Tennis News

Sara Errani was as shocked as anyone on Sunday, as she routed Barbora Strycova 6-0, 6-2 to win the biggest title of her career at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The title, the ninth of her career, capped off a surprising week in Dubai, which saw the 28-year-old Italian rebound from a poor start to the season and emerge from a decimated draw that saw upsets after upsets, day after day.

After finishing inside the Top 20 for the fourth consecutive year, Errani had struggled to string together wins before Dubai. Entering the tournament she had just two wins on the tour level – both in Sydney – and was coming off an 0-2 weekend in Fed Cup, where she lost to Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic. Errani said after that Fed Cup weekend, she considered withdrawing from Dubai.

“Yeah, [I thought about] maybe taking two or three weeks to just relax, try to recharge the energy and everything,” Errani told reporters. “But in the end with my coach we think it, and he say, Come on. Let’s go. You are ready to suffer. You are ready to fight.

“This is important. Doesn’t matter how it goes. If it goes Love and Love in the first round, doesn’t matter for me. I just want to go there and try to do the best that we can because there are many weeks that you don’t feel 100%. So you just have to be ready to whatever comes.”

Errani couldn’t have asked for a better draw in Dubai to get her confidence back in check. She opened with back-to-back wins over qualifiers Zhang Saisai and Yaroslava Shvedova, before rallying to beat Madison Brengle in three sets and then rolling past Elina Svitolina and Strycova. Errani will be back in the Top 20 on Monday.

“There is no explanation,” Errani said, when asked about her turnaround week. “Of course you work to be ready to the matches, but you never know which days you can play better or worse.

“The only thing I know is that I was ready to suffer, to stay on the court also in bad moments, or when I was not playing really good and just stay there. This is my mentally always. I know that doesn’t matter if you play good, bad, or whatever. Just the more important thing is just to stay there and try your best.”

But Errani may be selling herself short when she dismissed any explanation for her title run. After all, the theme of last week was resilience, and if you want to put a finer point on it, Italian resilience. Errani’s win kick-started a banner three days for the Italian veterans on tour, as 35-year-old Francesca Schiavone won her first title in nearly three years at the Rio Open, and 33-year-old Roberta Vinci became the oldest woman to make her top 10 debut. Who would have thought any of these results were in the cards 12 months ago.

“I can come here and lose first round, but if I try, everything is good for me,” Errani explained. “Doesn’t matter. You never know what can happen.

“Even in 2012, never thinking to do a final in Roland Garros and then it comes. So you cannot have objectives before because maybe can come something more or something worse.”

WTA Insider caught up with Errani after her triumph in Dubai for a quick chat before she was whisked away by the tournament director for more handshakes and congratulations. She was, undoubtedly, the woman of the hour.

WTA Insider: How does it feel to win such a big title in Dubai?
Errani: It’s amazing for me. It’s the biggest title that I won in my life so I’m really happy for sure.

WTA Insider: You actually considered not playing Dubai this week after a tough pair of losses at Fed Cup. What changed your mind?
Errani: Yeah. It was a tough moment and my coach and I were thinking to rest some weeks to recover the energy. Then we decided to come and it was really good for me.

WTA Insider: You came to Dubai with just two wins this season. I think it’s fair to say no one saw this result coming. How surprised are you?
Errani: I’m really surprised. Even in the first round I was down 5-1 in the first set to Zhang so there were tough moments throughout the week. But I’m really happy.

WTA Insider: What will a win like this do for your confidence going forward?
Errani: Of course, winning matches at a tournament like this is nice for my tennis. I hope to continue, to improve more, and make more results.

WTA Insider: You said you were experiencing some “tough moments” after Fed Cup that almost kept you out of this tournament. Can you explain what was going on?
Errani: Ah, that is something that will stay with me and my family and my team, so sorry, I will not speak about this.

WTA Insider: At the end of last season, when you spoke to your coach about the season, what was your assessment?
Errani: It was a good year for me. I finished in the Top 20, I won a tournament in Rio. It was not the best year for me but I had some good results so I was happy about that.

WTA Insider: So what was your mentality going into 2016?
Errani: Just to improve, to keep going, to improve every day. to put the good work in the pre-season and try to be ready for the next year.

The weeks following a Grand Slam tend to be calm in terms of tennis fashion, but in the past four weeks we’ve had new designs hitting the courts, plus some outfits introduced in January rose to their full potential in the less busy month of February. Let’s give the word to Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog and see the tennis clothes that stood out at this month’s tournaments.

Launched at the Australian Open, Nike’s striped separates were then in the shadow of Serena Williams’ crop top and Maria Sharapova’s sporty elegance, but the Nike Spring Premier Slam Tank and Nike Spring Premier Victory Skirt got the deserved exposure in February.

On her way to the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy triumph, Roberta Vinci sported the light crimson version of the lightweight tank with rounded side vents for extra comfort, while Sara Errani wore the same outfit en route to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title.

Elina Svitolina and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova rocked the same style, but they paired the white pleated skirt with the obsidian navy version of the breathable tank and highlighted the look with a chic retro red headband.

The Fila Spring Platinum Dress with a striking crisscross design detail of a tennis ball in motion was supposed to be Jelena Jankovic’s choice for the Australian Open, but the Serb made a last-minute switch, opted for a solid yellow piece in Melbourne and saved the launch of this memorable print for February. The sleeveless V-neck brings an extra stylish touch to the flattering fit. The Serb complemented the look with super trendy boxer braids and coordinating manicure. We expected nothing less from JJ!

Venus Williams is successful in everything she gets her hands on. The tennis legend not only won the Taiwan Open for her 49th career title, but she did it in her brand new EleVen Camilla Rose collection. After finding inspiration in brushstrokes for the Australian Open, in February the American introduced a blue botanical burst and lifted the floral Kaohsiung trophy in the EleVen Camilla Print Inspire Cap Sleeve paired with the EleVen Camilla Inspire Skirt, both featuring contrast crisscross stripes.

The collection celebrates the abundance of spring in perfect bloom, using washed layers of aqua, blue atoll and white grounded by limoges, a stunning shade of navy, and offering a harmonious group of solid color options to be matched with printed items.

The story of this black and floral Lotto Ursula line, as seen here on Jana Cepelova and Carla Suárez Navarro, is an intriguing one. The reason you cannot find these clothes on your go-to tennis shopping sites is that it is fitness and training apparel meant to be worn during practice and interviews. But, according to Lotto, the WTA players fell in love with the tropical dream pattern and since the shape, style and quality of materials allow it, a great deal of Lotto’s athletes chose to sport the clothes during matches. The Italian company is glad about this unexpected development.

 Now that you’ve seen them all, who is your pick for February’s WTA best dressed?

February was defined by five breakthrough players who brought some impressive performances to the second month of 2016. Which one soared the highest?

Have a look at the nominees for February’s Breakthrough Performance of the Month and cast your vote before Thursday at 11:59pm ET! The winner will be announced Friday, March 4.

February 2016 WTA Breakthrough Performance of the Month Finalists:

Jelena Ostapenko: The 18-year-old Latvian came good in a big way at the Qatar Total Open, reaching her first Premier-level WTA final with back-to-back wins over Svetlana Kuznetsova and Petra Kvitova with the help of a big serve, booming forehand, and a competitive intensity that belies her youth and experience on such big stages. Playing Carla Suárez Navarro in the championship match, Ostapenko continued to impress despite a three-set defeat to the veteran Spaniard, winning the opening set 6-1. Her Doha run brings her up to a new career-high ranking of No.41, and makes her the third 18-year-old to crack the Top 50 of a generation that already includes Belinda Bencic and Daria Kasatkina – the largest cohort of 18-year-olds since April 2009 (Caroline Wozniacki, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Sorana Cirstea).

Zheng Saisai: A former Youth Olympic Silver medalist, Zheng became the fourth Chinese player in history to defeat a member of the World’s Top 2 when she ousted Angelique Kerber, who was playing in her first WTA match since winning the Australian Open, in straight sets. The 22-year-old backed up the biggest win of her career with another straight-sets victory over former No.5 Eugenie Bouchard. Falling to Ostapenko in the quarterfinals, Zheng edges closer to cracking the Top 60 and cementing a solid start to 2016.

Daria Kasatkina: Another one of the rising WTA teens, Kasatkina continued to bring her best tennis at home by reaching a second WTA Premier semifinal at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy – following a run to the final four of the Kremlin Cup last fall. Taking out Kirsten Flipkens and Dominika Cibulkova in three grueling sets, the young Russian met former junior rival Belinda Bencic for the first time on the WTA level. Despite losing to the Top 10 debutante, Kasatkina broke into the Top 50, earning a career-high ranking of No.45. Playing solid tennis at the Qatar Total Open, she nearly upset red-hot Roberta Vinci, ultimately bowing out in a final set tie-break. 

Caroline Garcia: The young Frenchwoman has long enjoyed impressive results in doubles – qualifying for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global alongside Katarina Srebotnik last year – but finally broke through on a big stage at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Recovering from a set down to defeat the No.3 seeded Suárez Navarro, Garcia also took out former French Open semifinalist Andrea Petkovic en route to the semis, where she lost to Barbora Strycova in three tough sets. Garcia also reached the doubles final alongside countrywoman and fellow youngster, Kristina Mladenovic.

2016 Winners:

January: Zhang Shuai

How it works:

Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com

Seven-time Slam champion. 117 weeks at World No.1. 43 WTA singles titles. 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist. 2001 Fed Cup champion.

Hall of Famer? Never in doubt.

Justine Henin will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame this summer, in a class that includes two-time major champion Marat Safin. Despite her impeccable resume, the 33-year Belgian admitted the announcement still came as a surprise.

“It’s an honor to be part of the game, of the history of the game,” Henin told reporters via phone on Tuesday. “When you play, you don’t really realize that you’re going to be part of the game forever. Now with this honor, probably more I realize that a little bit more.”

Standing at just five feet, five inches, Henin rose to the top of the game during a time when pure power tennis appeared to take hold. Her game, built on variety, guile, and quickness set her apart. Her great rivalries with the likes of Serena Williams, Amélie Mauresmo, and compatriot Kim Clijsters helped define her generation of greats.

Finding a way to hit hit above her weight-class, Henin’s laser-like focus and grittiness earned her a spot at the table, while her elegant game – punctuated by one of the finest one-handed backhands the sport has ever seen – drew in many fans.

Henin hopes her one-handed flair doesn’t disappear from today’s game. She insists it’s still a viable shot even as the game has gotten faster.

“I wouldn’t say it’s too hard now in the women’s game because I think Amélie and I, we proved that even we were playing with Venus and Serena and many other pretty strong players, we proved it’s not because of that. The game is going faster and faster, that’s for sure.

“It’s just that when you are a young kid, it’s easier to play with two hands because you have more power. You start like this. Then it’s very hard to change or maybe there’s no reason to change.

“I started with a one-handed backhand. Maybe because I was a big fan of Steffi Graf and Stefan Edberg, maybe it’s for that. I worked on this technically, physically, and finally it could be powerful.”

And how about some of that classic Henin backhand and her message to her fans she'll see in Newport this summer! pic.twitter.com/NJgVd5XIt8

— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) March 9, 2016

Reflecting on her career, Henin focused on her drive to prove the doubters wrong. After her mother took her to the French Open when she was 10, Henin vowed that one day she would play on Court Philippe Chatrier. She would go on to win the junior title there in 1997 and Roland Garros would be her place of dominance for years to come, winning the title in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007.

“Coming from a small country, not being so tall, not being so strong, like for a lot of people life hasn’t been so easy to me when I was young.

“Not a lot of people really believed I could reach my goal because my dream was to become the best player in the world. It became my goal. A lot of people thought I was a little bit crazy. But strongly, deeply I never really doubted about the fact that I could make it.

“I always say to the young people, ‘Don’t stop to dream, believe in your dreams, do everything you can to reach your dreams.’ It’s very important. To me ‘dreaming’ is a word that is very important.”

When she heads to the Newport, Rhode Island in July for the induction ceremony, Henin will walk on some of the finest grass courts in America. It’s a small piece of irony given her unfulfilled quest to win Wimbledon and complete the Career Grand Slam. She may just be the best player to never complete the feat. Twice a Wimbledon finalist, she came within a set of completing the feat in 2006 when she lost to Mauresmo.

“I’m the kind of person who is looking after perfection all the time, which doesn’t exist for sure. But I see it as a good thing that there’s something not complete in my career, so I can accept that. I gave everything I had in my career.”

Her signature cap sleeves and bright white cap will surely find their way into the display cases in Newport. It was a jockish look befitting a woman who regularly took the court out-gunned, yet she never shied from the battle.

“I was wearing my cap all the time,” Henin said with a laugh. “I needed it to maybe protect myself a little bit from a lot of things, to get focused, I don’t know. But I won all my Grand Slams with it. That would be for sure the first item I would send to the museum, something that I think people will remember from me.”

After a sudden retirement announcement just weeks before the French Open in 2008, Henin returned to the game in 2010 before ending her career a year later due to an elbow injury. Since her retirement she has focused on her academy in Belgium and gave birth to her two-year old daughter, Lalie.

This year she’s slowly dipped her foot back into tour life after signing on as a coaching consultant to Elina Svitolina. Henin was one half of one of the most famous and successful player-coach relationships in tennis, having been coached by Carlos Rodriguez for the entirety of her career. Theirs was a unique and intense partnership and one that left a lasting impression on Henin. So is she trying to bring the same dynamic to Team Svitolina?

“It was very different. I’m not really in the position of the coach here. It’s just like trying to give my advices and share especially also mentally and emotionally the experience of at least a couple of important matches.”

Whatever she’s said has worked so far. Since announcing the partnership, Svitolina made the semifinals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, won her first title of the season just last week at the BMW Malaysian Open, and is up to a career-high at No.14.

“It’s completely different in the way that she is Top 20 already and I have to respect what she does already and just try to share my experience and my conviction of what she can do more or give more to her game, just try to get better.”

Many look to Henin’s era of players as the last great era, a span of five years that saw intense rivalries surface over and over again on the game’s biggest stages. Mauresmo is already in the Hall of Fame. Clijsters will surely be a first ballot inductee. Serena and Venus are living legends as they continue to play on tour. Henin confessed it was difficult for her to identify what set this group apart.

“Inspiration, I think, is something that is very important,” she said. “I was really inspired. I think it’s the same for all the girls that I played against and with in my generation. We were looking at our idols with a lot of respect. We were trying to take a lot from them and get the inspiration. I still hope that the young players now can still do it and get inspired because it is very, very important.

“Probably also from the next generation, what’s going to be hard is the society is changing a lot. We have a lot of distractions. I don’t know if we all can be as focused as we were in the past because things are going so fast, communication is changing a lot. A lot of things are changing and we have to adapt ourselves.

“Still at the end we need people to be inspired by. I hope that the new generations still get the inspiration from other players. I think it’s something very important.”

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.