Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

Record-Setting Night For Keys

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Tennis fans say that the US Open hasn’t really began until a match ends after midnight. In that case, Madison Keys and Alison Riske have inaugurated the year’s last Grand Slam in style, recording the latest finish ever in a women’s match.

“I’m feeling pretty good. I just looked up, and it’s almost 2 a.m.,” Keys joked after the match. “Who wants to go party?

“My party will probably be a protein shake and then going to sleep, but you guys can go out and celebrate for me!”

Earlier in the night, Keys didn’t have much reason to celebrate just yet. Her match was the last one on Arthur Ashe Stadium after a dramatic Opening Ceremony celebration and a men’s match delayed her start time. Riske and Keys took to the court around 11:20 p.m., and shortly afterwards Keys dropped a tight opening set.

But as the clock flew past the midnight mark, Keys’ best tennis came together, rallying to a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 victory. The match ended at 1:48 a.m., the latest finish for a women’s match in US Open recorded history. The previous record was 1:35 a.m., when Samantha Stosur defeated Elena Dementieva in the fourth round back in 2010.

“I didn’t know I could play such great tennis after 1 a.m.,” Keys said. “But it had to be after 1 a.m., where I started playing a little bit better, so I think that was the key.

“I’m not usually a morning person, but this kind of morning, I am. 6 a.m., 7 a.m. is tougher.”

And as for Riske?

Source link

Doubles Crown Up For Grabs?

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Even before Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza’s headline-grabbing split, the doubles draw at this year’s US Open promised to be the most open in recent memory.

The surprise and sudden parting of Hingis and Mirza elevated rivals Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic to top seeds, although arguably not favorites. Fast forward a few weeks and hierarchy is no clearer on the eve of the opening round at Flushing Meadows.

Garcia and Mladenovic, who will start on Thursday, were handed what on paper appeared to be a relatively straightforward opening assignment against Kurumi Nara and Naomi Osaka – a rookie partnership not famed for their success in doubles. Nevertheless, with the French duo badly out of form – they have mustered together a total of just four wins since lifting the Roland Garros crown at the start of the summer – nothing is a formality.

Beyond that, the draw has been relatively kind; indeed, should they recover the joie de vivre that carried them through an all-conquering clay court season, a place in the last eight beckons.

There they are seeded to meet Mirza and her new partner, Barbora Strycova. In their first tournament, the two hit the ground running, collecting a title that would also give Mirza sole ownership of the No.1 ranking.

Hopes of more success were boosted by Strycova’s early singles exit, leaving the No.7 seeds’ opening week schedule clear to focus on avoiding a similar fate at their first major in unison.

Hingis is also in the top half, and also competing alongside a player smarting from a surprise loss flying solo: CoCo Vandeweghe. However, the draw has been less generous, placing them in a section containing several regular pairings, starting with Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke.

Should they come through the early rounds unscathed, a potential quarterfinal showdown with 2013 winners and recent Olympic silver medalists Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka awaits.

The title favorites are arguably to be found in a bottom half of the draw containing No.2 seeds Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan, Wimbledon finalists Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova, and former champions Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.

Seeded No.5 this time, Makarova and Vesnina find themselves in a relatively unthreatening section, the stiffest competition likely to come from Vania King and Monica Niculescu. The Chan sisters, who fell in the quarterfinals 12 months ago, appear equally well-placed to reach the second week.

Since coming so close to tasting Wimbledon glory, Babos and Shvedova have made a couple of solid if unspectacular showings on the North American hardcourt circuit, leaving them relatively fresh for New York. They will begin with a potentially tricky assignment against crowd favorite CiCi Bellis and Julia Boserup.

Also in their section are a number of experience pairings, including Kiki Bertens and Johanna Larsson, No.8 seeds Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova, and two-time major winners Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova.

Source link

Muguruza Seeking Balance After Highs And Lows Of 2016

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Garbiñe Muguruza

2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.3
Year-End Ranking: No.7
Season Highlights: Title at Roland Garros, semifinals in Rome and Cincinnati
Best Major Result: Champion (French Open)

2017 Outlook

World No.7 Garbiñe Muguruza’s 2016 season was a study in contrasts.

Following up and down results at the start of the year, the 23-year-old peaked at the right time to stun the world and claim her maiden major at the French Open.

But she didn’t advance past the third round at any other Grand Slam, and didn’t reach a WTA final all year long, with her best results coming in the form of semifinals appearances at Rome and Cincinnati.

The mercurial Spaniard was the first to acknowledge the mental toll of her season’s extreme highs and lows.

“Winning Roland Garros has been the best and worst part of the year,” Muguruza admitted to Marca in October ahead of the WTA Finals. “It might sound strange but it was like a double-edged sword.

“I won Roland Garros, but at other tournaments it was hard for me to play at the same level… I felt more responsibility, more pressure, more eyes on me, more of a feeling that you have to win because it’s what is expected of you.”

Looking ahead to 2017, Muguruza will look to step off the rollercoaster and regain the one aspect missing from her world-beater game: consistency.

“[My objective after winning Roland Garros] is to never believe that at 25 years old you will have achieved everything that you want, because in the end no player reaches their highest level at 22.

“I’ll take my time with everything. And if it doesn’t come next year, well, so it goes. That’s how I try to reassure myself.”

Source link

Keys & Kvitova Sprint Into Third Round

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – No.8 Madison Keys and No.14 seed Petra Kvitova notched straight set wins today on their way to the third round at the US Open.

After her record-setting 2 a.m. finish in the first round, Keys is certainly pleased that her straight sets victory over fellow American Kayla Day went much quicker. Keys needed just 49 minutes to complete the 6-1, 6-1 victory.

“It’s funny because this is still technically a late finish, but I’ll take this one over the 2:00 a.m. any day,” Keys joked in her post-match press conference. “I was really happy that I got on the court, kind of went out there and did what I wanted to do from the start, and was able to get off the court as a semi-decent hour.”

At 16 years old, Day was the youngest woman in the second round after she advanced past an ailing Madison Brengle. She was thoroughly outgunned and outplayed by Keys, who hit 25 winners to 14 unforced errors against Day’s six and 15. Keys was dominant on serve – winning 96 percent of points behind her first serve – as well as at the net, winning 92 percent of points at the net.

Earlier in the day, Kvitova faced a stern challenge from Turkish trailblazer Cagla Buyukakcay, 7-6(2), 6-3.

Buyukakcay continued her historic 2016 season at Flushing Meadows, where last round she became the first player from Turkey to feature in the US Open main draw. She entered the tournament at a career-high rank of No.66, but her meteoric rise was halted by two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova.

The No.16-ranked Czech weathered a slow start against Buyukakcay, who broke her serve to start the match. Kvitova grabbed the break back, but neither player could hang on to a lead for very long, sending the opening set into a tiebreak.

The Czech rattled off seven points in a row to shut Buyukakcay out of the first set, then a pair of late breaks in the second secured her spot in the third round.

“I’m happy how I handled the first set, especially when I was up and I couldn’t really make it in on the first set,” Kvitova explained.

“And the second set I know that she can still play, and she did at the end of the first set. I was trying still to be focused.

“I think the serve was a little bit better in the second set, but still I think my forehand helped me a lot today. I was just waiting for the chance to break her then.”

Kvitova will face the No.22 seed Elina Svitolina for a spot in the fourth round.

Source link

Ana Ivanovic Retires From Professional Tennis

Ana Ivanovic Retires From Professional Tennis

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA – Ana Ivanovic announced today that she is ending her memorable 14-year career and retiring from professional tennis. The winner of 15 WTA singles titles, a Grand Slam champion and the first Serbian player to hold the top ranking in the world, Ivanovic concludes a career that saw her become one of the best and most respected players in the history of the WTA.

“I’ve decided to retire from professional tennis. It has been a difficult decision, but there is so much to celebrate,” Ivanovic told fans in a message via her Facebook page. “I began dreaming of tennis when I was five and saw Monica Seles play on TV. My parents backed me all the way, and by the time I was ranked No.1 in the world and won Roland Garros in 2008, I’ve seen the heights I’ve never dreamt of achieving.”

“I won 15 WTA titles, played so many memorable matches – I would say not bad for a tiny slip of a girl from Serbia!”

She added: “Seeing those heights in any professional sport requires top physical form, and it’s well-known that I’ve been hampered by injury. I can only play if I can perform up to my own high standards, and I can no longer do that. So it’s time to move on.”

Ana Ivanovic

The 29-year-old exits the game having been one of only 21 players to have ever held the WTA World No.1 ranking, ascending to the top spot on June 9, 2008. Ivanovic held the No.1 ranking for a total of 12 weeks, from June 9 – August 10, 2008 for 9 weeks before capturing the top spot again for three more weeks until September 7, 2008.

Ivanovic recorded her career best season in 2008 when she claimed the Roland Garros title, catapulting her to the WTA World No.1 ranking. She also won titles at Indian Wells and Linz and was runner-up at the Australian Open that same season.

Ivanovic turned professional in 2003 and won her first WTA title in 2005 at Canberra. In addition to her 15 career WTA singles titles, she held eight runner-up trophies including 2007 Roland Garros and 2008 Australian Open. In 2014, Ivanovic won a WTA-leading 58 matches highlighted by a single-season best four singles titles, with her 15th and final WTA title coming at Tokyo (Pan Pacific). The Serbian holds 480 career match wins and qualified for the WTA Finals on three occasions – in 2007, 2008 and 2014.

 Ana Ivanovic

Off the court, Ivanovic has served as UNICEF National Ambassador to Serbia since 2007, specializing in child safety in schools. She has been recognized with numerous awards surrounding her accomplished career, including the 2008 Jerry Diamond WTA Aces Award recognizing off court participation, the WTA’s Most Improved Player in 2005 and 2007, nominated for U.S. Secretary of State’s 2007 International Women of Courage Award, and named one of the “30 Legends of Women’s Tennis: Past, Present and Future” by TIME Magazine in June 2011.

“Ana is a true champion and a great ambassador for the sport of women’s tennis,” said Steve Simon, WTA CEO and Chairman. “She has contributed greatly to the entire sport, both in her home country of Serbia and across the globe. She will certainly be missed on our tour as she is not only one of a very select few that achieved the WTA No.1 ranking but is also one of the most respected players on Tour.”

Ivanovic played her last professional match at the 2016 US Open, falling in the first round and subsequently hampered with a recurring wrist injury which prevented her from competing the rest of the season.

Ana Ivanovic

Source link

Champions Corner: Sara Errani

Champions Corner: Sara Errani

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Sara Errani was as shocked as anyone on Sunday, as she routed Barbora Strycova 6-0, 6-2 to win the biggest title of her career at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The title, the ninth of her career, capped off a surprising week in Dubai, which saw the 28-year-old Italian rebound from a poor start to the season and emerge from a decimated draw that saw upsets after upsets, day after day.

After finishing inside the Top 20 for the fourth consecutive year, Errani had struggled to string together wins before Dubai. Entering the tournament she had just two wins on the tour level – both in Sydney – and was coming off an 0-2 weekend in Fed Cup, where she lost to Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic. Errani said after that Fed Cup weekend, she considered withdrawing from Dubai.

“Yeah, [I thought about] maybe taking two or three weeks to just relax, try to recharge the energy and everything,” Errani told reporters. “But in the end with my coach we think it, and he say, Come on. Let’s go. You are ready to suffer. You are ready to fight.

“This is important. Doesn’t matter how it goes. If it goes Love and Love in the first round, doesn’t matter for me. I just want to go there and try to do the best that we can because there are many weeks that you don’t feel 100%. So you just have to be ready to whatever comes.”

Errani couldn’t have asked for a better draw in Dubai to get her confidence back in check. She opened with back-to-back wins over qualifiers Zhang Saisai and Yaroslava Shvedova, before rallying to beat Madison Brengle in three sets and then rolling past Elina Svitolina and Strycova. Errani will be back in the Top 20 on Monday.

Sara Errani

“There is no explanation,” Errani said, when asked about her turnaround week. “Of course you work to be ready to the matches, but you never know which days you can play better or worse.

“The only thing I know is that I was ready to suffer, to stay on the court also in bad moments, or when I was not playing really good and just stay there. This is my mentally always. I know that doesn’t matter if you play good, bad, or whatever. Just the more important thing is just to stay there and try your best.”

But Errani may be selling herself short when she dismissed any explanation for her title run. After all, the theme of last week was resilience, and if you want to put a finer point on it, Italian resilience. Errani’s win kick-started a banner three days for the Italian veterans on tour, as 35-year-old Francesca Schiavone won her first title in nearly three years at the Rio Open, and 33-year-old Roberta Vinci became the oldest woman to make her top 10 debut. Who would have thought any of these results were in the cards 12 months ago.

“I can come here and lose first round, but if I try, everything is good for me,” Errani explained. “Doesn’t matter. You never know what can happen.

“Even in 2012, never thinking to do a final in Roland Garros and then it comes. So you cannot have objectives before because maybe can come something more or something worse.”

WTA Insider caught up with Errani after her triumph in Dubai for a quick chat before she was whisked away by the tournament director for more handshakes and congratulations. She was, undoubtedly, the woman of the hour.

Sara Errani

WTA Insider: How does it feel to win such a big title in Dubai?
Errani: It’s amazing for me. It’s the biggest title that I won in my life so I’m really happy for sure.

WTA Insider: You actually considered not playing Dubai this week after a tough pair of losses at Fed Cup. What changed your mind?
Errani: Yeah. It was a tough moment and my coach and I were thinking to rest some weeks to recover the energy. Then we decided to come and it was really good for me.

WTA Insider: You came to Dubai with just two wins this season. I think it’s fair to say no one saw this result coming. How surprised are you?
Errani: I’m really surprised. Even in the first round I was down 5-1 in the first set to Zhang so there were tough moments throughout the week. But I’m really happy.

WTA Insider: What will a win like this do for your confidence going forward?
Errani: Of course, winning matches at a tournament like this is nice for my tennis. I hope to continue, to improve more, and make more results.

WTA Insider: You said you were experiencing some “tough moments” after Fed Cup that almost kept you out of this tournament. Can you explain what was going on?
Errani: Ah, that is something that will stay with me and my family and my team, so sorry, I will not speak about this.

WTA Insider: At the end of last season, when you spoke to your coach about the season, what was your assessment?
Errani: It was a good year for me. I finished in the Top 20, I won a tournament in Rio. It was not the best year for me but I had some good results so I was happy about that.

WTA Insider: So what was your mentality going into 2016?
Errani: Just to improve, to keep going, to improve every day. to put the good work in the pre-season and try to be ready for the next year.

Source link

Insider Podcast: Big Upsets On Ashe

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Anastasija Sevastova claimed the biggest shock thus far at the 2016 US Open, holding her nerve to defeat World No.3 Garbiñe Muguruza, 7-5, 6-4. The win came hours after Caroline Wozniacki had a renaissance of her own on Arthur Ashe Stadium, turning back the clock to take out No.9 seed and longtime rival Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets following a slow start.

In the latest Daily Dispatch from Flushing, hear more from Muguruza and Sevastova in their own words as the WTA Insider team analyze the upsets from Day 3, and make their picks for the most exciting matches on Thursday’s order of play:

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or on any podcast app of your choice to ensure you never miss an episode when they go live. Reviews are always helpful, so if you like what you’ve heard so far, leave us one. You can also get new episode alerts by following us on Twitter @WTA_Insider.

Follow @WTA_Insider

Source link

US Open Friday: Kerber’s Quest Continues

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Angelique Kerber continues her quest for No.1 as the bottom half of the draw contests its third-round matches in New York on Friday. Chris Oddo previews a busy schedule at wtaennis.com.

Friday, Third Round

[2] Angelique Kerber (GER #2) vs. [Q] CiCi Bellis (USA #158)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Kerber will ascend to the No.1 ranking if Serena Williams does not reach the semifinals in New York.

Angelique Kerber will bid for her 50th win of the season against a 17-year-old fan favorite that relishes the big stage. That 17-year-old would be Catherine Bellis, a diminutive Northern Californian with a surprisingly big game. Bellis came through in three sets on Wednesday, defeating Shelby Rogers to reach the third round at the Open for the first time. Bellis famously became the youngest player to win a match at the US Open since 1996 when she defeated Dominika Cibulkova as a 15-year-old two years ago. On Friday her challenge will be even greater. Bellis will face No.2-ranked Angelique Kerber, a player very much in form and in her prime, and the American knows she’s in for a tough test. Kerber is in the hunt for the No.1 ranking and will bid to reach the second week at the US Open for the fourth time, and first time since 2013. “She’s No.2 in the world obviously and an amazing player,” Bellis said of the German. “It will be a lot of fun for me.” Kerber, who leads the tour in wins, hardcourt wins and Top 10 wins this season, will do her best to ensure that the youngster doesn’t have too much fun.

Pick: Kerber in two

[14] Petra Kvitova (CZE #16) vs. [22] Elina Svitolina (UKR #19)
Head-to-head: Kvitova leads, 3-1
Key Stat: Kvitova reached her first US Open quarterfinal in 2015.

What has Petra Kvitova been up to on her off days at the US Open? Oh, just not practicing. It may sound strange, but it’s true. The Czech says she has been doing everything she can to avoid the stress of the big city, so she passes on the New York City commute on her off days and instead practices on the day of her matches only. “I didn’t practice yesterday,” Kvitova told WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen on Wednesday after her straight-sets win over Cagla Buyukakcay. “I had a day off, so I didn’t come on-site. So that’s a new tradition I think from last year.” Kvitova says she instead does fitness off-site and spends the time saved luxuriating with a coffee in Manhattan. The Czech will hope the new routine leaves her rested and ready for her second meeting in less than a month with Elina Svitolina. Kvitova pummeled the Ukrainian 6-2, 6-0 at the Rio Olympics. The No.22-seed has needed three sets in each of her first two matches in New York.

Pick: Kvitova in two

[8] Madison Keys (USA #9) vs. Naomi Osaka (JAP #81)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Keys owns a 13-4 record in three-setters in 2016.

After Garbiñe Muguruza’s sudden departure from the draw on Wednesday, 21-year-old Madison Keys is the highest-seeded player remaining in her quarter of the draw. Will she take advantage of the opportunity? To do so she’ll have to get by the young, powerful Naomi Osaka of Japan in a first-time meeting. Osaka has yet to fail to reach the third round in all three of her career Grand Slam appearances, but has yet to go beyond. To do so at the Open, she’ll have to upend a blossoming star on her home soil. Keys trounced 16-year-old Kayla Day, 6-1, 6-1 on Wednesday, but the American knows her next test could be a tricky one. “She’s an aggressive player,” Keys said of Osaka. “She’s been playing well. She’s steadily been moving up the rankings. She’s going to be a tough opponent.”

Pick: Keys in three

[13] Johanna Konta (GBR #14) vs. [24] Belinda Bencic (SUI #26)
Head-to-head: Bencic leads, 2-1
Key Stat: Bencic reached the US Open quarterfinals as a 17-year-old in 2014.

Johanna Konta barely survived a harrowing struggle on Day 3, but the top Brit lives to see another day in New York. Konta wilted in the heat and collapsed to the court during her second-round encounter with Tsvetana Pironkova, and was immediately treated by medical staff. Remarkably, the 25-year-old made a stunning return to form to complete her victory over the Bulgarian. It took courage and resilience for Konta to continue; now she’s hoping for a strong recovery before she meets Belinda Bencic on Friday “We push our bodies to the limits… I definitely hit, you know, one of my limits,” Konta said, before adding: “I feel very fortunate that I have one more chance to play here, to give my best again.” Bencic had a much simpler second-round match. She emphatically moved past Andrea Petkovic in straight sets to reach the third round in Queens for the third consecutive year.

Pick: Konta in three

By the Numbers…
3 – Players with a shot at the No.1 ranking at the end of the US Open (Serena Williams, Angelique Kerber and Agnieszka Radwanska).
20-13 – Roberta Vinci‘s US Open record. The Italian was 12-12 at New York through 2014.
1 – Number of players in Top 10 to have yet to play in a Grand Slam final (Madison Keys).

Source link

Wozniacki Resurgence Continues

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Caroline Wozniacki’s US Open revival gathered further momentum as she brushed aside Monica Niculescu to reach the fourth round.

Having arrived at Flushing Meadows with little form to speak of, Wozniacki has been one of the stories of the opening week, following up her upset of No.9 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova with another impressive showing. The two-time finalist dissected Niculescu’s unorthodox game to win, 6-3, 6-1.

As she did against Kuznetsova, the Dane delivered a tidy performance, her sprightly movement betraying no signs of the ankle injury that sidelined her for much of the spring. After trading a couple of early breaks, Wozniacki struck again to edge 3-1 ahead, maintaining this advantage – despite a fraught final service game – to close out the set.

The Romanian had failed to take a set from Wozniacki in their six previous meetings and never looked like breaking this spell, quickly slipping 3-0 behind. With the former No.1 prevailing in the battle of wills from the baseline match point soon arrived, Niculescu surrendering as a drop shot drifted tamely wide.

“I think it’s fun to play against her but also really frustrating because she makes you feel like you can’t play tennis,” Wozniacki said. “You have to be mentally prepared to grind it out. It wasn’t pretty, but I got a good workout running after her drop shots. I just need to step in and hit the ball and go for it. Otherwise, I have no chance.”

Meeting Wozniacki for a place in the quarterfinals will be Madison Keys, who kept alive hopes of a maiden Grand Slam title by producing what she described as the comeback of her career. Trailing Naomi Osaka 5-1 in the final set, the No.8 seed looked dead and buried only to capitalize on some finishing line nerves to somehow turn the match around.

Serving for the match at 5-2, Osaka missed a presentable forehand volley that left her fighting back the tears. And while she regrouped admirably to force a tie-break, her moment had passed, Keys powering towards a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(3) victory.

Source link