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News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – Fresh off her second win at the inaugural Ladies Open Biel Bienne, top seed Barbora Strycova put her culinary skills to the test, playing sous chef alongside Stefan Beer.

Strycova had just beaten Germany’s Carina Witthoeft in two tough sets, and channeled her signature focus and intensity towards this new endeavor, engaging in the art of plating haute cuisine in a country known famous for its delicious delicacies.

The Czech veteran has had a lifelong passion for cooking, even joking that she may one day trade in her tennis kits for a chef’s jacket.

“Maybe this could be a second career!” she joked.

Check out some of the best photos from the event courtesy of the Ladies Open Biel Bienne, along with a video posted on the official WTA Twitter:

Barbora Strycova

Barbora Strycova

Barbora Strycova

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Garcia, Errani Book SF Spots

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

DUBAI, UAE – Caroline Garcia booked the first spot into the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semifinals after a dominant win against Andrea Petkovic, 6-3, 6-4.

Into her career first Premier-level semifinal, 22-year-old Garcia continued turning promise into achievements as she took on the No.28 Petkovic, who had defeated her in both of her previous encounters.

“It was very difficult conditions, very windy,” Garcia said afterwards. “It’s never easy to play in these conditions so you have to be focused.

“I played pretty aggressive today but you have to against [Petkovic] – she’s a big fighter.”

Garcia broke early in the opening set to go up 3-1, staying toe-to-toe with the big hitting German. Petkovic’s serve, which had been ailing all match long, misfired at the worst time, producing three double faults to give Garcia set points before sending a forehand long to hand the French player the first set.

Garcia once again broke serve and consolidated quickly to start the second set with a 2-0 lead, but this time Petkovic fired back to stop the bleeding, breaking back and holding to level it out at 2-2. Garcia, a regular feature in the doubles draw, was deadly at the net and with her forehand, closing out the match at 6-4.

Petkovic’s second gave her plenty of trouble – she hit 10 double faults during the match – and Garcia masterfully exploited the weakness.

“That’s one where I was looking to improve, to put the pressure on my opponent, especially on her second serve,” Garcia said after the match. “She did some double faults so I tried to put a bit more pressure for those free points.”

In the second quarterfinal of the afternoon, Sara Errani came back from a set to down to defeat the resurgent Madison Brengle, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

More to come…

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News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

ZHENGZHOU, China – Seventh seed Han Xinyun crashed out of the Biyuan Cup Women’s Tennis Open, falling in straight sets to Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas, 6-2, 6-0.

The other seeds had a much easier time of it, though, with fifth seed Zheng Saisai beating Lu Jia-Jing, 6-2, 6-2, and sixth seed Kurumi Nara of Japan defeating Zhu Lin, 6-4, 7-5.

Zheng Saisai

Arina Rodionova and Liu Chang had a titanic tussle, with both sets going to tiebreaks – and the Australian finishing on top in both, eventually triumphing 7-6(2), 7-6(4).

Elsewhere, Uzbekistan’s Sabina Sharipova beat Kang Jiaqi 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, and in an all-Japanese clash Shiho Akita beat Mayo Hibi 6-2, 6-4.

 

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

STUTTGART, Germany — Defending champion Angelique Kerber is the top seed this week as the WTA’s elite slide into the red clay at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. A two-time winner in her home country, Kerber is joined in the top 8 seeds by fellow former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, as eight of the WTA top 10 are competing in Stuttgart.

Check out the Stuttgart stories of the top 8 seeds and others who’ll be unseeded and looming in the German city this week:

1. Angelique Kerber (GER)

6th appearance (13-3)

Best result: CHAMPION (2015, 2016)

2. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)

2nd appearance (2-1)

Best result: QF (2016)

3. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)

5th appearance (0-4)

Best result: R32 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)

4. Simona Halep (ROU)

4th appearance (2-3)

Best result: SF (2015)

5. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP)

3rd appearance (2-2)

Best result: QF (2016)

6/WC. Johanna Konta (GBR)

3rd appearance (0-2)

Best result: R32 (2014, 2016)

7. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)

10th appearance (13-9)

Best result: SF (2011, 2012, 2016)

8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

8th appearance (14-6)

Best result: CHAMPION (2009)

More…

Samantha Stosur (AUS)

6th appearance (9-5)

Best result: F (2010)

Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)

6th appearance (7-5)

Best result: QF (2014, 2015, 2016)

Maria Sharapova (RUS)

5th appearance (13-1)

Best result: CHAMPION (2012, 2013, 2014)

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