Profile
2003 - Made pro debut on ITF Circuit (played four events), also Tour debut (l. in Luxembourg qualifying).
2004 - Top 100 finish in first full season on the Tour, making the biggest ranking jump of any player in 2004 (608 spots); as world No.156 qualifier at Zurich (in third career Tour main draw after Vienna and Birmingham earlier in year), upset No.29 Golovin 75 67(2) 76(3) in 1r (overcame 5-1 third-set deficit, 2mp), l. to V.Williams 76(11) 76(6) in 2r (held 5 set points in first set and 3 in second set tie-break); the next week, made Tour QF debut at Luxembourg (l. to Medina Garrigues), afterwards on November 1, made Top 100 debut (at No.96); started season winning first 21 matches and three titles: $10K ITF/Mallorca 2-ESP, $50K ITF/Gifu-JPN and $50K ITF/Fukuoka-JPN; won two more $50K ITF titles (ITF/Fano-ITA, ITF/Batumi-GEO) just prior to Zurich.
2005 - Breakthrough season, highlighted by career-first Tour singles title at Canberra and first Top 20 finish; captured title in first event of year at Canberra (as qualifier, d. LL Czink in final; had defeated Czink in final round of qualifying, believed to be a Tour first); QF or better at five other events, incl. QF at Miami (d. world No.7 Kuznetsova en route for first Top 10 win, falling to Mauresmo), SF at Warsaw (d. No.10 Zvonareva en route; l. to Henin), QF at Roland Garros (on debut, d. No.3 Mauresmo en route; l. to Petrova in first Grand Slam QF), and consecutive SF in the fall at Zurich and Linz (l. both times to Schnyder); in addition to Roland Garros, made debuts at all other Grand Slams, at Australian Open (l. in 3r to Mauresmo), Wimbledon (l. in 3r to Pierce) and US Open (as No.18 seed, upset in 2r by Vento-Kabchi in 3s; at No.16, was highest ranked player to make her debut at the US Open since No.14 Capriati in 1990, bettered only by No.12 Seles in 1989 since inception of computer rankings in 1975); reduced ranking to less than one-fifth between beginning and end of season, ranked No.100 in first event at Canberra, making Top 50 debut (at No.50) on March 7, Top 20 debut (at No.20) after Wimbledon, and rising to No.16 on August 29; withdrew from Toronto prior to 3r w/right pectoral muscle strain, withdrew from Luxembourg w/right shoulder injury and from Moscow w/left wrist strain.
2006 - Second consecutive Top 20 season, highlighted by capturing second and biggest Tour singles title at Tier I Montr al (as No.13 seed, d. No.7 seed Hingis in final); clinched US Open Series victory with the title; seven-time quarterfinalist, at Sydney (upset No.2 seed Mauresmo en route, falling to No.6 seed Kuznetsova), Indian Wells (l. to Dementieva in 3s), Warsaw (upset No.2 seed Schnyder en route, falling to Chakvetadze in 3s), s-Hertogenbosch (l. to Dementieva), Los Angeles (l. to Jankovic), Linz (l. to Sharapova) and Hasselt (l. to Krajicek); win over world No.3 Mauresmo at Sydney was equal-biggest career victory, and win over world No.8 Schnyder at Warsaw was second Top 10 win of season, fifth of career; 4r twice, at Miami (l. to Mauresmo) and Wimbledon (as No.19 seed, l. to top seed and eventual champion Mauresmo); 3r three times, incl. Roland Garros (as No.19 seed, l. to No.10 seed Myskina) and US Open (as No.16 seed, l. to WC S.Williams); 2r three times, incl. Australian Open (as No.21 seed, upset by Stosur), and fell 1r three times, incl. Berlin (ret. vs. N.Li w/left hamstring strain); notched 100th career singles match win in Warsaw 1r (vs. Domachowska), also surpassed $1 million in career prize money earnings; reached first Tour doubles final at s-Hertogenbosch and SF at Tokyo [Pan Pacific] and Warsaw (all w/Kirilenko); withdrew from Rome w/left hamstring strain and from Stuttgart and Zurich w/right shoulder tendonitis.
Year in detail
JANUARY - Solid Australian swing, reaching QF at Gold Coast (as No.3 seed, l. to No.5 seed Peer in 3s) and Sydney (l. to No.8 seed Vaidisova); l. 3r at Australian Open (as No.13 seed, l. to No.22 seed Zvonareva).
FEBRUARY - Runner-up at Tier I Tokyo [Pan Pacific] (as No.5 seed, d. No.4 seed Jankovic en route, falling to No.2 seed Hingis in final win over world No.10 Jankovic was sixth career Top 10 win); QF at Antwerp (as No.8 seed, l. to No.2 seed Clijsters).
MARCH - Somewhat disappointing Tier I American hardcourt swing, falling 4r at Indian Wells (as No.10 seed, l. to No.33 seed Bammer in 3s) and in opener at Miami (as No.12 seed w/1r bye, l. to qualifier Shvedova).
APRIL - Solid American clay court swing, reaching SF at Amelia Island (as No.6 seed, d. No.2 seed Jankovic en route, falling to No.8 seed and eventual champion Golovin in 3s; win over world No.9 Jankovic was seventh career Top 10 win) and 3r at Charleston (as No.7 seed, l. to No.9 seed Zvonareva).
MAY - Won first Tour singles title of year (third of career) at Berlin (as No.12 seed, d. No.3 seed Kuznetsova in final; win over world No.4 Kuznetsova was eighth career Top 10 win); now 3-1 lifetime in Tour singles finals (2-1 at the Tier I level); afterwards on May 14, made her own career Top 10 debut, moving from No.16 to No.8; withdrew from Rome w/ankle injury).
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