[MLF]

To keep the forum alive with threads we'll discuss Sandrine's Doha tourny in here, OK?
No draw is easy but I like Sandrine's chances of doing well here. A bye in the opening round and then possibly Majoli or Husarova both of whom I like but really Sandrine ought to be able to take either of them if in form. Montolio is the first projected seeded opponent. She's given Sandrine a few problems before but hopefully not here on a hard court. Tanasugarn and Panova are the other seeds in the bottom half, so with Seles, Sanchez-Vicario and Grande all in the other half Sandrine has a chance. Allez!

 

[rated_next]

pretty tough draw for sandrine but i'm glad she got a bye ... it will give her more days to train

allez sandrine

both janette and iva will be tough for her, but she can do it

 

[Lindsayfan]

she will play Doha?how is her injury?

 

[Scotso]

allez Sandrine!

 

[Adrian]

Does anyone know how her neck is?

 

[GoSandrine]

Hi Gang!

MirjanaLfan, thanks so much for starting this thread!

Adrian & Lindsayfan, I wish I knew whether Sandrine has fully recovered but I haven't heard - we'll just have to wait and see. If Iva weren't lurking in Round 2, I'd say Sandrine got a decent draw but everything is a big question mark. If she's playing at 100% I believe she has a good chance of making the final.

I wonder if she'll be entered in the doubles with Roby to defend their title?

 

[Kaelin]

Ed,as Roby was in the qualies,I think she plays doubles with Sandrine
Sandrine's neck was painfull,she had to see a doctor in Lyon,but it must be better by now.Also,I hope everything will be better

 

[Adrian]

Yeah, she didn't seem concerned about this week when she withdrew from Paris

 

[Adrian]

Well the sad news is Iva has withdrawn, the good news is I don't have to go through the agony of Sandrina and Iva playing each other

 

[MLF]

Sandrine and Roby lost in the first round of the doubles 6-4 6-3 to Petra Mandula and Patricia Wartusch who are a fairly solid, error free regular partnership. Still a disappointing loss.

 

[GoSandrine]

What's wrong with Sandrine and Roby???

I hope this doesn't carry over into the singles.

 

[Kaelin]

Last year's points are lost
I do hope that Sandrine's neck is ok now

 

[rated_next]

Janette d. Angelique 6:4 6:2

Husarova will be very tough for Sandrine. I saw her in San Diego and she is a beautiful player to watch. She has the power, plus the finesse. (As you can tell, she is one of my favs as well )

Good luck Sandrine.

 

[Scotso]

I think Sandrine should win this I hope anyway.

Allez Sandrine!

 

[GoSandrine]

I just hope she's not feeling any after affects from that neck injury and her doubles loss yesterday.

Janette is off to a flying start this year making the fourth round in Oz and winning six of nine matches overall to start the year and Sandrine has had a less than stellar start. Still I'm counting on Sandrine to do well here and I will expect nothing less than a straight set win. I'll settle for three but I hope she's not stretched too far this early on.

 

[veronica]

GO SANDRINE!!!

You can do it girl!!!! Stay healthy and focused!

 

[Kaelin]

I hope I will able to watch the beginning on the scoreboard .
Sandrine has to win today but I also watched Husarova play(remember Ed?)and she's very impressive,just a little nervous.

 

[MLF]

Disappointing loss for Sandrine. She's really slow kicking into gear this season. I'm sure the results will come but if she could have started the season as solidly as say Farina-Elia has she could probably be top 10 right now.

 

[rated_next]

Another first round loss for Sandrine.

Let's hope that it is her injury that is still slightly bothering her, and not the result of her losing her motivation.

 

[GoSandrine]

I'm very disappointed for Sandrine but she sounded somewhat upbeat in this article below so I don't think she'll dwell on this loss and her slow start to the year.

DOHA (Reuters) - Second seeded Sandrine Testud (news - profile - photo) of France became the fourth seed to be knocked out of the Qatar Open when she lost 7-6 (7-5) 0-6 6-2 to Janette Husarova of Slovakia on Thursday.

However top-seed Monica Seles (news - profile - photos) avoided joining Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain, Angeles Montelo of Spain and Russia's Tatiana Panova, who were all knocked out in the first round, when she cruised through to the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Venezuela's Maria Vento-Kabchi.

Testud, who has been short of match practice this year and has been bothered by a neck injury, looked tentative as Husarova attacked throughout their one hour 51 minute match.

"I have not played as much this year as I would have liked to. I am very disappointed," the Frenchwoman said. "She (Husarova) played very well today and more importantly, served very well at the crucial moments.

"She had nothing to lose and maybe, that helped her to go for her shots."

Testud, who lost in the final here last year to Martina Hingis (news - profile - photos), said she had wanted to go one step better this year.

"I was looking forward to doing well here. Anyway, there is a long time still this year and I hope to win some matches."

Hasurova said the victory was the greatest win of her career.

"This feels great. I was comfortable on the court today and believed in myself," the world number 68 said. "I played some good shots and am very happy to have won."

Hasurova said had lost concentration during the second set when she was broken three times and lost the set to love.

"I didn't think too much about the second set," Hasurova said. "Once it was over, I told myself to just concentrate on the third set and go for a win."