Acapulco: Kirsten Flipkens' Shot Of The Day
Kirsten Flipkens had Thursday’s shot of the day at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.
Kirsten Flipkens had Thursday’s shot of the day at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.
ACAPULCO, Mexico – No.4 seed Monica Puig is into the quarterfinals at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel for the second time after a victory over Daniela Hantuchova, 6-4, 6-4.
“Today I felt a lot better on court than I did yesterday,” Puig said after the match. “I’ve definitely seen an improvement in my game during the past few days.
“And that’s really my goal, to improve every match and not feel pressure, and just go out on court and play the best I can.”
Hantuchova is currently ranked No.244, a position which belies the quality the former World No.5 can produce, and she employed her all-court game against the Olympic champion.
? ? ?
Powerful backhand from @MonicaAce93! #AMT2017 pic.twitter.com/5HeWxwyEMu
— WTA (@WTA) March 1, 2017
Puig shook off a sluggish start in the opening set against Hantuchova, grabbing the lone break at 4-3. She had trouble closing out the set – a struggle she had yesterday against Francesca Schiavone as well. The Puerto Rican had two set points on Hantuchova’s serve, but was unable to convert. She fought off two breaks of her own before sending down a booming serve down the T to take the opening set.
“I’ve had a lot of matches these past few weeks, so having a bit of tension is normal,” Puig explained in her post-match press conference. “The body gets a bit tense after so many matches.”
The Puerto Rican’s big-hitting game clicked together in the final set, weathering five breaks of serve in the first six games to come away with the lead.
A trio of errors from Hantuchova gave Puig a look at three match points, but Hantuchova wasn’t ready to let go. She put together a massive effort to deny Puig five times with gutsy baseline play – and even earned a break point – but Puig took the match on the sixth time of asking for a spot in the Acapulco quarterfinals.
.@MonicaAce93 advances to @AbiertoTelcel Quarterfinals!
Tops Hantuchova 6-4, 6-4! #AMT2017 pic.twitter.com/GgL3uiJeQ9
— WTA (@WTA) March 1, 2017
Puig will take on Christina McHale for a spot in the semifinals after the American knocked out her countrywoman Taylor Townsend 6-1, 7-6(5) earlier in the day.
“Christina is a very good friend of mine, we train together a lot,” Puig said. “It’s going to be a tough match for sure. She’s been playing really well lately, and I expect a great match; I just hope to bring my best tennis.”
Also in action today, Kirsten Flipkens moved into the quarterfinals after her opponent Ajla Tomljanovic – author of yesterday’s stunner over No.6 seed Eugenie Bouchard – was forced to retire after the first set due to a right shoulder injury.
No.7 seed Lesia Tsurenko advanced in similar fashion; she was leading 6-1, 2-0 against Julia Goerges before the German was forced to retire due to heat illness.
An interview with Svetlana Kuznetsova after her win in the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup.
ACAPULCO, Mexico – No.5 seed Christina McHale put on an emphatic display to defeat No.4 seed Monica Puig, 6-2, 6-2 to become the first semifinalist at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.
“I knew it was going to be a tough match going in; she’s got a lot of power,” she said after the match. “I was just trying to defend well because she’s really tough when she’s in control of the points.
“I think I served well today, which helped a lot.”
McHale last played Puig in 2010, and the Puerto Rican star has grown by leaps and bounds since then, becoming the first from her country to claim a gold medal at the Olympic tennis event. But the American, herself fluent in Spanish, acquitted herself well on Thursday, converting all four of her break point opportunities and striking four aces to ease past Puig in just over an hour.
Beautiful backhand cross-court winner from @MonicaAce93! ? #AMT2017 pic.twitter.com/acfuPPQ1Ye
— WTA (@WTA) March 2, 2017
The No.5 seed is into her third semifinal in Acapulco – her best result coming in 2014, when she reached the final – and will play No.2 seed Kristina Mladenovic in the next round.
.@ChristinaMcHale races through the opening set vs Puig 6-2! #AMT2017 pic.twitter.com/MTPWENiZlL
— WTA (@WTA) March 2, 2017
Before she gets there, however, she is due back on court later today for a round of doubles; McHale is the No.4 seed with partner Chuang Chia-Jung and takes on Veronica Cepede Royg and Mariana Duque-Mariño to make two semifinals in the same week.
“I was just focusing on the match, and I’m really happy to be in another semifinal. This is one of my favorite tournaments. I’m excited to be back on court for doubles later.”
.@ChristinaMcHale is first through to the @AbiertoTelcel Semifinals!
Knocks out Puig 6-2, 6-2! #AMT2017 pic.twitter.com/iLFJfXBfeq
— WTA (@WTA) March 2, 2017
Julia Goerges takes on Daria Kasatkina in the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup.
ACAPULCO, Mexico – Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos joined forces with WTA Charities at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel to give Acapulco kids the experience of a lifetime at the 24th edition of AMT Kids Day by Nickelodeon.
Joined by ATP players Ernesto Escobedo, Hans Hach Verdugo and Cesar Ramirez and tennis coach Marc Lucero, the children had the chance to hit with their some of their national heroes at the mini-tennis clinics, as well as spend time with their favorite TV characters.
This year’s Kids Day hosted hundreds of children from the Teleton Center of Childhood Rehabilitation as well as Guerrero’s DIF, an organization that works with family developments in the area.
Olmos, Escobedo, Hach Verdugo and Ramirez were recognized by the tournament as “Agents of Change” for making a difference by being a positive example for the youth.
Check out some of the best photos from AMT Kids Day, right here!
WTA Charities is the WTA’s global philanthropic organization dedicated to making a positive impact across the globe. Our mission is to be a social responsibility vehicle built on the WTA’s values to empower and provide for a better future. We’re dedicated to combining, strengthening and enhancing the community and charitable efforts of the WTA through its members (players, alumnae and tournaments), along with our partners.
Click here to see more WTA Charities activities!
On Tuesday Sports Illustrated released its inaugural Fashionable 50, a list of athletes that a panel of sports and fashion experts evaluated as most fashionable, and WTA’s Serena Williams proudly stands in the Top 10. SI’s experts took into account not only what, where and why the athletes pick certain clothes for their on-court and off-court appearances, but their overall involvement in the world of fashion: designer collaborations, presence at fashion shows, investments in fashion, endorsements and other partnerships, social media activities, etc. Guest contributor Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog breaks down Serena’s most iconic fashion moments.
The 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in West Hollywood, California
When it comes to tennis, Williams is firmly holding on to her No.1 ranking, but the 21-time Grand Slam champion’s fashion dominance is just as fierce and commanding, so it comes as no surprise that SI’s experts ranked her at number four of the Fashionable 50.
Serena Williams at the 2004 US Open
From her beginnings on the professional circuit to this day, Williams has stood out both with her powerful game and daring fashion. We still vividly remember the colorful beads Williams wore as a teenager back in the 90s, while now at 34 years of age Williams is still pushing the boundaries, be it with animal prints, provocative designs, or simply with the way she pulls of even the simplest outfits.
Serena Williams at the 1998 US Open
When Williams finishes sweeping past her opponents, she embraces haute couture for runway and red carpet appearances. The look that SI singled out in their Fashionable 50 list is the provocative lingerie-style lace dress from the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year award ceremony.
Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year award ceremony, December 2015
Williams is not only a consumer of stunning clothes, the tennis legend has been active in the fashion world with her Serena Williams Signature Statement Collection for HSN, which she proudly presented at New York Fashion Week in September 2015, with Vogue’s Anna Wintour and other celebrities sitting in the front row. The collection revolves around fringe and leather motifs, while Williams herself described it as “a little bit retro, romantic, and extremely innovative.”
Serena Williams presenting her collection at New York Fashion Week in September 2015
In an interview for Vogue, Williams talked in more detail about the clothes that bear her name: “I want [my customers] to feel empowered. I want them to feel beautiful. The collection works on every size person. You should [be able] to look good and feel good and love who you are and, at the same time, be stylish.”
Serena Williams at the 2014 US Open
Serena earned her place in the prestigious Top 10 of SI’s Fashionable 50, but two other WTA stars also made the list: Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams.
Maria Sharapova with her 2014 French Open trophy
Described as “red carpet stunner” by SI, Sharapova is known for her sophisticated taste, comprehensive business sense that has a lot to do with stylish clothing, numerous fashion show appearances, and let’s not forget her work with Nike that produced a number of memorable tennis dresses.
Venus Williams at the 2015 Miami Open
Venus, on the other hand, has managed to grow her athletic apparel line EleVen so much that now it competes with sports apparel giants, largely owing to her fashion degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, as well as her work ethic and innate wish to succeed that brought her all the tennis successes in the first place.
Visit Sports Illustrated’s Fashionable 50 for a complete list of the world’s most stylish athletes. The new issue of SI hits newsstands on Wednesday, April 13.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
SINGAPORE – Dominika Cibulkova has been named the 2016 WTA Comeback Player Of The Year.
The Slovak was one of the brightest players on the tour in 2014 as she reached three finals, including the Australian Open, her first Grand Slam final appearance. Cibulkova, however, narrowly missed out on qualifying for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global in 2014, and endured a frustrating start to the 2015 season. She elected to undergo surgery on her Achilles in February forcing her to miss three months of action. During her absence, her ranking dropped outside the Top 50.
But she didn’t stay there long, and in 2016 Cibulkova has rediscovered her form, returning to the Top 10 and qualifying for the WTA Finals in Singapore for the first time in her career thanks to tournament wins at the Katowice Open, the Aegon International Eastbourne and the Generali Ladies Linz.
#WTA Comeback Player of the Year?
Dominika @Cibulkova! pic.twitter.com/yXaXJwrfXe
— WTA (@WTA) October 21, 2016
Her achievements have been recognized as she received 26 votes for WTA Comeback Player Of The Year award, ahead of Anastasija Sevastova (12), Elena Vesnina (11) and Vania King (1).
WTA Comeback Player Of The Year Winners
2016: Dominika Cibulkova
2015: Venus Williams
2014: Mirjana Lucic-Baroni
2013: Alisa Kleybanova
2012: Yaroslava Shvedova
2011: Sabine Lisicki
2010: Justine Henin
2009: Kim Clijsters
2008: Zheng Jie
2007: Lindsay Davenport
2006: Martina Hingis
2005: Kim Clijsters
2004: Serena Williams
Complete listing of the historical WTA Awards.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – With less than one week to go until the season’s first WTA Premier Mandatory tournament gets underway, the BNP Paribas Open announced today the recipients for main draw wildcards:
Bethanie Mattek-Sands: won the 2016 BNP Paribas Open doubles title with CoCo Vandeweghe
Nicole Gibbs: advanced to the third round of the 2017 Australian Open
Taylor Townsend: advanced to the third round of the 2014 French Open
Danielle Collins: a two-time NCAA singles winner at the University of Virginia
Irina Falconi: earned her first WTA title in 2016 at Bogota
Kayla Day: 2016 US Open junior champion and USTA Girls’ 18s National winner
Jennifer Brady: made a tremendous run to the 2017 Australian Open Round of 16
Donna Vekic: won the title at Kuala Lumpur at the age of 17
Qualifying wildcards will be announced in the near future. Qualifying rounds will take place Monday and Tuesday, March 6 and 7, with main draw play beginning on Wednesday March 8.
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