WTA Frame Challenge: Daria Gavrilova
Daria Gavrilova gave it her all in the WTA Frame Challenge… Find out whether or not she was able to take the lead!
Daria Gavrilova gave it her all in the WTA Frame Challenge… Find out whether or not she was able to take the lead!
World No.2 Serena Williams will not take part at BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global after receiving medical advice regarding a troublesome shoulder injury.
The 35-year-old 22-time Grand Slam champion made the announcement late on Sunday after missing all of the Asian Swing due to that same issue; shoulder problems also kept her out of the Rogers Cup and Western & Southern Open earlier in the summer.
“I was looking forward to competing in Singapore this year and playing against the best players in the world,” said Williams.
“However, I have received disappointing news from my doctor that I must undergo a series of medical treatments for my shoulder, and will be off the court for the next several weeks.
“I will miss coming to Singapore for the year-end Finals and playing in front of my fans but truly hope to be back soon.”
Williams has participated in eight tournaments this season, winning two titles at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and Wimbledon, where she tied Stefanie Graf for the Open Era record of Grand Slam titles. She also reached the finals of the Australian Open and French Open, and tied Graf for the all-time record of most consecutive weeks at World No.1, at 186 straight weeks.
“We’re as disappointed as the fans not to see Serena finish her season in Singapore,” says WTA CEO Steve Simon. “We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back competing, fit and healthy.”
Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep, Agnieszka Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova and Garbiñe Muguruza, Madison Keys and Dominika Cibulkova have already qualified for the tournament, which starts on October 23 and ends on October 30.
WTA Insider | The Insider team rings in the new year by taking one last look back at the Top 25, counting down the most outstanding performances of 2016.
SHENZHEN, China – Top seed and defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska came back from the brink to defeat an inspired Duan Ying-Ying in the first round of the Shenzhen Open.
Having romped through the opening set, Radwanska looked on course for a straightforward outing against the World No.103. However, it proved to be anything but, the Pole eventually scraping through, 6-2, 6-7(4), 7-5, after saving three match points.
“It was not my best tennis, but I’m very happy that I got the win, and on the important points I was doing a good job, which was the most important thing today,” Radwanska said.
“The match points were of course big moments, but also the tie-break in the second set. I came from 4-1 down that set but in the tie-break I didn’t play good enough and it slipped away. I was still on court for another hour after that.”
Duan, who required a wildcard into the main draw, grabbed her opportunity with both hands, recovering from the loss of the opening four games to gradually overwhelm the World No.3. In the final set it looked like she would claim a famous victory, breaking in the ninth game to serve for the match.
To the disappointment of the upset-hungry crowd, she could not find the finishing blow, three times coming within a point of victory only to be denied each time.
.@ARadwanska is fighting with all her might and has now saved three match points! pic.twitter.com/kej2g35CZ7
— WTA (@WTA) January 2, 2017
Radwanska made the most of her escape, taking the next two games to book a meeting with Sorana Cirstea.
“It’s always tough to play someone for the first time – I didn’t know what to expect. But she’s a very powerful player and solid from the back,” Radwanska said. “She also served very well and had nothing to lose. It was a very close match, even at the beginning.”
Elsewhere there were contrasting fortunes for her fellow seeds, Timea Babos and Anastasija Sevastova, both of whom slipped to surprise defeats. Babos failed to make the most of a flying start, losing 1-6, 7-5, 6-2, to Nina Stojanovic, while Sevastova fell to Kristyna Pliskova, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(6), despite holding a couple of match points in the tie-break.
WTA Insider | In the first WTA Insider Live Blog of 2017, 22-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams defeats Pauline Parmentier in the first round of the ASB Classic.
An interview with Elina Svitolina after her win in the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup.
Svetlana Kuznetsova scored her 600th match win yesterday at the Brisbane International – here’s how she celebrated the milestone!
SINGAPORE – Johanna Konta has been overwhelmingly voted as 2016 WTA Most Improved Player Of The Year.
Konta has enjoyed her best season to date, starting at the Australian Open, where she became the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since Jo Durie in 1983. She went on to match Durie in ranking as well as result, finally ending the drought of British women in the Top 10 after reaching the final of the China Open, a Premier Mandatory event.
In between, Konta captured her first WTA title at the Bank of the West Classic, stunning former No.1 and Stanford champion Venus Williams in three scintillating sets. In 10 matches against Top 10 players, Konta won six encounters, and also has a 12-2 record in tie-breaks – the second best on the tour this season.
Her achievements have not gone unnoticed and she received 40 votes, ahead of Monica Puig with five, Kiki Bertens with three and Laura Siegemund with one.
Thank you everyone who voted!!!! https://t.co/jYI9R9pz2s
— Johanna Konta (@JoKonta91) October 21, 2016
WTA Most Improved Player Winners
2016: Johanna Konta
2015: Timea Bacsinszky
2014: Eugenie Bouchard
2013: Simona Halep
2012: Sara Errani
2011: Petra Kvitova
2010: Francesca Schiavone
2009: Yanina Wickmayer
2008: Dinara Safina
2007: Ana Ivanovic
2006: Jelena Jankovic
2005: Ana Ivanovic
Complete listing of the historical WTA Awards.
Karolina Pliskova takes on Asia Muhammad in the second round of the Brisbane International.