Sam Stosur shocks Serena Williams to claim U.S. Open title comment NEW YORK -- Already being outplayed by Samantha Stosur in the U.S. Open final, the last thing Serena Williams needed was to lose a game for yelling during a point. That's exactly what happened early in the second set, leading to an argument between Williams and the chair umpire, a scene less ugly than -- but reminiscent of -- the American's tirade two years ago at the same tournament. In the end, Stosur beat Williams 6-2, 6-3 Sunday in a surprisingly lopsided upset for her first Grand Slam title. "I'm still kind of speechless. I can't actually believe I won this tournament," Stosur said.

"I guess to go out there and play the way I did is obviously just an unbelievable feeling, and you always hope and you want to be able to do that, but to actually do it, is unbelievable." Hitting powerful strokes from the baseline, and looking fresher than the far-more-accomplished Williams right from the start, the ninth-seeded Stosur became the first Australian woman to win a major championship since Evonne Goolagong Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980. Only 2-9 in tournament finals before beating Williams, Stosur made the U.S. Open the third consecutive Grand Slam tournament with a first-time women's major champion, after Li Na at the French Open, and Petra Kvitova at Wimbledon. "She played really, really well. I mean, I don't think she's ever played that well," Williams said. "Maybe she has; I haven't seen her play that well." This was only the 27-year-old Stosur's third title at any tour-level event, and what a way to do it.

She took advantage of Williams' so-so serving and stayed steady throughout -- finishing with 12 unforced errors to Williams' 25 -- despite the bizarre events that unfolded in the second set. Indeed, the biggest victory of Stosur's career so far likely will be recalled by most others for Williams' latest dispute with an official at Flushing Meadows. Down a set and facing a break point in the first game of the second, the 13-time major champion hit a forehand and shouted, "Come on!" as Stosur reached down for a backhand. Chair umpire Eva Asderaki ruled that Williams hindered Stosur's ability to complete the point and awarded it to Stosur -- putting her ahead 1-0 in that set. Williams went over to talk to Asderaki, perhaps confusing her with then-chair umpire Louise Engzell, saying, "I'm not giving her that game." Williams also said: "Aren't you the one who screwed me over last time here? Do you have it out for me? That's totally not cool." Some fans began booing, delaying the start of the next game as both players waited for the commotion to subside.

"It was probably the loudest I ever felt a crowd in my whole entire life. You're right in the middle of it. It was definitely a quite overwhelming feeling," Stosur said. "But once I hit that next ball in the court and started playing again, I felt settled. I guess it definitely could have been the big, pivotal point in the match." Tournament director Brian Earley said Asderaki's ruling was proper, according to U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier. International Tennis Federation rules say: "If a player is hindered in playing the point by a deliberate act of the opponent(s), the player shall win the point. However, the point shall be replayed if a player is hindered in playing the point by either an unintentional act of the opponent(s), or something outside the player's own control (not including a permanent fixture)." Williams said later she thought that last part of the rule applied -- and the point should have been replayed -- such as when one player's hat flies off during a point. In the heat of the moment, Williams had trouble putting the whole episode behind her.

Later, as her tirade escalated, she defended her right to vent, saying, "We're in America last time I checked." In a final jab, she called Asderaki "unattractive inside." Williams also told the official: "Really, don't even look at me." Asderaki issued a code violation warning for verbal abuse, and the Widmaier said Earley would speak to the chair umpire and review tape to determine whether Williams would be fined. That decision will be announced Monday. At her news conference, Williams rolled her eyes while deflecting a question about whether she regretted what she said to Asderaki. "I don't even remember what I said. It was just so intense out there. ... I guess I'll see it on YouTube," Williams said. Samantha Stosur celebrates after beating Serena Williams for the U.S. Open championship. It was Stosur's first singles slam win in her second final appearance. Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images When Stosur wrapped up the match with a forehand winner, Williams refused the customary post-match handshake with the chair umpire. "I hit a winner, but I guess it didn't count," Williams said during the trophy presentation.

"It wouldn't have mattered in the end. Sam played really well." Asked after the match about being awarded the point because of Williams' shout, Stosur said: "I guess the rules of tennis are there for a reason. She made the call that she felt was right." This sort of thing has happened before at the U.S. Open to Williams, who won the tournament in 1999, 2002 and 2008. In the 2009 semifinals against Kim Clijsters , Williams was called for a foot-fault that set her off on a profanity-laced outburst at a line judge. Williams lost a point there, and because it came on match point, Clijsters won. That led to an immediate $10,000 fine from the U.S. Tennis Association and later a record $82,500 fine from Grand Slam committee director Bill Babcock, who also put Williams on a "probationary period" at Grand Slam tournaments in 2010 and 2011, saying that fine could wind up doubled.

The USTA said Babcock will determine whether what Williams said to Asderaki on Sunday is a "major event" that counts as a violation of that probation. A poor call during Williams' 2004 U.S. Open quarterfinal loss to Jennifer Capriati was cited as a main reason for the introduction of replay technology in tennis. "It's just always something," said Williams' mother, Oracene Price. "And it seems to happen to us." Because of rain during this year's tournament, the women's final was pushed from Saturday night to Sunday. It was preceded by a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, "9/11/01" was painted in white next to the blue court to commemorate the 10th anniversary, and the U.S. flag atop Arthur Ashe Stadium was at half-mast. A couple of hours before stepping on court, Williams tweeted: "My Thoughts and prayers to all who lost loved ones on 9-11. I know the entire country is with you today.

I'm playing for you today." Stosur was playing in only her second major final -- she was the runner-up at the 2010 French Open -- while Williams was in her 17th. "I felt like I was definitely the underdog," Stosur said. Goolagong Cawley didn't wait long to congratulate Stosur texting her moments after her win to say: "Twinkletoes, you finally have got what you deserved." Goolagong Cawley, who won her second Wimbledon title in 1980, was in Australia's capital city of Canberra on Monday morning with 100 Aboriginal work experience students. A television was brought into a hotel meeting room so Goolagong Cawley could watch the last part of Stosur's victory Williams. Samantha Stosur | Olympics Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Hometown Brisbane, Queensland Samantha "Sam" Jane Stosur is an Australian professional tennis player. She defeated Serena Williams in the 2011 US Open finals to win her sole singles major title. Stosur is considered one of the most athletic and fittest players on the tour after battling Lyme Disease early in her tennis career.

Her serves are widely known as the fastest shots in the women's game, while her favorite surface is likely the hard court. Stosur has been to three Summer Olympics, taking place in Beijing, Athens, and London. Stosur at the Roland Garros. 2004 Athens Edit In the 2004 Summer Olympics at Athens, Stosur lost in the first round to an American, Chanda Rubin. She also participated in women's doubles, along with Nicole Pratt, but were defeated by Roberta Vinci and Tatathia Garbin in their first round match. Australia, as a whole, finished eight place in tennis. 2008 Beijing Edit Stosur returned to the same stage in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics and defeated Italian Sara Errani in straight sets to take the first round. She was beaten by Serena Williams, the favorite to win the tournament, winning just two games in the entire match. Stosur had similar success in doubles, losing in the second round with Rennae Stubbs.

Best tennis images in 2011 | FOX Sports Best tennis images of 2011 Dec 13, 2011 11:08a ET Maximum Exposure June 1, 2011; Paris, FRANCE; Rafael Nadal (ESP) reacts in his quarterfinal match against Robin Soderling (SWE) on day eleven of the 2011 French Open at Roland Garros. Victory is hers Kim Clijsters of Belgium celebrates championship point of the 2011 Australian Open against Na Li of China in the women's singles final. Clijsters' rallied to win in three sets 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 for her fourth major title. Photo: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images AsiaPac Lifted up Serbia's Novak Djokovic kisses his trophy after defeating Britain's Andy Murray in the men's singles final at the 2011 Australian Open. The two-week run in Melbourne would be the beginning of Djokovic's incredible historic run during the first half of the year.

Fall girl China's Li Na falls to the ground after defeating Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6–4, 7–6(0) in the women's singles final to win the 2011 French Open. Li Na became the first Asian to ever win a tennis Grand Slam event . Photo: ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP Reporters / AFP Prize winner After reaching a second straight Slam final, China's Li Na holds the trophy at Roland Garros after a decisive victory over Italy's Francesca Schiavone. Li is the first Asian player to win any of tennis' major tournaments. Photo: PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP Reporters / AFP So worthy Spain's Rafael Nadal falls to the ground after defeating Roger Federer to win the 2011 French Open men's singles title. This victory marked Nadal's sixth French Open title and 10th Grand Slam championship. Two of the best Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, both classic champions, stand side by side after their hard-fought French Open final.

Photo: Clive Brunskill/Half Length / Getty Images Europe Class act Always in style, Roger Federer manages a smile after a crushing five-set loss to France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2011 Wimbledon men's quarterfinal round. What's happening? Russia's Maria Sharapova talks to the umpire during the 2011 Wimbledon ladies' singles final against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. Sharapova, who reached her first Slam final since 2004 , hoped more calls would go her way, but that just wasn't the case as Kvitova won the match in straight sets. However, the 2011 Wimbledon Thrill of victory Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova celebrates after beating Russia's Maria Sharapova in the Ladies' final at Wimbledon. Kvitova beat Sharapova in straight sets to win her first Slam title and finished the year ranked No. 2 in the world. Photo: CARL DE SOUZA/AFP Reporters / AFP Floored!

Novak Djokovic celebrates championship point by falling to the ground after he defeated Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to win his first Wimbledon title. Even though Djokovic lost in the semifinal round at Roland Garros to Roger Federer, he picked right back up and continued his 2011 dominance to win his second major title this year. Photo: Clive Brunskill/ / Getty Images Europe Well played Novak Djokovic, left, consoles Rafael Nadal after defeating him in the 2011 Wimbledon men's singles final. Nadal could not beat Djokovic in 2011 losing all six matches. Don't hold back American Donald Young reacts after defeating No. 24-seed Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina in their third-round match at the US Open. Young's explosive run in New York to the fourth round provided much-needed hope for the future of American tennis. Rain strain Tournament referee Brian Earley, right, speaks with players Andy Roddick, center, and David Ferrer of Spain, far left, prior to their delayed fourth-round match.

Their match was moved from Louis Armstrong Stadium to Court 13 due to an unplayable surface. Rain caused a scheduling headache for US Open officials who tried to get as many matches played as possible. But Roddick, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray voiced their opposition to playing in less-than-desirable conditions. All smiles Former world No. 1 Serena Williams, left, shakes hands with reigning No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark after their semifinal match at the 2011 US Open. Williams defeated Wozniacki 6-2, 6-4 to reach her fifth US Open final. Up for a challenge Reminiscent of the famed "foot fault" incident at the 2009 US Open, Serena Williams questions the call of chair umpire Eva Asderakia while playing against Samantha Stosur of Australia during the 2011 US Open women's singles final. Is this for real? Samantha Stosur of Australia reacts after winning the women's championship match against Serena Williams at the US Open.

Stosur defeated Williams 6-2, 6-3 and felt she played her best tennis and that she was "very fortunate to do it on this stage." Man of the year Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after defeating Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1 to win the 2011 US Open men's singles title. Djokovic has won three majors this year and has only lost two matches for an epic run. Making her rise Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic celebrates with the trophy after defeating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus to win the season-ending WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. With the win, Kvitova solidified her year-end No. 2 ranking. Photo: Julian Finney/ / Getty Images Europe Czech them out! The Czech Republic won its first Fed Cup title in 23 years after Lucie Hradecka and Kveta Peschke (pictured) beat Maria Kirilenko and Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-2 in the decisive doubles match to secure a 3-2 win over Russia in the final.

The win capped an impressive year for Czech star Petra Kvitova who won both her Fed Cup singles matches. Can't count him out After losing a five-set thriller to Novak Djokovic in the US Open semifinals in September, 30-year-old Roger Federer didn’t lose a match the rest of the year, picking up titles in Basel and Paris and winning the season-ending ATP Finals in London. While he didn't have as much success at the majors this year, Federer closed the year out strong, showing he still has a lot left. Photo: Julian Finney/Half Length / Getty Images Europe Winning! Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning his match against Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro to earn a sixth Davis Cup for Spain . Nadal fought back from one set down to win the match 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(0).

Sam scores first ever win over Venus - Samantha Stosur - The Australian tennis player's official website Sam scores first ever win over Venus 2012-04-07 Sam Stosur has produced a mammoth effort to reach the semifinals of the WTA Family Circle Cup in Charleston, completing her third round match against Galina Voskoboeva on before returning to court on the same day to defeat Venus Williams for the first time in her career. Stosur’s match against Voskoboeva had been suspended on Thursday evening due to rain, with the Australian leading 4-2 in the first set. When the pair returned to court on Friday morning, the world No.5 overcame a second-set hiccup to defeat the Kazakh 6-3 4-6 6-2, setting up a quarterfinal stoush with Williams, a wildcard into the Premier-level event. That match got underway less than two hours after Stosur had won her match against Voskoboeva, with Stosur eventually wrapping up her second consecutive three-set win, 6-3 4-6 6-3, in two hours and 17 minutes.

It was a gruelling day for Stosur, and the road ahead gets no easier – the win against Williams sets up a semifinal showdown against sister Serena, who came through her quarterfinal against Sabine Lisicki after the German retired in the first set due to a left ankle injury. “I don’t think it was the end of the world to get out there and play this morning,” Stosur said. “Today was very different than what we’ve been playing in, so it was good to get used to the conditions. I would have preferred not to play two three-set matches, but nevertheless, I’m happy to be through.” Stosur and Venus – both former Family Circle Cup champions – began their match in chilly conditions at the Daniel Island Tennis Centre, both appearing on court wearing long sleeves and with Williams even donning a pair of three-quarter length leggings. The Aussie’s game, so well suited to the green clay of Charleston, troubled Williams in the opening set. She scored a service break to love in the sixth game with a heavy forehand that Williams couldn’t control, and soon after took a one-set lead thanks to a booming service winner down the T.

The American hit back strongly in the second set, staving off break point in the third game with some athletic play at net and then scoring a break of serve in the sixth game to lead 4-2 when Stosur sent a running forehand long of the baseline. When Williams clinched the second set with a powerful backhand that forced the error from Stosur, and then lead 2-1 in the third, it looked as if her successful return to the tour following illness was going to continue on its merry way. But Stosur had other ideas. She played a magnificent running forehand passing shot winner to open the fourth game, a moment that seemed to spark a revival in her game. She swept five of the next six games to seal the match and a spot in the semifinals. It was the No.2 seed’s first win in five career meetings with Williams, the American having won all four of their previous matches in straight sets. “It’s only one win compared to I don’t know how many times she’s beaten me, five or six, but of course I’m very, very happy to have beaten Venus now,” Stosur said.

“It’s always a good challenge coming up against the players you’ve never beaten, and I’ve always struggled against her game, but thankfully I was able to turn it around.” Stosur’s head-to-head is more positive against Serena – despite Williams leading 5-3, Stosur won their only other match on clay, in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in 2010. Should she beat Serena, Stosur would become just the eighth player in history to defeat both Williams sisters at the same tournament. Perry Gene Goebel The semis have the same signature as Sam’s 2011 Grand Slam Win against Serena. Sam played two 3 setters prior to the finals, and this time is similar, only Sam played two 3 setters within 2 hours of one another. Hopefully, Sam has enough left in the tank to come out a winner against Serena! Christian Q: What does one have to do if one wants to see some good tennis? A: Just watch a match with Samantha Stosur. (How nicely you dealt with the handicap of having to play two single matches on one day!

Still don’t understand why there isn’t a rule against that…) After that great achievement you have already won your Charleston ’12, no matter what happens next. Francesca Schiavone (Tennis Player) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Francesca Schiavone Female Born Jun 23, 1980 Francesca Schiavone is an Italian tennis player who turned professional in 1998. She won the 2010 French Open singles title, becoming the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam event in singles. She was also runner-up at the 2011 French Open. As of 27 February 2012, Schiavone's ranking is World No. 12; her career high ranking is World No.

4, achieved on 31 January 2011.… Read More related links Schiavone Drops A Set On Way To Jiangxi Open Quarterfinals NYTimes - Aug 03, 2016 'Former French Open champion <mark>Francesca Schiavone</mark> dropped the first set on her way to beating Lu Jiajing of China 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 Wednesday in the Jiangxi Open second round.' Schiavone Eliminates 2014 Champ Cornet At Katowice Open NYTimes - Apr 07, 2016 'Unseeded <mark>Francesca Schiavone</mark> of Italy eliminated the 2014 champion, fourth-seeded Alize Cornet of France 7-6 (5), 6-1 to make the Katowice Open quarterfinals on Thursday.

' Schiavone Ousts Kerber In Antwerp Fox News - Feb 12, 2015 'Antwerp, Belgium (SportsNetwork.com) - Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone upset second seed Angelique Kerber in Thursday\'s second-round action at the Diamond Games tennis event.The 34-year-old Italian Schiavone drilled the left-handed German Kerber 6-1, 6-1 on the indoor hardcourts at Sportpaleis Merksem' Radwanska, Wozniacki Bundled Out Early In Sydney Yahoo News - Jan 07, 2014 'The Sydney International continued to be a graveyard for some of the top names in women\'s tennis with champion and top seed Agnieszka Radwanska and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki both losing in the second round on Tuesday. Men\'s champion Bernard Tomic, however, followed up the exploits of fellow Australian Marko Matosevic, who earlier beat Florian Mayer 6-2 4-6 6-3, to demolish eighth seed Marcel Granollers 6-3 6-0 in just under an hour.

Radwanska and Wozniacki followed grand s... Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Francesca Schiavone. CHILDHOOD 1980 Birth Born on June 23, 1980. TWENTIES Show Less She and her Italian teammates Mara Santangelo, Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci beat the Belgium team 3â2 in the 2006 Fed Cup final. … Read More Justine Henin had to retire in the fifth and final match due to an injury in her right knee, which let Italy win their first Fed Cup trophy. This match was a doubles match and Kirsten Flipkens partnered Henin and Roberta Vinci partnered Schiavone. In 2009 she won the Fed Cup with Italy for the second time against the USA, and also made the quarter-finals of Wimbledon for the first time. In 2010 Italy with Schiavone won the Fed Cup for the third time. Read Less She also beat AmÃ©lie Mauresmo in a Fed Cup tie in 2006 when Mauresmo was ranked No. 1.

Show Less In addition she realized a notable victory during the quarterfinals of the 2008 Dubai Duty Free Women's Open, when she upset world No. 1 and four-time champion Henin 7â6, 7â6. Partnering with Australian Casey Dellacqua, Schiavone was the runner-up in the women's doubles competition at the 2008 French Open where they lost to Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual. … Read More Schiavone also reached the semifinals of the doubles event at the other three grand slams.<br /><br /> At the Australian Open Francesca defeated Frenchwomen AlizÃ© Cornet 0â6, 7â5, 6â0. and Julie Coin 6â3, 6â4 first before upsetting No. 10 seed Agnieszka RadwaÅska 6â2, 6â2. Though she matched her best results there (4R), she went on to lose to No.

6 seed Venus Williams after winning the first set 3â6, 6â2, 6â1.<br /><br /> She beat Alberta Brianti, Tathiana Garbin, Carla SuÃ¡rez Navarro, Yaroslava Shvedova, and Roberta Vinci all in straight sets to win her 3rd WTA title at the Barcelona Ladies Open. Read Less 2009 29 Years Old In the final, Schiavone faced Stosur in a rematch of their first-round meeting at the 2009 French Open which Stosur had won easily (6â4, 6â2). … Read More Because of this previous result, and Stosur's victories over four-time French Open champion Justine Henin, World No. 1 Serena Williams and World No. 4 JankoviÄ en route to the final, Stosur was considered a heavy favorite to defeat Schiavone. Read Less THIRTIES Show Less Seeded 17th entering the 2010 French Open, Schiavone was lightly regarded as a contender for the championship.

… Read More She defeated Regina Kulikova, Sophie Ferguson, 11th seed Li Na, and 30th seed Maria Kirilenko to reach her first French Open quarterfinal since 2001 (where she had lost to Martina Hingis). In the quarterfinals, she defeated World No. 3 Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets to become the first Italian woman to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam singles event.<br /><br /> The semifinals of the French Open consisted of four players (Jelena JankoviÄ, Elena Dementieva, Samantha Stosur and Schiavone) who had never won a Grand Slam singles event; nevertheless, most in the tennis community, including ESPN's tennis commentary team of Mary Jo Fernandez, Patrick McEnroe and Brad Gilbert singled out Schiavone as the one player who was not a serious contender to win the title. In the semifinals, Schiavone defeated World No.

5 and 2004 finalist Dementieva after Dementieva retired in the second set with a torn calf muscle having lost the first set in a tiebreaker; the victory made Schiavone the first Italian woman to reach a Grand Slam final, and assured that she would become a top-ten player for the first time following the tournament. Read Less However, on 5 June 2010, Schiavone defied expectations to become the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title, defeating Stosur 6â4, 7â6. … Read More The victory made her only the third Italian player to win a Grand Slam event in singles, after Nicola Pietrangeli and Adriano Panatta. Read Less The victory also meant she rose to number 6 in the World Rankings on 7 June 2010 and became the highest ranked Italian woman ever after Flavia Pennetta reached world No. 10 in 2009.

… Read More Schiavone's next event after the French Open was Eastbourne, where she lost in the first-round to Sorana CÃ®rstea 5â7, 3â6.<br /><br /> Schiavone was the 5th seed at Wimbledon, due to the pre-tournament withdrawal of Dementieva, however she lost to Vera Dushevina in the first round 7â6, 5â7, 1â6. Read Less Schiavone reached the quarterfinals of the 2010 Rogers Cup, where she fell to top seed Caroline Wozniacki. … Read More Schiavone was the 6th seed at the US Open. She defeated Ayumi Morita, Maria Elena Camerin, 29th seed Alona Bondarenko, and 20th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003 (where she had lost to Jennifer Capriati).

In the quarterfinals, she fell to seven-time Grand Slam singles champion No.3 seed Venus Williams 7â6, 6â4. Read Less As the 5th seed, Schiavone reached the semifinals of the 2010 Toray Pan Pacific Open, where she fell to 7th seed Elena Dementieva. … Read More At the season-ending WTA Tour Championships, Schiavone competed for the first time in her career but was eliminated in the round robin stage. Schiavone fell to Caroline Wozniacki in three sets, Samantha Stosur in two sets and before defeating Elena Dementieva in what would be Dementieva's final career match. Read Less Show Less Schiavone began the year at the 2011 Hopman Cup representing Italy. … Read More In singles, Schiavone defeated Great Britain's Laura Robson, but fell to American Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Schiavone retired with an injury against Kristina Mladenovic.

Read Less Seeded 6th at the 2011 Australian Open, Schiavone advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in her career upon a victory over 23rd seeded and two-time grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. … Read More The 4th round encounter lasted nearly five hours (4:44; 47 games in total), and Schiavone saved six match points before finally prevailing 6â4, 1â6, 16â14. With this win, Schiavone rose in the rankings to World No. 4 after the tournament, the highest ranking ever achieved by an Italian woman, improving her own record. In the quarterfinal against World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, Schiavone was a set and 3â1 up in the second set, but was broken twice by Wozniacki in the same set and twice in the third, to lose 3â6, 6â3, 6â3 after saving three match points.

Read Less At the 2011 Dubai Tennis Championships, Schiavone was seeded 3rd, but fell in the Round of 16 to Kuznetsova. At the 2011 Qatar Ladies Open in Doha, Schiavone fell to Peng Shuai in the Round of 16. She then fell to eventual champion Jelena Dokic at the 2011 Malaysian Open. Schiavone then reached the Round of 16 again at the 2011 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, falling to Shahar Pe'er. Seeded 5th at the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Schiavone reached the Round of 16, losing to Agnieszka RadwaÅska. Schiavone began her clay court season with a Round of 16 loss to RadwaÅska at the 2011 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. She then reached the Round of 16 at the 2011 Mutua Madrid Open, falling to Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Following Madrid, Schiavone then reached the quarterfinals of the 2011 Internazionali BNL d'Italia, losing to World No. 7 Samantha Stosur, in a rematch of the 2010 French Open final. She then lost to World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in three sets during the semifinals of the 2011 Brussels Open, the last tournament before the French Open. Schiavone was the 5th seed and the defending champion at the 2011 French Open. … Read More She beat Melanie Oudin, Vesna Dolonts, 29th seed Peng Shuai, 10th seed Jelena JankoviÄ, 14th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and 11th seed Marion Bartoli to reach the final. In the final, she lost to Li Na, 6â4, 7â6. Read Less Schiavone then switched to the grass courts, falling to Agnieszka RadwaÅska at the 2011 Aegon International in her only Wimbledon warmup.

She was the 6th seed at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, losing in the third round to Tamira Paszek of Austria. … Read More During the Rogers Cup, Schiavone won her opening round match against Ekaterina Makarova but fell in the third round to Lucie Å afÃ¡ÅovÃ¡ <br /><br /> The Western & Southern Open saw another early round loss for Schiavone. It took her three sets to defeat Maria Kirilenko in her opening round match. She then lost to former World No. 1 Jelena JankoviÄ in a third round three-setter.<br /><br /> Just before the US Open Schiavone entered the New Haven Open. She defeated Alexandra Dulgheru and Monica Niculescu in the first two rounds. Her quarterfinal match against Anabel Medina Garrigues was a walkover. Schiavone was defeated by World No.

1 Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets in the semifinals.<br /><br /> Schiavone reached the fourth round of the US Open where she lost to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.<br /><br /> At the China Open Schiavone emerged victorious in the first round against Bojana Jovanovski but was then defeated in the second round by Dominika CibulkovÃ¡. Read Less Qatar Tennis Federation | QTF | Qatar Tennis Tournaments and Championships Qatar Total Open 2013 Tournament History 07 Feb 2013 February 7, 2013 - DOHA, Qatar - The Qatar Total Open 2013, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, celebrates over a decade of women’s tennis in Doha. The event was not player in 2009 and 2010, during which the WTA and Qatar Tennis Federation staged the WTA Year-Ending Championships in Doha for three years in a row (2008-2010). The event has seen internationally renowned champions lift the coveted trophy over the years at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex.

This year’s event is a WTA Premier 5, with prize money totaling $2,369,000 and 56-direct entry players in the singles draw. With all of the Top 10 players participating, this is a field of athletes of the highest caliber. This year sees the world’s best come to Doha. World No. 1, Victoria Azarenka, looks to defend her title against a group of women that include multi-Grand Slam champions, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Sam Stosur, Petra Kvitova, and Ana Ivanovic. The very first event was played in 2001 with the game’s top players taking advantage of playing in Doha for the premier tournament. Martina Hingis was ranked No. 1 and she came to Doha to inaugurate the event. She faced a tough draw that included Mary Pierce and Sandrine Testud of France, Tunisia’s Selima Sfar, and Austria’s Barbara Schett. Hingis faced No.

3 seed Testud in the final and had no problem dismantling the Frenchwoman 6-3, 6-2 (and never losing a set during the entire tournament) to win the first ever Qatar Ladies Open title. Testud partnered with Italian Roberta Vinci to claim the first ladies doubles title in Doha that year. American superstar Monica Seles was the No. 1 seed at the 2002 event. If was her first time playing in the desert and after a first round bye, she eased her way through to the semifinals where she met Australian Alicia Molik. Molik put up quite a fight and took Seles to the edge, but the American won the match 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 in order to meet Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn in the finals. Tanasugarn was the tournament’s 4th seed and was a force to be reckoned with but Seles prevailed and won the match 7-6(6), 6-3. Her title in Doha would prove to be Seles’ last career professional title. It was a Russian invasion in Doha for the next four years.

Anastasia Myskina kicked things off by winning back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. She defeated fellow Russian Elena Likhovtseva in 2003 and beat another Russian in Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2004. 2004 saw Kuznetsova partner with fellow Russian Likhovtseva to lift the doubles trophy when they defeated Janette Husarova of Slovakia and Conchita Martinez of Spain. Russian dominance continued in 2005 when glamour girl Maria Sharapova came to town. It was her first trip to Doha and she made the most of it. Having not dropped a set on her way to the final against Australian Alicia Molik, Sharapova did not have as easy a time in her last match. Molik won the first set but Sharapova found her form and quickly went on to win the next two sets and the match, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Molik did not go home empty-handed though, she partnered with Italian Francesca Schiavone to defeat the formidable team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber in order to win the doubles trophy. Nadia Petrova continued the Russian tradition in 2006. In her first appearance in Doha, she managed to reach the final without dropping a set. Along the way she defeated Eleni Daniilidou, Li Na and Ai Sugiyama. She faced No. 1 seed and then-world No. 2 Amelia Mauresmo of France in the final. Petrova’s Doha debut culminated with a straight-set win over Mauresmo, 6-3, 7-5. The Russian streak came to an end in 2007. Ranked No. 2 in the world and the tournament’s top seed, Justine Henin of Belgium had previously played in the desert in 2004 (where she lost to Kuznetsova in the semifinals). But 2007 would be a different result for her. She came upon Kuznetsova once again, this time in the final. Seeded No.

2, Kuznetsova hoped to continue the Russian dominance but Henin had other plans and won the title by defeating Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-2. In doubles, Martina Hingis partner with Maria Kirilenko to win the trophy over Agnes Szavay and Vladimira Uhlirova. Sharapova returned to Doha in 2008 and in her second appearance, she won her second Doha title. She faced fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva in the final. Sharapova easily won the first set but lost her form in the second set which her countrywoman took full advantage of and forced the match into a deciding third set. Sharapova regained her tactics and won the title 6-1, 2-6, 6-0. The tournament took a two-year hiatus after 2008 in order to stage the WTA Year-Ending Championships. After three consecutive year-end finals, the WTA event returned to Doha last February and 2008 finalist Vera Zvonareva was looking to better her showing. After a bye in the first round, she easily defeated Dominika Cibulkova in the second round.

Then she faced stiff competition the quarterfinals (against Daniela Hantuchova) and semifinals (against Jelena Jankovic) – both players forced Zvonareva to win the matches in three sets. She then faced world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the final. She was ready to win the title and didn’t drop a set in her 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Wozniacki. Zvonareva took home the trophy and $111,000 in prize money. In 2012, newly crowned Australian Open champion, Victoria Azarenka, came to Doha to prove her status as the new world No. 1. She faced a field of players that included Agnieszka Radwanska, Marion Bartoli and finalist Sam Stosur. Azarenka fought her way through the draw to face the Australian Stosur and was able to claim her first Doha title. Beyond quality tennis by the games’ greatest players, the Qatar Total Open 2013 also showcases entertainment for the entire family with its Public and VIP Villages, Kids Zone, and Traditional Souq.

Players, sponsors and fans have grown accustomed to the warmth and accessibility the event offers. The Qatar Total Open 2013 highlights the growth of the sport as it continues to bring the world’s greatest tennis players to Doha. Tickets to the Qatar Total Open 2013 are available on the QTF website and at Lagoona, City Center, Landmark, and the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex. For more information about the tournament and tickets, visit . - The Qatar Total Open 2013, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, celebrates over a decade of women’s tennis in Doha. The event was not player in 2009 and 2010, during which the WTA and Qatar Tennis Federation staged the WTA Year-Ending Championships in Doha for three years in a row (2008-2010). The event has seen internationally renowned champions lift the coveted trophy over the years at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex.

This year’s event is a WTA Premier 5, with prize money totaling $2,369,000 and 56-direct entry players in the singles draw. With all of the Top 10 players participating, this is a field of athletes of the highest caliber. This year sees the world’s best come to Doha. World No. 1, Victoria Azarenka, looks to defend her title against a group of women that include multi-Grand Slam champions, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Sam Stosur, Petra Kvitova, and Ana Ivanovic. The very first event was played in 2001 with the game’s top players taking advantage of playing in Doha for the premier tournament. Martina Hingis was ranked No. 1 and she came to Doha to inaugurate the event. She faced a tough draw that included Mary Pierce and Sandrine Testud of France, Tunisia’s Selima Sfar, and Austria’s Barbara Schett. Hingis faced No.

3 seed Testud in the final and had no problem dismantling the Frenchwoman 6-3, 6-2 (and never losing a set during the entire tournament) to win the first ever Qatar Ladies Open title. Testud partnered with Italian Roberta Vinci to claim the first ladies doubles title in Doha that year. American superstar Monica Seles was the No. 1 seed at the 2002 event. If was her first time playing in the desert and after a first round bye, she eased her way through to the semifinals where she met Australian Alicia Molik. Molik put up quite a fight and took Seles to the edge, but the American won the match 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 in order to meet Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn in the finals. Tanasugarn was the tournament’s 4th seed and was a force to be reckoned with but Seles prevailed and won the match 7-6(6), 6-3. Her title in Doha would prove to be Seles’ last career professional title. It was a Russian invasion in Doha for the next four years.

Anastasia Myskina kicked things off by winning back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. She defeated fellow Russian Elena Likhovtseva in 2003 and beat another Russian in Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2004. 2004 saw Kuznetsova partner with fellow Russian Likhovtseva to lift the doubles trophy when they defeated Janette Husarova of Slovakia and Conchita Martinez of Spain. Russian dominance continued in 2005 when glamour girl Maria Sharapova came to town. It was her first trip to Doha and she made the most of it. Having not dropped a set on her way to the final against Australian Alicia Molik, Sharapova did not have as easy a time in her last match. Molik won the first set but Sharapova found her form and quickly went on to win the next two sets and the match, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Molik did not go home empty-handed though, she partnered with Italian Francesca Schiavone to defeat the formidable team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber in order to win the doubles trophy. Nadia Petrova continued the Russian tradition in 2006. In her first appearance in Doha, she managed to reach the final without dropping a set. Along the way she defeated Eleni Daniilidou, Li Na and Ai Sugiyama. She faced No. 1 seed and then-world No. 2 Amelia Mauresmo of France in the final. Petrova’s Doha debut culminated with a straight-set win over Mauresmo, 6-3, 7-5. The Russian streak came to an end in 2007. Ranked No. 2 in the world and the tournament’s top seed, Justine Henin of Belgium had previously played in the desert in 2004 (where she lost to Kuznetsova in the semifinals). But 2007 would be a different result for her. She came upon Kuznetsova once again, this time in the final. Seeded No.

2, Kuznetsova hoped to continue the Russian dominance but Henin had other plans and won the title by defeating Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-2. In doubles, Martina Hingis partner with Maria Kirilenko to win the trophy over Agnes Szavay and Vladimira Uhlirova. Sharapova returned to Doha in 2008 and in her second appearance, she won her second Doha title. She faced fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva in the final. Sharapova easily won the first set but lost her form in the second set which her countrywoman took full advantage of and forced the match into a deciding third set. Sharapova regained her tactics and won the title 6-1, 2-6, 6-0. The tournament took a two-year hiatus after 2008 in order to stage the WTA Year-Ending Championships. After three consecutive year-end finals, the WTA event returned to Doha last February and 2008 finalist Vera Zvonareva was looking to better her showing. After a bye in the first round, she easily defeated Dominika Cibulkova in the second round.

Then she faced stiff competition the quarterfinals (against Daniela Hantuchova) and semifinals (against Jelena Jankovic) – both players forced Zvonareva to win the matches in three sets. She then faced world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the final. She was ready to win the title and didn’t drop a set in her 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Wozniacki. Zvonareva took home the trophy and $111,000 in prize money. In 2012, newly crowned Australian Open champion, Victoria Azarenka, came to Doha to prove her status as the new world No. 1. She faced a field of players that included Agnieszka Radwanska, Marion Bartoli and finalist Sam Stosur. Azarenka fought her way through the draw to face the Australian Stosur and was able to claim her first Doha title. Beyond quality tennis by the games’ greatest players, the Qatar Total Open 2013 also showcases entertainment for the entire family with its Public and VIP Villages, Kids Zone, and Traditional Souq.

Players, sponsors and fans have grown accustomed to the warmth and accessibility the event offers. The Qatar Total Open 2013 highlights the growth of the sport as it continues to bring the world’s greatest tennis players to Doha. Tickets to the Qatar Total Open 2013 are available on the QTF website and at Lagoona, City Center, Landmark, and the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex. For more information about the tournament and tickets, visit Qatar Tennis Federation | QTF | Qatar Tennis Tournaments and Championships Azarenka Withdraws from Qatar Total Open 2014 06 Feb 2014 February 7, 2014 – Doha, Qatar –Two-time defending champion and world No.2, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, has withdrawn from the Qatar Total Open 2014 due to foot inflammation. Azarenka first won the Doha title in 2012 when she defeated Australia’s Sam Stosur in the final, 6-1, 6-2.

She returned last year to defend her title – which she did successfully by defeating American Serena Williams in the final, 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-3. Azarenka holds 17 WTA singles titles and six doubles titles. She has won the Australian Open two times (2012 and 2013) and reached the finals of the US Open twice (2012 and 2013). She also has an Olympic gold medal in Mixed Doubles (with Max Mirnyi) at the 2012 London Games. Azarenka said of her withdrawal, "I am sorry I can't make it to Doha for the Qatar Total Open, but unfortunately I haven't been able to recover on time from my ongoing foot injury. I am thankful to all my fans in Doha and I look forward to coming back next year.

I wish the best of luck to the tournament and hope that fans enjoy watching the other players that will be coming to that great event." Tournament Director, Saad Al Mohannadi, said of her withdrawal, “We are disappointed that Victoria cannot join us at this year’s event but we wish her a quick recovery and best of luck for the rest of theseason. Victoria has promised us that she will be back next year and we look forward to welcoming her to Doha once more.”

Question: Sam Stosur won the American Open Ladies Tennis Championship in 2011. What nationality is she?
Answer: AUSTRALIAN