Stuttgart: Ivanovic vs. Witthoeft
Ana Ivanovic takes on Carina Witthoeft in the first round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Ana Ivanovic takes on Carina Witthoeft in the first round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Sania Mirza, India’s most successful female tennis player, has revealed that she is in discussions over a Bollywood movie based on her life following the publication of her autobiography, Aces Against Odds, last year.
“There are some talks going on, but there’s nothing concrete right now,” the 30-year-old told Al Jazeera in an interview. “I’m a private person, so it is a difficult ask of me to open up completely.”
The 41-time WTA doubles champion also said she was aiming to return to the top of the WTA doubles rankings, a position she last held in at the start of 2017.
“We’re trying to win every tournament, whether it’s a Grand Slam or a regular tournament,” she said. “It would be great to get back to number one in the world, but I was there for almost two years. I feel like I just want to keep working hard and playing as long as I enjoy the pressure of competing.”
Mirza, who won the Brisbane International this year with WTA World No.1 Bethanie Mattek-Sands, also has six Grand Slam doubles titles to her name. She won the Australian Open last year to go with her 2015 victories at Wimbledon and the US Open, while in mixed doubles she won the Australian Open in 2009, the French Open in 2012 and the US Open in 2014.
Mirza, whose husband is Pakistan international cricketer Shoaib Malik, also spoke about the impact Bollywood can have in giving other sports exposure in a country obsessed with her husband’s game.
“We try to act like we are a sporting nation two months before the Olympics, Asian Games or Commonwealth Games. Until then, nobody really cares. We need to remember that we have champions outside of cricket, as well.
“Most sports don’t get the kind of support, help or viewership that is given to cricket. But because of movies, the whole country realises who these people are. Bollywood is probably the biggest industry that we have. It’s one way to reach out to the masses and, actually, celebrate.”
It took her about three tries, but Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova successfully completed the WTA Frame Challenge. How well did she do? That’s a different story…
Watch as Andrea Petkovic joins Feliciano Lopez on a cliff driving trip at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco.
Garbiñe Muguruza takes on Timea Babos in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Highlights from the first and second round action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Former World No.11 Shahar Peer, 29, officially announced her retirement on Tuesday. Peer retires as the most successful Israeli woman to ever play on the WTA.
“I want to share with you one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in my life,” Peer wrote on Facebook. “After 23 years, in which 13 of those years I was an international professional tennis player, I am retiring 🙂
“I made this decision following a chronic inflammation in my shoulder, that has been lasting for over two years, and prevents me from competing at the high level that I am used to and expect from myself. At the same time, I lost my desire for the game of tennis and the intense way of life I have lived since I was 6.5 years old.
“I look back on this experience with a huge smile, a lot of happiness and satisfaction. I am proud of all of my accomplishments as well as the huge honor I was given to represent the state of Israel.
“I want to thank everyone for your never-ending support that I received every single day, every hour and every place I went to around the world. This Friday, ‘Ulpan Shishi’ on Channel 2 will broadcast a segment about my career, my deliberation about my retirement, and my plans for the future. I promise to continue to update you about every interesting development of Chapter 2 of my life.”
After turning pro in 2004, Peer won five WTA titles and became the first Israeli woman to make the quarterfinals of a Slam, doing it twice in 2007. In 2008, she became the first Israeli ever to compete at a WTA tournament in the Arabian Peninsula at the Qatar Total Open.
In addition to her successful WTA career, Peer was a Fed Cup stalwart for Israel, playing over 75 matches and compiling at 45-31 record. In 2008 she represented Israel at her first and only Olympic Games in Beijing.
Peer had not played a match on tour since the 2016 Abierto Monterrey, where she lost in the opening round of qualifying to Viktorija Golubic.
An interview with Petra Kvitova after her win in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Monica Seles Hosts Kids Clinic In Budapest
Former World No.1 Monica Seles arrived in Budapest for the Hungarian Day of Tennis, which celebrates the past, present and future of Hungarian tennis, and hosted a kids’ clinic alongside other Hungarian former players.
“It’s been fantastic to be invited by the Hungarian Tennis Federation to be a part of the WTA tournament here in Budapest, and also to participate in the Hungarian Day of Tennis kid’s clinic,” Seles told wtatennis.com.
“I hope we can spread the love of tennis and inspire a lot of young kids to pick up a racquet, and hopefully one day see them on center court.”
Budapest Champion Timea Babos & Monica Seles Auction Signed Racquets
Timea Babos captured the title in front of her home crowd in Budapest at the Hungarian Ladies Open, and she’s also helping to give back to her community.
Babos and Seles have donated autographed tennis racquets – the same racquets they played with this past week – which will be put on auction for two weeks after the tournament. All proceeds will benefit the Ronald McDonald House, the tournament’s charity of choice.
“I think it’s wonderful that the WTA tournament here in Budapest has a charitable side,” Seles told wtatennis.com. “And it’s great that the WTA has started a charitable foundation – I think it’s so important to give back.
“We in sport are very lucky to do what we love and make a living out of it, and anytime that we’re able to give back, it’s a huge honor and happiness in my heart.”
Johanna Larsson & Chan Yung-Jan Host Clinics In Dubai
Over in Dubai, Johanna Larsson and Chan Yung-Jan (Latisha) hosted a set of children’s and youth clinics to inspire the next generation of tennis hopefuls.
Larsson enjoyed some mini-tennis with children at the JP Morgan Kids Clinic and also had a hit with two promising juniors from the region, while Latisha hosted the Lacoste Special Needs Clinic, which involved children and teenagers who don’t let their disabilities hold them back when it comes to keeping active and enjoying tennis.
Latisha interacted with the children, posing for selfies, signing balls and answering their questions about what life is like as a professional tennis player.
“I always like coming to these clinics as it’s so much fun to make the kids happy and help them enjoy tennis,” she said. “It’s great to put smiles on their faces, and Dubai Duty Free always puts on a great show for the children.”
JP Morgan’s Breakfast With A Champion
Also in Dubai, hosts Mickey Lawler, President of the WTA, and former British No.1 Annabel Croft were joined by former doubles World No.1 Sania Mirza at JP Morgan’s Breakfast With A Champion.
In front of an audience made up of JP Morgan’s female bankers and employees, the event celebrated powerful female role models.
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STUTTGART, Germany – The first major red clay tournament is about to reach its exciting conclusion with an all-German final to be contested between defending champion Angelique Kerber and Laura Siegemund – so here are 10 Things To Know about the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final.
Laura Siegemund (GER #71) vs. (2) Angelique Kerber (GER #3)
Head-To-Head: First meeting
1) History has already been made.
Since the tournament moved to Stuttgart from Filderstadt in 2006, there have never been two German women in the final, but with eight of the Top 9 Germans competing at their home tournament, perhaps the odds should have been more in their favor. While Kerber won the title in 2015 and started the season with an Australian Open crown, few tipped Laura Siegemund to come through qualifying and dismantle three Top 10 players (Simona Halep, Roberta Vinci, and Agnieszka Radwanska) without dropping a set.
2) Siegemund is playing career-defining tennis.
Unexpected as it might have ultimately been, there were certainly signs a run like was possible from Siegemund. Unseeded at the Australian Open, she upset former No.1 Jelena Jankovic to reach her first Grand Slam third round; the 28-year-old made a seamless transition to clay back in Charleston, upsetting 2015 finalist Madison Keys en route to the quarterfinals. Through seven matches in Stuttgart, Siegemund has yet to drop a set (14-0).
3) Kerber is close to her Melbourne form…
A brief lull following her Grand Slam triumph led to early losses at the Qatar Total Open and the BNP Paribas Open, but the World No.3 has been largely back at her best since the Miami Open, where she reached the semifinals. A viral illness halted her title defense in the semifinals of the Volvo Car Open, and her 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over Petra Kvitova on Saturday took her into her first final since the Australian Open.
4) …but will remain at No.3 on the WTA rankings.
Retiring in Charleston returned the No.2 ranking to Agnieszka Radwanska, who had briefly wrested the spot from Kerber after Indian Wells. Radwanska’s run to the semifinals keeps the No.2 ranking out of reach for now, but with neither defending too many points through Premier tournaments in Madrid and Rome, the race will be on for who will have their own half of the French Open draw across from 21-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.
5) Kerber takes control of the Road to Singapore standings.
Outside the Top 2 on the 52-week rankings, Kerber continues making strides on the Road to Singapore standings; despite losing the top spot to Victoria Azarenka following the former No.1’s Sunshine Double, Kerber has made up lost ground while the Belarusian led her country to a win over Russia in Fed Cup. With a tour-leading 25 matches, Kerber is looking for her second title of 2016 in four finals after starting the year in back-to-back finals in Sydney and Melbourne.
6) Siegemund is up to a career-high ranking…
Starting the week as the No.8 German, Siegemund has leapfrogged countrywomen Mona Barthel, Julia Goerges, Anna-Lena Friedsam, and Sabine Lisicki to tentatively move into the Top 50 for the first time in her career at No.42. An even bigger leap could be in store should she win the title, but cracking the Top 4 in her country’s ranks has major implications for the upcoming Rio Olympic Games.
7) …and has experience in finals.
This may be her first WTA singles final, but Siegemund has had plenty of success on the ITF Circuit throughout her career, winning a whopping 11 Challenger titles – all on clay – since 2006 (though 10 have come in the last five years). Siegemund also reached four WTA doubles finals in 2015, winning three, with three different partners, and on three different surfaces (the Topshelf Open with Asia Muhammad, the Brasil Tennis Cup with Annika Beck, and the BGL BNP Luxembourg Open with Mona Barthel).
8) Kerber has hustled, Siegemund has flowed.
Through their main draw wins, Kerber has managed to spend 13 more more minutes on the court despite having a first round bye and the fact that Siegemund played an extra match. Siegemund’s most competitive set came in the first round against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who surged ahead in the second set before the veteran closed out the Russian, 6-0, 7-5.
9) Kerber on clay.
The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament where Kerber is yet to reach at least the semifinals, making one quarterfinal in 2012. Her first career clay court titles came back-to-back last spring, when she captured the Volvo Car Open and Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Kerber has never won a title on outdoor red clay, reaching only one final (Bogota, 2010).
10) Money, money money.
The winner of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title is set to take home 104,477 euros (or about 117,259 USD). Siegemund has already made just under a third of her career prize money in 2016 alone, while Kerber leads the season Prize Money rankings with 3,006,134 USD.
