami fell from No. 47 to No. 75, and France’s Aravane Rezai cracked the top 100 for the first time in her career and is now at No. 91.

As of July 24, 2006
1. Amelie Mauresmo - 3692 points
2. Kim Clijsters - 3377 points
3. Justine Henin-Hardenne - 3093 points
4. Maria Sharapova - 2400 points
5. Nadia Petrova - 2134 points
6. Elena Dementieva - 2040 points
7. Svetlana Kuznetsova - 1995 points
8. Patty Schnyder - 1684 points
9. Mary Pierce - 1636 points
10. Lindsay Davenport - 1588 points

SONY ERICSSON WTA Media Information System

2005 Ranking Points which came off today: Cincinnati, Palermo

Injury Roster:

No. 10 Lindsay Davenport - bulging disk in back (withdrew from Stanford)
No. 52 - Tathiana Garbin - right knee injury (withdrew from Budapest)
No. 55 - Emilie Loit - wrist inflammation (withdrew from Budapest)

Read a complete injury report on this week’s Notes & Netcords.

Bank of the West Classic Information Online:

Official Website (live scoring is available)
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Tournament Profile
Main Draw
Television Listings

Budapest Grand Prix Information Online

Official Website
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Tournament Profile
Main Draw

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