TORONTO, by Juan Carlos Cordero, UNO International News Service. The first day of the Main Draw at the Toronto Rogers Cup had together many qualities and surprises. Strong is beautiful is the new slogan and campaing in the WTA, and certainly the players level is getting even, more balanced. In the courts, a couple of upsets like the one Romanian Simona Halep got over Russian Svetalana Kuznetsova 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in center court this Monday afternoon.
In a huge upset win on Monday, Galina Voskoboeva took out No. 9 seed Marion Bartoli in straight sets, while Samantha Stosur advanced to the second round.
Voskoboeva, the world No. 135, easily defeated the 2011 French Open semifinalist by a score of 6-3, 6-3 in a shocking performance. The player from Kazakhstan had advanced into the main draw as a qualifier.
Earlier in the day, Australia's Samantha Stosur completed the comeback against Ayumi Morita of Japan on Centre Court with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 first-round victory.
THE STRONG IS BEAUTIFUL CAMPAING TOP PLAYERS
• Caroline Wosniaki: Fury + Finesse = First place
Player Name: Caroline Wozniacki
Born: July 11, 1990
BirthPlace: Odense, Denmark
Residence: Copenhagen, Denmark
Height: 5' 10" (1.77m)
Weight: 128 lbs. (58kg)
Player: Right-handed
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Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2010 Champion 2nd round
2009 2nd round
2007 1st round
• Maria Sharapova: Grit + Grace = Glory
Player Name: Maria Sharapova
Born: April 19, 1987
BirthPlace: Nyagan, Siberia, Russia
Residence: Bradenton, Florida, USA
Height: 6' 2" (1.88 m)
Weight: 130 lbs. (59 kg)
Player: Right-handed
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Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2009 Finalist
2008 3rd round
2004 3rd round
2003 1st round
• Serena Williams: Strength + Style = Successs
Player Name: Serena Williams
Born: September 26, 1981
BirthPlace: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight: 150 lbs. (68 kg)
Player: Right-handed
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Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2009 Semifinalist
2005 3rd round
2001 Champion
2000 Finalist
• Kim Clijster: Courage + Charisma = Champion
Player Name: Kim Clijsters
Born: June 8, 1983
BirthPlace: Bilzen, Belgium
Residence: Bree, Belgium
Height: 5' 8 1/2'' (1.74 m)
Weight: 150 lbs. (68 kg)
Player: Right-handed
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Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2010 Quarter-finalist
2009 3rd round
2006 2nd round
2005 Champion
2003 3rd round
2002 2nd round
LI NA, The 2011 French Open Champion
Name: Na Li
Born: February 26, 1982
BirthPlace: Wuhan, Hubei, China
Residence: Wuhan, Hubei, China
Height: 5' 7 3/4'' (1.72 m)
Weight: 143 lbs. (65 kg)
Player: Right-handed
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Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2010 3rd round
2006 1st round
2005 3rd round
PETRA KVITOVA, the Wimbledon surprising champion
Player Name: Petra Kvitova
Born: March 8, 1990
BirthPlace: Bilovec, Czech Republic
Residence: Fulnek, Czech Republic
Height: 6' (1.83 m)
Weight: 154 lbs. (70 kg)
Player: Left-handed
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Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2010 1st round
2008 2nd round
VERA ZVONAREVA, the Russian power
Player Name: Vera Zvonareva
Born: September 7, 1984
BirthPlace: Moscow, Russia
Residence: Moscow, Russia
Height: 5' 7 3/4'' (1.72 m)
Weight: 130 1/2 lbs. (59.1 kg)
Player: Right-handed
________________________________________
Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2010 Finalist Quarter-finalist
2009 3rd round 1st round
2008 2nd round Semifinalist
2005 Semifinalist
2004 Quarter-finalist Quarter-finalist
2003 2nd round 1st round
VICTORIA AZARENKA, Belarus dynamo
Born: July 31, 1989
BirthPlace: Minsk, Belarus
Residence: Scottsdale, Arizona
Height: 5' 10" (1.80 m)
Weight: 132 lbs. (60 kg)
Player: Right-handed
________________________________________
Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2010 Semifinalist
2009 2nd round
2008 Semifinalst
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE, the Italian never surrenders
Name: Francesca Schiavone
Born: June 23, 1989
BirthPlace: Milan, Italy
Residence: London, England
Height: 5' 5 1/2'' (1.66 m)
Weight: 141 lbs. (64 kg)
Player: Right-handed
________________________________________
Rogers Cup Results
Year Singles Doubles
2010 Quarterfinalist 1st round
2009 2nd round
2008 1st round
2007 3rd round
2006 2nd round
2004 2nd round
2003 3rd round
August 8, 2011
G. VOSKOBOEVA/M. Bartoli
6 3, 6 3
An interview with: MARION BARTOLI
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Obviously not the start you were looking for. Just talk about what didn't work for you today.
MARION BARTOLI: Oh, well, a lot of things didn't work for me today but obviously it happens. It was really just one of those days where nothing is working.
I tried my hardest, but I commit so many mistakes it was really hard to win regarding the number of unforced errors that I get, and it's very unusual for me, especially in the last two months or so I have been playing extremely well.
So obviously I'm very disappointed, but Galina as well played a great match, so all credit to her. On my side, yeah, it was really a day with nothing was working at all.
Q. You were having some problems with your hand. Was that a factor today?
MARION BARTOLI: No, not really, no. I don't want to come up with some excuses.
It was just I don't know. I was not feeling the ball. My legs was not moving. I was late on everything. I was committing a lot of mistakes, especially on the backhand, which is normally my best shot.
So, I mean, it was just really I was mistiming the ball so many times, and I didn't really understand why because I was playing well in practice. So, you know, it's one of those days when you try your hardest, and it's just not going your way.
Q. Without looking at today's match, just talk about what the problem turned out to be and how the recovery has gone. Is it okay now, or is it still...
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, well, I had a hematoma in the palm of my hand. So I had to take two days off and then play with a glove so to make sure the pressure on my hand was limited.
But, you know, I decide to go on court without the glove and try to play this way, and I didn't feel the pain during the match.
It's really not why I didn't play well today. I mean, it reminds me a little bit two years ago the match that I did here where I lost also to Alona Bondarenko and I played a really bad match. Seems like, I don't know, something is not going well here in Toronto.
I don't know if it's the surface or humidity or something, but, you know, it has been two years' gap, and it's some of the same kind of matches that I have played, so it's a bit weird. But I have to bounce back, move on, and try to be ready for next week. That's all I can do.
Q. Voskoboeva has had a successful year so far, but you've always had success against her. What can you take out of a loss like that against a player who you've always had success against?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, I don't really remember when was the last time I played against her.
Q. You have gone 4 0 against her.
MARION BARTOLI: Can you just tell me where I play against her? I just don't remember.
Q. Specifically, I'm not sure.
MARION BARTOLI: Well, to be honest with you, I don't think it's really her game that caused me problem today. It was more like on my side I was not able to produce any kind of play.
When you commit so many mistakes like I did today, it's really hard to win a match, to be honest. It was really like my game was not at the level I'm supposed to play regarding my ranking. That was the main problem.
And obviously she played two matches in the qualification, so she gets some rhythm here and I didn't. It was my first match.
But you have to I have to go back to the practice court and practice hard. That's all I can do. I mean, it's happened to everyone to have a bad day. I just have to bounce back and be ready for the next one. That's really all I can do for now.
Q. I read that you came to Toronto a bit early. Can you tell us when you actually did arrive, and was the purpose just to try to get acclimated to the weather and the city and all that?
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, well, I don't know if it was a good plan, actually, regarding what I did today, but I decide to light up a bit my schedule during the summer.
Usually I was playing every single week, and I thought it was a bit too much. So especially this year, because I already play so much before the summer series, I really thought I need to play less than usual.
So I played in Stanford, I made the final, and I flew on Monday here, get a day off on Tuesday because of my hand, and then started practice on Wednesday.
But really I don't think I mean, I practiced every day extremely hard. I was extremely focused, and I was really trying my hardest to be ready for this first round match. Obviously I had a bad day today.
Q. Can you talk a bit about the dropshots that she was making? That seemed to have some success against you.
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, well, I think she could have done anything today, honestly. You know, as I said, I was trying to put some power into the ball. My ball was flying two meters outside of the lines. I was trying to put the ball inside the court, and my ball was so slow she was dropshotting me.
So the main problem to me today was my timing. I was not able to feel the ball. So I was almost before I was hitting every shot, I was almost not sure if the ball was going to go two meters out or dropping so short that my opponent would be able to make a good dropshot.
So when you have those kind of feelings, you can't really, you know, prepare a point or do something with the ball. It's very hard on the court, because you're almost getting scared to just before hitting every single shot.
So it was really my main problem. My groundstrokes were just not working. I was making so many unforced errors. It was just so unusual.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
Li Na excites masses at Pacific Mall
Sunday, August 8, 2011
Li Na, the first-ever Asian player to claim a singles Grand Slam title, made an appearance at Pacific Mall in Markham on Saturday and was welcomed by throngs of adoring fans.
Before Li's scheduled appearance, hundreds of fans had already filled the Centre Court of the mall awaiting the arrival of the 2011 French Open champion. They chanted her name as she made her way to the front, and she opened by thanking everyone for coming, and said she was overwhelmed by all of the support.
The 29-year-old, who has become a star not only in her home country of China but all over the world since claiming her first Grand Slam crown, signed autographs for the fans, took photos and participated in a 15-minute Q& A session.
As the No. 6 seed at Rogers Cup presented by National Bank, Li has a first-round bye. She is currently scheduled to play her second-round match on Wednesday afternoon.
August 8, 2011
G. VOSKOBOEVA/M. Bartoli
6 3, 6 3
An interview with: GALINA VOSKOBOEVA
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Obviously the first upset of the tournament and maybe the biggest win of your career. Can you talk about what was going right for you today?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: Um, I think I just played pretty successful this year, and I'm pretty confident right now. And we are working with my coach, Alina, ex tennis player.
Actually, I was not that nervous, you know, against who I was playing, so I just knew that I can play good and that's it.
Q. When did you start realizing that the dropshot was going to be so successful? Because it seemed like you were using it a bit, and then all of a sudden you were using it more and more the second set.
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: My dropshots are always successful. (Smiling.)
Q. You were talking a bit about your success so far that year. Has much changed in your game?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: It's probably yes, because last year I didn't play. I had the injury.
And from this year, you know, I was just really happy that I could come back and start playing again. So everything went pretty good.
So probably I was relaxed in the beginning of the year, and it just went this way.
Q. You were aggressive on your serve. Do you think that benefited you, like worked to your advantage?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: Yes, but my serve, it was always good, just of course last year it was not good.
But it always helped me. But anyway, I'm always working on it, and I'm trying to improve it.
So I think it's getting better, also.
Q. I don't know how accurate this is, but the Wikipedia biography, it says that you hunt pigs. Do you hunt boars?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: (Laughter.) Yes, you know, I found that probably it's not interesting anymore to go to the cinema or to read books, so I decide to change something. You know, when I have free time I just go hunting pigs. Why not?
For Russians it's normal when we have free time just, you know, go for hunting pigs.
Q. What's the biggest one that you've been able to snare down?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: Sorry?
Q. What's the biggest pig or boar that you've been able to hunt?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: No, of course not. No, it's a joke.
Q. How did that get started?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: Being serious, we just found it out recently with my actually, she read that. I didn't read it before. So probably it was somebody's joke.
No, because other it also says that I like to play chess, yes, with Alex, so actually I also don't know who is Alex.
Q. But do you play chess?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: No. I like to play more cards.
Q. Can you just talk a bit about what was going through your head when you won the match and how you were feeling immediately after?
GALINA VOSKOBOEVA: Of course I was happy, and I was pretty glad, you know, that I could play good from the beginning until the end.
That's a good thing, you know, that in the end I could also play aggressive and, you know, to finish it by myself, not waiting for her mistakes.
So I'm pretty happy with that.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
The Tournament
If you have any questions please call 1-877-2TENNIS
Since 1892, the best women's tennis players in the world have showcased their skills on Canadian courts. Only Wimbledon and the U.S. Open have longer histories than the major Canadian stop, which is acknowledged by the tennis world to be one of the best-run tournaments on the Tour. Classified as a Premier 5 event under the WTA Tour Roadmap, Rogers Cup presented by National Bank offers US $2 million in prize money and attracts the brightest stars of women's tennis year after year.
Last year in Montreal, Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki captured her first Rogers Cup as part of a stellar year where she became the 20th player in the history of the WTA to ascend to the No. 1 ranking. The last time the women were in Toronto, in 2009, it was Olympic Gold medalist Elena Dementieva who took home the coveted Rogers Cup trophy. Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters have all had their names etched on the champions list of the tournament, which alternates annually between Toronto and Montreal. Faye Urban Mlacak is the last Canadian to have won the singles title on home soil. She captured both the singles and doubles (with Vicki Berner) championships in 1969.
Past Champions - Singles
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
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1984
1983
1982
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1980
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1978
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1916
1915
1914
1913
1912
1911
1910
1909
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1907
1906
1905
1904
1903
1902
1901
1900
1899
1898
1897
1896
1895
1894
1893
1892 Caroline Wozniacki
Elena Dementieva
Dinara Safina
Justine Henin
Ana Ivanovic
Kim Clijsters
Amelie Mauresmo
Justine Hénin-Hardenne
Amelie Mauresmo
Serena Williams
Martina Hingis
Martina Hingis
Monica Seles
Monica Seles
Monica Seles
Monica Seles
A. Sanchez Vicario
Steffi Graf
A. Sanchez Vicario
Jennifer Capriati
Steffi Graf
Martina Navratilova
Gabriela Sabatini
Pam Shriver
Helena Sukova
Chris Evert Lloyd
Chris Evert Lloyd
Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova
Tracy Austin
Chris Evert
Laura DuPont
Regina Marsikova
Regina Marsikova
Mima Jausovec
Marcie Louie
Chris Evert
Evonne Goolagong
Evonne Goolagong
Francoise Durr
Margaret Court
Faye Urban
Jane Bartkowicz
Kathy Harter
Rita Bentley
Julie M. Heldman
Benita Senn
Ann Barclay
Ann Barclay
Ann Hayden
Donna Ford
Mary Martin
Eleanor Dodge
Louise Brown
Jean Laird
Hanna Sladek
Karol Fageros
Melita Ramirez
Melita Ramirez
Lucille Davidson
Barbara Knapp
Baba Lewis
Patricia Macken
G.Wheeler Kelleher
Baba Lewis
W.W.II.
W.W.II.
W.W.II.
W.W.II.
W.W.II.
Eleanor Young
Elizabeth Blackman
Rene Bolte
Evelyn M. Dearman
Dr. Esther Bartosh
Margaret Osborne
Caroline Deacon
Graclyn Wheeler
Olive Wade
Edith Cross
Olive Wade
Olive Wade
Marjorie Gladman
Caroline Swartz
M. Leeming
M. Leeming
Lois Moyes Bickle
Florence Best
Lois Moyes Bickle
Lois Moyes Bickle
Lois Moyes Bickle
Marion Zinderstein
W.W.I.
W.W.I.
W.W.I.
W.W.I.
Lois Moyes Bickle
Lois Moyes Bickle
Mary Brown
Florence Sutton
Lois Moyes
May Sutton
Lois Moyes
Lois Moyes
Lois Moyes
NO TOURNAMENT
Violet Summerhayes
Violet Summerhayes
Violet Summerhayes
Violet Summerhayes
Violet Summerhayes
Violet Summerhayes
Juliette Atkinson
Juliette Atkinson
Juliette Atkinson
Eustace Smith
Maude Osborne
Maude Osborne
Maude Osborne DEN
RUS
RUS
BEL
SRB
BEL
FRA
BEL
FRA
USA
SUI
SUI
USA
USA
USA
USA
ESP
GER
ESP
USA
GER
USA
ARG
USA
CZE
USA
USA
USA
USA
USA
USA
USA
CZE
CZE
YUG
USA
USA
AUS
AUS
FRA
AUS
CAN
USA
USA
GBR
USA
CAN
CAN
CAN
GBR
USA
USA
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
USA
MEX
MEX
USA
GBR
USA
CAN
USA
USA
W.W.II.
W.W.II.
W.W.II.
W.W.II.
W.W.II.
CAN
USA
CAN
USA
USA
USA
CAN
USA
CAN
GBR
CAN
CAN
USA
USA
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
USA
W.W.I.
W.W.I.
W.W.I.
W.W.I.
CAN
CAN
CAN
USA
CAN
USA
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
USA
USA
USA
CAN
CAN
CAN
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