Wednesday Jul 23

Wow! Wozniak singles shocker

With Bank of the West triumph, qualifier becomes first Canadian to win tour title in 20 years

By John Reid / Daily News Staff Writer

The upside down 2008 Bank of the West Classic was completed when qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak defeated No. 6 seed Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday to win the singles title at Stanford University in front of a sun-baked crowd of over 3,000.

Before the tournament even started, three-time Bank of the West champ Lindsay Davenport - who was placed at No. 9 on the tourney ladder - withdrew due to an injury. Then No. 7 seed Nadia Petrova and No. 8 seed Francesca Shiavone went down in the first round - Shiavone being ousted by Wozniak in three sets. The second round bid adieu to No. 3 seed Vera Zvonareva and No. 4 seed Daniela Hantuchova. Zvonareva was done in, no less, by Samantha Stosur, who had received entry into the tournament because of the withdrawal of Davenport.

No. 1 seed Serena Williams took care of No. 5 seed Patty Schnyder in the quarterfinals, the same day Bartoli sent No. 2 seed Anna Chakvetadze - the defending tournament champion - packing. Williams retired due to injury in the semis while playing Wozniak, who showed admirable durability in winning eight matches in nine days. It was the second straight year that the singles winner was making her tournament debut.

The victory was a bonanza for Wozniak, who became the first Canadian to win a tour title in 20 years. (Jill Hetherington won at Wellington in February of 1988). The 20-year-old Wozniak enjoyed her biggest payday of her career, taking home $95,500. In was announced in Monday's Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles rankings that Wozniak rocketed up 40 spots, from No. 85 to No. 45.

Wow, wow, Wozniak!

"It feels great," Wozniak said. "It's my first title on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. I'm really excited and proud of what I have accomplished here advancing through the qualifying rounds. Playing eight matches in one week is never easy."

The first set at Taube Family Tennis Stadium went back-and-forth, tied 3-3 with neither player being broken. Bartoli, from France, delivered a tremendous two-hand backhand to key a break of Wozniak to go up 4-3 in games.

The next game saw the players combining for three challenges with Wozniak winning one of them when the Hawk-Eye system showed one of her balls hitting the line. Wozniak went on to break Bartoli to even the set 4-4.

Wozniak and Bartoli traded breaking each other before Wozniak, who used a vicious forehand for winner after winner, held serve to go up 6-5. After a furious rally, Wozniak recovered to hit a beauty, putting Bartoli down 15-30. Wozniak made it match point with one of her patented forehands. One more rally ended with Bartoli hitting the ball into the net, the set going to Wozniak.

Wozniak was ahead 2-1 in the second set when Bartoli summoned a trainer to the bench. Bartoli lay on her back while the trainer moved Bartoli's left leg around in attempt to loosen up a sore hip. Bartoli went back on the court, her limp noticeable. She finished the match, putting home enough winners to win two more games, but Wozniak was too strong. Bartoli stayed at No. 15 in the latest singles rankings.

"I felt a little pain when I was warming up in the morning," said Bartoli, who took home $51,000 for being a runner-up. "It began to hurt when I started the match. During the whole first set, I tried to forget about the pain and just stay focused. But, my legs were moving so slowly, I was unable to hit the ball as I was in my past matches. It got really bad in the second set, but I just wanted to finish the match. I wanted to give the fans a complete match."

It was the second match in a row where Wozniak's opponent came up lame.

"I just (kept) playing aggressive and doing what I needed to do to win," Wozniak said. "I guess I (made) them run too much or something."

Wozniak's next tournament is in Los Angeles this week and she won't have to qualify. She is already in the main draw.



E-mail John Reid at jreid@dailynewsgroup.com.