Tennis News

Petra Kvitova could be back on a tennis court in six months, her surgeon said on Wednesday.

The two-time Wimbledon champion underwent surgery to repair severe lacerations and damage to her left hand and fingers after she was attacked in her home in Prostejov on Tuesday.

“Surgeon Radek Kebrle said that the operation on Petra’s left hand went very well, with no complications,” Kvitova’s publicist said in a statement.

“Petra will be on bed rest for 14 days, she will begin slow rehabilitation at around 6-8 weeks post operation. If that rehabilitation process goes well, Petra should be able to grip a racket for the first time (but not play tennis) at three months. The best-case scenario is that Petra will be able to return to the tennis court after six months.

“It is too soon to specify when precisely she can return to competition, but Petra is ready to do everything she can to get back competing at the highest level. Petra is happy with how the operation went and is in good spirits.”

Kvitova had ended the season ranked No.11 after a run to a second title of 2016 at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.

MELBOURNE, Australia – The Australian Open has increased prize money to an historic high of $50 million, up 14% on 2016.  Men and women singles winners will each get $3.7m while a first round loser will receive $50,000.

“We are committed to further improving the pay and conditions on the international tennis tour to ensure every professional tennis player is properly compensated,” said Australian Open Tournament Director CEO Craig Tiley.

“It was especially important for us to increase the compensation for players in the early rounds and qualifying, and this year we have made some real gains. We are constantly reviewing ways to improve the life of every player on tour, not just the Top 100. This includes increasing prize money as well as removing as many costs as possible associated with playing our events.

“Our aim is to shift the break-even point for professional players, to ensure that tennis is a viable career option for the best male and female athletes in the world. We are also committed to equal prize money, equal exposure and equal opportunity for men and women.

“We are proud of our record in looking after the players, and will continue the push for increased prize money for professional players.”

The tournament’s prize money has more than tripled since 2001, when it was $13.9m, with a $10 million increase since 2014.

2016 Year-End World No.1 Angelique Kerber is the defending champion, having defeated then-No.1 Serena Williams in a thrilling three-set final Down Under. 

Round-by-round individual prize money for the Australian Open singles tournaments are as follows:

Karolina Pliskova

2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.11
Year-End Ranking: No.6
Season Highlights: Nottingham, Cincinnati Champion, Singapore RR
Best Major Result: RU (US Open)

2017 Outlook

Everything you need to know about Pliskova’s season happened in the space of three weeks, where runs to the Western & Southern Open title and the US Open final changed the course of her season – and perhaps her career.

“This year, I’ve had some ups and downs while last year was more solid,” she told WTA Insider after stopping Angelique Kerber from ascending to No.1 in Cincinnati. “It was different, but this year I’ve played bigger tournaments and bigger matches. I won a few, lost a few, and this one is just the biggest of my career so far.

“I’m just happy that it happened this year, because so many people were saying this year has been so bad, and, ‘You have been playing so bad,’ and everything like this. So I’m just happy even for those people, that they can see I can still win something.”

The 2016 ace leader came into the US Open as an undoubted darkhorse, but surpassed all expectations as she saved a match point to defeat Venus Williams in one of the best matches of the year. She followed that win up with an even more emphatic victory over then World No.1 Serena Williams, becoming the eighth woman to beat both Williams sisters at the same tournament – the fourth at a Grand Slam.

“There is not more than to beat both sisters in one tournament in New York,” Pkiskova said after the semifinal. “I’m really excited about those two wins.”

Pliskova narrowly lost the final to Kerber, and finished 2016 by making her debut appearance at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. The Czech youngster is eager to make even greater strides in 2017.

“With me, everything takes time,” she said in Singapore. “Next year maybe I will go out of the group. Right now I know how is it here to play. I got used to it, the system, and I’ll be more experienced next year.

Hopefully I’ll be back.”

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Great Britain’s Johanna Konta is no stranger to making British tennis history – she did plenty of that during her historic run to the Australian Open semifinals earlier in the year. This time, though, she did it without even having to lift a racquet.

Over the weekend, the 24-year-old reached a career-high ranking of No.26, the highest ranking for a Brit since Jo Durie held the spot in 1987. But as always, the milestones and accolades don’t faze the always-cool Konta.

“It looks pretty cool on paper,” Konta told wtatennis.com after being informed of the achievement. “Obviously I’m really happy to be where I am but I’m also very much focused on the process of things and just really giving my best in every match that I play.

“If do that where I’m ranked 26 or if I do that where I’m ranked 150, the objective stays the same.”

The objective was clear when Konta took the court at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel. The No.4 seed took on Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit in her first match since Melbourne.

The Brit quickly took a commanding 5-0 lead in the first set but struggled to close it out, Kontaveit winning three games in a row before Konta sealed the set 6-3. But after being given an inch, the Estonian took a mile when she came back to win the second set 6-3 and level the match. Konta’s woes continued in the third set – her serve was broken in the very first game for 0-1. Konta stayed calm, though, and got the break back and finished the match winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

“It was a tough one,” Konta said after the match. “But it was a good match, she played really well. I really had to stick in there and keep fighting every single point and really just work hard for my opportunities.”

The drama continued in Acapulco when No.8 seed Yanina Wickmayer defeated Mexican wildcard Victoria Rodriguez 6-7(5), 6-0, 7-6(2). Rodriguez – nicknamed “Chely” by her fans – was making her WTA main draw debut against Wickmayer, and she certainly did it in style too, taking Wickmayer to three sets and two points away from defeat.

No.3 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had an unexpectedly easier road to the second round, going up 6-0, 2-3 against qualifier Urszula Radwanska before a nasty-looking left ankle injury forced the Pole to retire.

“I’m actually really happy with the way I started the match and how I was playing, especially in the first set,” Pavlyuchenkova said afterwards. “I think everything was working and that’s why the score was 6-0.”

Though the match ended in a retirement, the Russian – who is coming off of a quarterfinals run in St. Petersburg – relished the chance to get in some match play and adjust to the conditions in Mexico.

“I’m still a little bit jetlagged from traveling a long time so I’m pretty happy with the way it went. Just really unlucky and feel sorry for Urzsula for hurting her ankle.”

Also in action, wildcard Naomi Osaka and No.6 seed Johanna Larsson cruised in their opening round matches while Mariana Duque-Mariño dealt an upset to Alison Van Uytvanck, sending the No.5 seed out in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 defeat.