Sunday, April 27, 2008

Picture's From The Match










Mauresmo in complete control

Former Wimbledon and Australian Open champion Amelie Mauresmo cruised to a 6-1 ,6-4 victory over Japan’s Ai Sugiyam in the first reverse singles match on Sunday to clinch their Fed Cup by Paribas World Group Playoff tie 3-0 for France at Ariake Colosseum.

Relying on a sweeping forehand and slicing backhand, Mauresmo took just 1 hour and 15 minutes to dispatch Sugiyama and assure France of remaining in the World Group in 2009.

“I felt like I had control of the match from the beginning,” Mauresmo said. “I could read her balls well and played strongly from the baseline.”

In the fourth dead singles rubber, Virginie Razzano defeated Aiko Nakamura 6-4, 6-4 and in the doubles, Ayumi Morita and Ai Sugiyama got a point back for Japan, claiming victory over Alize Cornet and Nathalie Dechy 6-1, 6-3.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Pictures from the match










France on top in Tokyo

Former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo and Virginie Razzano gave France a 2-0 lead with victories in the singles matches on the opening day of their Fed Cup by Paribas World Group Playoff at Ariake Colosseum on Saturday afternoon.

Mauresmo overpowered teenager Ayumi Morita 6-0 ,6-2 in the first match, while Razzano downed Ai Sugiyam 6-1, 7-5 in the second.

Displaying an overpowering forehand and wicked backhand, Mauresmo finished off Morita in just over one hour. “I played well today,” Mauresmo said. “I felt comfortable on the court. I think she was a little tight out there.”

Friday, April 25, 2008

Fed Cup Draw Pictures




Mauresmo kicks off for France

Former World No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo will begin France’s quest to remain in the Fed Cup by Paribas World Group when she takes on Japan teenager Ayumi Morita in the opening singles match of their World Group Play-off at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo.

Mauresmo, designated France’s No. 1 player for the tie and currently ranked 21st in the world, will play Japan No. 2 Morita, an 18-year-old from Gunma Prefecture, for the first time ever in the opener on the indoor hardcourt surface.

Japan No. 1 Ai Sugiyama will battle France’s No. 2 Virginie Razzano in the second singles match on the first day of play. Razzano holds a 3-2 edge over Sugiyama 3-2 in five career matches.

The full schedule for the weekend is as follows:

Saturday
Ayumi Morita (JPN) v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
Ai Sugiyama (JPN) v Virginie Razzano (FRA)

Sunday
Ai Sugiyama (JPN) v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
Ayumi Morita (JPN) v Virginie Razzano (FRA)
Ayumi Morita/Ai Sugiyama (JPN) v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)/Nathalie Dechy (FRA)

Georges Goven, captain of the French team, is confident heading into the showdown with Japan.

“We have to be considered the favorites,” said Goven. “But the travel can be a factor in a tie like this. We have players coming from France and the U.S. The journey here is not so easy.” Goven also pointed out that the Fed Cup format differs from that of a regular tournament. “When you are playing against the host nation, the fans can get behind them and make it difficult for you.”

France is 6-1 alltime against Japan in Fed Cup play. The French thrashed Japan 5-0 in a World Group first-round tie in Limoges on clay in 2007, dropping just one set along the way.

Japan has not beaten France in the Fed Cup in 35 years, with its last triumph being a 2-1 win in a World Group Consolation Round semifinal played on clay in West Germany back in 1973.

France defeated Japan 4-1 on the Ariake hardcourt in a World Group I first-round tie in its previous trip here in 1997.

“I have not played at Ariake since I was in a tournament there eight or nine years ago,” Mauresmo noted on Friday. “It was a fast surface then, and from what Nathalie tells us it is still very fast.”

Japan captain Minoru Ueda did not seem concerned about losing Morigami to injury. “These things happen,” Ueda said with a shrug. “I have confidence in Sugiyama and the other players.”

Japan’s hopes will rest on the shoulders of Sugiyama, presently the ranked third in the world in doubles and 37th in singles. If she can find the formula to defeat Mauresmo in their reverse singles match on Sunday, her expertise in the doubles could provide Japan with a chance to win the tie.

“With Amelie playing, France has a strong team,” Sugiyama said. “We will do our best to make it a competitive tie.”

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Fed Cup: France vs Japan





France will play World Group play-off in Tokyo from April 26-27.Alize Cornet, Virginie Razzano , Nathalie Dechy and Amelie are the selected players for France .The two teams have met seven times, most recently in last year's first round in Limoges, when the French won 5-0 for the loss of just one set. Since they first meeting in 1965, Japan have won just once against the two-time champions.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Amelie lost in Quarters :

Amelie lost in the Quarterfinals in Amelia Island by the Slovak Dominika Cibulkova.

After a first set where she couldn't find her game,the Frenchwoman battled back in the second set but in vain.Amelie leaves Amelia Island after losing in the Quarters to the Slovak Dominika Cibulkova6-1,7-6 .

Friday, April 11, 2008

500th Career Win !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Amelie won her 500th career win yesterday Congrats Amelie .

Thursday, April 10, 2008

- A place in the Quarters

Amelie beat her 3rd round match today vs Agnieszka Radwanska winning in 3 sets She lost the fist set 3-6 , before going on to win the second set 7-5 . Amelie who was leading 5-2 in the Third set,before losing a match point at 5-3,had to save a match point on her own serve Amelie could not take advantage of her lead and found herself at 5-5 but was able to hold to get to 6-5 before allowing her opponent to come back and get to 6-6 forcing a tiebreaker Amelie faced a Match Point in the tie break before getting to 6 -6 and for the fist time got the lead 7-6 and was able to win the next point to win the match 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(6)The match lasted 2 hours and 34 mins .Her serve was at 67% but was at a high of 84% throughout most of the match she had 3 DF all coming in the 2nd set ,and had 5 aces .This was Amelie 500th carer WIN and her first time beating a top 20 player since June of 2007. Next up is Dominika Cibulkova. who she playes tomorrow it will be their fist time playing .ALLEZ AMELIE , GO MOMO

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Great 2nd Round Win !!!!!!!

Amelie won her second round match today vs Sorana Cirstea 7-5,6-1 Amelie was down 1-4 in the first set but put up a huge fight to win the first set in 45 mins .The second set was much better Amelie quickly went up to a 5-0 lead before 7 deuce games lead to a 5-1 lead but Amelie won her MP and won the set 6-1 her serve was at 62% she had 3 DF and 3 Aces .Amelie will play again tomorrow (Thursday) vs Agnieszka Radwanska this will be their first time playing each other good luck Amelie .ALLEZ AMELIE , GO MOMO

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Solid first round

Amelie won her first round match against Olga Savchuk at Amelia Island .Amelie won th fist set 6-0 in just 24 mins and was down 0-3 but put up a fight and got it to 3 all but lost her serve and was down 3-4 but she broke her opponents serve to get to 4 all and then both players gave up their serves to get to 5 all Amelie saved 2 Match Points before winning the match 6-0,7-5 in 1 hour 17 mins her serve was at 66% during the match and had 3 DF .

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Amelia Island draw

Sharapova v. Bye
Qualifier v. Bacsinszky
Qualifier v. Dellacqua
Salerni v. Medina Garrigues

A. Bondarenko v. Llagostera Vives
Wozniacki v. Parmentier
Perebiynis v. Peng
Safina v. Bye

Hantuchova v. Bye
Qualifier v. Sugiyama
Amanmuradova v. Craybas
King v. Davenport

Srebotnik v. Chan
Tanasugarn v. Safarova
Rezai v. Makarova
Szavay v. Bye

---

Schnyder v. Bye
Sequera v. Vesnina
Krajicek v. Cornet
Orlik v. Bammer

Razzano v. Qualifier
Shaughnessy v. Domachowska
Ruano Pascual v. Govortsova
Bartoli v. Bye

Radwanska v. Bye
Dulko v. Gallovits
Qualifier v. Cirstea
Qualifier v. Mauresmo

Azarenka v. Errani
Qualifier v. Cibulkova
Dechy v. Qualifier
Chakvetadze v. Bye

Thursday, April 3, 2008

-- Amelia Island:

- Amelia Island :
03/04/2008

Amélie vient de rajouter le tournoi de Amelia Island à son programme prévisionnel...

Amélie : " Après ma défaite en simple, j'ai continué en double à Miami avec Svetlana mais malheureusement nous avons perdu hier. Depuis mon match de simple, j'ai très vite débuté ma préparation sur terre battue américaine qui est de couleur verte et légèrement plus rapide que notre terre battue en vue du tournoi d'Amélia Island. J'ai aujourd'hui besoin d'appliquer en match les bonnes choses que je retrouve à l'entrainement. Rien ne vaut les matchs officiels c'est pourquoi j'ai ajouté ce tournoi à mon planning. Après Amélia, je rentrerai en Europe avant la Fed Cup et devrai ensuite enchainer avec les tournois habituels que sont Berlin, Rome et Roland Garros. "
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Amelia Island:
03/04/2008

Amélie just added the Amelia Island tournament to her upcoming program...

Amelie: "After my defeat in singles, I continued to play doubles in Miami with Svetlana but unfortunately we lost yesterday. Since my singles match, I quickly started my preparation on American clay which is green and slightly faster than our clay for the Amelia Island tournament. Now I need to apply in a match the good things that I found in training. Nothing beats official matches so I I have added this to my tournament schedule. After Amélia I go back to Europe before the Fed Cup and will then go on to the usual tournaments that are Berlin, Rome and Roland Garros. "
__________________