Behind The Tour: WTA Supervisors
Get to know the people who help make the WTA tour happen, starting with the WTA Supervisors.
Get to know the people who help make the WTA tour happen, starting with the WTA Supervisors.
An interview with Roberta Vinci after her finals win at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
We caught up with the multitalented Kristina Mladenovic last month at the Rogers Cup, where she chatted with us about some of secret talents.
Roberta Vinci takes on Belinda Bencic in the final of the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – With defending champion Flavia Pennetta retiring from tennis at the end of last season, there will be a new champion in Flushing Meadows this year. But will it be a familiar face? Top seed Serena Williams comes into the US Open seeking her seventh title, a record-breaking 23rd major crown, while several former champions loom in the draw as well, like Samantha Stosur, Venus Williams, and Svetlana Kuznetsova. But with the No.1 ranking also at stake, will fellow top seeds Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza and Agnieszka Radwanska make their mark?
Read on to delve into the US Open résumés of all the Top 16 seeds…
1. Serena Williams (USA)
17th appearance (84-10)
Best result: Champion (2001-2002, 2008, 2012-2014)
Best Grand Slam result: Champion (22): 1999 US Open, 2002 French Open, 2002 Wimbledon, 2002 US Open, 2003 Australian Open, 2003 Wimbledon, 2005 Australian Open, 2007 Australian Open, 2008 US Open, 2009 Australian Open, 2009 Wimbledon, 2010 Australian Open, 2010 Wimbledon, 2012 Wimbledon, 2012 US Open, 2013 French Open, 2013 US Open, 2014 US Open, 2015 Australian Open, 2015 French Open, 2015 Wimbledon, 2016 Wimbledon
2. Angelique Kerber (GER)
9th appearance (16-8)
Best result: Semifinal (2011)
Best Grand Slam result: Champion (1): 2016 Australian Open
3. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP)
4th appearance (1-3)
Best result: Second round (2015)
Best Grand Slam result: Champion (1): 2016 French Open
4. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
11th appearance (19-10)
Best result: Fourth round (2007-2008, 2012-2013)
Best Grand Slam result: Final (1): 2012 Wimbledon
5. Simona Halep (ROU)
7th appearance (12-6)
Best result: Semifinal (2015)
Best Grand Slam result: Final (1): 2014 French Open
6. Venus Williams (USA)
17th appearance (69-15)
Best result: Champion (2000-2001)
Best Grand Slam result: Champion (7): 2000 Wimbledon, 2000 US Open, 2001 Wimbledon, 2001 US Open, 2005 Wimbledon, 2007 Wimbledon, 2008 Wimbledon
7. Roberta Vinci (ITA)
14th appearance (19-13)
Best result: Final (2015)
Best Grand Slam result: Final (1): 2015 US Open
8. Madison Keys (USA)
5th appearance (5-4)
Best result: Fourth round (2015)
Best Grand Slam result: Semifinal (1): 2015 Australian Open
9. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
14th appearance (33-12)
Best result: Champion (2004)
Best Grand Slam result: Champion (2): 2004 US Open, 2009 French Open
10. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
4th appearance (2-3)
Best result: Third round (2014)
Best Grand Slam result: Third round (3): 2014 US Open, 2015 Australian Open, 2016 Australian Open
11. Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)
9th appearance (11-8)
Best result: Quarterfinal (2013)
Best Grand Slam result: Quarterfinal (5): 2008 French Open, 2009 Australian Open, 2013 US Open, 2014 French Open, 2016 Australian Open
12. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
9th appearance (12-8)
Best result: Quarterfinal (2010)
Best Grand Slam result: Final (1): 2014 Australian Open
13. Johanna Konta (GBR)
4th appearance (4-3)
Best result: Fourth round (2015)
Best Grand Slam result: Semifinal (1): 2016 Australian Open
14. Petra Kvitova (CZE)
9th appearance (16-8)
Best result: Quarterfinal (2015)
Best Grand Slam result: Champion (2): 2011 Wimbledon, 2014 Wimbledon
15. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI)
8th appearance (4-7)
Best result: Third round (2008)
Best Grand Slam result: Semifinal (1): 2015 French Open
16. Samantha Stosur (AUS)
13th appearance (21-11)
Best result: Champion (2011)
Best Grand Slam result: Champion (1): 2011 US Open
Petra Kvitova had some encouraging news for fans and followers on Monday, as the World No.14 penned an update on her road to recovery on Instagram.
Though it is unclear whether she will be ready to compete, steady progress in her recovery has seen the two-time Wimbledon champion enter the French Open.
“My name will appear on the entry list for Roland Garros tomorrow because, as the entry deadline approached, I had made good progress in my recovery process and I want to give myself every last opportunity to be able to compete at one of my favorite events,” Kvitova wrote.
“This unfortunately does not mean necessarily that I will be ready to play in Paris, but that I’m doing everything possible to give myself the chance and keep a positive mindset.”
Kvitova continues on her road back to tennis following a knife attack in her home last December, and her latest update is welcome news to the tennis community which has shown immense love and support for her across the world in the months since.
Great news! Hope this all goes well https://t.co/mfqgZY9iDA
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) April 17, 2017
In Monday’s post, Kvitova added: “There remains a long road ahead but I wanted to share this update with you. Thanks for your continued support and I hope to see you soon.”
First round action from Paris begins on May 28.
NEW HAVEN, CT, USA – Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska ended lucky loser Kirsten Flipkens’ dream run at the Connecticut Open, winning 6-1, 6-4 to book a semifinal against defending champion Petra Kvitova.
Watch live action from New Haven this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
Flipkens became one of two lucky losers to reach the semifinals after replacing the ailing Lesia Tsurenko and powering past Belinda Bencic and Caroline Garcia, but she just didn’t have enough in her arsenal of slices and volleys to grab her first win over the World No.4.
Radwanska dug from her own bag of tricks against Flipkens, switching up the pace between line to line rallies and killer dropshots.
But the Belgian didn’t roll over, and produced some spectacular tennis – and razor sharp shot-making – to earn the break right back and level the match at 2-1.
This rally from @FlipperKF and @ARadwanska ? #CTOpen16 pic.twitter.com/DKSevPxqjk
— WTA (@WTA) August 25, 2016
It was the last game Flipkens would win for a while, though, as Radwanska’s cerebral style of point construction kept her seemingly always a step ahead. She rattled off five games in a row to take the set and an early break in the second.
Finally finding her footing late in the match, Flipkens rallied to get the break back and began to meet Radwanska blow for blow, creating for some incredible rallies.
TWEENER SPOTTING! ?
But really, how AWESOME was that rally?! #CTOpen16 pic.twitter.com/PN5DPFqkoO
— WTA (@WTA) August 26, 2016
“It’s always entertaining for us, as well, playing rallies like this,” Radwanska said of the rally above. “Of course, she’s a very tricky opponent. You can really expect from her those kind of shots. Very good touch, very good hands. We had a lot of matches with rallies like this.”
Radwanska just stayed more consistent throughout and finally earned the decisive break at 5-4, taking the match after an hour and 22 minutes. The top seeded player hit 25 winners to 16 unforced errors – a high number for the usually tidy Radwanska – against Flipkens’ 21 winners and 27 unforced errors.
With the victory Radwanska is through to her first semifinal at the Connecticut Open, where three-time champion Petra Kvitova awaits across the net.
“I’m just very happy to make the first semifinal,” Radwanska said. “Especially that it’s a very strong tournament. It means I had a couple of good matches, a couple of good wins.
“Well, I guess now I have really nothing to lose, especially I’m playing Petra next.”
STUTTGART, Germany – Miami Open winner Johanna Konta will play her first clay court event of 2017 at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, having accepted a wildcard to the event on Wednesday.
Konta claimed the biggest title of her career at the Miami Open, and though injury forced her out of the Volvo Car Open, the British No.1 is set to return in Stuttgart, where she will make her second main draw appearance.
Welcome, @JoKonta91! The #WTA #7 receives a #PTGP Wild Card: “The field is very deep so I'm sure every match will be an exciting challenge.” pic.twitter.com/RlzVLxtMBs
— Porsche Tennis (@PorscheTennis) April 18, 2017
DUBAI, UAE – Barbora Strycova snatched up the last spot in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semifinals, upsetting No.17 Ana Ivanovic in straight sets, 7-6(5), 6-3.
Ivanovic, a three time quarterfinalist in Dubai, was looking for her first semifinal spot against Strycova. On paper their head-to-head record was one-sided: Ivanovic had won all three of their previous encounters in straight sets, never losing more than three games in a set.
“I had to change a little bit something,” Strycova said of her game plan against Ivanovic. “The previous matches I was hitting a little bit back, so I had to change the pace and stand a little bit closer. It was working pretty good and I felt good on my return.”
The Czech started the match ahead with a 4-2 lead. After a quick conversation with coach Nigel Sears, Ivanovic righted the ship and came back to win three games in a row to get ahead 5-4. The players stayed level to send the match into a tiebreaker. Ivanovic climbed to a 4-2 lead but a double fault at 5-3 up gave Strycova an in, which she took to rally back and clinch the tiebreak – as well as the opening set – at 7-6(5).
Ivanovic rebounded to start off the second set breaking Strycova at love, but Strycova dashed hopes of a comeback when she broke right back to level the score. The Czech pushed ahead to a 4-2 lead and didn’t look back, serving out the match at 6-3.
“I am very pleased,” Strycova said after the win. “It’s been a good match for me, and playing Ana is always tough because she’s such a big champion and a big player hitting the ball really hard. I’m happy with my performance today.”
Earlier in the day, Elina Svitolina backed up yesterday’s win over No.2 Garbiñe Muguruza by beating CoCo Vandeweghe 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.
Svitolina broke Vandeweghe early and took the first set 6-4, but Svitolina was in danger when the American got her powerful groundstrokes and heavy serve going in the second set. She broke Svitolina three times in the 28 minute set, leveling the match, 6-1.
Vandeweghe came out firing to a 2-0 lead in the final set but couldn’t hang on, forehands suddenly misfiring. Svitolina won six consecutive games to win the match, 6-2.
“I had a good start then I was struggling a bit,” Svitolina said after the match. “I think it was something in my head. I was just somewhere not on the court, but I was really happy that I could find a way to start the third set well.
“I was 2-0 down but I still felt that I was getting there.”
With the win, Svitolina is into her first Premier-level semifinal of the year where she is set to face Sara Errani – the Italian owns a 1-0 head to head record against her.
“If someone told me I would be in the @DDFTennis Semifinals, I wouldn't believe it!” -@BaraStrycova #WTA https://t.co/pjj0oLJJbT
— WTA (@WTA) February 18, 2016
DUBAI, UAE – Sara Errani returned to the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after a hard-fought win over Elina Svitolina on Friday afternoon.
Watch live action from Dubai & Rio de Janeiro this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
Despite trailing 3-1 in the second set, Errani produced a typically punchy fightback to prevail, 6-4, 6-4. The Italian, who lost to Petra Kvitova in the 2013 final, will meet either Barbora Strycova or Caroline Garcia on Saturday.
“It’s tough today – it’s hot and Elina hardly missed a ball at first – so I just tried to stay focused every point,” Errani said in her on-court interview.
Both players had their moments in the opening set, but it was Errani who held her nerve when it most mattered, some resolute defending helping her to the decisive break in the ninth game.
Struggling with a At times in the previous round, Errani had cut a forlorn figure, but there were no signs of fatigue against Svitolina. From 3-1 down in the second set she pegged back, then surged past her faltering foe.
Errani’s last title came exactly one year ago, in Rio de Janeiro, and she is excited about the chance to get her hands on some silverware again.
“It’s always unbelievable for me to play a final and I’m really happy to be here.”
More to follow…