WTA Wimbledon – Women’s Friday Preview

Andrea Petkovic vs. Ksenia Pervak

Andrea Petkovic will be up against Ksenia Pervak on Friday in round three of Wimbledon 2011.

Eleventh seed Andrea Petkovic was made to work hard for her berth in the third round here at Wimbledon, but managed to see off the threat of a determined Stephanie Dubois in three sets in round two (6-3, 4-6, 6-3). The German star could be a dark horse in this competition, and it will be intriguing to see how long she can stay in the draw.

The 23 year-old has really made a name for herself this year, and not just for her post-match dance routines. A place in the top ten could well be on the way, and she’ll really boost her chances of making such an achievement possible if she can get past world No. 89 Ksenia Pervak on Friday in round three.

Pervak also had to fight for her place in round three, and will be glad to have gotten past Pauline Parmentier earlier in the week (6-2, 1-6, 6-3). She’ll need to up her game to test Petkovic, but will be aware that she could launch an assault on the top fifty with a few more wins here at the All-England Club. Petkovic is the likelier of the pairing to win this match, but she’s by no means guaranteed the victory.

Francesca Schiavone vs. Tamira Paszek

Francesca Schiavone will continue at Wimbledon with a third round matchup against Tamira Paszek.

Francesca Schiavone maintained her challenge for the Wimbledon 2011 title this week by overcoming Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 7-5, 6-3. The French Open runner-up has the ability to be a serious contender this year, and on current form it’s worth keeping track of her progress. The world No. 7 may well be 31 years old, but she appears to be at the height of her powers. The Italian isn’t by definition a grass court specialist, though she demonstrated against Jelena Dokic that she’s a threat on this surface. She will now do battle with Tamira Paszek of Austria on Friday for a place in the fourth round, but can’t expect an easy match. Schiavone has a 2-2 head to head record against Paszek, which includes a narrow victory for the world No. 7 at Wimbledon 2008 (6-3, 5-7, 10-8).

Paszek has been in good form this year, and extended her run here with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Christina McHale. Paszek is the underdog for this contest, but she’s got the capacity to threaten an upset. The Austrian may well be ranked No. 80 in the world, but she’s only 20 years old, and has the talent to achieve big things.

Victoria Azarenka vs. Daniela Hantuchova

World No. 5 Victoria Azarenka is set to take on Daniela Hantuchova on Friday in what promises to be an exhilarating third round matchup at Wimbledon.

Victoria Azarenka has been grabbing headlines this week for her unique brand of grunting, though it shouldn’t be long until more people start talking about the fourth seed’s Wimbledon prospects. She produced a masterclass in round two, breezing past Iveta Benesova in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3.

Azarenka now has a 35-10 match record for the season, and her position in the top ten seems safe at least for the foreseeable future. The 21 year-old will next face Daniela Hantuchova in round three, in a potentially tricky match. Hantuchova currently holds a 2-0 head to head record against Azarenka, though the pairing have never previously met on grass.

Hantuchova’s last success against the Belarusian occurred earlier in the season in Doha. Azarenka will be eager to avenge this defeat, and appears to be the slight favourite given that this match is taking place at Wimbledon. Regardless of who wins this one, we should be set for an intriguing clash.

Vera Zvonareva vs. Tsvetana Pironkova

Vera Zvonareva is set for a tricky third round encounter at Wimbledon on Friday against Tsvetana Pironkova.

2010 runner-up Vera Zvonareva fought off a second round revival from Elena Vesnina in round two to claim a 6-1, 7-6 victory, and remains on course for another successful run here. She remains a serious contender for the title, and there aren’t many players right now that can be said to have a better chance than her this time around at the All-England Club.

The world No. 3 is now set for a tough third round clash against 2010 semi-finalist Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova was beaten in the final four by Zvonareva last year, but only following a well contested three-setter (3-6, 6-3, 6-2). We might be in for another exciting matchup this time around, and Pironkova’s performance in her 6-1, 6-4 win over Petra Martic suggests that she’s back on song.

Pironkova has endured a poor start to the season this year, and her rankings points from Wimbledon 2010 are the cornerstone for her current ranking of No. 33 in the world. The Bulgarian will surely be ready to produce a spirited display, and this third round showdown could prove to be a real crowd-pleaser.

Venus Williams vs. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez

Venus Williams will take on Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez on Friday for a place in the fourth round of Wimbledon 2011.

Venus Williams hung onto her place in the Wimbledon draw on Wednesday, fending off a determined Kimiko Date-Krumm in the second round. In a match that could so easily have gone Krumm’s way, the No. 23 seed proved too strong in the third set, and clinched a 6-7, 6-3, 8-6 win in just over three hours.

Williams would have liked a more comfortable success against the 40 year-old, though it’s worth noting that Date-Krumm played superbly for large periods of the match. The early indicators that Venus would prevail started to creep in as the first set drew to a close, and Date-Krumm struggled to win a set that she had dominated right up until the end. Venus’s will to win was as strong as ever.

Williams will next face Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in round three. Martinez Sanchez secured an impressive 6-3, 6-0 victory over Monica Niculescu in round two, but will need to keep her focus in order to defy the five-time champion. Williams has a 2-0 head to head record against Martinez Sanchez, which includes a straight sets win in Wimbledon 2008.