Reigning Champ Vera Zvonareva Out Of IW
By Richard Pagliaro
Photo Credit: Tony Chang/Chang Photography
(March 16, 2010) INDIAN WELLS — The desert is devoid of former women's champions.
Samantha Stosur converted four of five break points to dump defending champion Vera Zvonareva out of the BNP Paribas Open draw, 6-2, 7-5, today.
Stosur stretched her winning streak over Zvonareva to four matches. Zvonareva, who beat Ana Ivanovic to win the 2009 title, exited the draw the day after Kim Clijsters fell to 23rd-seeded Russian Alisa Kleybanova, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) on Monday night.
The eighth-seeded Australian has not surrendered a set in three tournament victories. Stosur will play either 13th-seeded Yanina Wickmayer or 28th-seeded Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez for a semifinal spot.
Agnieszka Radwanska is the only other woman who has yet to drop a set in reaching the quarterfinals. Redirecting the power generated by Marion Bartoli, the fifth-seeded Radwanska rolled to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over the 11th-seeded French woman. Radwanska raised her record against Bartoli to 5-0. The World No. 8 from Poland advanced to the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year.
Standing between Radwanska and a trip to her first Indian Wells semifinal is Elena Dementieva.
Dementieva broke serve six times in overpowering Aravane Rezai, 6-3, 6-3, in 68 minutes. Radwanska is a master of playing off pace and Dementieva remains one of the biggest baseline hitters on tour. Though Radwanksa has won three of five matches with Dementieva, the two-time Grand Slam finalist said her superior power means the match is in her hands.
"I feel like it's on my game. I need really to create something," Dementieva said. "I need to go for the winner. It's not like I'm going on the court and I'm patient, because there's nothing to waiting for. She doesn't make any mistakes. She moves well. It's going to be up to me, if I will be able to step forward, take advantage of the short ball, and be aggressive the whole match."
The fourth-seeded Dementieva, Radwanska, Stosur, second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki and sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic are only top 10 seeds still standing. Jankovic, who fought back from 2-4 deficits twice on Monday in repelling Sara Errani, had a much easier time today. The sixth-seeded Serbian stomped Shahar Peer, 6-2, 6-2. She will play either Kleybanova or Carla Suarez Navarro in the quarterfinals.
Counter-punching consistently throughout the match, Wozniacki wore down Nadia Petrova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, to set up a quarterfinal clash with Zheng Jie, a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(1) victor over Australian wild card Alicia Molik.
"Last time I played against Zheng I lost to her. It was a tough match," Wozniacki said. "You know, she's a great player. She had a good start of the year, playing aggressively, taking the balls early. I need to be ready and focused."
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