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Photos | WTA Tennis English

Photos | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970
Before heading to the desert for Indian Wells, Garbiñe Muguruza and Venus Williams stopped at New York City's Madison Square Garden for the BNP Paribas Showdown.

Before heading to the desert for Indian Wells, Garbiñe Muguruza and Venus Williams stopped at New York City’s Madison Square Garden for the BNP Paribas Showdown.

Played in honor of World Tennis Day, the 10th anniversary of the BNP Paribas showdown was a night of exhibition matches that pitted the world’s best players against each other.

Played in honor of World Tennis Day, the 10th anniversary of the BNP Paribas showdown was a night of exhibition matches that pitted the world’s best players against each other.

Venus and Garbiñe were joined by some of the ATP’s past and present stars like: Jack Sock, Juan Martin del Potro, Andy Roddick, Nick Kyrgios, Kei Nishikori and Lleyton Hewitt.

Venus and Garbiñe were joined by some of the ATP’s past and present stars like: Jack Sock, Juan Martin del Potro, Andy Roddick, Nick Kyrgios, Kei Nishikori and Lleyton Hewitt.

Before the Showdown, the players took to the JW Marriott Essex House for a meet and greet, where they signed lots of autographs.

Before the Showdown, the players took to the JW Marriott Essex House for a meet and greet, where they signed lots of autographs.

This year’s Showdown pitted Team America against Team World. Garbiñe and Kei represented Team World, alongside Nick Kyrgios and Lleyton Hewitt…

This year’s Showdown pitted Team America against Team World. Garbiñe and Kei represented Team World, alongside Nick Kyrgios and Lleyton Hewitt…

…with Venus and Andy representing Team America, alongside Jack Sock and Juan Martin del Potro.

…with Venus and Andy representing Team America, alongside Jack Sock and Juan Martin del Potro.

Madison Square Garden was packed on Monday night as the BNP Paribas Showdown kicked off.

Madison Square Garden was packed on Monday night as the BNP Paribas Showdown kicked off.

Players take the court for a night of fun and world-class tennis.

Players take the court for a night of fun and world-class tennis.

Venus teamed up with Juan Martin for mixed doubles.

Venus teamed up with Juan Martin for mixed doubles.

They took on Team World’s Garbiñe and Kei.

They took on Team World’s Garbiñe and Kei.

It was Team World who emerged victorious, winning 5-3 against America.

It was Team World who emerged victorious, winning 5-3 against America.

In fact, it wasn’t a good day at the office for Team America, as Team World won almost every match.

In fact, it wasn’t a good day at the office for Team America, as Team World won almost every match.

Venus rescued Team America from a total shutout, though.

Venus rescued Team America from a total shutout, though.

She beat Garbiñe 5-4 for Team America’s lone win.

She beat Garbiñe 5-4 for Team America’s lone win.

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Insider Podcast: Change Of Pace

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

With the 2016 French Open officially in the books, the WTA Insider team looked back at the entertaining final that saw new World No.2 Garbiñe Muguruza stun 21-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams for her first major title, and look ahead to the grass court season and all the intriguing storylines that abound heading into Wimbledon.

Can Muguruza replicate last year’s run to the final at the All England Club and avoid the dreaded post-major slump? Will Serena capture the elusive and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title at her favorite major tournament? How will Victoria Azarenka recover from her injury-addled spring? Can Timea Bacsinszky and Simona Halep turn around disappointing Roland Garros compaigns into grass court success?

All this and more on the latest episode of the WTA Insider Podcast:

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on any podcast app of your choice and 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.

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WTA Shot Of The Month: Halep

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

May was packed with plenty of amazing shots – we narrowed it down to the five best.

In the end it was Simona Halep, who showed off her quick hands and quality anticipation in her third round match against Timea Bacsinszky at the Mutua Madrid Open.

Staring down the barrel of Bacsinszky’s fearsome backhand, Halep dove for a forehand volley and the gamble paid off, helping her go on to win the match and capture her second career Premier Mandatory title.

Click here to watch all of May’s finalists.

Final Results for May’s WTA Shot Of The Month

1. Simona Halep (70%)
2. Irina-Camelia Begu (12%)
3. Serena Williams (7%)
4. Garbiñe Muguruza (6%)
5. Carla Suárez Navarro (5%)

 

2016 WTA Shot of the Month Winners

January: Caroline Wozniacki
February: Agnieszka Radwanska
March: Agnieszka Radwanska
April: Monica Niculescu


How it works:

Five shots are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com
 

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Final Preview: CoCo Vs Kiki

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Ricoh Open Final Centre Court, noon

Watch live action from Sunday’s ‘s-Hertogenbosch final on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

[3] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA #32) vs. [6] CoCo Vandeweghe (USA #43)
Head-to-head:
 Vandeweghe leads 3-0
Final Fact: Vandeweghe has hit 22 aces en route to the final.

Much has been made of American tennis’ new-found love affair with clay. However, many of the country’s contingent on tour still long for the return to the faster surfaces.

Leading this vanguard is CoCo Vandeweghe. A booming serve, a penchant for taking the ball early and a willingness to move up the court make the Californian’s game ideally suited to the hard courts on which she was raised and the grass courts she has grown to love.

The latter is a surface that has brought her much joy, too; in 2014 at  ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Vandeweghe came through qualifying to lift her maiden WTA trophy, while at Wimbledon she left a trail of seeds in her wake to reach the 2015 quarterfinals.

On Sunday she returns to the ‘s-Hertogenbosch final, where she will take on Kristina Mladenovic. An accomplished doubles player – she recently won the Roland Garros title with Caroline Garcia and in 2014 reached the Wimbledon final alongside Timea Babos – Mladenovic’s all-court game makes her a danger on grass, as she proved in reaching last year’s Birmingham semifinals.

Mladenovic was impressive in upsetting friend and top seed Belinda Bencic in the semifinals, but will be hard pushed to derail the Vandeweghe juggernaut. Apart from in the second round against Nao Hibino, Vandeweghe is yet to drop serve and has barely looked like dropping a set. The American also has history on her side, having won all three of her previous meetings with Mladenovic, at Dubai, Osaka and in qualifying during her title run at ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Road To The Final
Kristina Mladenovic
First Round: d. Yaroslava Shvedova, 64 63 (1:32)
Second Round: d. [Q] Natalia Vikhlyantseva, 57 63 64 (2:02)
Quarterfinals: d. [Q] Elise Mertens, 75 63 (1:23)
Semifinals: d. [1] Belinda Bencic, 26 63 64 (2:04)

CoCo Vandeweghe
First Round: d. [WC] Indy de Vroome, 62 64 (1:16)
Second Round: d. Nao Hibino, 62 63 (1:07)
Quarterfinals: d. Evgeniya Rodina, 62 62 (0:59)
Semifinals: d. Madison Brengle, 64 62 (1:12)

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