Brussels Open - WTA / May 20-25

[Love Game]

Ooops. Looks like I'm a beat or two behind the beat.

Hi, ruerooo ... nice to see ya!

everything's a bit off with this tournament. Just heard Jason Goodall (you know it's the business end of the tourny when he comes on the scene) mention that all the doubles are being played in a separate stadium that's eitehr indoors or covered, so they'll be ready for finals Saturday.

Since the FO begins on Sunday, all matches here and Strasbourg are schedueld to be finished by Saturday, which was supposed to be finals day ... instead it will be combo semifinals and finals in brussels

Goodall said they'll have a couple more hours of light here today (and pray the rain stays away) ... American Lepchenko just didnt have anough left in the tank to take it strong to the end, so Kanepi won their QF ..... now there's just the last QF to be played, and Jamie Hampton/Roberta Vinci are out there now to try to finish that one ... i'm picking vinci b/c of her consistency!

In different circumstances Sloane may have been able to go deeper, but with the rotten weather and the in-form Peng, she's probably better off getting to Paris a little early ... ah the rotten life of a professional tennis player ... Paris!!!

 

[Love Game]

looking fresher than vinci atm, hampton evens the score 4 all in the third ........ not too much more light left on court so one or the other needs to finish up fast ... either that or be forced to come back tomorrow

uh oh experience wins out, vinci rebreaks 5-4

 

[NJLefty]

Some very nice tennis between Vinci and Hampton.

 

[Love Game]

Some very nice tennis between Vinci and Hampton.

it was entertaining ... and it was an excellent win for Jamie, who got revenge for being beaten by roberta in fed cup earlier in the year ... jamie impressed me with her no-nonsense perseverence and her fitness that kept her in the match and enabled her to outlast roberta, who began to fade a bit there toward the end of the third set ... commentary by jason goodall added to the entertainment!

 

[Vanhool]

Very entertaining! If Jamie could cut her errors...wow! Loved how she chased everything down (even knocked over the wall), some great volleys, good sportsmanship, couple of funny outbursts...fun to watch. Hope she keeps improving.

 

[Vanhool]

Only 1 of the 4 potential finalists has ever won a title (kanepi). I'm actually more into this tournament than when it started...I like kanepi and Hampton and one of them will make the final. Both played 3 setters today and peng/oprandi rested. I predict peng will win her first title. I like her too, but I really want jamie.

 

[Love Game]

Only 1 of the 4 potential finalists has ever won a title (kanepi). I'm actually more into this tournament than when it started...I like kanepi and Hampton and one of them will make the final. Both played 3 setters today and peng/oprandi rested. I predict peng will win her first title. I like her too, but I really want jamie.

right you are. peng, at 8th, is the only seeded player to make it into the semifinals, and i doubt oprandi can beat her, unless peng decides she doesnt want to play a second match on the day before the french open begins, though, her work ethic doesnt seem that it would allow her to miss that opportunity to win her first title ... She has looked better than the others since day one, except jamie revealed a lot of resilience today ..... I've only seen kanepi a couple times, but her fitness is much improved since the first time I saw her, and that match will likely be a 3-setter ..... goodall said the weather is expected to be sunny on Saturday ..... wow the tournament does need at least one day with nice weather!

 

[Love Game]

grats to kaia kanepi! I never saw her play this week, including in the final ..... peng was a little the worse for wear, apparently, but they were all obviously glad the rainy week had come to a close and kanepi had won her fourth title ... Congratulations to the Estonian!

 

[mmk]

Is there a dog park near the stadium? All kinds of barking going on during the final.