Tennis News

SINGAPORE – Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic have been named 2016 WTA Doubles Team Of The Year.

The pair won their first-ever Grand Slam title in 2016 at Roland Garros, the first all-French team to reach the French Open doubles final since 1971. They also reached the final of the US Open and the Wimbledon quarterfinal.

They duo enjoyed success on clay all year, winning the Volvo Cars Open in Charleston, Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and Mutua Madrid Open. Garcia and Mladenovic were also four-time finalists on hard courts as they finished as runners-up at Apia International Sydney, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, US Open, and China Open.

The French doubles pair will be the top seed in the doubles competition at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, where they will have a chance to claim the 2016 Year-End World No.1 Doubles Ranking, presented by Dubai Duty Free.

Congrats @KikiMladenovic and @CaroGarcia!#WTA Doubles Team of the Year! pic.twitter.com/UZiBQ59V5C

— WTA (@WTA) 21 October 2016

In a tight field, they finished with 20 points ahead of Lucie Safarova and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who got 17, Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza on eight, while Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina got four.

WTA Doubles Team Of The Year Winners
2016: Caroline Garcia / Kristina Mladenovic
2015: Martina Hingis / Sania Mirza
2014: Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci
2013: Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci
2012: Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci
2011: Kveta Peschke / Katarina Srebotnik
2010: Gisela Dulko / Flavia Pennetta
2009: Serena Williams / Venus Williams
2008: Cara Black / Liezel Huber
2007: Cara Black / Liezel Huber
2006: Lisa Raymond / Sam Stosur
2005: Lisa Raymond / Sam Stosur

Complete listing of the historical WTA Awards.

SINGAPORE – Following a full Asian Swing, No.3 seed Simona Halep opted to travel home for the fortnight between Beijing and the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, both to relax and to welcome newborn niece Tania.

“I needed some rest with my family, with my friends,” she said at Saturday’s All-Access Hour in Singapore. “I played a lot of tennis. I did the training. I was pretty professional before this tournament.

“The previous two years I had my family here [at the WTA Finals], but now I’m not that important anymore,” she added with a laugh. “My niece is the most important person in my family. They are home, so I’m alone, just with my team.”

That team, which includes coach Darren Cahill, has largely been a winning combination in 2016, helping Halep to three titles, including the Mutua Madrid Open, a place she calls her “special tournament.”

“I do the same preparation for every tournament. This one is a little bit tough because it’s the last one and you have to still be focused. So it’s not easy, but it’s nice. It’s a nice atmosphere here, and I always enjoy playing here. I have great memories from 2014 [when she made her Singapore debut and reached the final]. I hope to repeat that.”

The biggest shifts the Romanian hopes to make are largely mental, with the former World No.2 chalking up her biggest disappointments to that aspect of her game.

“With Serena at the US Open I think was a mental reason that I lost that match. At Wimbledon, too, I was close to winning that match against Kerber. I will speak with [Cahill] about these mental things more.”

.@Simona_Halep doing double duty @WTAFinalsSG, chatting with Romanian press after a full AAH: pic.twitter.com/5drfsOOd3L

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 22, 2016

Technically, Halep feels better than ever, particularly off the forehand side.

“I feel more confident when I hit it and I can make winners now with it.”

Kicking off group play against No.6 seed Madison Keys on Sunday evening, the 2014 runner-up hopes the third time will be lucky, especially with a 10-7 record against fellow Red Group players Dominika Cibulkova and World No.1 Angelique Kerber.

“Every year is different. Every year you are nervous. Every year you are excited to be here. Of course, in first year you might have more energy, like, ‘Wow, let’s see how it’s going to work.’ I felt this in 2014.

“Last year I was a little bit tired; now I’m better than last year. When you get experience it’s easier for you to handle the situation.”

No matter what happens, however, “Aunt Simo” is undoubtedly looking forward to a relaxing off-season with her growing family.

“I will go home to spend some time with my niece, to see her starting to grow up.”

KEY INFORMATION:
Tournament Level: Premier
Prize Money: $795,707
Draw Size: 28 main draw (4 byes)/32 qualifying
Qualifying Dates: Saturday, April 16 – Monday, April 18
First Day of Main Draw: Monday, April 18
Singles Final: Sunday, April 24, 1.30pm CEST
Doubles Final: Sunday, April 24 (after singles final)

MUST FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
@WTA
@WTA_Insider – WTA Insider, Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen
@PorscheTennis – official tournament handle
Get involved in conversations with the official hashtags, #PTGP and #WTA.

TOURNAMENT NOTES:
· Defending champion Angelique Kerber returns to action after retiring from the Charleston semifinals with a viral illness.
· The only other former winner in the draw is Julia Goerges, who triumphed in 2011. Former finalist Ana Ivanovic (2014) has also made the trip to southern Germany.
· Agnieszka Radwanska is top seed and playing her first match since pulling out of her home event, the Katowice Open, with a reoccurrence of a long-standing shoulder injury.
· For the complete draw click here.

WILDCARDS:
Julia Goerges (GER), Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER)

WITHDRAWALS:
Belinda Bencic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Madison Keys

SINGAPORE – On the first installment of My Performance at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, hear from the first winner of the night as Simona Halep breaks down her dominant straight-sets victory over Madison Keys.

The match was the fourth meeting of 2016 for Halep and Keys, so the Romanian knew just how to attack Keys’ weaknesses – she explains how she targeted the backhand and how she broke down her opponent’s powerful serve.

It wasn’t just Halep’s great strategy that gave her the win, though, as her return game was also on point throughout the match. Check out the video below to find out just how deadly she was on the return.

SINGAPORE – 2014 finalist Simona Halep put on an emphatic display to outlast and outsteady American No.6 seed Madison Keys, 6-2, 6-4, to take the early initiative in round robin play at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

Relive all the action, including play-by-play analysis, stats, and quotes from the first match from Singapore!