tennisIlove09
Aug 18th, 2003, 06:11 PM
Petrova withdraws with ailing hamstring
Mike Pucci and Karen Tucker , Register Staff 08/18/2003
NEW HAVEN — Nadia Petrova of Russia withdrew from the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament Sunday because of a strained left hamstring.
Petrova, ranked No. 22 on the WTA Tour, was scheduled to play sixth-seeded and No. 11 Magdalena Maleeva today.
Petrova represents the second withdrawal of the tournament after France’s Nathalie Dency withdrew Saturday because of a left wrist strain.
Italy’s Silvia Farina Elia and Japan’s Saori Obata, the highest-ranked losers in the qualifying draw, both received a second chance. They will take the spots of Petrova and Dency in the main draw.
MATCH SUSPENDED
Play on Sunday was officially ended at about 5:45 p.m. because of rain and thunderstorms, which suspended the second main draw match of the day between Russia’s Vera Zvonareva and American Sarah Taylor.
Zvonareva won the first set 6-2 and play was stopped just before the start of the second set.
Zvonareva and Taylor will resume their first-round match today at noon.
NICE TO MEET YOU
Alexandra Stevenson greeted fans on stadium court Sunday as part of the Comcast/ESPN kids day.
Stevenson. ranked 30th in the world, will play a first-round match today against rising star and fellow American Ashley Harkleroad, 18, who is a wild-card entry in the main draw.
Stevenson started playing tennis at 9 years old and lists Steffi Graf as her favorite player.
Stevenson lost in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 1999. A semifinal match would’ve paired her with eventual runner-up Graf. Graf retired in August of that year.
Stevenson, a sophomore at the University of Colorado, said she hopes to study drama at Yale after she gets her degree.
When asked by a curious child what Stevenson’s favorite city is, she delighted the crowd with her reply of "New Haven."
Mike Pucci and Karen Tucker , Register Staff 08/18/2003
NEW HAVEN — Nadia Petrova of Russia withdrew from the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament Sunday because of a strained left hamstring.
Petrova, ranked No. 22 on the WTA Tour, was scheduled to play sixth-seeded and No. 11 Magdalena Maleeva today.
Petrova represents the second withdrawal of the tournament after France’s Nathalie Dency withdrew Saturday because of a left wrist strain.
Italy’s Silvia Farina Elia and Japan’s Saori Obata, the highest-ranked losers in the qualifying draw, both received a second chance. They will take the spots of Petrova and Dency in the main draw.
MATCH SUSPENDED
Play on Sunday was officially ended at about 5:45 p.m. because of rain and thunderstorms, which suspended the second main draw match of the day between Russia’s Vera Zvonareva and American Sarah Taylor.
Zvonareva won the first set 6-2 and play was stopped just before the start of the second set.
Zvonareva and Taylor will resume their first-round match today at noon.
NICE TO MEET YOU
Alexandra Stevenson greeted fans on stadium court Sunday as part of the Comcast/ESPN kids day.
Stevenson. ranked 30th in the world, will play a first-round match today against rising star and fellow American Ashley Harkleroad, 18, who is a wild-card entry in the main draw.
Stevenson started playing tennis at 9 years old and lists Steffi Graf as her favorite player.
Stevenson lost in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 1999. A semifinal match would’ve paired her with eventual runner-up Graf. Graf retired in August of that year.
Stevenson, a sophomore at the University of Colorado, said she hopes to study drama at Yale after she gets her degree.
When asked by a curious child what Stevenson’s favorite city is, she delighted the crowd with her reply of "New Haven."