Defending Champ Wozniacki Ousted in Toronto Opener

August 11, 2011 | By David Drucker
Wozniacki_Pic

Now this is just getting a little weird. First the men’s side loses Andy Murray to which the women’s side loses Kim Clijsters. Yesterday, the men’s side lost Rafael Nadal, and that was followed up by the women losing Caroline Wozniacki. If this is the pattern, should we expect Federer and Serena to be gone tomorrow? Hopefully not, but with the top seeds dropping like flies, I cannot help but scratch my head. Like Andy Murray, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, ranked number one in the world, was defending champion at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, and like Murray, Wozniacki bowed out in straight sets to an opponent who had no right beating her. Roberta Vinci of Italy deserves the congratulations here as she overcame the top-seed Wozniacki, 6-4, 7-5. “This is the best victory in my life,” said the 28-year-old Vinci.

Wozniacki who has won five tournaments on the year, leading all women on tour, still cannot seem to get over the speed bump that is winning the "Big One.” Her failures in Grand Slams have only shined the spotlight on her more in a negative way, classifying her as just another number one who couldn’t win a slam, a la Dinara Safina of Russia, Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, etc. Though still extremely young and extremely talented, Wozniacki has consistent enough results to maintain her top ranking, but this loss will surely hurt her as she now loses all of the points she had to defend from winning the tournament last year. Perhaps Wozniacki will break out of her funk at this year’s U.S. Open and win her first ever Grand Slam, but she will not be the favorite going in.

Some other notable names advancing in Toronto include Serena Williams who defeated Julia Goerges of Germany, 6-1, 7-6(7). The number four seed, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, routed her opponent, Stephanie Dubois of Canada, 6-0, 6-0, and Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain, 7-6(3), 6-3.

2011 Rogers Cup Match Results

►Roberta Vinci (ITA) defeated [1] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 6-4, 7-5

►[3] Vera Zvonareva (RUS) defeated Nadia Petrova (RUS) 7-5, 6-4

►[4] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) defeated Stephanie Dubois (CAN) 6-0, 6-0

►[5] Maria Sharapova (RUS) defeated Bojana Jovanovski (SER) 6-1, 7-5

►[7] Petra Kvitova (CZE) defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues 7-6(3), 6-3

►[8] Francesca Schiavone (ITA) defeated Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 6-1, 6-3

►[10] Sam Stosur (AUS) defeated Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 6-3, 6-4

►[11] Andrea Petkovic (GER) defeated Greta Arn (HUN) 6-4, 7-5

►[13] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) defeated Petra Martic (CRO) 6-3, 6-3

►Serena Williams (USA) defeated Julia Goerges (GER) 6-1, 7-6(7)

►Ana Ivanovic (SER) defeated Iveta Benesova (CZE) 6-3, 6-2

►Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) defeated Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 7-5, 6-2

►Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) defeated Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2

 


David Drucker
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