Posts Tagged ‘stosur’

Sam through to second round in New Haven

Sam through to second round in New Haven

26 August 2009

Sam has won a tough three set encounter against Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in New Haven today. After a strong start which saw Sam leading with a break of serve, Cornet came back  to level and eventually claim a very long first set in a tie break. The second set was a different story, with Sam's serve and forehand starting to find their mark, she dominated and took the set 6-2. The third was a battle, and again Sam used her weapons at the right time to eventually claim a tight victory. Sam next plays Elena Vesnina.

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Sam defeats Dementieva-achieves best ever Roland Garros result

Sam defeats Dementieva-achieves best ever Roland Garros result

30 May 2009

Sam has defeated Russia's Elena Dementieva 6-3 4-6 6-1 to advance to the fourth round at the French Open. Refreshed and composed, Sam dominated play early and took out the opening set by employing a smart service strategy, which Elena struggled to counteract. The second set was tighter, with Dementieva regaining confidence and eventually taking it out 6-4. The third set was all Sam, dominating from the start to finish, and thus progressing to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time....More reports to follow.

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Sam’s French Open Blog

Sam’s French Open Blog

27 May 2009

I’m through to the second round in Paris after beating Francesca Schiavone and I couldn’t be happier with how things have gone so far.
Sam Stosur is through to the second round of the French Open.
Sam Stosur is through to the second round of the French Open. Getty Images
I was pleased with my win over Francesca, even though I didn’t make the best of starts out there. Even when I was three-love down I was still pretty calm about it all and I knew that I was going to be okay if I just stayed composed and started playing a little bit better. To win that one in straight sets was a great one to get away with. I’ll gain a lot of confidence from beating someone like Schiavone because any win against a player like her is great. She is a great competitor, she fights hard and she always gives 100 per cent 100 per cent of the time and with an opponent like that it’s never over until the last point. I have a lot of respect for Francesca and to get a win over her means a lot. Conditions were pretty tough. It was very hot in Paris on Sunday and Monday but we had a lot of rain yesterday and even though we had blue sunny skies by the time I got on court it was still pretty cold and there was some pretty big gusts of wind out there – during one point it was like playing in a dust blow as the wind blew the clay around the court. It was a bit tricky but I guess I handled it just a little bit better. Away from the tennis I’m getting to relax a bit, especially as I’m staying in an apartment with my fellow Aussie and doubles partner Rennae Stubbs. I’ve been trying out my cooking skills the last couple of night by making dinner. I followed my Mum’s recipes to make chicken and rice and it was pretty nice, if I do say so myself! I’ve also been trying to see a bit of Paris and last night I visited the Arc de Triomphe, which gets lit up at night and at around 8:30 last night it looked absolutely amazing. It’s pretty cool to watch the sun go down in a city like this. Paris definitely rates as one of my favourite cities in the world because it’s very beautiful. I’ve always enjoyed my time here ever since I first visited here when I was in the junior tournaments. It’s somewhere I like spending time and I feel pretty lucky that I’ve been able to come here so many times. That said I’m hoping the tennis keeps me pretty busy over the next few days and that I’m too busy winning matches to have any time to go out and do any sightseeing at all! That’s it from me for now but I’ll be blogging again soon, Sam x

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Sam relaxed ahead of French Open

Sam relaxed ahead of French Open

23 May 2009

Paris, 23 May 2009 AAP
Samantha Stosur
Samantha Stosur Getty Images
Samantha Stosur is taking a confident attitude and a near career-best ranking into the French Open. Looking relaxed after a lengthy practice session during a warm afternoon on Roland Garros's famous clay courts on Thursday, the Australian said she was happy with her preparations for the second Grand Slam of 2009. The highlight of the year for Stosur has been a run to the quarterfinals of the Miami Masters in April, including a straight-sets victory over current world No.1 Dinara Safina. Two first-round defeats followed before the Australian ousted world No.12 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in last week's Madrid Open. She then lost a tight encounter to Russian Anna Chakvetadze in the second round of the claycourt event in the Spanish capital. "I thought I started to play a bit better and am getting used to the clay," Stosur told AAP ahead of her sixth appearance at the French Open. "Every day it's hard, especially when you only get a few tournaments and days [playing on clay] and then all of a sudden it's the French Open. "But I feel good out there now and I will try and make the most of the last week. "I'm feeling good." The Queenslander's best run at Roland Garros was in 2007 when she advanced to the third round. Stosur, who is ranked No.31 and close to her career best of No.27, arrived in Paris on Wednesday and immediately headed to the practice courts. "It's good to get a few hits out here while there's not too many people around and you can get on the courts for a good hour and a half," she said. "There are still things I want to try and improve before Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, but it's going all right." Compatriot and former No.1 Lleyton Hewitt also hit the practice courts in preparation for day one of competition on Sunday. He and Stosur will be among just six Australian players in the main draw after eight others, including Chris Guccione, Peter Luczak and Anastasia Rodionova, were knocked out in their qualifying matches. The last of the Australian men's qualifiers, Victorian Joe Sirianni lost 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4 to Serbian Ilia Bozoljac while NSW's Sophie Ferguson went down 6-4 6-1 to Russia's Evgeniya Rodina. Joining Hewitt and Stosur in the main draw will be Jelena Dokic and Jarmila Groth, while teen sensation Bernard Tomic and 17-year-old Olivia Rogowska are Australia's wildcard entries.

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Madrid Open

Madrid Open

11 May 2009

After Sam's terrific first round win in Madrid, she again faces tough competition tonight against Anna Chakvetadze. Yesterday Sam defeated the 10th seed, Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska  7-6 6-1.

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Allez!! Sam defeats Mauresmo in straight sets

Allez!! Sam defeats Mauresmo in straight sets

31 March 2009

[caption id="attachment_858" align="aligncenter" width="516" caption="Sam celebrates her win over Amelie Mauresmo."]Sam celebrates her win over Amelie Mauresmo.[/caption] Sam has made it through to the quarter final stage of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami with a hard fought 6-4 6-4 victory over France's Amelie Mauresmo. The world No.42 downed the 20th seeded Frenchwoman a day after achieving the biggest win of her career by crushing world No.2 Dinara Safina 6-1 6-4. Stosur will next meet 11th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus for a place in the semifinals at an event often dubbed the sport's "fifth slam".

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Stosur stuns Safina

Stosur stuns Safina

30 March 2009

Miami,30 March 2009 DPA and Tennis Australia
Sam Stosur serves during her upset win over Dinara Safina in Miami.
Sam Stosur serves during her upset win over Dinara Safina in Miami. Getty Images
Samantha Stosur has continued her good recent form by sweeping aside second seed Dinara Safina 6-1 6-4 to book a place in the fourth round of the WTA Miami hardcourt tournament. Safina, who lost a chance to take over the No 1 WTA ranking from Serena Williams last week in Indian Wells, gave up any chance of advancing in Miami as she went down to world No.42 Stosur. The Australian rated the win as the biggest of her career and hoped she could produce more big results like this in the coming weeks.  “I played really well and I executed exactly what I wanted to do out there,” Stosur said post-match. “At 5-4 in that second set I made four first serves in a row and played a really good game.  It's not always easy to serve out matches like that.” “I ran down a lot of balls, especially at the start, and got off to a good start but playing someone like Dinara, you have to be aware they're capable of coming back.” “I'm just really happy with how I stayed in it mentally, and I guess kept my foot down right from the first point and tried to do that to the last point.” Safina went into the game with a 3-0 record over the Queenslander, with wins in 2005, 2006 and 2007. But Stosur turned the tables nicely and next faces the winner between Amelie Mauresmo and Italian Flavia Pennetta. Today's victory was cause for dual celebration in the Stosur camp with the Queenslander due to celebrate her birthday on Monday. “Last time I was here [in Miami] it was my birthday and I played second night match, so I didn't do a lot that time,” she said. “I've had a few birthdays in Miami.  It's always tough during a tournament, but hopefully I will get some friends together and go out to dinner or something like that.” “I've been trying to get a win like this for a long time, I was happy I was able to do it, and hopefully there will be more to come.  I know it's always going to be tough, but today I'm just going to really enjoy it.” ****Note from Admin-Sam plays Amelie Mauresmo on Monday**** Interview transcript from Miami follows

March 29, 2009

An interview with:

SAMANTHA STOSUR

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about your match, generally how you're feeling?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah, really happy. Just I thought I played really well, and I executed exactly what I wanted to do out there.

It was a little bit testing, I guess, with a little bit of a rain delay at 5‑4, but I came out and played a really good game.

Q. Before your injury layoff last year you were consistently beating the top players again. How does it feel to be back to where you were prior to getting sick?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, great. Yeah, since I came back I haven't been able to get a top‑10 win. I came close a few times. Today I got over the line, and just really pleased. I thought I could do it and I knew I could. It was just a matter of when it was going to happen.

Today, I played well and really did exactly what I needed to do. So it's a great feeling to beat a top‑10 player again.

Q. What specifically did you do well? What shots worked for you today?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think my shots that usually work well for me: forehand and my serve.

At 5‑4 in that second set I made four first serves in a row and played a really good game. It's not always easy to serve out matches like that. Today I thought I did that really well.

I ran down a lot of balls, especially at the start, and got off to a good start. It's always great to get that. But playing someone like Dinara, you have to be aware they're capable of coming back. It's certainly not over.

I'm just really happy with how I stayed in it mentally, and I guess kept my foot down right from the first point and tried to do that to the last point.

Q. Is this your biggest win?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yep. Yeah, it would be.

Q. Did you sense early on from the way she was playing that she wasn't perhaps on the top of her game and that this was a day you could really get one over on her?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I guess I don't know if she wasn't on top of her game or if I didn't allow her to do that. I mean, I tried to mix it up as much as I could with heavy topspin on my forehands, a few slice backhands, and tried to not give her as much rhythm as possible. I think that worked really well.

So yeah, she shanked a few balls, missed a few balls. Who knows whether that was because of what I was doing or not. I don't know. But I'm just glad that I was able to consistently do that throughout the whole match.

Q. Did you change your approach at all when you saw that she was making a lot of errors, a lot of double faults, a lot of just bad shots?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, not really. I mean, that's ‑‑ what I did at the start of the match is what I wanted to do throughout, and I thought I did that well today.

Q. You're playing doubles later?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Uh‑huh.

Q. Is that tough in one day?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, we're used to playing singles and doubles in one day. I guess it's a bit tough in the sense that we haven't played a first‑round doubles match yet. This is going to be the first round, and that's not going to be an easy draw.

I mean, I guess I can enjoy this as much as possible. But, yeah, in a couple of hours' time I'm going to be out there trying to focus on playing doubles and then coming back tomorrow, as well.

Q. You didn't play here last year, right?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: No.

Q. But you won in 2007.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah.

Q. Is this kind of a special tournament for you, or you've won a lot of doubles titles?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I've won quite a few doubles titles. I've had great doubles success here. I think we won in 2006, as well. It's always nice to be playing in finals, and Miami has been pretty good to me out there. So I'm looking forward to getting out there again this afternoon.

Q. I'm curious, are you prepared to play someone ranked that highly? Do you actually have time after the draw to sit down and do any sort of video work on them, or is it all in the memory bank? You've seen them quite a few times.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I guess tennis is one of those funny sports where I don't know if too many people do do a bit ‑‑ do a lot of video analysis. I didn't do anything on Dinara for this match, but I tried to watch a little bit of her game in the round before.

And, yeah, I guess we've all played each other quite a few times whether it's singles or doubles. We've all got coaches that we can go out and try and scout with. I guess that's where most of the tactics and preparation for each match kind of happens.

Q. Are you trying to concentrate more on your singles game now or, you know, when you're such a strong doubles player, or are you always focused on both the same?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, I mean, probably since I came back from being sick, my priority has been singles. It always has been. I just had great success in doubles, which is, I mean, fantastic. I'm not going to say I don't want it, because it's ‑‑ I mean, it's always nice to be winning titles.

But from when I came back, singles has definitely been the No. 1, and that's what I'm always trying to focus on. It's always nice to go out there and try and play doubles.

Stubbsy and I are friends off the court, so it's good. It's sometimes relaxing to go out there and be able to play a bit more tennis and work on a few more things for my singles and all that.

We'll see how it goes today, and then I'll be getting ready for tomorrow's singles match as early as I can.

Q. Also happy almost‑birthday, correct?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, exactly. Nice little early present. I'll be playing again tomorrow, which is my birthday, so hopefully I can do it again.

Q. Do you know what you're going to do on your birthday if you do well tomorrow? Do you have any plans?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, I don't. Last time I was here it was my birthday. I played second night match, so I didn't do a lot that time. I've had a few birthdays in Miami. It's always tough during a tournament, but hopefully get some friends together and go out to dinner or something like that.

Q. With your new focus on singles, how satisfying is this win in terms of making a name for yourself in singles?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, it's great. I've been trying to get a win like this for a long time. For me, personally I was happy I was able to do it, and hopefully there will be more to come. It's never easy out there. I know it's always going to be tough, but today I'm just going to really enjoy it.

Q. Also, Safina is kind of an emotional player. Can you use that to your advantage, or do you have to just not look at that at all and focus on yourself when you're playing?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I guess against someone like her you try to use it to your advantage, but we all know she's like that. She's like that nearly every match she plays, so I think somewhere along the line she's gotten used to that and tries to use that to her advantage, as well, whether it's hitting balls or yelling out, whatever it is.

I think it's not ‑‑ we're all used to seeing that happens. I try and use it, but I think she tries to use that as a bit of an outlet as well to try and get herself back into the match.

Q. How can you use that? How can the opponent take that?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I guess if you see anyone, not just her, but in general, your opponent kind of going off a little bit, you can tell that they're rattled. I guess that's a time where you have to try and keep your foot down and know that they're not feeling great out there.

So it gives you a little bit of an opportunity to really kick your foot down and try and step up and win a few more games quickly in that situation.

Q. Last thing. How far can you let yourself look ahead, or not at all?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, I don't think so. I think every match is tough. I mean, fourth round of this kind of tournament is not going to be easy, whoever you're playing.

So, yeah, you can't really look ahead. It's just one match at a time, and go from there.

Q. After the illness last year, did you ever think you'd be back here at this point, beating the No. 2 players in the world?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I always hoped I would. When I first started playing again, I started playing well towards the end of last year, I thought that it was possible. Now that's kind of all in the back of my head. I don't think about that anymore, and I've been playing well since.

So it's just ‑‑ I guess it's nice to have wins like that pretty soon after coming back and all that kind of thing, so, yeah, I'm just really happy.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

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Sam’s Sunday success over Safina

Sam’s Sunday success over Safina

30 March 2009

Sam has made her birthday tomorrow even more enjoyable, by clinching one of the best wins of her career- defeating Dinara Safina in the third round of the Sony Ericsson open in Miami today. She posted her 6-1 6-4 win in just under 1and a half hours. Sam started the match in a blaze, racing out to 5-0 before Safina got on the scoreboard. After winning the set 6-1, Sam again found herself well in front with a commanding 3-0 lead, until Safina fought back to level at 3-3. Sam won a vital break to lead 4-3, and found herself at 5-4 serving for the match when rain halted play. After a short delay, Sam served out the match and now has to prepare for a tough 1st round doubles match this afternoon.

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Sam through to third round in Miami

Sam through to third round in Miami

28 March 2009

Miami, AAP
Photo courtesy Mary C
Lleyton Hewitt and Jelena Dokic have been bundled out of the prestigious Miami Masters series and WTA event, while less heralded Australian Samantha Stosur is through to the third round. Hewitt was thrashed 6-1 6-2 by seventh-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon to extend his losing streak against top 10 opponents to 11 matches. The world No.92 has now not beaten a top 10 player since he downed Nikolay Davydenko in Hamburg in May, 2007. Dokic's fairytale continues to unravel after the Australian Open quarter-finalist was sent packing by recent rival Caroline Wozniacki. The 13th-seeded Dane won the second round match in three sets, 6-3 5-7 6-2. Dokic upset Wozniacki on the way to the quarters in Melbourne but was then thrashed by her in Memphis last month. Stosur, meanwhile, went through after trouncing Austrian Sybille Bammer 6-1 6-1. Stosur's victory sets up a daunting clash with second seed Dinara Safina, who downed Frenchwoman Mathilde Johansson 6-1 6-3 in an event unofficially billed as the "fifth slam".

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Sam through to round two in Miami

Sam through to round two in Miami

27 March 2009

Miami,26 March 2009 AFP and Tennis Australia
Sam Stosur prepares to play a backhand slice at the Masters Series event in Miami.
Sam Stosur prepares to play a backhand slice at the Masters Series event in Miami. Getty Images

Australians Samantha Stosur and Jelena Dokic have both advanced into the second round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami today.

Stosur was leading Sofia Arvidsson 6-1 2-0 when the Swede retired injured. Australia's No.1 female player will next face Austrian 27th seed Sybille Bammer.

Stosur holds a 2-1 advantage over Bammer in their career meetings, however, it was Bammer who triumphed when they last met in 2007.

Meanwhile, Jelena Dokic has begun her Miami campaign on a positive note with a 6-3 7-6(5) victory over Romanian Edina Gallovits in the first round.

Dokic will now play Dane Caroline Wozniacki for the third time this season.

The Australian won their first meeting at the Australian Open in January before Wozniacki squared the ledger with a straight sets victory in Memphis.

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