LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Marion Bartoli: Sets
built 640 days ago
Marion began 2003 by immediately establishing herself as a top 100 player. She achieved this in her second tournament of the year, beating 4 top 100 players on her way through qualifying to the semi finals of Canberra. For the first time she earned her place in a Grand Slam (the Australian Open) through her ranking but she drew the 11th seed Magdalena Maleeva in the first round and lost in straight sets. As a result of her increased ranking and improving results she received a wildcard to her first tier II WTA event in Paris but she lost in the first round to Maja Matevzic. 5 weeks later she qualified for her first Tier 1 event at Indian Wells before losing in straight sets to number 8 seed Chanda Rubin in the second round proper. She repeated the trick a fortnight later by qualifying in Miami but this time made it to her first quarter final of a WTA tour event after Davenport retired in their 4th round match due to an injured hamstring.[1]
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During the opening games, Marion was just unable to capitalise on some weak serving from the Italian. However she was always under pressure on serve and was broken twice, losing the set 1-6. The start of the second was much better, with Marion racing into a 4-1 and seemingly rejuvinated. Unfortunately Schiavone had other ideas and came back to level at 5-5. Both held to set up a tie break. At 5-5 in the tie break a double fault from Schiavone gave Marion a set point which she took.
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On the back of her US Open Junior win Marion received a wildcard into the Australian Open. She lost a very tight three set match to Tina Pisnik 6-3, 4-6, 9-7. In the juniors she was expected to repeat the success of the US Open but fell in the last 16. Following her first round exit at the French Open in three sets to Ai Sugiyama (and losing to Ashley Harkleroad in the last 16 of the final juniors grand slam she would enter) her form heading into the qualifying of the US Open was mixed (in her four tournaments in July and August her record was 3-4). Nevertheless she beat three players ranked higher than her to qualify for a Grand Slam on merit for the first time.
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Bartoli and Kirilenko broke each other eight times in their match. Kirilenko won the first set in the tiebreaker and got a crucial break to go up 4-3 in the second set. When it counted, Kirilenko served well and won the match, 7-5(3), 6-3.
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Despite a second set comeback Marion lost out in the first round in Dubai, losing in three sets 1-6 7-6 1-6 to Francesca Schiavone. It is another early exit for Marion, who will be looking to bounce back in two weeks time in Indian Wells.
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[W]ith Osterloh up 2-1 in the first set, Bartoli asked for an injury timeout. A trainer rubbed her right thigh and then attached a wrap. After Bartoli dropped the next game, the trainer was again summoned. More balm was applied, and the wrap was seemingly cinched tighter. Then the severely hobbled Bartoli surprisingly reeled off six straight points.
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