Photos: Serena Williams and Gisela Dulko water tennis at the Santa Lucia Riverwalk

The American No.1, Serena Williams, and South American No.1, Gisela Dulko, played mini-tennis on a platform mounted on the water at the Santa Lucia Riverwalk in Monterrey, Mexico… Enjoy some pictures from the event…

Pics from WTA and TF

Videos: Serena and Dulko playing exhibition on the water in Monterrey

A smiling Serena Williams and a charismatic Gisela Dulko played in Mexico for the first time an exhibition of tennis on water, as part of the off court Tournament activities.
Serena will not be competing in the event due to a left ankle injury, but that did not stop her from enjoying this exhibition.

WTA Monterrey Open Tuesday Order of Play February 21st 2012

WHIRLPOOL MONTERREY OPEN
Monterrey, México
February 20-26, 2012
$220,000/International
Hard/Outdoors

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Central (from 11.00hrs)
1. Alizé Cornet vs. Tetiana Luzhanska
2. Yaroslava Shvedova vs. Sesil Karatantcheva
3. Ximena Hermoso vs. Timea Babos (NB 15.00hrs)
4. Mathilde Johansson vs. Mandy Minella
5. Stefanie Voegele vs. Sorana Cirstea (NB 19.00hrs)
6. Gisela Dulko vs. Patricia Mayr-Achleitner

Cancha 1 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Alexandra Dulgheru vs. Sílvia Soler-Espinosa
2. Valeria Savinykh vs. Kimiko Date-Krumm
3. Monica Puig vs. Lourdes Domínguez Lino
4. Errani/Vinci vs. Cornet/Dulgheru (NB 15.00hrs; after suitable rest)
5. Babos/Savinykh vs. Bratchikova/Jurak (NB 17.30hrs; after suitable rest)
6. Katalin Marosi vs. Eva Birnerova

Cancha 2 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Alexandra Panova vs. Maria Abramovic
2. Zhang Shuai vs. Greta Arn
3. Costas-Moreira/Ferrer Suárez vs. Cabeza Candela/Cadantu (NB 14.00hrs)
4. Abramovic/Buzarnescu vs. Koryttseva/Malek (after suitable rest)

2012 Monterrey Open Main Draw

(1)Roberta Vinci (ITA) v Coco Vandeweghe (USA)
Nina Bratchikova (RUS) v Anastasia Pivovarova (RUS)
Alexandra Panova (RUS) v Q
Shuai Zhang (CHN) v (6)Greta Arn (HUN)

(4)Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) v Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP)
Alexandra Cadantu (ROU) v Jelena Dokic (AUS)
Valeria Savinykh (RUS) v Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN)
Q v (8)Lourdes Dominguez Lono (ESP)

(5)Gisela Dulko (ARG) v Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (AUT)
Q v Eva Birnerova (CZE)
(wc)Ximena Hermoso (MEX) v Timea Babos (HUN)
Stefanie Voegele (SUI) v (3/wc)Sorana Cirstea (ROU)

(7)Mathilde Johansson (FRA) v Mandy Minella (LUX)
(wc)Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) v Q
Alize Cornet (FRA) v Tetiana Luzhanska (USA)
Stephanie Dubois (CAN) v (2)Sara Errani (ITA)

Dulko falls in Colombia, Monterrey next

Dulko was upended, 75 62, by Alexandra Panova in the second round at the Copa Colsanitas 2012 in Bogota.

“I didn’t play one of my best matches in the altitude today. I couldn’t find my rhythm,” Dulko said. “But I think she played a great match. I give credit to her, she really deserved it.”

“It’s very difficult to play here for everyone. It’s about handling the nerves and the conditions,” Panova said. “The one who finds a way to put the ball over the net and into the court at the end of the day wins.”

The good news for Argentina’s tennis was that Paula Ormaechea outlasted Petra Rampre, 64 36 76(4).

Copa Colsanitas: Dulko and Suarez out in opening round

It wasn’t the beginning they were hoping for, but with the whole season ahead of them it wasn’t too disappointing. Gisela Dulko and Paola Suárez were beaten in the first round of doubles at the XX Copa BBVA Colsanitas in Bogotá by Mailen Auroux and María Irigoyen, 64 64.

With Suárez just coming out of four and a half years of retirement, there was bound to be some rust, and it showed at times on Wednesday afternoon. While the 35-year-old held both of her service games in the first set, she was broken all three times she stepped up to serve in the second set. But both she and Dulko showed some strong form all around, and in the end there wasn’t that much of a difference between the two teams – they both won 62 points.

“Obviously it’s disappointing to lose but we came to Bogotá to get the rhythm for Paola, who has not played in a long time,” Dulko said. “I think it was a good match. Our opponents played very well today. For us it’s positive just to be on the court together and start getting our rhythm for the next tournaments.”

“It has been almost five years since I last played, so I just went out there to play without too many expectations,” Suárez said. “We did a lot of things well today but there are a lot of things to work on. We can only get better now.”

Dulko and Suárez are the only two South Americans in WTA history to reach No.1, both doing so in doubles – Suárez spent 87 weeks there, Dulko 24. Suárez has eight Grand Slam titles with Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual (one Australian Open, four French Opens and three US Opens); Dulko has one Grand Slam title with Italy’s Flavia Pennetta (the 2011 Australian Open).

The Argentine pair’s ultimate goal is to win a medal at this year’s Olympics. They will continue their quest for WTA success at Monterrey next week.

Article from WTA

Copa Colsanitas Thursday Order of Play February 16th 2012

XX COPA BBVA COLSANITAS
Bogotá, Colombia
February 13-19, 2012
$220,000/International
Red Clay/Outdoors

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Cancha Central (from 10.00hrs)
1. Gisela Dulko vs. Alexandra Panova
2. Catalina Castaño vs. Karin Knapp (NB 13.00hrs)
3. Paula Ormaechea vs. Petra Rampre
4. Minella/Voegele vs. Castaño/Duque-Mariño (NB 15.00hrs; after suitable rest)

Cancha 2 (from 10.00hrs)
1. Marina Erakovic vs. Edina Gallovits-Hall
2. Babos/Savinykh vs. Arruabarrena-Vecino/Cabeza Candela
3. Birnerova/Panova vs. Auroux/Irigoyen

Copa Colsanitas Wednesday Results February 15th 2012

XX COPA BBVA COLSANITAS
Bogotá, Colombia
February 13-19, 2012
$220,000/International
Clay/Outdoors

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Singles – Second Round
Timea Babos (HUN) d. (3) Romina Oprandi (SUI) 76(5) 64
Mariana Duque-Mariño (COL) d. (7) Lourdes Domínguez Lino (ESP) 46 62 75
Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino (ESP) d. Eva Birnerova (CZE) 64 60
(Q) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) d. Valeria Savinykh (RUS) 62 62

Singles – First Round
(1) Marina Erakovic (NZL) d. Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 63 64
(Q) Paula Ormaechea (ARG) d. (4) Jelena Dokic (AUS) 46 63 64

Doubles – Quarterfinals
Gallovits-Hall/Knapp (ROU/ITA) d. Domínguez Lino/Oprandi (ESP/SUI) w/o (Oprandi: right knee injury)

Doubles – First Round
(1) Birnerova/Panova (CZE/RUS) d. (WC) Castiblanco/Ormaechea (COL/ARG) 62 60
Babos/Savinykh (HUN/RUS) d. (4) Abramovic/Pelletier (CRO/CAN) 16 63 103
Arruabarrena-Vecino/Cabeza Candela (ESP/ESP) d. Cadantu/Olaru (ROU/ROU) 61 64
Minella/Voegele (LUX/SUI) d. Costas-Moreira/Ferrer Suárez (ESP/ESP) 62 06 105
Auroux/Irigoyen (ARG/ARG) d. (WC) Dulko/Suárez (ARG/ARG) 64 64

Copa Colsanitas Wednesday Order of Play February 15th 2012

XX COPA BBVA COLSANITAS
Bogotá, Colombia
February 13-19, 2012
$220,000/International
Red Clay/Outdoors

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Cancha Central (from 11.00hrs)
1. Jelena Dokic vs. Paula Ormaechea (tbc)
2. Mariana Duque-Mariño vs. Lourdes Domínguez Lino (NB 13.00hrs)
3. Auroux/Irigoyen vs. Dulko/Suárez

Cancha 2 (from 10.00hrs)
1. Marina Erakovic vs. Stefanie Voegele (tbc)
2. Valeria Savinykh vs. Yaroslava Shvedova
3. Birnerova/Panova vs. Castiblanco/Ormaechea (after suitable rest)

Cancha 3 (from 10.00hrs)
1. Timea Babos vs. Romina Oprandi
2. Arruabarrena-Vecino/Cabeza Candela vs. Cadantu/Olaru (tbc; NB 12.30hrs; after suitable rest)

Cancha 4 (from 10.00hrs)
1. Eva Birnerova vs. Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino
2. Costas-Moreira/Ferrer Suárez vs. Minella/Voegele (NB 12.30hrs; after suitable rest)
3. Abramovic/Pelletier vs. Babos/Savinykh (tbc; NB 14.00hrs; after suitable rest)

Copa Colsanitas Tuesday Results February 14th 2012

XX COPA BBVA COLSANITAS
Bogotá, Colombia
February 13-19, 2012
$220,000/International
Clay/Outdoors

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Singles – First Round
Karin Knapp (ITA) d. (2) Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) 62 62
(3) Romina Oprandi (SUI) d. Alexandra Cadantu (ROU) 62 62
(5) Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. Kathrin Woerle (GER) 16 62 64
(7) Lourdes Domínguez Lino (ESP) d. Sharon Fichman (CAN) 62 62
Eva Birnerova (CZE) d. (Q) Inés Ferrer Suárez (ESP) 62 64
Alexandra Panova (RUS) d. Mandy Minella (LUX) 46 76(8) 61
Edina Gallovits-Hall (ROU) d. Julia Cohen (USA) 64 61
Timea Babos (HUN) d. (WC) Yuliana Lizarazo (COL) 60 61
(Q) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) d. Estrella Cabeza Candela (ESP) 60 36 64
(WC) Catalina Castaño (COL) d. (Q) Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) 57 60 63

Suspended due to rain
(1) Marina Erakovic (NZL) leads Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 10
(4) Jelena Dokic (AUS) leads (Q) Paula Ormaechea (ARG) 64 14

Doubles – First Round
Suspended due to rain
(4) Abramovic/Pelletier (CRO/CAN) lead Babos/Savinykh (HUN/RUS) 61 01
Arruabarrena-Vecino/Cabeza Candela (ESP/ESP) lead Cadantu/Olaru (ROU/ROU) 61