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Bacsinszky: WTA Most Improved Player

Bacsinszky: WTA Most Improved Player

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015

Timea Bacsinszky enjoyed a sparkling junior career, winning a string of prestigious tournaments and reaching the semifinals at three of the four Grand Slams. But following a bright start in the professional ranks, she grew so disillusioned with a series of injury setbacks that her tennis dreams were temporarily parked in favor of a career in hotel management.

While it was a change in direction that ultimately was never going to satisfy her thirst for competition, it did provide a newfound sense of perspective on both life and tennis. When she did eventually get back on court, this introspection worked wonders, the Swiss registering 115 wins, a couple of titles and rising, briefly, into the Top 10.

A blistering start to 2015 saw Bacsinszky triumph in 21 of her first 23 matches, collecting titles in Acapulco and Monterrey. Semi and quarterfinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, respectively, proved her success was not confined to the smaller events. Despite losing her way in the second half of the summer, she rounded off the year with a runner-up finish in Beijing, underlining her worthiness as the winner of this year’s WTA Most Improved Player Of The Year.

“To breakthrough into the Top 10, to be honest, it’s something I never even dreamed of – I never thought that would be possible for me,” Bacsinszky said. “But when you don’t set yourself any limits, you push yourself and sometimes some great things are happening.

“I’m super proud of all I’ve achieved. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my team, especially my coach [Dimitri Zavialoff]. He is the one who lifted me up two years ago and got me to play again. I will definitely still push myself in the future and see my limits.”

Bacsinsky joins a select group to have won the award. Among their number are 10 WTA No.1’s: Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams, Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic and Dinara Safina.

The WTA Awards are voted for by a combination of media and fans.

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Top 100 Quotes Of 2015: Part 2

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015

Top 100 Quotes Of 2015: Part 2

ATP World Tour Season In Review: Quotebook

ATPWorldTour.com looks back on the year in the words of those who made it all happen. Here’s the wit, the wisdom (and some occasional wackiness) from today’s top players, our Top 100 Quotes of 2015. Our second installment, Nos. 51-100:

51. “Nobody’s invincible. I don’t think something like that exists.” — Novak Djokovic

52. “My goal is not to make new records in Asia; it’s to be one of the best players in the world.” — Kei Nishikori

53. “We sort of came up with the name ‘Sneak Attack By Roger’ — SABR. I don’t know, call it ‘Fed Attack,’ call it whatever you want.” — Roger Federer on his new chip-and-charge attack

54. “We do have our days where we’re sick of each other.” — Mike Bryan on his partnership with his twin brother, Bob

55. “You’re never going to get that feeling again, just like the winning sort of feeling. Nothing will ever duplicate that. That’s what I’ll miss most.” — Mardy Fish

56. “I do question myself even in the best of times.” — Roger Federer

57. “It was a great privilege and honor to be the No. 1 in the sport that has captured my heart from the first moment that I stepped on the court.” — Novak Djokovic

58. “The amount I hate to lose is, I think, pretty extraordinary.” — Milos Raonic

59. “I guess I’m maturing in my old age.” — Marinko Matosevic, 30

60. “Not many people in sport get to go out on their terms.” — Lleyton Hewitt

61. “In tennis, always one guy has to win and one guy has to lose. One has got the press conference he dreads.” — Roger Federer

62. “I’m not trying to hit it fast; I’m trying hit it in.” — Power server Sam Groth

63. “If you hold on to your emotions, you don’t actually talk about them. Over time, I don’t think that’s a good thing. It’s good to be able to talk about how you feel.” — Andy Murray

64. “I have no problem accepting criticism, because I’ve gotten so many compliments over the years.” — Roger Federer

65. “I can’t really overpower anyone anymore. That’s why I choose the young, powerful partners.” — Daniel Nestor, 43

66. “It makes the game a whole lot easier when you can serve like that.” — Andy Murray on John Isner

67. “We see so many times guys ride waves of wins at times in their career based on only confidence.  You only get it two ways: one is winning matches and two is hard work.” — Sam Groth

68. “The real thing today is I know where I am, I know who I am.” — Rafael Nadal

69. “It’s a game of inches sometimes.” — John Millman

70. “You want to win every event, that’s for sure. That’s what you prepare for. But no one in the history of this game has ever done that.” — Andy Murray

71. “Almost doesn’t matter how you lose — losing is never fun.” — Roger Federer

72. “Victories are the best medicine possible.” — Rafael Nadal

73. “You have to treat every player with respect. Every round should be like a final.” — Bernard Tomic

74. “I don’t know if I should say it out loud. Somebody might steal it. It is somewhere in the Midwest region of the United States.” — Jack Sock on where he keeps his Wimbledon doubles trophy

75. “It’s in a safe.” — Stan Wawrinka on where he keeps his 2014 Australian Open trophy

76. “When I go back home, I’m not a tennis player anymore. I’m a father and a husband.” — Novak Djokovic

77. “I’m not afraid of time passing by; quite the opposite. I can tell you that physically I will be at my best and more mature.” — Gael Monfils, 29

78. “You can be stubborn and successful or you can give it up a bit and change things around. For me it’s important to have a bit of both.” — Roger Federer

79. “It’s a challenge because if throughout your life everybody’s working for you to be the best you can be, kind of feeding you with compliments, with confidence, eventually you’re ego starts growing. You have to battle with that ego and just leave it aside.” — Novak Djokovic

80. “If there’s one thing that I learned in the sport it’s to recover fast and to leave things behind.” — Novak Djokovic

81. “I’m not planning on trying to break anybody’s hearts. This is tennis. This is sport. All I’m trying to do is beat the guy on the other side of the net.” — Andy Murray

82. “My goals nowadays are short‑term. I’m thinking in small goals.” — Rafel Nadal

83. “There is no disgrace in losing to him.” — Andy Murray on Novak Djokovic

84. “There is not many guys that work as hard as him.” — Gilles Muller on Andy Murray

85. “It will probably go down as the best lefty forehand of all time.” — Tim Smyczek on Rafael Nadal’s forehand

86. “Roger asks many questions, and I have to find many answers.” — Gael Monfils on facing Roger Federer

87. “I’ll always mix it up and make it uncomfortable for my opponent. I’m not going to play the way they like it.”  — Roger Federer

88. “When my boy arrived in this life, on this planet, it was completely a new dimension of experience for me and my wife. I’m still riding on the wave of that experience.” — Novak Djokovic

89. “He will be remembered as being just a fantastic competitor. He hated to lose.” — Andy Murray on Lleyton Hewitt

90. “Sport is simple. The winner is the player who plays better.” — Rafael Nadal

91. “Everything has to come natural for you, I feel, on the tennis court.” — Bernard Tomic

92. “I’m eager. I’m very eager.” — Milos Raonic

93. “It’s good to get around the big dogs a little bit.” — Thanasi Kokkinakis

94. “Tennis is a complex sport. Very quickly you always have to reset your mind because you always have a next match tomorrow.” — Novak Djokovic

95. “There is only a winner and loser, nothing in between.” — Tomas Berdych

96. “I don’t take anything for granted. I try to be aware that there are thousands of players around the world who are fighting equally as I am to be in this position.” — Novak Djokovic

97. “Confidence comes back when you win matches. If you don’t win matches, you don’t have confidence.” — Rafael Nadal

98. “I don’t like to say where my limits are. I try to just be in the moment, use my imagination, and all of a sudden your possibilities become limitless.” — Novak Djokovic

99. “I love tennis. Without it I don’t know what I would do.” — Donald Young

100. “Everyone has to call ‘time’ at some stage.” — Lleyton Hewitt, who will retire following the 2016 Australian Open

Top 100 Quotes Of 2015: Part 1

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Best Of 2015: ATP Challenger Tour Hot Shot Countdown

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015

Best Of 2015: ATP Challenger Tour Hot Shot Countdown

Watch some of the best points of the year

Watch a countdown of the best Hot Shots from ATP Challenger Tour events in 2015, featuring Thanasi Kokkinakis, Marcos Baghdatis, Dustin Brown, Frank Dancevic, Adrian Ungur and Yoshihito Nishioka.

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Smyczek Ties The Knot

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015

Smyczek Ties The Knot

Tim Smyczek weds Ana Pier in Irving

Tim Smyczek enjoyed a career year in 2015, but the American’s most memorable moment came off the court, marrying girlfriend Ana Pier on 21 November in Irving, Texas.

The 27 year old, who reached a career-high World No. 68 in the Emirates ATP Rankings in April, was joined by friends and fellow players Denis Kudla, Rhyne Williams, Alex Kuznetsov, Scott Oudsema, Brendan Evans and Phillip Simmonds, along with coach Billy Heiser.

“This weekend I married the woman of my dreams,” Smyczek posted on his Facebook page. “It was great to have our families and friends join together for the special occasion. Happy to say Ana and I are already looking forward to our honeymoon. See everyone back on court Down Under after the New Year.”

The ceremony was held at the Four Seasons Resort at Las Colinas, the venue of the ATP Challenger Tour event in Irving, where Smyczek reached the final in March. Wedding bells rang often in 2015, with Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez, Nicolas Almagro, Lukas Rosol, Andreas Haider-Maurer, Marc Lopez and Martin Emmrich also tying the knot.

Smyczek claimed a pair of ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2015, winning on home soil in Dallas and Tiburon. He also won tour-level matches at the Australian Open and in Indian Wells, Miami, Delray Beach and Nottingham.

Photo by Jacqui Cole Photography (jacquicole.com)

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Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers: Djokovic, Karlovic Top The Tables

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015

Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers: Djokovic, Karlovic Top The Tables

Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers shows that Novak Djokovic and Ivo Karlovic were the clear return and service leaders in 2015 on the ATP World Tour

Return With Interest

Novak Djokovic built his historic 2015 season on the foundation of his imposing return game. Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers reveals that the World No. 1 placed in the Top 2 of the three key return game categories. 

The Serb won more return games than any other player both in raw and percentages terms. Djokovic won 364 return games (in 87 matches), 64 more than second-placed Andy Murray, who won 300 return games (in 77 matches).

Djokovic’s winning percentage was also better than any other player. He won 34.43 per cent of all return games played, finishing well clear of second-placed David Ferrer, who won 33.61 per cent of return games played. (Figures in the return-of-serve charts below have been rounded.)

Player Return Games Won % Return Games Won Matches
Novak Djokovic 34% 364 87
David Ferrer 34% 274 69
Rafael Nadal 31% 297 80
Andy Murray 31% 300 77
Gilles Simon 31% 244 63

Djokovic also finished second on the list of points won returning first serve:

Player First Serve Returns Won % Points Won Matches
David Ferrer 34% 1,117 69
Novak Djokovic 33% 1,403 87
Rafael Nadal 33% 1,261 80
Roger Federer 33% 1,159 72
Andy Murray 32% 1,277 77

And Djokovic topped the list of points won returning second serve, with a success rate of 57 per cent.

Player Second Serve Returns Won % Points Won Matches
Novak Djokovic 57% 1,607 87
Andy Murray
 55% 1,367 77
David Ferrer 55% 1,211 69
Gilles Simon 55% 1,143 63
Tomas Berdych 54% 1,224 79

Ace Is The Place

For the first time since records were kept in 1992, three players this year hit more than 1,000 aces in the same season. Ivo Karlovic (1447), John Isner (1260) and Kevin Anderson (1,074) all made it to four figures. Karlovic finished just 30 aces shy of countryman Goran Ivanisevic’s all-time season record of 1,477. The Croat topped the aces list for the fifth time (2007-2009 and 2014).

Player Aces Matches
Ivo Karlovic 1,447 63
John Isner 1,260 68
Kevin Anderson 1,074 70
Gilles Muller 765 55
Milos Raonic 743 47

Record Setter

Karlovic shattered the previous record for percentage of service games won in a season. ‘Dr. Ivo’ won 96 per cent of his service games in 2015, topping his own record of 94 per cent in 2007.

Player Service Games Won % Service Games Won Total Service Games
Ivo Karlovic
 96% 873 914
Milos Raonic 94% 608 647
John Isner 93% 846 907
Roger Federer 92% 818 890
Novak Djokovic 89% 968 1,082

So what happens when the world’s best returner meets the world’s best server? In the first week of the 2015 season, Karlovic upset Djokovic 6-7(2), 7-6(6), 6-4 in the first round of Doha. In their first meeting in seven seasons, Djokovic won just 15 per cent of first-serve return points (well below his 2015 average of 33%) and 50 per cent of his second-serve return points (below his season average of 57%).

Karlovic boosted his chances of victory by putting 74 per cent of first serves into play.

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Williams Wins Battle Of No.1s

Williams Wins Battle Of No.1s

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015

The International Premier Tennis league played its last night in Manila’s Mall of Asia Arena, and with the WTA’s singles and doubles year-end No.1s set to go head-to-head, it was sure to be an exciting night.

Serena Williams’ Philippine Mavericks enjoyed a home crowd advantage against a team yet to lose a match this season in Sania Mirza’s Micromax Indian Aces. After splitting the first two sets, Williams and Mirza played a rousing set of mixed doubles – Williams with Treat Huey, Mirza with Rohan Bopanna – but it was Mirza’s superior doubles sensibilities winning the day and the 22 minute set, 6-3.

Undaunted, Williams remained on the court to play former World No.4 Samantha Stosur and win an all-important set of women’s singles by the same score to help turn the tide towards the Mavericks, who ultimately edged the Aces, 25-24.

The other match of the night saw former No.1 Ana Ivanovic play a nearly 40 minute set of women’s singles against Karolina Pliskova, who forced the Serb to a 6-5 tiebreak. Ivanovic’s teammate Kristina Mladenovic later stepped up in mixed doubles against good friend Belinda Bencic, who was partnering Nick Kyrgios. Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor went on to win their set, 6-4, as the OBI UAE Royals clinched a 26-23 win over the OUE Singapore Slammers.

Check out the best tweets of the night:

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Gavrilova: WTA Newcomer Of The Year

Gavrilova: WTA Newcomer Of The Year

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015

When Daria Gavrilova and Maria Sharapova stepped on court for their second round meeting at this year’s Miami Open, nearly 100 places separated the players on the tennis ladder. However, it was clear early on that Gavrilova was in no way daunted by the challenge in front of her.

Haring after every ball she could reach – and plenty she could not – Gavrilova’s attitude immediately won over the crowd. There was inspiration to complement this perspiration, too, the former junior No.1 marrying defense with attack to shock her childhood idol in a result that reverberated around the tennis world.

This was the most high-profile performance in an impressive 2015 campaign that ended with the 21-year-old being crowned WTA Newcomer Of The Year.

Since recovering from torn anterior cruciate ligament a few years back, Gavrilova’s career has been on an upward trajectory. The work invested into the technical and physical sides of her game whilst off the tour really started to pay off this January, as she came racing out of the traps with strong performances in her adopted homeland of Australia.

Better was to come in spring, the youngster following the upset of Sharapova by coming through qualifying to reach the semifinals in Rome. While she was unable to quite match these feats in the second half of the year, now perched inside the Top 50 it is safe to say the best is yet to come.

Gavrilova credits much of her improvement to the off-court structure implemented by her coach Nicole Pratt. “I’m more professional now,” Gavrilova told WTA Insider during the US Open. “I know how it works now. I look at the players and I understand that’s what everyone does. Two years ago I had no idea what you needed to do to achieve what I wanted to achieve.

“First of all I didn’t have any base. I didn’t have any structure. Now I have a good base. I have a fitness coach, I have Nicole, I always have a coach on the road. I always know what I’m doing. I have a plan for every match. Even in training I know what I want to achieve.”

Gavrilova adds her name to a select band of players to have won the WTA Newcomer Of The Year, with Tracy Austin, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Jennifer Capriati, Martina Hingis, the Williams sisters, Kim Clijsters, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki among her predecessors.

The WTA Awards are voted for by a combination of media and fans. Gavrilova received 68% of media votes and 36% of fan votes (Daria Kasatkina was next with 33%).

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Murray tennis centre plan rejected

Murray tennis centre plan rejected

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015
Tayside and Central Scotland

Murray tennis centre plan near Dunblane rejected

  • 8 December 2015
  • From the section Tayside and Central Scotland
Park of Keir development Image copyright Park of Keir
Image caption The development was being promoted by Judy Murray, mother of tennis players Andy and Jamie

Councillors in Stirling have rejected plans for a controversial sports and housing development near Dunblane.

The greenbelt development was being promoted by Judy Murray in the face of strong local opposition.

Planning officers at the council had earlier recommended that the Park of Keir application be refused.

Councillors said they had decided to reject the bid after carefully considering the arguments for and against the project.

The proposed development, between Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, would have included tennis and golf facilities along with a visitor centre and museum, all set in a new country park.

The plans also included luxury homes to help pay for the scheme.

But planning officers said the application should be refused because it was sited on greenbelt land.

They also said there was not enough affordable housing proposed and added the residential element was contrary to Scottish planning policy, because residents would have to travel for basic amenities and services.

The scheme had received high-profile support from former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and golfer Colin Montgomerie.

‘Wrong location’

However, campaigners said the loss of greenbelt land to the development was too high a price to pay. There were more than 1,000 objections to the scheme and only 45 in support.

Mark Ruskell, Scottish Green Party councillor for Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, spoke against the proposal at Tuesday morning’s hearing on the plans.

Following the decision, Mr Ruskell said: “I’m delighted that this proposal has been rejected. It would have been totally wrong to rip up our democratically-agreed local plan to make room for executive housing on this treasured greenbelt area.

“For over 25 years, local communities have fought against development at Park of Keir. Judy Murray had a good idea but it was in completely the wrong location – I’m sure that sporting legacy can be secured elsewhere.”

Ms Murray said on Friday that she wanted to leave a legacy to the success of her two sons, tennis players Andy and Jamie Murray.

A spokeswoman for Stirling Council said: “Having carefully considered and discussed extensively all the arguments for and against this proposal, Stirling Council’s Planning and Regulation Panel has today refused the application for a development at Park of Keir.”

More on this story

  • Sir Alex Ferguson plea over new Dunblane sports centre
    4 December 2015

Related Internet links

  • Park of Keir

  • Stirling Council

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Sharapova & Friends Set To Shine In LA

Sharapova & Friends Set To Shine In LA

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2015

LOS ANGELES, CA, USA – Maria Sharapova and a host of other tennis players and celebrities are set to light up Los Angeles this coming weekend at Maria Sharapova & Friends, presented by Porsche.

Three of the WTA’s brightest young stars – Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens and Laura Robson – will join Sharapova at the event, as will ATP stars Kei Nishikori, Jack Sock, Andy Roddick and Michael Chang. Comedy stars Chelsea Handler and Will Arnett will partner with the pros in mixed doubles.

“It’s been a long-term goal of mine to host my own tennis event and bring professional tennis back to Los Angeles,” Sharapova said of the event, which will take place at the UCLA Tennis Center. “I want to thank my great partner Porsche for believing in this project from the beginning, along with the players, entertainers and sponsors that are supporting Maria Sharapova & Friends. I hope the fans enjoy the highly competitive tennis, comedy and entertainment, and walk away having had a great weekend.”

The line-up for Saturday, December 12 includes:
Mixed Doubles (Roddick & Robson vs Chang & Keys)
Men’s Singles (Roddick vs Chang)
Women’s Singles (Sharapova vs Keys)
Celebrity Mixed Doubles (Sharapova & Will Arnett vs Roddick & Chelsea Handler)

The line-up for Sunday, December 13 includes:
Mixed Doubles (Sharapova & Nishikori vs Robson & Sock)
Women’s Singles (Keys vs Stephens)
Men’s Singles (Nishikori vs Sock)
Celebrity Mixed Doubles (Sharapova & Chelsea Handler vs Sock & TBD)

Tennis Channel coverage begins live at 2pm PT/5pm ET both days – check out their TV schedule here.

Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from the event will go towards the Maria Sharapova Foundation, which raises money for underprivileged kids around the world. Read more about the foundation here.

And come back to wtatennis.com this weekend for coverage from Maria Sharapova & Friends!

Maria Sharapova

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