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Sam Stosur Pre Tournament: Apia International Sydney 2012
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Archive for April, 2011
Sam and Sabine win doubles
25 April 2011
French Open finalist Samantha Stosur continued her impressive run of form at Stuttgart’s WTA tournament by winning the doubles with German partner Sabine Lisicki on Sunday. The pair enjoyed a 6-1 7-6 (7-5) win over Germany’s Kristina Barrois and Jasmin Woehr in the final. In the singles tournament, the 27-year-old Australian knocked out second-seed Vera Zvonareva in the last eight, but lost the semi-final to local favourite Julia Goerges. Stosur is expected to move up to sixth in the world when the WTA rankings are next released.Stosur positive despite loss
24 April 2011
Australia's Samantha Stosur said she has taken plenty of positives from her performances in Stuttgart, despite losing Saturday's semi-final to Germany's Julia Goerges. Goerges became the first German for 15 years to reach the final of Stuttgart's WTA tournament when she inflicted a 6-4 3-6 7-5 win over fifth-seed Stosur. Stosur, who went onto reach the French Open final last year after losing to Justine Henin in the 2010 Stuttgart final, said she was disappointed, but also happy to have again reached the last four this year. "I am obviously disappointed to have lost the match, but it is encouraging to have come here and played well," said the 27-year-old. "I probably haven't played with this much confidence all year, I have come through and played four good matches. "It is disappointing to lose, but it is definitely something I can build on." Stosur will now play the Madrid Open, which starts on April 30, and the Rome tournament, May 9-15, before she focuses on the French Open, which starts in Paris on May 22. Wins here over Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Daniela Hantuchova on clay put Stosur into the last eight before she picked up a valuable win over second seed and world number three Vera Zvonareva in the quarter-finals. "It's an important time of year coming up for me now," said Stosur. "I think I have taken a step in the right direction towards playing where I was going into the French Open last year." With top stars Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters both struggling with injuries, Stosur is amongst the favourites at Roland Garros this year, but the Australian played down her tag. "It's nice that people have confidence in me, but the French is nearly a month away and there are still things I need to improve before then," she said. "Even with Kim and Serena two out of the draw, you still have the number one and three players in the world, plus everyone else going into the rest of the draw. "I have had good results there last year, but you have to start from scratch again. "Winning your first round match is the most important thing and I hope I can do so well there again."Julia downs Sam in Stuttgart
24 April 2011
Julia Goerges became the first German for 15 years to reach the final of Stuttgart's WTA tournament when she beat Australia's Samantha Stosur in Saturday's semi-finals. Goerges needed two hours 16 minutes to inflict a 6-4 3-6 7-5 win over fifth-seed Stosur and will now face either world number one Caroline Wozniacki or Poland's Agnieska Radwanska in Sunday's final. "It is unbelievable to have beaten a player like Stosur. And in front of a home crowd. I'm just too happy for words, " said Goerges. This is only the third time the 22-year-old Goerges has reached a WTA final and she is the first German to reach the Stuttgart final since Anke Huber, who was the runner-up to Martina Hingis in 1996. Having broken Stosur in the opening game, the first set followed service until Goerges produced a deft shot to win the opening set 6-4. Stosur came back in the second and broke the German in the fourth game for a 3-1 lead. Goerges broke back in the seventh game, but Stosur repaid the compliment immediately for a 5-3 lead and then she served out for the set. In a tense third set, Goerges broke Stosur in the sixth game, before being broken herself in the very next game, but having served out to a 6-5 lead, the German produced some great shots to break again for the set and match.Stosur stuns Zvonareva
22 April 2011
Samantha Stosur beat second seed Vera Zvonareva to reach the last four at Stuttgart's WTA tournament. The 27-year-old Australian fifth-seed battled back from losing the first set for a 2-6 6-3 7-6(3) victory over the Russian, who is ranked third in the world, in just over two-and-a-half hours. Having made an early exit from January's Australian Open, Stosur is hoping to use Stuttgart to recapture the form that helped her reach the French Open final at Roland Garros last year. "That's probably the best match I have played all year," beamed Stosur after reaching the last four of a tournament for the first time in 2011. "It is very encouraging to beat a player as good as her in a tough, tight match." Zvonareva repeatedly broke her racquet strings and even played parts of the match with her coach's racquet. After the Russian had dominated the first set, the match turned in the second when the 26-year-old needed lengthy treatment for a problem with her right shoulder with the score at 2-1 to the Russian. Stosur capitalised with a series of strong serves to take a 5-3 lead when she then broke the Russian to take the third set. There was drama in the third with the scores locked at 5-5 as both players broke the other to set up the tie-break. Stosur raced into a 5-0 lead before Zvonareva rallied briefly, but the Australian hung on to go into a semifinal against Germany's Julia Goerges, ranked 32nd in the world, who beat the Australian's doubles partner Sabine Lisicki 6-4 6-4.Sam to face Zvonareva in quarters
21 April 2011
Samantha Stosur is hoping a good run at Stuttgart's WTA tournament will give her a second successive French Open boost as she booked her place in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The 27-year-old, ranked seventh in the world, needed just over two hours for a hard-fought 6-4 2-6 6-4 win over Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova, currently ranked 36 in the world. "It was a good quality match, so I am very happy to get through that one," Stosur said. "It's nice to win two games back to back, it's a good feeling especially at this time of year. "It's an important time and I would like to get back the form and the kind of results I had last year." Having reached last year's final here, Stosur will now face second seed and world number three Vera Zvonareva of Russia on Thursday for a place in the semifinals. "We have played each other lots of times and we know each others' games pretty well," said Stosur, who has beaten the Russian five times and lost to her twice. "I have had good success against her in the past and I need to just remember what I did and do it again." Having made an early exit from January's Australian Open, Stosur is hoping to recapture the form in Stuttgart that helped her reach the French Open final at Roland Garros last year. "It's too early to think about Roland Garros, I am trying to take it one match at a time," she said with the French Open set to start on May 23. "Especially with how I have been playing recently, the main focus is just to play well and play each point. "Getting through matches helps the confidence, I'd have taken a win in two [sets] today, if it goes to three at least I know I can tough it out. "Physically, it's no problem, but mentally to tough out the match after losing the second set, and not get down, was good. As soon as I got a chance, I broke back and that is really pleasing for me." Stosur lost last year's final here to former world number one Justine Henin, but went on to claim revenge against the Belgian, as well as beating Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic, on the way to the final in Paris. "[Stuttgart] is a fantastic tournament, there is not much not to like about it," said Stosur, who lost to Italy's Francesca Schiavone in Paris last year. "Any tournament where you come back after a successful run is always a good feeling. "I think it helped [in 2010], it gave me some momentum, I wasn't even meant to play this tournament last year, so everything seems to happen for a reason. "I am sure that helped me going into Roland Garros to have had five good matches and to play a tight match against Henin, the first time I had played her was here. "It helped build some momentum and the confidence for the French Open, so hopefully that will all help."Sam off to a good start in Stuttgart
20 April 2011
Samantha Stosur progressed to the second round of Stuttgart's WTA tournament with a straight sets win over Spain's Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez on Tuesday. The 27-year-old fifth seed, who reached last year's Stuttgart final, needed just 80 minutes to see off the Spaniard for a 7-5 6-1 win. Stosur looked comfortable on the clay, having enjoyed a stellar season on the surface in 2010 when she lost to Justine Henin in last year's final before going on to reach the French Open final at Roland Garros. Brisbane-born Stosur had few problems against Martinez Sanchez, who held her own in the first set and battled back from an early break. Stosur secured a second break in the 12th game to take the opening set, which filled her with confidence and she encountered scant resistance in the second set as Martinez Sanchez's first serve crumbled. Stosur cruised to a 5-0 lead in the second before Martinez Sanchez stopped the rot when serving to save the match. She avoided the embarrassment of a whitewash, but Stosur kept her composure and served out the match. "I am pretty pleased with that," admitted Stosur, who suffered disappointment in January's Australian Open when the number five seed was knocked out in the third round. "I have been practising well on clay and it's good to get a win." This is Stosur's second clay tournament of the year, after she made the last 16 in Charleston earlier this month. Last year, Stosur avenged her Stuttgart final defeat with victory over Henin at Roland Garros before beating top seed Serena Williams and fourth seed Jelena Jankovic on the way to the final. She lost 6-4 7-6(2) to Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the final, having become the first Australian since Nicole Bradtke in 1988 to reach the semifinals of the French Open in 2009. "It just happened over the last few years, something clicked and I got used to playing on clay," said Stosur, who will be mindful that the French Open starts on May 22. The Australian now faces Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in the second round. The Slovakian also had few problems at the indoor clay tournament as she enjoyed a 7-5 6-3 win over Romania's Alexandra Dulgheru, who is above her in the world rankings.Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart
18 April 2011
Date: 18-24 April
Venue: Stuttgart
Surface: clay/indoors
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Follow the live scores
Singles No.5 seed
| Rd | Opponent | Result | W/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1r | MJ Martinez-Sanchez | 7-5 6-1 | W |
| 2r | D Hantuchova | 6-4 2-6 6-4 | W |
| QF | V Zvonareva | 2-6 6-3 7-6(3) | W |
| SF | J Goerges | 6-4 3-6 7-5 | L |
| Rd | Opponent | Result | W/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1r | J Schruff/ S Werner | 6-1 6-4 | W |
| QF | J Goerges/ A Petkovic | 6-3 6-4 | W |
| SF | V Diatchenko/ M Koryttseva | 6-2 6-4 | W |
| F | K Barrois/ J Woehr | 6-1 7-6 | W |
Sam out of Charleston
8 April 2011
Defending champion Sam Stosur has just lost her quarterfinal match at Charleston. Sam was eliminated by Russian Elena Vesnina 6-4 6-1, a disappointing opening to the claycourt season where she needs to maintain strong form to avoid a rankings drop. "Anytime you lose early in a tournament, it's not a good feeling but especially in a tournament like this, where I really enjoyed playing," said Stosur, who this week announced she would skip Australia's upcoming FedCup tie against Ukraine to focus on the clay court build-up to the French Open. Also struggling on the clay at Charleston South Carolina today was top seed Caroline Wozniacki, who prevailed in two tiebreak sets over Barbora Zahlavova Strycov and 10th seed Daniela Hantuchova, who was upset by Christina McHale of the US 7-6(3) 6-1.Sam’s title defence starts well
7 April 2011
Update 3:45 pm. Sam Stosur's claycourt season got off to a winning start with a second-round victory over Austrian Patricia Mayr-Achleitner at the Charleston WTA event. The Australian, who received a first-round bye at the event where she's the defending champion, overcame Mayr-Achleitner 6-1 6-2 to ease into the third round. World No.5 Stosur will next meet Elena Vesnina on Thursday (Friday AM AEST) after the Russian upset American 14th seed Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4 7-6(6). Stosur's 2010 title victory at Charleston started her run to a 20-3 tour-best clay season tally, including reaching the French Open final. After a patchy hardcourt season, the Queenslander has opted to skip Australia's Fed Cup World Group Play-off this month in Melbourne to focus on her build-up to Roland Garros. She was enjoying her status as defending champion in Charleston. "I think it definitely, maybe, lifts your shoulders up a little bit and puts a smile on your face," said Stosur, on hearing herself announced on court as the holder. But a tough field stands in Stosur's way as she aims to defend her title, with world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki and Serbia's Jelena Jankovic also winning on Wednesday. Wozniacki opened her tournament with a comfortable 6-1 6-1 victory over American Irina Falconi and Stosur knows she'll face a tough match against the Dane if they meet in the final. "I think her weapon is her mental toughness," Stosur said. "If you're going to play her and beat her, you have to beat her. She's not going to make a ton of unforced errors and give you the match."Sam to focus on clay season
6 April 2011
When the Australian team takes on Ukraine in the World Group Play-off from 16 to 17 April, it will be without its number one player Sam Stosur who has had to make the difficult decision not to travel back to Australia for the tie. “I love representing Australia and it has been difficult to prioritise my immediate schedule. But it is extremely important to me to focus on the claycourt season and get the best possible preparation for the French Open.” “I am confident though that we will still field a very strong team for this tie given the depth of talent we are developing in women’s tennis in Australia.” Stosur’s coach and Australian Fed Cup Captain David Taylor supported the world No.5’s decision. “We are obviously disappointed that our No.1 player, Sam, will not be coming home for this tie but we respect her decision and I have faith in the other girls to get us back to the elite eight,” Taylor said. Stosur is due to play her first match at Charleston on Wednesday against Patricia Mayr-Achleitner. The second seed and defending champion at the green clay event had a bye in the first round. The next stop on Stosur’s calendar is Stuttgart where she was runner-up to Justine Henin in 2010.Site Information
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