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BJK Headlines NFL In The Huddle

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Billie Jean King was an honored guest at the National Football League’s Women’s Summit ahead of Super Bowl 50.

The Summit, entitled, “In the Huddle to Advance Women in Sport” comes just one day after King’s own initative through her Women’s Sports Foundation, the National Girls and Women in Sports Day; both aim to recognize and encourage young women to succeed in sports and all aspects of life.

King was joined by former Secretary of State and keynote speaker Condoleezza Rice, former LPGA superstar Annika Sorenstam, and All-American softballer Jessica Mendoza.

Learn more about the Summit here, and check out some of the best tweets from the event:

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Mattek-Sands’ Golden Phoenix Homecoming

Mattek-Sands’ Golden Phoenix Homecoming

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

PHOENIX, AZ, USA – Mixed doubles gold medalist Bethanie Mattek-Sands received a hero’s welcome when she touched down in her hometown of Phoenix. Last week she took home the gold along with partner Jack Sock after beating out Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram in an all-American final, 6-7(3), 6-1, 10-7 at the Olympic tennis event in Rio.

The American was received by family and friends – including her husband, Justin Sands – at the airport. Local news crews were on hand to capture the welcome party as Mattek-Sands showed off the prized hardware.

“Winning that match point — what a feeling,” Mattek-Sands told Phoenix’s 12 News. “It’s really not comparable to a feeling I’ve ever experienced.”

“You’re just up there thinking about everything you did that got you to that point, and I get emotional now,” she said. “I want to do it again. I want to be a part of Tokyo 2020.”

Bethanie Mattek-Sands

The welcome party didn’t stop at the airport, though, as Mattek-Sands is set to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Arizona Diamondbacks vs New York Mets baseball game at Chase Field later today.

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Konta Swats Aside Stosur In Zhuhai Opener, Secures Top 10 Spot

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

ZHUHAI, China – Top seed Johanna Konta made a confident start to the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai by brushing aside Samantha Stosur in straight sets on Wednesday.

Watch live action from Zhuhai this week at WTA Live Powered By TennisTV!

Flying starts to both sets laid the foundations for an impressive 6-4, 6-2 victory over former US Open champion Stosur.

“Against a player like Sam, who plays such a big ball and has such a big game, I really had to do my best to stay there for every single point and take my chances whenever they came,” Konta said in her on-court interview.

Konta had not played since withdrawing from the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open with an abdominal strain, but she showed no sign of rustiness early on, darting across the net to break serve in the opening game.

At a time of year when the bodies and minds of many players are hankering for a holiday, the Briton looked sharp, maneuvering Stosur around the court with ease to stretch this lead to 4-0. And while the Australian eventually found some success, reducing her arrears to 4-3, Konta steadied the ship, firing down a couple of aces to calmly close out the set.

The second set was even more emphatic, the World No.10 taking the first four games once again as she hurtled towards the finishing line and top spot in the Azalea Group.

Konta, the WTA’s Most Improved Player of the year, narrowly missed out on qualifying for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, but still has plenty to play for on her Zhuhai debut; victory over Stosur confirmed Konta will become the first Briton since Jo Durie in 1983 to finish the year inside the Top 10.

“It doesn’t matter what group you’re in here, every single player is so tough – the elite! – so that I know going into every single match that I get to play this week I have to be 100%.”

Earlier on in Camellia Group, Timea Bacsinszky saw off Timea Babos, 6-4, 6-2.

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Insider Podcast: Czeching Into Cincy

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

CINCINNATI, OH, USA – The quicker conditions at the Western & Southern Open tripped up a few of the returning Olympians arriving from Rio de Janeiro, but women’s doubles Bronze medalist Barbora Strycova had no such problems, overcoming a maddening number of rain delays – and a most dangerous qualifier in former World No.5 Eugenie Bouchard – to advance into the second round in straight sets.

Karolina Pliskova missed the Olympic tennis event, opting to spend the time gearing up for the final stretch of the season, one that had been particularly successful for her in 2015 when she won the Emirates Airlines US Open Series.

WTA Insider caught up with both Czech starlets in the second Daily Dispatch from Cincinnati:

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or on any podcast app of your choice to ensure you never miss an episode when they go live. Reviews are always helpful, so if you like what you’ve heard so far, leave us one. You can also get new episode alerts by following us on Twitter @WTA_Insider.

Follow @WTA_Insider

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WTA Elite Trophy Ambassador Steffi Graf Lands In Zhuhai

WTA Elite Trophy Ambassador Steffi Graf Lands In Zhuhai

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970
Steffi Graf has landed in Zhuhai, China for the second edition of the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.

Steffi Graf has landed in Zhuhai, China for the second edition of the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.

The former No.1 has fans all around the world, and in Zhuhai it’s no different!

The former No.1 has fans all around the world, and in Zhuhai it’s no different!

She received a warm greeting from her fan club, which received her with posters, artwork and more!

She received a warm greeting from her fan club, which received her with posters, artwork and more!

The tennis legend stopped for a photo with the group.

The tennis legend stopped for a photo with the group.

Graf headed to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge for a different kind of tennis match.

Graf headed to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge for a different kind of tennis match.

Joined by Caroline Garcia, Graf took part in a fun match on the bridge which connects Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China.

Joined by Caroline Garcia, Graf took part in a fun match on the bridge which connects Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China.

The bridge is one of the city’s most impressive landmarks.

The bridge is one of the city’s most impressive landmarks.

Graf showed off her 22-time Grand Slam winning skills on the bridge against Garcia.

Graf showed off her 22-time Grand Slam winning skills on the bridge against Garcia.

After the match they grabbed a photo with some special guests: Mezle Chung, Vice General Manger of Zhuhai Huafa Group Co.,Ltd., Micky Lawler, President of WTA and dozens of the bridge’s workers.

After the match they grabbed a photo with some special guests: Mezle Chung, Vice General Manger of Zhuhai Huafa Group Co.,Ltd., Micky Lawler, President of WTA and dozens of the bridge’s workers.

When it’s completed, the bridge will be the longest sea-spanning bridge in the world, the worker explained to Graf.

When it’s completed, the bridge will be the longest sea-spanning bridge in the world, the worker explained to Graf.

After the bridge visit, she headed back to the Zhuhai Hengquin International Tennis Center, where the WTA Elite Trophy is contested, for another fun activity.

After the bridge visit, she headed back to the Zhuhai Hengquin International Tennis Center, where the WTA Elite Trophy is contested, for another fun activity.

The former No.1 hosted a charity clinic outside of the Haufa Center Court.

The former No.1 hosted a charity clinic outside of the Haufa Center Court.

Graf ran through the basics with 29 students from primary schools and high schools, including 19 from Macau.

Graf ran through the basics with 29 students from primary schools and high schools, including 19 from Macau.

She had words of wisdom for even the smallest tennis fans!

She had words of wisdom for even the smallest tennis fans!

After the clinic, Graf had time for all her fans, signing autograph after autograph.

After the clinic, Graf had time for all her fans, signing autograph after autograph.

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Konta Races Into Zhuhai Semifinals, Kvitova Also Advances

Konta Races Into Zhuhai Semifinals, Kvitova Also Advances

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

ZHUHAI, China – Top seed Johanna Konta produced a clinical display to brush aside Caroline Garcia and take her place in the knockout stage of the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.

Watch live action from Zhuhai this week at WTA Live Powered By TennisTV!

One hour was all it took for Konta to wrap up a 6-2, 6-2 victory and set up a semifinal against Elina Svitolina. Earlier in the day, No.2 seed Petra Kvitova also advanced, topping her round-robin group after a 6-1, 6-4 win over Barbora Strycova.

Konta confirmed she would finish the year ranked inside the Top 10 following an impressive win against Samantha Stosur in her opening match, and she underlined her status with an even more dominant display second time out.

It did not take long for the Briton to get her nose in front, hooking a passing shot beyond Garcia’s reach to break in the third game. A few games later it was the backhand doing the damage, the World No.10 finding the line to stretch her lead further, before wrapping up the set soon after.

Konta handily won the pair’s previous meeting, at this summer’s Rio Olympics and a run of five straight games in the second set sent her hurtling past the finishing post.

“I really felt I played a very consistent match. I didn’t give he many windows [of opportunity] and I’m very happy I managed to do that today,” Konta said during her on-court interview. ” She has such a big game so I really needed to apply myself on every point.”

“Right now, it’s just one more match tomorrow. I’m not looking any further than that. I’m going to have a very tough one and looking to compete as best I can.”

Petra Kvitova

While Konta takes on Svitolina, in the other semifinal Kvitova meets Chinese No.1 Zhang Shuai.

Kvitova made a flying start against fellow Czech Strycova before encountering some late resistance. However, just as she has so often in her recent resurgence, she found her best tennis when it mattered most, withstanding some late service jitters – and a couple of break points – to take the final three games of the match.

“The second set was a little bit tight. It was really important to serve well in that game, 4-3. I was facing two break points and it was really the key point,” Kvitova said in her press conference.

“And I think that from the time that I started to play more aggressive than I did before, the beginning of the second set, so it helped me actually, to face the two break points to get back on the track and play little bit better and to return better as well. But, I mean, overall it was a good match. I think it was – the serve was really good today; helped me a lot as well. I’m happy that I’m in the semifinal for sure.”

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Serena Unleashes Inner Superhero

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

21-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has hardly taken a vacation after making a run to her seventh Australian Open final. Following a three-set defeat to Angelique Kerber, Williams joined Billie Jean King and Condoleezza Rice at last weekend’s NFL Women’s Summit.

Speaking with Robin Roberts, the American spoke of the pressure of being one of the top female athletes in the world, but ultimate how she hoped to use her influence to impact the greater good.

“I don’t play tennis for recognition; being recognized is not important,” she said. “What matters is how I can help people.”

True to her word, Williams is helping people in a big way this week, flying down to Jamaica to help build the Salt Marsh Primary School. With the aid of Helping Hands Jamaica and her own foundation, the World No.1got her hands dirty along with volunteers, proving that “with great power indeed comes great responsibility” – to borrow a Spiderman reference Williams herself used in her conversation with Roberts.

Enjoyable work. Serena Williams Fund's 3rd school- this time we partnered with Helping Hands Jamaica to build the Salt Marsh Primary School #swf #education

Posted by Serena Williams on Monday, February 8, 2016

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