Tennis News

Alizé Cornet has been training for the WTA Frame Challenge all season long, and she certainly delivered.

Check out the video above to watch Alizé shatter the WTA Frame Challenge record of 108 bounces set by Sara Errani. Can you keep track of all the bounces?

@SaraErrani pretty cool but I'm coming for you ?! @WTA come on guys when are you gonna show my #WTAFrameChallenge ?!

— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) August 28, 2016

That’s right – Alizé scored more than double the bounces that Sara did, becoming the new all-time leader in the WTA Frame Challenge. Will anyone top that?

Maybe Lara Arruabarrena, who scored one of the fanciest trick serves earlier this year, is up for the challenge? After all, she had a few words for both Sara and Alizé:

@alizecornet @SaraErrani you both are lucky they didnt ask me to do it?

— Lara Arruabarrena (@laraarrua) August 28, 2016

Can Alizé’s record hold? She’s shattered the previous record and now sits head and shoulders above the rest, but that could all change when the next WTA star takes on the WTA Frame Challenge.

Stay tuned…

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – The first day of WTA main draw action kicked off on Wednesday, and Dominika Cibulkova was among the day’s winners – she will take on No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska’s first opponent in the second round.

Watch live action from Indian Wells this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“We’ve played so many times against each other,” Cibulkova said in her post-match interview. “[Radwanska] is a great opponent so I hope it’s gonna be a good match.”

The Slovak found her groove early on to cruise against Czech youngster Katerina Siniakova, 6-2, 6-0. She broke serve right away and only lost just one point in the first three games. Though Siniakova had the advantage of being familiar with the surface and the Indian Wells atmosphere – she had fought through two rounds of qualifying – Cibulkova didn’t allow her any way into the match.

Cibulkova needed exactly one hour to put away the 19-year-old and book the second round clash against Radwanska, who received a first round bye.

'Thanks for telling me [I play Aga next],' jokes @Cibulkova. 'I never look at the draw!' https://t.co/kRsZ9udpkC pic.twitter.com/09nipFLNOp

— TennisTV (@TennisTV) March 10, 2016

Also through to the second round is Heather Watson, whose match fitness was tested to the limit by Galina Voskoboeva. Fresh from winning the title at the Abierto Monterrey Afirme on Sunday, Watson had to weather a second-set surge from the Kazakhstani to advance 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1.

While Voskoboeva faltered, a pair of other Kazakhstani women kept the blue and gold flag flying high at Indian Wells as Yaroslava Shvedova survived an all-out assault from qualifier Kristyna Pliskova and Yulia Putintseva picked off Shuai Peng 6-0, 6-1.

It was a tough day at the office for the Americans, though – Lucie Hradecka sent off Alison Riske 7-6(4), 6-2, Vania King ousted her countrywoman Taylor Townsend 6-2, 6-3 and Carina Witthoeft dismissed Irina Falconi 6-4, 6-4. But CoCo Vandeweghe, who feels right at home here in California, kept American hopes alive as she fought off Kiki Bertens 6-4, 6-4.

BRISBANE, Australia – The first Premier-level event of the season starts in earnest at the Brisbane International, with five of the WTA Finals’ Elite Eight headlining the field.

The draw is out and here’s a rundown of how Angelique Kerber, Dominika Cibulkova and more are starting the first tournament of the 2017 season.

Click here for the complete Brisbane singles and doubles draws.

POSSIBLE QUARTERFINALS:

EARLY MATCHES TO WATCH:

Monica Puig vs [6] Elina Svitolina: Two of the fastest rising stars on the tour will meet in the first round as Olympic gold medalist Puig takes on Zhuhai finalist Svitolina. Their head-to-head record is split at one apiece.

Samantha Stosur vs [4] Garbiñe Muguruza: Brisbane’s own Stosur’s first opponent at her home tournament will be Muguruza. Their head-to-head record is split at one win apiece, with the Spaniard defeating Stosur en route to her French Open title.

As the top two seeds, Kerber and Cibulkova received a bye into the second round. Kerber awaits the winner between Australian wildcard Ashleigh Barty and a qualifier, while Cibulkova will face either Laura Siegemund or Zhang Shuai.

Key information, where to watch and more: everything you need to know about Brisbane.

KERBER AND CIBULKOVA’S ROAD TO THE FINAL:

Should last year’s finalist Kerber advance to the quarterfinals, she could be looking at an early taste of revenge, with a potential encounter against Monica Puig – who defeated her in the final at the Olympic tennis event in Rio – or Elina Svitolina – who ousted her from the China Open.

It doesn’t get any easier from there, with her 2016 nemesis Karolina Pliskova or Roberta Vinci drawn as potential semifinal opponents.

For Cibulkova, a handful of dangerous floaters stand between her and the final. Elena Vesnina, who starts against the tricky Alizé Cornet, is a potential quarterfinal opponent, while the semifinals could hold Garbiñe Muguruza and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

BRISBANE, Australia – Alizé Cornet scored her first win of 2017 in dramatic fashion, coming back the brink of defeat to upset Elena Vesnina at the Brisbane International.

The No.7 seeded Russian, who enjoyed her first Top 20 season last year, got a rude awakening in the New Year in the form of a determined Cornet, who was two games away from defeat before mounting her comeback to advance 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5).

“It feels really great to win the first match of 2017, on the first of January, after a thriller match against Elena,” Cornet said after the victory.

“It was the worst scenario ever, 7-6 in the third, almost three hours of match. It was a big fight and I’m happy I’m through. I feel ready for the rest of the tournament.”

Vesnina took advantage of a shaky start from the Frenchwoman to build her momentum early on, quickly taking the opening set and building up a daunting 4-1 lead in the second. But the match turned on a dime as Cornet put the pressure on, drawing out the unforced errors from Vesnina’s racquet and rattling off five straight games to level the match.

.@AlizeCornet battles past Vesnina 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5)!

Advances to @BrisbaneTennis Second round! pic.twitter.com/dnwV6rAOIC

— WTA (@WTA) January 1, 2017

With the heat rule in effect, the pair were back on court for a tense final set, staying even blow for blow and heading into a tiebreak. After two hours and thirty-seven minutes, an ill-timed drop shot from Vesnina – on her 65 unforced errors – didn’t make it over the net and gave Cornet match point and sent her into the second round.

Up next for Cornet is Christina McHale, who had a smoother road into the second round after cruising past Sara Errani in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.

“First I have to think about recovering from this match, that’s the most important,” Cornet said. “Then I can think about the second round.

“I play against McHale, who is a very good player and had an easy first round win. I’m expecting a tough battle, but you know, this match really got me in the rhythm! I’m just ready to keep going.”

1st of january ✔
1st match of the season ✔
1st thriller ✔
1st win ✔ ??? !
Welcome to the 2017 season ? #BrisbaneInternational #lookingtired pic.twitter.com/mR3dTxdKsd

— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) January 1, 2017

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – The seeds in the lower half of the draw will make their 2016 BNP Paribas debut on Saturday at Indian Wells, including 2016 Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber.

Saturday, Second Round

[2] Angelique Kerber (GER #2) vs. Denisa Allertova (CZE #64)
Head-to-head: first meeting
Key Stat: Allertova won her only previous match against a player in the Top 2, defeating Simona Halep in straight sets in the Guanghzhou quarterfinals last year.

Angelique Kerber is still flying high after winning her maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne this winter, but is the feisty German ready to become one with the perpetual grind of the WTA tour again? As many first-time major winners have proved in the past, it’s not an easy task.

“The life changed of course a little bit, I had so many things to do when I went back to Germany,” Kerber told media during All-Access Hour on Wednesday. “A lot more people recognize me right now. But I think at the end I’m the same as I was before Australia. It’s still a great feeling but I need also time to prepare and go on court to practice and work hard like I did the last few months and years.”

Kerber’s opening challenge will be a first-time meeting with 23-year-old Czech Denisa Allertova. Though she’s only played 37 WTA-level matches, Allertova has impressively won two of her three contests against Top-10 opponents.

Pick: Kerber in three

[4] Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP #4) vs. Christina McHale (USA # 62)
Head-to-head: Muguruza leads,1-0
Key Stat: Muguruza has a 20-10 win-loss record since reaching the Wimbledon final last year.

There have been ups and downs for the Spaniard since she reached the Wimbledon final last season, but it would be wrong to say that Garbiñe Muguruza has been plagued by inconsistency. If anything, she’s been slowed by physical ailments. After a nagging foot injury slowed her start to 2016, the hard-hitting World No.4 would like nothing more than to assert herself with a career-best run at Indian Wells.

She’ll start her quest in the desert with a second-round match-up with American Christina McHale. Muguruza took their first meeting in straight sets, but the New Jersey native, who defeated Caroline Garcia on Thursday, always proves to be a tough out on home soil.

Pick: Muguruza in two

[13] Victoria Azarenka (BLR #15) vs. Zarina Diyas (KAZ #87)
Head-to-head: first meeting
Key Stat: 2012 champion Azarenka is one of seven previous champions in this year’s draw.

It is still shocking when one considers that, before Brisbane this year, Victoria Azarenka had not won a WTA title in nearly three years. Injuries have reared their ugly head, curtailing the momentum of the two-time major champion on many occasions. And yet, there’s something so magical about Azarenka’s game when in full flight that it’s difficult not to expect her to step up, turn back the clock and roll through a tournament like she did in 2012 and 2013, when she won nine titles, including two majors.

Could March be the month that Azarenka proves to the world she’s top-notch again? The world No.13 will open her seventh appearance at the BNP Paribas Open with a second-round tilt versus Zarina Diyas. Once thought to be a rising star, Diyas has struggled to find her form, going 4-7 thus far in 2016.

Pick: Azarenka in two

[14] Ana Ivanovic (SRB #18) vs. Camila Giorgi (ITA #45)
Head-to-head: Ivanovic leads 1-0
Key Stat: 2008 champion Ivanovic has not been past the third round here since 2012.

In her tenth appearance at Indian Wells, former champion Ana Ivanovic will face a stern second-round challenge in the pugnacious Camila Giorgi of Italy. Ivanovic took the pair’s first meeting handily last autumn in Tokyo, but Giorgi has done some damage in her brief but entertaining Indian Wells career.

She took out Maria Sharapova in her debut in 2014 en route to the fourth round. Giorgi is always one of the most dangerous floaters in a draw, and Ivanovic will surely have her hands full with a player that has earned 16 wins in 37 against members of the Top 20.

Pick: Ivanovic in three

Around the grounds: Seventh-seeded Belinda Bencic will square off with American Lauren Davis for the second time. The Swiss won their first meeting in 2013 in straight sets. Surging Zhang Shuai, who has risen over 100 spots in the rankings since the end of last season, will meet 20th-seeded Caroline Wozniacki. Russians Daria Kasatkina and Margarita Gasparyan each won their Indian Wells debuts on Thursday and will look to reach the third round today. Eugenie Bouchard and Sloane Stephens will meet for the fourth time, and the first time since 2013 – Stephens holds the 2-1 lifetime edge.