ROAD TO BALI: Players Joining the Race Towards Glory in Bali 4-8 November 2009 // Thu, 04 Jun 09
Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki have both established themselves as contenders for the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions after beginning the clay court season with impressive victories. Jankovic claimed her first title of the year at the Andalucia Tennis Experience event in Marbella with a 6-3 3-6 6-3 victory over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, while Wozniacki enjoyed a swift 6-1 6-2 win against the similarly-named Aleksandra Wozniak at the MPS Group Championships in Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida.
Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki have both established themselves as contenders for the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions after beginning the clay court season with impressive victories. Jankovic claimed her first title of the year at the Andalucia Tennis Experience event in Marbella with a 6-3 3-6 6-3 victory over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, while Wozniacki enjoyed a swift 6-1 6-2 win against the similarly-named Aleksandra Wozniak at the MPS Group Championships in Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida.
Jelena’s victory came as a welcome relief for the Serb, who by her own admission has been struggling this year after she had begun the season as the world number one.
“I know I have not been playing well the last three months but this win has given me back the confidence I need,” she said after her victory. “It’s my tenth title, and just the beginning of the clay season, so I hope to continue in this way.”
Wozniacki is one of the rising young stars of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Last year she claimed titles in Stockholm, New Haven and Tokyo, and this year she had already reached the final of Memphis. Immediately before playing at Ponte Vedra Beach, she defeated both reigning Bali champion Patty Schnyder and world number four Elena Dementieva in Miami.
“My plan was to play aggressive and make her run,” said Wozniacki. “This is a great start to the clay-court season, a really good start. I proved I can beat these better players.”
The Dane had struggled during her semi-final win over Elena Vesnina, suffering from dizziness and nausea and requiring medical staff to check her blood pressure. For the final, she used ice bags on her legs in an effort to avoid any similar problems.
Jankovic and Wozniacki have added their names to the list of players who are competing for a place in the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, which will take place at the Bali Convention Centre, the Westin, Nusa Dua, between 4th and 8th November.
Last time Roberta Vinci won a title she did so when her opponent retired sick in the third set of their final. This time she did it in the best way possible, seeing off defending champion Maria Kirilenko in straight sets to win the Barcelona Open and earn a place on The Road To Bali.
The score was 6-0 6-4, and the Italian dropped her serve just once while managing to impressively take advantage of six of her seven break point opportunities. That secured her second career title, after she earned the first in Bogota in 2007.
“I am so happy! It’s such a great feeling to win again,” said the 26-year old, who the week before streached world number four Jelena Jankovic to a third set tiebreak. “It has been a long time since I played well. I felt good after Marbella - I had a good match against Jankovic and it gave me confidence coming here to Barcelona .”
About The Tournament:
After two years as title sponsor of the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic Tennis Tournament, initiated in June 2007, Commonwealth Bank has stepped up its sponsorship to the newly created COMMONWEALTH BANK TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS. This is in keeping with the launch of the revamped Sony Ericsson WTA Tour effective January 2009.
The Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions will feature top Tour players and next generation champions competing in an innovative 12 woman round robin singles format, offering $600,000 in prize money. The top 10 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players who have won at least one International tournament during the year and who are not participating in singles at the year-end Sony Ericsson Championships will qualify for the event, along with two wild cards. The 12-woman event will feature four groups of three players in a round robin format, then a single-elimination semi-finals and final.