Tennis News

Barbora Strycova

2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.42
Year-End Ranking: No.20 (Career-High No.19, 8/22/2016)
Titles Won: 0 (Dubai, Birmingham RU)
Best Major Result: 4R (Australian Open)

The countdown is on! ?

Only 20 Days left until the 2017 #WTA season! ? pic.twitter.com/1dpjHU6fYz

— WTA (@WTA) December 12, 2016

2017 Outlook

Barbora Strycova bounced back from a middling 2015 from the first week of the season, upsetting eventual French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza en route to the second week of the Australian Open. She followed that up with a run to the biggest final of her career, knocking out former No.1 Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Garcia at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

“It’s been the best year of my career because I learned so many things, and also because my ranking improved,” Strycova told WTA Insider at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai. “I was very consistent throughout the whole season, which was, for me, the most important thing.”

The Czech veteran brought her best tennis all all surfaces, pushing Agnieszka Radwanska in a thrilling third round encounter in Roland Garros, and making her second WTA final of the season on grass at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham. Her brightest moments came in national competitions, earning a Bronze medal at the Olympic tennis event with Lucie Safarova, and later leading the Czech Republic to its fifth championship in six years. 

“The Olympics was something I dreamed about. When we found out we were playing together, Lucie told me on the flight to the Rogers Cup, ‘Ok, we’re going to get a medal!’ I told her, ‘You’re joking; we’ve played together once, what are you saying?’ But then we did it; it was something incredible.”

Looking ahead of 2017, Strycova plans to prioritize fitness over the off-season so she may continue to balance her heavy schedules in singles and doubles (with new partner, World No.1 Sania Mirza).

DOHA, Qatar – Caroline Wozniacki survived a late wobble on Monday evening to edge past Ana Konjuh and into the second round of the Qatar Total Open.

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

Success has proven hard to come by for Wozniacki this year, and getting over the finishing line against a hungry young opponent proved anything but straightforward.

Having weathered an early storm, the former World No.1, appeared to be cruising towards victory at 5-2 in the final set. However, liberated by the apparent hopelessness of the situation, Konjuh started to swing from the hip, clawing her way back level before eventually succumbing, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

By the time one of her thumping forehands finally found the tape, the Croatian had saved eight match points and put Wozniacki and her camp through the emotional wringer.

“It’s the first match and you just want to get going,” Wozniacki said in her on-court interview. “I wasn’t hitting it well, and she was, but then I was 5-2 up in the third set. But I thought we’d give the crowd a little bit more excitement!”

After a sluggish start, the Dane tightened things up in the second set – in which she coughed up just four unforced errors – to turn the tide. She admitted that a faster start will be required next time out, when she takes on Daria Gavrilova, an impressive 6-1, 6-1 winner over Misaki Doi.

“Hopefully the next match is going to be better and I’ll get a better start,” Wozniacki said. “I’ve practiced with her a couple of times, but I’ve never played against her in a match.

“Yeah, she’s a fighter. She likes to come with a lot of different shots out there and she’s going to have you play that extra point.”

In the preceding match, Roberta Vinci celebrated her first day as a member of the Top 10 with a near-faultless 6-2, 6-1 victory over Lesia Tsurenko. Also advancing was her fellow Italian, Sara Errani, a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 winner over Tsvetana Pironkova.

Venus Williams

2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.7
Year-End Ranking: No.17
Season Highlights: Title at Kaohsiung
Best Major Result: SF (Wimbledon)

17 Days left until the 2017 #WTA season! ? pic.twitter.com/azf4fQh5zW

— WTA (@WTA) December 15, 2016

2017 Outlook

Despite turning 36 last summer, Venus Williams continues to challenge for tennis’ biggest honors. She proved this at Wimbledon, where she saw off several of the game’s brightest young talents to became the oldest Grand Slam semifinalist in 22 years.

It was not the only high point of the campaign either; in Kaohsiung she collected a 49th career title, reaching another final at Stanford before teaming up with Rajeev Ram to win mixed doubles silver at the Rio Olympics – her fifth medal at the Games.

There had been whispers that Brazil could be the curtain call on Williams’ wonderful career. However, the American has quashed such talk, outlining her plans to stay on tour until 2018, and even entertaining the possibility of playing until Tokyo 2020.

“I’ve been working hard in the gym and getting back on the court,” Williams said recently. “I just love the game, I really do. I love the challenge. It’s been such a part of my life that it’s hard to imagine life without it.

“I’m just gearing up for 2017 like I’m sure everybody else is.”

Her season opener will come in Auckland, where she will be joined by sister Serena and another thirtysomething still going strong, Svetlana Kuznetsova. Understandably, Williams, who lifted the title in 2015 and reached the final in 2013, is excited about her upcoming visit to the North Island.

“I am so excited to come back to Auckland, which is one of my favorite stops on the circuit,” Williams said. “It will be nice to have Serena there as well this year. “Being in Auckland will be a fantastic way to start 2017 and I am really looking forward to it!”