==========================
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S OPEN (Eastbourne, England; grass; WTA Tier II)
========================== http://eastbourne.lta.org.uk/
Contents
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1. Quarter-final TV-report: Bartoli v Kleybanova
2. Articles

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1. Quarter-final TV-report: Bartoli v Kleybanova (Thursday 19th June)
------------------------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [2,DF,S] d. Alisa Kleybanova [Q], 6-3 6-3

The match started at 15:57 BST, and I saw the whole thing on BBCi.


First set
---------
BARTOLI *@*@*___* 6
KLEYBAN _____*@*_ 3

Marion serving 0-0: Kleybanova forehand wide. 15/0. Kleybanova
forehand return just long. 30/0. Service-winner. 40/0. Ace out wide.

Kleybanova serving 0-1: Backhand return winner down Kleybanova's
backhand-sideline. 0/15. Kleybanova dropshot + forehand lob long.
0/30. Kleybanova netted a forehand return. 0/40. Kleybanova on the
third stroke dumped a backhand into the net.

Marion won the first 8 points!

Marion serving 2-0: Marion crosscourt forehand just long & just wide.
0/15. Marion hit a short-angled crosscourt backhand winner. 15/15.
Serve out wide + crosscourt backhand winner back behind Kleybanova.
30/15. Kleybanova forehand return just wide. 40/15. Kleybanova
dominated the point, and a netcord from her induced Marion to mishit
a backhand wide. 40/30. Kleybanova netted a backhand return.

Virginia Wade: "She anticipates so brilliantly, and can redirect the
ball so easily. Always inside the baseline, and staying down well for
the ball - hitting it so early."

Kleybanova serving 0-3: Body-jamming serve + crosscourt backhand
winner. 15/0. Kleybanova on the third stroke hit a backhand long.
15/15. Kleybanova on the third stroke netted a forehand. 15/30.
Double fault (second serve into the net). 15/40. Marion cracked an
early backhand return just inside the baseline, forcing Kleybanova to
earth a backhand.

Marion serving 4-0: Service-winner out wide. 15/0. Kleybanova opened
up the court and hit a crosscourt forehand winner. 15/15. Kleybanova
sprayed a forehand long off a weak dropshot from Marion. 30/15.
Service-winner out wide. 40/15. Off a body-jamming serve, Kleybanova
squeezed a backhand return-winner into the corner - Marion was
surprised it was in. 40/30. Kleybanova pinned Marion back and then
hit a crosscourt backhand dropshot-winner. 40/40. Kleybanova dumped a
backhand into the net. Ad Marion. Kleybanova off-backhand winner just
inside the sideline. Deuce #2. Kleybanova backhand return long.
Ad Marion. Kleybanova forehand long.

Virginia Wade: "She's very much at the mercy of Marion Bartoli's
razor-like shots."

Kleybanova serving 0-5: Marion netcord off-backhand return-winner.
0/15. Serve out wide + crosscourt forehand winner. 15/15.
Marion netted a crosscourt forehand return. 30/15. Double fault #2
(second serve down the middle wide). 30/30. Serve out wide +
crosscourt backhand winner just inside the baseline. 40/30.
Kleybanova's short-angled crosscourt forehand forced Marion to
stretch low & wide and earth a crosscourt forehand.

Marion serving 5-1: Double fault #1 (second serve just long). 0/15.
Kleybanova netted a backhand. 15/15. Kleybanova ran down a dropshot
and hit a deep crosscourt forehand winner just inside the baseline.
15/30. A deep forehand return onto the baseline forced Marion to net
a backhand. 15/40. A deep backhand return onto the baseline forced
Marion to net a forehand.

Kleybanova serving 2-5: Ace out wide: just inside the sideline. 15/0.
Kleybanova forehand just wide. 15/15. Double fault #3 (second serve
long). 15/30. Kleybanova on the third stroke dumped a backhand into
the bottom of the net. 15/40 (SP #1). First serve almost hit Marion
on the full - would have been Kleybanova's point! Kleybanova forehand
volley-winner down the line: right in the corner. 30/40 (SP #2).
Marion netted a forehand return. 40/40. Service-winner out wide.
Ad Kleybanova. Ace out wide.

Marion serving 5-3: Virtual ace out wide. 15/0. Kleybanova hit an
error-forcing backhand return down the line. 15/15. Kleybanova
crosscourt forehand pass-winner. 15/30. Service-winner. 30/30.
Kleybanova dumped a backhand return into the net. 40/30. Service-
winner out wide. Marion won the first set 6-3 at 16:33 (36 minutes).

David Mercer: "Enough at the end of that set to suggest that the
second set could be quite close."


Second set
----------
BARTOLI _* *@* *@ 6
KLEYBAN * *___*__ 3

Kleybanova serving 0-0 (new balls): Marion dumped a forehand return
into the bottom of the net. 15/0. Marion netted a forehand. 30/0.
Marion's depth forced Kleybanova crosscourt forehand just wide.
30/15. Marion hit a couple of excellent lobs: one to neuter
Kleybanova's early initiative, and another for a winner after drawing
Kleybanova to the net with a dropshot. 30/30. Double fault #4 (wild
second serve long). 30/40 (BP). Serve + crosscourt forehand winner
into the corner. 40/40. Marion played a great spreading rally, with a
pinpoint forehand down the line forcing Kleybanova into error.
Ad Marion (BP #2). She netted a cheap backhand. Deuce #2. Marion
crosscourt forehand return long. Ad Kleybanova. Wild first serve
almost to the baseline! But Kleybanova made up for it with an off-
backhand winner just inside the sideline - I don't think that she
meant it, though.

Marion serving 0-1: Marion hit a deep, error-forcing crosscourt
forehand. 15/0. Marion came to the net behind a very short ball from
Kleybanova, and hit a two-handed backhand volley-winner. 30/0.
Ace #2: out wide. 40/0. Ace #3: out wide, just inside the sideline.

Kleybanova serving 1-1: Ace out wide: just inside the sideline. 15/0.
Kleybanova, stretched wide & low, mishit a crosscourt forehand lob
wide. 15/15. Marion netted a forehand that would also have been wide,
off a deep ball from Kleybanova. 30/15. Kleybanova sprayed a forehand
very long. 30/30. Serve out wide + forehand winner down the line.
40/30. Kleybanova on the third stroke hit a crosscourt backhand
dropshot-winner, though I'm not sure that she meant it.

Marion serving 1-2: Kleybanova forehand long. 15/0. Kleybanova
crosscourt forehand return + forehand winner down the line. 15/15.
Kleybanova crosscourt backhand return, but down-the-line forehand
long. 30/15. Kleybanova chopped a forehand return into the net.
40/15. Double fault #2 (second serve long). 40/30. Kleybanova hit an
error-forcing crosscourt backhand. 40/40. Forehand return long.
Ad Marion. Double fault #3 (second serve into the net). Deuce #2.
Kleybanova mishit a forehand long, with a little scream. Ad Marion.
Kleybanova hit a great return off an excellent serve, but hit a
forehand long.

Kleybanova serving 2-2: A good first serve out wide, right in the
corner, forced Marion to net a forehand return. 15/0. Kleybanova
thought she served an ace, but it was just long/wide. Marion netted a
forehand. 30/0. Kleybanova mishit a forehand into the net. 30/15.
Kleybanova on the third stroke netted a forehand. 30/30. A deep
forehand return down the middle induced Kleybanova to dump a backhand
into the net. 30/40. Kleybanova on the third stroke netted a forehand
to put Marion a set and a break up.

Bartoli serving 3-2: Service-winner. 15/0. Double fault (second serve
into the net - the wind messed up her toss). 15/15. Kleybanova
forehand return wide. 30/15. Kleybanova dumped a forehand return into
the net off a penetrating shot into the corner from Marion. 40/15.
Marion crosscourt backhand wide. 40/30. Kleybanova crosscourt
backhand dropshot-winner off a deep ball from Marion. 40/40.
Body-jamming serve: Kleybanova off-backhand return wide. Ad Marion.
Kleybanova sprayed a forehand return wide.

Kleybanova serving 2-4: Kleybanova sprayed a crosscourt backhand wide
off a poor dropshot from Marion. 0/15. Double fault #5 (second serve
into the net). 0/30. Marion's crosscourt forehand was called wide,
but overruled as good, so they replayed the point: serve + deep off-
forehand winner just inside the baseline. 15/30. Kleybanova forehand
long off a deep ball just inside the baseline from Marion. 15/40.
Serve out wide + off-backhand winner back behind Marion. 30/40.
Serve out wide + crosscourt forehand winner just inside the sideline.
40/40. Serve out wide + deep, error-forcing backhand down the middle.
Ad Kleybanova. Marion forehand return long.

Marion serving 4-3: Ace out wide: on the sideline. 15/0. Kleybanova
netted a forehand. 30/0. Ace out wide: on the sideline. 40/0.
Ace out wide: right in the corner.

Kleybanova serving 3-5: Marion hit an early crosscourt backhand
return-winner. 0/15. Kleybanova on the third stroke hit a backhand
long. 0/30. Double fault (wild second serve very long). 0/40 (MP #1).
Kleybanova on the third stroke hit a forehand just long.
Marion won 6-3 6-3 at 17:16 (second set 43m, match 1h19m).

Marion won the first 8 points of the match, and the last 8 points!


Marion's on-court interview
---------------------------

MATT CHILTON: Marion Bartoli, another very /efficient/ win. What is
it about your game that makes you so effective on grass?

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, thank you very much. Well, it was very tough
today: it was very windy, but er, I guess that that ??radio ball-
sound?? helped me to control the ball, and I'm really happy to be in
the semi-final again.

MATT CHILTON: This time last year, just on the cusp of Wimbledon, and
then you had that fantastic run all the way to the final. Are you
feeling similarly confident this year?

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, you know, I'm playing really well, er,
specially those two matches. And I'm very happy to be back in
Eastbourne, I really do love this tournament, and er, hopefully I
will be able to play the same way at Wimbledon.

MATT CHILTON: So, you were a semi-finalist here a year ago. You're in
the semi-finals again this year. What do you think you can achieve
tomorrow?

MARION BARTOLI: Well, I will try my best, and hopefully I can be in
the final, and er, why not win the tournament?

MATT CHILTON: Okay, well, we wish you the very best of luck.
Ladies and gentlemen: Marion Bartoli!

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2. Articles
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Bartoli into Eastbourne semi-finals (AP)
>>>
Wimbledon-finalist Marion Bartoli beat Russian qualifier Alisa
Kleybanova 6-3 6-3 on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the
Eastbourne International Women's Open.

The second-seeded Bartoli had won just eight matches in 14 events
coming into Eastbourne, and her run to the semi-finals this week is
only her second since Wimbledon a year ago.

She began strongly, surrendering just three points in the first four
games, but Kleybanova eventually settled. Bartoli failed to serve out
the first set at 5-1 or convert two set-points on Kleybanova's serve
at 5-2 before taking the set in the next game.

Bartoli broke for a 3-2 lead in the second set, and she closed out
the match by winning the last eight points.

"I had a tough time because I was not healthy to play tennis, but now
I'm feeling really well and really happy to be back on track,"
Bartoli said. "I arrived here and kept trying to practise, and one
day my energy came back and I felt it was the same like last year."

Bartoli next plays fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who first
completed a 3-6 6-3 6-4 second-round win over Virginie Razzano that
was suspended at one set each overnight, and then beat Gisela Dulko
7-5 7-5 in the quarter-finals.
<<<

Bartoli has easy ride to Eastbourne last four (Reuters)
By Clare Fallon (editing by Miles Evans and Pritha Sarkar)
>>>
Marion Bartoli, on the mend after a wrist-injury, reached the semi-
finals of the Eastbourne International on Thursday by making short
work of Russian qualifier Alisa Kleybanova.

Second seed Bartoli, the Wimbledon runner-up last year, will play
fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in Friday's semi-finals
after her 6-3 6-3 win.

Frenchwoman Bartoli, ranked 11th in the world and the top surviving
seed after Svetlana Kuznetsova was beaten in the second round, raced
to a 5-0 lead before Kleybanova began to fight back, winning three
games in a row and saving two set-points.

Bartoli, though, wrapped up the set in the ninth game, and
immediately went on the attack at the start of the second set, when
Kleybanova had to save two break-points.

By the end of the set, the French player - who lost in her first
match in Birmingham last week after aggravating a wrist-injury - was
in imperious form, hitting three aces in the eighth game, and winning
the ninth on a break to love.

"I am feeling really well, and I am really happy to be back on track
and to feel healthy again," Bartoli told a news-conference.
<<<

Bartoli reaches Eastbourne semis (PA SportsTicker)
>>>
Marion Bartoli appears to be regaining her form just in time for
Wimbledon.

The second-seeded Frenchwoman advanced to the semi-finals of the
International Women's Open on Thursday with a 6-3 6-3 triumph over
Russian qualifier Alisa Kleybanova.

Bartoli also was a semi-finalist at this grasscourt-event last
season, and went on to make a surprising run at Wimbledon, where she
stunned former world No.1 Justine Henin before falling to Venus
Williams in the championship.

Ranked 11th in the world, Bartoli has struggled since that remarkable
effort however. The 23-year-old has not played in a final since, and
has been dealing with various injuries, including the wrist-
tendinitis which has hindered her play lately.

She has shown no signs of weakness here, dropping just nine games in
two matches following a first-round bye.

Bartoli can expect a challenge in the semis from No.4 Agnieszka
Radwanska, who won two matches on Thursday to reach the final four.

The Pole completed the final set of her suspended second-round match
earlier in the day, downing Virginie Razzano 3-6 6-3 6-4, and later
moved through the quarter-finals with a 7-5 7-5 win over Gisela Dulko.
<<<

Bartoli takes aim at Wimbledon with semi-final spot (AFP)
>>>
The 2007 Wimbledon-finalist Marion Bartoli moved closer to another
shot at success on grass as she reached the semi-final of the
Eastbourne Championships here on Thursday.

The Geneva-based Bartoli dominated Russian qualifier Alisa Kleybanova
6-3 6-3 as a run of poor form this season faded away for the
Frenchwoman this week.

"I'm feeling like I did last year," said the delighted second
seed. "I've suddenly been energised; I'm able to play my game.
I think I'm on the right way again."

Bartoli, who has had repeated injury, hard luck and poor results this
season after playing the All-England club final against Venus
Williams, snapped a four-match loss-streak at Devonshire Park.

The 23-year-old, competing here for the fifth time, has suddenly
found her game, and aims to advance as she faces off on Friday
against Agnieszka Radwanska after the Polish fourth seed beat
Argentine Gisela Dulko 7-5 7-5.

The pre-Wimbledon event on the south coast could be just the lift
Bartoli needs as she makes improvements to a 10:14 record this
season. The winner of three WTA titles lifted them all in 2006, and
feels ready for a return to success.

She said the the trademark wind at Eastbourne made victory a
challenge. "It's always windy here, but it's the same for both; you
just have to find a way to win.

"You won't play well anyway, but you find a way. I led 5-0 and she
came back to 5-3; I had to keep fighting."
<<<

Semis Set in Eastbourne
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=2357
>>>
While No.1 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and No.3 seed Vera Zvonarėva may
have been sent to the sidelines in their opening matches, No.2 seed
Marion Bartoli and No.4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska continued to fly the
flag for the favourites at the International Women's Open on
Thursday, not dropping a set to their challengers, and setting up an
intriguing semi-final match-up.

Bartoli was the first of the two to advance to the semi-finals,
notching a 6-3 6-3 win over qualifier Alisa Kleybanova in an hour and
18 minutes. While she did give up her serve once late in the first
set, Bartoli broke the young Russian a total of four times in the
match with her pinpoint two-fisted groundstrokes, which seem to be
finding their best range for the first time since her run to the
Wimbledon-final almost a year ago.

Radwanska won her only previous meeting with Bartoli: at Stuttgart
last fall. She had to fight back from a first-set blowout to prevail,
though, winning 0-6 6-2 6-1.

"The match against Marion will be very difficult. I won the last time
we played - a couple of months ago - but it was on hard court, and
she has shown this week and last year at Wimbledon that she plays
really well on grass. So it will be difficult."
<<<

No sign of injury as Bartoli reaches semi-final
http://www.lta.org.uk/News/All-news-items/WC16-06-08/No-sign-of-
injury-as-Bartoli-reaches-semi-final/
>>>
On a sunny Thursday at Eastbourne's Devonshire Park, the No.2 seed,
Marion Bartoli, stormed into the International Women's Open semi-
final with a dominating display of power and precision from the back
of the court. The world No.11, who was the 2007 runner-up at The
Championships, Wimbledon, defeated qualifier Alisa Kleybanova 6-3 6-3
in 78 minutes.

Played on a wind-swept Centre Court in front of a near-capacity
crowd, Bartoli never looked in trouble as she faced just one break-
point and notched six aces against her Russian opponent. The 23-year-
old Frenchwoman, who is double-handed on both sides, will be vying to
improve on last year's performance, when she lost against Justine
Henin in the final four.

Bartoli said: "My game is well-suited to grass, because I take the
ball early and hit it flatter than most players, which gives me a
better chance of putting it away. I've been practising every day, and
I feel like my energy has come back. If I keep going and playing like
this, then I think I'll have a great chance of making the final."

In Friday's semi-final, Bartoli will meet the Polish No.4 seed,
Agnieszka Radwanska, who defeated Argentinean Gisela Dulko 6-3 6-4 in
the last quarter-final of the day. Ranked No.14 in the world, the 19-
year-old right-hander is chasing her third WTA Tour title of 2008,
having already claimed victories in Pattaya City and Istanbul.

Radwanska said: "The match tomorrow against Marion will be very
difficult. I won the last time we played a couple of months ago, but
that was on a hard court, and she has shown this week and last year
at Wimbledon that she plays really well on grass. So it will be
difficult... but let's see."
<<<

--
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