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Friday April 10, 2009

Serena Williams crashes and loses No. 1 ranking

BARCELONA: An injury-hampered world number one Serena Williams suffered a shock 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 defeat to Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic in the first round of the Marbella Open on Wednesday.

The top seed had clearly not recovered from a thigh problem that affected her performance in Miami last week and was broken seven times by Zakopalova, ranked 95 in the world.

Williams lost to Belarussian teenager Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open on Saturday and said she was sad to have failed in her opening match on the clay in Marbella in southern Spain.

“I was trying to play my best tennis but the injury prevented me from reaching my top level,” the American, who wore heavy strapping on her left thigh, said at a news conference.

World number four and second seed Jelena Jankovic thrashed Italy’s Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-1 in their first-round clash in Marbella on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Dinara Safina, who will replace Williams as world number one later this month despite never having won a Grand Slam title, insists she will prove she belongs on top of the rankings.

The 22-year-old Safina, whose brother Marat was the men’s top player in the world in 2000, will replace Williams, who has been on top for 11 consecutive weeks, and 72 in all, on April 20.

“There’s no question that while I am very proud of my results over the past year, I would have liked to reach this achievement in a different manner,” said Safina, the runner-up to the American at the Australian Open this year.

“I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I merit the honour of being world number one.

“It’s a great honour to reach the number one ranking and it is a dream that every girl who has ever wanted to play professional tennis shares.

“It is even extra special for me since my brother Marat was able to reach the number one ranking and I am happy to share this achievement with him.”

Safina is only the second Russian woman, along with Maria Sharapova, to hold the top spot.

Safina becomes the 19th world number one following Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Jennifer Capriati, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Amelie Mauresmo, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. — Agencies


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