Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

Goerges Into Final, Wozniacki On Hold

Goerges Into Final, Wozniacki On Hold

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Julia Goerges powered through to the ASB Classic final on Friday, but the second semifinal – pitting Caroline Wozniacki against Sloane Stephens – was stopped due to rain.

Watch live action from Brisbane, Shenzhen & Auckland on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

The first semifinal wrapped up before the skies opened, though Goerges did serve up a storm against Tamira Paszek – the German lost just six points in her first seven service games, eventually dropping serve mid-way through the second set but regrouping to close out the Austrian qualifier, 6-4, 6-2.

With the win, Goerges moves through to a WTA final for the first time in almost four years – her last WTA final came at Dubai in 2012 (falling to Agnieszka Radwanska). She’s 2-3 lifetime in WTA finals.

“I must say it feels very good to be in a final again after such a long time,” Goerges said. “But overall it was a very, very good match from my side – played very aggressively, served decently in the first set. Second set wasn’t a good first serve percentage, but it was a very, very good match from me.”

The former World No.15 will have to wait until Saturday morning to find out her opponent in the final, though, as the second semifinal – pitting No.3 seed Wozniacki against No.5 seed Stephens – was cancelled for the day due to rain. Stephens had opened up a 5-2 lead when the rain started to fall.

Here’s a taste of what Stephens was bringing to the table, courtesy of the WTA Twitter account:

Source link

News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MONETERREY, Mexico – As a part of the WTA Charities initiative, Americans Ashley Weinhold and Caitlin Whoriskey spent Tuesday morning in Monterrey with a group of athletes that are part of the Special Needs Athletes Association of Nuevo Leon, alongside Mexican businessman Carlos Bremer.

Weinhold and Whoriskey helped the athletes paste small scraps of tissue paper on a banner filling the Abierto GNP Seguros logo with bright colors, and the morning ended with everyone enjoying some tasty tacos.

“I want to congratulate the organizers of this event, it has continuously been gaining strength every year,” Bremer said about the WTA event. “I think everyone should support these big events that come to Monterrey and to Mexico.”

Catch a glimpse of the visit and the finished product, courtesy of Abierto GNP Seguros:

Monterrey WTA Charities

Monterrey WTA Charities

Monterrey WTA Charities

Monterrey WTA Charities

Monterrey WTA Charities

Monterrey WTA Charities

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!

Source link

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – Kristyna Pliskova continued her steady climb up the rankings as she scored the first big upset of the Ladies Open Biel Bienne, knocking out No.4 seed Roberta Vinci, 6-4, 6-4 to advance into the second round.

“I’m happy I’m back indoors, because my serve works even better here than outside,” she said after the match. “I think this match was pretty solid from my side; I faced just one break point, which is kind of good. She’s not in her best form, so that helped me get it done in two sets.”

Pliskova recovered from a set down to defeat Vinci at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships just two months ago, but was far more decisive on Monday, striking 10 aces and getting a crucial break in each set to seal the win in one hour and 13 minutes.

“I learned a lot from our match in Dubai, and even more from the time before I’d played her and I’d lost like 6-1, 6-1 five years ago. I knew her slice is brilliant. She proved that again, but I learned a lot from both matches.”

Up next for Pliskova is either Donna Vekic or Sorana Cirstea; with her quick serve and fearsome groundstrokes, the unseeded Czech youngster will certainly be one to watch in the indoor courts of Biel/Bienne this week.

“The court is kind of different from others, but so far I like it.”

Earlier in the day, Elise Mertens caused another upset by defeating No.8 seed Monica Niculescu, 6-2, 6-2. The first winner in the tournament’s history was Germany’s Mona Barthel, who ousted Jana Cepelova, 6-3, 6-4.

Source link

Olympic Memories: Sydney

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Chapter four of tennis’ history as a modern day Olympic sport was written in Sydney as the Games entered the new millennium and a new generation of stars looked to make their mark…

Sydney, Australia, 2000
Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Center
Hardcourt

The Olympic motto inscribed above the player’s entrance to the Sydney Olympic Tennis Center reads “Citius, altius, fortius”, and it is fitting that the player who moved faster, jumped higher and hit stronger than any other in 2000 was the one with a gold medal draped round her neck at the end of the Games.

Looking back, it is strange to think that going into the 2000 season there were question marks hanging over Venus Williams. Since breaking through at the 1997 US Open, Williams had struggled to deliver the results her talent deserved, watching her rivals – Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and even sister, Serena – take home the major prizes.

This all changed in 2000 as Williams finally shook off her tag as tennis’ nearly woman by winning Wimbledon and the US Open. On the back of these triumphs, she arrived Down Under riding high on a 26-match winning streak and, despite not being on top of the rankings, was definitely the player to beat.

Her principal rivals for gold in Sydney were compatriots Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles as the United States looked to continue its dominance of tennis at the Games.

However, for Davenport, who struck gold four years earlier, the Games would end early, when a foot injury forced her to withdraw prior to her second round-match with Rossana de los Ríos.

Seles, meanwhile, eager to make up for the disappointment of a quarterfinal exit in Atlanta, was in fearsome form, racing past her first four opponents and into the semifinals. Waiting for her there was Williams.

In four previous meetings between the two, Seles has won a solitary set and her fortunes were not about to change; despite a mid-match walkabout on serve, Williams always had the upper hand, eventually winning in three.

The final itself proved to be something of an anticlimax.

Few expected 18-year-old Elena Dementieva to make it that far, and for the first set she looked in a state of shock herself. By the time she did settle, it was too late, Williams had found her groove and was racing off towards the finish line.

The harder the Russian tried, the better Williams played. Whatever she attempted – inside out forehands, down the line backhands all came back with interest – merely succeeded in inspiring the American.

Before long match point had arrived, and moments later Williams was dancing round the court, racquet in one hand, flag in the other. A memorable end to a memorable summer.

——

Olympic Memories: Atlanta
Olympic Memories: Barcelona
Olympic Memories: Seoul

Source link