2014 WTA AEGON Classic - General Discussion Thread

Who will win the AEGON Classic?

  • Samantha Stosur

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Kirsten Flipkens

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Lucie Safarova

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Klara Koukalova

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Daniela Hantuchova

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Magdalena Rybarikova

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .

Down_the_line

G.O.A.T.
Thought I'd also include a thread for the Wimbledon warm-up tournament that's taking place this week on the WTA side of things.

2014 AEGON Classic
Birmingham, England

Singles seeds:

[1] Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
[2] Samantha Stosur (AUS)
[3] Sloane Stephens (USA)
[4] Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)
[5] Lucie Safarova (CZE)
[6] Klara Koukalova (CZE)
[7] Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)
[8] Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK)
[9] Shuai Zhang (CHN)
[10] Bojana Jovanovski (SRB)
[11] Madison Keys (USA)
[12] Monica Puig (PUR)
[13] Caroline Garcia (FRA)
[14] Kurumi Nara (JPN)
[15] Alison Riske (USA)
[16] Casey Dellacqua (AUS)

Singles Draw:
http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2014/1052/MDS.pdf

Defending champion: Daniela Hantuchova

2013 final: Daniela Hantuchova def. Donna Vekic 7-6(5) 6-4
_________________________________________________________________

This is a WTA Premier tournament with a draw of 56 so it's a fairly significant tournament. Ivanovic and Stephens should do well, but after them I have no clue. Stephens needs a good result so I'm hoping she takes the title. In fact, she's my pick.
 

Team10

Hall of Fame
Wow, 18 year old American Victoria Duval def. (13) Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-4. Did not see that coming, nice win for Duval.
 

Vanhool

Hall of Fame
Wow, 18 year old American Victoria Duval def. (13) Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-4. Did not see that coming, nice win for Duval.

Yeah I just saw that too! I was so happy that Duval qualified and then so bummed that Garcia was her R1. I can't believe she's 18 already...
 

Team10

Hall of Fame
Yeah I just saw that too! I was so happy that Duval qualified and then so bummed that Garcia was her R1. I can't believe she's 18 already...

Was it this year or last year when she beat Stosur at a major? I can't remember what year or major, but I know it happened! I like Duval, I feel she has more potential then her young compatriot Taylor Townsend. Either way, great to see American tennis looking strong on the women's side.
 

Vanhool

Hall of Fame
Was it this year or last year when she beat Stosur at a major? I can't remember what year or major, but I know it happened! I like Duval, I feel she has more potential then her young compatriot Taylor Townsend. Either way, great to see American tennis looking strong on the women's side.

I checked and it was last years USO. I seemed like a longer time had passed. I guess because she seemed so young with that high pitched voice...if you asked me I would have said she was 15 or 16 when it happened :)
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Ivanovic opens up against Barthel, who has a 2-1 H2H record against Ivanovic. Even though Ana has been a fair bit more consistent this season, I still get nervous by seeing this sort of draw for her. Hopefully she can win this event, although I'm not counting on it seeing as she's never won a grass-court event before. Then again, as a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, she clearly has the ability to do so.
Duval or Davis could await in R3 which would be interesting. I like seeing 'veterans' play against the up and comers. A perfect final for me would be Ivanovic vs. Bencic or Watson.
 

Down_the_line

G.O.A.T.
Ivanovic ended up handling Barthel comfortably, 6-4 6-1, so she's off to the 3rd round.

Unfortunately, both Duval and Bencic were defeated by Davis and 7th seed Hantuchova respectively. Duval put up a fight and lost in 3 sets, 2-6 6-2 2-6 while Bencic lost in straights, 1-6 4-6.

Other notable results:

Unfortunately for the Brits (but fortunately for me as a Canadian), wild card Heather Watson was defeated in 3 sets by qualifier Alexsandra Wozniak 2-6 7-5 6-4.

However, British wild card Johanna Konta was successful in her opening match, defeating 14th seed Kurumi Nara convincingly 6-3 6-1.

Lastly, another British wild card, Naomi Broady, was defeated in 3 sets by Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 5-7 6-4 6-3.
 

Team10

Hall of Fame
I checked and it was last years USO. I seemed like a longer time had passed. I guess because she seemed so young with that high pitched voice...if you asked me I would have said she was 15 or 16 when it happened :)

Yeah seemed like it was a while ago :) I remember her post-match interview and she sounded so young and in awe of what just happened haha.
 

Down_the_line

G.O.A.T.
Some interesting results today:

First of all, #1 seed Ivanovic cruised through her match, 6-1 6-1 over Lauren Davis. #3 seed Stephens also advanced with a 7-6(4) 2-6 6-1 win over fellow American Alison Riske. #6 seed Koukalova and #9 seed Shuai Zhang also advanced.

This is where it gets interesting.

#7 seed Hantuchova was easily dispatched by 43 year old Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-4 6-0! The veteran Japanese player seems to like grass. She made the 3rd round of Wimbledon just last year. Still, a surprising result for Hantuchova.

Also, in a battle of Australians, it was the young #16 seed Casey Dellacqua prevailing over #2 seed Stosur 2-6 6-2 6-2.

Kirsten Flipkens is just now serving for the match against Alexsandra Wozniak up 1-6 7-5 5-2.
 

Down_the_line

G.O.A.T.
Ugh, time to add Sloane Stephens to the "What's wrong with her?" thread. She loses her quarterfinal match against Shuai Zhang 3-6 1-6.

Ivanovic continued to cruise to the semis, defeating Koukalova 6-1 6-4.

Dellacqua ended Date-Krumm's little run and only lost 1 game doing so, winning 6-1 6-0.

In the last quarterfinal, Zahlavova Strykova leads Flipkens 3-1 in the 1st.
 

Vanhool

Hall of Fame
Been half watching on TTC. Stephens/Zhang looked to be a total crap fest of errors. What a mess. At least Sloane appeared to care, so that's something...Ivanovic/koukalova better quality. Ana looking good! She should win this title easily.

I wish grass season was much longer!
 

Down_the_line

G.O.A.T.
Zhalavova Strykova defeated Flipkens in straights, 6-4 6-2, to set up the semifinals:

Ana Ivanovic [1]
vs.
Shuai Zhang [9]

Barbora Zahlavova Strykova
vs.
Casey Dellacqua [16]
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
This title is Ivanovic's for the taking assuming she continues with the same form. Zhang is having a decent season but she doesn't really possess the weapons that Ana does.
The other semi-final does not interest me whatsoever. The entry field for this tournament has been pretty weak really seeing as it's a premier event.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
So it will be Ana Ivanovic vs. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the final tomorrow.
I really hope Ana wins this; and she should given that she has a 2-0 H2H record against her opponent heading into the final as well as a much bigger game.
A win here would be Ana's first Premier level title since 2008 and also her first grass court title. It would also be another big confidence boost for Ana. I'd like to see her do well this year at Wimbledon, and it appears as though she is going about it in the correct manner by coming to the let a lot more than usual.

AJDE ANA!
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
AJDE ANA! Even though the field wasn't all that strong, this is still a big step for Ana Ivanovic. Her first grass court title of her career and 3rd of the year. She will be very confident going into Wimbledon. Hopefully she has a nice draw and makes a real impact.
 
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