Social Buzz: Mud, Glorious Mud
Serena Williams is at the beach – and Melanie Oudin is running through swathes of mud.
Serena Williams is at the beach – and Melanie Oudin is running through swathes of mud.
Sloane Stephens is on the comeback trail following surgery on her left foot – and her latest social media update shows her recovery is going well.
She tweeted: “Day 1 walking…EXCITED!” and accompanied that with a short video clip showing her smiling and taking a few tentative steps.
Day 1 walking… EXCITED!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/47PReC1EGT
— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) April 18, 2017
The American picked up the injury last summer, and although she had hoped rest would help her to recover from it, she announced at the start of 2017 that it would require an operation.
She plans to return to the tour this summer.
Garbiñe Muguruza has Wednesday’s shot of the day at the Brisbane International.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Julia Goerges powered through to the ASB Classic final on Friday, but the second semifinal – pitting Caroline Wozniacki against Sloane Stephens – was stopped due to rain.
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The first semifinal wrapped up before the skies opened, though Goerges did serve up a storm against Tamira Paszek – the German lost just six points in her first seven service games, eventually dropping serve mid-way through the second set but regrouping to close out the Austrian qualifier, 6-4, 6-2.
With the win, Goerges moves through to a WTA final for the first time in almost four years – her last WTA final came at Dubai in 2012 (falling to Agnieszka Radwanska). She’s 2-3 lifetime in WTA finals.
“I must say it feels very good to be in a final again after such a long time,” Goerges said. “But overall it was a very, very good match from my side – played very aggressively, served decently in the first set. Second set wasn’t a good first serve percentage, but it was a very, very good match from me.”
The former World No.15 will have to wait until Saturday morning to find out her opponent in the final, though, as the second semifinal – pitting No.3 seed Wozniacki against No.5 seed Stephens – was cancelled for the day due to rain. Stephens had opened up a 5-2 lead when the rain started to fall.
Here’s a taste of what Stephens was bringing to the table, courtesy of the WTA Twitter account:
Passingggg Shot! #WTA pic.twitter.com/QNEXyIkTC2
— WTA (@WTA) January 8, 2016
Sloane in the zone! @SloaneStephens hitting all the shots right now. #WTA pic.twitter.com/G1YfcgwEWy
— WTA (@WTA) January 8, 2016
Angelique Kerber takes on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International.
Chapter four of tennis’ history as a modern day Olympic sport was written in Sydney as the Games entered the new millennium and a new generation of stars looked to make their mark…
Sydney, Australia, 2000
Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Center
Hardcourt
The Olympic motto inscribed above the player’s entrance to the Sydney Olympic Tennis Center reads “Citius, altius, fortius”, and it is fitting that the player who moved faster, jumped higher and hit stronger than any other in 2000 was the one with a gold medal draped round her neck at the end of the Games.
Looking back, it is strange to think that going into the 2000 season there were question marks hanging over Venus Williams. Since breaking through at the 1997 US Open, Williams had struggled to deliver the results her talent deserved, watching her rivals – Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and even sister, Serena – take home the major prizes.
This all changed in 2000 as Williams finally shook off her tag as tennis’ nearly woman by winning Wimbledon and the US Open. On the back of these triumphs, she arrived Down Under riding high on a 26-match winning streak and, despite not being on top of the rankings, was definitely the player to beat.
Her principal rivals for gold in Sydney were compatriots Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles as the United States looked to continue its dominance of tennis at the Games.
However, for Davenport, who struck gold four years earlier, the Games would end early, when a foot injury forced her to withdraw prior to her second round-match with Rossana de los Ríos.
Seles, meanwhile, eager to make up for the disappointment of a quarterfinal exit in Atlanta, was in fearsome form, racing past her first four opponents and into the semifinals. Waiting for her there was Williams.
In four previous meetings between the two, Seles has won a solitary set and her fortunes were not about to change; despite a mid-match walkabout on serve, Williams always had the upper hand, eventually winning in three.
The final itself proved to be something of an anticlimax.
Few expected 18-year-old Elena Dementieva to make it that far, and for the first set she looked in a state of shock herself. By the time she did settle, it was too late, Williams had found her groove and was racing off towards the finish line.
The harder the Russian tried, the better Williams played. Whatever she attempted – inside out forehands, down the line backhands all came back with interest – merely succeeded in inspiring the American.
Before long match point had arrived, and moments later Williams was dancing round the court, racquet in one hand, flag in the other. A memorable end to a memorable summer.
——
Olympic Memories: Atlanta
Olympic Memories: Barcelona
Olympic Memories: Seoul
Play will begin at Rio’s newly built Olympic Tennis Center on Saturday, but before then the WTA’s finest have been limbering up…
Venus Williams won gold in Sydney and was working hard ahead of her record-equalling fifth Olympics.
And after practice Venus was only too happy to fulfil her sisterly duties.
Fresh from her title run in Stanford, World No.13 Johanna Konta is a dark horse in the singles.
While British No.2 Heather Watson will hope to improve on her second-round showing at London 2012.
No.2 seed Angelique Kerber was all smiles ahead of her second Olympics.
Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova and Daria Kasatkina were also hard at work on the practice courts.
Kasatkina is one of just three teenagers in the singles draw in Rio.
World No.9 Madison Keys is into the semifinals of the Olympic tennis event in Rio on her debut appearance. Earlier this week, the American sat down with the New York Times to discuss her beauty and health regimen and how she keeps it up despite traveling the world week in and week out.
For Keys, who is constantly under the sun, skin care is the most important thing:
The first thing I put on is sunscreen. I do it within 15 minutes of waking up so I’m protected by the time I’m out the door.
I use moisturizer only at night — Philosophy Hope in a Jar. Two or three times a week, I do a Caudalíe face mask. It’s a purifying one because I have combination skin, and I’m sweating so often. It can be really tough to keep clear skin, especially if you’re wearing a visor. It’s just sitting on your head, and you break out underneath it. It can be a disaster.
And here’s her sage approach to diet and exercise:
“I have to eat pretty healthy to stay in shape, but a big part of my diet is having that occasional dessert. My favorite is Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked ice cream. But I have to watch it. I’m lactose intolerant, so sometimes I’ll do the Ben & Jerry’s lactose-free line.
For a tennis player, the toughest part of training is the off-season. That’s when we’re doing tons of tough fitness — maybe two to three hours in the gym. Obviously as you get closer to the tournaments, you spend more time on the court. Right now, I’m spending two and a half to three hours on the court every day.”
Check out her New York Times feature to hear what the Olympic semifinalist has to say about hair care, her go-to makeup, acupuncture and more.
MELBOURNE, Australia – Playing just her third match of 2016, Garbiñe Muguruza looked in solid form en route to a two-set win over the unseeded Kirsten Flipkens, winning, 6-4, 6-2, on Rod Laver Arena.
The No.3 seed had been forced to retire during her season debut at the Brisbane International, but the Spaniard has shown few signs of stress at the Australian Open, hitting 23 winners past Flipkens, who was only able to hit six over her own against last year’s Wimbledon finalist.
“I’m extremely happy after today,” Muguruza said during her on-court interviw. “Kirsten is a very difficult opponent with a unique game, so I’m very happy to be in the third round.”
On a cool day in Melbourne, Muguruza raced out to a 5-1 lead in the second set. Though Flipkens was able to force her higher-ranked opponent to serve it out, it was smooth sailing at the end of the 78 minute match for the No.3 seed, who promptly held at love to reach the third round Down Under for the second straight year.
“I think the weather is very important for us. I think this temperature is perfect but I also like to play in hot weather, so either way, it’s great!”
Up next for Muguruza is Barbora Strycova, who edged past comeback kid Vania King, 7-6(5), 6-4; the two-time women’s doubles Grand Slam champion had been out for most of last year with a back injury, and though she had her chances, the Czech veteran proved too strong in the end.
Strycova and Muguruza have met twice before, with the Spaniard taking both of their meetings in straight sets, though she was clear in the notion that no one is to be underestimated – especially at this time of year.
“This is a Grand Slam where everyone is extremely fit because we’re coming from the pre-season so every match is very tough.
“I’m just happy to be here, playing great tennis.”
WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen | In the latest WTA Insider Live Blog, follow along with all the action as the medals are in reach for the semifinalists in Rio.