Grand Slam Professional Tennis Predictions and Picks by Nick Bollettieri. US Open, French Open, Wimbledon, Australian Open

Qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak became the first Canadian to win a WTA Title in 20 years, beating Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-3 in the finals of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford. Wozniak, 20, needed to win eight matches — including three qualifiers — in nine days to become the first Canadian since Jill Hetherington at Wellington in February 1988 to win a women’s singles title. Wozniak was only 5 months old at the time.

Only three other Canadian women have won tour titles: Patricia Hy-Boulais, Taipei, 1986; Helen Kelesi, Tokyo, 1986; and Carling Bassett-Seguso, Strasbourg, 1987.

Wozniak also became just the third qualifier to win a tournament this year and the first to do it in a Tier II tournament — one with more than $600,000 in prize money. She lost her only previous final in a much smaller tournament in Morocco last year.

Wozniak benefited from a knee injury that forced Serena Williams to withdraw in the semifinals. Williams retired from the match after losing the first set and falling behind in the second set of the match. “It was hurting in practice and I didn’t really practice too long because it was hurting,” Williams said. “After I got off, it was really swollen. I thought that I have to play really fast.”

Williams is supposed to play in Los Angeles this week, but she will get an MRI before the tournament to check the damage. She has stated that her main goal is to get fit and healthy for the Olympics, so we will have to see if she plays this week.

For Wozniak, the win propelled her up 40 spots in the rankings to a career high of #45 in the world. We will have to see if she can use any of that momentum this week in LA, where she will face Flavia Pennetta in the opening round.

~ by Nick's Picks on July 21, 2008.

Posted in Players
Tags: Aleksandra Wozniak, Flavia Pennetta, Los Angeles, Marion Bartoli, Serena Williams, Stanford