Montréal: Halep vs. Kuznetsova
Simona Halep takes on Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup.
Simona Halep takes on Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup.
A keen tennis fan as well as an outstanding sports journalist, Dan started working on a freelance basis with the WTA in January 2017 and quickly became a key member of the Editorial team in London.
News of his sudden death was announced by his partner Liz Aubrey on Monday and tributes have been paid on social media for his contributions to both sports and music journalism, his other passion.
It is with the greatest sadness I must tell you that my beloved @DanLucas86 has passed away suddenly. He was the best person in the world. pic.twitter.com/wkb21myghr
— Elizabeth Aubrey (@aubrey_writes) March 13, 2017
Dan Lucas (former Louder Than War editor) RIP – Louder Than War https://t.co/CFzKkWwCGu
— john robb (@johnrobb77) March 13, 2017
From Northampton in the English Midlands, Dan lived in London. He had also worked for the Guardian and Telegraph’s sports departments, and music websites Louder Than War and Drowned In Sound.
Carrie Dunn, a friend and fellow content producer at WTA Networks, said: “I first worked with Dan when we were both part of the team doing live online coverage for the 2014 Paralympics. He was a sports enthusiast in the best way – his love for sport extended across disciplines and his thirst for knowledge (and his innate professionalism) meant that, even when he was encountering a discipline he did not know particularly well, he would throw himself into finding out about it. He was also a music journalist and his love for (and strong opinions about) music was also well documented – his social media feeds are testament to that. He was a good man and a good friend. On a professional level, he was a great writer and a good colleague – reliable, assiduous and someone it was fun to work with.”
Reda Maher, Head of Editorial and Social Media at WTA Networks, said: “We are shocked and dismayed by this sad news, Dan was extremely well liked and highly talented, his zest for life and enthusiasm for his craft impressed all he worked with at the WTA. Dan had a big future as part of our team. We send condolences and our deepest sympathies to Liz and Dan’s family.”
An interview with Sara Errani after her win in the first round of the Apia International Sydney.
Madison Keys takes on Kristina Kucova in the semifinals of the Rogers Cup.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Sloane Stephens might be sidelined from the action at the BNP Paribas Open, but that doesn’t mean she’s been far away from the tennis courts.
While recovering from surgery on her left foot injury – which will leave her away from the tour until summer 2017 – Sloane has been taking to her new role as a reporter for Tennis Channel.
my boot adds character to every outfit I wear ? pic.twitter.com/OrFDPfeUjV
— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) March 14, 2017
“I’ve been able to hang out, watch some tennis – not what I would usually be doing at a tennis tournament!” she said on a Tennis Channel broadcast. “For the first time I’ve been able to be normal, and I’ve really had fun!”
From getting cooking lessons from celebrity chefs to player interviews to going undercover, Sloane has been making the most of her stint as a reporter. Check out some of her most memorable moments from the Indian Wells fortnight!
Working undercover a BNP Paribas Open info desk attendant:
A must watch. ?@WTA Pro @SloaneStephens went undercover for Tennis Channel Live as an info booth attendant at #BNPPO17.
Watch!!! ?? ?️ ? pic.twitter.com/voDplLBlq3
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 12, 2017
Interviewing American wildcard Kayla Day, who reached the third round at Indian Wells:
.@SloaneStephens and @kaylaeday having fun @TennisChannel. pic.twitter.com/4LxBvWJyH2
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 13, 2017
Mingling with famed chef and restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa:
.@SloaneStephens on the job with Tennis Channel & Nobu Matsuhisa #BNPPO17 ?? pic.twitter.com/zbgArm5VOi
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 7, 2017
.@SloaneStephens ready to cook up a storm today at #BNPPO17 ?? pic.twitter.com/ZVWr9yaef1
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 7, 2017
Interviewing Vasek Pospisil after he scored a victory over ATP World No.1 Andy Murray:
If you missed it, our fav line of the day:
“I hear that you're single & ready to mingle.”
– @SloaneStephens to @VasekPospisil ?? ❤️ ?? pic.twitter.com/uUkuJQLAZY— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 14, 2017
“Everyone’s been like, ‘oh we loved it!'” Sloane said of the feedback she’s been receiving. “And you know how certain fans love certain players? When I did that thing on Dustin Brown, everyone was like ‘oh my god I love him, I love his hair!’
“So I’ve gotten really good feedback. But it’s mostly my family that’s been telling me it’s so cool.”
Her relentless pursuit of the highest echelons of tennis now comes with the reality of having to deliver week-in and week-out. Ranked World No.3, Garbiñe Muguruza has gone from underdog to favorite, and along with that comes the inevitable – pressure.
“Before, I was Garbiñe who had chances to win; now I’m Garbiñe who is supposed to win,” Muguruza told Spanish reporters during the off-season.
“Until now I had never found myself in a situation with so many expectations and so much pressure. It’s something I have to take in, because you can’t learn that off of the court. You’re out there and you have to manage it.”
But the 22-year-old Spaniard remains undaunted by the big task of meeting high expectations – in fact, she’s learned to relish the pressure.
“It’s about dealing with it on your own,” she said, “because there’s no one who can teach you how to handle it all. It’s a part of my job – all this pressure. And I love it.”
And another thing Muguruza is loving are her chances at the Australian Open despite having to bow out of the Brisbane International early, her first tournament of 2016 cut short by the flare up of a long-standing foot injury. She’s optimistic that it won’t be a problem in Melbourne.
Muguruza hasn’t made it past the fourth round at Melbourne yet, but she also has never been seeded so high – her ranking guarantees a Top 4 seed. The only people to knock her out of the Happy Slam – Serena Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska – are both in the Top 4 as well, so she won’t have to face them until at least the semifinals.
Can the youngest member of the WTA Top 10 seize this opportunity and win the biggest title of her career in Melbourne?
Following last week’s withdrawals, the International Tennis Federation has updated entry lists for the upcoming Olympic Games, adding Magda Linette and Polona Hercog to the singles competition.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Venus Williams had to come back from a set down to oust Chinese qualifier Peng Shuai and make her way into the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
After battling back from match point down earlier in the week against Jelena Jankovic, Venus was able to pull off another turnaround against Peng, advancing 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
“There were some up-and-downs and errors. It was so frustrating,” Venus admitted in her post-match press conference. “But I feel like I got my focus more in that second set and towards the end of the third, because — I don’t know. I’m just a competitor.
“So if things get closer, then I think my better tennis is going to come. But obviously I don’t want things to get close. I want to try to run away with it.”
.@VenusesWilliams bossing the second set! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/YOLZzAR5wt
— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017
It was one-way traffic for the Chinese player in the opening set, though, as Venus found herself down an early break almost as soon as she took to the court. Peng bossed the rallies with her tricky two-handed groundstrokes off both wings, and she quickly took the opening set with another solid break.
But it was a completely different story as the seven-time Grand Slam champion roared to life in the second. Venus found her rhythm to break Peng four times – the Chinese player avoided a shutout by grabbing one of the breaks back, but couldn’t stem the tide as the former World No.1 sent the match to a decider.
Comeback complete ✅@VenusesWilliams advances to @BNPParibasOpen Quarterfinals with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 win over Peng! pic.twitter.com/Du4ECgViqw
— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017
With the momentum – and the vocal southern California crowd – firmly behind her, Venus powered through the final set. She traded breaks early on, but got her second opening when a Peng double fault gifted her the chance to serve out the match.
Venus took her spot in the final eight with ease, moving into the Indian Wells quarterfinals after just under two hours.
She’ll play the winner of No.2 seed Angelique Kerber and Elena Vesnina for a spot in the semifinals.
Twelve years after tennis was relaunched as an exhibition event during the 1984 Los Angeles Games, the sport returned stateside for the centenary Games in Atlanta…
Atlanta, United States, 1996
Stone Mountain Tennis Center
Hardcourt
Now appearing in its third consecutive Games, tennis was beginning to come of age as an Olympic sport by the time it arrived in Atlanta. And by the time the flame had died out above the Centennial Stadium, one of the game’s bright young things had completed her own rite of passage.
Aside from an injured Steffi Graf, all the big names were present in Atlanta. America’s Monica Seles topped the seeds and after a stellar year was many people’s favorite for gold at the recently completed Stone Mountain Tennis Center.
However, by the time the business end of the tournament had arrived, it was another American who was podium bound and winning the hearts of the American public.
Up until then, Lindsay Davenport was known as the big-hitting Californian who had struggled to convert her prodigious talent into titles that mattered. Still just 20 by the time the Games rolled around, Davenport had been a near-permanent fixture in the Top 10 for two years, but still only had a handful of minor titles and Slam quarterfinals to show for her efforts.
Yet at an Olympics where so many of her compatriots were shining on the track and in the pool, Davenport couldn’t help but be inspired, producing some of the best tennis of her career to defeat Anke Huber, Iva Majoli and Mary Joe Fernandez to reach the final.
“For the last two weeks, I’ve been hearing “The Star-Spangled Banner” so much for the other athletes,” Davenport said after defeating Fernández. “And only last night did I really think I could hear it for myself.
“I realized that actually when Michael Johnson was on the stand, and Dan O’Brien. I thought, ‘I want to hear that song so badly now.'”
And hear it she did.
Taking on the tour’s toughest competitor in Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, the old Davenport may have succumbed to the pressure. The Atlanta version came out fighting like a lion.
With neither player able to break serve, the first set went to the tie-break. Davenport moved ahead, 6-4, only to let Sánchez-Vicario back into it with a backhand that sailed wide and a lob that drifted long.
The American responded with a strong serve and deep volley to go back ahead before taking the set with a touch of good fortune when a backhand drive hit the tape and trickled over.
From here there was no looking back; Davenport secured two early service breaks in the second and soon after was serving out for an emotional 7-6(6), 6-2 win.
“This means everything for me,” Davenport said. “No matter what else happens in my life, I’ll always be a gold medalist.”
——
Olympic Memories: Barcelona
Olympic Memories: Seoul
Karolina Pliskova talks about her performance at the BNP Paribas Open.