SAP Stat Of The Day: CiCi Bellis
In today’s SAP Stat Of The Day, 17-year-old CiCi Bellis’ victory over Agnieszka Radwanska set a record in more ways than one.
In today’s SAP Stat Of The Day, 17-year-old CiCi Bellis’ victory over Agnieszka Radwanska set a record in more ways than one.
MELBOURNE, Australia – Victoria Azarenka, who won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, didn’t drop a single game in the first match of her quest for a third title at the Happy Slam on Tuesday.
The No.14-seeded Azarenka was absolutely ruthless against Alison Van Uytvanck in the feature night match on Rod Laver Arena, rolling past the Belgian up-and-comer in just 53 minutes, 6-0, 6-0.
“I’m pretty happy – I don’t think I’m looking for perfection, I’m looking for effort. I’m looking for focus,” Azarenka told reporters afterwards. “I like that I was very composed today from the first point to the last point. Like it didn’t matter what the score was in the match, I was there on every point.
“So that’s what I’m very happy about today.”
The former World No.1 was asked whether she was sticking to the dab – the American Football-inspired post-match celebration she debuted during her run to the Brisbane title – this fortnight.
“For now, yeah,” she said, after which she was asked whether it was for luck.
“I just like doing it,” Azarenka replied. “I don’t believe in luck – I believe in hard work.”
Azarenka has gotten off to a perfect start to the 2016 season, not dropping a set en route to her first WTA title in almost two and a half years at the Brisbane International a few weeks ago – losing just 17 games in five matches, in fact – and she’s now 6-0 on the year after her first win in Melbourne.
Not all of the favorites flourished, though, with five more seeds going out, most notably No.2 seed Simona Halep, who was stunned by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai, 6-4, 6-3 (read more here) and No.8 seed Venus Williams, who succumbed to British No.1 Johanna Konta, 6-4, 6-2 (read more here).
Johanna Larsson beat No.29 seed Irina-Camelia Begu, 6-3, 6-2, Varvara Lepchenko beat No.31 seed Lesia Tsurenko, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3, and Barbora Strycova outdid No.32 seed Caroline Garcia, 6-2, 6-4.
Most of the seeds in action moved through, though, including No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza, who out-hit Anett Kontaveit, 6-0, 6-4, and No.7 seed Angelique Kerber, who won a thriller against Misaki Doi, saving a match point down 6-5 in the second set tie-break to survive, 6-7(4), 7-6(6), 6-3.
Other winners on Tuesday included No.9 seed Karolina Pliskova, No.11 seed Timea Bacsinszky, No.15 seed Madison Keys, No.18 seed Elina Svitolina, No.19 seed Jelena Jankovic, No.20 seed Ana Ivanovic (read about her win here), No.21 seed Ekaterina Makarova and No.30 seed Sabine Lisicki.
Shuai Zhang has an emotional victory over Halep #AusOpen https://t.co/tXDpUXlw3n
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2016
DUBAI, UAE – Caroline Wozniacki is only 26 years old – so she was taken by surprise to hear her quarterfinal opponent at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships say she had admired her since childhood.
“Both [Agnieszka] Radwanska and Wozniacki have been, you know, my idols since I was really young and watched them play on the TV since I was five years old,” revealed 17-year-old CiCi Bellis after beating the Pole 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
Wozniacki’s win over Kateryna Bondarenko, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, set up a clash between the current WTA World No.15 and her teenage admirer.
“Obviously we have been on tour for so long and played so many matches and been on TV for a lot of years,” said the Dane. “I think sometimes you just don’t realize how young these girls are that are coming up.
“But we were one of them, too. Aga and I were both really young when we broke through. You know, it’s my 12th year on tour now, so, you know, we have been here for a while – although I still feel young at heart.”
Wozniacki reminisced about her own time as a teenager breaking through – and those senior stateswomen of the game who welcomed her
“Someone like Kim Clijsters was always nice,” she recalled. “Venus was one of the first ones, as well. She asked me to play doubles with her in Qatar, actually, when I was 17. So that was huge for me. And then Serena was really nice.
“I’m not saying everybody, but I think the older players back in the day really appreciated us having that respect towards them. Not on the court, obviously. We wanted to win. But we were always very respectful of them and their achievements at the same time we were fighters and competitors.”
That means that Wozniacki will not be taking the young American lightly.
“I think she obviously tries to dictate with the forehand,” she said. “You know, it’s a player with a lot of energy. I just need to be out there and just show my presence – and try and stay aggressive.”
How many minutes has Madison Keys spent on court? Who has hit the most aces? And in whose famous footsteps is Johanna Konta looking to follow?
DUBAI, UAE – Just days after throwing down the WTA Shot Of The Month gauntlet to trick shots queen Agnieszka Radwanska, World No.2 Angelique Kerber produced yet another highlight-worthy piece of brilliance at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships – and this time she even went right handed for it!
Watch Kerber switch hands for a right-handed reflex volley in her WTA Shot Of The Day from her quarterfinal against Ana Konjuh:
Speed and soft hands from @AngeliqueKerber! ? pic.twitter.com/Ti8X0o1Ej5
— WTA (@WTA) February 23, 2017
“I don’t think [I’ve ever hit a right-handed volley before],” Kerber laughed in her post-match press conference. “I think this point — yeah, I have no idea. I just react, so it was just maybe a little bit luck, as well.”
She added, “I’m naturally right handed. Maybe that helps me in this point.”
On Tuesday, Kerber’s 26-shot rally against Mona Barthel prompted the German to muse out loud about displacing perennial hot-shot winner Radwanska, who not only took home January’s WTA Shot Of The Month but also owns the WTA Shot Of The Year Award for the last four years.
She’s coming for you @ARadwanska… pic.twitter.com/q11Hc9WD6Z
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 21, 2017
Radwanska was game and readily accepted the challenge on Twitter:
Game on ???@AngeliqueKerber https://t.co/0S9L0qIsjJ
— Aga Radwanska (@ARadwanska) February 21, 2017
@ARadwanska ???
— Angelique Kerber (@AngeliqueKerber) February 21, 2017
But will it be enough for Kerber to dethrone Radwanska and claim February WTA Shot Of The Month? Stay tuned…
An emotional Lleyton Hewitt hung up the racquet after a two-decade long career that saw him win 30 ATP titles and two Grand Slams, as well as become the youngest ever No.1 ranked male player. The Aussie legend retired at his home slam after losing to David Ferrer in the men’s second round of the Australian Open. Well wishes and tears poured in for Hewitt after the match, and several WTA stars took to Twitter to pay tribute.
Here’s how they said goodbye to the two-time Grand Slam winner:
Congrats on an amazing career LLeyton Hewitt! Your Passion and fight will always be remembered by the tennis family!!!
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) January 21, 2016
Epic Mate @lleytonhewitt
— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) January 21, 2016
What a nice moment…!! Gonna miss you, Rusty, one of the greatest fighters! @lleytonhewitt #comeon #inspiration pic.twitter.com/QrAYdCN91h
— Sabine Lisicki (@sabinelisicki) January 21, 2016
Love you Lleyton ❤️ what a beauty on and off the court #AusOpen #rusty #legend
— Heather Watson (@HeatherWatson92) January 21, 2016
Congrats on your amazing career @lleytonhewitt ??? what a fighting spirit….we will miss you!!!
— TamiraPaszek (@tamira1990) January 21, 2016
Thank you @lleytonhewitt for an amazing career that has inspired us all #HewBeauty #legend
— Shelby Rogers (@Shelby_Rogers_) January 21, 2016
It is sad to see you go @lleytonhewitt #Legend ?
— Daria Gavrilova (@Daria_gav) January 21, 2016
What a champion. What an inspiration. Thank you for all what you gave to our sport @lleytonhewitt !
— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) January 21, 2016
Thanks for the memories champ #lleytonhewitt
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) January 21, 2016
Top seed Timea Babos had to go the distance against Oceane Dodin – but an impressive deciding set took her through to the semifinals in Budapest.
DUBAI, UAE – No.7 seed Elina Svitolina conquered top seed Angelique Kerber for a third straight time – the second time in 2017 – to advance into the biggest final of her young career with a 6-3, 7-6(3) victory at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Svitolina kicked off the season by knocking out Kerber, then No.1, at the Brisbane International, but pulled off a hat trick of wins over the two-time Grand Slam champion on Friday, overcoming a rain delay and a late surge from an experienced – if slightly hampered – opponent to advance after one hour and 39 minutes of play.
“It was really tough,” she said during her on-court interview. “[Kerber] obviously had a medical timeout, so it was in and out all the time. The rain made it even tougher to stay focused, so it was a very tricky match. Hopefully Angelique has nothing serious with her knee and gets better soon.”
“It was a tough match,” Kerber said in press. “I don’t know what’s with my knee now, but I feel pain a little bit.
“I tried my best. This is how I am, and I’m always trying my best until the end.”
Great pace from @ElinaSvitolina! #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/gAyIMIoCFH
— WTA (@WTA) February 24, 2017
In control late in the second set, Svitolina saw her lead slip as Kerber won three straight games to serve for a decider. Digging in her heels, the Ukrainian youngster was riding a big wave of confidence – and an 11-match winning streak after taking home her fifth career title at the Taiwan Open – and broke back to roar though the ensuing tie-break.
“I was just trying to hit the ball, move my legs, think positively, and fight for every ball.”
Kerber was fighting to reclaim the No.1 ranking, needing to win the title to wrest the ranking from Serena Williams.
“I’m not thinking about this,” Kerber said. “I mean, everybody is writing or asking, but for me, I know how it feels to be No.1. I reach it once, and for sure I will try to get back there.
“But for me it’s really important to be healthy, and at the end, if I play consistent the next weeks or months, then we will see what’s happen then. Bfor the moment, I mean, I’m not looking about the number before my name, actually.”
.@ElinaSvitolina breaks and takes the second set to a tiebreaker! #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/OIwWpVxKHq
— WTA (@WTA) February 24, 2017
Standing between Svitolina and the biggest title of her career is former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, who reached her first final in Dubai since 2011 earlier in the day; Svitolina won their only previous meeting in three grueling sets.
“We played at the Miami Open last year; it was a very late match, and hopefully this next one will be good as well. I’ll give my best and we’ll see how it goes.”
A win in Saturday’s final would also guarantee her long-awaited ascension into the Top 10.
“It was up and down for me, but towards the end of 2016 I had really consistent results, and I was really consistent with my game,” she said in her post-match press conference. “So I’m really happy that I’m more mature now with my game, and hopefully I will try to stay focused.
“Of course the first thing is it’s important to stay healthy, is the most important for an athlete. Hopefully it will be good, and I will stay – of course, there will be up-and-down, but the only thing matters is how you come back from the downs.”
.@ElinaSvitolina defeats Kerber 6-3, 7-6 (3)!
Sets @DDFTennis Final vs @CaroWozniacki! pic.twitter.com/TEwHmRuXn6
— WTA (@WTA) February 24, 2017
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Monica Puig made Olympic history for Puerto Rico on Saturday night, becoming the island’s first ever gold medalist after a rollercoaster win over World No.2 Angelique Kerber, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
“I’m in shock, I just don’t even really know what to say. I’m so excited,” an emotional Puig reacted after the match.
Puig has been the surprise of the Olympic tennis event, playing the best tennis of her career to reach the gold medal match and dealing out upsets to the likes of French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova along the way.
Her victory was already historic before she even hit a ball – by virtue of reaching the final, she became the first female athlete representing Puerto Rico’s to win any Olympic medal at all.
Puig now stands as the first athlete – male or female – to bring home a gold medal to Puerto Rico, ending a 68-year drought dating back to the island’s first appearance at an Olympic Games.
“This is for Puerto Rico. This is definitely for them,” she said. “They’re going through some tough times right now, and they needed this. I needed this.
“I think I united a nation. I just love where I come from.”
vcAt No.34 in the world, Puig was also the lowest-ranked woman to play for the gold since its return as an Olympic sport in 1988.
More to come…
An interview with Caroline Woznaicki after her loss in the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.