AO Draw Ceremony: Watch It Here
Want to see the Aystralian Open draw unfold right before your eyes? Look no further – watch the live broadcast of the draw ceremony right here on wtatennis.com!
Want to see the Aystralian Open draw unfold right before your eyes? Look no further – watch the live broadcast of the draw ceremony right here on wtatennis.com!
NANCHANG, China – Francesca Schiavone moved one step closer to an eighth career title with a three-set win over Lu Jia-Jing at the Jiangxi Open on Wednesday.
Watch live action from Nanchang this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
Following Magda Linette’s 11th-hour Olympic acceptance, Schiavone was elevated to the highest-ranked player in the top half of the draw, although for the first set it was her not Lu that resembled the underdog.
“I think I was playing too short and too much counter-attacking and I told myself that I can’t keep playing like this at 36 years old and I have to go to the ball, hit the ball and make life much, much easier,” Schiavone said.
The conclusion to the first set was a war of attrition, Schiavone coming off second best in two arduous games. Eager not to continue in this vein, the Italian came out firing on the restart, racing into a 3-0 lead and wrapping up the set soon after. The decider followed a similar pattern, the No.3 seed assuming control with two early breaks before surviving a slight wobble to close out a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Nanchang has been a fixture on the WTA calendar since 2014, household names Peng Shuai and Jelena Jankovic triumphing at the first two editions. Schiavone’s bid to follow in their footsteps and lift the tournament’s striking new trophy will face a stern examination in the quarterfinals when she takes on No.7 seed Risa Ozaki.
As Schiavone stepped out on Centre Court, Ozaki was putting the finishing touches to a clinical 6-0, 6-3 win over qualifier Nicha Lertpitaksinchai. Also advancing were Zhang Kai-Lin, who defeated Miyu Kato, 6-4, 7-5, and Vania King, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Zhang Ying.
The Opening Ceremony took place in Rio de Janeiro’s famous Maracana Stadium.
The colorful routines depicted different aspects of Brazilian history and culture.
Several WTA stars walked with their Olympic delegation during the Parade of Nations, including Heather Watson with Great Britain, led by ATP player Andy Murray.
Angelique Kerber was all smiles as she took in the scenes with the German delegation.
Former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki was given the greatest honor of all as she carried the flag for Denmark.
Wozniacki was the only female tennis player to lead her country’s delegation this Olympic Games.
Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark
After the athletes walked and the Olympic flags raised, it was time for the biggest moment of the night.
The Olympic cauldron was lit, marking the start of the 31st Olympic Games.
Let the Games begin!
Highlights from the semifinal round action at the Apia International Sydney.
Nearly a decade after winning the 2007 Junior US Open crown, Kristina Kucova made her long-awaited Top 100 debut after a career week at the Rogers Cup.
“I enjoyed every minute here in Montréal,” she told press after her semifinal match against Madison Keys. “I really like everybody here.
“I’m so happy about all week because it was the greatest week of my life so far. So I’m very happy.”
Making it through qualifying – where she took out Christina McHale just to reach the main draw – Kucova knocked out a pair of Top 20 opposition in Carla Suárez Navarro and Johanna Konta. In the round of 16, she stunned former World No.5 Eugenie Bouchard in front of her home crowd, recovering from a set down under the lights.
“They were all supporting Bouchard, but in the end I felt like I was winner over all these people. I don’t know, I felt very happy that moment. Also I was happy that I could beat her after what happened in Fed Cup. I’d lost to her before, so I was happy that I could win against her.”
Her run came to an end in the final four, but she nonetheless became the first qualifier to reach the semifinals since Zi Yan in 2007, a full circle moment for Kucova, who won the girl’s singles title at the US Open over Urszula Radwanska a few weeks after Zi’s run.
“It means a lot for me, this success, but it’s not only my success. It belongs to my whole family. Especially to my parents and to my sister which brings me to the tennis from very young age.
“I have many people now around which also this success belongs to them. I would like to just say thank you also for them.”
For all of those reasons, Kucova is your Breakthrough Player of the Month!
Final Results for July’s WTA Breakthrough Performance Of The Month
1. Kristina Kucova (49%)
2. Johanna Konta (34%)
3. Laura Siegemund (12%)
4. Viktorija Golubic (5%)
2016 Breakthrough Performance Of The Month Winners
January: Zhang Shuai
February: Jelena Ostapenko
March: Nicole Gibbs
April: Cagla Buyukakcay
May: Kiki Bertens
June: Elena Vesnina
How it works:
Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com
Monica Puig takes on Belinda Bencic in the semifinals of the Apia International Sydney.
An interview with Carla Suárez Navarro before her first round at the Olympic tennis event.
Svetlana Kuznetsova takes on Monica Puig in the final of the Apia International Sydney.
An interview with Angelique Kerber before her first round at the Olympic tennis event.
The story of the tournament from the Apia International Sydney.