Stuttgart: Mladenovic and Garcia's Parking Challenge
Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia take the Parking Challenge at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia take the Parking Challenge at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
MADRID, Spain – If Agnieszka Radwanska thought the absence of Serena Williams would make her task any easier at the Mutua Madrid Open, Friday’s draw provided an immediate reality check.
Williams’ withdrawal elevated Radwanska to top seed, but her reward is a meeting with one of the draw’s most dangerous of floaters: Dominika Cibulkova.
Last month in Indian Wells, Cibulkova came within a point of victory against Radwanska only to fall agonizingly short in a thrilling second-round clash. The Slovak followed this up with a title in Katowice and the former French Open semifinalist will present a real challenge on Radwanska’s least favorite surface.
And should she pass this opening test, things will not get any easier for the Pole. Awaiting her in the second round will be either Caroline Garcia or Johanna Konta, before a likely third-round date with one of the WTA’s finest clay courters, Sara Errani.
Defending champion Petra Kvitova is also in Radwanska’s half of the draw but has been handed a less formidable opening opponent in the shape of Lara Arruabarrena, while No.4 seed Victoria Azarenka begins against Laura Robson. Azarenka and Kvitova are projected to meet in the last eight.
Like Radwanska, No.2 seed Angelique Kerber has been placed in a tricky section. She starts against the mercurial Barbora Strycova, and also finds Sloane Stephens, Daria Kasatkina and Carla Suárez Navarro in her quarter.
Home hopes will rest chiefly on the shoulders of Suárez Navarro and Garbiñe Muguruza. Suárez Navarro opens up against big-serving Timea Babos, while No.3 seed Muguruza meets Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. Keeping Muguruza company in arguably the most open section of the draw are Simona Halep, Timea Bacsinszky and Karolina Pliskova.
Click here to see the draw in full.
Top half @MutuaMadridOpen. pic.twitter.com/cDLkYnuxPo
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) 29 April 2016
November 19, 2016
At the final Premier Mandatory event of the campaign, the China Open, Agnieszka Radwanska reclaimed the trophy she won five years earlier, while over in indoor halls of Europe, Dominika Cibulkova and Svetlana Kuznetsova sealed their spots at the WTA Finals.
Chan Yung-Jan and Chan Hao-Ching took to the culture heart of Singapore during the WTA Finals, even attempting to create traditional dress worn throughout Southeast Asia.
What was the best Grand Slam match you’ve seen all year? What about the best WTA match? Click here to vote!
After a career-best 2016 season, Elina Svitolina will start 2017 with a new team led by Gabriel Urpi, along with coaching consultant Thierry Ascione and hitting partner Andrew Bettles.
Urpi is an experienced coach who worked with former No.1 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario during two of her four Grand Slam runs, 1994 Wimbledon winner Conchita Martinez, and Flavia Pennetta, helping her become the first Italian woman to crack the Top 10 back in 2009.
Both Urpi and Ascione are former ATP players, while Bettles was a hitting partner for 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic.
Oliver Fawls will continue on as Svitolina’s fitness coach; the Ukrainian youngster credited Fawls throughout her successful season, one that saw her defeat both reigning World No.1s in Serena Williams (Olympic tennis event) and Angelique Kerber (China Open), reach a career-high ranking of No.14, and reach the final of the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
Soon after her big week in Zhuhai, Svitolina announced the end of her two and a half year partnership with Iain Hughes.
The WTA and your favorite WTA stars want to wish you a Happy Holiday and a joyful New Year full of women’s tennis!
ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA – The WTA will launch a unique WTA Livestreaming subscription service in 2017 where tennis fans can view every WTA singles and many doubles semifinals and finals matches. That’s over 2000 WTA matches – everywhere the tour is playing around the world.
This is a breakthrough for women’s tennis.
We’re excited to create a new digital home where you will be able to follow your favorite players and share the thrills, suspense and fun moments on and off the court. WTA Livestreaming will be available to subscribers on smartphones, laptops and tablets soon. We regret there will be an unavoidable gap until we are able to bring this new service to you. We are working hard to bring this to you as fast as we can. Updated scheduling and subscription information will be provided on wtatennis.com as soon as possible.
Please stay tuned. We believe it’s worth the wait. Thank you for your patience and continued support of women’s tennis.
Click here to follow the tour on the wtatennis.com web site offering live results point by point, live press conferences at selected WTA events, live and exclusive off court and behind the scenes content, player-commented match and video highlights, and breaking news. Follow the tour in real-time on WTA social channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
Click here for information about where to watch the WTA on TV and digital channels today via your local broadcaster.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: Why aren’t WTA matches livestreamed on TennisTV any longer?
A: We’re launching a new and exciting WTA livestream subscription service in 2017 dedicated to viewing women’s tennis both on and off court.
There will be an unavoidable gap before we can make this exciting service available to subscribers via smartphones, laptops and tablets. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.
Q: When will the new service be available?
A: We are working hard to bring this service to you as soon as we can. We appreciate your patience and we look forward to welcoming you as a new subscriber when we launch WTA Livestreaming.
Q: Where will I find out more information about this service?
A: Updated information will be available on wtatennis.com.
Q: How can I view WTA matches via livestream until then?
A: In the meantime, please find up to date “Where to Watch” live WTA matches on your local broadcaster’s TV and digital channels on the wtatennis.com/tv-schedule page.
We invite fans to follow the tour on the wtatennis.com web site which offers live results point by point, live press conferences at selected WTA events, live and exclusive off court and behind the scenes content, player-commented match and video highlights, and breaking news. Follow the tour in real-time on WTA social channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
Q: How much is it to subscribe?
A: Updated information will be provided on wtatennis.com closer to launch date.
Q: Why should I subscribe to the WTA Livestreaming service?
A: Fans will have access to every singles match live and many doubles semifinals and finals matches. For the first time ever, fans can pick and choose from over 2000 WTA matches and follow their favorite players behind the scenes like never before. Subscribers can follow the thrill and fun on and off court day in and day out all season long. This is new and it’s exciting.
Last year’s runner-up Alison Riske overcame her nerves to defeat wildcard Zhu Lin in the first round of the Shenzhen Open. Fellow seed Monica Niculescu was among Sunday’s other winners.
An interview with Eugenie Bouchard after her win in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.