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Pole axes favourites

June 2008 | by Monticelli

Agnieszka Radwanska was emphatic on her way to clinching her first ever grass singles title, despite squandering three tournament points in the second set tiebreak of a thrilling final against Nadia Petrova. 

And the teenage Pole danced past the opposition as she pulled out all the stops and big shots to register comfortable victories by waltzing into the final and stealing a 6-4, 6-7 (11-13), 6-4 success.

And the fiery Radwanska lived up to her pre-tournament hype by starting against the experienced Russian in the same rich vein of form, losing only three service points in a one-sided first set. 

Thankfully for the packed Centre Court crowd, Petrova's stuttering start was soon over as she turned on the style and had the vocal fans behind her from then on. 

The Russian stepped up a couple of gears as she began to produce some formidable shots, but was fully tested by the industrious Radwanska. Petrova only just held her nerve in a topsy-turvy tiebreak to treat the boisterous crowd to a decisive third set.

But the no4 seed proved too strong on her serve to race ahead. The fans were treated to plenty of drama and entertainment, as Petrova saved four match points before bowing out graciously to Radwanska.

After claiming her third singles title of 2008, Radwanska admitted: "I'm exhausted after all those matches this week, but I'm happy that I won a big event for the first time."

She added, tongue firmly in cheek: "I really enjoyed playing this week on Centre Court with the rain, sun and wind."

Previous best at Eastbourne .// Second round 2007, Radwanska was beaten by eventual champion Justine Henin 6-4 6-1 (70 minutes).

Tournament photos

We have trimmed down the hundreds of photos from last year to be able to tell tennis fans the story of 2008 Eastbourne with our set of images. 

This is our final top ten, which hopefully will put Eastbourne tennis followers in the picture for the thrills and spills of shock champion Agnieszka Rawanska at the 2008 International Open. 

CLICK HERE to relive 2008 in images.

Tournament results

Player mentioned first opened the serving in each match

Saturday | 21 June
Nadia Petrova (world no22, RUS)
lost to
Agnieszka RADWANSKA (14, POL)
singles, final
4-6, 7-6 (13-11), 4-6
 
Friday | 20 June
Sam Stosur (world no157, AUS)
lost to
Nadia PETROVA (22, RUS)
singles, semi-final
3-6, 3-6
 
Agnieszka RADWANSKA (14, POL)
defeated
Marion Bartoli (11, FRA)
singles, semi-final
7-5, 6-3
 
Thursday | 19 June
Virginie Razzano (world no28, FRA)
lost to
Agnieszka RADWANSKA (14, POL)
singles, round 2
6-3, 3-6, 4-6
 
Caroline Wozniacki (32, DEN)
lost to
Sam STOSUR (157, AUS)
singles, quarter-finals
6-7 (3), 4-6
 
Ekaterina Makarova (62, RUS)
lost to
Nadia PETROVA (22, RUS)
singles, quarter-finals
4-6, 3-6
 
Alisa Kleybanova (47, RUS)
lost to
Marion BARTOLI (11, FRA)
singles, quarter-finals
3-6, 3-6
 
Gisela Dulko (42, ARG)
lost to
Agnieszka RADWANSKA (14, POL)
singles, quarter-finals
5-7, 5-7
 
Wednesday | 18 June
Sybille Bammer (world no27, AUT)
lost to
Marion BARTOLI (11, FRA)
singles, round 2
3-6, 0-6
 
Svetlana Kuznetsova (4, RUS)
lost to
Caroline WOZNIACKI (32, DEN)
singles, round 2
2-6, 2-6
 
Sam STOSUR (157, AUS)
defeated
Amelie Mauresmo (30, FRA)
singles, round 2
1-2, Retired
 
Aravane Rezai (61, FRA)
lost to
Alisa KLEYBANOVA (47, RUS)
singles, round 2
3-6, 7-5, 3-6
 
Vera Zvonareva (13, RUS)
lost to
Ekaterina MAKAROVA (62, RUS)
singles, round 2
3-6, 3-6
 
Olga Govortsova (36, BLR)
lost to
Gisela DULKO (42, ARG)
singles, round 2
1-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6
 
Tuesday | 17 June
Caroline WOZNIACKI (world no32, EST)
defeated
Tsvetana Pironkova (40, BUL)
singles, round 2
6-3, 6-2
 
Melanie South (139, GBR)
lost to
Alisa KLEYBANOVA (47, RUS)
singles, round 2
4-6, 4-6
 
Nicole Vaidisova (18, CZE)
lost to
Olga GOVORTSOVA (36, RUS)
singles, round 2
2-6, 4-6
 
Kaia Kanepi (world no34, EST)
lost to
Virginie RAZZANO (28, FRA)
singles, round 2
3-6, 4-6
 
Alla Kudryavtseva (162, RUS)
lost to
Sybille BAMMER (27, AUT)
singles, round 2
6-7 (9), 6-1, 5-7
 
Na Li (48, CHN)
lost to
Nadia PETROVA (22, RUS)
singles, round 3
2-6, 7-6 (5), 3-6
 
Monday | 16 June
Kaia Kanepi (world no34, EST)
lost to
Ekaterina MAKAROVA (62, RUS)
singles, qualifying round 3
6-7 (5), 3-6
 
Tsvetana PIRONKOVA (40, BUL)
defeated
Tzipora Obziler (120, ISR)
singles, qualifying round 3
6-4, 6-0
 
Alisa KLEYBANOVA (46, RUS)
defeated
Natalie Dechy (91, FRA)
singles, qualifying round 3
7-5, 7-6 (4)
 
Alla KUDRYAVTSEVA (162, RUS)
defeated
Tatiana Poutchek (153, BLR)
singles, qualifying round 3
6-2, 6-3
 
Samantha STOSUR (157, AUS)
defeated
Katie O'Brien (379, GBR)
singles, round 1
6-4, 6-3
 
Amelie MAURESMO (30, FRA)
defeated
Alize Cornet (17, FRA)
singles, round 1
6-1, 4-6. 7-5
 
Na LI (48, CHN)
defeated
Casey Dellacqua (41, AUS)
singles, round 1
4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5)
 
Shahar Peer (25, ISR)
lost to
Nadia PETROVA (22, RUS)
singles, round 1
2-6, 2-6
 
Tsvetana PIRONKOVA (40, BUL)
defeated
Catalina Castano (147, COL)
singles, round 1
6-1, 6-2
 
Tathiana Garbin (79, ITA)
lost to
Gisela DULKO (42, ARG)
singles, round 1
6-3, 4-6, 2-6
 
Victoria Azarenka (16, BLR)
lost to
Aravane REZAI (61, FRA)
singles, round 1
2-6, 0-0 retired

I'm exhausted after all those matches this week, but I'm happy that I won a big event for the first time.

- Agniezska Radwanska

Players to watch

Svetlana Kuznetsova | Won the 2004 title at Eastbourne on her debut, has a fantastic record at Devonshire Park with semi-final spots on her other two appearances in 2005 and 2006. Grass suits the Monaco-based Russian, who has reached three quarter-finals at Wimbledon and as a regular top five player is always a force to be reckoned with.

Marion Bartoli | The 2007 Wimbledon finalist, makes her fifth consecutive appearance at Eastbourne. In 2007 defeated Russia's Elena Dementieva in the last eight before bowing out to eventual champion Justine Henin. But Bartoli got revenge for that defeat by beating Henin in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Vera Zvonareva | Made an instant impact in her career, which hit a resurgence for the glamorous Russian after her dizzy heights of world no9 in 2004. That was the year the avid baseliner raced to the semi-finals at Devonshire Park and followed it up with a career-best fourth round appearance at Wimbledon. Won her sixth WTA Tour title at Prague in May 2008.

Nadia Petrova | Retired from the 2007 semi-final with a pectoral muscle strain, which prevented her from improving on the best ever showing at Devonshire Park. The baseliner boasts an impressive grass court record, although has never surpassed the quarter-final stage at SW19. Desperate for a dramatic change in fortunes if she is ever going to add to her seven WTA Tour titles.

Lindsay Davenport | Returned to the WTA Tour in 2007 following an 11-month absence due to giving birth to her only child, and has won tournaments since to take her career tally to over 50 titles. Former world no1 has a hat-trick of Grand Slams – the US Open (1998), Wimbledon (1999) and Australian Open (2000).
 
Amelie Mauresmo | Has consistently been one of the best players on the WTA Tour over the past decade, by finishing in the world top 20 for nine consecutive years and an ex-world no1. Winner of two Grand Slam titles in 2006, the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and 22 other career singles titles.
 
Virginie Razzano | Made a real breakthrough in 2007, picking up her only WTA Tour titles back-to-back at Guangzhou and Tokyo to make it into the world's top 30 for the first time. A seasoned professional with great success in the French Fed Cup team, the Nimes resident has had to settle for a one-off third round best at Wimbledon in 2004. She has never made much impact on the grass courts at Devonshire Park, with a second round exit in 2005 her best shot at Eastbourne to date, but new vigour and vim in her swing she's finally a force to be reckoned with.
 
Agnieszka Rawanska | An ambitious ex-Junior Wimbledon champion who has picked up a number of titles prior to Eastbourne. The Polish teenager is likely to cause a few upsets with her game so well suited to grass, and if the draw is kind enough should reach at least the final four.

Caroline Wozniacki | Finished in the world's top 100 after her inaugural full season on the WTA Tour in 2007, with the pick of her career the semi-final defeat to top seed Venus Williams at the Japan Open in Toyko. The tall Danish delight tastes lawn tennis at Devonshire Park for the first time in preparation to improve on her 2007 second round debut at the Wimbledon Championships.

Olga Govortsova | Has yet to win a WTA Tour title, and that statistic is most unlikely to change on her Devonshire Park debut. She won a match on her inaugural appearance at Wimbledon in 2007, her first taste of playing in a Grand Slam. With three quarter-final appearances and a semi-final finish at Tashkent, the Minsk resident finished her first full season on the WTA Tour with an impressive top 50 world ranking and enjoyed warming up for SW19 by playing in the world's friendliest tennis tournament.

Karin Knapp | Another player to mark her first full season on the WTA Tour with a credible top 100 finish in 2007. The tall Italian reached semi-finals at Budapest, Palermo and Bad Gastein. Will taste the delights of the Devonshire Park International Tennis Centre in a bid to improve on her first round exit at SW19 on her inaugural appearance in 2007.

Na Li | Has already picked up a WTA Tour title in 2008 prior to her debut at Eastbourne by triumphing at the Gold Coast in Austalia. But 2006 was her breakthrough season, including the honour of becoming the first ever Chinese quarter-finalist at Wimbledon. The Wuhan resident started 2007 in the same rich vein, with a quarter-final berth or better in 13 pre-Wimbledon events. However, 13 proved unlucky for her despite becoming the first Chinese player to surpass the million dollar mark for tennis earnings when she had to withdraw from Eastbourne with a rib stress fracture. The injury saw her miss 13 events in total, including Wimbledon and the US Open.

Gisela Dulko | In the same sexy, sultry and winning mould of compatriot Gabrielle Sabatini, with three WTA Tour titles to her credit so far. The Buenos Aires resident has twice made the third round on the grass courts at SW19 despite suffered a first round exit at Wimbledon 2007. In preparation for the Championships the ace opted to make her Eastbourne debut while she was in such tremendous form but was not a huge hit. In 2007 she recorded a hat-trick of top 40 world ranking finishes, with a runner-up spot at Pattaya City followed by triumphs at Budapest and Forest Hills. More than just a pretty face, has great expectations on her young shoulders for a rosy future.

Aravane Rezai | Made impressive back-to-back world top 100 finishes in her opening two professional seasons, and is making further progress courtesy of smart tactics and elegant play. The St Etienne resident kicked off 2008 with a runner-up spot at Auckland, New Zealand and followed it up with a place in the third round of the Australian Open. In May 2008 the tennis stunner bowed out at the semi-final stage in Fes and makes her Eastbourne debut in a bid to improve on inaugural third round appearance at Wimbledon in 2007.              

Seeded players

Seeds will soon be scattered at the 2008 International Open. With such a strong field and many welll-known names no longer at the peak of their game, then realistically only five of the seeded players could capture the 2008 title at Eastbourne.

No1 | Svetlana Kuznetsova
Chance of winning | Unlikely
Turned professional 1997
Date of birth 27 June 85
Birthplace St. Petersburg, Russia
Height 174 cm
Weight 73 kg
Residence Barcelona, Spain

No2 | Marion Bartoli
Chance of winning | High
Turned professional 2000
Date of birth 2 October 84
Birthplace Le Puy en Velay, France
Height 170 cm
Weight 58 kg
Residence Geneva, Switzerland

No3 | Vera Zvonareva
Chance of winning | High
Turned professional 2000
Date of birth 7 September 84
Birthplace Moscow, Russia
Height 172 cm
Weight 59 kg
Residence Moscow, Russia

No4 | Agniezska Radwanska
Chance of winning | High
Turned professional 2005
Date of birth 6 March 89
Birthplace Krakow, Poland
Height 170 cm
Weight 56 kg
Residence Krakow, Poland

No5 | Victoria Azarenka
Chance of winning | Good
Turned professional 2003
Date of birth 31 July 89
Birthplace Minsk, Belarus
Height 180 cm
Weight 60 kg
Residence Phoenix, Arizona

No6 | Alice Cornet
Chance of winning | Fair
Turned professional 2006
Date of birth 22 January 90
Birthplace Nice, France
Height 171 cm
Weight 59 kg
Residence Nice, France

No7 | Nicole Vaidosova
Chance of winning | Unlikely
Turned professional 2003
Date of birth 23 April 89
Birthplace Nuremberg, Germany
Height 181 cm
Weight 63 kg
Residence Prague, Czech Republic

No8 | Nadia Petrova
Chance of winning | Good
Turned professional 1999
Date of birth 8 June 1982
Birthplace Moscow, Russia
Height 178 cm
Weight 65 kg
Residence Krakow, Poland