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Insider RG Contenders: Kerber

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Angelique Kerber’s 2016 has been about countering the narrative. In fact, let’s expand that. Her last two seasons have been about proving the conventional wisdom wrong. After a frustrating 2014 season, which saw her go titleless despite making four Premier finals, the German rebounded in 2015 to win four Premier titles and finish the year at No.10.

But her results at the Slams waned last season. She never got past the third round at any of the four majors and completely choked under the pressure at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, falling one set short of advancing to the semifinals. Going into 2016 it was easy to discount Kerber as a hard-working, talented player, who just didn’t have the fortitude to win the big titles.

Then she proceeded to win the one Slam at which she had historically posted her worst results, beating the hottest player at the time in Victoria Azarenka and World No.1 and defending champion Serena Williams to win the Australian Open.

Kerber will be seeded No.3 at the French Open next week. Paris has proved a perplexing place for the 28-year-old. She has made it past the fourth round just once, stalling in the fourth round in two of the last three years. A closer look at her recent losses in Paris reveal they really weren’t bad ones, losing to Garbiñe Muguruza (2015), Eugenie Bouchard (2014), and Svetlana Kuznetsova (2013).

With nine titles under her belt, Kerber has proven she can win on any surface. Indoors, outdoors, grass, clay, or hard court, she has a title on each. Last month she successfully defended her title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. That title came on the heels of back-to-back wins in Fed Cup over two of the best clay courters right now, in Simona Halep and Irina-Camelia Begu. A week before that came a semifinal run in Charleston, which ended in her retirement due to illness. In our Clay Court Power Rankings only she and Serena Williams were able to match their ranking on clay with their overall ranking. In other words, Kerber is as good on clay as she is on all other surfaces.

The question is whether Kerber goes into Paris with the confidence of the woman who made the Miami semifinals, Charleston semifinals, and won Stuttgart, or the confidence of the woman who lost both her opening matches at the Mutua Madrid Open (l. Strycova) and Internazionali BNL d’Italia (l. Bouchard) in her lead-up. In Rome she told her coach Torben Beltz during an on-court coaching timeout that she couldn’t find any rhythm, and hinted that their practices that week had not gone well. Perhaps the early exit from Rome gave her extra time to fix what’s been going wrong.

One key to assessing Kerber’s chances in Paris are the conditions. Warm, fast conditions will play into her strengths as she’ll be able to inject extra power and get her shots through the court. Slow, wet conditions will slow down her ball – especially her serve – and she’ll be caught on defense far too often.

But if she gets a good draw that allows her to earn easy wins through the first week, a confident Kerber can do damage at the French Open. Serena Williams is the favorite in Paris, no doubt. Then again, she was the favorite in Melbourne, too. And we all saw how that turned out.

Click here to keep up with WTA Insider’s pre-French Open coverage!

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French Open Fashion Review

French Open Fashion Review

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WTA players are going to give all they’ve got to perform well at the 2016 French Open, leaving it to their clothing sponsors to make sure that comfort and style are not compromised during strenuous matches. Let’s hand over to Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog and see the outfits ready to rock the world of sports fashion during the most prestigious tennis tournament on clay.

Simona Halep

Last year adidas made noise with designer Yohji Yamamoto’s avant-garde styles and this year the standout collaboration is again bringing us a daring one-of-a-kind range. The Roland Garros 2016 collaboration between adidas Tennis and Y-3 has produced an eye-catching print, inspired by dazzle camouflage from the 40s and 50s.

Ana Ivanovic, Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep and Kristina Mladenovic will all go for these zebra-like stripes, which evoke a sense of movement even when players are standing still between points.

Players can opt for the visually-striking adidas Roland Garros Y-3 On Court Dress or a dazzling combination of the adidas Roland Garros Y-3 Tank to be paired with a black skort featuring layered jacquard mesh overlay.

Angelique Kerber

The adidas adizero Y-3 2016 Shoes are promising to deliver incredible resilience and energy return during intense rallies, providing ultimate traction, as well as the feeling of comfort.

Serena Williams

Nike is honoring the tournament’s host country by clothing its players in a spectrum of blues, France’s signature color, with world number one Serena Williams sporting a light photo blue NikeCourt Premier Dress, which captivates with its modern take on a classic vibe. Dropped back hem, box pleats and mesh back panel ensure comfortable fit and captivating design.

Madison Keys

Madison Keys‘blue outfitincludes the collared NikeCourt Premier Advantage Sleeveless Polo and the pleated NikeCourt Victory Skirt, which ensures photogenic movement and minimal distractions thanks to an inner ball short.

Caroline Wozniacki

Caroline Wozniacki‘s planned adidas Summer Stella McCartney Tour Dress included all the fashion elements we’ve loved so much, like the figure-slimming frontal colorblock, T-shaped racerback, oval mesh inset at back and floral print, bringing all the features together with a nice lilac shade. Such a pity the Dane has withdrawn from Roland Garros!

Garbine Muguruza

The range also includes a variety of tops and bottoms, allowing for a number of stylish combinations, my favorite being Garbiñe Muguruza‘s combo that made my March’s best dressed list: the fresh yellow adidas Summer Stella McCartney Tour Tank and its matching adidas Summer Stella McCartney Tour Skirt with four rows of laser-cut hexagons.

Jelena Jankovic

Jelena Jankovic will choose from these four colorful dresses, part of Fila’s limited-edition Spring 2016 collection designed by Wimbledon 2013 champion Marion Bartoli. The Serb has already debuted the dotted “eye dress” at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, becoming the top fashion talk of the tournament, and we can only look forward to seeing the rest of “Love Fila by Marion Bartoli” cooperation, especially the lavender dress with the Eiffel Tower print, inspired by the Frenchwoman’s hometown of Paris.

“I’m happy to wear something that’s different, you know. You can also go out of the comfort zone and the classic ones. I like the classic, you know, as well. But it’s also nice to sometimes have a changeup and just wear something that’s not really typical print for a tennis dress,” Jankovic said about the collection in Rome.

Fila

Other Fila athletes, most notably Karolina Pliskova and Yaroslava Shvedova, will sport the Gingham collection, celebrating the quintessential print with peacoat navy and white checks. Shvedova’s promotional image showcases the Fila Spring Gingham Racerback Tank, one of five available silhouettes of tops, and the Fila Spring Gingham Skirt, which exists in navy, gingham and white, and is designed to match all the shirts from the range.

Venus Williams

Venus Williams prepared the EleVen Geo Swirl Dress for Roland Garros. The cut is highlighted by the narrow high neckline and thin white straps at waist for a figure-flattering effect.

Elena Vesnina

Lacoste‘s WTA players, most notably Elena Vesnina and Dominika Cibulkova, will wear the Spring 2016 collection, including the above-shown Lacoste Spring Dress, specific for its quarter-zip entry at chest and keyhole cutout at center back, the Lacoste Spring Mesh Back Tank, a traditional design with mesh panels at upper back and underarms that provide breathability and visual interest, and the Lacoste Spring Contrast Tipped Skirt, a classic piece with stylish contrast binding.

Agnieszka Radwanska

Agnieszka Radwanska will wear a coral dress from Lotto’s limited-edition Lacy line, a feminine piece whose elegant lace takes on unique forms, bringing Paris runways to the courts without compromising comfort and performance. The new SS16 Stratosphere speed-oriented shoes will help Radwanska move confidently on clay, as the innovative technology provides optimal cushioning and responsiveness with every step.

Heather Watson

Heather Watson will wear the New Balance Tournament Dress, which made my April’s best dressed list, as seen on Sorana Cirstea at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup. Strappy racerback, “N” houndstooth burnout stretch mesh back panel and NB DRY technology ensure a good range of motion and comfortable performance with minimum sweat. The Brit will be competing in the New Balance 996v2, a lightweight performance tennis shoe made with PROBANK stability technology.

Paris native Alizé Lim will try to make the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time, wearing a jumpsuit designed according to her guidelines. Another bold move by Le Coq Sportif!

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Insider RG Contenders: Players To Watch

Insider RG Contenders: Players To Watch

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

In a draw of 128 players, which players could pull off a plot twist or two at this year’s French Open? WTA Insider takes a look at the young and the restless who will reside between the biggest seeds in the forthcoming draw:

The Americans: Typically overlooked at this time of year, Internazionali BNL d’Italia runner-up Madison Keys leads a talented team of Americans who can definitely do some damage on the dirt. Keys unlocked her clay court potential last week in Rome as she found her timing and maintained her patience through a winning week in the Eternal City, outlasting Petra Kvitova and Garbiñe Muguruza en route to the final.

It’s hard to predict exactly what will come next with Sloane Stephens, who has risen to the highest of highs – winning three titles – and sank to the lowest of lows – going 1-4 at the first three Premier Mandatory tournaments and Australian Open – in 2016.

The French Open, however, has been her haven for consistency, reaching the fourth round in four of her five appearances – defeating Venus Williams and pushing sister Serena to three sets last year. Stephens has made a career out of saving her best tennis for the biggest stages, and will certainly feel she has something to prove next week in Paris.

Irina Falconi won her maiden WTA title this season on red clay in Bogota, while Christina McHale is coming off a second straight quarterfinal finish in Rome.

18 Americans – including Madrid semifinalist Louisa Chirico, who qualified for the main draw on Friday – are set to face off at the French Open – the most of any nation.

Caroline Garcia, Kristina Mladenovic

The French: Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic have soared to new heights as a pair, riding a 15-match winning streak through three titles in Charleston, Stuttgart, and Madrid. Apart, they’ve largely struggled to translate that success to singles, but both Garcia and Mladenovic are in the semifinals at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, making up two-thirds of the largest French representation in the final four of a WTA tournament since 2006 at the Paris Indoors.

Garcia made her breakthrough in Paris as a teenager in 2011, getting within two games of defeating Maria Sharapova. Mladenovic won the title as a junior, and upset Eugenie Bouchard en route to the third round last year. The latter lin particular has looked buoyed by a bump in confidence in Strasbourg, building on a second round win over Alison Riske, which she won a in a third set tie-break, to looking all business in the quarterfinals against Alla Kudryavtseva.

Alize Cornet

Ranked in between the two is Alizé Cornet, who flew into the fourth round for the first time in 10 previous French Open appearances last year. The veteran enjoyed a fast start to 2016 with a title in Hobart, but while a back injury has slowed her since, she will likely be appointment television should she headline one of the show courts to start the week.

Pauline Parmentier reached the quarterfinals in Strasbourg this week with a win over Stephens, and beat Roberta Vinci to reach the fourth round in 2014.

Irina-Camelia Begu

The Romanians: Simona Halep reasserted her presence as one of the biggest names in tennis this spring, and not a moment too soon, as her countrywoman were right at her heels for most of the clay court season. Irina-Camelia Begu took the only set Halep would lose in Madrid, pushing the former World No.2 to three sets in the quarterfinals.

Begu backed up that result – where she also ousted Muguruza in three grueling sets – in emphatic style a week later in Rome, reaching her first career Premier 5 semifinal.

Monica Niculescu

Monica Niculescu may prefer the faster courts, but she nonetheless had a strong start to her clay court swing, defeating Garcia and holding a pair of match points on Petra Kvitova in Stuttgart. Edging into the seeds at No.31, her unique ground game could cause problems for whomever she may face in her opening rounds.

Sorana Cirstea qualified for the main draw and is a 2009 quarterfinalist in Paris – defeating former No.1 Jelena Jankovic that year – and was one of four Romanian women to reach the last eight in Madrid. Along with Chirico, Cirstea is among the most dangerous qualifiers a big name could face.

Daria Kasatkina, Daria Gavrilova

The Dashas: Two of the most compelling counterparts since Jane Austen’s Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, Daria Kasatkina and Daria Gavrilova are a pair of dynamic characters who have proven to be highly capable on clay.

Kasatkina is the embodiment of “sense.” The teenager has, with the swiftest of prudence, built up quite the resumé in her still young career. Looking to reach a third straight Grand Slam third round, the Russian reached the quarterfinals of the Volvo Car Open, falling to Stephens from match point up.

Another junior French Open champion, Kasatkina employs excellent court sense and a heavy topspin forehand that could reverse the blips she endured in Rome and Madrid.

Daria Kasatkina

Gavrilova, by contrast, is “sensibility” incarnate. The emotional Aussie began the year with a bang, roaring into the round of 16 at the Australian Open with a thrilling win over Mladenovic in the third round. Rebounding from a slump that started in the Middle East, she upset Kvitova to reach the quarterfinals of Madrid and battled past Halep in Rome, where she reached the semifinals a year ago.

Gavrilova finds herself unseeded, while Kasatkina is in the Top 32 for the first time in her career; might both carve out a happy ending in Paris?

Daria Gavrilova

Click here to keep up with WTA Insider’s pre-French Open coverage!

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

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Ubha: French Open Draw Predictions

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

A resurgent Serena Williams looked unstoppable in Rome, but can anyone derail her hopes of Grand Slam number 22? Wtatennis.com contributor Ravi Ubha dissects the Roland Garros draw.

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French Open Monday: Round One Redux

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

A rainy sunday washed out most of the first round matches in Roland Garros; World No.2 takes center stage on Monday while 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic also makes her debut.

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Halep Hurries Into Second Round

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

PARIS, France – Former finalist Simona Halep made a confident start to her 2016 French Open challenge, swatting aside Nao Hibino in 45 minutes.

Three of Halep’s last four Grand Slam appearances have ended with defeat to players ranked outside the Top 50, however there was never any danger of World No.70 Hibino extending this sequence.

Halep started confidently, breaking to love in the third game thanks to a smart backhand winner. The set was soon in the bag and when she fired away a forehand to break at the start of the second, the writing appeared on the wall.

It was not long before she arrived at match point, completing a 6-2, 6-0 victory to set up a second-round meeting against Zarina Diyas.

Two years ago, on the back of a terrific clay court season Halep made it all the way to the final at Roland Garros. Despite a recent triumph in Madrid, this time around she arrived in the French capital with less fanfare, yet a favorable draw has opened up the possibility of another deep run.

“I feel more confident now playing on clay court. I had good matches in Madrid. The title is really important for me – it means a lot,” Halep said. “You know, now I feel more confident, like everyone can see that that I play aggressive, I play my game.

“Always when I go on court I feel that I can win the match. So this makes myself a little bit more positive, a little bit more stronger on court, and I just want to go to play. I’m already in the second round. I feel good, and I feel that I have the game to win matches here.”

After starting off on an informal basis last year, since January Halep has been working full-time with celebrated coach Darren Cahill. While the union did not bring overnight success, Halep appreciates the adjustments her new mentor has brought about.

“I think the most important thing that he brought to me is mental, because he tells me how to manage all the situations,” Halep said when quizzed on their relationship. “Also tactically, he tells me how to play, always when he came on court, when I called him on-court coaching, I did what he said and I won all the matches!

“So he teaches me many things about tennis and also attitude, because sometimes I have bad attitude. But, you know, it’s normal, and when the pressure is on, you cannot control everything. But I’m better. I’m stronger now. And I keep working to get better.”

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Osaka Sweeps Lucic-Baroni, Gets Halep

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

18-year-old Naomi Osaka backed up her impressive run at the Australian Open by reaching the third round of the French Open in her debut, where she’ll meet World No.6 Simona Halep.

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Bacsinszky Brushes Bouchard Aside

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

PARIS, France – Timea Bacsinszky produced a stunning turnaround to defeat Eugenie Bouchard, 6-4, 6-4, and book her place in the third round of the French Open.

Trailing Bouchard 4-1 in the opening set, an upset looked on the cards. However, a run of 10 straight games from the No.8 seed turned the match on its head, before a late wobble gave the scoreline a more respectable sheen.

The only other time Bacsinszky faced Bouchard came earlier this year in Indian Wells, where she was taken to three sets. And on Philippe Chatrier, Bouchard provided a reminder of the talent that saw her ranked No.5 not so long ago, barely making a mistake in the opening five games.

It was a standard that proved difficult to maintain, and when her level dropped Bacsinszky was there to pounce. At 4-4, the Swiss finally hit the front, finishing a well-worked point with an angled backhand winner.

In the next game, she showcased her creative side, a delicate drop shot helping her to set point, before a shellshocked Bouchard netted a backhand to complete the comeback.

Brimming with confidence, Bacsinszky raced through the opening five games of the second set, conjuring up winners from all over the court. To her credit, 2014 semifinalist Bouchard battled away to the bitter end, a relieved Bacsinszky eventually making her way across the line and into a third-round meeting against either Pauline Parmentier or Irina Falconi.

For Bouchard, the disappointment of an early exit was tempered by her performance against one of the WTA’s form players. “I felt like I put myself in a good position in preparation and everything,” she said. “I’ve done everything that I possibly could to be ready. I started out strong. The game plan was working and things like that.

“I think that my focus a little bit was the part that let me down, the mental part. Something I’ve been working on. I had been getting better, so it’s not always going to be good.”

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Hingis & Mirza Stay On Track

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza moved one step closer to holding all four majors with a quick-fire second-round win over Nao Hibino and Eri Hozumi.

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