Safarova Ends Long Title Drought, Jovanovski Also Wins

While the men where involved in Davis Cup this past weekend, the tour continued for the women, albeit few top 50 players participated.  Small events in out of the way places like Quebec City and Tashkent were contested.  Lucie Safarova has not had a great year but managed to secure a title in Canada to break a 5-yr title drought, and it was Bojana Jovanovski who emerged unbeaten in Uzbekistan with a win over Govortsova in a 3rd set tiebreak.

Good Stories
-After a breakout year in 2012, Christina McHale (USA) has really struggled this year.  But in Quebec City she reached her first quarterfinal of the year and then made the semis.
-Lauren Davis (USA), a now 20-yr-old, has also struggled this year playing mostly WTA events, but she reached the quarters in Quebec City too.
-Julia Glushko (ISR), a 23-yr-old, has been winning some recently, reaching the 3rd round of the US Open and picking up a first round win in Tashkent.  She is now ranked inside the top 100.
-Risa Ozaki (JPN), a 19-yr-old ranked qualifier ranked outside the top 300 at the beginning of the year, picked up her first WTA main draw win in Tashkent.

Bad Stories
-Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) has been slumping recently after a great first half of the year.  She was the top seed and defending champion in Quebec City but went out in the first round to Hercog.

WTA International: Quebec City, Canada

3) Lucie Safarova (CZE) def. 6) Marina Erakovic (NZL) 6-4 6-3

-Safarova wins 5th career title, last '08 Forest Hills
-She has reached 5 finals during her 5-year drought

Defending champion: Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) - R1 l. to Hercog

Quarterfinalists: 2) Kristina Mladenovic (FRA), 5) Eugenie Bouchard (CAN)-SF, 7) Lauren Davis (USA), Polona Hercog (SLO), Christina McHale (USA)-SF, Alja Tomljanovic (CRO)

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Mladenovic and Davis
Locals performance: 3-3, Bouchard made the semis but Dubois and Wozniak were dismissed in the first round.

Americans performance: 5-5, two quarterfinalists plus first round losses for Sanchez, Burdette, and q-Oudin

Third set tiebreaks: Bouchard def. Arvidsson (R1)

WTA International: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

1) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) def. Olga Govortsova (BLR) 4-6 7-5 7-6(3)

-Jovanovski wins 2nd career title, last '12 Baku

Defending champion: Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) - R2 l. to Torro-Flor

Quarterfinalists: 3) Yvonne Meusburger (AUT), 5) Alexandra Cadantu (ROU), 7) Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ), Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP)-SF, Mandy Minella (LUX)-SF, Nastassja Burnett (ITA)

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Jovanovski, Cadantu, and Voskoboeva

Locals performance: 0-3, losses for Abduraimova, Sharipova, and Folts.  Where is Amanmuradova?
Americans performance: none
Other notable winners: Nadiya Kichenok (UKR), a 21-yr-old twin, now on the cusp of the top 100

Third set tiebreaks: Burnett def. Ozaki (R2), Jovanovski def. Voskoboeva (QF), Jovanovski def. Govortsova (F)