Sharapova Too Sharp for Frazier

07/01/06 -Fourth seed Maria Sharapova continued her smooth passage through the Wimbledon women’s field when she defeated the American 33-year-old Amy Frazier, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour 14 minutes.
The 2004 champion has now won three rounds without conceding a set and at a cost of just 11 games. She was helped considerably in this victory by an off-form Frazier, who double-faulted 10 times. She had 17 unforced errors altogether.
Still, Frazier managed a small celebration, since this was her 18th appearance at The Championships and her 70th Grand Slam event. Both are records in the women’s game.
Sharapova admitted she was a little confused by Frazier’s play. "She would hit a big serve, and then a double-fault. It kind of got me out of my rhythm a bit. Other than that, it was good."
Sharapova says she has been working on her game, trying to come in a bit more and working on her serve placement. Also, she says, her recent ankle injury now seems to have healed, so she is well positioned to go much further in the second week.

Hingis Exits Wimbledon

July 1, 2006
WIMBLEDON, England -- Martina Hingis wiped away a tear as she walked off Centre Court, a match that seemed within her grasp suddenly gone.
Hingis had company Friday. Other unexpected exits were made by 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, James Blake and David Nalbandian.
"Somehow, at Wimbledon, you're never safe," Hingis said after wasting a 3-0 lead in the final set and losing to Ai Sugiyama of Japan, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. "When you're out on the grass, it seems like you never know how the next point's going to go."
Half a season into her comeback after three years away because of injuries, Hingis was playing at Wimbledon for the first time since 2001. And she impressed until Friday, dropping a total of seven games in the first two rounds. She looked fatigued as the match went past the 1 1/2 -hour mark, double-faulting twice to get broken to 3-all in the final set, then slipping at the baseline on two points as she lost the next game.
Hingis -- at 25, she's five years younger than Sugiyama -- got more and more rattled as the match slipped away, complaining about line calls and slamming a ball off the court after one miscue, drawing a collective "Oooooh!" from the crowd.

Wimbledon-Myskina keeps alive Russian dream, Safina flops

By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) - Anastasia Myskina led the Russian charge into the fourth round at Wimbledon on Saturday with a 6-3 6-4 win over Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues.
The 2004 French Open champion was one of seven Russian women to reach the third round here but following the exit of fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anna Chakvetadze on Friday, she was the first player from her nation to reach the last 16.
Joining ninth seed Myskina was seventh seed Elena Dementieva after she won a Russian duel with Elena Likhovtseva 7-5 6-3.
Dinara Safina, who reached her first grand slam quarter-final at the French Open last month, was not as fortunate.
The younger sister of former men's number one Marat Safin lost out on a possible meeting with top seed Amelie Mauresmo when she let a set and 4-1 advantage slip during a 3-6 7-6 6-1 defeat by Serb Ana Ivanovic.
Maria Sharapova, seeking to win her second title here following her triumph two years ago, could add to the Russian tally if she overcomes American Amy Frazier on Centre Court later on Saturday. Likhovtseva was troubled by a right ankle injury and had to take a three-minute time out after being broken in the first set to trail 5-6.
After getting her ankle heavily strapped, she was unable to prevent Dementieva from bagging the set.
But Likhovtseva refused to surrender without a fight and broke to lead 3-1 in the second set before Dementieva rallied and booked her place in the next round against Shenay Perry.

Good Play From Daniela Hantuchova

Daniela and Mahesh Win US Open Mixed Doubles Title

August 9, 2005: Daniela and Mahesh Bhupathi won the US Open Mixed Doubles title by defeating Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and Montenegro in straight sets. The first set featured only one break of serve but early in the second they broke, and later broke to lead 5-2. They then recovered from 0-40 to win the next five points and take the title. They won 6-4, 6-2 meaning Daniela now has won all four Grand Slam Mixed Doubles titles after winning Wimbledon in 2001 with Luis Friedl, the Australian Open in 2002 with Kevin Ullyett and the French Open earlier this year with Fabrice Santoro.