Sony Ericsson Championships

Madrid, Spain
November 6-11, 2007
Season-Ending Championships
Prize Money: $3,000,000
Draw: 8M/4D
Surface: Hardcourt/Indoors
Tournament Director: Manolo Santana

Official Web Site:

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How it works

In the Sony Ericsson Championships the eight singles players are divided into two teams of four. From Tuesday through Friday the two groups play in a round robin format, meaning each player meets one another in their group. The best two performed players of each group go on to the final phase that takes place during the weekend. In the semi-finals the first-placed woman from one group meets with the second-placed woman from the other, with the winners advancing to the final. All the matches are played to best-of-three-sets.

Yellow Group.

Justine henin
Jelena Jankovic
Serena Williams
Anna Chakvetadze

Red Group

Svetlana Kuznetsova
Ana Ivanovic
Daniela Hantuchova
Maria Sharapova

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Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Recinto Ferial Casa de Campo (from 18.00hrs)

1. Henin vs. Chakvetadze
2. Sharapova vs. Hantuchova (NB 20.00hrs)
3. Kuznetsova vs. Ivanovic

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WTA Tour - Championships guide


Eight players, six days, one trophy.

YELLOW GROUP

(1) Justine Henin (BEL)
----------------------------

Since returning to the WTA Tour after skipping the Australian Open because of her then-ongoing divorce, the Belgian star has put together one of the most dominant campaigns in recent memory. In 13 events this season the world number one has compiled a whopping 58-4 record, won nine titles including the French Open and US Open, and reached at least the semi-finals in every tournament in which she's played. Just for comparison's sake, her counterpart on the ATP Tour (one Roger Federer) has only won seven titles in 2007 with a 63-7 record.

Against Jankovic: 8-0 (2007 record 6-0)

Against Williams: 6-6 (2007 record 3-1)

Against Chakvetadze: 2-0 (2007 record 1-0)
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(3) Jelena Jankovic (SRB)

The world number three Jankovic has arguably been the second-best player on Tour this year, a fact backed up by her number two ranking in the 2007 Sony Ericsson WTA Race. In her break-out season the 22-year-old Serbian has won more matches than anyone on Tour, including Henin, compiling a 72-22 record. Perhaps the only thing that prevented her from claiming more than four titles in 2007 is a horrid record against the Belgian world number one, who beat Jankovic in the semi-finals in Stuttgart, Warsaw, Doha, and the French Open, and in the final in Toronto.

Against Henin: 0-8 (2007 record 0-6)

Against Williams: 2-2 (2007 record 0-1)

Against Chakvetadze: 2-5 (2007 record 1-1)

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(5) Serena Williams (USA)

The former world number one had an amazing start to the year winning the Australian Open despite entering with a lowly 81 ranking, but like Jankovic has been thwarted time and again by Henin. Serena won her first clash of the season against the world number one, coming from behind brilliantly to claim an 0-6 7-5 6-3 triumph in the Miami final to collect the second of two trophies in 2007. Since then the two arch-rivals have met in the quarter-finals of the year's last three grand slams at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and Flushing Meadows. Each time, Serena's tournament has ended in frustration. It begs the question, what would have happened had Justine played in Melbourne?

Against Henin: 6-6 (2007 record 1-3)

Against Jankovic: 2-2 (2007 record 1-0)

Against Chakvetadze: 0-0

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(7) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)

The 20-year-old Muscovite has had her best season on Tour and the second-best of the three Russians playing in Madrid. Chakvetadze's success is largely attributable to a stunning summer hardcourt campaign. Two of her four 2007 titles came during the North American summer in Cincinnati and Stanford, while Chakvetadze also made her grand slam semi-final debut at the US Open. Though she has struggled to a 2-4 record in four events since Flushing Meadows, Chakvetadze could play the role of spoiler in Madrid, especially against Jankovic.

Against Henin: 0-2 (2007 record 0-1)

Against Jankovic: 5-2 (2007 record 1-1)

Against Williams: 0-0


...................................................................... ....................


RED GROUP

(2) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
-------------------------------------------

The top seeded player in the weaker of the two group is by no means the section's star, despite being one of the most consistent performers on the circuit this season. In 18 tournaments the 2004 US Open champion has reached the quarter-finals 15 times, including six finals appearances. Kuznetsova's problem is her 1-5 record in those finals, including a 6-1 6-3 humiliation at the hands of Henin in the last round of the Flushing Meadows.

Against Ivanovic: 1-3 (2007 record 0-2)

Against Sharapova: 3-3 (2007 record 0-0)

Against Hantuchova: 6-3 (2007 record 2-1)

---------------------------------------------
(4) Ana Ivanovic (SRB)

Ivanovic has arguably made the biggest splash on the Tour this season, causing even greater waves than compatriot and world number three Jankovic. The Serbian number two, who turns 20-years-old on the opening day of the Championships, has made a name for herself as the WTA Tour's next bright young star after winning three titles in 2007, reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon, and making it to the last round of the French Open. Though she was utterly obliterated 6-1 6-2 by the defending champion in the Roland Garros final, Ivanovic did have one impressive game against Henin breaking the world number one in the first game of the match.

Against Kuznetsova: 3-1 (2007 record 2-0)

Against Sharapova: 2-1 (2007 record 2-0)

Against Hantuchova: 1-1 (2007 record 1-1)

------------------------------------------------
(6) Maria Sharapova (RUS)

The Russian superstar began 2007 on a high, claiming hold of the world number one ranking despite losing to Serena Williams in the Australian Open final. Everything has gone downhill since, as a string of injuries have seen the 2006 US Open champion tumble down the rankings to sixth. Despite a career-best semi-finals showing at Roland Garros, Sharapova lost in the fourth round at Wimbledon and saw her title defence at Flushing Meadows come to a crashing halt against Polish teenager (and likely future Madrid challenger) Agnieszka Radwanska in round three. In addition to fitness issues over her season-long shoulder injury, Sharapova could be a bit rusty having played just one event (an opening loss at her home-tournament in Moscow) since the US Open debacle.

Against Kuznetsova: 3-3 (2007 record 0-0)

Against Ivanovic: 1-2 (2007 record 0-2)

Against Hantuchova: 5-1 (2007 record 0-0)

--------------------------------------------
(8) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)

The Slovakian number one is clearly the straggler in this field, having earned the eighth and final berth after Wimbledon champion Venus Williams withdrew from Madrid with an injury. The Slovakian number one is the only one of the eight challengers never to have reached at least a grand slam semi-final, and she hasn't reached the quarter-finals of a major since 2003. That being said, Hantuchova has been in fine late-season form reaching three finals and winning one title in the last two months. The highlight of her year was a title in March at Indian Wells where she beat Martina Hingis in the fourth round and Kuznetsova in the final.

Against Kuznetsova: 3-6 (2007 record 1-2)

Against Ivanovic: 1-1 (2007 record 1-1)

Against Sharapova: 1-4 (2007 record 0-0)

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Singles - Yellow Group
.................................
(1) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (7) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 61 76(4)



Singles - Red Group
..............................
(4) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) d. (2) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 61 46 75
(6) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. (8) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 64 75

Added after 2 hours 20 minutes 21 seconds:

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Recinto Ferial Casa de Campo (from 18.00hrs)

1. Jankovic vs. Henin (yellow group)
2. S.Williams vs. Chakvetadze (yellow group)(NB 20.00hrs)
3. Ivanovic vs. Hantuchova (red group)

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Singles - Yellow Group

(1) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (3) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 62 62
(7) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) d. (5) Serena Williams (USA) 64 ret. (left knee injury)

Added after 1 hour 21 minutes 56 seconds:

Red Group
(4) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) d. (8) Daniela Hanutchova (SVK) 62 76(9)

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Order of play

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Recinto Ferial Casa de Campo (from 18.00hrs)

1. Kuznetsova vs. Sharapova
2. Henin vs. S.Williams (NB 20.00hrs)
3. Jankovic vs. Chakvetadze

Thursday, November 8, 2007
REVISED

Recinto Ferial Casa de Campo (from 18.00hrs)
1. Kuznetsova vs. Sharapova
2. Henin vs. Bartoli* (NB 20.00hrs)
3. Jankovic vs. Chakvetadze

* Bartoli replaces S.Williams (left patella femoral inflammation)

Thursday, November 8, 2007

SINGLES ROUND ROBIN

Yellow Group

(1) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (A) Marion Bartoli (FRA) 60 60
(7) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) d. (3) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 64 06 63

Red Group

(6) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. (2) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 57 62 62

---------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Order of play

Friday, November 9, 2007

Recinto Ferial Casa de Campo (from 18.00hrs)

1. Jankovic vs. Bartoli
2. Ivanovic vs. Sharapova (NB 20.00hrs)
3. Kuznetsova vs. Hantuchova

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Singles - Semifinals
(1) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (4) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 64 64
(6) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. (7) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 62 62

Doubles - Semifinals
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) d. (4) Peschke/Stubbs (CZE/AUS) 76(3) 46 106 (Match TB)
(2) Srebotnik/Sugiyama (SLO/JPN) d. (3) Chan/Chuang (TPE/TPE) 62 62

Order of play for Sunday, November 11, 2007
1. Doubles Final: Black/Huber vs. Srebotnik/Sugiyama (from 13.30hrs)
2. Singles Final: Henin vs. Sharapova (NB 16.00hrs)

Added after 8 hours 29 minutes 51 seconds:

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Singles - Final
(1) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (6) Maria Sharapova (RUS) 57 75 63

Doubles - Final
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) d. (2) Srebotnik/Sugiyama (SLO/JPN) 57 63 108 (Match TB)

Henin caps memorable year with WTA title
MATTHEW CRONIN fox sports

The most mentally tough player on the WTA Tour all year long proved once again that when an opponent backs her up against the wall, she'll turn to her executioner's weapons.

In one of the most dramatic year-end battles on record, No. 1 Justine Henin clawed her way back from a set down to overcome a spirited Maria Sharapova 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in nearly three and a half hours and retain her Sony Ericsson WTA Championships title in Madrid.

The victory capped off a spectacular year for the 25-year-old, who won a career-high 10 titles, including the French and U.S. Opens. The win extended Henin's winning streak to 26 matches and made her the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1989 to go unbeaten after Wimbledon.

"In the third set it was much more mental and physical," said Henin, who needed five match points to close out an exhausted yet gritty Sharapova. "It was a tough last game, we were both dead. What a way to finish the season. I feel it's a dream what's happened this season."

The beginning of the year was more like a nightmare for Henin, who skipped the Australian Open to recover from her separation from husband Pierre-Yves Hardenne. She didn't find her legendary form until April, when after choking the Miami final against Serena Williams, she touched her quick and agile feet down on clay.

Justine Henin didn't suffer a loss after Wimbledon in 2007. (Bernat Armangue / Associated Press)

After that, she was nearly untouchable, stomping Ana Ivanovic for her fourth French Open title and then laying waste to world No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the U.S. Open finale for her seventh major crown overall. Along the way, she sliced up 2007 Aussie Open champ Serena Williams on three occasions, finally beat Venus Williams in a huge match on hard courts in the semifinals of the U.S. Open, and schooled every up-and-comer who thought they had a chance to penetrate her steely reserve and high-variety game.

That group included the sweet swinging Serbians Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, the creative young Russian Chakvetadze, and on Sunday the suddenly revived Sharapova, who before Madrid was wondering whether her chronically injured right shoulder would ever allow her to play at a championship level again.

The only major hiccup Henin experienced all year was her shocking loss to France's Marion Bartoli in the Wimbledon semis, and she learned from the defeat that she had to be ready for every twist and turn that might come at her. When she got another shot at Bartoli in Madrid, she embarrassed her, scoring the first double-bagel in WTA Championships history with a 6-0, 6-0 victory.

The Belgian didn't drop a set in her round-robin group, and during Saturday's semifinals stole all the big points from Ivanovic, who owns the tour's most impressive forehand and volley but is nowhere near as mentally consistent as Henin. In 2008, Ivanovic should be ready to break through to the next level and cement herself in the top three, but this year, she's been as sporadic as she's been brilliant.

Coming off her worst year since turning pro, two-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova essentially turned her year around in Madrid, although a title would have been much sweeter. She was advised by her camp to shut it down for the year in October and give her weak shoulder a full six weeks of rest, but she refused because she can't stand being out of competition for long stretches.

Unlike at the U.S. Open, when her serve deserted her and the rest of her game began to fray, Sharapova entered Madrid with a different mindset — cut loose as much as possible in every other department and focus on placing serves in the corners. While Sharapova didn't set service-winner records in Spain, she was anticipating where her opponent's returns were going much better and tearing into the second balls, frequently giving herself a leg up in the rallies. While the Russian is still vulnerable on the run, she's improving her footwork and is much more assured of her ground strokes when she's being stretched out.

Once she found her rhythm early on in round-robin play, Sharapova was able to take big swings at her forehand, backhand and returns and made good use of her swing volley, beating up Kuznetsova, Ivanovic and Chakvetadze.

She belted away at Henin with all her might and was able to hit through her on numerous occasions, just like she did in the 2006 U.S. Open final. But her inability to hold easily in the second set doomed her as Henin was daring her to turn the match into a brutal physical contest.

Sharapova was forced to oblige, and toward the end of the third set, had to be treated for breathing problems. Henin threw body blow after body blow at her and had knocked the wind out of her.

"It has been an incredible year," Sharapova said. "She is someone who has gone through so much in life this year and it is an honor to play against her. It's been a difficult year, with a lot of injuries — two weeks ago I didn't know if I was going to play here and so to get to the final is a surprise. I hope we can play many more times so I can get my revenge."

Henin will enter the 2008 Australian Open as the favorite and will now be chasing history. She's only one major title behind Serena, who is once again physically struggling and after winning the Aussie Open and Miami in the first quarter of the year, failed to win another title and only reached one other final. Venus has six Grand Slam crowns and won her fourth Wimbledon title this year, but like her sister, is struggling with her body as she pulled out of Madrid due to strange spells of dizziness.

If the Williams sisters are healthy for a fair chunk of next year (improbable given their fragile histories), they should challenge Henin for the top spot along with the fourth-ranked Ivanovic and the fifth-ranked Sharapova.

But the Belgian isn't going anywhere soon and is showing no signs of losing her motivation. In fact, she improved in 2007 and it could be argued that, overall, she had a better year than male dominator Roger Federer. But she may never have a better year than 2007, and it's time to let her savor one of the best seasons in tour history.

"I have learned a lot of things this year," Henin said. "I have enjoyed my tennis, but it's been emotional."