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Masarova Keeps Gstaad Run Going

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

GSTAAD, Switzerland – World No.797 Rebeka Masarova’s dream run at the Ladies Championship Gstaad continued on Saturday with a straight set win over No.5 seed Annika Beck.

Delivering another performance to belie her tender years – and lowly ranking – Masarova prevailed 7-5, 6-2 to set up an all-Swiss semifinal with Viktorija Golubic.

Earlier this summer, Masarova tripped up a couple of highly touted rivals to lift the junior French Open title. It was a performance that earned her a wildcard for the WTA’s return to Swiss soil, a chance she grabbed with both hands by knocking out first former No.1 Jelena Jankovic then Anett Kontaveit in the opening two rounds.

Beck had her chances, but despite serving for the opening set she was unable to avoid becoming the 16-year-old’s third Top 100 victim.

“It’s just amazing that I’ve won another match. I can’t quite believe I’ve beaten three Top 100 players so far this week. I think I played a great match against Annika and I hope I can keep this going in the semis!”

Golubic was made to work far harder in her quarterfinal, eventually subduing Carina Witthoeft, 7-6(4), 7-6(4).

The other semifinal will also feature a Swiss player, after top seed Timea Bacsinszky raced past Johanna Larsson, 6-0, 6-1 in just 56 minutes. Her reward is a meeting with No.3 seed Kiki Bertens, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Irina Khromacheva.

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News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – USANA Health Sciences and the WTA tour have kicked off the fourth annual Aces for Humanity campaign in support of the USANA True Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide immediate and long-term assistance to suffering populations worldwide. USANA is a global nutritional company and has been a longstanding partner of the WTA since 2006.

Beginning with the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California this week, every ace served at a Premier-level WTA event will translate into a donation for the Foundation. For every ace served by the four USANA Brand Ambassadors (Caroline Wozniacki, Eugenie Bouchard, Monica Puig and Zheng Saisai), the WTA will contribute $20 toward the campaign, while every ace served by any other WTA player will translate into a $5 donation.

Collectively, 493 aces were recorded by USANA Brand Ambassadors during the 2016 campaign, and through this program and other charitable efforts, the WTA has contributed over $140,000 to the USANA True Health Foundation since 2011.

“We are thankful to be partnering with the WTA and our Brand Ambassadors for another year of Aces for Humanity,” said Brian Paul, the Foundation’s Executive Director of Communications.

“One hundred percent of every dollar donated to the Foundation goes directly toward charitable purposes, and the money raised through this campaign has allowed us to aid thousands of lives each year. We look forward to continuing our efforts alongside the WTA and doing our part to make the world a happier and healthier place.”

USANA

In 2016, money raised through several fundraising projects, including Aces for Humanity, allowed the Foundation to do the following:
• Provide over 6.2 million meals through its partnership with the Children’s Hunger Fund.
• Supply over $180,000 to support health education programs, food and home construction.
• Give $738,722 in Usanimals children’s multivitamins to orphanages, clinics and mercy networks throughout the world.
• Donate $180,234 in additional relief to New Zealand, Philippines, Hong Kong, France, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Mexico.

“I’m proud to be a USANA Brand Ambassador not only because I believe in the products but because USANA is committed to making a difference in the lives of those suffering and in need,” said Olympic Gold Medalist Monica Puig. “USANA is all about health and wellness, and through the USANA True Health Foundation, it’s for all people. I’m honored to help raise awareness for this worthwhile cause.”

This year the program will also involve regular social giveaways, including autographed tennis balls and USANA products. For official rules, head to wtatennis.com.

“The WTA is proud to continue its support of the remarkable efforts of the USANA True Health Foundation,” said Steve Simon, WTA CEO and Chairman. “Through our longstanding partnership with USANA and the Aces for Humanity campaign, we are able to provide meaningful assistance to those in need, which is something we greatly value.”


#AcesForHumanity Fan Giveaway

It’s simple: before each WTA Premier tournament guess how many total aces will be hit.
First up is the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Last year there was a total of 489 aces hit. It’s now your turn, take your best guess of how many will be hit this year.

How To Enter:
• Follow @WTA and @USANAFoundation on Twitter and before each WTA Premier tournament tweet the number of aces you predict will be hit during the whole tournament (Singles, Main Draw)
• Include the hashtag #AcesForHumanity
• Indian Wells deadline is Thursday, March 9 at 11:59pm ET.
• The winner will be announced Monday, March 20.

Aces For Humanity is a joint WTA and USANA initiative that benefits the USANA True Health Foundation, which provides critical human necessities to those in suffering or in need around the globe.

For full rules on how to enter, click here.

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Fearless Golubic Grabs Gstaad

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

GSTAAD, Switzerland – Local favorite Victorija Golubic capped off a dream week by winning her first WTA title at the inaugural Ladies Championship Gstaad. Golubic defeated Kiki Bertens 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 after a two-hour battle to claim the title in her home country.

More to come…

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Ozaki Halts Stephens Title Defense

Ozaki Halts Stephens Title Defense

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WASHINGTON DC, USA – No.136-ranked Risa Ozaki scored the biggest win of her career in the opening round of the Citi Open, knocking out defending champion Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-1.

The 22 year old from Japan came into the matchup having won just two WTA-level matches all year long, but put all that disappointment behind her against the No.23-ranked American.

Despite being broken in the opening game, Ozaki turned up the intensity and rattled off the next nine games in a row to leave Stephens reeling, down a set and a break. The American held serve to get her name on the score board at 3-1, but it wasn’t enough to turn around Ozaki’s momentum as she swept the match in just 57 minutes.

“I just played real bad. Nothing more, nothing less,” Stephens assessed after the match. “Today just sucked, it was just one of those days where everything was really bad.”

“Obviously, I’m not the first person to have a bad day and I won’t be the last. Hopefully I can pull myself together and next week will be better than this week. I won’t look too deep into this.”

Ozaki’s win sets up a second-round clash with on-the-rise Brit Naomi Broady, who saw off Irina Falconi in straight sets earlier in the day, 6-3, 6-4.

Camila Giorgi

Giorgi Ousts No.5 Seed Bouchard

The unseeded Camila Giorgi snapped a four-match losing streak in her straight sets upset over No.5 seed Eugenie Bouchard in their Washington DC opener. Even more impressive, Giorgi recorded her first win against the Canadian; she previously hadn’t even won a set against Bouchard in either of their previous two encounters.

Bouchard initially struggled against the pace of the Italian’s high octane game, falling a break down in the opening set.

“My game is based on moving forward as soon as I can,” Giorgi said, speaking to Tennis Channel after the match. “Today it worked, I think, almost everything.”

Facing elimination at a set down and 5-2 in the second, Bouchard gritted out a pair of back to back games to cut into Giorgi’s lead, and even held game point on her serve at 5-4 to try to even the score. But the ultra-aggressive Giorgi saw off her challenge with her usual calm, quick game, climbing back from 15-40 to take the match 7-5, 6-4.

After the match, she immediately grabbed her cell phone to make a very special call.

“I called my dad, my coach,” Giorgi said. “He told me I played a good game, very aggressive. He was happy.”

Giorgi will go on to play Tamira Paszek in the next round. The Austrian No.108 took down American qualifier Lauren Albanese in a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win.

More to come… 

– All photos courtesy of Citi Open and Getty Images

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