Tennis News

The 2016 Aces For Humanity campaign was launched by USANA and the WTA at the BNP Paribas Open and continued in Montréal at the Rogers Cup, where every ace hit by a WTA player at Premier-level events translates into a donation to the USANA True Health Foundation, whose mission is to provide the most critical human necessities to those who are suffering or in need around the world.

For every ace hit by any player the WTA donates $5, and for every ace hit by a USANA Brand Ambassador, it’s $10.

USANA Brand Ambassadors Eugenie Bouchard, Samantha Stosur, Kristina Mladenovic, Madison Keys, Monica Puig, Sloane Stephens, Zheng Saisai, Alizé Cornet and Caroline Wozniacki hit 72 of the 320 aces at Stanford – raising a grand total of $1960 throughout the week. Keys hit the most with 43 aces.

Read more about the campaign here and see below to find out who’s hit the most aces so far!

#AcesForHumanity Fan Giveaway

It’s simple: before each WTA Premier tournament guess how many total aces will be hit.
Next up is the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Last year there was a total of 359 aces hit. It’s now your turn, take your best guess of how many will be hit this year.

How To Enter:
• Follow @WTA and @USANAFoundation on Twitter and before each WTA Premier tournament tweet the number of aces you predict will be hit during the whole tournament (Singles, Main Draw)
• Include the hashtag #AcesForHumanity
• Eastbourne deadline is August 16 at 11:59pm ET
• The winner will be announced August 22nd

Aces For Humanity is a joint WTA and USANA initiative that benefits the USANA True Health Foundation, which provides critical human necessities to those in suffering or in need around the globe.

For full rules on how to enter, click here.

Petra Kvitova finds herself caught at the crossroads of two tennis eras – but she quite likes it that way.

The big hitting lefty is not quite in the generation of WTA veterans like Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams. But in turn, she’s not in the crowd of new stars likes Garbiñe Muguruza, Simona Halep and fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova who are fast on the rise. Kvitova remains the first and only Grand Slam winner – male or female – born in the 90s.

How does the two-time Wimbledon champion feel about being the most accomplished member of this ‘in between’ group?

“I don’t feel any pressure,” Kvitova told China’s CCTV in Shenzhen. “I know that Serena has been there for a long time – she’s still the biggest champion that we have. And the younger generation is coming up and they are pushing us a lot. I think it’s good that we can see many [new] faces playing so well.

“There’s room in tennis right now – it’s very open. It’s nice to compete and not really be expecting who can win. It’s more difficult and less predictable this way.”

Kvitova experienced first-hand the unpredictability of the emerging younger generation: at last year’s Australian Open, she was stunned by a then 19-year-old Madison Keys in the third round.

The Australian Open is Kvitova’s toughest major: her best results in Melbourne have been an appearance in the quarterfinal in 2011 and in the semifinal in 2012. But if she could choose which of the four slams she’d like to win, the Czech is up for the challenge.

“If I could have another Grand Slam, I would pick either the Australian Open or the French Open,” she said. “At the Australian Open, the hard courts, I just love that Grand Slam a lot. I feel so relaxed in Australia.”

To make that wish come true, Kvitova is facing an uphill climb. She was forced to withdraw from Shenzhen in her first round match and later from Sydney – where she was the defending champion – due to a stomach virus. The last time she played a complete match was at the Fed Cup final, when she helped propel the Czech Republic to victory more than two months ago.

If Kvitova can shake off the off-season rust and beat her lingering illness, the Czech is poised for a deep run in Melbourne – as long as she can make it past the initial hurdles and build up the confidence she needs.

“I don’t really like the beginning of the tournaments, for sure,” Kvitova said. “But that’s how it is – it’s probably normal that I’m improving my game with each match in a tournament.

“And then when the finish line comes, I’m feeling better about my game.”

MELBOURNE, Australia – Victoria Azarenka, who won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, didn’t drop a single game in the first match of her quest for a third title at the Happy Slam on Tuesday.

The No.14-seeded Azarenka was absolutely ruthless against Alison Van Uytvanck in the feature night match on Rod Laver Arena, rolling past the Belgian up-and-comer in just 53 minutes, 6-0, 6-0.

“I’m pretty happy – I don’t think I’m looking for perfection, I’m looking for effort. I’m looking for focus,” Azarenka told reporters afterwards. “I like that I was very composed today from the first point to the last point. Like it didn’t matter what the score was in the match, I was there on every point.

“So that’s what I’m very happy about today.”

The former World No.1 was asked whether she was sticking to the dab – the American Football-inspired post-match celebration she debuted during her run to the Brisbane title – this fortnight.

“For now, yeah,” she said, after which she was asked whether it was for luck.

“I just like doing it,” Azarenka replied. “I don’t believe in luck – I believe in hard work.”

Azarenka has gotten off to a perfect start to the 2016 season, not dropping a set en route to her first WTA title in almost two and a half years at the Brisbane International a few weeks ago – losing just 17 games in five matches, in fact – and she’s now 6-0 on the year after her first win in Melbourne.

Not all of the favorites flourished, though, with five more seeds going out, most notably No.2 seed Simona Halep, who was stunned by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai, 6-4, 6-3 (read more here) and No.8 seed Venus Williams, who succumbed to British No.1 Johanna Konta, 6-4, 6-2 (read more here).

Johanna Larsson beat No.29 seed Irina-Camelia Begu, 6-3, 6-2, Varvara Lepchenko beat No.31 seed Lesia Tsurenko, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3, and Barbora Strycova outdid No.32 seed Caroline Garcia, 6-2, 6-4.

Most of the seeds in action moved through, though, including No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza, who out-hit Anett Kontaveit, 6-0, 6-4, and No.7 seed Angelique Kerber, who won a thriller against Misaki Doi, saving a match point down 6-5 in the second set tie-break to survive, 6-7(4), 7-6(6), 6-3.

Other winners on Tuesday included No.9 seed Karolina Pliskova, No.11 seed Timea Bacsinszky, No.15 seed Madison Keys, No.18 seed Elina Svitolina, No.19 seed Jelena Jankovic, No.20 seed Ana Ivanovic (read about her win here), No.21 seed Ekaterina Makarova and No.30 seed Sabine Lisicki.

Shuai Zhang has an emotional victory over Halep #AusOpen https://t.co/tXDpUXlw3n

— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2016

MONTERREY, Mexico – No.2 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova completed a Russian sweep of WTA titles this week, shocking top seed and World No.1 Angelique Kerber, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 to win her fourth Abierto GNP Seguros title.

I’m really overwhelmed and don’t think I realized that I just won my fourth Monterrey trophy,” she said in her post-victory press conference. “Some people just have four trophies in total, and I have four here! It’s very special and it’s a special place in my heart; it’s where I won my first title and since won three more.

“But a trophy is a trophy; I’m so happy to hold it.”

Gutsy way to save break point from @NastiaPav! ? #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/wlR0CwvYc1

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

Following countrywoman Daria Kasatkina’s title run at the Volvo Car Open, Pavlyuchenkova got out to the early advantage in Sunday’s final, taking the only break of the first set on her third set point.

“Playing the final against the No.1 player in the world is already very special, because everyone wants to compete against the No.1. You don’t get so many chances to do it, so it was one opportunity for me today. Beating here feels amazing, but I’m just enjoying the moment right now.”

Kerber was looking for her first title of the season and aimed to turn the tables on the big-hitting Russian, winning a long third game to break serve and run away with the second set to level the match.

.@NastiaPav firing at the start of the second! #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/ZT9R0oJaVq

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

“Honestly, I didn’t have much energy left in the tank during the second set. First, it was really hot today, and tough conditions. Angelique was making me play every single point, so I felt as though I’d already given a lot in the first set. The first three games in the second were really long and I felt, ‘That’s it. I don’t have anything left.’

“But it’s a final; I said I’d try my best and give everything I had. So I had to find something somewhere, what little energy I did have, and put that into the match. I’m so happy I managed to do that.”

Absolutely genius from @NastiaPav! ? #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/CLLPwvkY9z

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

Pavlyuchenkova is in the midst of a career best start to her year, making quarterfinal finishes at the Australian Open and BNP Paribas Open since hiring new coach Simon Goffin.

With Goffin in her corner, she raced out to a 5-0 lead in the final set, ultimately serving out her ninth career title in just under two hours.

How did @NastiaPav reach this forehand?! ? #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/lv6SvWQZyr

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

Despite – or perhaps because of – her ability to adapt to the conditions, the Monterrey press still ribbed the Russian over her description of the tough conditions, those in which she nonetheless hit 49 winners to 31 unforced errors – compared to 14 winners to just 10 unforced errors from Kerber.

“I like to complain! Let me complain,” she laughed. “I feel sorry for myself sometimes, like it’s so hot and so tough. Let me complain. But it’s not complaining that much because the conditions aren’t easy here in general. Coming from other tournaments, it feels different to play here.”

“Wow! Fourth one, huh?” -@NastiaPav #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/eOLHmtxjbj

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

Thanks to their strong results in Monterrey, both women are set to make big leaps on the Road to Singapore leaderboard, with Kerber inching just outside the Top 8 at No.10, while Pavlyuchenkova is two spots behind at No.12.

“I’ll probably enjoy this win for a few more days, but in tennis, you’ve got another one in a couple of weeks. I’ll have Fed Cup, playing for my country. But I really hope to bring this form with me throughout the year, improve, and be fitter for the next tournaments.”

Special message from @Abierto_GNP champ @NastiaPav to her fans ? pic.twitter.com/06S3IbOeMO

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

In the doubles final, top seeds Alicja Rosolska and Nao Hibino recovered from a break down in the second set to defeat Dalila Jakupovic and Nadiia Kichenok, 6-2, 7-6(4).

“Our opponents really stepped up in the second set, played more solid and put a lot of pressure on us. We couldn’t play our game style as freely,” Rosolska said after the match.

“We had to be more focused from the first ball, so we tried putting in more first serves and be more aggressive so we wouldn’t be under as much pressure.

“There was a very important game at 2-4 where we won the deciding point and helped us win the second set.”

The pair previously paired up to win an ITF challenger title, but as the Pole noted, “It’s our WTA first!”

All photos courtesy of Abierto GNP Seguros.