07/02/2012 16:54 CEST - WTA Tour
Finally It was Maria Sharapova's day in Paris
TENNIS – Despite some peoples doubts, Maria Sharapova's press conference took place a year late at the Stade de Coubertin. Na Li and Marion Bartoli also gave interviews. Even if it was Monday, there were no matches from the main draw due to the Fed Cup weekend, so the qualifying tournament was completed. Article and pictures by Monique Filippella from Paris, translated by Paul Sassoon
As I arrived at the Stade de Coubertin I received Amèlie Mauresmo's tweet. It said that Sabine Lisicki was in Paris, but she had to withdraw from the tournament due to illness. Amèlie added a fantastic hashtag, #cacommence (great start).
It was a very relaxed day, because of the Fed Cup weekend there could be no singles first round matches and only one doubles match was scheduled. All the attention was for the final qualifying round.
Kristina Barrois was playing against Italian Alberta Brianti.
The German is in excellent form and in the previous round she inflicted a double bagel to poor Bychkova in less than one hour. She wanted to repeat herself today as she put away the first bagel. Brianti called for her coach Laura Golarsa who came down to give her some advice.
The coaches advice had the desired effect. Brianti started the second set missing less and she broke serve in the second game, she was 3-0 ahead now. Unfortunately for the Italian she fell apart again. The German won six games on the trot to conquer a place in the main draw. It wasn't an entertaining match even if they are both complete players that know how to vary their shots. They even play a one-handed backhand.
As I saw a relaxed Jill Craybas walking around the venue I didn't think that she is in such good shape.
In the all American match, Mattek-Sands won the first set easily, but she had to play her best tennis to stop the veterans comeback,
she couldn't help smiling when luck was on her side!
She needed some good fortune today as she wasn't hitting the ball as usual.
Was there a problem with her racquet, or did she stay awake to watch the Superbowl???
She mis-hit even this ball as it went hurtling towards the ceiling!
It is not like she can't hit the ball in the sweet-spot, it was just one of those days...
She managed to win the match anyway, despite the worried looks of her husband, qualifying for the main draw.
To convey to you actually how cold it was inside the arena, just take a look at the scarves the players were wearing when sitting in the stands (as if all the matches and training they go through wasn't enough tennis for them). Here we have Johanna Larsson and Jasmin Woehr,
even Kristina Barrios made her way to the stands after her match, to show off her big woollen scarf!
Unlike their coach Barbora Zahlavova and Julia Goerges seemed unaffected by the low temperature. Maybe they should have cover up considering the amount of withdrawals from the tournament due to illness!!
In that moment I was handed an official WTA communication, Kaia Kanepi was withdrawing from the tournament for a neck and shoulder pain. Still we had no idea if we are going to see Maria Sharapova this evening at 6 or if she was just going to be a ghost like last year.
When it rains it pours! Jelena Jankovic was wondering the corridors of the arena with a subtle (not really!) envelope showing to anyone who was interested the results of her MRI scan. There is no official communication yet, but...
There wasn't much happening on the court so the organisers filled the day with some press conferences. Jankovic's was cancelled, but Bartoli and Li turned up and hopefully so would Sharapova.
Marion was dressed elegantly and she even pretended it was nothing, “well...its nothing, just a skirt and a jacket...”
All the questions were regarding the Olympics, the Federation, the Fed Cup and Rezai. All the questions! I know that Marion isn't the most popular player and that her behaviour is often irritating, but she is actually a really smart girl. She answered in a clear and diplomatic way and she was never offensive. Even if her relationship with her peers isn't very good, she never says anything negative about them, and I appreciate this more and more!
Li Na was next. It was a hilarious press conference as she recounted how her life changed after her triumph in the Roland Garros. She struggled to limit her engagements outside tennis “I am a tennis player, not a model!” For once she was also kind to her husband, once she retires she wants to be a housewife in China amongst her friends and family even if she has a journalism degree, “in China there are many good journalists, they don't need me!”
By now we were all waiting for Maria Sharapova, she was expected by 6. Suddenly journalists and photographers turned up that were no where to be found before! It was a long wait during which I had the luck to watch the interview of Mona Barthel by the two biggest experts on women's tennis I know: Angelica of “WTA Turista per caso” and Matthieu Barbarin of “TenFem”.
As you can see the room certainly wasn't full even though this was the best interview of the day.
Mona is a simple but very determined girl, and she isn't putting too much pressure on herself. Her game is varied and she has worked a lot on the mental aspect of her game with her parents. When she talked about her defeat to Azarenka in Australia she didn't simply say that she lost to the eventual champion, but she calmly talked about the chances she didn't take. She come from a sporting family (her father won the Junior World Championships of shot put in Paris), and she has only ever wanted to play tennis like her idol Steffi Graf (she still hasn't met her). Mona has just finished her studies and she said that she would love to visit the cities where the tournaments are played, but tennis is her priority right now. She was at ease in the interview and very confident about her potential, but she never became arrogant. I think she has the qualities that an athlete needs to become a champion. If she continues like this Germany will have another reason to smile.
Finally the miracle! At six o'clock sharp, like a Swiss watch, if we ignore the fact that she was a year late, the Siberian star showed up.
The beautiful (and tall!!) Maria Sharapova finally made her triumphal entrance in the press conference room.
I honestly thought that she wouldn't turn up!
The usual questions were asked and she answered as expected.
The room was full of men and Maria could have read the phone book it wouldn't have made a difference.
Results Doubles - First Round
Safarova/Zakopalova (CZE/CZE) d. Koryttseva/Woehr (UKR/GER) 64 63
Singles Qualifying - Final Round
Mona Barthel (GER) d. (7) Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 63 64
(2) Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) d. (9) Jill Craybas (USA) 61 67(3) 64
(6) Kristina Barrois (GER) d. (3) Alberta Brianti (ITA) 60 63
(4) Greta Arn (HUN) d. Garbiñe Muguruza Blanco (ESP) 57 64 61
Order of Play Central (from 11.00hrs)
1. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova vs. Mona Barthel
2. Tsvetana Pironkova vs. Li Na (NB 13.00hrs)
3. Lucie Safarova vs. Angelique Kerber
4. Julia Goerges vs. Shahar Peer
Court 1 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Alberta Brianti vs. Petra Cetkovska
2. Dekmeijere/Klemenschits vs. Coin/Parmentier
3. Niculescu/Rosolska vs. Hrdinova/Pliskova
4. Bratchikova/Jurak vs. Brianti/Cornet
5. Polona Hercog vs. Chanelle Scheepers (NB 17.00hrs)
6. Craybas/Zahlavova Strycova vs. Grandin/Uhlirova
7. Petra Martic vs. Greta Arn
Monique Filippella
Some Tommy highlights for the Haas addicts out there...
- Ann Liguori's column each week as she covers the world of sports
For more information, visit www.annliguori.com
"I've got £10m in prize money but I'd pay it all back to win at Wimbledon"
Andy Murray before the Championships
January 20, 1920
Rebound Ace, the controversial court surface of the Australian Open since 1988, is thrown under microscope and criticized as two players, Gabriela Sabatini and Mark Woodforde,suffer ankle injuries that force them to leave the court in wheelchairs in third-round matches.
From "On this day in Tennis History" by Randy Walker
