Tennis News

All at once, World No.1 Serena Williams was the hunter and the hunted, in search of a 22nd Grand Slam title – which would tie Stefanie Graf’s Open Era record – while trying to fend off a rising opposition from challengers like Angelique Kerber and Garbiñe Muguruza, who each defeated her at the Australian Open and French Open finals.

“I have definitely had some sleepless nights, if I’m just honest, with a lot of stuff,” Serena said in the latest WTA Insider Champions Corner. “Coming so close. Feeling it, not being able to quite get there.”

Turning around a tense three-setter against fellow American Christina McHale, the top seed shook off the disappointment of the last six months and roared to her seventh Wimbledon crown, not dropping another set and avenging her Melbourne loss to Kerber in the championship match.

“One day I woke and I felt different. I felt I can do better. I can do this. Not only can I do this but I’m going to do this and there’s nothing in this world that’s going to stop me.”

The win tied her with Graf and put her in pole position to break the record at the upcoming US Open, the site of her first major triumph in 1999 and where she began her second Serena Slam in 2014.

“I definitely feel like when I lose I don’t feel as good about myself. But then I have to remind myself that you are Serena Williams. Do you know what you’ve done, who you are, what you continue to do not only in tennis, off the court? You’re awesome. I think that shows the human side of me, that I’m not a robot. I only expect perfection.”

If it’s not perfection from the 22-time Grand Slam champion, it’s pretty close – and more than enough to earn her the mantle of June’s WTA Player of the Month!

Final Results for June’s WTA Player Of The Month

1. Serena Williams (62%)
2. Dominika Cibulkova (21%)
3. Angelique Kerber (14%)
4. Madison Keys (3%)

2016 WTA Player of the Month Winners

January: Angelique Kerber
February: Carla Suárez Navarro
March: Victoria Azarenka
April: Angelique Kerber
May: Garbiñe Muguruza

How it works:

Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com 

GSTAAD, Switzerland – Top seed Timea Bacsinszky finally won her much-delayed second-round encounter against Mandy Minella at the Ladies Championship Gstaad.

After three days spent waiting for the rain to abate, Bacsinszky was clearly intent on making up for lost time, sweeping past qualifier Minella, 6-2, 6-2, in just 55 minutes. In the quarterfinals, the Swiss No.2 will face Johanna Larsson.

“We’ve been quite used to this for the past couple of months in Switzerland. You just have to be patient and you just have to have a good playlist and books with you,” Bacsinszky said. “And I’m also lucky to have a great team with me to help me pass the time quicker, so I don’t feel that I’m waiting so much.

“I’m happy that I was on court today and that I was able to catch the win. For sure it was a really good match for me and I’m looking forward to being on court again tomorrow.”

With the sun finally shining, Bacsinszky made the brightest of starts, a break in the opening game helping her to ease through the opening set.

“I started to be quite aggressive from the beginning on and I showed her that she would have to move me all around the court if she was to get some short balls. I was really focused on that and kept telling myself that if I kept the intensity up things would probably be okay!”

A lot of bang for the buck for the Swiss fans today! #WTAGstaad #SupportTheSwiss @TimeaOfficial pic.twitter.com/8MoHMil4LF

— Ladies Open Gstaad (@WTA_Gstaad) 15 July 2016

There was also plenty of home cheer elsewhere as Bacsinszky’s compatriots Viktorija Golubic and Rebeka Masarova both registered victories. Golubic overcame a slow start to defeat Evgeniya Rodina, 7-5, 6-1, while wildcard Masarova also finished strongly to defeat Anett Kontaveit, 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-2.

“It’s a great privilege to be one of those three players, and also to play the first tournament in 33 years here in Gstaad. Who knows, hopefully we will all go further in the tournament,” Bacsinszky added.

There were busy days for Bacsinszky’s fellow seeds, Kiki Bertens and Annika Beck, both of whom were on court early to complete protracted first-round assignments before returning later on to book their place in the last eight.

No.3 seed Bertens defeated Claire Feuerstein, 7-6(9), 6-1, while Beck, the No.5 seed, eased past Katerina Siniakova, 6-2, 6-1.