Fuente : Wimbledon
http://www.wimbledon.org

WIMBLEDON: Around the Courts: Ladies' Singles

/noticias.info/ Wednesday, 22 June, 2005

Many Ladies' Singles second round matches were completed on outside courts today.

The match between the Russian Elena Likhovtseva, aged 29 and Meghann Shaughnessy of the USA promised to be something of a battle, and in the end, the 13th seed Likhovtseva won in two close sets, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Although 26-year-old Shaughnessy, currently ranked No.63, led the pair's head-to-head tally 3-1, none of these matches were on grass and the had not met for two years. Both women, strong baseline players, spent much of the match avoiding the net. The few forays forward were largely unsuccessful.

Shaughnessy has not had the best of seasons. She suffered with a right shin injury in the early part of the year, which forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open doubles and from Hyderabad. This was followed in the spring by a lower back injury.

This is Likhovtseva's 12th appearance at Wimbledon, her best result being a quarter final place in 2002, when she lost to Williams.

In the third round Likhovtseva will meet the 22nd ranked Silvia Farina Elia of Italy, who despatched Venezuelan Maria Vento-Kabchi in their second round match, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. What looked like an easy first set for Farina Elia was followed by a great fightback by Vento-Kabchi, ranked 56, to take the second set.

At 4-3 in the final set 33-year-old Farina Elia, her left knee strapped, sent down a couple of searing forehand drives which left Vento-Kabchi standing. She made the most of a break point and then successfully served for the match.

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Roberta Vinci of Italy made short work of Anne Kremer of Luxembourg, 6-3, 6-2, in a match lasting just over an hour. In the first round the 64th ranked Vinci was the surprise victor against 23rd seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan. Vinci goes on to meet Kim Clijsters in the third round.

Also playing today were compatriots from the Czech Republic, 16-year-old Nicole Vaidisova, and 25-year-old Michaela Pastikova, although today is the first time they have met on the match court.

The 5'11" teenager already has two Tour titles under her belt and moved into the Top 40 rankings for the first time in April this year. Now ranked at No.33, she won her first match on grass at Birmingham earlier this month. Today she defeated the 105th ranked Pastikova in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. Vaidisova now meets 5th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round.

Elsewhere, Shenay Perry of the USA upset Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, who is ranked 90 places ahead of the American. Perry, 20, had an injury to her right knee earlier in the season which has hampered her progress this year. But this afternoon she put paid to the Thai's challenge, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2. Perry will meet Amelie Mauresmo of France in the third round.

Another North American went through to the third round when Mashona Washington beat Selima Sfar of Tunisia in a marathon match lasting over 2 hours. Twenty-nine-year-old Washington eventually finished the victor 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. In their first-ever meeting, an early lead by Washington was retrieved by Sfar but Washington surged again to take the first set. With just one break of serve in each of the next two sets, it was the higher-ranked Washington who showed the better form. She will meet 6th seed Elena Dementieva in the third round.

Late in the afternoon teenage Russian Maria Kirilenko took on Bulgarian Magdalena Maleeva in their first meeting. Wimbledon regular Maleeva won 6-2, 6-3 in 61 minutes.

A rare approach to the net, picking up a shot forcefully from her ankles, gave 30-year-old Maleeva break point for the first set. This was duly gifted to her with a double fault by Kirilenko. Both this set and the second were marked by strong, penetrating forehand drives by Maleeva, who always looked the more confident player.

In her first service game of the second set, 18-year-old Kirilenko double faulted again to give the game to Maleeva, which really set the scene for a Maleeva victory. She will meet either Antonella Serra Zanetti of Italy or Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden in third round.

And finally, 2003 Wimbledon Girl's runner-up Dinara Safina beat Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic in straight sets. The sister of Marat Safin, who is the No.30 seed, defeated Strycova 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the third round.

Written by Sally Easton notas_de_prensa_archivo