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Romanian Stars Niculescu, Tig, Soar In Seoul

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SEOUL, South Korea – Could we see an all-Romanian final at the Korea Open? Patricia Maria Tig kept hopes of that possibility alive with a 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-3 win over Sara Sorribes Tormo, while No.5 seed Monica Niculescu avenged the loss of defending champion, top seed, and countrywoman Irina-Camelia Begu by defeating conqueror Jana Cepelova, 6-4, 6-2.

Sorribes Tormo was coming off a big upset over No.4 seed Kristina Mladenovic, and though she was able level the match after losing a tight opening set, Tig held her nerve to reach her first WTA semifinal of the season. The young Romanian had made her Premier Mandatory breakthrough earlier in the year when she reached the last eight of the Mutua Madrid Open as a qualifier.

Up next for the 22-year-old is Lara Arruabarrena, who knocked out No.2 seed Johanna Larsson, 6-4, 6-0.

On the other half of the draw stands Niculescu, who is playing her first event since reaching the third round of the US Open. Deprived of an all-Romanian semifinal with Cepelova defeating Begu in the second round, Niculescu exacted revenge on the Slovak to advance in straight sets.

Awaiting Niculescu in the semifinals is No.3 seed Zhang Shuai; the Australian Open quarterfinalist ended the run of unseeded Camila Giorgi, 6-2, 6-4.

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Wozniacki Wins First 2016 Title In Tokyo, Knocks Out Japanese Teen Osaka

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

TOKYO, Japan – 2010 Toray Pan Pacific Open champion Caroline Wozniacki overcame injury and withstood a late charge from rising star Naomi Osaka, 7-5, 6-3 to win her first title of 2016.

Watch live action from Tokyo this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“It’s the last match of the tournament, and I just wanted to go out and enjoy it,” Wozniacki said in her on-court interview. “It’s the final and both of us had great weeks. We both wanted to go out there and play well.”

Osaka was playing in the biggest final of her career, but acquitted herself well in the early stages of the match, twice leading the former No.1 by a break of serve.

“She’s going to be a great player, already rising in the rankings so fast. I’ve no doubt we’ll see her in many, many more finals.”

Wozniacki, by contrast, was playing in her second Tokyo final in the last three years and had a wealth of experience on which to draw, despite dealing with a tough season full of injuries and inconsistencies.

“I’m enjoying it at the moment. Injuries happen and you never know when you can be taken out of the game, so I’m just enjoying every minute.”

Despite needing a medical timeout after the seventh game, the former No.1 managed to pull off a stunning comeback, winning nine of the next 10 games to lead Osaka by a set and 5-0. The teenager and hometown favorite was struck with an injury concern of her own after the opening set, but nonetheless treated the crowd to a tense ending, nearly pulling level before Wozniacki served out the win.

A high-quality contest, Wozniacki and Osaka hit nearly 30 winners each (25 to 28), but it was the Dane’s trademark consistency that won the day, with just 16 unforced errors to Osaka’s 32. Clutch on the crucial points, she converted five of six break point opportunities and won an impressive 11 of 12 forays to the net.

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Atawo & Spears Make Singapore Strides in Wuhan, Mirza & Strycova Stay Alive

Atawo & Spears Make Singapore Strides in Wuhan, Mirza & Strycova Stay Alive

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WUHAN, China – It was always going to be a big week for Raquel Atawo and Abigail Spears. The Americans qualified for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global last year, and earned an important victory as they aim to return, knocking out Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova, 6-3, 2-6, 10-8, in the second round of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.

“We’ve probably played at least a thousand 10-point tie-breaks,” Atawo said after the match. “They never get any easier, but if you can find a way to relax, it can help in the big points. We were able to do that today, where we were able to hit the shots when we wanted to in the important moments.”

Watch live action from Wuhan on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Recovering from losing the second set, the unseeded Americans triumphed in the match tie-break to book a last eight encounter with either Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan (ranked No.6 on the RTS leaderboard) or Slovenians Katarina Srebotnik and Andreja Klepac, who are ranked No.13.

“If we could make them play, we felt like we were in control,” Atawo said. “We just had to get that first ball in, and when we connected, it was really good.”

Atawo and Spears entered the week at No.10 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard, and have had to overcome tremendous fierce opposition just to reach the second round, defeating No.9 Xu Yi-Fan and Zheng Saisai.

“It’s huge motivation, because we’ve been close the last three years, and it’s good experience. But we want to be back in Singapore, and we’ll do whatever it takes to get back there – so long as it’s legal!” Spears said as the pair laughed.

With today’s results, Atawo and Spears move into the No.9 spot and now trail Georges/Pliskova by just 575 points; to crack the Top 8 in Wuhan, they will need to win the title, thus unseating Goerges and Pliskova on the Road to Singapore leaderboard.

Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka moved up to No.5 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard after winning the Coupe Banque Nationale, and kicked off their Wuhan campaign in similarly dramatic style; the Czechs ousted Olga Savchuk and Wang Yafan, 4-6, 6-2, 10-4.

On the outside looking in – at least with new partner Barbora Strycova – is World No.1 Sania Mirza. Mirza has already qualified for Singapore with former Co-No.1 Martina HIngis, but has been making a strong push for a second qualification bid, winning a second title with Strycova at the Toray Pan Pacific Open.

In need of another big result in Wuhan, the No.3 seeds came back from a set down to beat Gabriela Dabrowski and María José Martínez Sánchez, 3-6, 6-3, 10-5.

WTA Finals: Get Your Tickets!

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Halep Eases Into Wuhan Quarterfinals, Closes In On Singapore Spot

Halep Eases Into Wuhan Quarterfinals, Closes In On Singapore Spot

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WUHAN, China – No.4 seed Simona Halep moved smoothly into the quarterfinals of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open after a straight set win over Yaroslava Shvedova.

Watch live action from Wuhan on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

On a gusty afternoon, Halep produced a tidy performance to complete a 6-3, 6-3 victory in an hour and 15 minutes.

“I felt the wind. It was really difficult to play against the wind. She’s very strong and could attack the ball very easily,” Halep said. “She came out very aggressive, but I blocked the ball well, returned well and I’m happy with the way I played and that I could win in two sets.”

On Tuesday, Halep celebrated her 25th birthday and Shvedova gave her a belated gift in the opening game, surrendering serve with three unforced errors. From this point on the Romanian was in control, breaking once more in the final game to take the set.

Showing no sign of the hamstring injury that ruled her out of Tokyo, Halep continued to impress in the second set, moving 3-1 ahead before confidently closing out victory to reach the quarterfinals for the first time. There she will face Madison Keys, a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 winner over Daria Kasatkina.

“I’m really happy to be back in Wuhan. Last year was a little bit tough for me because I lost from 5-1 [ahead] in the third set,” Halep said. “I’m here to do my best, and give everything I have to try and win matches.

“I’ve played really well this year and I’m really happy with the way I played in the big tournaments. I feel good here and that I have a chance to play until the end. At this level, every match is going to be hard.

The result also moves Halep, who currently sits in third place on the leaderboard, withing touching distance of qualifying for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Halep has appeared in the past two season finales, finishing runner up in 2014, and will guarantee her return with victory over Keys on Thursday.

WTA Finals: Get Your Tickets!

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Halep Clinches Singapore Spot, Qualifies For Third Straight WTA Finals

Halep Clinches Singapore Spot, Qualifies For Third Straight WTA Finals

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WUHAN, China – Simona Halep has secured a spot at this year’s BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. The Romanian joins Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams in the singles field.

Halep has secured her third consecutive qualification at the WTA Finals by reaching the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Madison Keys at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open on Thursday. Both of her previous appearances were in the first two editions of the WTA Finals held in Singapore – highlighted by her win over then World No.1 Serena Williams in the round-robin stage in 2014 en route to the finals followed by last year’s showing, where she defeated the 2015 US Open champion Flavia Pennetta in the round-robin stage.

“Congratulations to Simona on qualifying for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global for the third consecutive year,” said WTA CEO Steve Simon. “She is an outstanding player who has enjoyed a very successful year with three Tour wins and fans in Singapore and following along around the world will enjoy watching her competitive spirit against the other top WTA athletes.”

Simona Halep

Halep is one of four players to win three WTA singles titles in 2016 (also Azarenka, Kerber and Stephens), clinching her second Premier Mandatory trophy at the Mutua Madrid Open and back-to-back titles at the BRD Bucharest Open and Rogers Cup in Montréal, bringing her win-loss record to 43-14 (thru Wuhan QF). In addition, the 25-year-old reached two semifinals at the Apia International Sydney and Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and four quarterfinals at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Miami Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

“It means a lot to qualify for the WTA Finals Singapore – it was one of my goals this year,” said Halep. “It will be my third time in a row competing at the WTA Finals and I hope I play great. I have great memories from 2014 and am confident I can do well. I will be very focused.”

The current Road to Singapore Leaderboard as follows (as of September 26, 2016):

 

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Every Day Is National Taco Day For Serena Williams

Every Day Is National Taco Day For Serena Williams

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

If there’s one thing that Serena Williams probably loves more than winning, it’s tacos.

Despite holding a record-tying number of Grand Slam titles and consecutive weeks at the WTA’s top spot, it’s tacos – not trophies – that are on her mind all day, every day.

 Good thing for Serena that there’s a whole holiday dedicated to her favorite food: National Taco Day. But if you’re Serena Williams, clearly every day is National Taco Day.

Her love for tacos runs deep, as USA Today’s Nick McCarvel uncovered earlier this year.

Before she had her first taste of Grand Slam victory, Serena had already developed a taste for the delicious Mexican dish.

“I’m from Compton and there is a big mixture of cultures there,” Serena said before the US Open. “I grew up next to all of these Mexican families and we were close with them when I was little, we were friends. I think that’s where my love for tacos comes from.”

Serena's tacos  Serena's tacos
Whenever she’s not eating or thinking about tacos, Serena spends her free time lovingly photographing them for her Instagram account.

Serena’s been around the world and obviously has tried many a taco, but the quest for finding the perfect one is lifelong.

Happy National Taco Day, Serena!

Taco Talk With Serena:

Q: What’s your favorite taco place?

Q: Who makes the best taco?

“I make the best taco,” Serena claimed. “Or my sister Lyn. If you ever watch my Snapchat, you know I don’t talk about my taco recipes.”

“I don’t taco about it.”

Q: What’s your favorite kind of taco?

Serena's tacos

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