[Snuffkin]

In a very late move, Jen has had her request for a wildcard to Moscow granted and will be seeded number one for next week's tournament. It's a bit of a surprise after the news from her being that she needed 3 full weeks for her shoulder to fully heal and her not expected back until Filderstadt, but with a relatively weak draw in Moscow, this is certainly not a bad tournament to pick up. Plus, it's a Tier 1, so should she manage to shake her indoor funk that affected her last season, she can pick up a lot of points and really cement her place in LA.

WC 1 Jennifer Capriati
Elena Bovina vs Patty Schnyder
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs Q
Anna Pistolesi vs 6-Nadia Petrova

4-Anastasia Myskina bye
Magui Serna vs Silvia Farina Elia
Q vs Elena Likhovtseva
Eleni Daniilidou vs 8-Meghann Shaughnessy

5-Magdalena Maleeva vs WC Dinara Safina
Francesca Schiavone vs Lina Krasnoroutskaya
Q vs Q
3-Elena Dementieva bye

7-Vera Zvonareva vs Amanda Coetzer
WC Vera Douchevina vs Lisa Raymond
Jelena Dokic vs Alexandra Stevenson
2-Amelie Mauresmo bye

 

[DEETHELICK]

I'm so happy she is playing. I really want her to get at least one indorr title this year, and this could be a great place to start!

I'm torn that Elena D is playing here too, as its in Russia, her home and I would love her to win.

All I hope is that both pick up loads of points and make it to the final. From there its anyone's guess!

 

[maryjane]

let's hope she will be really focused on this tournment...sometimes she lacks of concentration!

 

[JennyS]

I was looking at the Moscow forum all week to see if any top players would add this tourney to their lineup. It makes sense for Jen to play this.

BTW- isn't this Jen's first tourney on carpet in a while? I think all the indoor tourneys she's played the last few years have been on hardcourts.

 

[DEETHELICK]

As far as I know, Jen has never played in Moscow before, so she will have to adapt quickly, as the surface is very fast indeed.

Go Jen!

 

[Snuffkin]

The surface isn't nice at all. In past years a lot of players have complained about how uneven the courts are and how different the practice courts are from the show courts.

Also, it seems that contrary to what I first heard, Jen did not ask for a wildcard, rather was forced into accepting one by the WTA, who wanted someone high profile to help ticket sales. If this is the case, then it seems a little odd. And I can only hope that Jen wasn't forced to play at the risk of further damage to her shoulder.

And yes, this will be Jen's first time in Moscow. She was due to play last year but pulled out on the Sunday that the draw was made.

 

[JennyS]

If Jennifer plays then I think her shoulder is probably okay. She's withdrawn from three Tier 1 events this year so she isn't going to let the WTA force her into playing something. Maybe her shoulder wasn't as bad as we think and she simply didn't feel like playing Shanghai (personally I hope that was the case).

It does look bad on the WTA's part to try to "force" a player into a tournament. With all the injuries, they should be looking at shortening the schedule and lightening the playing load.

 

[bluna82]

good luck against bovina!!!

 

[bello]

nice pic, trendy jacket...
her shoulder is def okay cos Jen isnt the type to be forced to play, if she wasnt fit or didnt wana play she'd tell the wta where to stiuck the hard designation, and i wiouldnt blame her, and whats 25,000 to a former no.1 and tennis champ!!!

LOVE U JEN!!! WIN THIS ONE BABY!

 

[bluna82]

damn, she lost her forehand...
the only good thing is, that I´m sure now to see her practice on weekend at filderstadt.

 

[Snuffkin]

Those mental demons are still there and as large as ever. This was another match she could have won in straight sets and furthermore, she again had a winning lead in both the second and third sets. Jen was nothing short of a mental midget out there today and it's horrible to watch.

Her place in LA still isn't secure and she could do with some points just to cement it, but she needs to get her head together first.

Credit to Bovina though - she showed a lot of determination and ultimately wanted it more, so deserved her win.

 

[JennyS]

Was Jen's forehand off? I didn't see the match.

 

[JennyS]

Jennifer certainly has lost her confidence. There is no magic way to get it back. Does she get a new coach? Work with a sports psychologist? It's not my call to make though.

This match just sums up Jen's entire season- close but no cigar. It's just one after the other and that makes it harder and harder to win.

Maybe taking a break would help. She wants to play the Championships obviously and I think she will get in (if she doesn't blame the WTA's stupid Race rewarding quantity over quality)

 

[Jen'sFan]

Seriously why does she keep losing these 3 setters all the time?! Its getting beyond a joke now, at first i thought it was a coincidence but not anynmore

I agree with whoever said about the sports psychologist, cos i doubt its suddenly gonna stop.

 

[JennyS]

You know what's weird about Jen's losses this year?

Last year at this point, Jen had been creamed by Patty Schnyder, Ai Sugiyama and Amelie Maursemo. This year, she hasn't been creamed at all. Her heart is in it, but she's getting too nervous.

 

[Jen'sFan]

Closing out matches is definately a problem. She is up for it much more than last year. The frustrating thing is that she's not been outplayed by anyone this yr at all. That proves to me she is still good enough. If she sorts out this problem then she can win another slam.

 

[yukon145]

Jenn I hope she gets everything figured out. Good luck next week in germany. Anyone who saw the match how did she look? Her attitdue, serve, fittness, etc. And how has she still not made it to the season ending champs yet? Please Jenn you make me so sad when you lose and I feel even worse when I see that you are upset too. Does Jenn have this effect on anyone else besides me? This year has been sad overall so far, LETS GO JENN! FINISH THE YEAR STRONG AND LETS GO JENN IN 2004!!

 

[Jen'sFan]

Please Jenn you make me so sad when you lose and I feel even worse when I see that you are upset too. Does Jenn have this effect on anyone else besides me?

Yeah....but i dont really get upset at these kind of matches that much. Its the slams when i get really emotional...

 

[JennyS]

I'm actually not too fond of the post-US Open season so I'm not going to get upset by Jen's loss. It's late in the year. The only thing that annoys me is that she has lost too many matches this way this year.

The reason Jen has not qualified is that they are counting all points earned this year. She most likely will qualify, but there are still other players mathmatically alive. For instace, a player who is 800 points behind Jen could technically pass her by racking up huge points over the next few weeks. They can't all pass Jen.

I'm not a fan of the race at all. I think the tournaments through the US Open are the most important and Jen was one of the top 8 players this year.

 

[MarkyMark]

I am in Toronto here, and woke up early to watch the match via the web live feed. I too get really upset emotionally when Jen loses. I know I shouldn't care so much as it is only a game but its very hard not too get so upset when she loses so many close matches. I just hope she is able to pick up the pieces after the US Open. Once she starts winning again she gets on a roll and plays consistant. I noticed when she has long breaks from the game, she plays poorly in her first match back. The same thing happened last year during the indoor season. Anyways good luck to her in Fildertsat, I hope she plays in Zurich and Linz as well. She has a good chance now too move up to number 4 in the world and be seeded that way for the Aus Open.