The Italian Open finals is all Russian. Dinara Safina will play Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final after both players defeated their opponents on Friday. Safina rallied to beat Venus Williams 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4, while Kuznetsova defeated Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 6-4.

Both Safina and Kuznetsova have been runners up in the finals at Rome, but have never taken the title.
The match between Safina and Williams lasted for 3 hours and 10 minutes! “She pushed me to play my best,” Safina said. “Sometimes you need this kind of match … It gives me a lot of confidence to beat such …read more

Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 7-6 (3) at the Italian Open Thursday (May 6). Kuznetsova is just coming off a win at the Porsche GP, which was her first title in almost 2 years. Kuznetsova was able to close the match against Jankovic and overpower Jankovic.

Next opponent for Kuznetsova is Victoria Azarenka, who defeated Kaia Kanepi 7-6 (5), 6-3. The match is being called sloppy and not a good one for either player.
"It was a pretty bad match from both of us. I’m just happy I managed to stay calm in the second set and pull it off," …read more

I know this happened yesterday which makes me way late in talking about it, but I couldn’t let it slip completely by without acknowledging Jelena Jankovic’s title win at the Italian Open. Jankovic downed Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-2 in the final to defend her championship title from a year ago.
I watched some of this match on TV and I was struck again by Jankovic’s ability to shake n’ bake on clay courts. She’s good. So her serve is weak, but the girl has athleticism and there is no denying that.
And how about Cornet? Where’d she come from? The kid did …read more

Well, did we ever have any doubt? I’m actually a little surprised the WTA compromised with Maria Sharapova about the photo shoot before the Italian Open which began yesterday. Obviously this should be a lesson to all of us: don’t underestimate the negotiating powers of a Russian raised in America.
Sharapova haggled with the WTA until the officials condensed the four- or five-hour shoot into 90 minutes. The world No. 2 accepted the deal.
Actually I kind of liked what Sharapova had to say about the whole ordeal: “When I set foot in Rome, my priority is to play tennis. I already …read more