Charleston 2014: Family Circle Cup

[Correspondent Kiu]

The Only event held on Green Clay is right here.

Premier level tourny carries 470 points.
http://www.familycirclecup.com/

Defending Champion is Serena Williams, the #1 player in the world.

List of players here:
http://www.familycirclecup.com/players/field/
Top 7 Seeds:
Serena Williams---USA--1
Jelena Jankovic---SRB--6
Sara Errani---ITA--10
Sabine Lisicki---GER--15
Sloane Stephens---USA--16
Eugenie Bouchard---CAN--19
Samantha Stosur---AUS--20

Maria Kirilenko is listed to return from injury in this event.
Qualifying draw has been decided and starts today.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Good news regarding Kirilenko

 

[ozza]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

[1] S. Williams vs BYE
Oudin vs Cepelova
Lepchenko vs Cetkovska
Schmiedlova vs [13] Vesnina
[12] Hantuchova vs Rogers
Q vs Q
Mayr-Achleitner vs Pereira
BYE vs [8] Cirstea

[3] Errani vs BYE
Ormaechea vs Q
Garcia vs Peng
Lucic-Baroni vs [15] Keys
[10] Kirilenko vs Q
Erakovic vs Petrova
Svitolina vs Q
BYE vs [5] Stephens


[7] Stosur vs BYE
Q vs Shvedova
Goerges vs Razzano
Larsson vs [9] Safarova
[14] Petkovic vs Q
Medina Garrigues vs Dominguez Lino
King vs Glushko
BYE vs [4] Lisicki

[6] Bouchard vs BYE
McHale vs Q
Riske vs Scheepers
Zahlavova Strycova vs [11] V. Williams
[16] Zhang vs Hsieh
Voegele vs Tomljanovic
Pfizenmaier vs Davis
BYE vs [2] Jankovic

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Lots of hard hitters ended up in the 3rd quarter.
Last quarter is tough too, 2 previous #1s in there.

I like a Serena/Melanie match-up for the second round.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Well, Serena has an opportunity to threepeat here as well as Madrid and the US Open. That would be pretty awesome if she managed to threepeat at all three. I hope she does well here.

 

[10isfan]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

I think Serena should lighten her schedule. I want to see her healthy and fresh for FO.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

I am not as concerned with her clay schedule as the surface is more forgiving than hard courts. Have you seen Serena's summer schedule? It is crazy.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Qualifying matches being played, main draw starts tomorrow.
Vicky Duval and Taylor Townsend are in action as I write this.

 

[Rose]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

I am not as concerned with her clay schedule as the surface is more forgiving than hard courts. Have you seen Serena's summer schedule? It is crazy.

Serena is basically all U.S. tennis has had and it has been this way for a long time. Don't wear yourself out Serena because there is no one behind you in the U.S. at all!

Also I want a certain Canadian player to step back up and do some serious playing!

And I don't guess we will hear from Si Si until there is a Tournament that Simona is going to be in!

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

I have scores and order of play, you get the full treatment for this event.
SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014

QUALIFYING - SECOND ROUND
Grace Min (USA) d [1] Zarina Diyas (KAZ) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 2 |
[12] Saisai Zheng (CHN) d [2] Estrella Cabeza Candela (ESP) | 6 - 2 | 1 - 0 | RET
[7] Belinda Bencic (SUI) d [9] Mathilde Johansson (FRA) | 7 - 5 | 2 - 6 | 6 - 4 |
Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) d [WC] Taylor Townsend (USA) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 7 (7) | 6 - 3 |
[14] Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) d [5] Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
[11] Kiki Bertens (NED) d [6] Victoria Duval (USA) | 6 - 4 | 7 - 5 |
[4] Michelle Larcher De Brito (POR) d [13] Madison Brengle (USA) | 7 - 5 | 5 - 7 | 7 - 6 (3) |
[3] Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) d [15] Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) | 5 - 7 | 6 - 3 | 6 - 2 |

Winners are your qualifiers.

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ORDER OF PLAY - MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014
BILLIE JEAN KING start 10:00 am
A Riske (USA) vs C Scheepers (RSA)
M Lucic-Baroni (CRO) vs [15] M Keys (USA)
[10] M Kirilenko (RUS) vs [Q] B Bencic (SUI)
[WC] M Oudin (USA) vs J Cepelova (SVK)

ALTHEA GIBSON start 10:00 am
D Pfizenmaier (GER) vs L Davis (USA)
J Larsson (SWE) vs [9] L Safarova (CZE)
V Lepchenko (USA) vs P Cetkovska (CZE)
C Mchale (USA) vs [Q] A Kudryavtseva (RUS)
[Q] G Min (USA) vs [Q] M Larcher de Brito (POR)

COURT 3 start 10:00 am
P Mayr-Achleitner (AUT) vs T Pereira (BRA)
J Goerges (GER) vs V Razzano (FRA)
S Voegele (SUI) vs A Tomljanovic (CRO)
E Svitolina (UKR) vs [Q] J Gajdosova (AUS)

COURT 4 start 12:00 noon
[Q] S Zheng (CHN) vs Y Shvedova (KAZ)

Not Before 2:00 pm
P Ormaechea (ARG) vs [Q] K Bertens (NED)

 

[rubydo]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Not a very auspicious start from Maria Kirilenko after her long layoff, 10th seed rudely bounced out in the first round by Belinda Bencic of Swizerland 6-1, 7-5. May take Maria a few matches to get back to her normal proficiency.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Full first day scores:
MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

FIRST ROUND
[Q] Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) d Christina McHale (USA) | 6 - 3 | 7 - 5 |
Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) d Alison Riske (USA) | 4 - 6 | 6 - 2 | 6 - 3 |
[9] Lucie Safarova (CZE) d Johanna Larsson (SWE) | 6 - 2 | 6 - 3 |
Virginie Razzano (FRA) d Julia Goerges (GER) | 6 - 0 | 5 - 7 | 6 - 2 |
Elina Svitolina (UKR) d [Q] Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) | 6 - 1 | 5 - 7 | 7 - 6 (5) |
[Q] Belinda Bencic (SUI) d [10] Maria Kirilenko (RUS) | 6 - 1 | 7 - 5 |
[15] Madison Keys (USA) d Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) | 7 - 6 | 7 - 6 (3) |
Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) d [Q] Saisai Zheng (CHN) | 6 - 2 | 3 - 6 | 7 - 5 |
Lauren Davis (USA) d Dinah Pfizenmaier (GER) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 4 |
Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) d Stefanie Voegele (SUI) | 6 - 7 (4) | 6 - 1 | 7 - 5 |
[Q] Kiki Bertens (NED) d Paula Ormaechea (ARG) | 7 - 5 | 3 - 6 | 6 - 3 |
[Q] Grace Min (USA) d [Q] Michelle Larcher De Brito (POR) | 6 - 3 | 1 - 6 | 6 - 3 |
Teliana Pereira (BRA) d Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (AUT) | 6 - 1 | 7 - 6 (5) |
Jana Cepelova (SVK) d [WC] Melanie Oudin (USA) | 7 - 6 (2) | 6 - 2 |
Petra Cetkovska (CZE) d Varvara Lepchenko (USA) | 6 - 1 | 2 - 6 | 6 - 0 |

3 Americans survived the day, Oudin was not among them. 4 got knocked out.

---

Players party pix

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ORDER OF PLAY - TUESDAY, APRIL 01, 2014
BILLIE JEAN KING start 10:00 am
[12] D Hantuchova (SVK) vs [WC] S Rogers (USA)

Not Before 11:30 am
B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) vs [11] V Williams (USA)
[7] S Stosur (AUS) vs Y Shvedova (KAZ)
[6] E Bouchard (CAN) vs [Q] A Kudryavtseva (RUS)

Not Before 7:00 pm
[1] S Williams (USA) vs J Cepelova (SVK)
J Husarova (SVK) / V Lepchenko (USA) vs [4] J Goerges (GER) / A Groenefeld (GER)

ALTHEA GIBSON start 10:00 am
[16] S Zhang (CHN) vs S Hsieh (TPE)
[14] A Petkovic (GER) vs [Q] L Tsurenko (UKR)
T Pereira (BRA) vs [8] S Cirstea (ROU)
V Razzano (FRA) vs [9] L Safarova (CZE)
A Rosolska (POL) / C Scheepers (RSA) vs [WC] S Cirstea (ROU) / M Kirilenko (RUS)

COURT 3 start 10:00 am
V King (USA) vs J Glushko (ISR)
A Medina Garrigues (ESP) vs L Dominguez Lino (ESP)
M Erakovic (NZL) vs [WC] N Petrova (RUS)
L Huber (USA) / L Raymond (USA) vs [WC] J Jankovic (SRB) / A Petkovic (GER)

COURT 4 start 12:00 noon
A Schmiedlova (SVK) vs [13] E Vesnina (RUS)

Not Before 2:00 pm
C Garcia (FRA) vs S Peng (CHN)

 

[Fiero425]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

In the old days, this was supposed to be one of the WTA's premiere events, nationally covered on NBC, and where most top players would show up! What happened? They have Serena and Venus, but a lot of others seem to be missing!

 

[kskate2]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

They have a tournament in Monterrey that has claimed some of the top 15 players, but others just don't play here anymore (like Sharapova, Li, Kvitova, etc. They head to Europe and get ready for Stuttgart in a couple of weeks.)

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

In the old days, this was supposed to be one of the WTA's premiere events, nationally covered on NBC, and where most top players would show up! What happened? They have Serena and Venus, but a lot of others seem to be missing!

That was the old days, now there are so many premier events, it's hard to count.

Venus is playing, she will serve for the first set ahead 5-3

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

I bet if they had some nice funds to add to the prize money, then it would entice more of the top players to make the jump over from Miami to Charleston.

 

[kskate2]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Probably Sunday. It is literally 2-3 days after Miami (if you get to the final) that you have to be ready to play on clay. More $$ and ranking points would probably bring more top players.

 

[kskate2]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Venus (smh) can be so predictable at times. I've never understood how you can have a player scrambling for balls and then hit the ball right back to them when the entire court is open.

Venus takes the opener 6-3, but drops serve in the 2nd 0-5

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

I am shocked they haven't looked into trying to get more funds and get it back to the level it once held as a tournament. It isn't even far from Miami, so it makes perfect sense to try and attract more of the top players. They usually last until the later stages of Miami anyway.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

RE: Charleston 2014: Family circle cup.

Oh Venus get it together.....you are very sluggish.