Kerber Kicks Off Birmingham Bid
No.2 seed Angelique Kerber got her title defense off to a flying start at the Aegon Classic Birmingham, outlasting a three-hour rain delay to defeat Shuai Peng, 7-6(3), 6-3.
No.2 seed Angelique Kerber got her title defense off to a flying start at the Aegon Classic Birmingham, outlasting a three-hour rain delay to defeat Shuai Peng, 7-6(3), 6-3.
Maria Sharapova has filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport seeking to annul or reduce her two-year suspension for a failed drug test at the Australian Open in January. The parties have agreed to an expedited track for the case, which will allow CAS to issue its decision no later than July 18th, 2016.
Last week, an independent tribunal appointed by the International Tennis Federation found that Sharapova committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation, and imposed a period of ineligibility of two years. Under the tribunal’s decision, Sharapova would be allowed to return on January 27, 2018.
According to a statement from CAS regarding Sharapova’s appeal, “Ms. Sharapova seeks the annulment of the Tribunal’s decision to sanction her with a two-year period of ineligibility further to an anti-doping rule violation. Ms. Sharapova submits that the period of ineligibility should be eliminated, or in the alternative, reduced.”
CAS further confirmed the parties have not decided whether or not a hearing would be held on appeal. However, “at the request of the parties, this arbitration procedure will be kept confidential and the CAS will not comment any further on this matter.”
Venus Williams, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and fashion designer, is preparing for the 2016 Rio Olympics in the most Venus way possible: by designing her own Team USA tennis outfit to be worn in the competition.
The special edition EleVen By Venus dress will be worn on a very special occasion: the 2016 Rio Olympics will be Venus’ fifth Olympic Games, a feat which matches a record set by Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of most Olympic appearances by a female tennis player.
Here’s her impressive Olympic resume, which spans an incredible 12 years and counting:
2000 Sydney – Singles: Gold medal, Doubles: Gold medal
2004 Athens – Singles: R16, Doubles: R1
2008 Beijing – Singles: Quarterfinals, Doubles: Gold medal
2012 London – Singles: R16, Doubles: Gold medal
With her four gold medals across singles and doubles, Venus is also among the most decorated tennis Olympians. She’s tied with Serena for most gold medals, and sits one medal behind the all-time record set by Kathleen McKane.
Most Olympic Medals (all women’s tennis disciplines):
Kathleen McKane – 1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
Serena Williams – 4 gold
Venus Williams – 4 gold
Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario – 2 silver, 2 bronze
With the Rio Olympics being staged on hardcourts, Venus looks set to add to her gold medal haul. She’s already got one hardcourt title under her belt at the Taiwan Open in Kaohsiung earlier this year. And odds are that she’s also going to be competing in doubles with her sister, which brings up another good omen for Venus: the Williams sisters have never lost an Olympic doubles event while partnered up.
Johanna Konta takes on Misaki Doi in the first round of the Aegon Classic.
Serena Williams is expecting her first child with fiancé Alexis Ohanian, her representatives confirmed.
After a since-deleted photo was posted early this morning on her Snapchat captioned “20 weeks”, Serena’s representatives have now confirmed the news that the 23-time Grand Slam champion is pregnant.
“I’m happy to confirm Serena is expecting a baby this Fall,” her publicist confirmed to the WTA, adding that Serena will not play again in 2017 but aims to be back in action in 2018.
Last December, Serena announced her engagement to Reddit co-founder Ohanian last year in a poem posted to the platform.
Madison Keys takes on the WTA Frame Challenge – does she have what it takes to grab the lead?
Carla Suárez Navarro takes on Angelique Kerber in the quarterfinals of the Aegon Classic.
STUTTGART, Germany — Defending champion Angelique Kerber is the top seed this week as the WTA’s elite slide into the red clay at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. A two-time winner in her home country, Kerber is joined in the top 8 seeds by fellow former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, as eight of the WTA top 10 are competing in Stuttgart.
Check out the Stuttgart stories of the top 8 seeds and others who’ll be unseeded and looming in the German city this week:
1. Angelique Kerber (GER)
6th appearance (13-3)
Best result: CHAMPION (2015, 2016)
2. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
2nd appearance (2-1)
Best result: QF (2016)
3. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
5th appearance (0-4)
Best result: R32 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)
4. Simona Halep (ROU)
4th appearance (2-3)
Best result: SF (2015)
5. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP)
3rd appearance (2-2)
Best result: QF (2016)
6/WC. Johanna Konta (GBR)
3rd appearance (0-2)
Best result: R32 (2014, 2016)
7. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
10th appearance (13-9)
Best result: SF (2011, 2012, 2016)
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
8th appearance (14-6)
Best result: CHAMPION (2009)
More…
Samantha Stosur (AUS)
6th appearance (9-5)
Best result: F (2010)
Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)
6th appearance (7-5)
Best result: QF (2014, 2015, 2016)
Maria Sharapova (RUS)
5th appearance (13-1)
Best result: CHAMPION (2012, 2013, 2014)
Highlights from second round and quarterfinal action at the Aegon Classic Birmingham.
Barbora Strycova takes on CoCo Vandeweghe in the semifinals of the Aegon Classic Birmingham.