TENNIS:WHEN CAROLINE Wozniacki joined Kim Cljsters on the outside looking in at this French Open – the first time the No1 and No2 seeds have failed to reach the last 16 of a women's slam in the Open era – she was as embarrassed as the Belgian, but a little tetchier. It's not a great look for the women's game, especially coming on the earlier exit of last year's finalist Sam Stosur, who lost to Gisela Dulko.
Wozniacki’s tennis was all over the place against the 29th-ranked Daniela Hantuchova, who won with startling ease, 6-1, 6-3.
“She played very, very well today, better than me,” she said. “She was just too good.”
Asked if these defeats illustrated depth or weakness across women’s tennis, she said: “There’s a lot of great players out there. Kim had a tough loss yesterday, I had a tough loss today. Since we’re No1 and 2, it means that we must be doing something right.”
Despite never having won a slam, Wozniacki will keep the crown going into Wimbledon unless the third seed, Vera Zvonareva, wins here and at Eastbourne.
“When I was younger, people told me, you’ll never be a top player, you’re from Denmark, we don’t have the mentality. And, you know, it really doesn’t matter. I know what I’m capable of. I know I’m a great player. I’m doing well. I had a loss today. That’s what happens. I’ll be back even better.”
As for her chances at Wimbledon, she said: “I definitely enjoy playing on grass. I’ve done well on it before. There is something homey about Wimbledon and living in a house and having the whole family there. I’m really looking forward to that tournament. I think I can do well.”
Nor did she think her schedule was a hindrance.
“I’m feeling fine. Obviously I would have loved to be here still. I’d be playing for the next eight days, no doubt about it. I don’t like to be around a tournament when I’m not playing. I might go home for a few days and come back for (a sponsors’ engagement) Tuesday ... I don’t know what I’ll do.”
She sounded as confused after her defeat as she looked during it. Stosur at least had an excuse. “I have had a cold for about four, five, six days,” she said, conceding that Dulko had outplayed her.
The Argentinian next plays the French 11th seed, Marion Bartoli, who needed three sets to beat new hope Julia Gorges.
Novak Djokovic will return to complete his third-round today with his six-month unbeaten run under serious threat from Juan Martin del Potro. The powerful Argentine roared back into the contest to level at 3-6 6-3 when play was halted for the day at 9.12pm local time in Paris.
In a bizarre day, the must-see match of the first week fell victim to being scheduled last on the main Court Philippe Chatrier and, predictably, had to be moved as preceding matches ran into the evening.
The first set was dominated by Djokovic after an understandably scrappy opening couple of games, with the Serbian saving an early break point before finding the relentless accuracy that has seen off all-comers in 2011.
Huge roars greeted Del Potro’s recovery from 15-40 at 5-4 when serving for the second set, four huge serves hauling him level as bad light stopped play.
Men’s Singles
Third round: (7) D Ferrer (Spa) bt (31) S Stakhovsky (Ukr) 6-1 6-1 6-3, (9) G Monfils (Fra) bt S Darcis (Bel) 6-3 6-4 7-5, (14) S Wawrinka (Swi) bt (17) J-W Tsonga (Fra) 4-6 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 6-3, (3) R Federer (Swi) bt (29) J Tipsarevic (Ser) 6-1 6-4 6-3, F Fognini (Ita) bt (30) G Garcia-Lopez (Spa) 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-1, A Montanes (Spa) bt (12) M Youzhny (Rus) 6-1 7-6 (7-0) 6-1, (13) R Gasquet (Fra) bt (23) T Bellucci (Bra) 6-2 6-3 3-6 6-3, (25) J M Del Potro (Arg) is tied with (2) N Djokovic (Ser) 3-6 6-3.
Women’s Singles
Third round: (28) D Hantuchova (Svk) bt (1) C Wozniacki (Den) 6-1 6-3, (13) S Kuznetsova (Rus) bt R Marino (Can) 6-0 6-4, (11) M Bartoli (Fra) bt (17) J Goerges (Ger) 3-6 6-2 6-4, G Dulko (Arg) bt (8) S Stosur (Aus) 6-4 1-6 6-3, (3) V Zvonareva (Rus) bt A Rodionova (Aus) 6-2 6-3, (14) A Pavlyuchenkova (Rus) bt N Llagostera Vives (Spa) 3-6 6-3 6-3, (10) J Jankovic (Ser) bt B Mattek-Sands (USA) 6-2 6-2, (5) F Schiavone (Ita) bt (29) S Peng (Chn) 6-3 1-2 ret
