Doha: Best Shots Of The Week
Watch all of the best shots of the Qatar Total Open – right here!
Watch all of the best shots of the Qatar Total Open – right here!
NEW YORK, NY, USA – It’s finals weekend at the US Open, as new World No.1 Angelique Kerber looks to solidify her spot atop the WTA rankings with a second Grand Slam title.
Standing in her way is No.10 seed Karolina Pliskova, who kept the German from hitting No.1 at the Western & Southern Open. Pliskova became the first Czech woman to reach a US Open final by becoming the fourth woman to ever beat both Williams sisters at a major tournament – the first since Kim Clijsters in 2009.
Hear from both finalists in their own words in the latest Daily Dispatch from the WTA Insider Podcast:
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CNN Open Court relives Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber’s triumphant homecoming in Leipzig.
After the world was done holding its breath throughout a tense final, the tweets came pouring in for US Open champion Angelique Kerber and finalist Karolina Pliskova.
Check out some of the best tweets, right here on wtatennis.com!
First up, here from the woman herself, who took time from her various post-win duties to post this celebratory message:
US OPEN CHAMPION!!! WOW, I DID IT!!! pic.twitter.com/YpWv5A7jaM
— Angelique Kerber (@AngeliqueKerber) September 10, 2016
Some of Germany’s biggest sports stars at home and abroad took to Twitter to celebrate Kerber’s achievement, including NBA star Dirk Nowitzki, F1 pilot Nico Rosberg and a whole host of World Cup winning soccer players.
Angieeeee. Wahnsinn.
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) September 10, 2016
Good luck for the final, Angelique!! ✊?✊? ??? Viel Glück, du schaffst das!!! #tennis #usopen #no1 @AngeliqueKerber pic.twitter.com/2Ux7P6XZ5q
— Nico Rosberg (@nico_rosberg) September 9, 2016
?????? Gratulation @AngeliqueKerber. Gratulation an die Nummer 1 der Welt! Wow
— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) September 10, 2016
A fantastic year: 2 Grand Slams, Olympic silver medallist, new World No. 1! Congrats, @AngeliqueKerber ???? #USOpen pic.twitter.com/E9TPYkfrxv
— Basti Schweinsteiger (@BSchweinsteiger) September 10, 2016
Yessss! @AngeliqueKerber #USOpen ????????? Congratulations!
— Maria Höfl-Riesch (@Maria) September 10, 2016
Of course, the WTA’s stars and legends were also tuned in to the final, and they had plenty of words for both of the finalists after the match.
Here are the best messages from Kerber and Pliskova’s WTA peers:
Congratulations @AngeliqueKerber on your @usopen championship & being the new #1 player in the world. @WTA
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 10, 2016
Congrats @AngeliqueKerber ??! And @KaPliskova for an amazing #USOpen so proud of you?
— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) September 10, 2016
What an amazing week for @AngeliqueKerber ! Number 1 and #USOpen Champion ?? Congratulations!???? @usopen pic.twitter.com/WrieS6X8hZ
— Gabriela Sabatini (@sabatinigabyok) September 10, 2016
Congrats @AngeliqueKerber 4 your 1st @usopen title & n° #1 ranking @WTA,but so impressed by @KaPliskova @FilaTennis pic.twitter.com/PByoi32r0O
— Marion bartoli (@bartoli_marion) September 10, 2016
Congrats to @AngeliqueKerber ?Started the year #10 & made a great career, phenomenal in 9 months!!!??#1????
— Tracy Austin (@thetracyaustin) September 10, 2016
A big congrats to @AngeliqueKerber on her 2nd major of the year AND becoming the worlds #1. It's a feat only a few have accomplished….??
— rennae stubbs (@rennaestubbs) September 10, 2016
So much valuable experience 4 @KaPliskova @usopen This just beginning.Belief behind powerful groundies & serve✅Getting stronger✅Major-soon.
— Tracy Austin (@thetracyaustin) September 11, 2016
Congrats @AngeliqueKerber for an amazing #USOpen brava ragazza!!!?
— Flavia Pennetta (@flavia_pennetta) September 11, 2016
Kerber ☝ #fav
— Daria Gavrilova (@Daria_gav) September 10, 2016
Amazing from both girls. @AngeliqueKerber that's why your now the world no1 ?
— Melanie South (@melaniesouth) September 10, 2016
Wow wow wow what a season @AngeliqueKerber ?! 2 slams ??, the olympic silver medal?, new world number one ☝, that's pretty cool!!! #congrats
— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) September 11, 2016
NEWPORT, RI, USA – Former World No.1 and six-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters has been elected to receive induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
“I feel very, very honored to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” the Belgian said in a video statement that will play during a special ceremony at the Australian Open on Tuesday. “It is a huge honor to be amongst a list of so many great tennis players who I admired when I was growing up, and some great players who I played with in my tennis career as well.”
Joining Clijsters in the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 will be 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick, Monique Kalkman-van den Bosch, a 4-time Paralympic medalist in wheelchair tennis, being honored for her remarkable career.
Additionally, two individuals will be inducted in the Contributor Category. Steve Flink, a distinguished tennis historian and journalist has been elected for induction. Vic Braden, a groundbreaking tennis instructor who was among the first to apply sports science to his instructional tactics will be inducted posthumously.
“It’s a real pleasure to welcome these five remarkable individuals into the Hall of Fame. Kim, Andy, and Monique compiled outstanding careers, winning the game’s biggest titles and ascending to the world No. 1 ranking,” remarked International Tennis Hall of Fame President and 1987 Hall of Famer Stan Smith.
The Class of 2017 will be officially inducted on July 22, during Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Tickets for the Induction Ceremony will go on sale in early February. In addition, the class will be celebrated in a tribute exhibit opening in June in the Museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which will be displayed for one year.
One of six women in tennis history to simultaneously top the world rankings in singles and doubles, Clijsters was the world No. 1 player for 19 weeks and was ranked within the World’s Top 5 for 250 weeks during her career. She is a three-time US Open champion (2005, 2009, 2010) and she was also the 2011 Australian Open champion. Clijsters won two major doubles titles, capturing both the French Open and Wimbledon titles in 2003.
Clijsters is a three-time champion at the WTA Finals (2002, 2003, 2010). She won 41 singles titles, and was a dedicated Belgian Fed Cup team member, leading the team to their first Fed Cup title in 2001 and into the finals again in 2006.
Clijsters retired from tennis in 2007, and then embarked on a second career in tennis with a comeback in 2009. That year, she went on to win the US Open, in what was just her third tournament back on the tour. She was unranked, unseeded, and a wild card entry to the event. Two years later, in 2011, she once again reached the world No. 1 ranking, five years after she had last been there.
Since retirement, Clijsters, now a mother of three, has been focused on her family. She remains engaged in tennis through Kim Clijsters Academy in Belgium, where many juniors train and through competing in Legends events at the Grand Slams.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
February was packed with plenty of amazing shots – we narrowed it down to the five best.
In the end it was Agnieszka Radwanska who, in a match full of highlights against Roberta Vinci at the Qatar Total Open, played one of those shots to rule them all in the quarterfinals. As Radwanska makes her way to net, you know something magical is about to happen; sure enough, the Pole taps a volley from behind the back to put an exclamation point on an already-entertaining rally in Doha – taking home this month’s top votes.
Click here to watch all of February’s finalists.
Final Results for February’s WTA Shot Of The Month
1. Agnieszka Radwanska (84%)
2. Jelena Jankovic (6%)
3. Elina Svitolina (4%)
4. Garbiñe Muguruza (3%)
5. Belinda Bencic (3%)
2016 WTA Shot of the Month Winners
January: Caroline Wozniacki
How it works:
Five shots are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com
Serena Williams talks about the length of her career – and how she feels when her contemporaries retire from the sport…
SINGAPORE – The Russian team of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina has qualified for this year’s BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
Makarova and Vesnina are set to make their third appearance as a team at the WTA Finals in Singapore. The pair reached the final on their debut appearance in 2013, and fell in the opening round in 2014. The Russians also qualified for the year-end event in 2015, but had to withdraw due to an injury to Makarova.
“Congratulations to Ekaterina and Elena on qualifying for the BNP Paribas Finals Singapore presented by SC Global,” said WTA CEO Steve Simon. “This team is a favorite in any tournament, and we are thrilled to welcome them back to Singapore.”
Makarova and Vesnina began their partnership in 2012 and together have won seven titles, including two Grand Slams at 2013 Roland Garros and 2014 US Open. This year the Russian duo began the year as a team at the Mutua Madrid Open in April, where they reached the semifinals. The pair continued their success by clinching back-to-back titles at the Rogers Cup in Montréal and the Gold Medal at the Rio Olympics. In addition, they reached two finals at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and Roland Garros. As a result, they have earned the third slot in the doubles field at the WTA Finals Singapore.
“It’s definitely very exciting to qualify for the WTA Finals in Singapore,” said Vesnina. “It was our goal when we started playing, started winning matches and started winning good tournaments, we knew that we wanted to be there. We were there two years ago and we really liked it. Last year, unfortunately, we couldn’t go because of the injury. It’s an amazing tournament – we have some great memories from there and we’re really looking forward to being there.”
“The WTA Finals is such a great tournament – and for our first year when we came out on the court, it was a full stadium for doubles,” added Makarova. “It was so fun to play out there and the fans are so excited and supportive. The whole organization and the country, it’s nice to be there.”
The current Road to Singapore Leaderboard as follows (as of September 12, 2016):
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni says it’s all coming together at just this right time at this Australian Open…
Serena Williams’ Signature Statement Collection hit the runway at New York Fashion Week, and Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki were in the front row to take it all in.