"My 2017 New Year's Resolution Is…"
Extreme activities? A better wardrobe? Hear what Angelique Kerber, Dominika Cibulkova, Garbiñe Muguruza and more have as their 2017 New Year’s Resolutions!
Extreme activities? A better wardrobe? Hear what Angelique Kerber, Dominika Cibulkova, Garbiñe Muguruza and more have as their 2017 New Year’s Resolutions!
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Simona Halep faces a daunting challenge if she is to become the second player to successfully defend her crown at the BNP Paribas Open.
In the event’s 27-year history, only the great Martina Navratilova has won back-to-back titles. Halep’s hopes of following in these legendary footsteps were done no favors during Monday afternoon’s draw, which placed her in a treacherous top quarter.
All 32 seeds receive a first-round bye and Halep’s opening match will be against either Vania King or a qualifier.The mercurial Ekaterina Makarova, who famously upset Halep at the 2015 Australian Open, is seeded to be her third-round opponent.
Should she pass these early tests, then in all likelihood the Romanian will have to run the Williams gauntlet; Venus Williams is Halep’s projected fourth round foe, with top seed Serena Williams likely to be lying in wait in the quarterfinals. Only seven players have succeeded in beating both sisters at the same tournament, Jelena Jankovic being the most recent, at Rome in 2010.
Twelve months ago, Serena made her much-publicized return to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and her move prompted Venus to follow suit. Agnieszka Radwanska and Petra Kvitova are also in the top half, both of whom will be wise not to look too far ahead.
In a section that includes Svetlana Kuznetsova, Monica Niculescu, Heather Watson and last year’s runner-up, Jelena Jankovic, No.3 seed Radwanska’s most pressing concern will be the possible second-round banana skin against Dominika Cibulkova.
Keeping Kvitova company are Fed Cup teammate Lucie Safarova and fellow big-hitters Madison Keys and Sabine Lisicki.
No.2 seed Angelique Kerber finds herself in the less threatening bottom half, although her recent Doha hiccup will surely safeguard against complacency.
Barring upsets, Kerber and Carla Suárez Navarro are set to lock horns in the last eight, while two of the WTA’s new kids on the block, Garbiñe Muguruza and Belinda Bencic, are the leading seeds in the other quarter.
Click here to see the full draw.
BRISBANE, Australia – Dominika Cibulkova starts the 2017 season at a career-high ranking following her year-end triumph at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Still, the Slovak found time to assist the efforts of the newly formed WTA Charities before kicking off her campaign at the Brisbane International.
Partnering with the Ronald McDonald House South East Queensland and the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, Cibulkova met a group of sick children who came prepared to ask the World No.5 questions about her life and career in Brisbane.
“They were really nice kids, asking good questions,” Cibulkova said after the event. “It was nice to meet them and I’m happy I can do this kind of thing.”
Asked what other sports she played, the former Australian Open finalist talked about the gymnastics she did as a child, but now enjoys skiing when she’s not on the tennis court. She also issued a challenge to Andre Agassi when asked which player she’d like to play.
“It’s cool that kids can get to know us a bit more, and I think they’ll follow tennis more intensely now, because when you know one of the players, you get more involved and more emotional. I think that’s really nice.”
Launched at the start of 2017, the mission of WTA Charities is to be a social responsibility vehicle built on the WTA’s values to empower and provide for a better future. WTA Charities is dedicated to combining, strengthening and enhancing the community and charitable efforts of the WTA through its members (players, alumnae and tournaments), along with its partners.
Cibulkova is the No.2 seed in Brisbane and will play her opening round match against Zhang Shuai.
Thanks to @Cibulkova for taking time out to meet these special kids from @RMHSEQ and Lady Cilento Children's Hospital ? #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/S68SoVCv9j
— #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis) January 1, 2017
AUCKLAND, New Zealand – World No.2 Serena Williams is back in action for the first time in five months at the ASB Classic, playing her first ever match in Auckland. She’s not the only big name hitting the court, though, with Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki also starting out 2017 in New Zealand.
Click here for the complete Auckland singles and doubles draws.
POSSIBLE QUARTERFINALS:
[1] Serena Williams vs [7] Jelena Ostapenko
‘NEW EXPERIENCES’ KEY FOR SERENA:
It’s been over five months since Serena played a tour-level tennis match, after falling to Karolina Pliskova at the US Open semifinals. She ended her season rehabbing a troublesome shoulder injury that kept her out of the WTA Finals in Singapore.
Now that she’s back in action, No.1 seed Serena admits to relishing new experiences – on and off the court.
“I’ve never been in Auckland and so I’ve never had an opportunity to be first in the world to welcome in this New Year,” she said at a charity event ahead of her opening match.
“This is a new experience for me and the fact that I’m still having new experiences this deep into my career makes me feel really good.”
Competing at the ASB Classic for the first time, the newly-engaged Serena will have the chance to collect her first win in Auckland as she opens the day session on Tuesday against France’s Pauline Parmentier for the pair’s first tour-level match.
Later tonight, No.2 seed Venus is set to take on local wildcard Jade Lewis, while No.3 seed Wozniacki will close out the night session against Nicole Gibbs.
– Photos courtesy of Tennis Auckland
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BRISBANE, Australia – For the second time in as many days, Garbiñe Muguruza came back from the brink to keep her hopes alive at the Brisbane International.
Muguruza entertained a record crowd at the Queensland Tennis Centre on Tuesday night, coming from match point down for to defeat the courageous Daria Kasatkina, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7), in one minute shy of three hours.
“What a match! It was terrible, I was suffering until last moment, but I think we were both playing amazing,” Muguruza said in her on-court interview. “The tie break is just a few points where it will be decided. I don’t know how I won but I’m glad I did it.
Another huge moment!@DKasatkina breaks back after this phenomenal challenge! pic.twitter.com/wWC8Oa8tNG
— WTA (@WTA) January 3, 2017
In a match that ebbed and flowed until the last, Kasatkina came roaring back from 4-1 down in the deciding set only to stumble when she was then presented with the opportunity to serve for it. Muguruza, somehow maintained her composure in the subsequent tie-break, wiping out a match point at 6-7 with a pin-point forehand before eventually making her weary limbs across the finishing line.
The previous evening, the Spaniard had been involved in an equally dramatic contest against home favorite Samantha Stosur. By her own admission, it is an atmosphere she revels in.
“I love to play in this type of court when the crowd is so into the match. I like to make them enjoy and suffer like me!”
This match?? @BrisbaneTennis
— Elena Vesnina (@EVesnina001) January 3, 2017
In the quarterfinals, Muguruza will face either Svetlana Kuznetsova or Destanee Aiava.
Another seed put through the ringer was Elina Svitolina, who eventually saw off Shelby Rogers, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5.
Garbiñe Muguruza overcame a slow start – and a spirited challenge from Svetlana Kuznetsova – to move into the semifinals of the Brisbane International for the first time, where she’ll face Alizé Cornet.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – A year ago, Venus Williams sat at home in Florida, never thinking that in 12 months time she would be walking back out onto Stadium Court at the BNP Paribas Open. But there she was on Friday afternoon, being greeted by a raucous standing ovation as the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” blasted from the stadium speakers.
Oh baby, give me one more chance (To show you that I love you)
Won’t you please let me back in your heart
And as the message became clear – yes, this crowd very much wanted her back – an impossibly wide, genuine, unbreakable smile spread wide across Venus’ face.
“I’m a person that’s not into the spotlight so much, so I guess such a warm welcome I actually felt a little shy,” Venus said after the match. “It’s been a wonderful moment. Fifteen years later to have such a joyous return is more than I could have ever. It’s such a blessing.”
Venus’ return to Indian Wells for the first time in 15 years was in stark contrast to Serena’s last year. While Serena kept her head down as the thunderous applause came, Venus looked up to the rafters and waved. Serena struggled (and failed) to hold back tears as she tried to settle into her chair. Venus beamed and sat triumphantly in her chair and took a moment to let it all wash over her.
She leaned back, smiled, and let out a huge sigh of relief as she soaked in the moment she never thought would come.
Welcome back! ? ? ?@VenusesWilliams returns to the @BNPParibasOpen after 15 years! #WTA https://t.co/wr7FU9gZ9X
— WTA (@WTA) March 12, 2016
“It was wonderful to be able to enjoy a moment. As an athlete you’re so focused that you don’t really realize the circumstances and how awesome it is to play in big stadiums like this until it’s all done because you’re just so focused. To have the moment and be able to enjoy it even for a few moments is worth a lifetime of memories.”
Venus’ return was a tag-team effort. When Serena told her last year she was thinking of returning to the desert after 14 years away, Venus did not actually believe her. She knew her sister was thinking about it, but Venus confessed on Friday that she never thought her kid sister would go through with it.
“Obviously I saw Serena come back last year, so that was really a wonderful moment,” Venus said. “Then just being here, just being on the practice court and on-site has been so positive and such a great experience.
“It just shows that you can always come back home, I guess. You can always go home.
“I did get emotional. When we were doing the coin toss I got a little watery eyed. Your opponent, you don’t want to give them any more encouragement. It was wonderful. I think I smiled the whole warm-up. I had to get my game face on. It was tough to do.”
Venus was unable to get the result she wanted, losing 6-4, 6-3 to Kurumi Nara in the second round. The match was played in cold and windy conditions, interrupted once by a lengthy rain delay. Nara played a smart, consistent match, while Venus struggled to get her big serve going in the wind.
“I think it wasn’t about winning,” Serena said after beating Laura Siegemund 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the third round. “When I come here, even to this day it’s not about winning. It’s just about closing that chapter in my life and her life and our lives and try to move on with our heads up, as we always had our heads up. But just continue to do that.”
“Not everything can end in a fairy tale,” Venus said. “It’s enough of a fairy tale to be here. Sometimes there’s a little bit of a glitch. Doesn’t mean that I can’t come back next year and try to do even better.”
In a thoughtful press conference after the match, Venus elaborated on what kept her away from the tournament since 2001.
“I’m definitely not an angry person, so I wouldn’t characterize it as anger, but I would characterize it as, you know, if you feel like there is a place where you don’t feel that welcome, then you can choose not to go somewhere where you don’t feel comfortable being,” she said. “At the time I didn’t feel comfortable. I wouldn’t have felt comfortable coming back through those doors. The very next year would have just been too overwhelming.
“So at the time it was just about being able to play in circumstances that are – and we’re not even talking about favorable, but just normal circumstances. You try to put yourself in a position where you’re not facing any adverse circumstances. So that’s really what it was at the time.
“I wasn’t angry,” she repeated. “I’m not an angry person. I definitely probably hold on to stuff like anybody normal.
“I have watched the tournament on TV. Enjoyed the matches and thought it was a great tournament. It just didn’t seem like a tournament for me. That’s more or less what it was. I didn’t dwell on or boycott or not watch it and all those things. It wasn’t like that at all.”
Venus reiterated the theme of forgiveness that drove Serena’s decision to return last year. “I think it’s a two-way street,” she said. “We could have come back here and everyone could have picked up where they left off.
“But everyone was welcoming, and also for us, we could have never come back. But we came back. You know, change your attitude and those sort of things. The change of attitudes on both ends isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely was a two-way street. For it to work, both parties involved, both us and the fans and the city had to have a positive attitude towards toward it. That’s how it worked.
“I think after Serena came back last year and she had such a warm welcome, I definitely thought to myself, I’ve got no reason not to go anymore. It was time to be able to just move on and let the past be the past.”
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
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