Garbiñe Muguruza's Practice Session In Dubai
Watch Garbiñe Muguruza hit the practice court ahead of the start of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Watch Garbiñe Muguruza hit the practice court ahead of the start of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
DUBAI, UAE – Lauren Davis secured a quarterfinal spot in her debut appearance at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, staging an impressive comeback to beat Ekaterina Makarova 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
“I love playing here – it’s my first time here in an amazing city…just the atmosphere here is so great,” the delighted American said in her on-court interview.
“I’m really happy with my persistence, resilience and how I handled myself despite losing a few games in a row.”
Comeback queen! ?@LaurenDavis93 comes from a set behind to beat Makarova 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 and reach @DDFTennis Quarterfinals! pic.twitter.com/EpCGOYoSFb
— WTA (@WTA) February 22, 2017
It was an inconsistent display from both players. Makarova made the initial breakthrough in a seesaw first set, but Davis was resurgent in the second, combining exquisite use of the forehand with grit to get herself back on level terms, as her opponent’s game utterly collapsed.
The Russian took an eight-minute bathroom break before the decider, but it did not help her regroup; she remained lackadaisical when it came to capitalising on break points in the final set.
The 23-year-old American took advantage, wrapping up the match in one hour and 57 minutes. Her reward will be a last-eight clash with either Christina McHale or Elina Svitolina.
Caroline Wozniacki talks through her win in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Caroline Wozniacki discovered what’s behind the WTA’s weather woes in her press conference at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
BUDAPEST, Hungary – No.1 seed Timea Babos has seen her best tennis flourish in front of her home crowd in Budapest at the Hungarian Ladies Open, and during her semifinal clash against Julia Goerges there was a special guest sitting front row to take it all in – former World No.1 Monica Seles.
“It was a really big moment for me and I was very honored,” Babos told wtatennis.com after the match.
“It’s amazing, you know we don’t have very many huge Hungarian tennis players, and Monica has a Hungarian background – for her to be here today, on the Hungarian National Day of Tennis, watching us, it was really great.”
Seles, who won nine Grand Slam titles during her storied career, liked what she saw from the 23-year-old Hungarian No.1.
“I think ‘Timi’ has got a bright future ahead of her,” she said. “She played very well under very tough conditions today, there’s so much pressure on her and so many expectations.
“She hasn’t played well coming into this tournament, so for her to break through and really play the best tennis so far of the year here in her hometown of Budapest, is just really huge.”
It’s been four years since a WTA tournament was contested in Hungary, and this year’s edition will see the No.1 seed Babos take on the No.2 seed Lucie Safarova in the final.
“This is really a dream final for the tournament, and for it to happen in its first year just shows how much strength the WTA has,” Seles said. “I always enjoy coming back here [to Hungary] and I’m very excited there’s a WTA event now here. And that we have Timi in the final, it’s great for the first year of the tournament.”
“I hope the crowds can keep coming here to support her even more and make tennis very popular here so the tournament can keep growing.”
– Photos courtesy of Hungarian Ladies Open
No.5 seed Duan Ying-Ying moved into the second round with a hard-fought victory over Zarina Diyas on day one at the Alya WTA Malaysian Open.
Watch Eugenie Bouchard and ATP player Juan Martin del Potro take to Pie de la Cuesta beach in Acapulco and play a beach tennis match!
ACAPULCO, Mexico – No.4 seed Monica Puig is into the quarterfinals at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel for the second time after a victory over Daniela Hantuchova, 6-4, 6-4.
“Today I felt a lot better on court than I did yesterday,” Puig said after the match. “I’ve definitely seen an improvement in my game during the past few days.
“And that’s really my goal, to improve every match and not feel pressure, and just go out on court and play the best I can.”
Hantuchova is currently ranked No.244, a position which belies the quality the former World No.5 can produce, and she employed her all-court game against the Olympic champion.
? ? ?
Powerful backhand from @MonicaAce93! #AMT2017 pic.twitter.com/5HeWxwyEMu
— WTA (@WTA) March 1, 2017
Puig shook off a sluggish start in the opening set against Hantuchova, grabbing the lone break at 4-3. She had trouble closing out the set – a struggle she had yesterday against Francesca Schiavone as well. The Puerto Rican had two set points on Hantuchova’s serve, but was unable to convert. She fought off two breaks of her own before sending down a booming serve down the T to take the opening set.
“I’ve had a lot of matches these past few weeks, so having a bit of tension is normal,” Puig explained in her post-match press conference. “The body gets a bit tense after so many matches.”
The Puerto Rican’s big-hitting game clicked together in the final set, weathering five breaks of serve in the first six games to come away with the lead.
A trio of errors from Hantuchova gave Puig a look at three match points, but Hantuchova wasn’t ready to let go. She put together a massive effort to deny Puig five times with gutsy baseline play – and even earned a break point – but Puig took the match on the sixth time of asking for a spot in the Acapulco quarterfinals.
.@MonicaAce93 advances to @AbiertoTelcel Quarterfinals!
Tops Hantuchova 6-4, 6-4! #AMT2017 pic.twitter.com/GgL3uiJeQ9
— WTA (@WTA) March 1, 2017
Puig will take on Christina McHale for a spot in the semifinals after the American knocked out her countrywoman Taylor Townsend 6-1, 7-6(5) earlier in the day.
“Christina is a very good friend of mine, we train together a lot,” Puig said. “It’s going to be a tough match for sure. She’s been playing really well lately, and I expect a great match; I just hope to bring my best tennis.”
Also in action today, Kirsten Flipkens moved into the quarterfinals after her opponent Ajla Tomljanovic – author of yesterday’s stunner over No.6 seed Eugenie Bouchard – was forced to retire after the first set due to a right shoulder injury.
No.7 seed Lesia Tsurenko advanced in similar fashion; she was leading 6-1, 2-0 against Julia Goerges before the German was forced to retire due to heat illness.
ACAPULCO, Mexico – Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos joined forces with WTA Charities at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel to give Acapulco kids the experience of a lifetime at the 24th edition of AMT Kids Day by Nickelodeon.
Joined by ATP players Ernesto Escobedo, Hans Hach Verdugo and Cesar Ramirez and tennis coach Marc Lucero, the children had the chance to hit with their some of their national heroes at the mini-tennis clinics, as well as spend time with their favorite TV characters.
This year’s Kids Day hosted hundreds of children from the Teleton Center of Childhood Rehabilitation as well as Guerrero’s DIF, an organization that works with family developments in the area.
Olmos, Escobedo, Hach Verdugo and Ramirez were recognized by the tournament as “Agents of Change” for making a difference by being a positive example for the youth.
Check out some of the best photos from AMT Kids Day, right here!
WTA Charities is the WTA’s global philanthropic organization dedicated to making a positive impact across the globe. Our mission is to be a social responsibility vehicle built on the WTA’s values to empower and provide for a better future. We’re dedicated to combining, strengthening and enhancing the community and charitable efforts of the WTA through its members (players, alumnae and tournaments), along with our partners.
Click here to see more WTA Charities activities!
Ashleigh Barty has the shot of the day in the final of the ALYA Malaysian Open.