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Vote Now: October's Best Dressed WTA Players

Vote Now: October's Best Dressed WTA Players

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

As we’re approaching the end of the season, tennis apparel launches are few and far between. Still, in the month of October we did have some tennis fashion releases, while some older designs reminded us just how good they are. Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog will give us an overview of the best clothes that graced the courts during the month highlighted by the $7,000,000 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

Dominika Cibulkova

It’s been a while since Lacoste has launched a truly different design, but Dominika Cibulkova’s powerful and inspiring title run at the WTA Finals helped us better notice just how good the blue dress with orange built-in racerback sports bra suits the courageous Slovak. Every inch of the Lacoste Fall Racer Dress fits Cibulkova just right, so much that I thoroughly enjoyed watching the determined 27-year-old work the design that we’ve been seeing around the courts, in one form or another, through most of the year.

Dominika Cibulkova

The sporty mini skirt and thick straps complemented Cibulkova’s 5’3″ frame perfectly, the peeking mango tree bra and 3D Lacoste script at mid-back reflect her drive and energy, while the mesh racerback overlay and white zipper create an absolutely winning look. What’s more, Cibulkova paired the dress with a classic white head tie, for an overall perfect blend of sporty, modern, retro and functional.

Angelique Kerber

Before being stopped by inspired Cibulkova, Angelique Kerber confidently marched through the WTA Finals, wearing winter colors (white and light green), brightened by the vibrant coral contrast. The World No.1 opted for the white version of the adidas Fall Pro Tank, whose flash red racerback provides just the right amount of warm contrast, and the adidas Fall Pro Skirt, whose print is one of the best prints this season, and you know how tough the competition is.

Angelique Kerber - Shoes

The impression wouldn’t have been complete without the beautiful Adizero Ubersonic 2 shoes that offer confidence and stability even in ultra fast on-court movements.

Karolina Pliskova

Karolina Pliskova made her first appearance at the WTA Finals in style, wearing classic black and white hues from Fila’s Court Couture line characterized by feminine ruching, fashion-forward draping, and elegant, gold finishing touches. The Czech No.1 showcased the Court Couture Halter Tank, featuring a built-in bra and 30+ UV protection for the perfect melding of fashion and function, and the Court Couture Skirt, another timeless piece with classic contrasting colors.

Venus Williams

Another player rocking the classic black and whites this October was Venus Williams, but the queen of prints used them to create a busy floral pattern, pairing it with solid colorblocks.

During her short campaign at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, Williams presented the EleVen Casablanca Glide Back Tank, a sleek black top featuring printed contrast elastic binding that enhances a feminine silhouette, and the EleVen Casablanca Triple Threat Skirt, equipped with EleVen Pro-Dri for moisture-wicking performance and superior breathability.

Carina Witthoeft

World No. 87 Carina Witthoeft lost in the first round of the Generali Ladies Linz as a qualifier, but in the fashion battle the German would have progressed much further at the tournament. Her purple Nike outfit consisted of the NikeCourt Maria Tank in color plum fog and the NikeCourt Maria Skort. The tank is made of stretch mesh fabric that provides stylish and breathable coverage. Carina decided to tuck the top in, not exposing split hems that offer a different, yet just as stylish look.

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US Open Sunday: Southpaws Square Off

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – A battle of elite southpaws highlights the Day 7 schedule in New York. We preview Sunday’s Round of 16 tilts at wtatennis.com.

Sunday
Round of 16

[2] Angelique Kerber (GER #2) vs. [14] Petra Kvitova (CZE #16)
Head-to-head: Tied, 4-4
Key Stat: Kerber will ascend to the No.1 ranking if Serena Williams does not reach the semifinals in New York.

Two talented southpaws and former Grand Slam champions will meet in one of the most heavily anticipated matches of the tournament on Day 7. Angelique Kerber is in hot pursuit of the No.1 ranking and she has been fit and focused in New York, dropping just ten games in three rounds. But Sunday’s task promises to be far more daunting than her first three challenges. Kerber will have to square off against a menacing lefty who is finally learning how to excel at the US Open. Kerber has faced Petra Kvitova eight times before, with the pair splitting the pot, but never have they met at a Grand Slam. “Playing against lefties is always a little bit different,” Kerber said on Friday after racing past 17-year-old American CiCi Bellis, 6-1, 6-1. “I played a lot of matches against Petra and we had great matches in the past, so I think it will be a good match. I will try to go for it, go out there to win the match.” Kerber has won 15 of 18 this hardcourt season and has every reason to like her chances on Sunday. “I’m confident. I will go out there and try to enjoy every moment here,” she said. But Kvitova is a confident player herself. A quarterfinalist for the first time at the US Open last season, Kvitova says she is finally starting to understand how to harness the energy of the Big Apple. “I feel that the crowd, it’s always, you know, cheering,” she said after defeating Elina Svitolina on Day 5. “I think finally I find the way how I should take the energy from them as well.”

Pick: Kvitova in three

[7] Roberta Vinci (ITA #8) vs. Lesia Tsurenko (UKR #99)
Head-to-head: Vinci leads, 1-0
Key Stat: Tsurenko is the lowest-ranked player left in the draw.

Roberta Vinci has been here before. The Italian who stunned Serena Williams in last year’s semifinals clearly is having a love affair with the US Open and it shows in the form of nine wins in her last ten matches in Queens. Lesia Tsurenko, on the other hand, is into uncharted waters. The Ukrainian reached the second week of a major for the first time on Friday when she shocked No.12-seeded Dominika Cibulkova in three sets. Tsurenko, playing at her lowest ranking in two years, entered the event with a four-match losing streak at majors and a lifetime 8-20 record at the Grand Slam level. But she’s a battler, and she has five career Top 10 wins to her name as well. But can Tsurenko take the play to an in-form Vinci that is playing her best tennis of the season? The Italian had only won five of her last 15 heading into New York, but she is clearly resonating with the place of her greatest Grand Slam achievement.

Pick: Vinci in two

[8] Madison Keys (USA #9) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN #74)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Keys owns a 14-4 record in three-setters in 2016.

Fresh off the greatest comeback of her young career, 21-year-old American Madison Keys will set her sights on reaching the US Open quarterfinals for the first time. But standing in her way is a suddenly resurgent two-time US Open runner-up who has always thrived in New York. Caroline Wozniacki is finally finding her form after a long and unspectacular season, and she will be a very dangerous opponent for the No.8-seeded Keys. But Keys is confident and feeling lucky after narrowly escaping defeat in two of her first three matches. “I think the biggest thing is I’m never giving up and I’m fighting to the very end,” Keys said after battling back from 5-1 down in the third set to defeat Japan’s Naomi Osaka on Day 5. “That’s something to pat myself on the back for.” Wozniacki has had to fight through her fair share of injuries in 2016, but she’s hoping it’s all behind her. “Every time I have come back something else has been hurting,” she said. “Knock on wood, right now I’m feeling good.” Does she feel good enough to deconstruct Keys’ lethal game or will it be the young American who moves on?

Pick: Keys in three

[13] Johanna Konta (GBR #14) vs. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT #48)
Head-to-head: Konta leads, 1-0
Key Stat: Konta owns a 27-10 hardcourt record in 2016.

The first British player to hold a Top 20 ranking in nearly 30 years will take a shot at reaching her first US Open quarterfinal on Sunday against an unlikely opponent. Johanna Konta and Anastasija Sevastova will meet for the first time in a main draw and the second time overall. Konta will be the favorite based on her higher ranking and impressive hardcourt record this season, but Sevastova is putting the cherry on top of a solid season by making her first run to the second week of a major in over five years. The Latvian No.1 shocked Garbiñe Muguruza on Day 3 and on Friday she won for the first time in four meetings against Kateryna Bondarenko. Konta, who nearly had to retire due to heat-related exhaustion in her second round win over Tsvetana Pironkova, rebounded smartly on Friday by trouncing Belinda Bencic, 6-2, 6-1. Having recovered fully, Konta looks set to make another deep run at a hardcourt major. Is there anything Sevastova can do to stop her?

Pick: Konta in three

By the Numbers:
1-0 – Wozniacki’s record against the Top 10 this season. The Dane defeated No.10 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round.
36-11 – Kvitova’s career record against left-handers. Kerber’s career record against lefties is 26-15.
1 – Number of players in Top 10 to have yet to play in a Grand Slam final (Madison Keys).

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US Open Monday: Spotlight On Radwanska

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Serena Williams will continue her quest for Grand Slam history on Monday as the top half contests the Round of 16. We’re previewing the matchups at WTATennis.com, courtesy of contributor Chris Oddo.

Monday

Round of 16

[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ #52)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 4-0
Key Stat: Williams is bidding to pass Roger Federer for the all-time lead in Grand Slam match wins on Saturday.

Serena Williams waltzed through the first week in New York, dropping a mere 15 games and proving to the field that her serve is on point. The shoulder is fine, the footwork is fine and the game is dialing in. Now, the 22-time major champion moves on to the business section of the draw. It starts with a fifth career meeting with hard-hitting Kazakh Yaroslava Shvedova. Williams has taken all four of the pair’s previous meetings, but one shouldn’t discount the talents of Shvedova. The World No.52 has won all six sets she’s played in New York to reach the second week at a major for the sixth time. She has the firepower to challenge Williams, but does she have the nerve? Approaching 35, and closing in on the all-time Open Era Grand Slam title record, Williams seems more motivated than ever to win. “I don’t know,” she said on Saturday after storming past Johanna Larsson of Sweden. “I just am not ready to throw in the towel yet or just to have enough yet. I’m still having fun out there. I’m still able to compete with the best. I think that’s what matters most for me.”

Pick: Williams in two

[4] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #4) vs. Ana Konjuh (CRO #92)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads, 1-0
Key Stat: Radwanska is one of four players to have reached the round of 16 at all four majors this year (along with Serena Williams, Keys and Suárez Navarro).

The last time Agnieszka Radwanska and Ana Konjuh locked horns, intense drama ensued. The pair battled into extra time in the second round at Wimbledon this year, with Radwanska saving three match points in the final set before winning, 6-2, 4-6, 9-7. Making the experience all the more painful for Konjuh was the fact that she turned her ankle after stepping on a ball at 7-7 in the decider and was severely hobbled at the finish. Less than two months later promising 18-year-old Konjuh has put the past behind her and raced into the round of 16 at a major for the first time in her career. On Monday the youngest player remaining in the draw gets to try to erase the memory of a Wimbledon gone awry. Can she possibly produce the type of tennis that earned her the three match points against Radwanska at the All England Club? Or will the No.4 seed have the perfect gameplan to ensure that Konjuh is kept at bay all day?

Pick: Radwanska in three

[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. [11] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP #12)
Head-to-head: Tied, 5-5
Key Stat: Halep has won 20 of her last 22 matches.

Simona Halep really had to work to get past No.31-seeded Timea Babos on Day 6. Down a break in the third set and playing at a level or two below her best, Halep had to double-down on intensity and grind her way to a win. She did that, despite Babos’ inspired form, and lives to see another day in New York. “I don’t know how I came back,” a relieved Halep said on court after her 20th hardcourt win of 2016. Will Halep’s narrow escape fuel her belief when she faces the proven veteran Carla Suárez Navarro for a spot in the quarterfinals? “Even if today I didn’t play my best, I played good tennis, good level,” said a confident Halep to reporters. “I was moving very well. I am happy to be back in the fourth round two years in a row, so it’s a good thing.” Halep and Suárez Navarro have gone the distance in each of their last three meetings, and they’ve split a total of ten matches since they first met in 2010. Who will break the tie on Monday?

Pick: Halep in three

[10] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #11) vs. [6] Venus Williams (USA #6)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 1-0
Key Stat: The last time No. 6-seeded Williams was seeded this high in New York was 2010, when she was the No. 3 seed.

Finally, Karolina Pliskova has reached the second week of a major. The hard-serving Czech had been pining for the milestone ever since she emerged as a formidable force among the WTA’s elite at the start of 2015, but in the last two years she’s had nothing but hard luck at the majors. Not anymore. The 24-year-old surged past Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Saturday and will now set her sights on legendary Venus Williams in what promises to be scintillating round of 16 encounter. Two-time US Open champion Williams continued her fine showing in New York by blasting past Germany’s Laura Siegemund, 6-1, 6-2, on Saturday. The American defeated Pliskova in the Zhuhai final last year but Pliskova will likely carry more confidence into this tilt. She has won eight matches in a row, four of which came against members of the WTA’s Top 20.

Pick: Pliskova in three

By the Numbers:

36 – The age of Venus Williams, who is one of just three thirtysomethings (also Serena Williams and Robert Vinci) remaining in the draw.

3 – Radwanska is one of three players that could finish the tournament at No. 1 in the rankings, along with Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber. The Pole will need to win the title to become No. 1.

307 – Matches won by Serena Williams at majors. She’ll bid to pass Roger Federer’s all-time record of 307 on Day 8.

428 – Pliskova leads the Tour with 428 aces in 52 matches this year.

9 – Of the nine teenagers that started in this year’s US Open main draw, Konjuh is the only one remaining.

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Zhuhai Saturday: Konta Renews Svitolina Rivalry, Kvitova Takes On Chinese No.1

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

ZHUHAI, China – All four semifinalists at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai boasted perfect round-robin records, but someone’s 0 has to go on Saturday. Top seed Johanna Konta takes on the in-form Elina Svitolina, while Petra Kvitova meets home favorite Zhang Shuai.

Saturday, Semifinals

Stadium
[1] Johanna Konta (GBR #10) vs. [4] Elina Svitolina (UKR #14)
Head-to-head: Svitolina leads 1-0
Stat: Svitolina was the only semifinalist to drop a set during the round robin  
Nearly four years ago, Elina Svitolina met Johanna Konta in the quarterfinals of an ITF Circuit event in Israel. Both players were ranked outside the Top 100, but on that day it was the teenage Svitolina that comfortably prevailed, going on to collect the trophy a few days later. She would lift more significant silverware that year, announcing herself as one of the game’s brightest prospects by triumphing at the WTA event in Baku.

She has made good on this promise, developing her game under the watchful eye of coach Iain Hughes to the extent that she is knocking ever louder on the door of the Top 10. Last year the Ukrainian reached the semifinals in Zhuhai and after strong showings at recent outings in Moscow, Beijing and Tokyo it would be no surprise to see her go at least one step further this time around.

To do so she will need to get the better of Konta once more. However, this version of the Briton is a very different proposition to the one that stood across the net from her in their ITF days. Imbued with an on-court maturity and steely competitiveness matched by few of her peers, Konta has flown up the rankings over the past 18 months. Her round-robin victory over Samantha Stosur guaranteed she would finish the year in the Top 10, and judging by the way she dispatched Caroline Garcia to reach the semifinals her ambitions do not end there.

[2] Petra Kvitova (CZE #13) vs [WC/12] Zhang Shuai (CHN #28)
Head-to-head: tied 1-1
Stat: Zhang owns a 7-6 win-loss record against Top 20 players in 2016
Petra Kvitova can lay claim to being the WTA’s most impressive performer over the last few months of the season. Casting aside the inconsistency that blighted the first half of the season, Kvitova, who eased past Roberta Vinci and Barbora Strycova in her two round-robin outings, has now won 26 of her past 32 matches.

The highlight of this run was a second title in Zhuhai, and should she continue this rich vein of form on Chinese soil it will take a super-human effort to stop the Czech. Her next opponent, Zhang Shuai, will have a little extra help though, in the shape of an unashamedly partisan home crowd.

Desperate for a successor to Li Na, Chinese tennis has seen Zhang emerge as its unlikely standard bearer in 2016. Little more than 12 months ago, Zhang was contemplating retirement on the back of a dispiriting spell on tour. Sam Stosur talked her out of it and she has been on an upward trajectory ever since. In January she ended her long-running Grand Slam hoodoo by making it all the way through qualifying and into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, building on this platform with credible showings in Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing to leave herself on the verge of the Top 20.

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Labor Day Spotlight On Radwanska

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WTA Insider | On the latest WTA Insider Live Blog, Agnieszka Radwanska headlines her first night session as the Williams sisters provide a double feature on Ashe Stadium

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Insider Debates: Kvitova Or Svitolina – Who Will Win The WTA Elite Trophy?

Insider Debates: Kvitova Or Svitolina – Who Will Win The WTA Elite Trophy?

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Courtney Nguyen, Point: Earlier this week, Petra Kvitova was asked what she would take from the 2016 season into next year. With her typical brand of understated wit, Kvitova said simply, “Myself.”

This has been a season of discovery for the two-time major champion, and she has a chance on Sunday to cap off her WTA season on a winning note. She parted ways with her long-time coach David Kotyza in January and has spent the year in search of herself, both on and off the court. The Kvitova who was a mainstay in the Top 10 and constant threat was nowhere to be found in the first seven months of the season, as the Czech sputtered to a 16-15 record, capped off with a disappointing second-round exit at her beloved Wimbledon.

The loss seemed to jolt something within Kvitova. Her form steadily improved over the summer hardcourt season, highlighted by Olympic bronze in Rio. Then came a semifinal run at the Connecticut Open and her first Round of 16 showing at a Slam in a year at the US Open. After a loss to eventual champion Angelique Kerber in New York, Kvitova fell to No.16 in the rankings, her lowest mark since 2011.

Petra Kvitova

Then, as if finally unencumbered from expectation or pressure, Kvitova found her game in Asia. En route to her third final in her last four tournaments, Kvitova has resumed her near-unstoppable form in China. The signs of a resurgence began at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open in September, where she beat No.1 Angelique Kerber and proceeded to blitz the field to win her first title of the season. Since her 16-15 start to the season, Kvitova is now 29-7 since Wimbledon.

Playing in her first Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai as the No.3 seed, Kvitova has been the most dominant presence in the field this week in Zhuhai, rolling to the final without losing a set and spending just over three hours on court to win her three matches. Kvitova is 18-7 in finals, having won 8 of her last 11. Svitolina is 4-1 in finals, having split the two she’s played this year, winning Kuala Lumpur and losing in New Haven. The Ukrainian has yet to beat a Top 15 player in a final.

The Czech lefty has won five of her six meetings against Elina Svitolina, who is playing in the biggest final of her career on Sunday. The two played a few weeks ago in Wuhan and Kvitova won easily, 6-3, 6-1.

Petra Kvitova

“With Svitolina I knew if I put the pressure on her, when she’s under the pressure she’s not playing as well as she is,” Kvitova said after beating Zhang Shuai in the semifinals on Saturday. Of course it’s always difficult to put a pressure on her because she is serving and returning well.”

An in-form Kvitova on a fast, low-bouncing court is a tough match-up for anyone on any given day, and it’s an even tougher task for Svitolina, who does not have the weapons off the ground to push Kvitova back. Unless Svitolina can keep consistent depth on her groundstrokes, this is going to be hitting practice for Kvitova. If Petra is on, it’s hard to see her losing this match.

David Kane, Counterpoint: Consistent depth is exactly what was on display during the second semifinal in Zhuhai. Svitolina of defensive memory was stepping into the court and taking big cuts on second serve returns against top seed Johanna Konta, winning five of the last six games to defeat the Brit, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Elina Svitolina

The Ukrainian youngster was the only player to have dropped a set en route to the semis. Some might say she struggled; Svitolina would say she’s been tested.

“I’ve won a lot of three-set matches, and I play good when the matches get long,” she said on Saturday night. “She came up with some good returns, couple of good returns, and I was under pressure.

“I was trying to say to myself, ‘Come on. This game is very important, the return, to put pressure back and to try to get back in the game.”

She heads into the biggest final of her young career with two wins of reigning World No.1s in 2016: Serena Williams at the Olympic tennis event, and Angelique Kerber at the China Open. Some credit the contributions of Hall of Famer Justine Henin; Svitolina looks more towards the physical improvements made since Wimbledon, all thanks to a new fitness coach.

Elina Svitolina

“At this stage, when we’re already on a high level, you need to improve everything just a little bit,” she told WTA Insider earlier in the week. “Small details matter a lot; you just need to take time to adapt to new things. It’s very important because whenever you change something mentally or in your preparation, you have to know it’ll take time to show up on the court.

“You just need to be patient.”

Svitolina will need some of that patience against Kvitova, who has struck winners at will through much of her three match wins over Roberta Vinci, Barbora Strycova, and Zhang Shuai. The Czech star has left opponents flatfooted as she blistered shots from the back of the court. Across the net, the World No.14 has attempted to employ the sort of mind games seen from Svetlana Kuznetsova earlier in the Asian Swing.

“It’s the last tournament. I’m trying to think that I still have couple tournaments ahead of me. When you think about your last tournament you start to be really down in energy. You start to think about Maldives or something,” she joked, referring to her inevitable off-season destination.

Elina Svitolina

“I try to enjoy the moment. I think it helped in the first match when I was down the first set. Staying in the moment really helps me a lot.”

Some might say she has a tough road ahead of her against Kvitova; Svitolina sees it “step by step.”

“I’ll need to react really fast and look for my opportunities,” she said when asked about Sunday’s final. “Just stay in the moment, because you never know when the opportunity is going to come.

“I will try just to focus on each point and we will see.”

– All photos courtesy of WTA Elite Trophy

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Wozniacki Fights For SF Spot

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WTA Insider | On the latest WTA Insider Live Blog, quarterfinal action begins at the US Open; can Caroline Wozniacki end Anastasija Sevastova’s fairytale run?

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Ostapenko Reaches Doha Final

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

DOHA, Qatar – Unseeded 18 year old Jelena Ostapenko displayed some blistering groundstrokes through a 7-5 opening set in the semifinals of the Qatar Total Open, and was leading by an early break in the second before Andrea Petkovic was forced to retire due to injury.

Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Petkovic survived several long games to take a 5-1 lead to start, but pain in her left thigh and increased pressure from Ostapenko saw that lead slip and the Latvian served out the opening set after winning six games in a row, hitting 26 winners to 17 unforced errors.

“I’m really happy with how I played today,” she said in her on-court interview. “I’m sorry for Andrea that she had to retire. It’s not nice after reaching the semis because she’s great player. I’m really happy that I could fight from 5-1 and win the set.

“I’m really happy to play the finals tomorrow.”

Up next for Ostapenko is No.8 seed Carla Suárez Navarro, who dismantled Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-2, 6-0, in the first semifinal. Into her second career final – and the biggest of her career after she finished runner-up at the Coupe Banque National last fall – Ostapenko beat Suárez Navarro in their only previous encounter, dropping just two games when they played at last year’s Wimbledon Championships. 

“She has been playing great this week; she had some really great matches and I hope I can show my best tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.”

A young woman of few words, the Latvian is poised to crack the Top 50 after an impressive week of wins over Svetlana Kuznetsova and Petra Kvitova, joining fellow 18-year-olds Belinda Bencic and Daria Kasatkina.

“It’s just the start of the career; I don’t think I have anything to celebrate because I still have to play the finals tomorrow!”

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