McIntyre Tennis

Vaidisova Wins Japan Open

From the WTA website: Vaidisova Wins in Tokyo for Fourth Career Title

In an unfortunate end to a wonderful week highlighting the future stars of women's tennis, France's Tatiana Golovin was forced to retire in the final of the AIG Japan Open against fellow teen Nicole Vaidisova.

Golovin, 17, appearing in her second Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles final and aiming for her first title, trailed the 16-year-old Czech 76(4) 32 when a left Achilles tendon injury prevented her from continuing....

"I thought it was a good match," said Vaidisova of Sunday's final. "I hope that I would have won anyway, and I think I could have closed it out, but those are just 'maybes.' I thought she was moving really well and got to a lot of balls. I hope that we'll meet again in a final."

Vaidisova Wins Korea Open

At age 16 Nicole Vaidisova won her third WTA title today when she defeated a sick Jelena Jankovic 7-5, 6-3 in Seoul, South Korea.  She didn't drop a set the entire week.  (Picture of Vaidisova with the trophy here)

From the AP: Vaidisova downs Jankovic in Korea Open final

Vaidosova entertained the crowd by grunting, yelling "no!" after losing points and punching the air in despair. She said later her game lacked consistency.

"It was definitely a little shaky. There were a lot of shots I could have done...But on the key points I played better," she said after the match.

Jankovic of Serbia and Montenegro was leading by four games to three in the first set before the 16-year-old Czech broke her serve. Jankovic lost the set in spectacular style by smashing her serve into her own half of the court.

"It was a big mistake. I just couldn't concentrate," said Jankovic, who looked tired compared to Vaidosova and was forced to take a break in the second set. She said later she almost retired after catching a bad cold the day before...

"At one point in the match I thought I was going to throw up, I think maybe it was 6-5 (in the first set)," Jankovic said. "If it wasn't a final maybe I would have retired."

Nicole Vaidisova

From Reuters: Vaidisova resolves to do even better

Every New Year, Czech tennis player Nicole Vaidisova makes a secret resolution.

In 2004, she vowed to break into the top 100 players in the world rankings. The wish came true, and she ended the year 72nd.

What the 2005 resolution constituted, the 16-year-old Vaidisova will not say until the year's end. She has, however, already shot to 27th in the world and was a leading light in the Czech Fed Cup team at the weekend.

Vaidisova Wimbledon Diary

Nicole Vaidisova is the subject of today's Wimbledon Diary on the BBC. 

Nicole Vaidisova

The Independent has another "Introducting Nicole Vaidisova" article: Vaidisova the latest Eastern star to rise

She is a tall, leggy teenager from eastern Europe with long blonde hair and classic good looks. She has been learning her game for four years at the Nick Bollettieri Academy in Florida. She is coached by her father, hits the ball with formidable power and made a winning start at Wimbledon.

Nicole Vaidisova, who turned 16 only two months ago, is getting used to being mentioned in the same breath as Maria Sharapova. The Czech is already ranked No 33 in the world and the manner of her 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory yesterday over Croatia's Jelena Kostanic suggests that comparisons with the Wimbledon champion have only just begun.

Nicole Vaidisova in Turkey

This one's a little late, but Omer Agustoslu in Turkey has sent us a picture he took with Nicole Vaidisova at last weeks's Istanbul Cup in Turkey.

Needless to say, if anyone has any photos from the French Open or other tournaments I'd be more than happy to show them.  (But then, if you were at the French Open you'd have better things to be doing than reading this blog, right?)

Nicole Vaidisova

Nicole Vaidisova hasn't been playing WTA tennis in May (avoiding breaking the age-restriction rules I assume since she just turned 16), but her endorsement career is still in high gear.  She's currently being featured in Elle Girl magazine's contest to win a pair of Upset DMX Reeboks.   Reebok claims the shoes were named for her because of her "fighting-underdog reputation". 

Sweet Sixteen at #34

It's birthday week for teenagers on the WTA Tour.  Maria Sharapova turned 18 on April 19, and now new tennis phenom Nicole Vaidisova will turn 16 on April 23.  An article on the WTA official site points out that she is the first 15-year-old ever to own two WTA tournament victories.  Her current world ranking?  A remarkable (for a 15-year-old) #34.  In spite of all that, she will be making just her first appearance at the senior French Open in May so we'd better hold off on too many Maria Sharapova comparisons for a while. 

Vaidisova Continues Her Run at Family Circle Cup

From The State: Vaidisova reaches quarterfinals

Fifteen-year-old Nicole Vaidisova continued her run at the Family Circle Cup on Thursday, reaching the quarterfinals by beating Shinobu Asagoe, the world’s 24th-ranked player, in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Vaidisova upset third-seeded Anastasia Myskina on Wednesday and meets No. 8 seed Patty Schnyder today. The young Prague native seemed relatively unimpressed with her accomplishments Thursday.

“I don’t really want to get satisfied,” Vaidisova said. “I’m in the quarters, so everything’s great, but I have to still keep playing. I want to win every single match I’ve got out there, so I have to get ready for tomorrow and just focus on my next match. I’m definitely enjoying my matches here.”

Myskina Not Impressed by Vaidisova

Whatever happened to the graceful loser in tennis?  The tradition seems to have gone by the wayside.  After her surprise defeat to 15-year-old Nicole Vaidisova at the Family Circle Cup, Anastasia Myskina had this to say:

"That wasn’t even a big match. The serve-and-volley was nothing today. It’s just my mistakes and, well, she served pretty well. That’s the only one thing she can do."

That should be good bulletin board material for Vaidisova if she hears about it.  Admittedly at 6-feet tall at only 15 years old her serve is her biggest strength, but she's got more to her game than it.

Myskina's rough start to the year must be getting to her.  Along with Maria Sharapova, Myskina, Elena Dementieva, and Svetlana Kuznetsova led the so-called "Russian Revolution" in women's tennis last year and made you think that a Russian player would be winning most of the big tournaments in the near future.  But with the exception of Sharapova, they're all having sub-par years so far.