Tennis News

MONETERREY, Mexico – As a part of the WTA Charities initiative, Americans Ashley Weinhold and Caitlin Whoriskey spent Tuesday morning in Monterrey with a group of athletes that are part of the Special Needs Athletes Association of Nuevo Leon, alongside Mexican businessman Carlos Bremer.

Weinhold and Whoriskey helped the athletes paste small scraps of tissue paper on a banner filling the Abierto GNP Seguros logo with bright colors, and the morning ended with everyone enjoying some tasty tacos.

“I want to congratulate the organizers of this event, it has continuously been gaining strength every year,” Bremer said about the WTA event. “I think everyone should support these big events that come to Monterrey and to Mexico.”

Catch a glimpse of the visit and the finished product, courtesy of Abierto GNP Seguros:

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.

March was packed with plenty of amazing shots – we narrowed it down to the five best.

In the end, it was Caroline Wozniacki’s sneaky lob that took top honors. Taking on Lucie Safarova in the Miami Open quarterfinals, the former World No.1 relied on her full defensive arsenal against the big-hitting Czech veteran. As Safarova approached the net, the eventual finalist pulled off an impressive lob that left her opponent frozen at net.

Click here to watch all of March’s finalists.

Final Results for March’s WTA Shot Of The Month presented by Cambridge Global Payments

1. Caroline Wozniacki (36%)
2. Kirsten Flipkens (24%)
3. Venus Williams (22%)
4. Bethanie Mattek-Sands (10%)
5. Elena Vesnina (8%)

2017 WTA Shot of the Month Winners

January: Agnieszka Radwanska
February: Angelique Kerber

How it works:

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

Injury kept Risa Ozaki from making her Miami Open debut in 2016, but the Japanese youngster made it count this spring, earning her career-best result at a Premier Mandatory tournament.

Qualifying for the main draw with a win over Julia Boserup, her tournament began with a win over Mutua Madrid Open semifinalist Louisa Chirico, and took a dramatic turn in a second round thriller against No.16 seed Kiki Bertens.

Playing well into the night thanks to rain delays, Ozaki outlasted Bertens in three tough sets to reach the third round. Keeping up that momentum, she pulled off one last upset against Julia Goerges, this time in straight sets.

Those wins earned her the right to battle World No.1 Angelique Kerber in the round of 16, where she ultimately fell in two.

Still, it was a banner week for the the 23-year-old, and looking to build on her new career-high ranking of No.72, Ozaki is your Breakthrough Player of the Month!

Final Results for March’s WTA Breakthrough Performance Of The Month

1. Risa Ozaki (55%)
2. Kayla Day (45%)

2017 Breakthrough Performance Of The Month Winners

January: CoCo Vandeweghe
February: Kristina Mladenovic

How it works:

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

MONTERREY, Mexico – Top seed and World No.1 Angelique Kerber reached her fourth quarterfinal of 2017 on Thursday, closing out the night session and a big-hitting Mandy Minella, 6-1, 6-3 at the Abierto GNP Seguros.

“It was a good match from me,” she said after the match. “I played very well, and was able to play aggressively from the first point. I enjoyed the match tonight.”

Crafty lob from @AngeliqueKerber! ? pic.twitter.com/vCBZcBAeTc

— WTA (@WTA) April 7, 2017

Minella has enjoyed a stellar start to the season, reaching the semifinals at the Taiwan Open and earning an impressive win over Kristyna Pliskova at the Miami Open, but came up against a firing Kerber in Monterrey.

The German dropped just three points behind her first serve and didn’t face a break point all match, converting four of the eight she earned on the reigning Bol Open winner.

Kerber has slowly recovered from a tough first quarter, reaching the semifinals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and the quarterfinals in Miami, and is still looking for her first title of the year.

Up next for World No.1 is defending champion Heather Watson, who enjoyed a strong win over Ekaterina Makarova, 6-4, 6-1, earlier in the day.

Just too good from @AngeliqueKerber ? ? pic.twitter.com/My4Mjv1H4O

— WTA (@WTA) April 7, 2017

“I think it’ll be a good match; she won here last year and is the defending champion, so she knows the court and venue.

“I think I’ll have to play like today, play my game. I’m looking forward to playing against her.”

.@AngeliqueKerber races past Minella 6-1, 6-3!

Sets @Abierto_GNP Quarterfinal vs defending champ @HeatherWatson92! pic.twitter.com/hOrRPIwXRj

— WTA (@WTA) April 7, 2017

All photos courtesy of Abierto GNP Seguros.