Metropolia Orange Bowl 2015 FINALS – Order of play
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA – Maria Sharapova and friends lit up Centre Court at the UCLA Tennis Center on Day 1 of aptly-named exhibition event Maria Sharapova & Friends, presented by Porsche.
The highlight of the day was the hostess herself, Sharapova, taking on American rising star Madison Keys – and the five-time Grand Slam champion and former World No.1 squeaked by, 6-7, 6-1, 11-9.
Sharapova spoke about how excited she was about the new exhibition event. “I’ve been coming here to practice for so many years and felt part of the community here,” she explained. “I wanted to give the tennis fans in Los Angeles something back and support professional tennis in the United States.”
Elsewhere, Mardy Fish outlasted Andy Roddick in a men’s singles match, 7-6, 4-6, 12-10, Keys and Fish beat Roddick and Laura Robson in mixed doubles, 6-4, and, in a celebrity mixed doubles match, the all-female team of Sharapova and Chelsea Handler outdid all-male team Roddick and Will Arnett.
And that’s not all – Sunday’s schedule sees Sloane Stephens face Shelby Rogers, Kei Nishikori play Jack Sock, Sharapova and Nishikori play Robson and Sock, and Sharapova and Handler play another celebrity mixed doubles match. Find out where you can watch it all live on the Tennis Channel.
A part of the proceeds from the weekend will go to the Maria Sharapova Foundation – read more here.
And here are some of the best photos from Maria Sharapova & Friends, all courtesy of Porsche:
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA – Madison Keys says the decision to end her partnership with coach Lindsay Davenport was driven by her need for a full-time coach who could commit to tennis’ grueling week-by-week schedule.
Speaking ahead of her appearance at the Maria Sharapova & Friends exhibition on the campus of UCLA on Saturday, Keys confirmed the split was a mutual one.
“I got to a point where at this point of my career I wanted someone to be able to be there every single day and be there at the tournaments,” Keys told WTA Insider. “Lindsay was obviously such a huge help last year. We did so much and she helped me so much. We just kind of went as far as we could. We’re still close and we still talk.”
Davenport’s coaching role grew out of an off-season training block that evolved into something more. But given her family commitments as well as her commentating duties, the three-time Slam champion could not travel with Keys full-time. Had she been able to, Keys said they would still be working together.
“It wasn’t like we had some big blow out fight and we hate each other,” Keys said. “That’s not the case. Obviously we want to still work with each other. She just has so much. Our tennis travel is insane. A mother of one wouldn’t be able to do it. A mother of four who has commentating and all of the other stuff? It just became a lot.”
Keys will go into the 2016 season with former ATP pro Jesse Levine as her full-time coach. Levine reached a career-high ranking of No.69 in 2012 and the two have known each other for years from training at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida. The idea for the partnership came from Keys’ agent Max Eisenbud, who used to represent the Canadian.
“He had to flatten out his forehand for me because my arm is going to fall off,” Keys said, laughing. “I can’t hit above my head like Rafa. I’m like, ‘Please stop. I’m not a dude. My arms will fall off my body.'”
As for Davenport, she may not be in Keys’ coaching box, but she’ll always be in her corner. “She’s always said if you ever need anything call me, let me know,” Keys said. “Always there for you.”
“I would never expect that I could do it twice,” Tsitsipas said. “Now I’m going for it. Last year, I had many opportunities in the final to win this tournament, but I didn’t use them. This year I’m looking forward to winning this title.”
Με αυτή τη λιτή δήλωση ο Στέφανος Τσιτσιπάς δηλώνει αποφασισμένος να πάρει φέτος τον τίτλο. Είναι κάτι που το πιστεύουν και οι διοργανωτές του τουρνουά, γι αυτό η φωτογραφία και η δηλώσεις του φιγουράρουν στην πρώτη σελίδα του Metropolia Orange Bowl 2015…
Η Ελένη Χριστοφή με συμπαίκτρια τη Μολδαβή Anastasia Detiuc, πήραν το εισητήριο για τον τελικό των διπλών του Metropolia Orange Bowl 2015, και ετοιμάζονται να σηκώσουν το χαρακτηριστικό έπαθλο, που είναι ένα μπωλ γεμάτο πορτοκάλια. Απόψε νίκησαν τη Ρουμάνα Jaqueline Cristian με συμπαίκτρια την Αμερικανίδα Michaela Gordon, με σκορ 6-4, 7-5.
Στον τελικό θα αντιμετωπίσουν την Ινδή Pranjala Yadlapalli με συμπαίκτρια την Tamara Zidansek απο τη Σλοβενία. Εύχομαστε στην Ελένη και την Anastasia να είναι αύριο οι νικήτριες του τελικού.
On the International Premier Tennis League’s last night in New Dehli, the four women who nabbed headlines on Friday were equally on song Saturday, as Belinda Bencic, Karolina Pliskova, Agnieszka Radwanska, and Sania Mirza went 4-0 in the two matches played.
First up was Pliskova, who won a 6-4 set of mixed doubles with Dustin Brown; the fire-and-ice pair needed 27 minutes to fend off Kirsten Flipkens and Leander Paes. Bencic, by contrast, needed no time at all to dispatch Flipkens, 6-1, in just under 20 minutes in women’s singles. Pliskova and Bencic’s OUE Singapore Slammers ultimately won an otherwise closely contested 24-22 match against the Legendari Japan Warriors. The Slammers remain in second place overall.
Mirza and Radwanska won by identical scores to their Slammer counterparts. Playing for the Micromax Indian Aces, Mirza and Rohan Bopanna won their mixed doubles set, 6-4, against Kristina Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor. Mladenovic reemerged in women’s singles; despite showing off some of her signature flashy play, dropped a 6-1 set of women’s singles to Radwanska, who ended her WTA season on a high by winning the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. In first place overall, the Aces defeated the OBI UAE Royals, 30-19.
Check out some of the best tweets of the night:
“@MirzaSania:'Gol gappa' tasting&guess what?They loved it,ok except @KikiMladenovic ? @rogerfederer @NickKyrgios pic.twitter.com/9MnOIZRy5l”???
— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) December 12, 2015
This is also what happen when you have friend like @DreddyTennis, @BelindaBencic. ✌️?#Slammers pic.twitter.com/Hq8YClgXdR
— #TeamBelinda (@FanOfBencic) December 12, 2015
No worries, it will be “3rd time lucky” ? @BelindaBencic @KaPliskova.? pic.twitter.com/BOZO7H61bj
— #TeamBelinda (@FanOfBencic) December 12, 2015
Another win for @KaPliskova and @DreddyTennis ,more used to the mix dub game,better team work!#Slammers pic.twitter.com/7aBdCEMmQI
— KaPliskova Fans (@kpfanclub_CN) December 12, 2015
@KikiMladenovic, ladies and gentlemen. #IPTL2 pic.twitter.com/EDK1JYlUO0
— Noémie. (@Saschatard) December 12, 2015
Thank you Delhi for such a massive atmosphere! DUBAI WE ARE COMING HOME @UAERoyals ??? pic.twitter.com/S6U19jtriP
— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) December 12, 2015
Close shave! #Tenfie #BreakTheCode @Charlymoya @marcelomelo83 @BelindaBencic @NickKyrgios @KaPliskova @DreddyTennis pic.twitter.com/3lsBJdVtGg
— IPTL (@iptl) December 12, 2015
Ο Στέφανος Τσιτσιπάς είναι για δεύτερη συνεχή χρονιά στον τελικό του Metropolia Orange Bowl. Πήρε μια μεγάλη νίκη απο το νούμερο 2 του ταμπλώ, τον Ούγγρο Mate Valkusz και αύριο θα διεκδικήσει τον τίτλο της διοργάνωσης απο το Σέρβο Miomir Kecmanovic.
Σήμερα ο Στέφανος ξεκίνησε δυνατά με ένα 4-0, και πήρε το πρώτο σετ με σκορ 6-3. Στο δεύτερο σετ ξεκίνησε πάλι με προβάδισμα 2-0, κράτησε τη διαφορά, και πήρε το εισητήριο για το μεγάλο τελικό με το εντυπωσιακό σκορ 6-3, 6-1, δείχνοντας ότι βρίσκεται σε εξαιρετική φόρμα.
Στον αυριανό τελικό ο Στέφανος έχει ένα αντίπαλο που τον κέρδισε την προηγούμενη εβδομάδα στα προημιτελικά του Eddie Herr International Tennis Championship με σκορ 6/2, 7/6 (4).
Στο τένις δεν είναι ασφαλές να γίνονται προβλέψεις, αλλά η εκτίμηση μας είναι ότι αύριο θα έχουμε τη χαρά να δούμε το Στέφανο γραμμένο στη λίστα των νικητών του Metropolia Orange Bowl.
Watch Challenger Hot Shot Countdown
Young Guns Make Their Mark
The ATP’s next generation proved to be a dominant force throughout the 2015 ATP Challenger Tour season, with nine teenagers racking up a total of 13 titles – a significant increase from six winners last year.
The four teenagers in the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings – Hyeon Chung, Borna Coric, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Alexander Zverev – all hoisted trophies. Chung became just the second Korean to crack the Top 100 with his second of four titles in Savannah in April. Coric dominated on the South American clay of Barranquilla, notching his second career crown, while Kokkinakis prevailed at the prestigious event in Bordeaux for his maiden title. Zverev’s bid for the ATP Star of Tomorrow Award presented by Emirates, as the youngest member of the Top 100, was bolstered with a run to the title on home soil in Heilbronn.
Three American teens – Jared Donaldson, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe – finished in the year-end Top 200 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, with Donaldson prevailing in Maui in February and Fritz joining an elite club in winning a pair of titles at age 17, in Sacramento and Fairfield. Also, when Fritz defeated Donaldson in the Sacramento final, it marked the first all-teenage title match on the ATP Challenger Tour since 2007. A second such final would follow a month later, with New York’s Noah Rubin turning in the comeback of the year from 3-6, 1-5 down in Charlottesville, topping countryman Tommy Paul.
Read Features: Donaldson | Fritz | Tiafoe | Rubin
In addition, 19-year-olds Elias Ymer and Karen Khachanov tasted Challenger glory in Caltanissetta and Istanbul.
2015 TEEN TITLISTS
|
Player |
Tournament |
Age |
|
Taylor Fritz |
Sacramento |
17 years, 11 months |
|
Taylor Fritz |
Fairfield | 17 years, 11 months |
|
Alexander Zverev |
Heilbronn | 18 years |
| Jared Donaldson | Maui | 18 years, 3 months |
| Hyeon Chung | Burnie | 18 years, 8 months |
| Borna Coric | Barranquilla | 18 years, 9 months |
| Hyeon Chung | Savannah | 18 years, 11 months |
| Hyeon Chung | Busan | 18 years, 11 months |
| Thanasi Kokkinakis | Bordeaux | 19 years, 1 month |
| Elias Ymer | Caltanissetta | 19 years, 2 months |
| Karen Khachanov | Istanbul | 19 years, 3 months |
| Hyeon Chung | Kaohsiung | 19 years, 4 months |
| Noah Rubin | Charlottesville | 19 years, 8 months |
Cervantes’ Spellbinding Run
Inigo Cervantes turned in a Challenger campaign for the ages, securing a 50-win, four-title season with an undefeated run at the ATP Challenger Tour Finals. The Spaniard saved two match points in defeating Daniel Munoz-de la Nava for the title, becoming just the third player to claim 50 match wins in a single season. Cervantes entered the Top 100 for the first time with a run to the Montevideo final the week prior and finished with a year-end position of No. 72.
“These numbers show how excellent my year was,” Cervantes said. “Two years ago, I was in a wheelchair without being able to play tennis or walk because of two hip surgeries. Now I have my best ranking. Next year I’ll have even bigger goals and I hope to get better and better.”
The 26 year old won four titles from six finals this year, prevailing in Ostrava, Vicenza, Marburg and the season finale in Sao Paulo, while finishing runner-up in Eskisehir and Montevideo.
Top 100 Takeover
Ten players enjoyed jumps of at least 60 spots into the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings this year, and all won ATP Challenger Tour titles. Cervantes experienced the biggest leap, soaring 180 spots from a 2014 year-end position of World No. 252 to No. 72. India’s Yuki Bhambri posted a 40-15 season, rising 156 spots to a career-high World No. 88. Cervantes’ countryman Munoz-de la Nava also catapulted from outside the Top 200 to a year-end No. 75 position, behind a 46-18 campaign and a trio of titles. Chung, Kokkinakis, Taro Daniel, Marco Cecchinato and John Millman also made their Top 100 debuts, with 33-year-old Munoz-de la Nava becoming one of the 14 oldest players to do so for the first time in the history of the Emirates ATP Rankings.
Read Munoz-de la Nava feature
Milestone Men
Whoever said that the best things in life come in threes was clearly thinking of the 2015 season on the ATP Challenger Tour. Since its inception in 1978, only Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo had etched his name in the record books as a 300-match winner on the circuit. For more than three years, the Spaniard stood alone. Until now.
On 13 May, Yen Hsun Lu entered the exclusive club with a second-round victory in Seoul. Ten days later, it was Paolo Lorenzi‘s turn to make history with a quarter-final win in Eskisehir (Turkey). The party didn’t stop there, with Lorenzi’s countryman Filippo Volandri breaking through exactly one month later in Milan. All three players were honoured with on-court ceremonies after securing their milestone wins.
Read tributes: Lu | Lorenzi | Volandri
In addition, Lu added to his record title haul with his 22nd Challenger crown at the $125,000 event in Ningbo, China. Dudi Sela also reached a titles milestone with his fourth triumph in Vancouver, adding to crowns in 2005, ‘08 & ‘10. The Israeli is just the fifth player to win at least four titles at a single tournament.
Challengers Honoured In London
The ATP Challenger Tour’s finest had their moment in the spotlight during the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Throughout the 2015 season, nine tournaments on the circuit were honoured with 25-year commitment awards and the celebration culminated with a group dinner in London. These events have exemplified a steadfast dedication to growing the game and creating a strong foundation for players to develop their skills at the Challenger level. They are Aptos (U.S.A.), Cherbourg (France), Furth (Germany), Istanbul (Turkey), San Luis Potosi (Mexico), Segovia (Spain), Sevilla (Spain), Tampere (Finland) and Winnetka (U.S.A.).
Tour Tidbits
Martina Hingis and Roger Federer, not just Swiss tennis royalty but tennis royalty, period, are planning to play mixed doubles together at the Rio Olympics next summer, Federer tweeted on Friday:
Rollback the years with @mhingis. Really excited to be playing mixed doubles with you 15yrs later at the Rio games pic.twitter.com/IgOGEPLleu
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) December 11, 2015
They’re two of the most accomplished players of all time: Hingis is a former No.1 in both singles and doubles with 20 majors to her name – five in singles, 11 in doubles and four in mixed; Federer is a former No.1 in singles with 17 Grand Slam singles titles, the most of all time in the men’s game.
Hingis will be going for her first Olympic medal; Federer has two of them to his name, a gold in doubles in 2008 (alongside Stan Wawrinka) and a silver in singles in 2012 (Andy Murray won the gold).
And they’ve played mixed doubles together before. They were the Swiss team at the Hopman Cup exhibition event in January 2001, almost 15 years ago, and they went 3-1 together – they won all three of their round robin matches easily in straight sets before falling to Jan-Michael Gambill and Monica Seles in a match tie-break in the final, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(5). They still won the final tie, though, 2-1.
Here’s a pic of a 20-year-old Hingis and 19-year-old Federer holding up that 2001 Hopman Cup trophy:
Ο Στέφανος Τσιτσιπάς και η Ελένη Χριστοφή κρατούν ψηλά την Ελληνική σημαία στη μεγάλη τενιστική διοργάνωση Metropolia Orange Bowl που ολοκληρώνεται αύριο στο FRANK VELTRI TENNIS CENTER στην Καλιφόρνια. Οι καλύτεροι νεαροί παίκτες απο όλο τον κόσμο δοκιμάζουν τις δυνάμεις τους και δείχνουν τις προθέσεις τους για το μέλλον. Μεγάλα ονόματα του παγκοσμιου τένις, έχουν διακριθεί ως juniors σε αυτή τη διοργάνωση (αναφέρουμε πιο κάτω χαρακτηριστικά παραδείγματα) και μπορεί κανείς να καταλάβει τι σημαίνει να είσαι στα ημιτελικά ή στους τελικούς αυτών των αγώνων.
1999 A. Roddick (USA) M. Martinez (ESP)
1998 R. Federer (SUI) E. Dementieva (RUS)
1997 N. Massu (CHI) T. Pisnik (SLO)
1996 A. Martin (ESP) A. Alcazar (ESP)
1995 M. Zabaleta (ARG) A. Kournikova (RUS)
1994 N. Lapentti (ECU) M. Ramon (ESP)
1993 A. Costa (ESP) A. Montolio (ESP)
1992 V. Spadea (USA) B. Mulej (SLO)
1991 M. Charpentier (ARG) E. Likhovtseva (URS)
1990 A. Medvedev (RUS) P. Perez (ESP)
1989 F. Meligeni (BRA) L. Spadea (USA)
1988 M. Rosset (SUI) C. Cunningham (USA)
1987 J. Courier (USA) N. Zvereva (RUS)
Ο Στέφανος Τσιτσιπάς αντιμετωπίζει σήμερα το απόγευμα τον Ούγγρο Mate Valkusz, Νο2 του ταμπλώ και Νο7 στην παγκόσμια κατάταξη των Juniors για μία θέση στον τελικό
Η Ελένη Χριστοφή στα διπλά των κοριτσιών με πάρτνερ τη Μολδαβή Anastasia Detiuc, απόψε το βράδυ, θα αντιμετωπίσουν τη Ρουμάνα Jaqueline Adina Cristian και την Αμερικανίδα Michaella Gordon, με στόχο να μπουν στον τελικό. Αξιοσήμειωτο είναι ότι οι Χριστοφή- Dietiuc στην νικηφόρα πορεία τους, απέκλεισαν το Νο1 ζευγάρι της διοργάνωσης.