Posted on 08/09/2005 2:38:17 PM PDT by theFIRMbss
Sharapova Gunning For No.1 in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES - After two spectacular weeks of tennis already in California, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour wraps up its summer hard court swing in the Golden State this week with the JPMorgan Chase Open presented by Herbalife.
A fantastic field has assembled at the Home Depot Center in Carson to take part in the $585,000 Tier II event, seeking to pick up some valuable points in the US Open Series.
Five of the world's Top 10 will be in action this week, though one of the event's most popular names will be missing from this year's tournament. Back problems will prevent four-time champion Lindsay Davenport from returning to the Home Depot Center in Carson to defend her title.
The current world No.1 first suffered a lower back injury in her Wimbledon finals loss to Venus Williams early last month, and it flared up again two weeks ago at Stanford where she was unable to complete her first match at that event. The injury resulted in her withdrawal from San Diego and Los Angeles this week where she was defending champion at both events, along with Stanford.
The American's absence from the California events has opened the door for this week's No.1 seed to take over as the world's No.1 ranked player. Maria Sharapova has inched closer and closer to the top position in women's tennis, standing a mere 23 points from the sport's most prized mantle.
For Sharapova to become the 15th No.1 on next week's Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Singles Rankings - and the first from Russia - she has to reach the semifinals with 28 bonus points, which are awarded based on the rankings of her defeated opponents; the higher the ranking, the greater the bonus points. Reaching the final, regardless of the bonus points, will make her the fifth-youngest No.1 in computer rankings history, behind Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Tracy Austin and Steffi Graf.
Curiously, it could be the third time in the past nine years and second time in the past three that the JPMorgan Chase Open has ushered in a new world No.1. Steffi Graf rose to No.1 for the first time after winning the LA title in 1987, as did Kim Clijsters in 2003.
Should Sharapova fail to reach the LA semifinals, she will almost certainly rise to No.1 the following Monday, August 22. Davenport's points (175) for winning the Cincinnati title last year will drop off on that date (the Cincinnati tournament was held four weeks earlier this year), meaning her points total will fall below Sharapova's, irrespective of the Russian's results in Toronto. The only way Davenport could hold on to No.1 would be if she took a late entry into Toronto, which seems unlikely considering she's already done so for New Haven the following week.
Sharapova will be playing for the first time since Wimbledon and could be facing a friendly foe in the second round. She will take on either American wild card Marissa Irvin or countrywoman Maria Kirilenko - whom she considers one of her best friends.
Sharapova won't be the only highly seeded Russian gunning for the title in Los Angeles, as seeds No.2 through No.4 are also filled this week by some of Russia's finest. Defending US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova will hold the No.2 seed, while Elena Dementieva is the No.3 and Nadia Petrova the No.4.
Kuznetsova will take on either a qualifier or Eleni Daniilidou in the second round, while Dementieva will also have a first round bye before facing Alina Jidkova or Samantha Stosur. Meanwhile, Petrova's first match of the week will be against either American wild card Jill Craybas or Virginia Ruano Pascual.
No.5 seed Kim Clijsters comes to Los Angeles after seeing her 26-match winning streak in the United states snapped in San Diego. The Belgian player had won 20 straight matches in the U.S. this year, including titles at Indian Wells, Miami and Stanford before her shocking upset to Chinese teen Peng Shuai last Friday.
Now, Clijsters will begin her charge for a fourth title in the United States this year when she faces Karolina Sprem or a qualifier in her second round match.
Other seeds looking to make a title run in Los Angeles include No.6 seed Mary Pierce, who put together a fabulous week of tennis in San Diego, No.8 Elena Likhovtseva, No.9 Daniela Hantuchova and No.10 Flavia Pennetta.
This is the 23rd year the JPMorgan Chase Open has been played in Los Angeles. Previous champions at this event include Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Conchita Martinez, Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters and four-time winner, Lindsay Davenport.
Very foolish statement..... yes, read post # 16. That says it all.
I believe it's from new Tag ads.
She got my vote too -- as a lesbo.
But is it Maria?
God ....... that is a beautiful photo!
100% sure that's Sharapova
She's got muscles, but
are you sure?! She has gone out
with Ricky Martin . . .
lesbo or not shes fine
You mean she dated the very gay Ricky Martin?
Case closed :-D
Sharapova Pulls Out of LA
August 12, 2005
LOS ANGELES, CA - Maria Sharapova, currently ranked No.2 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, has withdrawn from the JPMorgan Chase Open presented by Herbalife due to a right pectoral (chest) muscle strain.
Sharapova was the top seed of the tournament and was set to compete in the quarterfinal match Friday evening versus Daniela Hantuchova. A victory for Sharapova would have given her enough points to overtake Lindsay Davenport and become the world No.1 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.
The quarterfinal singles match between Elena Dementieva (RUS) and Tathiana Garbin (ITA) originally scheduled for the day session has been moved to 19.00hrs.
"I'm extremely disappointed to have to withdraw from the JPMorgan Chase Open because of the reinjury of a muscle strain that I sustained late last year and which has been bothering me all week," Sharapova said in a statement. "Reaching the No.1 ranking on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour has been a life-long goal of mine, and achieving it here in Los Angeles would have been a dream come true. I'm eager to get back to feeling 100% healthy and playing as soon as possible to restart my quest to become No.1 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Rankings."
"It's unfortunate that Maria has been forced to withdraw, as I know she was very focused on trying to clinch the No.1 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Ranking here at the JPMorgan Chase Open," Tournament Director Bill Peterson said. "I want to wish her a speedy recovery and the best of luck with her quest to become the No.1-ranked player in the world. We're looking forward to an exciting weekend of tennis, with a field that includes two former champions of this tournament, and our most popular promotions, including our Maria Sharapova bobblehead giveaway tonight, tennis racquets tomorrow afternoon, and a spectacular fireworks show tomorrow night. We know our fans will have a tremendous weekend ahead of them."
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050813/ids_photos_sp/r1172555429.jpg
I wonder about
Maria. She just doesn't
seem to have something
that the first rate stars
have even when they are young.
She always seems so
business-like about
her place in the tennis world . . .
I'm sure she'll win more,
but I don't believe
she will dominate like Graf
or both the Williams.
Yes I hear your concern, beauty can be a detriment to success. I hear you. But she loves to kick *ss!
Don't worry.......... she's young!!!!
Sharapova is all that, she's earned the #1 spot.
6'2", she's a giant too! Andy Roddick's girlfriend
it looks like.
But -
Gabby is not gay.
She does have a masculine look sometimes,
and she's a big girl. She's a gay favorite
on the 'wish list', and I think a lot of female
tennis players are. She looks better these days
than her old days. Much skinnier, lighter in
look.
But, Sabbatini has had a boyfriend in
Argentina for a few years. She lives with
him I think. There are plenty of Gabby
websites and he's usually there somewhere
in a photo w/her. Mark or Mariano, something
like that.
She also dated Axel Fernando and Jorge Mora
and Leo Montero, all guys from Argentina you've
probably never heard of. Truly, she likes guys.
She however has the personality of a rock, and
that tends to drive them away after the sex I think.
She's not a big talker, if you ever hear her speak.
She's playing an exhibition with Graf next month
again.
She's dated a lot of guys. I don't know
of any girlfriends she's been with. Do you?
Being famous, do you think she could hide that
for this long? I doubt it. Kevin Spacey can't
hide his preferences, despite what he says.
No such things out there for Gabby.
Sharapova is prettier though. Anna was too.
Gabby is a dead ringer for Mariano Zabaleta
too.
Ricky Martin, that was ages ago, and he may sure
be gay. He doesn't seem to care what
we think of him. That's his new song 'I Don't Care'.
Is he trying to tell us something?
But, if going out to dinner with Ricky Martin
makes you gay, then Daisy Fuentes and Vanessa
Marcil are gay then too. Marcil is from General
Hospital & the NBC show Vegas. Ricky & she went
out many times.
I just saw this, and wanted to let you know.
Gaby's got a guy. Maybe he has as much personality
as her, so they get along. Ha ha....
She's also buddies with Bush Sr.
Gabby played tennis at the White House early
in Dubya's term with some Secretary too.
She leans Republican in her tennis pals!
That has to count for something
Anna is more than cute and was quite talented. Maria is definitely the better tennis player, but in front of the camera, Anna wins.
Anna is prettier.
Enrique thought so.
Of the three, Anna is the most attractive.
Maria is so young.
Gabby is so long ago.
Different tastes.
Enrique likes Anna!
http://www.miami.com/mld/charlotte/sports/other_sports/12450672.htm?source=rss&channel=charlotte_other_sports
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