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Sharapova Might Be Pushed Out of WTA Championship
The men’s Madrid Masters and women’s competitions in Zurich that are played this week are vital to complete the lists of world strongest women and men players, who will share $3 million in each group. First time in the past four years, Russia’s star Maria Sharapova might miss the prestigious WTA championship.
Formally, there are no more than three vacancies left for the WTA championship that Madrid will host November 6 through 11, and where eight women will play for a portion of $3 million. The Kremlin Cup finalist Serena Williams of the United States was last added to the list. Earlier, Justine Henin, Elena Yankovich, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovich had advanced to the tournament.
The race has heated up with remaining three places claimed by Anna Chakvetadze, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Daniela Hantuchova and Elena Dementieva. Of them, Chakvetadze and Williams don’t need to worry with their 2,628 and 2,470 scores respectively. So, the real battle is being fought for the last pass.
Elena Dementieva joined the WTA race at the very last moment. Her triumph at the Kremlin Cup added 430 scores to the record, but 2013 scores don’t suffice to hit the ceiling of roughly 2700. But Elena has some hope all the same.
To materialize the chance, Dementieva will have to advance to the semifinals in Zurich (beating the revengeful Serena Williams in the second round) and reach the final at the Linz tournament next week. Should it happen, Dementieva will score above 410 and outpace Sharapova by two scores. Maria, who is yet the eighth in the WTA race, withdrew both from the Zurich and Linz competitions.
Besides Dementieva, Daniela Hantuchova may gain at least 335 scores and push Sharapova out of the WTA championship.
As to the men’s Masters Cup that will be played in Shanghai November 11 through 18, Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko has sailed there by winning the Moscow Kremlin Cup.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 17, 2007
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