Pierce Wins 18th title in Russia

Mary Pierce continues her amazing 2005 tennis season by winning her second Tier 1 tournament of the year, the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, Russia. She ended an improbable run by Francesca Schiavone with a 6-4, 6-3 win over the diminutive Italian who had beaten former World #1 Amelie Mauresmo 6-1, 6-1, 2004 US Open Champ Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-1 and 2004 finalist Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-1 before losing to Pierce. In the quarterfinal round, Mary Pierce was down 6 consecutive march points in the third set tiebreakeragainst Elena Likhovtseva but managed to win the next 8 points in row to close out the match 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(6) in 3 hours, 13 minutes! Mary Pierce also won the Tier 1 Acura Classic in San Diego in August before this year's US Open. She was in both the French Open and US Open finals this year. Schiavone was attempting to win her first WTA Tour title, Pierce won her 18th. With her win in Russia Mary Pierce jumps into 4th place in the race to the season-ending WTA Tour Championships at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles November 8-13. I'll be there, will you?