Safina rampage continues unabated
Published: 31 May, 2009, 17:10
Dinara Safina (Elsa / Getty Images / AFP)
World No. 1 Dinara Safina continues to show her best tennis at Rolland Garros, giving away just one game to Aravane Rezai in the fourth round of the tournament.
The Russian star needed just over an hour to deal with the home favorite. She took the first set 6-1 and finished off the exchange in style in the second – 6-0.
Safina hasn’t faced any resistance in the tournament so far as she’s lost just five games in four matches.
“Since I became No. 1, I’m feeling better and better. At the beginning of the year when I came close to No1 it was too much pressure for me and I would go on court and think I can’t lose. Getting to No1 has taken the weight off my shoulders,” Dinara Safina said to tournament’s official website.
There will be a new French Open champion this year after defending champ Ana Ivanovic crashed out. The Serb rolled over rather tamely in straight sets against Viktoria Azarenka.
The Belarusian dropped only five games to claim a 6-2, 6-3 victory and a place in the quarter finals, where she faces Dinara Safina.
Things continue to go according to plan for Maria Sharapova after she booked her place in the last eight. The Russian star is continuing her impressive comeback from injury by battling past China's Na Li in three sets, but it was no cakewalk for the former number one.
Sharapova won the first set 6-4, only to be thrashed in the second 6-0, but wrested her way to victory in the third 6-4.
Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova took the better of Agnes Szavay from Hungary, 6-2 6-4.
Nadal suffers first ever defeat at Roland Garros
There was a huge shock in the men's draw with the departure of four-times defending champion Rafael Nadal as he lost to 23rd seed Robin Soderling.
The Swede, doing what many people thought was impossible, beat the top seed in four sets to make his way into the last eight: 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6.
Nikolay Davydenko is also looking like a title contender. The Russian made light work of classy Spaniard Fernando Verdasco as Davydenko cruised through 6-2 6-2 6-4.
And Britain’s Andy Murray needed three sets to pass Marin Cilic of Croatia.
The 3rd seed had a difficult first set, which he won 7-5. Ciric put up a real fight in the second, losing it on tiebreak only. The upset Croat gave up playing in the third, giving it away 6-1.
Chilean Fernando Gonzalez had little problem with Victor Hanescu, beating the Romanian in straight sets 6-2 6-4 6-2.
Safina marches on in ParisRoland Garros defending champion Ana Ivanovic and world number one Dinara Safina are safely through to the last sixteen in the Paris tournament. |
Disastrous day for Russians in ParisIt’s not been the best day for Russians in Paris! First, the last remaining Russian in the men’s singles, Nikolay Davydenko, lost in quarterfinals, and later he was followed by Maria Sharapova from the women’s quarters. |












I would like Safina to win!!! I like her!!!