WTA Tour - Mauresmo crashes out in Tokyo

Eurosport - Wed, 17 Sep 11:51:00 2008

Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo's troubles continued when she blew four match points on the way to a first-round exit at the Pan Pacific Open.

TENNIS 2008 WTA Tokyo Amelie Mauresmo GETTY IMAGES - 0

The Frenchwoman, who has been plagued by injuries this season, was bundled out in a 0-6 6-1 7-6 defeat by Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova in a match riddled with unforced errors.

"I wish I could have that last match point back," Mauresmo said. "On the others she played really good. But it's definitely frustrating to lose when you've had match points."

The former Australian Open and Wimbledon champion refused to contemplate retirement after struggling with injuries and poor form since reaching the summit of the women's game in 2006.

"Last year I was asking myself lots of questions," said the 29-year-old Mauresmo, who has been bothered by rib and thigh trouble throughout 2008.

"But not this year, strangely. Last summer, I had doubts I could compete physically on the same level with the top players, but I found the answer at the end of last year.

"Why do I keep going? Because I still love it. I feel like I still have things to accomplish. I want to evolve a little bit. It's a challenge."

Italy's Flavia Pennetta, who beat Mauresmo in the fourth round of the US Open earlier this month, reached the last 16 in Tokyo with a 6-4 6-4 win over Israel's Shahar Peer.

Pennetta will face Serbia's world number two Jelena Jankovic in the second round. Jankovic heads a strong field, including six of the world's top 10 players.

Jankovic, fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic and Russians Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina all received first-round byes as the top four seeds at the $1.34 million event.

Sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat Japan's Ai Nakamura 6-1 6-4 to advance to a meeting with France's Marion Bartoli, a 6-2 6-2 winner over Russian Maria Kirilenko.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 14 of 14

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  1. I actually prefer today's tennis to that of days gone because today's tennis is played more like a sport and less like a dreary chess match! Gone are the days of delicate strokes of the ball and pure tacticians, in favor of entertaining, athletic points. Henin was great, but she faded away because ultimately she couldn't keep up. (The same with Hingis, although I do believe her skills were inferior to Justine's.)Let's get to the crux: The game has (finally) changed for the better. Today's top tennis players must be real athletes or else they will fade away with the rest!

    From Dario, on Wed 17 Sep 9:48PM

  2. no comments were necessary. let her play as long as she enjoys doing so. at least she is honest about how she plays.

    From chrystal_rainbow, on Wed 17 Sep 9:17AM

  3. I agree with your first point Unzwa but not your second. I too am a fan of Graff, Navratilova, King and Hingis (although I would hotly dispute the idea that Hingis is greater than Henin). But there is no "dynamysm" to be found in the new players. They all hit every ball flat and display no finesse or tactical awareness.

    From Bobito, on Wed 17 Sep 9:13AM

  4. Waoh! What's he talking there? Lemme ride a little with your jeez. Good enough that we still have tennis since after the much more bigger guns retired with more titles and contributions and public relations, Billie Jean, Navratilova, Steffi, and even another greater-than-Hennin Hingis. Talk about dynamism in tennis with new players, and and you will stop singing dejavu with Hennin.

    From unzwa, on Wed 17 Sep 7:15AM

  5. Errattic.results, I think you misunderstood my post. It was Henin I was referring to who wiped the floor with the current players. I was pointing out that Mauresmo had twice managed to beat Justine in Grand Slam finals, which is no mean feat.

    Merritt86 you are so right. The game has become very dull since Henin retired.

    From Bobito, on Wed 17 Sep 3:23AM

  6. u wright Jay....great answer i most say

    From mike, on Tue 16 Sep 10:24PM

  7. Well i think Amelie Mauresmo is finding it very tough on the tour now. Amelie has a very similer game to my IDOL JUSTINE HENIN and when she Retires there will be no one left on the Tour like them which is a shame.
    Since JUSTINE RETIRED the WTA TOUR has had 3 or 4 number ones how sad and bad is that PLEASE COME BACK JUSTINE WE NEED YOU.
    Alison Merritt

    From AJ, on Tue 16 Sep 7:48PM

  8. HI 1946 ~~~ HOW DID ADORABLE ANNA IVANOVIC REACH No 1 RANKING RECENTLY
    SHE MUST KNOW HOW TO HIT A BALL CORRECTLY FROM TIME TO TIME

    BEAUTY QUEEN ANNA KOURNIKOVA HAS ABOUT $$$ 80 MILLION TO KEEP HER HAPPY

    From errattic.results, on Tue 16 Sep 7:30PM

  9. Mauresmos' days seem to be numbered. As for Ana Ivanovic, it is hard to dismiss the possibility that she might go the same way that beautiful Russian Anna Kournikova ( not too sure about the spelling) went. Good looks but no tennis to back.

    From Emmveeyem, on Tue 16 Sep 7:24PM

  10. when did mauresmo wipe up Maria Sharapova ?? pleease do tell us

    From errattic.results, on Tue 16 Sep 2:40PM

  11. Jay, I would remind you that Mauresmo won two grand slam finals against Justine Henin, a player who has wiped the floor with the current crop of players.

    From Bobito, on Tue 16 Sep 2:11PM

  12. Well done for Dominika ! She is a promising player with some respectable wins over top 10 players. No wonder she can take on the former star of WTA Amelie. If she keeps up she can get as far as no Slovakian female tennis player ever got...

    From risimko, on Tue 16 Sep 12:38PM

  13. poor mauresmo our condolences to her
    Charming Anna Ivanovic should be ranked no 1
    ===++ awarded extra ranking points for her immaculate on court behaviour

    From tttobyjug, on Tue 16 Sep 12:33PM

  14. Tbh, i've never personally rated Mauresmo as highly as others.
    The years where she seemed to be at her best was by default as a lot of the top players at the time were out injured, plus the competition wasn't as strong as it is now.

    From Jay, on Tue 16 Sep 11:50AM
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