I don't look for a "next Maria". Just like Masha herself said, "I'm not the 'next' anybody." 

But will there be another great Russian star?  Absolutely--and sooner rather than later.

We will! Now, teenaged Muscovite Yulia Puntintseva (only non-seeded semifinalist) overcame her typical pouts to win the ITF Tatarstan Open.  Waiting for pix & a description of her final victory over Caroline Garcia at tournament site http://www.kazancup.ru/women2011/

Here is their semifinal description of what you're dealing with in Yulia:

Muscovite Yulia Putintseva crushed her betters in Kazan. Even younger than Caroline, she is 16 and a half. And she, 334th racket of the world, resisted Zemlyachka (defending champion) Vitalia Diatchenko, 139th in the world and seeded fifth in Kazan. Not a peck of salt ... shed in the form of sweat on last year and the current Tatarstan Open. 

Still, unlike rivals, Diatchenko most successfully performed in two places. Being older and more experienced than her rival, Diatchenko, however, seemed to be inferior to Yulia in physical power. Painfully well prepared physically looked young Julia. In the first set Diatchenko, winning - 5:3 and yielding to its filing - 15:40, no longer wanted to stay on the court, and won the game, and set - 6-3. 

Putintseva at that time was nervous, was dissatisfied with the decisions of individual judges, some actions of ball-boys, and the unreliability of her own racket. Once the weapon has not got a poor work of Yulia. And on the court she was beaten, and on foot their own. In addition, Yulia often commented on what was happening and her experiences. - "Everything! I'm tired "- she gasped in the middle of the set. But it was not true. Otherwise, how could she not only found the strength to continue the set, but to win it? (LOL Typical Yulia. Gawd how that girl can whine!)

A set evolved, I will tell you how the game of giveaway. Exchanging the game, the girls began to play over and over again its filing, bringing the score to 4-4. Then they started over again to win serve, bringing the score to - 6-5 and then took a serve Julia Vitali.

Diatchenko also appeared on the court calm, like a boa constrictor, slowly but surely absorbing the enemy. But her strength, which Diatchenko in the last days spent more than the others, due to also playing doubles, was not unlimited. Therefore, after the success inspired Putintseva, she led in the third set with the score - 3-0. Vitalia decided not to chase a hare, and the strength left to catch a hare, a second, which can be wrangled in the doubles. 

In the final doubles Diatchenko and Alexandra Panova (first seeded duo) vs Ekaterina Ivanova (second seeded pair), and Andrea Klepac, Slovenia. Vitalia, recall, two hours of "furrowed" around the court on a 33-degree heat. It's like a relay race run after finishing the marathon. Start wisely moved to the final of 17.15. instead of the planned 15.00. But by the designated time Diatchenko and Panova on the court had not appeared. It was found that injury prevents Vitalia from continuing the match. Thus, the victor in the doubles final were Ekaterina Ivanova and Andrea Klepac. 

Yulia at Wimbledon 2010 Juniors

Actually I am quite disappointed by the women's tennis and the so-called tennis stars. This Russian girl is the kind of babes that make me still sticking around. 

She's not tall for a tennis player, is she? She's not really gorgeous but there's some kind of sex appeal in her that catches your eye. You saying she's only 16? Well we gotta wait a while ;-)

Okay, I'll continue to cut Kazan some slack, seems it was the Day of Russian-French Friendship, and defeated Caroline Garcia was crying, 'n everything... lol The Kazanis had to kinda handle things gingerly.

Couple of Articles up now: http://www.kazancup.ru/women2011/ 

Good floorshow 

Yulia Putinitseva will play in Canada before USO

No clue who the dancers are. Just nicer to look at than Caroline at that moment--bigtime bummed while losing to the younger girl. http://www.kazancup.ru/women2011/?page_id=21 

Rodina--by Yuri Shechuk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekb9BdrniMg 

Marta Sirotkina (who trains in Ireland) will be competing in the Singles Qualifying for the 2011 US Open- the first time in her career to participate in the qualifying stages of a Grand Slam) In the first round, Marta will face the Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak. Marta is currently ranked 228.

Davai Marta do it for Ireland and Russia!!! 

MARTA SIROTKINA OFFICIAL WEBSITE:http://www.martasirotkina.com/

MARTA SIROTKINA WIKL PAGE:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marta_Sirotkina

 2011 Junior Girls: 

SASNOVICH, Aliaksandra BLR
POZNIKHIRENKO, Ganna UKR
DANILINA, Anna KAZ

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/scores/draws/gs/gsdraw.pdf 

Hey, Dart!  Glad to hear from you. Yeah, not many came to the States this year and I don't blame 'em. But this is very good representation nonetheless.

Thru to the semis in Junior Girls Doubles:

Irina Khromacheva RUS (6) / Demi Schuurs NED (6) &

Jesika Maleckova CZE (8) / Aliaksandra Sasnovich BLR (8) 

Both pairs will play American duos. They both must play quarters & semis the same day, but so did their opponents.

Davaiii!!! 

Aliaksandra Sasnovich 

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/scores/draws/gd/gddraw.pdf 

Khrome got thru. Aliaks didn't. Glad to make her acquaintence, nonetheless. Sasnovich may be on the Belarusian Fed Cup team that visits the States in February. 

Irina Khromacheva RUS (6) / Demi Schuurs NED (6) will meet

Gabrielle Andrews (USA)  / Taylor Townsend (USA) in the FINAL.

We will see if this is as stitched up as most of this tournament.  

Davaiii, Khrome!!!  ДАВАЙ РОССЙЯ!!!