Caroline Wozniacki eyes for the third title of her career in Tokyo

The US$175,000 AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships is being staged at Ariake Colosseum, Tokyo, Japan from September 29 until October 5, 2008 has attracted a strong field of entries. Heading the field is 18 years old and talented Dane, Caroline Wozniacki who is currently at her career best, WTA 17. This season Wozniacki has collected two titles from Stockholm and New Haven to join the list of other winners in the tour for the first time. She also made impressive run to fourth round at US Open.

Wozniacki will begin her campaign and will meet Argentinian Gisela Dulko in the first round. The two are tied 1 all in their meetings this year. Other first round matches are: Spaniard Annabel Medina Garrigues is the second seeded and is to face Chan Yung-Jan from Chinese Taipei. Third seeded Zheng Jie of China will be challenged by young Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. While fourth seeded Maria Kirilenko from Russia will clash against Klara Zakopalova of Czech Republic.

The rest of the seeded players are Kaia Kanepi of Estonia as fifth seeded, and followed by struggling Israelian Shahar Peer as sixth seeded then Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn as seventh seeded and last but not least, Aleksandra Wozniak from Canada as eight seeded.

In their first round matches, Kanepi will be challenged by Czech Lucie Safarova, Peer will face wild card and former world number four from Japan, Kimiko Date Krumm. Truly darling of Japanese fans, Date Krumm won Japan Open in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996. Meanwhile, Tanasugarn will battle against qualifier and Wozniak will play winner of Japan Open 2002, Jill Craybas of USA again after they met in the same round at recent WTA Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic in Bali.

Other wild cards are Japanese Aiko Nakamura and Ayumi Morita.

Ysidora lost in a very tight battle

Young and potential Grace Sari Ysidora, sixth seeded at ITF China Open Grade 2 in Beijing was denied to extend her winning streak by 17 years old Stephanie Cornish of Great Britain. In a very close battle, both Ysidora and Cornish exchanged solid ground strokes during the whole quarter-final match. In the first set, Jakarta born Ysidora was leading 5-4 but she was lack of patient compare to her British opponent in executing her strategy. Cornish stepped-up with more consistent shots and fought back to win 7-5 in the opening set.

In the second set, both players kept up their high pace and they tied at 6 all then forced them to have tie-break. At critical points, world ranked 200 Cornish was able to maintain her cool head and eventually she completed the match, 7-6(4). Cornish was happy to reach into her second semi-finals of Grade 2 this year, after Uruguay Bowl in earlier part of the season. Despite the loss, Ysidora was quite pleased with her performance since she played good today and she lost to a better player indeed.

In doubles, Ysidora partnered with 17 years old Malou Ejdesgaard of Denmark and this duo placed as third seeded in the draw. In the first round, Ejdesgaard/Ysidora defeated Dong Xiaorong/Qin Siyu of China 6-0, 6-4. Ejdesgaard and Ysidora forced to end their partnership in quarter-final when they bowed out to Chinese pair, Wang Ya Fan/Yang Zi, 6-7(3), 2-6.

In boys' doubles, Indonesian David Agung Susanto paired up with Thai Phaninthon Pakpoomkamol and they lost to top seeded Alistair Barnes/Nikala Scholtz (Great Britain/South Africa) 6-3, 3-6, 3-6 in the first round.

Grace Sari Ysidora moves into quarter-final

Indonesian tennis prodigy, 15 years old Grace Sari Ysidora continues her winning streak and reaching quarter-final of "2008 ITF China Open Grade 2" at Potters Wheel International Tennis Center in Beijing, China. Today in second round, sixth seeded Ysidora gave no mercy to her opponent, Zhao Di of China with 6-0, 6-0 victory. Zhao is only five months older than Ysidora and is currently ranked at ITF 257 while Ysidora at ITF 138. So, Ysidora is extending her 12 winning streaks now since June 17, 2008. Beijing is only Ysidora's eight tournament of the year and is her fifth Grade 2 tourney in her junior career. By cruising into the last eight round, it is certainly Ysidora's best result for the first time in Grade 2 level. What a breakthrough!

Zhao is no stranger for Indonesian players. Zhao visited Indonesia this year where she played three tournaments. At Solo 10K, she scared top seeded Sandy Gumulya but then she lost to her experienced opponent, 6-4, 3-6, 1-6.

In quarter-final tomorrow, Ysidora will face 17 years old Stephanie Cornish of Great Britain who is ranked at ITF 200. In the opening round yesterday, Ysidora began her campaign by beating 17 years old Australian Harriet Sheahan (ITF 219) with 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Meanwhile in boys' singles, Indonesian David Agung Susanto crashed out early in the first round. Susanto lost to wild card and top seeded Wu Di from China (ITF 40), 2-6, 2-6.

Sandy Gumulya forced to pack her bag early

From "Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital Tennis Classic" with total prize money of US $ 50,000 in Ashland, Kentucky, the main draw's matches continued yesterday. Indonesian number one player, Sandy Gumulya could not perform her best and bowed out to Portuguese Neuza Silva, 1-6, 3-6 in first round.

It was certainly not a good start for Gumulya in her US tour. Up next she will play another 50K in Troy, Alabama where she is secured already in the main draw together with Romana Tedjakusuma.

Other results were the early exit of two seeded players. Third seeded Olga Puchkova of Russia lost to 19 years old Lauren Albanese from USA, 2-6, 0-6. Puchkova, a resident of Florida, looked promising last year when she reached highest ranking of her career at WTA 32. Since then, she has been really struggling to keep up her form and now she is at WTA 120. She is now 13-23 for the season. Another casualty was seventh seeded Abigail Spears of USA who lost to local wild card Mallory Cecil 6-2, 4-6, 5-7.

Red hot favorite is second seeded Julie Ditty of USA, daughter of the tournament director here. Ditty is fresh from claiming the title at Albuquerque 75K in New Mexico last week end. Currently ranked at WTA 98, in the first round Ditty survived the scare and won 7-6(3), 7-6(2) over Sunitha Rao of India. Former 1999 Wimbledon semi-finalist, Alexandra Stevenson faced the reality of losing to up and coming Madison Brengle of USA who had to go through qualifying round first. This 18 years old Dover resident clinched her 7-6(3), 6-4 victory over 27 years old Stevenson.

Sandy Gumulya qualifies into main draw

Currently world ranked 262, Sandy Gumulya, and placed as first seeded at "Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital Tennis Classic" in Ashland, Kentucky, eventually she cruised into the main draw. In the first round of qualifying, Gumulya denied the challenge of 18 years old Croat, Ana Savic and won 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-1. She made another victory in the second round of qualifying when she defeated an Egyptian Heidi El Tabakh who is now playing for Canada, 6-4, 6-0. Yesterday, she completed her final qualifying with impressive win over sixth seeded, Maria Fernanda Alvarez Teran from Bolivia, 6-2, 6-1.

In the main draw of this tourney with total prize money of US $ 50,000 - Gumulya is scheduled to play against 25 years old Neuza Silva from Portugal. Silva is currently ranked 173 in the world and is enjoying the best season of her career so far. As qualifier, she sailed through all the way to quarter-final at Monzon 75K in Spain last April. She has collected two singles' titles of 25K in Felixstowe, Great Britain and Vigo, Spain. She played all four grand slams this year and her best outcome was reaching final qualifying at US Open.

Gearing-up for world tennis treats from Beijing, Nonthaburi & Seoul

China Open 2008 will hold its annual ATP and WTA tournaments at the same time this coming week. With total prize money of US $ 524,000, ATP China Open promises great matches from day to day until September 28, 2008. Top seed David Ferrer of Spain gets first round bye and waits for the winner of first round match between Nicolas Delvider of France and Israelian Dudi Sela. Second seeded Andy Roddick also receives first round bye. Roddick just lost to Ferrer in Davis Cup's semi-final this week-end and he will face either qualifier or Croat Roko Karanusic.

Third seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez gets first round bye and waits for wild card Yan Bai from China or Japanese Go Soeda in the second round. Fourth seeded Richard Gasquet of France also receives first round bye and will meet qualifier or Lu Yen-Hsun of Chinese Taipei in the second round. Wild card and fifth seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain will face American Bobby Reynolds in the opening round, while sixth seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo will play against his compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the first round. Resurging German Rainer Schuettler is placed as seventh seeded and is to face Ivan Navarro-Pastor of Spain in the first round. last but not least, eight seeded Sam Querrey from USA will play his first round match against his fellow countryman, Jesse Levine.

Meanwhile in the WTA event with total prize money of US $ 600,000 a world class showdown is ready to go. Same as last week in Tokyo, two Serbs Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic topped the draw here at Beijing Tennis Center. Top seeded Jankovic will have first round bye and will meet qualifier or Virginie Razzano from France in the second round. Struggling second seeded Ana Ivanovic also gets bye in the first round and waits for either qualifier or Alize Cornet from France. The undoubtedly strongest player in the last three months, Dinara Safina is the third seeded of the tourney and is waiting to meet the first round's winner between wild card Li Na of China or Italian Francesca Schiavone. Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova is fourth seeded and is also directly into the second round to play either qualifier or wild card Peng Shuai from China. Fifth seeded Vera Zvonareva from Russia will play her opening round against Spaniard Annabel Medina Garrigues, while sixth seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska will be challenged by 2008 Wimbledon semi-finalist, Zheng Jie of China in the first round battle. Another struggling player after injury is seventh seeded Daniela Hantuchova and she is scheduled to meet Argentinian Gisela Dulko in the first round and finally eight seeded Anna Chakvetadze from Russia will face Danish Caroline Wozniacki in the opening round.

ATP Thailand Open 2008 is entering its sixth year with total prize money of US $ 576,000. The venue is at Impact Arena of Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi outside of metropolitan Bangkok. World number three Novak Djokovic from Serbia is the top seed at the most prestigious ATP event in South East Asia. Djokovic receives first round bye and waits for either French Julian Benneteau or qualifier. Second seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France also gets first round bye. In the second round Tsonga will play either qualifier or Benjamin Becker from Germany. Third and fourth seededs are Czech Tomas Berdych and French Gael Monfils, they both also get first round bye. In the second round Berdych will meet either Italian Simone Bolelli or Thomas Bellucci of Brazil, while Monfils waits for opening match's winner between American Robert Kendrick or qualifier.

The remaining seededs are to play their first round. Fifth seeded lefty Jarkko Nieminen fo Finland will challenged by wild card and younger brother of top seed, Marko Djokovic. Sixth seeded Robin Soderling is to face qualifier; seventh seeded Marat Safin will play against German Philipp Petzschner and eight seeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer will meet young American, Donald Young.

WTA Tier IV "Hansol Korea Open" is topped with world ranked 27 Maria Kirilenko of Russia and world number 35 Israelian Shahar Peer in the draw. Kirilenko will begins her campaign in the first round against lesser known Slovak and ranked 219, Lenka Wienerova. Wienerova's best outcome this year when she won the title at Palic 50K in Serbia this past summer. Peer, as the second seed will face Czech Petra Cetkovska in the opening round. Other matches in the first round are featuring Roland Garros quarter-finalist this year, Estonian Kaia Kanepi is placed as third seeded and is to play against former top 50s, Jamea Jackson from USA who is currently at WTA 271; fourth seeded young Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro will face former top 30s Klara Zakopalova of Czech Republic; fifth seeded and world ranked 50 Pauline Parmentier of France will play against unknown wild card from Korea, Han Sung-Hee; sixth seeded Pole Marta Domachowska will meet Uzbekistan's number one, Akgul Amanmuradova. The remaining seededs are seventh seeded New Zealander Marina Erakovic and eight seeded Taiwanese Chan Yung-Jan. In the first round Erakovic will face experienced Samantha Stosur of Australia, while Chan will meet Mara Santangelo from Italy. Santangelo has been struggling with foot injury and her ranking is now WTA 183.

Russian women rule the world tennis

In the prestigious Tier I event known as "Toray Pan Pacific Open" in Tokyo, Japan, today fourth seeded Dinara Safina captured her third Tier I title of the year by defeating her compatriot, fifth seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova with 6-1, 6-3 victory. Safina's record in the final this season became 4 wins out of 7. While Kuznetsova is still titleless this year and zero win in 4 final appearances.

Safina will have highest ranking of her career tomorrow at WTA 3. If she can continue her stellar form then she can follow her brother's achievement as number one in the world.

Another tourney of Tier III in Guangzhou witnessed Russian domination as well. In today's final top seeded Vera Zvonareva denied China's Peng Shuai first title of her career when she fought back to win 6-7(4), 6-0, 6-2 over the fourth seeded. Zvonareva is now collecting two titles this year after Prague and total with seven titles of her career. While Peng is now 0-2 in finals this season. She was runner-up at Forest Hills in August when she lost to Lucie Safarova.