Stuttgart Preview

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
After this weekend´s Fed Cup play-offs, we could not have asked for a better tournament to continue with the exciting showcase of matches we witnessed. The qualifying matches have finished and the main draw is finally complete. It just takes a quick look to realize how strong the field is. So far, Stuttgart has one of the toughest draws this year, featuring the top 8 players in the world.

Via WTA

Going down memory-lane, some of the past champions include Julia Goerges, Justine Henin, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Jelena Jankovic. Last year they had the pleasure of having home girl Julia Goerges take the title. She defeated Caroline Wozniacki (no. 1 at the time) with an overpowering 7-6(3) 6-3 performance.

This year the tournament features 5 Germans, 3 of them are inside the top 20: Andrea Petkovic (12), Sabine Lisicki (13) and Angelique Kerber (14) and almost making it, Julia Goerges (21). Some may say they have a starting advantage because they played their Fed Cup tie against Australia in the very same Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Arena.

Via WTA

Over all, the level of tennis that we will see in the first rounds is really incredible. Some of the match-ups inlclude: defending champion Julia Goerges vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (possibly Sam Stosur in the 2nd round), Caroline Wozniacki vs. Jelena Jankovic and a possible Andrea Petkovic vs. Victoria Azarenka in the 2nd round.

This is definitely an excellent preview for the upcoming Roland Garros, which take place the 27th of May. So, will Goerges be able to defend her title? Will Caroline be able to clinch her first tournament of the year? Will Andrea Petkovic and Sabine Lisicki have a good performance in their comebacks? And how will the world's best, Azarenka, begin her clay season? These are few of the questions that come up when thinking of Stuttgart. What we do know is that we are on for quite a show.

The WTA is commonly known to be unpredictable and by looking at this years draw, Stuttgart will definitely be no exception. 

-Romina Castagnino, Contributing Writer

A Message to our Readers

To our ITB faithfuls:

As editor of Inside the Baseline, I would like to apologize for our absence since the exciting Australian Open championships. I'm working through my final semester as a Boston University undergrad, and it feels like time is slipping between my fingers.

I am a journalism major at BU, hoping to find my way into the world of tennis media. You're all quite aware of my passion—or dare I say addiction...— to the WTA and I promise that as the excitement and terror of graduation comes and goes, I will find my way back to ITB, and perhaps, a professional tennis organization.

But with all the ups and downs of an ending college career, I'm still as updated as ever in the tennis world! Indian Wells and Miami have provided some epic entertainment, and with Charleston underway, I can't wait to dig into the clay season. Will Azarenka remain dominant? Will Kvitova get her wheels in motion? And what does part-time super star Serena have up her sleeve as the new generation begins to surpass her?

All in time, tennis fans. We still have a long way to go in 2012.

And finally, as a thanks for your readership and to top off this formal apology, I leave you with the ear-shattering and comedic musical efforts of Caroline Wozniacki. (I mean come on. One comment says "She makes Rebecca Black sound like Whitney Houston). Shout out to Jon Scott of Tennis.com's Daily Spin for supplying me with this one.

*Note, the video has been disabled due to copyright. But believe me, it will be posted here as soon as it's re-leaked.

Edit: Re-discovered here: Vidéo Caroline Wozniacki

-Kedzie Teller, Senior Editor

Testing 'The Brave One'

When Victoria Azarenka celebrated her victories down under, she did it with her tongue out and her index finger raised high, urging the crowd to believe she was, indeed, the best. And while the bold pose might have seemed premature, she backed it up with stunning tennis, clinching her maiden slam title and her place as world number one.

AP Photo

It seems all the pieces of the puzzle have finally come together in Azarenka's game. We've known she can hit the ball hard for years, but something about Aussie Vika looked different... she looked controlled. She placed her shots with startling precision, came to net with predator-like aggression and, on occassion, used biting slice to knock her opponents out of their rhythm. The variety Azarenka put on display as she moved toward her first slam championship was not only impressive, but refreshing, and the lid she has suddenly put on her boiling emotions keeps everything in check. Should she keep her services errors at a minimum, she has the tools to become a dominant competitor.

Azarenka did the unthinkable in Melbourne when she battled back from a second set nightmare against Kim Clijsters, and no tennis fan will soon forget the supreme beat-down Azarenka dealt Maria Sharapova in the tournament final (6-3 6-0 for those of you living under a rock, or watching football). But there's a new challenge for Victoria fast-approaching that might take away some of the "Ozarenka" flare: and her name is Serena Williams

Photo by Julian Finney, Getty Images

This weekend the United States will host Belarus in a FedCup tie featuring Grand Slam worthy match-ups. The USA is loaded with both Serena and Venus Williams as well as sharpshooter Christina McHale and doubles specialist Liezel Huber. How will the new world no.1 handle her first big test?

Worcester's DCU Center might not be as glorious as the lawns of the All-England Club, but there's a clear and tangible sense of importance about the matches at stake. Serena botched her final at the US Open last year, and she gifted away a victory to AO quarter-finalist Ekatarina Makarova, but there's little doubt that she will bring a terrifying game to the court when she faces Azarenka. We know Serena demands perfection from herself and we know she believes she is the world's best, so what is a better way to send a message to the WTA tour than by dismantling the new no.1 ranked player?

Still, Azarenka is called 'The Brave One,' and having played the Williams sisters before she should not be intimidated. The chances that she will fall meekly to Serena Willliams are slim to none. All you have to do is watch the highlights of their third round slam-fest from the 2011 US Open to see just how willing to fight Azarenka is, and how deadly she can be on a comeback. Yes, Serena wound up victorious, but losing that match might have taught Azarenka more than any victory ever could.

 

This will be the first match for Azarenka since winning the Australian Open, and while other recent first-time winners suffered serious problems after joining the slam club (I'm looking at you, Li and Stosur) I doubt that Azarenka will suffer the same fate.

-Kedzie Teller, Senior Editor

ITBTennis will be attending the USA/Belarus tie, video and camera in hand.Check back soon for an up-close look.

Australian Open: Aussie's Own Changing of the Guard

When Kim Clijsters cracked an untouchable forehand winner to set up match point against Caroline Wozniacki, there was a moment of impassioned beauty. Her eyes snapped shut as she clenched her first beside her face, chest heaving with excitement, nerves and exhaustion. She appeared near tears, understanding the terrible importance of the point she was about to play, but when she stepped back to the baseline, she appeared calm—her veteran grace shining through. Moments later a desperation lob from Wozniacki fluttered skyward, and with one clean swing, Clijsters batted the match-ending volley into the court, solidifying her place in the semifinals and ensuring Wozniacki's drop from the top spot.

And now it's official. The WTA will have a new no. 1 player after the Australian Open, ending the Dane's 67 week "domination" of the women's tour. Three standout players are vying for the spot, and all are worthy, but who will it be?

Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova, and Petra Kvitova each have a chance, and the dogfight will begin with today's semifinals. Sharapova must win the title while Azarenka need only stay one step ahead of Kvitova (meaning she must win if she faces Petra in the final). Should the Czech advance to the championship without Azarenka, but lose, she will still earn enough points to claim the rank.

Azarenka will take on Clijsters in her semifinal match, looking to advance to her first major championship. The Belarusian hits the ball flat and hard from both sides, but she'll need to do more than thump the ball up the court to keep Clijsters off balance. Azarenka is best when she's at full flight, taking on physical rallies with her much-improved fitness. She's consistent, strong-willed and isn't afraid to get scrappy, and what makes her more of threat against Clijsters than Wozniacki is that she can strike winners at will.

Having won three slams (including the 2008 Australian Open) Sharapova has the most impressive resume of the three no. 1 contenders. She needs to deliver her best tennis, however, as she takes on Petra Kvitova—a Wimbledon final rematch that will undoubtedly showcase some of the biggest hitting on tour. Sharapova seems to have contained her service woes, and will need to continue that trend against a free-swinging opponent who enjoys obliterating slow second serves. Kvitova will need to maintain focus and prevent any dips in quality (something we have seen too often in earlier rounds) or else Sharapova will have an easy time finding her range.

Regardless of the outcomes, however, the WTA will have a new leader in the rankings, something many critics of the sport  having been begging for for months. In an interview, Wozniacki said she is confident she will reclaim the top spot, but something tells me it won't be so easy. Her fellow young-guns are starting to relish their time on the big stages and thrive in high-pressure moments. Defending powerful blows, Wozniacki's greatest talent, won't hold up much longer if these talented opponents stop choking and start winning.

The question is no longer when will Wozniacki consolidate her no. 1 ranking, it's will she ever get it back?

-Kedzie Teller, Senior Editor

Australian Open: Quarterfinals Fully Loaded

Quarter 1: Wozniacki v. Clijsters

Aussie Kim is at it again Down Under, overcoming a rolled ankle and four match points in her sweet-16 marathon against Li Na. The four-time grand slam champion and former no. 1 will hit the court against the world's current no. 1 in hopes of defending her title in Melbourne, but winning will be no easy feat. Still looking for her first slam title, Wozniacki will be just as determined, if not more so than the Belgian veteran.

Photo by Cameron Spencer, Getty Images

While Clijsters' tiebreak heroics against Li Na will surely be one of the tournament's biggest stories, Wozniacki's strong performances can't be overlooked. She hasn't dropped a set in her first four matches and she even earned a bagel against Jelena Jankovic— an opponent who once dominated the pair's head-to-head 4-0 (now leveled 4-4).

In her semifinal match last year, Wozniacki held match point but watched her Aussie dreams crumble as Li pummeled a short Wozniacki forehand down the line. This year, the Dane has been pushing shots deeper and trying to add the aggression her game has lacked but so desperately needs. Still, her forte is defense, and she will need to be on-point against Clijsters. The Belgian might not always hit the ball as hard as the Sharapovas of the WTA, but she can light up the court with brilliant movement and deadly precision. Should Wozniacki choose to play too passively, Clijsters will surely fire winners at will.

The big question: what's the status of Clijsters' ankle?

Prediction: Clijsters in 3.

Quarter 2: Azarenka v. Radwanska

Victoria Azarenka has all but coasted into the quarterfinals this year, steamrolling an unlucky string up opponents along the way. The Belarusian has dropped a total of 12 games in four matches (losing more than 2 games in a set only once, against a hot-handed Barthel) and looks deadly from both wings. She has had a number of grand slam runs crushed in the quarters, meeting against Serena Williams on multiple occasions, but she snapped the curse at last year's Wimbledon and has a good shot of going forward in Melbourne.

Her opponent, Agnieszka Radwanska, is sure to put up a fight, but lacks any sort of firepower of her own. The Pole will look to use rock-solid defense to ricochet Azarenka's blasts back into the court, waiting for errors or the occasional short ball. Unfortunately for Radwanska, Azarenka seems to have reeled in her aggression, keeping unforced errors to a minimum and building momentum with controlled offense. Agnieszka will have to work the angles to bully Azarenka around the court and, when possible, lay-in to the backhand that has given Radwanska such great success.

The last time these two met was in this year's Sydney tournament, where Azarenka prevailed despite dropping a set 6-1. In Melbourne, Radwanska has seesawed between lackluster (round 1 v. Mattek-Sands) and brilliant (round 4 v. Goerges), but she'll need to be perfect to beat Azarenka. Otherwise, she's going to get blown off the court.

Prediction: Azarenka in 2.

Quarter 3: Makarova v. Sharapova

Of the remaining eight players, the most shocking competitor is Ekatarina Makarova. Arguably, one could say Sara Errani's appearance is equally as surprising, but Makarova has been the tournament's giant-slayer, downing Kaia Kanepi, Vera Zvonareva and Serena Williams in consecutive rounds and all in straight sets. Comically, the Russian's most difficult match was against Tanasugarn, where she dropped the second set but still earned two bagels for the win.

If she wants to continue her dream run, Makarova will have to conjure up some more magic as she takes on her most famous countrywoman: Maria Sharapova. Sharapova has looked terrifyingly sharp on her Melbourne quest, drilling her opponents with laser-like shots accompanied by shrill screams and intimidating Come on!s In her fourth round match against Sabine Lisicki, Sharapova's game faced its first true test of the tournament, but the Russian rose to the occasion, upping her play to a level unseen since reaching the Wimbledon final last year. Finally, Sharapova's serves were hitting the box and even second serves rained down with unfamiliar power. Combined with her brutal groundstrokes, Sharapova was just a tad too good for Lisicki and looks to be a tad too good for anyone left in the tournament who isn't named Kvitova.

Still, Sharapova isn't consistent. The service woes, head-scratching errors and over-eager offense are always lurking somewhere in the back of Sharapova's game—she just needs to keep them there. Should Makarova find her range and Maria tighten up, we could have quite a match, but Sharapova is known for her fight. She just can't spend time fighting herself.

Prediction: Sharapova in 2.

Quarter 4: Errani v. Kvitova

What can you say about Sara Errani? One thing is for sure: she's playing better tennis than we knew she was capable of. Sitting down to watch her match against Zheng Jie, I expected a rather easy win for the craft Chinese woman, but felt my jaw hit the floor as Errani let loose an array of blistering winners. The Italian used masterful topspin to trap Zheng behind the baseline and showcased her double skills with superb volleying.

Although her performance was stellar, Errani will need to do even more as she steps on court against world no. 2 and player-to-beat, Petra Kvitova. The Czech has had a number of moments this tournament when she looked frazzled and lost, including two second set breakdowns against Suarrez Navarro and Ivanovic, but on each occasion she regrouped and slapped ferocious winners in order to secure victory. Maybe it's her maturity, or maybe it's her bark-like cheers, but something about Kvitova's game never lets her stray too far off course.

Against anyone seeded, you might almost anticipate Kvitova to have some spotty play in her upcoming match, but Errani's style should give Kvitova good batting practice for later-round challenges. The best tool at Errani's disposal against the Czech will be her net-play, but if Kvitova's groundstrokes are as flat and furious as usual, then it could be over rather quickly. It all depends on whether or not Petra feels like having yet another mental walkabout.

Prediction: Kvitova in 2.

Australian Open: Will History Hunt Down Wozniacki?

Coming into the Australian Open, no one was quite sure what to expect from Caroline Wozniacki. She was in tears during her match against Agnieszka Radwanska in Sydney, ultimately losing the match and nursing a tender wrist, then complained of blisters in Melbourne. With pressure mounting on the world no. 1 to win her first slam (as it has been doing for two seasons now), it looked as though injury and strain would just give the Dane another excuse for why this tournament wouldn't be the one.

Miraculously, however, Wozniacki has looked sharp—by her standards at least. She might not rattle off winners like Serena or Sharapova, but she has appeared physically capable and match-tough.

Despite Wozniacki's inability to come through in the majors, she has accomplished some noteworthy things, including ending back-to-back seasons as the highest ranked player in the WTA. But while she will forever be written into history for this accomplishment, it looks as though history might be coming after her... hungry to take away that number one spot.

Wozniacki must reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open to even have a chance at maintaining her rank, but with drama queen Jelena Jankovic waiting for her in the round of 16, things might not be so easy. And here's the kicker: Jankovic, a former slamless no. 1 herself, lost the top spot in 2009 in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Will history repeat itself at the expense of Wozniacki?

It looks possible.

After steamrolling American young-gun Christina McHale, Jankovic looks prepared to take on a Wozniacki who hasn't been playing error-free. The Serbian holds a 4-3 advantage in the pair's head-to-head, but their last three meetings have all gone in favor of the Dane.

The match will surely involve extended rallies, stunning defense, and blistering backhands (the best shot for both contenders), but victory will come down to which pusher can be more aggressive. Both ladies have the skill to tattoo the baseline and whip extreme angles, but who will come to play?

It's history in the making. On which side of it will Wozniacki fall?

Australian Open: Hawk-Eye: The Slap that Snapped Stosur

The first two days of the 2012 Australian Open have seen some blockbuster match-ups. It seemed an army of unseeded hopefuls were ready and willing to unleash on their ranked opponents, playing some inspired tennis from the start to finish.

While it looked as though Bethanie Mattek-Sands would be the first player to prevail in an upset, the problem-solving Agnieska Radwanska found the grit to sneak through. After dropping a roller coaster first set 12-10 in a tiebreaker, the eight seed Pole turned on the heat against her American adversary whose groundstrokes began to miss their mark. Mattek-Sands earned a terrifying 81 winners in the three hour contest, but it was Radwanska's consistency and back-boarding which resulted in victory.

Sorana Cirstea urges herself on against Stosur.
Photo by Getty Images

Who, then, would be the first big name to say goodbye to Oz? A fiery Christina McHale toppled 24 seed Lucie Safarova, starting what would be a day of nail-biters and blowouts. The big-hitting lefty never seemed to find her rhythm and McHale looked sharp, but while she exited the stadium, an even bigger story was about to unfold: the defeat of home favorite, Samantha Stosur.

Despite her success in Paris and New York, Stosur has failed to advance beyond the fourth round of the Australian Open in nine attempts. Now, on try number 10, the Aussie suffered her third first round loss in Melbourne, this time to a surging Sorana Cirstea.

While Stosur's error-prone backhand was the match's biggest lowlight, it was Cirstea's gutsy returns which lit-up the crowd, despite their countrywoman's misfortune.

This post's Hawk-Eye point goes to Sorana Cirsrea, who broke Stosur to solidify her place in the second round. After losing to opportunities to close the match, Cirstea hammering an electric forehand up the line to fend-off Stosur's game point, leveling at deuce and moving on to convert her next match point. Check out the slap that snapped Stosur at 11:41 in these match highlights:

 

-Kedzie Teller, Senior Editor