Peng Shuai - Semifinalist: Auckland Classic 2011

Peng Shuai of China is off to a good start in 2011, with a semifinal appearance at this year's Auckland Classic.  This should improve her current ranking of #72.  In the semis, she loses to Yanina Wickmayer in a very tight game.  This is her path to the semi's -

SF - Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) (#23) 36 76(3) 75
QF - Heather Watson (GBR) (#176) 64 75
2R - Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) (#27) 26 64 64
1R - Johana Larsson (SWE) (#69) 61 63

Zheng Jie just withdrew from the Australian Open, so Peng will be taking the cudgels for China, as that Grand Slam starts in a few weeks.  Her wins over three players ranked higher than her, shows what she is actually capable of and we hope it's going to be a good season for her.

Julia Goerges - Semifinalist - Auckland Classic

Julia Goerges, currently ranked #40, got to the semifinals of her first tournament in 2011, the Auckland Classic, losing to eventual champion Greta Arn.  This was her path to the semi-finals.

SF - lost to Greta Arn (HUN) (#88) 76(3) 63
QF - Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) (#99) 57 62 62
2R - Alize Cornet (FRA) (#79) 62 64
1R - Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) (#71) 64 60 

Greta Arn: Champion Auckland Classic 2011

Already a veteran of the WTA Tour, Greta Arn gets her second WTA Tour title by winning the 2011 Auckland Classic, defeating defending champion, Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, who is currently ranked at #23.  Her first WTA title came in Estoril in 2006.

Her victory here was a big surprise to everyone, as Greta was not even in the main draw and was only able to enter as some players withdrew.  She should enter the Top 75 next week because of this championship.  She is currently at #88.  This was her path to the final -

F - Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) (#23) 61 63
SF - Julia Goerges (GER) (#40) 76(3) 63
QF - Maria Sharapova (RUS) (#18) 62 75
2R - Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) (#53) 46 75 75
1R - Zuzana Ondraskova (CZE) (#83) 61 60

Greta defeated five players all currently ranked higher than her.  And at 31 already, she has once again shown that age is not anymore an issue at the WTA Tour.

Auckland Classic: Fearless Semi-final Predictions

The final 8 in the Auckland Classic has been decided today and here are my semi-final prediction match-ups.

1st Semis:  Maria Sharapova (RUS) (#18) vs. Julia Goerges (GER) (#41)

Sharapova should have no problems over Arn and should win in 2, while Goerges will have to use her cunning to overcome Kateryna Bondarenko, but she should prevail in 3.

2nd Semis: Peng Shuai (CHN) (#90) vs. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) (#23)

Peng shocked Kuznetsova today and should prevail over newcomer Watson.  Wickmayer is in very good form but took 3 sets to win over Lisicki. She should need another 3 seeds to dispose of Halep.

Related articles

• Maria Sharapova: Continues to be a Bridesmaid in 2012
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• Women's World Cup Tennis 2011: Group A Round Robin
• Angelique Kerber: Paris Champion
• Yanina Wickmayer: Semifinalist Paris Open
• Women's World Cup Tennis 2011: Group C Round Robin
• Klara Zakopalova: Semifinalist Paris Open
• Women's World Cup Tennis 2011: Group B Round Robin

Auckland Classic Featured Player: Heather Watson

In Auckland's ASB Classic Tournament this week, the lowest-ranked player to reach the second round was Briton Heather Watson, who is ranked #176 right now.  That should change after this week, after her WTA level tour win here.   She faces a much more experienced player in the second round with #57 Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain.    Let's hope she gives Carla a good fight.

Auckland Classic: Three Interesting Second Round Match-Ups

All the seeds except for Kimiko Date Krumm go to the second round in the Auckland Classic.  For today's matches, the following are the three most interesting match-ups for me.

#3 Elena Vesnina (RUS) (#52) vs. Simona Halep (ROU) (#84)

Elena Vesnina is a competent player but I think she'll have a showdown with Simona Halep, who has shown some promise in 2010.  Now is the chance for Halep to go deeper into this tournament and Vesnina will be a good test of how good she has become since last year.


#2  Sabine Lisicki (GER) (#175) vs. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) (#23)

I've always thought that Sabine Lisicki has what it takes to make it into the Top 40 and today's match-up with hot young talent, Yanina Wickmayer, will show how far or near she is to the tennis elite.  Wickmayer, who dismantled Safina today, should have no problems today but I hope there's some challenge from Sabine.

#1  Peng Shuai (CHN) (#72) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) (#27)

I haven't seen Peng Shuai play for sometime so I want to see how she comes up tomorrow against Svetlana Kuznetsova.  Of course, I'd like to see Kuznetsova win, since I want to see her go up the rankings again, and a title here, would certainly help her.