Tennis
Simmonds through to quarterfinals at the Soweto Open─── 10:24 Thu, 09 May 2013
South Africa’s number two player, Chanel Simmonds, seeded five here in Soweto, delighted the home fans when she won through to the quarter finals of the Soweto Open today (Wednesday).
Simmonds faced fellow South African Natasha Fourouclas in round two and beat her friend and practice partner 6-3 6-2.
Simmonds will now meet second seed Julia Glushko of Israel in tomorrow’s (Thursday’s) last eight. Glushko was never challenged in her victory over American Nicole Melichar, winning 6-3 6-3.
“It wasn’t easy out there today” said Simmonds. “I know Natasha well and respect her a lot. She is a counter puncher so the match despite the score line was tough.”
Simmonds looked more comfortable with her serve and admitted that she had been working hard on improving her serve.
“I’ve been working on my serve. It is my weakest shot but today I was serving well and I am pleased that the hard work has paid off.”
Looking ahead at Thursday’s quarter final, Simmonds said that on paper she should lose to second seeded Glushko but she was in Soweto to win the title. “I’m here to win the title on Saturday but at the same time I am taking each match one at a time.”
Glushko and Simmonds have played each other before, with Simmonds winning that match in three sets.
“I know Chanel well. I lost to her the last time we played so it’s going to be interesting out there tomorrow” said Glushko. Glushko had to qualify for the tournament after failing to enter on deadline date.
Top seed, Timea Babos of Hungary needed three sets to beat Pemra Ozgen of Turkey 6-2 4-6 6-1. The top seed went straight onto the practise court after the win for over an hour to work on her game.
“I have a few things in my game to work on if I am to have any chance of winning the tournament. I am still struggling to play at altitude and play against the lower ranked players which is putting pressure on myself.”
Babos now plays Brit Samantha Murray in Thursday’s quarter finals. Murray stopped South African Madrie Le Roux 6-0 6-1 in a commanding performance on Centre Court.
There were two upsets recorded today at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Complex. Sixth seed Jovana Jaksic of Serbia was sent packing her bags by fellow Serb Teodora Mircic. Mircic came from set down to win 2-6 6-1 6-2. On Thursday Mircic faces third seeded Tadeja Majeric of Slovakia for a place in the semi-finals. Majeric needed just over an hour to down Poland’s Justyna Jegiolka 6-1 6-3.
The second upset came when unseeded Jade Windley of Great Britain shocked eight seeded Magda Linette of Poland 0-6 6-4 6-4.
“I was 6-0 2-0 down in about twenty minutes. I knew I had to relax, play a lot of balls and hang in there. When I got my first game and was on the board I regained confidence and never looked back” said a delighted Windley.
Windley now faces fourth seeded Nadiya Kichenok of Ukraine. Twenty year old Kichenok has only lost six games going into the quarter finals. Today (Wednesday) Kichenok stunned Zuzana Zlochova of Slovakia 6-1 6-3.
All day three results at the Soweto Open:
Women's
Second Round Results
Singles
7-Samantha Murray (GBR) bt Madrie Le Roux (RSA) 6-0 6-1
3-Tadeja Majeric (Slo) bt Justyna Jegiolka (Pol) 6-1 6-3
Teodora Mircic (Srb) bt 6-Jovana Jaksic (Srb) 2-6 6-1 6-2
1-Timea Babos (Hun) bt Pemra Ozgen (Tur) 6-2 4-6 6-1
4-Nadiya Kichenok (Ukr) bt Zuzana Zlochova (Svk) 6-1 6-3
5-Chanel Simmonds (RSA) bt Natasha Fourouclas (RSA) 6-3 6-2
2-Julia Glushko (Isr) bt Nicole Melichar (USA) 6-3 6-3
Jade Windley (GBR) bt 8-Magda Linette (Pol) 0-6 6-4 6-4
Quarter Final Results
Doubles
1-Magda Linette (Pol)/Chanel Simmonds (RSA) bt Tadeja Majeric (Slo)/Keren Shlomo (Isr) 6-1 6-2
Samantha Murray/Jade Windley (GBR) bt 2-Basak Eraydin (Tur)/Julia Glushko (Isr) 6-4 4-6 10-5 MTB
Laura Pigossi (Bra)/Zuzana Zlochova (Svk) bt Claudia Coppola (Ita)/Marli Van Heerden (RSA) 6-3 6-3
3-Teodora Mircic (Srb)/Pemra Ozgen (Tur) bt Lynn Kiro (RSA)/Nathalia Rossi (Bra) 6-2 6-2
ORDER OF PLAY - THURSDAY, MAY 09, 2013
CENTRE COURT start 10:00 am
5-Chanel Simmonds (RSA) vs 2-Julia Glushko (Isr)
Jade Windley (GBR) vs 4-Nadiya Kichenok (Ukr)
1-Magda Linette (Pol)/Chanel Simmonds (RSA) vs 3-Teodora Mircic (Srb)/Pemra Ozgen (Tur)
Laura Pigossi (Bra)/Zuzana Zlochova (Svk) vs Samantha Murray/Jade Windley (GBR)
COURT 2 start 10:00 am
3-Tadeja Majeric vs Teodora Mircic (Srb)
1-Timea Babos (Hun) vs 7-Samantha Murray (GBR)
Simmonds faced fellow South African Natasha Fourouclas in round two and beat her friend and practice partner 6-3 6-2.
Simmonds will now meet second seed Julia Glushko of Israel in tomorrow’s (Thursday’s) last eight. Glushko was never challenged in her victory over American Nicole Melichar, winning 6-3 6-3.
“It wasn’t easy out there today” said Simmonds. “I know Natasha well and respect her a lot. She is a counter puncher so the match despite the score line was tough.”
Simmonds looked more comfortable with her serve and admitted that she had been working hard on improving her serve.
“I’ve been working on my serve. It is my weakest shot but today I was serving well and I am pleased that the hard work has paid off.”
Looking ahead at Thursday’s quarter final, Simmonds said that on paper she should lose to second seeded Glushko but she was in Soweto to win the title. “I’m here to win the title on Saturday but at the same time I am taking each match one at a time.”
Glushko and Simmonds have played each other before, with Simmonds winning that match in three sets.
“I know Chanel well. I lost to her the last time we played so it’s going to be interesting out there tomorrow” said Glushko. Glushko had to qualify for the tournament after failing to enter on deadline date.
Top seed, Timea Babos of Hungary needed three sets to beat Pemra Ozgen of Turkey 6-2 4-6 6-1. The top seed went straight onto the practise court after the win for over an hour to work on her game.
“I have a few things in my game to work on if I am to have any chance of winning the tournament. I am still struggling to play at altitude and play against the lower ranked players which is putting pressure on myself.”
Babos now plays Brit Samantha Murray in Thursday’s quarter finals. Murray stopped South African Madrie Le Roux 6-0 6-1 in a commanding performance on Centre Court.
There were two upsets recorded today at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Complex. Sixth seed Jovana Jaksic of Serbia was sent packing her bags by fellow Serb Teodora Mircic. Mircic came from set down to win 2-6 6-1 6-2. On Thursday Mircic faces third seeded Tadeja Majeric of Slovakia for a place in the semi-finals. Majeric needed just over an hour to down Poland’s Justyna Jegiolka 6-1 6-3.
The second upset came when unseeded Jade Windley of Great Britain shocked eight seeded Magda Linette of Poland 0-6 6-4 6-4.
“I was 6-0 2-0 down in about twenty minutes. I knew I had to relax, play a lot of balls and hang in there. When I got my first game and was on the board I regained confidence and never looked back” said a delighted Windley.
Windley now faces fourth seeded Nadiya Kichenok of Ukraine. Twenty year old Kichenok has only lost six games going into the quarter finals. Today (Wednesday) Kichenok stunned Zuzana Zlochova of Slovakia 6-1 6-3.
All day three results at the Soweto Open:
Women's
Second Round Results
Singles
7-Samantha Murray (GBR) bt Madrie Le Roux (RSA) 6-0 6-1
3-Tadeja Majeric (Slo) bt Justyna Jegiolka (Pol) 6-1 6-3
Teodora Mircic (Srb) bt 6-Jovana Jaksic (Srb) 2-6 6-1 6-2
1-Timea Babos (Hun) bt Pemra Ozgen (Tur) 6-2 4-6 6-1
4-Nadiya Kichenok (Ukr) bt Zuzana Zlochova (Svk) 6-1 6-3
5-Chanel Simmonds (RSA) bt Natasha Fourouclas (RSA) 6-3 6-2
2-Julia Glushko (Isr) bt Nicole Melichar (USA) 6-3 6-3
Jade Windley (GBR) bt 8-Magda Linette (Pol) 0-6 6-4 6-4
Quarter Final Results
Doubles
1-Magda Linette (Pol)/Chanel Simmonds (RSA) bt Tadeja Majeric (Slo)/Keren Shlomo (Isr) 6-1 6-2
Samantha Murray/Jade Windley (GBR) bt 2-Basak Eraydin (Tur)/Julia Glushko (Isr) 6-4 4-6 10-5 MTB
Laura Pigossi (Bra)/Zuzana Zlochova (Svk) bt Claudia Coppola (Ita)/Marli Van Heerden (RSA) 6-3 6-3
3-Teodora Mircic (Srb)/Pemra Ozgen (Tur) bt Lynn Kiro (RSA)/Nathalia Rossi (Bra) 6-2 6-2
ORDER OF PLAY - THURSDAY, MAY 09, 2013
CENTRE COURT start 10:00 am
5-Chanel Simmonds (RSA) vs 2-Julia Glushko (Isr)
Jade Windley (GBR) vs 4-Nadiya Kichenok (Ukr)
1-Magda Linette (Pol)/Chanel Simmonds (RSA) vs 3-Teodora Mircic (Srb)/Pemra Ozgen (Tur)
Laura Pigossi (Bra)/Zuzana Zlochova (Svk) vs Samantha Murray/Jade Windley (GBR)
COURT 2 start 10:00 am
3-Tadeja Majeric vs Teodora Mircic (Srb)
1-Timea Babos (Hun) vs 7-Samantha Murray (GBR)
