Bob Larson's Tennis News | Stuttgart Wednesday Summary

Singles - First Round: (6) Caroline Wozniacki def. Jelena Jankovic 6-3 1-0, retired (back)
Retirements were to be the theme of the day. In Jelena Jankovic's case, that means she stays stuck at #17.

Singles - First Round: (LL) Akgul Amanmuradova def. Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 5-7 6-3
That's killing two Slovaks with one stone. Dominika Cibulkova was supposed to open against Daniela Hantuchova. But Hantuchova pulled out (meaning that she will not rise above #18), and then Akgul Amanmuradova did this -- an absolutely stunning result on clay. Dominika Cibulkova loses her Top Fifteen chance; Amanmuradova is close to making the Top Hundred.

Singles - First Round: (WC) Mona Barthel def. Ana Ivanovic 7-5 7-6(7-4)
At any other event, Mona Barthel would have had direct entry. So this isn't a huge surprise. But it means no upward move for Ana Ivanovic. Barthel is still at #35, but if she can win her next match (against Marion Bartoli), she will rise to around #32.

Singles - Second Round: (2) Maria Sharapova def. (Q) Alize Cornet 6-3 1-0, retired (right shoulder)
Maria Sharapova finally has enough events that she has a sixteenth event score. In other words, this doesn't yet count for her. Anything else would count. She can't move this week, though.
Ironic to see her win because someone else's shoulder acted up....

Singles - Second Round: (4) Agnieszka Radwanska def. (Q) Greta Arn 6-3 6-4
Agnieszka Radwanska cannot climb above #4 this week, but a good showing here would give her a real shot at Rome or Madrid.

Doubles - First Round: Goerges/Groenefeld def. (3) Peng/Vesnina 7-6(7-2) 6-1
Not a very good start to the post-Mirza/Vesnina era, is it? Mirza/Pennetta withdrew; Peng/Vesnina lost.

Doubles - First Round: Pavlyuchenkova/Safarova def. (WC) Kerber/Petkovic 6-4 7-5