==============
AIG JAPAN OPEN (Tokyo, Japan; outdoor hard; WTA Tier III)
============== http://www.jta-tennis.or.jp/aigopen/2006/e/

This tournament saw Marion Bartoli and Nakamura,Aiko contest the
first-ever all-Selesian final in WTA Tour history!

www.wtatour.com: "Two-handed technique on both sides is something
Monica Seles brought to the women's game in the late 1980s, but this
championship match represents the first time in Tour history that
two such players will battle for a singles title."

It was the second title of Marion's career, and of her whole career
(the first was at Auckland in January 2006). Her results since I
demoted her from my demi-fanship have been increasingly impressive,
with a final at Bali last month too. She looks a lot fitter than
when I saw her at Birmingham and Eastbourne, although she could
still lose some more weight.

------
Photos
------

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/photogallery/?Event=tokyo2
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=267846
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=bartoli
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=nakamura
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=morigami
Search Getty Images for "bartoli", "aiko nakamura", "morigami"

-----------
First round (Monday 2nd / Tuesday 3rd October)
-----------

+ MARION BARTOLI [1] d. Jill Craybas, 6-2 3-6 6-4
+ Nakamura,Aiko [WC] d. Caroline Wozniacki [WC], 6-3 6-3
+ Morigami,Akiko [WC] d. MARIA KIRILENKO [3], 1-6 6-2 7-6 (7/3)

Akiko's win is 'positive' from a Selesian perspective, but sad for
me personally because Maria Kirilenko was the most beautiful girl in
the tournament. Unfortunately Little Maria is going through a major
slump right now, and lacks the self-belief to close out matches.

www.wtatour.com (Tuesday)
>>>
TOKYO, Japan - Marion Bartoli enjoyed a slice of her birthday cake
Tuesday at the press conference following her first round victory at
the AIG Japan Open. The top-seeded Frenchwoman turned 22 on Monday
and was pushed to her limits the next afternoon in a 62 36 64
victory over 2002 champion Jill Craybas.

Bartoli, who reached a new career-high ranking (No.22) this week,
posted some impressive results last month. She made the semifinals
at Seoul last week and upset world No.9 Patty Schnyder en route to
the Bali final. Bartoli's next opponent here is Vera Dushevina, a
76(3) 63 winner over Shikha Uberoi.
<<<

www.wtatour.com (Monday)
>>>
TOKYO, Japan - Akiko Morigami managed a big feat in her home event
Monday at Ariake Coliseum. The Tokyo resident, who received a wild
card for the main draw, overthrew No.3 seed Maria Kirilenko, 16 62 76
(3), to enter the second round of the AIG Japan Open.

The win over world No.31 Kirilenko marks Morigami's best win of the
season. But this wasn't the first time the Russian fell victim to
Morigami here. Three years ago, when Kirilenko was still ranked
outside the Top 100, the two faced each other in the first round and
Morigami won, 61 62. The 26-year-old has made four main draw
appearances here but is still aiming to make it past the second
round. Her next opponent this year is either lucky loser Youlia
Fedossova or Virginia Ruano Pascual.
<<<

------------
Second round (Friday 6th October - Thursday was rained off)
------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [1] d. Vera Dushevina, 6-2 6-4
+ Nakamura,Aiko [WC] d. ANABEL MEDINA GARRIGUES [4],
5-2 retired (left-hamstring strain)
- Morigami,Akiko [WC] lt. Youlia Fedossova [LL], 6-4 5-7 3-6

--------------
Quarter-finals (Friday 6th October)
--------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [1] d. Namigata,Junri [Q], 6-2 6-1
+ Nakamura,Aiko [WC] d. Jamea Jackson, 6-1 1-6 7-6 (7/4)

Aiko fought back from 0-2 down in the third.

Aiko: "I was a little sad we had to play at another site today
because of rain, because I really wanted to play at Ariake stadium
where all the fans were. I played tough in the third so I could come
back here tomorrow for the semi-final. It will be my first semi-
final and I'm really excited. It feels so good to win."

-----------
Semi-finals (Saturday 7th October)
-----------

+ MARION BARTOLI [1] d. Camille Pin, 6-0 6-1
+ Nakamura,Aiko [WC] d. Chan,Yung-Jan, 7-6 (7/3) 2-6 6-4


Marion quotes
-------------

"I was feeling really good today, after being ill earlier in the
week and playing two matches yesterday. Japan has a special place in
my heart, because one of the first trips I made overseas as a junior
was to Hiroshima for team championships, then to Osaka for a juniors
championship. My cousin lives here and speaks Japanese. Also, I have
some Japanese friends who speak French, so I have been very well
looked after over the years whenever I come here.

"I'm really looking forward to the final tomorrow. I feel really
positive, and I hope I can come away with the winner's trophy."


Aiko quotes
-----------

"I am really happy. My will to win was strong, and that made me
tense in the beginning, but in the second set, I felt it was okay to
make mistakes; I should take each stroke at full power, without
hesitations. Then, gradually, I was able to get my rhythm back.

"I was nervous, having to play in front of a big crowd, and not to
mention that I was in the semi-finals for the first time.

"My goal after the US Open was to become a finalist in the Asian
tournaments, and so far, I have attained this goal and I hope to
keep it up, taking one step at a time, to aim for higher goals. For
tomorrow's final match, I hope I can show the crowd how a good
tennis-player plays. I want to enjoy the match."

-----
Final (Sunday 8th October)
-----

+ MARION BARTOLI [1] d. Nakamura,Aiko [WC], 2-6 6-2 6-2

www.wtatour.com:
>>>
TOKYO, Japan - Belting her two-fisted groundstrokes powerfully and
precisely, Marion Bartoli continued to show why she is one of the
most dangerous players around at the moment Sunday, claiming her
second Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title of the season at the AIG Japan
Open Tennis Championships, and announcing her arrival in the world's
Top 20. In an historic first ever final between players that play
with two hands off of both sides, the Frenchwoman capped her run
with a 26 62 62 win over Japan's Aiko Nakamura.

Bartoli, seeded first this past week and a heavy tournament favorite
after No.2 seed Ai Sugiyama's quarterfinal defeat, was given all she
could handle in the opening set by Nakamura, but regrouped and took
control from the start of the second set. In the end, her deeper,
more powerful two-fisted blasts were just too much for her
increasingly weary opponent.

"Aiko was well-prepared and moving fast, especially in the first
set," Bartoli said. "I tried to make her run more in the second set,
and she looked more and more tired. Good first serves were the key
to my victory today. I was able to play aggressively. I was able to
take advantage of her second serves as well."

"I was totally absorbed in the game in the first set, which I
believe was almost perfect," Nakamura said. "But I woke up to
reality in the second set, and Marion was beginning to hit harder,
deeper into the court. I tried to stay calm, believing that chances
would come my way, but she just kept getting better in the second
set and I could not get my rhythm back."

Bartoli has now won 13 of 16 matches since a third round loss to
Patty Schnyder at the US Open. She reached her very first Tier III
final a few weeks back in Bali, finishing runner-up to Svetlana
Kuznetsova, and now she takes home a first Tier III title, her
second title after winning the Tier IV in Auckland in January.

"Being the top seed does not necessarily make you the best player;
you have to play well to prove that, which is not easy," said
Bartoli, who is projected to crack the Top 20 on Monday. "Once you
start playing, the rankings don't matter. But I made it this time,
and I am happy. This was the first time I won as the first seed."

When asked about her recent spike in results over the last months,
Bartoli has been citing much-improved fitness after hard off-court
work all season long.

"I am more physically fit, and so I wasn't as tired as she was. The
fruits of my training showed today. I believed in the chance and
believed that I could win."

After the trophy ceremony, the emcee announced it had been Bartoli's
birthday earlier in the week, to which the crowd erupted and chanted
Happy Birthday.

"This was my best birthday week ever," said their new champion.

Nakamura, ranked No.89 and a wild card into the main draw, also left
a lasting impression in Tokyo, passing the quarterfinal round for
the first time then pushing one of the world's elite to three sets
despite the home pressure. She was trying to become the first
Japanese Tour singles titlist since Sugiyama in 2004.

"Although I didn't win, I am happy about my performances throughout
the week. I did my best. I made it to the final match, and this has
given me confidence."
<<<

Marion: "It's nice to be top seed and win a tournament - it's the
first time I've achieved that. Roger Federer may be used to it
because he's always number one, but I'm not. I had to play hard and
stay focused after dropping the first set."

esquímaux's final report:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=268119


================
PTT BANGKOK OPEN (Bangkok, Thailand; outdoor hard; WTA Tier III)
================ (week of 9th October)

Marion has pulled out of this tournament with an inflamed right
Achilles tendon - nothing serious, I hope.

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/selesians/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeldani/