WTA Stars Visit Reindeer In Russia
Doubles partners Darija Jurak and Xenia Knoll paid a visit to some reindeer ahead of the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
Doubles partners Darija Jurak and Xenia Knoll paid a visit to some reindeer ahead of the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
World No.9 Madison Keys is into the semifinals of the Olympic tennis event in Rio on her debut appearance. Earlier this week, the American sat down with the New York Times to discuss her beauty and health regimen and how she keeps it up despite traveling the world week in and week out.
For Keys, who is constantly under the sun, skin care is the most important thing:
The first thing I put on is sunscreen. I do it within 15 minutes of waking up so I’m protected by the time I’m out the door.
I use moisturizer only at night — Philosophy Hope in a Jar. Two or three times a week, I do a Caudalíe face mask. It’s a purifying one because I have combination skin, and I’m sweating so often. It can be really tough to keep clear skin, especially if you’re wearing a visor. It’s just sitting on your head, and you break out underneath it. It can be a disaster.
And here’s her sage approach to diet and exercise:
“I have to eat pretty healthy to stay in shape, but a big part of my diet is having that occasional dessert. My favorite is Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked ice cream. But I have to watch it. I’m lactose intolerant, so sometimes I’ll do the Ben & Jerry’s lactose-free line.
For a tennis player, the toughest part of training is the off-season. That’s when we’re doing tons of tough fitness — maybe two to three hours in the gym. Obviously as you get closer to the tournaments, you spend more time on the court. Right now, I’m spending two and a half to three hours on the court every day.”
Check out her New York Times feature to hear what the Olympic semifinalist has to say about hair care, her go-to makeup, acupuncture and more.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – Kristina Mladenovic continued her stunning run at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy with another shock victory, this time in the quarterfinal over the reigning champion, Roberta Vinci, 6-1 6-4.
The unseeded world No.51 continued with the approach that had seen off Venus Williams in the surprise of the second round. She tore into the 33-year-old’s serve in the first set, winning all three of the Italian’s service games. Facing set point at 30-40 in the final game, Vinci produced a wonderful drop shot down the line from deep in the court to take it to deuce, but Mladenovic was undeterred and came through for a 6-1 win.
A rocket of a return from @KikiMladenovic! @Formula_TX pic.twitter.com/2eXZkScAly
— WTA (@WTA) February 3, 2017
Vinci, facing Mladenovic for the first time since the 2015 US Open, faced break point once again at the start of the second set. This time, though, she proved more resilient and held for the first time in the match.
“Roberta is a big fighter,” said the 23-year-old of a more even second set, “and she is very smart on the court. She tried different tactics and almost turned it around in the second set. I’m happy I stayed calm and all the time responded with a game plan as well.”
The second serve increasingly proved key. Mladenovic won 50% of the points behind hers in contrast to 25% for Vinci and, although the French player served three double faults to her opponents’ one, it was that one that was crucial. A double fault from Vinci at 30-40 and 4-4 in the set gave the underdog the chance to serve for a meeting with Russia’s Natalia Vikhlyantseva in the last four.
Wonderfully delicate touch from @Roberta_Vinci! ? pic.twitter.com/LU8a5BBLaR
— WTA (@WTA) February 3, 2017
Mladenovic grew more aggressive, coming forward more with the win in sight. Serving at 5-4 she rushed too quickly to the net and gave up three break points. However she showed great composure to save all three. In a tense finale, the pair went to deuce four times before, at the third time of asking, Mladenovic converted match point with a top-spin heavy cross-court winner to qualify for her third career Premier semifinal.
“We played against each other last year in Hertogenbosch on grass and I won in three sets,” she said of Vikhlyantseva. “I discovered this young lady there for the first time and I thought she had an amazing great quality and game and potential for the future. I’m not surprised at her improvement and her ranking climbing up.”
Meanwhile the defeated champion said: “It was a difficult match, a tough match. Kiki played incredible tennis first set. In the second set I started to play much better than in the first – a bit more aggressive – I had some chances to break her, but she played too good. I played so so – this is tennis! I’m happy I managed to make it back to the quarter-final.”
MELBOURNE, Australia – Playing just her third match of 2016, Garbiñe Muguruza looked in solid form en route to a two-set win over the unseeded Kirsten Flipkens, winning, 6-4, 6-2, on Rod Laver Arena.
The No.3 seed had been forced to retire during her season debut at the Brisbane International, but the Spaniard has shown few signs of stress at the Australian Open, hitting 23 winners past Flipkens, who was only able to hit six over her own against last year’s Wimbledon finalist.
“I’m extremely happy after today,” Muguruza said during her on-court interviw. “Kirsten is a very difficult opponent with a unique game, so I’m very happy to be in the third round.”
On a cool day in Melbourne, Muguruza raced out to a 5-1 lead in the second set. Though Flipkens was able to force her higher-ranked opponent to serve it out, it was smooth sailing at the end of the 78 minute match for the No.3 seed, who promptly held at love to reach the third round Down Under for the second straight year.
“I think the weather is very important for us. I think this temperature is perfect but I also like to play in hot weather, so either way, it’s great!”
Up next for Muguruza is Barbora Strycova, who edged past comeback kid Vania King, 7-6(5), 6-4; the two-time women’s doubles Grand Slam champion had been out for most of last year with a back injury, and though she had her chances, the Czech veteran proved too strong in the end.
Strycova and Muguruza have met twice before, with the Spaniard taking both of their meetings in straight sets, though she was clear in the notion that no one is to be underestimated – especially at this time of year.
“This is a Grand Slam where everyone is extremely fit because we’re coming from the pre-season so every match is very tough.
“I’m just happy to be here, playing great tennis.”
WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen | In the latest WTA Insider Live Blog, follow along with all the action as the medals are in reach for the semifinalists in Rio.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – WTA Charities brought together Ana Konjuh, Donna Vekic and dozens of young Russian players and wheelchair tennis players for a Masterclass Clinic at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
With the help of two local coaches, Konjuh and Vekic took to the Sibur Arena to run through drills with the children, as well as give them pointers on their game.
Afterwards, the pair signed WTA inspirational quote notebooks as gifts for the wheelchair tennis players.
Check out the best photos from the WTA Charities event right here!
– Photos courtesy of St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy
A blockbuster battle between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova highlights the Day 9 schedule in Melbourne as quarterfinal action begins. Here’s a preview of what’s on tap.
Tuesday, Day 9
Quarterfinals
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [5] Maria Sharapova (RUS # 5)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 18-2
Key Stat: Williams has won 17 straight decisions against Sharapova, a streak that dates back more than a decade.
There’s no denying that the numbers make a case for a predictable outcome. Serena Williams has—quite remarkably—defeated Maria Sharapova on 17 consecutive occasions and only lost three of her last 37 sets against the Russian, and yet when these two iconic forces meet there is always an air of electricity surrounding the affair. That can be chalked up to several factors. One, starpower; Two, sheer athleticism; Three, competitive fire. Both Sharapova and Williams possess all three of the aforementioned entities in spades, and plenty of Grand Slam hardware to boot. And even though Williams has thoroughly dominated this rivalry over the last 11 years, the one-sidedness has not detracted from the intrigue. “Every match is new,” Williams said of the upcoming quarterfinal with Sharapova. “You know, she always brings in something new and something special.”
Williams remains confident in her game after four breezy wins in Melbourne but she admits that the psychology of having such a long winning streak against a formidable opponent creates a strange dynamic. “I think the person who is winning could definitely feel the pressure because there is a lot of expectations,” she says. Meanwhile, Sharapova enters the matchup with a sense of brimming hope. She’s serving as well as she ever has, as 37 aces in her last two matches can attest, and she’s upped the aggression in her ground game, which could help her avoid having her movement exposed by the quicker Williams. “You’re always trying to improve,” Sharapova said on Sunday after her fourth-round win over Belinda Bencic. “I got myself into the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam. There is no reason I shouldn’t be looking to improve and to getting my game in a better position.” Could these new wrinkles help Sharapova finally get over the hump against Williams? Or will Williams once again prove to be an unsolvable puzzle for the hard-hitting Russian?
Pick: Williams in three
[4] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #4) vs. [10] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP # 11)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads, 3-1 (counting Fed Cup)
Key Stat: Radwanska is currently on a 12-match winning streak that dates back to last year’s WTA Finals in Singapore.
Two of the tour’s most cherished players will duke it out for a coveted semifinal slot at the year’s first major. Radwanska, a semifinalist in 2014 in Melbourne, has won three of four matches against Suárez Navarro, but dropped the pair’s last meeting in Miami last year. Though the Pole comes in as the hottest player on the WTA Tour at the moment, she knows she’ll be in for a tough, physical encounter against the resourceful Suárez Navarro. As for the 27-year-old Spaniard, she’s quite familiar with Radwanska’s tactics and form, and knows she’ll have to be on point in order to reach her first career Grand Slam semifinal. “We had really tough matches in the past,” Suárez Navarro said of matching up with Radwanska after dispatching Daria Gavrilova on Day 7. “I know it will be tough for me. I know that because of her style, you have to run a lot, you have to think every point what to do.”
Radwanska had to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on Sunday, reeling off five consecutive games in the final set to defeat Germany’s Anna-Lena Friedsam, and the magical finish has her thinking that she could be destined for a career-best run down under. “I’m just very happy that I could win the last point,” she said, adding: “I just hope I can go further and do one step forward, make the final.”
Pick: Radwanska in three
Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka were joined by four colorful characters at the Australian Open Kids Tennis Day – as well as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Eugenie Bouchard’s loyal fans, the “Genie Army,” were out in full force in sunny Melbourne.
Australian player Daria Gavrilova thrilled Aussie fans with her spirited performance at her home slam. The 21-year-old made the Round of 16, her best result ever at a slam.
Down the road from Melbourne Park, Johanna Konta stands under the distinctive clocks of Flinders Street Station. Konta made British tennis history by becoming the first woman in 33 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley presents Maria Sharapova with a cake commemorating a major milestone: she reached 600 career singles wins after her victory in the third round.
Australian Open quarterfinalist Angelique Kerber makes a young fan happy at Autograph Island.
Naomi Osaka wants to be the very best, like no one ever was. The 18-year-old Japanese – pictured here meeting the penguins at Melbourne Aquarium – made the third round at the Australian Open.
Serena Williams signs autographs after her Round of 16 win. The World No.1 has yet to drop a set in her Australian Open title defense.
Annika Beck dealt the No.11 seed Timea Bacsinszky a second-round upset, and doled out many autographs at the Australian Open Autograph Island.
World No.113 Zheng Shuai was contemplating retiring after the Australian Open – until she upset the No.2 seed Simona Halep in the first round. Zheng – pictured here with coach Liu Shuo at the Chinese Museum – is now in her first ever Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka signs a camera lens after her victory – can the undefeated No.14 seed make it three Grand Slams in Melbourne?
Daria Kasatkina, who made the third round in Melbourne, tries on a bit of Aussie spirit – and a cork hat – at the Australia Pop Up Shop.
Carla Suárez Navarro is always calm – whether she’s on court or holding a freshwater crocodile. A quarterfinalist here in Melbourne, she’s looking to move into the final four for the first time in her career.
Garbiñe Muguruza during her post-match interview. The World No.3 made the third round of the Australian Open.
The spotlight is on World No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska, behind the scenes at her ESPN Player Montage. The reigning WTA Finals champion is seeking to make the Australian Open her first Grand Slam title.
Johanna Konta won an absolute nail-biter against Ekaterina Makarova to become the first British woman in 33 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
MELBOURNE, Australia – Co-No.1s Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza played their best match of the Australian Open on Wednesday, dropping just one game to No.13 seeds Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova to win a 35th straight match, and reach a third straight major final – having already captured titles at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Before they take on Silent Hs Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka for their first Australian Open title as a pair – Hingis’ first in women’s doubles since 2002 and fourth overall – they will find themselves under the rare circumstance of being on opposite sides of the net, as each hope to add a mixed doubles crown to their ever-growing trophy collection.
Top seed with partner Ivan Dodig, Mirza will play Hingis and Leander Paes, who are unseeded but defending champions at the Australian Open, in the quarterfinals of the mixed event. The pair have not played against one another since last year’s Apia International Sydney, when the Indian star partnered Bethanie Mattek-Sands to beat Hingis and former partner Flavia Pennetta en route to the title.
Inseparable since pairing up ahead of the BNP Paribas Open last spring, Santina have played 17 tournaments together, winning 11 times. From their initial three-title breakthrough in Indian Wells, Miami, and Charleston, the two capped their near-perfect season with a win at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, and have picked up where they left off in 2016, winning back-to-back titles in Brisbane and Sydney and losing only one set in Melbourne.
Handicapping their chances in mixed, Hingis has won four major titles to Mirza’s three. The Swiss Miss was a French Open title short of a mixed doubles Grand Slam in 2015, partnering Paes – with whom she plays for the Washington Kastles each summer for Mylan World TeamTennis – to win the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles.
Mirza’s most recent mixed doubles victory came in 2014 with Bruno Soares at the US Open, but she is also a former Australian Open mixed champion, pairing Mahesh Bhupati for the title in 2009.
Should Hingis emerge victorious on Thursday afternoon, the 20-time Grand Slam champion would remain in the hunt for non-calendar year Grand Slams in both women’s doubles and mixed, having already earned two legs of the box set at Wimbledon at the US Open.