Tennis News

MALLORCA, Spain – Kirsten Flipkens played some of her most solid, complete tennis to complete the biggest upset of the Mallorca Open, knocking out top seed Garbiñe Muguruza in straights sets for a spot in the second round.

Watch live action from Birmingham and Mallorca this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

In her first match since winning the French Open and ascending to World No.2, Muguruza just couldn’t get comfortable on the new, faster surface and was struggling with her serve.

“I think it was very tough,” Muguruza said after the match. “I barely had time to actually practice and enjoy the tournament.

“I wanted to play Mallorca so much and I tried, but then I went to the court and obviously I couldn’t find my rhythm. Also, [Flipken’s] game matches grass very well. My performance today was just not what I wanted.”

The Spaniard looked poised to roll through early on in the first set, breaking in the first game and consolidating for a 2-0 lead. But No.61 ranked Flipkens would have none of it, rallying to break back and erase Muguruza’s lead.

Despite Muguruza holding five other break points during the course of the first set, it was the Belgian who broke once again, closing the first set 6-3 against the World No.2. Flipkens marched through the second, getting the decisive break at 3-3.

Muguruza never recovered, and her Spanish homecoming was cut short, 6-3, 6-4.

“I had so many opportunities coming to me that I couldn’t take, and she played really well during those big moments,” Muguruza said. “So the match started slipping away from me little by little.”

“It was great to be back here and playing in Spain, and especially in my first tournament [since the French Open] it was even more special. Hopefully next year it will be better.”

Flipkens’ game loves the faster surfaces: with today’s win over Mugurza, Flipkens notched her fourth career win over a Top 10 player, and her first since 2013, when she shocked the then No.8-ranked Petra Kvitova in Wimbledon. In fact, three of those four Top 10 wins have come on grass courts.

Up next for Flipkens is Monica Puig, who defeated Julia Goerges, 6-4, 7-5.

? ? pic.twitter.com/4oDApw8yb0

— WTA (@WTA) June 14, 2016

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Eugenie Bouchard just turned 23 this weekend, and the folks at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel made sure the Canadian celebrated the date in grand Mexican style.

Things didn’t look very festive earlier in the day, when Genie tweeted a photo after spending her birthday at the airport.

Spending my birthday at an airport, as you do. #athletelife pic.twitter.com/XMly5SkxOD

— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) February 25, 2017

But the Abierto Mexicano Telcel was ready to save the day, and as soon as Genie touched down in Acapulco she greeted with a full Mexican fiesta.

We have a cake waiting for some Canadian player who is celebrating her birthday today in #Acapulco. ?????? pic.twitter.com/SSZiwcoIPc

— #AMT2017 (@AbiertoTelcel) February 25, 2017

The tournament arranged a huge welcome party – complete with cake, balloons and an entire mariachi band who serenaded her with birthday songs in English and Spanish.

?Éstas son las mañanitas que cantaba el rey David… ?¡Feliz cumpleaños, @geniebouchard! ??????? pic.twitter.com/W9PunK5zKB

— #AMT2017 (@AbiertoTelcel) February 25, 2017

Arriving to your hotel in Acapulco like…

Gracias @AbiertoTelcel for the welcome! ? pic.twitter.com/DGbPHR0N76

— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) February 26, 2017

Check out the video above to see Genie ring in her birthday in Acapulco!

BIRMINGHAM, England – Carla Suárez Navarro snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on another rain-interrupted afternoon at the Aegon Classic Birmingham.

Watch live action from Birmingham and Mallorca this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Trailing 5-3 in the final set, Suárez Navarro’s three-day wait to complete her first-round match looked like it would end in disappointment. However, with the rainclouds gathering overhead once more she produced a rousing finale to triumph, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

Originally scheduled for Monday, the players did not make it on court until Tuesday, splitting the opening two sets before the last of the day’s showers brought play to a halt with the Spaniard leading 2-1 in the decider.

A sluggish start on Wednesday, though, saw Svitolina take the first three games to build a seemingly insurmountable lead. As Suárez Navarro struggled to find her rhythm – and footing – Svitolina stretched this advantage, coming within two points of victory when serving for the match only to be denied by her opponent’s late show.

In two of the other matches carried over from the previous day, British wildcards Naomi Broady and Tara Moore suffered close losses. Tamira Paszek broke in the penultimate game to end Moore’s spirited effort, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, while Daria Gavrilova eventually defused Broady, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Over on Centre Court, No.4 seed Belinda Bencic’s tournament came to an unfortunate end as a thigh injury forced her to retire from her match with Irina-Camelia Begu. Bencic required treatment after a tumble in the first set and despite bravely battling on eventually admitted defeat trailing 6-4, 4-3.

“I slipped during the first set and injured my thigh. I tried to play on but unfortunately I wasn’t able to finish the match,” Bencic said. “It’s not ideal but being healthy in the long term is the top priority so I had to do the sensible thing.”

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Alya WTA Malaysian Open top seed Elina Svitolina claimed her 250th WTA win with a 6-2, 6-3 first-round win over qualifier Su Jeong Jang on Tuesday.

That moment when you win 250th @WTA match ??@alyawtamo pic.twitter.com/CDSr0mFnej

— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) February 28, 2017

The 22-year-old also extended her winning run to 13 matches despite spirited resistance from Jang, who lies 138 places lower in the WTA rankings. The Korean stole a break back in the second set at 3-1, but the reigning champion showed the class that has seen her win back-to-back titles at the Taiwan Open and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships to come through.

Elina Svitolina picks up 250th career WTA win!

Wraps up a 6-2, 6-3 win over Jang Su Jeong! pic.twitter.com/YOJTmnP0It

— WTA (@WTA) February 28, 2017

In the biggest shock of the tournament so far, the promising Russian 18-year-old Anna Kalinskaya defeated No.5 seed Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-2. The WTA World No.23 became the third seeded player to be dispatched in the first two days in Kuala Lumpur, while Kalinskaya was able to celebrate her first ever main draw victory.

What an upset!

World No.173 Anna Kalinskaya knocks third seed Caroline Garcia out of @alyawtamo 7-5, 6-2! pic.twitter.com/xs9HQRyrhG

— WTA (@WTA) February 28, 2017

“Of course I feel a little bit more confident now,” said Kalinskaya afterwards. “I understand that I can play with the players in the top 50, top 100 and it means a lot to me. For the next match I will prepare and hope I play better than today.”

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Ashleigh Barty says the world is seeing her best performances on a tennis court so far as she celebrated a day of double delight at the Alya Malaysian Open.

First she secured a spot in the singles quarterfinals by beating fellow qualifier Miyu Kato, 6-0, 6-3 – and then she went one better in the doubles alongside Casey Dellacqua, progressing to the semifinals as they defeated Nao Hibino and Varatchaya Wongteanchai 6-4, 6-0.

“We have to say this is my best start, best career performances to date,” the 20-year-old told the press afterwards. “We’re happy to be playing well and enjoying our tennis.” 

.@AshBar96 books a spot in @alyawtamo Quarterfinals!

Races past Kato 6-0, 6-3! pic.twitter.com/Muq7rPmwBL

— WTA (@WTA) March 2, 2017

The Australian returned to tennis a year ago following a break during which she turned her sporting skills to cricket, playing in the first-ever Women’s Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat. She thinks that the time off has served her well.

“My tennis game this time is a continuation from my last career – I’m a little bit older, a little bit more wise, more mature, so I think that’s helped my game immensely,” she revealed.

That isn’t to say that putting her racquet down was an easy thing to do.

“I certainly missed playing tennis,” she admitted. “It’s what I’ve done since I was five years old. It’s been a part of my life for so long. It’s what I am born to do.”

Barty is proving that with her recent form, and she has an extra incentive to win – her best friend and doubles partner Dellacqua.

“I really am loving being out here, getting to play singles and enjoy some success, and then of course to be on the court with my best friend for doubles is a bonus as well – it’s nice to be back out here with Case and to see her happy as well,” she added.