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Serena Reigns Over King On Home Court

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Top seed Serena Williams lit up the Arthur Ashe Stadium night session once more with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Vania King to reach the third round of the US Open.

Coming off a high-powered and high-profile first opponent in Ekaterina Makarova, Williams was even more aggressive against King, who spent most of 2015 off the court nursing an injured back. As celebrity superfans Beyoncé and Jay-Z looked on, Serena was particularly dominant on serve, striking 13 aces in the 64 minute match, and losing just six points behind her first serve.

Still, Serena told press she wasn’t totally satisfied.

“I just think it should have been a different scoreline for me,” she said in her post-match press conference. “I feel like I made a lot of errors.

“But, you know, there’s nothing I can do about that now. What really matters is I got the win. Hopefully I’ll just get better.”

Breaking serve three times over the two sets, Serena didn’t face a break point at all on Thursday night, ending the match with a +10 differential in winners to unforced errors (38-28).

Serena continued to discuss the shoulder injury that reduced her summer schedule to just three matches between Wimbledon and the US Open, and felt optimistic that the injury had largely subsided.

“It’s stable,” she said with a laugh. “I just got to keep it like that. It’s two matches in, and usually you want to be able to play seven matches. It’s not even close to the halfway point.

“I definitely want to keep it as good as it can be.”

Up next for the six-time US Open champion is Sweden’s Johanna Larsson, a semifinalist at last week’s Connecticut Open. Larsson dispatached Ana Ivanovic’s conqueror Denisa Allertova, 6-3, 6-1, to set up the the third round encounter.

A win over Larsson would gaurantee Serena passes Martina Navratilova’s record of 306 Grand Slam wins; she tied the record on Thursday.

“I knew it was on the horizon. I knew at Wimbledon that I wanted to get there. Obviously I’m excited about that. But I would like to take one more step, several more steps.”

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Insider Podcast: Serena Under The Roof

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Serena Williams, cheered on by her A-list fan club, eased through her first outing under Arthur Ashe’s new roof on Thursday evening. Also advancing was one of 2016’s feel-good stories, Zhang Shuai, who toppled former champion and doubles partner Sam Stosur in straight sets.

In the latest Daily Dispatch from Flushing, hear from Serena, Zhang and the WTA Insider team as they analyze the Day 4 action, and look ahead to the start of the third round:

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or on any podcast app of your choice to ensure you never miss an episode when they go live. Reviews are always helpful, so if you like what you’ve heard so far, leave us one. You can also get new episode alerts by following us on Twitter @WTA_Insider.

Follow @WTA_Insider

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MELBOURNE, Australia – It was during the wee hours of the morning for most of the world when Serena Williams defeated Venus Williams in the final of the Australian Open, clinching an Open Era record 23 Grand Slam titles.

But the impact of Serena’s victory was felt all over the world, and the congratulations poured in from big names everywhere – from her tennis peers on the WTA and beyond, to fellow sports stars and celebrities.

One of the first to send her congrats was Karlie Kloss – she gave them to the champion in person. The model was in Melbourne and at Rod Laver Arena with a front row view to Serena’s monumental achievement.

Also in the front row? Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, though you might know him better as Serena’s fiancé:

Serena’s fellow Nike athletes – led by basketball legend Kobe Bryant – sent had a simple yet powerful message for her: “Greatest ever.”

The WWE even put Serena’s accomplishment in a category of its own, creating a specially-designed title belt for the 23-time Grand Slam champion. She can add this to the custom surprise she received from one of sports’ biggest legends, Michael Jordan.

But as the rest of the world woke up to the news of Serena’s history-making achievement, congratulations began to pour in from all over the Twitter-sphere.

Check out some of the best celebrity tweets:

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US Open Saturday: Major Milestones

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Twenty-two-time major champion Serena Williams is not the only player aiming to reach a significant milestone on Day 6 of the US Open. Chris Oddo previews all the key match-ups for wtatennis.com.

Saturday, Third Round

Arthur Ashe Stadium
[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. [31] Timea Babos (HUN #34)
Head-to-head: Halep leads, 2-1

Key Stat: Halep has won 19 of her last 21 matches.
Simona Halep wasn’t exactly thrilled with her level of play during her second-round win over Lucie Safarova, but she takes comfort in the fact that she has navigated a very tricky draw to get to the third round in New York for the fourth straight year. “In the important moments I found the rhythm,” Halep said of her 6-3, 6-4 win over Safarova. “I found the way that I have to hit. And also the serve helped me a lot in important moments.” Halep will next turn her attention to the blossoming Hungarian, Timea Babos. The No.31 seed moved into the third round at a major for the first time by defeating Richel Hogenkamp in straight sets, but her next test will be far more difficult. Babos has gone 0-8 against the Top 10 since 2015, but she does own a victory over Halep in Fed Cup, which came in 2014. Can Babos draw upon that victory and threaten an in-form Halep on the big stage? Or will Halep keep her momentum and ride into week two?

Pick: Halep in three

[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. Johanna Larsson (SWE #47)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 2-0

Key Stat: Williams is bidding for a record 307th Grand Slam victory on Saturday.
With a win on Day 6 Serena Williams will pass Martina Navratilova in Grand Slam victories, and move into a tie with Roger Federer for the all-time lead in that category. It’s been a remarkable journey for Williams, who first graced the Grand Slam stage with her presence in 1998. Eighteen years later, Williams’ quest for history continues at the scene of her maiden Grand Slam title in 1999. But the 34-year-old has work to do in New York and she knows it. Time for tunnel vision. Always a perfectionist, Williams was not pleased with her second-round victory over Vania King despite the fact that it came in straight sets. “I feel like I made a lot of errors,” she told reporters on Thursday. “But, you know, there’s nothing I can do about that now. What really matters is I got the win. Hopefully I’ll just get better.” There was some good news for the World No.1, however. The serve is ramping up. Williams cracked 13 aces and won 30 of 36 first-serve points against King. “That was the best part of my game today,” Williams said of her vaunted serve. “So seeing that’s what I did the least coming into this tournament, it’s a really good sign of me being able to serve well and hopefully gain momentum on that.” Williams has taken all four sets she has played against her third-round opponent, Sweden’s Johanna Larsson, and if she can continue to serve well, the rest of her game should fall into place.

Pick: Williams in two

Louis Armstrong Stadium
[4] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #4) vs. [25] Caroline Garcia (FRA #33)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads, 3-1

Key Stat: Radwanska improved to 28-7 on hardcourts this season with her second-round victory.
Agnieszka Radwanska was tested early and often during her second-round win over Naomi Broady, but the Pole dealt with the Brit’s very aggressive game and found a way to sneak out with the straight-sets win. Next up she’ll face a familiar Frenchwoman that has played her competitively over the years. Radwanska owns a 3-1 edge over Caroline Garcia, but the No.4 seed knows she’ll have to be on point if she is to book her fifth appearance in the US Open’s second week. “We played couple of times,” Radwanska said of Garcia on Thursday. “Long matches, long battles. Playing her is never easy. She’s very solid player, really hitting the ball hard, coming in. Just hitting really fast from the bounce. She’s not giving you much time.” Radwanska has never reached the quarterfinals in New York, but her draw is a favorable one. She’s hoping that she’s in good enough form to capitalize. “I’m healthy,” she told reporters on Thursday. “I’m in one piece. It’s good opportunity to make a good result here. I was doing everything in my power 100% to prepare for this US Open, so we’ll see.”

Pick: Radwanska in three

Grandstand
[10] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #11) vs. [17] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS #18)
Head-to-head: Pliskova leads, 3-0

Key Stat: Pliskova owns a 15-17 lifetime record at the majors.
The head-to-head with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova favors Karolina Pliskova, but what about the nerves? Pliskova has reached the third round at a major three times before and each time she has fallen. Though the Czech is one of the most talented players on tour, her lack of success at the majors has hung over her like a black cloud for the last 18 months. Can she get the monkey off her back on Saturday? It will not be an easy task as Pavlyuchenkova has been in very solid form since before Wimbledon. The Russian has been battle-tested here in New York already, and came through with flying colors as she defeated Kristina Mladenovic in a three-set thriller that took three hours and two-minutes to finish. Pliskova has yet to drop a set in New York, and she’s certainly in good enough form to get past the Russian, but will she be able to break through the mental barrier and produce what could be a career-changing victory?

Pick: Pliskova in three

By the Numbers…
306 – Matches won by Serena Williams at majors. She’ll bid to tie Roger Federer’s all-time record of 307 on Day 6.
18 – Venus Williams’ 18 US Open appearances is most among active players and fourth in the Open Era, behind Martina Navratilova (21), Amy Frazier (20), and Chris Evert (19). Williams will face Germany’s Laura Siegemund in third-round action.
3 – Radwanska is one of three players that could finish the tournament at No. 1 in the rankings, along with Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber.
0 – Number of times Karolina Pliskova has reached the second week in 17 previous majors. She’ll bid to change that today when she meets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

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Halep Escapes Babos Battle In US Open

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – No.5 seed Simona Halep survived a gutsy upset bid from No.31 seed Timea Babos, who kept her on the ropes for much of the second half of the match before Halep scraped through, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.

“Today I had in my head just that I can win the match, and I have just to take point by point,” Halep reflected in her post-match press conference. “So it was a good thing, and I want also to improve more in this. I feel safe when I’m on court. That’s why I refuse to lose.

“I’m stronger mentally and I don’t give up any more during the matches, even if I’m down.”

Halep looked set to cruise to a quick victory after she snapped up the first set in just 24 minutes. She made only four unforced errors to Babos’ nine, and despite the Hungarian entering the tournament ranked third on the WTA for most aces, Halep was able to contain that big serve and break three her three times.

But after being thoroughly outplayed in the opening set, Babos settled into her game and began to read Halep’s shots better. Babos suddenly began to outlast Halep at the baseline – the Romanian’s stronghold – and seemed to be one step ahead of her in the rallies.

With Babos firing off winner after winner, Halep began to play the kind of nervous, fast game that betrayed her mounting frustration. Babos rattled off six unanswered games to grab the second set and carry that momentum into the third, yanking Halep from line to line to draw out the errors and earn an early break.

The momentum shifted once as Halep refused to wilt and kept her cool to stay within touching distance. The Romanian eventually broke back at 3-3 to put them on even ground for the first time in over an hour.

After a tense couple of games, with Babos serving at 5-4, 40-15 for a chance to extend her stay in the match, the Hungarian sprayed a string of nervous errors to gift Halep match point, before surrendering the match on a double fault.

“It feels good that I could win the match,” Halep said afterwards. “It was really tough. She played unbelievable second and third set. She didn’t miss at all. She was hitting very strong, so it was a good challenge for me and it was a good match.”

“I’m really proud that I could win it and come back from 3-1 down in the third set.”

Next up for the Romanian is the No.11 seed Carla Suárez Navarro, who has been quietly making her way through the draw with her usual consistency. The Spaniard celebrated her 28th birthday with a 6-4, 6-3 victory against No.19 seed Elena Vesnina earlier in the day, and she’s yet to drop a set at the US Open.

A year ago, Suárez Navarro bowed out of the US Open in the first round, one of three first-round exits she suffered at Grand Slams. This year, she’s one of a handful of women to reach the fourth round at every Grand Slam.

“Last year in the Grand Slam I didn’t make the results,” she explained. “So I tried to be more focused, more relaxed. [Now] I play good in the Grand Slams but, you know, I want more.”

“I don’t want to lose in quarterfinals or the round before. I mean, if I’m staying in the second week I want more. I want to be in the final round.”

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News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

It’s time to vote for January’s WTA Player of the Month!

Have a look at the nominees and cast your vote before Thursday at 11:59pm ET! The winner will be announced Friday, February 3.

January 2017 WTA Player Of The Month Finalists

Serena Williams: Serena’s historic month came to its dizzying peak as she held aloft the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy after defeating sister Venus in straight sets to win the Australian Open. It was not only her seventh title Down Under, but also her 23rd overall, earning her the sole holder of the Open Era record she previously shared with Stefanie Graf. The win also returned Serena to No.1 on the WTA rankings and the Road to Singapore leaderboard.

Venus Williams: Not to be outdone, Venus served a bit of history herself, reaching her first major final since 2009 in Melbourne. It was her first Australian Open final in 14 years, and the American dropped just one set through six matches. Despite losing to Serena in the championship match, the elder of the Williamses still found herself at No.2 on the RTS leaderboard.

Karolina Pliskova: Pliskova began the year with a bang, winning the Brisbane International and roaring into her second straight Grand Slam quarterfinal. The Czech powerhouse won her first nine matches of the season and rose up to a career-high ranking of No.3.

Johanna Konta: The Brit also served notice to start 2017, winning her second career title at the Apia International Sydney. Under immense ranking pressure in Australia, Konta held her nerve to return to the quarterfinals. 

POM Jan

2016 Winners

January: Angelique Kerber
February: Carla Suárez Navarro
March: Victoria Azarenka
April: Angelique Kerber
May: Garbiñe Muguruza
June: Serena Williams
July: Simona Halep
August: Monica Puig
September: Petra Kvitova
October: Dominika Cibulkova

How it works:

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

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Wonderful Wozniacki Into US Open QF

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Two-time US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki has tapped into some New York magic once more, taking out No.8 seed Madison Keys, 6-3, 6-4, to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in exactly two years.

“It’s been a good week,” Wozniacki said after the match. “I’m really happy about the way I played. Obviously Madison is a strong player. She hits the ball really hard.

“But I managed to really play well, get a lot of returns in. I served well, which I was pleased with.”

Dealing with injuries throughout the 2016 season, the former No.1 had tumbled all the way down to No.74 in the rankings, but is set to begin her climb back in earnest thanks another big win in Flushing. Playing Keys for the first time, the Dane relied on her signature consistency to frustrate the young American, winning 80% of her first serve points and hitting just three unforced errors in the one hour and 18 minute match.

“Everybody wants to beat you. No matter what my ranking is at this current moment , I always feel like I’m a target. I have to keep improving to beat everybody. I feel like I have been serving well this week, especially today, and returning well and really having good court coverage.”

Keys had come off a hard-fought third round win against fellow young gun Naomi Osaka, and despite hitting 30 winners against Wozniacki, 33 unforced errors proved critical on Sunday, engineering just one break point all day.

“I definitely felt like I got off to a bad start, and then I felt like I was trying to catch up from there,” Keys said in her post-match press conference.

“I definitely don’t think I was playing my best. I mean, I think she played really, really well today. I think it was just a combination of me not playing my best and not playing super smart and her playing really well.

“I feel like the match just got away from me.”

Up next for Wozniacki is comeback kid Anastasija Sevastova, who continued her own Cinderella run into the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 7-5 win over No.13 seed, Johanna Konta.

“I had some tough matches against her in the past,” Wozniacki said. “I think we played Fed Cup a couple of times, but also we played the Australian Open.

“She’s a tough player. She’s a tough opponent. She has a lot of grit and good hands. It’s not going to be an easy one, but I’m excited just to have another shot.”

Calm and relaxed throughout the fortnight, Wozniacki even took in some of Saturday night’s match between Stan Wawrinka and Dan Evans, trying her hand at providing match analysis on Twitter:

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