In-Form Dodin Advances In Limoges
Océane Dodin continued her fine late season form with a hard-fought win over Alexandra Cadantu in the first round of the Engie Open de Limoges.
Océane Dodin continued her fine late season form with a hard-fought win over Alexandra Cadantu in the first round of the Engie Open de Limoges.
Former World No.1 Amélie Mauresmo ended her fourth year as French Fed Cup Captain by leading her country into its first final since 2005 – back when the two-time Grand Slam champion herself played for the team.
Mauresmo announced that she wouldn’t continue at her post in 2017, however, due to personal reasons:
.@AmeMauresmo : “Pour raisons personnelles, je vais quitter mon poste de capitaine. J'attends un 2e enfant.” #fedcup
— FFT (@FFTennis) November 14, 2016
The news that she is expecting her second child was met with mixed emotions from the talented squad of players, including Caroline Garcia, Kristina Mladenovic, Alizé Cornet, and Pauline Parmentier. In her four years as Captain, Mauresmo took from the precipice of Fed Cup zonal relegation into a championship weekend in Strasbourg, which they narrowly lost to the Czech Republic in a decisive doubles rubber.
Mauresmo’s team took to Twitter to express their appreciation for their fearless leader:
Cap @AmeMauresmo, un grand MERCI pour tout ce que tu ns as apporté ces 4 dernières années, ns avons grandi à tes côtés. Tu vas nous manquer! pic.twitter.com/rx8iVUtZ3A
— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) November 14, 2016
Dur réalité mais quelle belle aventure merci a cette magnifique equipe et ce staff de rêve #lovemyteam #lastpicalltogether #triste pic.twitter.com/JYuIgQZS8I
— pauline parmentier (@ppauline86) November 14, 2016
MERCI à tous du fond du cœur pour votre soutien inconditionnel! Malgré la défaite, ce we et toutes ces émotions resteront inoubliables ??❤️ pic.twitter.com/TbcBdpujHc
— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) November 14, 2016
Tout est possible ! A demain tous ensemble #TeamFranceTennis pic.twitter.com/GIPy9DduHM
— Caroline Garcia (@CaroGarcia) November 12, 2016
Mauresmo’s fellow former No.1 and 2016 International Tennis Hall Of Fame Inductee Justine Henin also announced the coming birth of a second child, with the due date expected for early next year:
Henin has been working with rising WTA talent Elina Svitolina since the start of 2016; the Ukrainian youngster has since defeated a pair of reigning World No.1s in Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber, and reached the final of the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
COMPTON, CA, USA – Former World No.1s Venus Williams and Serena Williams returned to their hometown of Compton, California last weekend to strengthen childhood ties to the city where they first played tennis.
“You always remember those places, like where we went to elementary school, the courts we practiced at, even our old home,” Venus told the LA Times. “And just places you used to go. And of course things change over time. Places move. Shops close. Streets change. But it’s still the same place.”
The Williams sisters made use of their eponymous charity fund to bestow a five-year endowment on what will be the Yetunde Price Resource Center, which will help those affected by violence and trauma. The center was named for their eldest sister, who was killed in 2003.
“We definitely wanted to honor our sister’s memory because she was a great sister, she was our oldest sister and obviously she meant a lot to us,” Serena said. “And it meant a lot to us, to myself and to Venus and my other sisters as well, Isha and Lyndrea, that we’ve been wanting to do something for years in memory of her, especially the way it happened, a violent crime.”
Saturday was dedicated to the refurbishing of Lueders Park tennis courts henceforth known as the Venus & Serena Williams Court of Champions.
Check out a full interview with the Williams sisters here, along with some of the best photos from the weekend below:
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
LONDON, Great Britain – Heather Watson is coming off a career year that saw her earn hometown glory at the Wimbledon Championships in mixed doubles and win another WTA title in Monterrey.
Sitting down with Elle Magazine UK, the Brit had a no holds barred discussion about the differences between singles and doubles, getting into the right pre-match mindset, and how she injects her personal style into her on-court kits.
“In terms of mixed doubles, it’s a whole other ball game,” she said of her Wimbledon win with Henri Kontenin. “Personally, it’s just fun and I think that’s down to having had some incredible partners, which makes a big difference.
“I think I need to bring more of the mindset of ‘it doesn’t matter what the outcome is I’m just going to do what I need to do’, into my singles more.”
Watson also played mixed doubles with countryman Andy Murray, who went on to clinch the ATP World No.1 ranking earlier this fall.
“Andy is an incredible athlete. He’s so competitive, hardworking and so nice to be around. He’s not what people think he is. I find him quieter, very chilled and more relaxed off the court.”
Check out the full interview with Watson right here at ElleUK.com.
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Former champion Vitalia Diatchenko sprung an upset on the opening day of the OEC Taipei WTA Challenger, holding her nerve to knock out No.2 seed Naomi Broady.
In a tense final set, World No.533 Diatchenko twice served to stay in the match before ultimately prevailing, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(3).
Making a mockery of her lowly ranking, the Russian withstood a final set fightback – and 15 aces – from Broady to register only her sixth win of the season.
Diatchenko, who received a wildcard into the WTA title at a 125K Series event, is currently on the comeback trail following an injury-ravaged couple of seasons. Two years ago, she reached a career-high No.71 following victory in Taipei, but since then major operations on her anterior cruciate ligament and Achilles have halted this charge.
Next up will be Miyu Kato, who overcame doubles partner Eri Hozumi, 6-4, 7-6(7). Also advancing were Olga Govortsova, who knocked out No.5 seed Risa Ozaki, 6-1, 6-3, and Dalila Jakupovic, a 7-6(4), 6-1, winner over wildcard Lee Ya-Hsuan.
The first round continues on Tuesday, with Maria Sakkari, Marina Erakovic and 2013 winner Alison Van Uytvanck among those in action.
It’s time to crown the 2016 WTA Shot Of The Year!
Each WTA Shot Of The Month winner has been placed into one of two groups:
• Voting for Group A and Group B will close Sunday, November 20 at 11:59pm ET
• The two shots from each group that receive the most votes will then be placed into a final group
• Final Group voting opens Monday, November 21 and ends Monday, November 28 at 11:59pm ET
• The 2016 WTA Shot of the Year winner will be announced Tuesday, November 29
Group A
January: Caroline Wozniacki
February: Agnieszka Radwanska
March: Agnieszka Radwanska
April: Monica Niculescu
May: Simona Halep
It’s time to crown the 2016 WTA Shot Of The Year!
Each WTA Shot Of The Month winner has been placed into one of two groups:
• Voting for Group A and Group B will close Sunday, November 20 at 11:59pm ET
• The two shots from each group that receive the most votes will then be placed into a final group
• Final Group voting opens Monday, November 21 and ends Monday, November 28 at 11:59pm ET
• The 2016 WTA Shot of the Year winner will be announced Tuesday, November 29
Group B
June: Agnieszka Radwanska
July: Simona Halep
August: Agnieszka Radwanska
September: Kirsten Flipkens
October: Angelique Kerber
Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova win the deciding doubles rubber for the second straight year, capturing a fifth Fed Cup title in the last six years over home team France.
Caroline Garcia downed Petra Kvitova in straight sets to rescue a vital point for France in the second rubber of the Fed Cup final.
STRASBOURG, France – Karolina Pliskova overcame France’s Kristina Mladenovic in the longest set in Fed Cup final history to give the Czech Republic the first victory, 6-3, 4-6, 16-14.
“I heard that it’s the longest one!” Pliskova told FedCup.com after the record-setting match. “I was just looking at the score and just counting the games and we were still continuing.
“Unbelievable match from both of us. My tennis was maybe not 100 percent, but it still counts as a win. Really happy that we got the first point.”
Walking into the first rubber of the 2016 Fed Cup final, Pliskova and Mladenovic’s head-to-head record was split at one win apiece and the pair had to set their long friendship aside in hopes of giving their team the early advantage.
Watch how Karolina Pliskova won the first set in the first rubber of the 2016 #FedCupFinal! pic.twitter.com/2IV046sEFk
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) 12 de noviembre de 2016
Mladenovic suffered a break of serve in the nerving opening game, misfiring a backhand and later double faulting to hand Pliskova the first lead. The surface seemed to suit Pliskova as well, as the Czech enjoyed the high bounce of the court at the Rhenus Sport Arena to wreak havoc with her big serve.
After Mladenovic leveled the set at 3-3, Pliskova found another gear and dropped just one point on her serve as she broke twice to take the first set 6-3.
The Frenchwoman had the home crowd roaring as she charged back in the second set. Mladenovic earned the first break at 4-3, and then weathered two consecutive breaks to emerge with the edge and the set.
Pliskova wrestled the momentum away as she quickly climbed to a 5-2 lead in the final set. Mladenovic was two points away from losing the match as Pliskova continued to hammer her vulnerable second serve and run her around the court, but she fended off the assault to claw her way back into the match and get back on serve.
With her back against the wall, Mladenovic rallied the French crowd and kept herself in the match time and time again and, with no final set tiebreak in Fed Cup, the match continued. Mladenovic fought past fatigue and cramping – and saved two match points with a gutsy dropshot and a zinging crosscourt backhand – to hold for 9-9, but the final set was barely getting started.
WHAT A THRILLER! ?@KaPliskova edges Mladenovic 6-3, 4-6, 16-14!
Gives Czech Republic a 1-0 lead over France! #FedCupFinal pic.twitter.com/qp1KRJjcyJ
— WTA (@WTA) 12 de noviembre de 2016
Pliskova stayed cool despite it all, trading breaks at 12-12 as the pair broke the Fed Cup final record for longest set ever played. After a monumental three hours and forty-eight minutes (two hours and 23 minutes in the final set), Mladenovic finally blinked in the last game, being broken to love to but an end to the thrilling match and hand the Czech Republic a vital 1-0 lead.
“I feel fresh, actually! But no it’s my longest match that I’ve played ever, so I’m really happy with the way I ended,” Pliskova laughed afterwards, speaking to FedCup.com.
“I was really waiting for my chance. And she was serving so well in the third set that I didn’t really have that many chances. I’m just happy with the win.”
– All photos courtesy of Getty Images