Proximus Diamond Games ~ Antwerp, Belgium

[tall_one]

Singles Draw
Amelie Mauresmo v Bye
Iveta Benesova v Mary Pierce
Qualifier v Marta Marrero
Denisa Chladkova v Patty Schnyder

Alicia Molik v Bye
Magdalena Maleeva v Tathiana Garbin
Silvia Farina Elia v Els Callens
Klara Koukalova v Nathalie Dechy


Nadia Petrova v Anabel Medina Garrigues
Kim Clijsters v Jelena Kostanic
Qualifier v Virginie Razzano
Bye v Venus Williams

Karolina Sprem v Qualifier
Maria Elena Camerin v Qualifier
Tatiana Golovin v Dinara Safina
Bye v Anastasia Myskina


Doubles draw
Black/Callens v Butkiewicz/Maes
Rittner/Roesch v Dekmeijere/Miyagi
Dhenin/G.Navratilova v Mikaelian/Pierce
Razzano/Serna v Chladkova/Krizan

Benesova/Peschke v Muller/Schruff
Drake/Henke v Kostanic/ Schaul
Lubiani/Marrero v Q
Camerin/Garbin v Medina Garrigues/Safina

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Qualifying Draw: (Sorry, I haven't had much time lately!)

[1] Ana Ivanovic (SCG) vs. Vanessa Henke (GER)
Angelika Bachmann (GER) vs. Elise Tamaela (NED)
Adriana Barna (GER) vs. Sandra Kleinova (CZE)
Angelika Roesch (GER) vs. [8] Anca Barna (GER)

[2] Dally Randriantefy (MAD) vs. Magui Serna (ESP)
[WC] Leslie Butkiewicz (BEL) vs. Camille Pin (FRA)
Stephanie Gerhlein (GER) vs. [WC] Caroline Maes (BEL)
Virag Nemeth (HUN) vs. [6] Kveta Peschke (CZE)

[3] Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) vs. Martina Muller (GER)
Julia Schruff (GER) vs. Capucine Rousseau
[WC] Evelyn Van Hyfte (BEL) vs. Janette Husarova (SVK)
Sandra Kloesel (GER) vs. [5] Claudine Schaul (LUX)

[4] Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) vs. [WC] Shana Claes (BEL)
Zuzana Ondraskova (CZE) vs. Cara Black (ZIM)
Maureen Drake (CAN) vs. Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian (SUI)
Anastasia Yakimova (BLR) vs. [7] Petra Mandula (HUN)

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Qualifying First Round:

[1] Ana Ivanovic d. Vanessa Henke 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
Angelika Bachmann d. Elise Tamaela 7-6, 6-2
Adriana Barna d. Sandra Kleinova 2-6, 7-6, 6-0
[8] Anca Barna d. Angelika Roesch 6-3, 6-1

[2] Dally Randriantefy d. Magui Serna 6-4, 6-2
Camille Pin d. [WC] Leslie Butkiewicz 6-1, 6-1
Stephanie Gehrlein d. [WC] Caroline Maes 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
Virag Nemeth d. Pascale Leroy* 6-2, 6-3

[3] Katarina Srebotnik d. Martina Muller 6-3, 6-3
Julia Schruff d. Capucine Rousseau 6-2, 6-7, 6-0
Janette Husarova d. [WC] Evelyn Van Hyfte 6-3, 7-5
[5] Claudine Schaul d. Sandra Kloesel 5-7, 6-2, 6-1

[4] Anna Chakvetadze d. [WC] Shana Claes 6-3, 6-3
Zuzana Ondraskova d. Cara Black 6-1, 6-1
Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian d. Maureen Drake 6-4, 6-7, 6-1
[7] Petra Mandula d. Anastasia Yakimova 6-2, 6-4

[babolatpro880]

[1] Ana Ivanovic d. Angelika Bachmann 6-1, 6-0
[8] Anca Barna d. Adriana Barna 6-2, 6-4

Camille Pin d. [2] Dally Randriantefy 4-6, 7-6, 6-4
Stephanie Gehrlein d. Virag Nemeth 6-2, 6-2

[3] Katarina Srebotnik d. Julia Schruff 6-0, 7-6
[5] Claudine Schaul d. Janette Husarova 7-5, 6-1

[4] Anna Chakvetadze d. Zuzana Ondraskova 6-0, 6-4
[7] Petra Mandula d. Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian 6-2, 7-5

[tall_one]

Mauresmo Wins First Title of Season at Antwerp

ANTWERP, Belgium - In an amazing finish to the week at the Proximus Diamond Games, top seed Amelie Mauresmo was able to outlast No.3 seed Venus Williams for the title in Antwerp.
Down a set and breaks in both sets, Mauresmo kept herself into the game and eventually pulled out the 46 75 64 victory in front of a capacity crowd of 14,500.

"It was an incredible match, with an amazing atmosphere," Mauresmo said.

After a set and a half of play, Williams looked well on her way to picking up that golden racquet containing 1700 diamonds and worth $1 million dollars. After taking the first set, Williams was able to grab a break midway through the second for 5-3 and served for the title at 5-4.

But Mauresmo easily broke back to stay in the match, putting aside the inconsistencies, poor movement and easy mistakes that had rattled her game for most of the match. Instead, the Frenchwoman raised her level to even the match at 5-5 and eventually forcing a third set.

In the third set, Williams got back into the match for a 2-0 lead that progressed to 4-2. The American then held three break points on Mauresmo's next serve to go up 5-2, but Mauresmo was able to hold off each opportunity. From there, Mauresmo broke back for 4-4, held serve for 5-4 and then broke Williams' serve once again - winning the final four games of the match to take the title.

"Venus played very well to be up a set and 5-3, but I wasn't playing my best," Mauresmo said. "I was making lots of mistakes and I wasn't as solid as what I should have been. At 5-3 maybe she started thinking about winning the title, while I tightened my game up a bit. Then I knew I had to hang in there.

"She got a better start in the third set, but from 4-2 down I played very aggressively. It was crucial for me to come to the net, saving those break points at 4-2; I needed to be as aggressive as possible."

Williams saved four match points at 5-4 in the third in an effort to keep the match alive. As a two-time winner of the event in the last four years, a third title would have given Williams the $1 million dollar diamond-covered gold racquet - the prize to the first player to win three titles in a five-year period at the event.

"I played well, and while I didn't get the win, the positive thing is that I'm back to the level I used to be at," Williams said. "At 5-3, I think she raised her level, while I didn't take my chances.

"Despite what everyone is saying, I wasn't thinking about winning the racquet at that point. I'll definitely be back next year - racquet or no racquet. This is a top-class event; all the players love it. I particularly like the antique shopping and the fashion, which is totally different from what I see in the States."

Mauresmo wins her 16th career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title in her 31st career final. It was also her first title of 2005, after finishing as runner-up last week at the Open Gaz de France to Dinara Safina.

"I've got enormous satisfaction out of this win, especially after losing the final in Paris last week," Mauresmo said.

The Frenchwoman improved to 3-5 all-time against Williams and has won their last three meetings (2003 Warsaw final, 2004 Philadelphia QF). Williams hasn't defeated Mauresmo since the semifinal round at the 2002 US Open.

Mauresmo's appearance in the singles final marks the seventh time she's played in the championship match in her last eight indoor events, dating back to Philadelphia in 2003.

Williams was competing in her first indoor final in two years, since capturing the 2003 title at Antwerp. It was also Williams' first final since falling to Lindsay Davenport at Stanford last July. She was aiming to end a nine-month, 11-tournament title-less drought, the longest of her career.

In doubles, the top seeded tandem of Cara Black and Els Callens claimed the Antwerp trophy for the second straight year, this time defeating No.2 seeds Anabel Medina Garrigues and Dinara Safina, 36 64 64.

The victory was the 20th career doubles title for Black and the 10th for Callens. The victory was also special for Callens in her native Belgium, after announcing earlier in the week that she will retire at the end of 2005.

Medina Garrigues and Safina, who started playing together at the beginning of the season, finished as runner-up for the third time in four events contested. Along with their championship match appearance in Antwerp, the duo also reached the final at Paris [Indoors] last week and in Hobart earlier in the year.