Tennis News

September has been marked by the US Open, but since we already voted for our NYC fashion favorites, let’s see who dominated the tennis fashion scene in the remainder of the month. Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog will show us the clothes that have ruled the courts this fall, following the final Grand Slam of the season.

Caroline Wozniacki won the Toray Pan Pacific Open title in what she called her favorite outfit of the year: the signal green adidas Barricade Dress Set. Designer Stella McCartney created this women’s tennis dress and shorts set with mesh shoulder straps and laser-cut holes to ensure both ventilation and style. Wozniacki not only lifted her first trophy of the season feeling like a queen in green, but she followed it up with her 500th career match win at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.

Wozniacki completed her look with black and white adidas Stella Barricade Boost Shoes, whose seamless knit upper hugs Caroline’s feet, while boost™ is there to energize her movement.

Naomi Osaka‘s quirky young energy makes her and adidas one of the best tennis fashion matches, which we thoroughly enjoyed this month during the Toray Pan Pacific Open, as the 18-year-old Japanese spectacularly made her biggest WTA final at the Premier-level tournament in her home country.

Sporting the adidas Fall Pro Tank, featuring a statement contrast racerback with mesh insert, and the printed adidas Fall Pro Skirt, Osaka ensured a rise from No. 66 to a career-high of No.47 in the WTA rankings, beating two Top 20 players on the way.

Elsewhere in Asia, at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, Simona Halep showcased a wonderful pale version of the bold geometric print. The cute contrast flash red elastic waistband of her skirt perfectly matches the striking racerback of her predominantly white tank.

Right after the US Open, at the Coupe Banque Nationale, Oceane Dodin made the Top 100 for the first time in her career and became the first teenager to win a WTA title in 2016, all the while looking stylish in the black and volt Nike Fall Maria Premier Tank and Nike Fall Maria FLX Premier Short.

At the $2,288,250 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, Petra Kvitova eliminated world number one Angelique Kerber in one of this season’s most dramatic matches, wearing the striking Nike Winter Flex Victory Premier Skirt that wonderfully combines purple dynasty and bright mango colors in a gradient effect on all-around knife pleats. The skirt, available in two lengths, features a flat-front elastic waistband and built-in compression shorts.

The orange Nike Winter Dry Slam Tank, made of 92% Dri-Fit polyester, is a classic soft performance pique tank top, whose racerback and side slits allow optimal range of motion.

The two-time Wimbledon champion is rocking personalized speed-oriented Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour footwear. The shoe’s lightweight construction is accompanied by enough support and stability to allow confident on-court movement.

What are your favorite women’s tennis styles this fall?

ZHUHAI, China – Azalea Group action begins in earnest on Wednesday at the Huajin Securities Elite Trophy Zhuhai. Top seed Johanna Konta is fresh from her stint as first alternate at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, and the Brit admitted that Zhuhai already feels more like home.

“What can I say? I like China!” she joked with WTA Insider. “We get treated very well here; every hotel is always really beautiful, as is every venue. They really put a lot of effort into the immediate things that surround us as tennis players, the things we experience at every event.

“They definitely make us feel quite comfortable.”

Konta had a chance to get comfortable on the first day of round robin play in Zhuhai, fielding questions in All-Access hour that ranged from tennis to fashion – one in particularly about the dress she sported at Singapore’s draw ceremony.

“I was not expecting that question!” she told reporters. “I’m very flattered. I do enjoy fashion. I do get some help though, so it’s not all me. Thank you for noticing.”

All eyes have been on the Brit as she blew the roof off her 2016 season with stellar performances, including one just three weeks ago at the China Open, where she reached the final.

“I still feel very much in this season, and I’m really happy and looking forward to playing my last event here in Zhuhai. I’m looking forward to stepping out on the court, competing finally.

“I like to be at events that I’m competing in, mainly!”

She’ll certainly have to compete in her first match as she takes on No.8 seed and former US Open champion Samantha Stosur. The Aussie arrived a day earlier than Konta, allowing her more of a chance to explore the city.

“We’ve gone out for some great meals every single night. I have an opportunity – by not playing tonight – to go out and see something else.

“Then, I’ll probably just be busy with the tournament. But we’ve been very well looked after and it’s been a very enjoyable week.”

It’s been a stabilizing week for the former World No.4, who recently announced Josh Eagle as her full-time coach; the ex-ATP professional was with Stosur during the Emirates Airline US Open Series, and are together in Zhuhai for the first time since Flushing.

“I’m looking forward to starting the year with him, and hopefully getting a level of consistency with the people around me. That will help my game as well. There’s never been a bad relationship with anyone I’ve had this year, but when you’re chopping and changing all the time, it makes it difficult.

“If that’s all in the past, then I’ll be very happy next year!”

Stosur parted with longtime coach David Taylor after this year’s French Open, where she earned her best Grand Slam result in four years by reaching the semifinals, and is looking forward to having a new voice to help her adapt to an ever-changing game.

.@bambamsam30 meets the press @wtaelitetrophy to discuss her season and look ahead to her Azalea Group draw pic.twitter.com/Ki8InCaj6x

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) November 1, 2016

“You can’t say the one way you’ve done it for so long is the only way to do it. I think you have to be a little bit open to change or even just hearing new ideas.

“That’s just different; I wouldn’t say it’s good or bad, but you have to get used to it when you’ve gotten set in your routines, the way you communicate with someone and how they might tell you to do something.”

The up-ended routines have helped her in practice – Stosur says she’s hitting as good as ever – and she hopes to use the week in Zhuhai to begin translating that onto the match court.

“Sometimes it only takes one or two matches and then you feel really good about things, and then, all of the sudden, you can get on a little bit of a roll. Who knows? I feel like I’m in a decent spot now; this is kind of a bonus extra tournament for all of us to be at, and given the Asian Swing that I had, it’s probably a good thing to win a couple before I finish the year.”

With one week left to the season, both women will be keen to end the season on a high note, which ought to inspire some scintillating tennis as they go head-to-head in second on Zhuhai’s Stadium court.

All photos courtesy of the WTA Elite Trophy.