1999
ACURA CLASSIC
8/10 1st round: Zvereva def. Spirlea, 6-4, 6-7(4-7), 7-5
Hey, I was there, we willed Irina through the second set tie-breaker, more later(typing is such a bummer).
8/11 1st rnd: Spirlea/Vis def. Likhovtseva/Sugiyama(2), 6-3, 6-2
8/13 Quarters: ASV/Neiland def. Spirlea/VIs 6-4, 6-2
TIG Tennis Classic
8/2 1st round: Spirlea def. Plischke, 6-2, 6-1
Yah Irina beat someone and now plays Davenport, fun!
8/4 2nd rnd: Davenport(1) def. Spirlea, 6-0, 6-2
1st round: Likhovtseva/ Sugiyama def. Spirlea/Vis, 7-5 3-6, 6-4
Bank of the West
7/26 1st round: Rubin def. Spirlea, 6-4, 6-4
It seems Irina got into trouble and might get a $1000 fine
1st round: Black/Molik def. Spirlea/Vis, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
WIMBLEDON
7/22 1st round: Rippner def. Spirlea, 6-4, 6-1
This is really disappointing, come on hardcourts!
1st round: Spirlea/Vis (10) def. Golarsa/Husarova, 6-4, 6-2
2nd round: Spirlea/Vis def. De Villiers/Hiraki, 6-2, 6-2
3rd round: Boogert/Sidot def. Spirlea/Vis, 7-6(7-2), 6-3
EASTBOURNE
6/15 1st round: Spirlea(7) def. Smashnova, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
6/16 2nd round: De Swart def. Spirlea, 6-3, 6-4
1st round: Hingis/Kournikova(2) def. Spirlea/Vis, 7-6(7-5), 6-2
FRENCH OPEN
5/24 1st round: Spirlea def. Cristea, 6-4, 6-1
Yahhhh, past the 1st round, one step at a"ti}e.
5/26 2nd round:" Spirlea def. Barabanschikova, 6-3, 6-3
5/28 3rd round:
ASV(7) def. Spirlea, 6-4, 6-1
photo
5/27 1st round: Drake/Steck def. Spirlea/Vis(8), 3-6, 6-1, 8-6
German Open
5/10 1st round: Black def. Spirlea(13), 6-4, 1-0, retired
1st round: Spirlea/Vis(7) def. Cacic/Farina, 7-6(7-3), 7-6(7-3)
2nd round: Spirlea/Vis def. Adams/Rubin, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
Quarters: Dragomir/Labat def. Spirlea/Vis, 7-6, 6-4
Italian Open
5/4 1st round: Spirlea(13) def. Black, 6-3, 6-2
5/5 2nd round: Spirlea def. Papadaki, 6-4, 6-0
5/6 3rd round: S. Williams(6) def. Spirlea, 6-2, 6-3
1st round: Spirlea/Vis(6) def. Serra-Zanetti/Serra-Zanetti, 6-4, 6-1
2nd round: Spirlea/Vis def. Coetzer/Mauresmo, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
5/7 Quarters: Spirela/Vis def. DeSwardt/Tartarkova, 6-2, 6-7(6-8), 6-4
5/8 Semis: Hingis/Kournikova(1) def. Spirlea/Vis, 6-4, 6-3
Betty Barclay Cup
4/28 1st round: Sidot def. Spirlea, 6-7(5-7), 6-2, 7-6(7-1)
Egypt Classic
4/21 1st round: Spirlea (5) def. Wang Shi-ting, 6-4, 6-2
4/22 2nd round: Spirlea def. Boogert, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(7-1),
4/23 Quarters: Spirlea def. Pierce(2), 6-4, 6-2
4/24 Semis: Spirlea def. Drake, 6-3, 6-0
Yah!!! Good news for a change, I hope I don't jinx it.
4/25 Final: ASV(1) def. Spirlea(5), 6-1, 6-0
well I spoke too soon, still a good tourny
4/22 Quarters: Spirlea/Vis (1) def. Dechuame-Balleret/Galarsa, 6-2, 6-2
4/24 Final: ASV/ def. Spirlea/Vis, 7-5, 1-6, 7-6
Family Circle Cup
3/29 1st round: Spirlea(9) def. Smashnova, 7-5, 6-3
3/31 2nd round: Majoli def. Spirlea, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
3/30 1st round: Fusia/Sidot def. Spirlea/Vis(7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
Lipton Championships
1st round: Spirlea (15), bye
2nd round: Dragomir def. Spirlea, 6-0, 6-4
why? Why? WHY?
1st round: Spirlea/Vis(8), bye
2nd round: Spirlea/Vis def. Arendt/Bollegraf, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
3rd round: Seles/Fernandez def. Spirlea/Vis, 6-3, 6-0
Evert Cup: Indian Wells
3/5 1st round: Spirlea(13) def. Glass, 7-6(7-3), 7-6(7-4)
3/7 2nd round: Black def. Spirlea, 6-7(4-7), 6-4, 7-5
1st round: Kunce/Po def. Spirlea/Vis, 6-1, 7-6(7-5)
Spirlea has had generally lousy results for a while now. She just won the doubles at Gaz de France, so to the best of my knowledge she's not injured. I like her game a lot -- big, Graf-like forehand, lots of trick shots, nice hands, and she's also deceptively tall -- but she's not going to make anyone's short list of mentally tough players. She has a wicked temper, she's thrown off by bad calls, and I've noticed that when she's losing she plays points too quickly. Still, like a female Yevgeny Kafelnikov, she's precisely the kind of player who's wildly talented and can get hot and tear through a draw. --cnn tennis mailbag
Open Gaz de France: Feb. 23-28
1st round: bye
2nd round: Cocheteux def. Spirlea, 6-4, 6-1
1st round: Spirlea/Vis def. Ghirardi/Pitkowski, 6-1, walkover
Quarters: Spirlea/Vis def. Carlsson/Sidot, 6-4, 6-1
Semis: Spirlea/Vis def. Habsudova/Ruano-Pascual, 7-6, 7-5
Final: Spirlea/Vis def. Likhovtseva/Sugiyama, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3!!!
Well, at least the doubles is getting better.
Well 1998 wasn't as good as 97 but we (at least I) didn't really know or expect anything of her back then. She still did pretty well adn made it to the Semifinals of the Chase. Let's hope Irina will have a good month off and has a good start next year. Hopefully she'll work on her mind as much as her body and win some more.
The CHASE CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW is made and Irina plays A. Sanchez-Vicario in the first round.
2nd round: def. Jeyaseelan, 6(5)-7, 7-6(5), 6-0
3rd round: Testud (14) def. Spirlea(9), 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1
(notice a pattern? Will she go to the 4th round next?)
1st round: Rubin / Spirlea def. Basuki / Vis, 6-2, 6-1
Quarterfinals: def. Adams / Bollegraf, 1-6, 7-6(2), 7-5
Semifinals: Tanasugarn / Tatarkova def. Rubin / Spirlea, 6-4, 6-2
1st round: C. Rubin / Spirlea def. Lucic / Seles 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
2nd round: lost to Fusia / Tauziat 1-6, 6-4, 6-0