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Around The Grounds At The Australian Open

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970
Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka were joined by four colorful characters at the Australian Open Kids Tennis Day – as well as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka were joined by four colorful characters at the Australian Open Kids Tennis Day – as well as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Eugenie Bouchard’s loyal fans, the “Genie Army,” were out in full force in sunny Melbourne.

Eugenie Bouchard’s loyal fans, the “Genie Army,” were out in full force in sunny Melbourne.

Australian player Daria Gavrilova thrilled Aussie fans with her spirited performance at her home slam. The 21-year-old made the Round of 16, her best result ever at a slam.

Australian player Daria Gavrilova thrilled Aussie fans with her spirited performance at her home slam. The 21-year-old made the Round of 16, her best result ever at a slam.

Down the road from Melbourne Park, Johanna Konta stands under the distinctive clocks of Flinders Street Station. Konta made British tennis history by becoming the first woman in 33 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

Down the road from Melbourne Park, Johanna Konta stands under the distinctive clocks of Flinders Street Station. Konta made British tennis history by becoming the first woman in 33 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley presents Maria Sharapova with a cake commemorating a major milestone: she reached 600 career singles wins after her victory in the third round.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley presents Maria Sharapova with a cake commemorating a major milestone: she reached 600 career singles wins after her victory in the third round.

Australian Open quarterfinalist Angelique Kerber makes a young fan happy at Autograph Island.

Australian Open quarterfinalist Angelique Kerber makes a young fan happy at Autograph Island.

Naomi Osaka wants to be the very best, like no one ever was. The 18-year-old Japanese – pictured here meeting the penguins at Melbourne Aquarium – made the third round at the Australian Open.

Naomi Osaka wants to be the very best, like no one ever was. The 18-year-old Japanese – pictured here meeting the penguins at Melbourne Aquarium – made the third round at the Australian Open.

Serena Williams signs autographs after her Round of 16 win. The World No.1 has yet to drop a set in her Australian Open title defense.

Serena Williams signs autographs after her Round of 16 win. The World No.1 has yet to drop a set in her Australian Open title defense.

Annika Beck dealt the No.11 seed Timea Bacsinszky a second-round upset, and doled out many autographs at the Australian Open Autograph Island.

Annika Beck dealt the No.11 seed Timea Bacsinszky a second-round upset, and doled out many autographs at the Australian Open Autograph Island.

World No.113 Zheng Shuai was contemplating retiring after the Australian Open – until she upset the No.2 seed Simona Halep in the first round. Zheng – pictured here with coach Liu Shuo at the Chinese Museum – is now in her first ever Grand Slam quarterfinal.

World No.113 Zheng Shuai was contemplating retiring after the Australian Open – until she upset the No.2 seed Simona Halep in the first round. Zheng – pictured here with coach Liu Shuo at the Chinese Museum – is now in her first ever Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka signs a camera lens after her victory – can the undefeated No.14 seed make it three Grand Slams in Melbourne?

Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka signs a camera lens after her victory – can the undefeated No.14 seed make it three Grand Slams in Melbourne?

Daria Kasatkina, who made the third round in Melbourne, tries on a bit of Aussie spirit – and a cork hat – at the Australia Pop Up Shop.

Daria Kasatkina, who made the third round in Melbourne, tries on a bit of Aussie spirit – and a cork hat – at the Australia Pop Up Shop.

Carla Suárez Navarro is always calm – whether she’s on court or holding a freshwater crocodile. A quarterfinalist here in Melbourne, she’s looking to move into the final four for the first time in her career.

Carla Suárez Navarro is always calm – whether she’s on court or holding a freshwater crocodile. A quarterfinalist here in Melbourne, she’s looking to move into the final four for the first time in her career.

Garbiñe Muguruza during her post-match interview. The World No.3 made the third round of the Australian Open.

Garbiñe Muguruza during her post-match interview. The World No.3 made the third round of the Australian Open.

The spotlight is on World No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska, behind the scenes at her ESPN Player Montage. The reigning WTA Finals champion is seeking to make the Australian Open her first Grand Slam title.

The spotlight is on World No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska, behind the scenes at her ESPN Player Montage. The reigning WTA Finals champion is seeking to make the Australian Open her first Grand Slam title.

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Johanna Konta Ends 33-Year Drought

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Johanna Konta won an absolute nail-biter against Ekaterina Makarova to become the first British woman in 33 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

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Santina Splits For Mixed QF

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MELBOURNE, Australia – Co-No.1s Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza played their best match of the Australian Open on Wednesday, dropping just one game to No.13 seeds Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova to win a 35th straight match, and reach a third straight major final – having already captured titles at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Before they take on Silent Hs Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka for their first Australian Open title as a pair – Hingis’ first in women’s doubles since 2002 and fourth overall – they will find themselves under the rare circumstance of being on opposite sides of the net, as each hope to add a mixed doubles crown to their ever-growing trophy collection.

Top seed with partner Ivan Dodig, Mirza will play Hingis and Leander Paes, who are unseeded but defending champions at the Australian Open, in the quarterfinals of the mixed event. The pair have not played against one another since last year’s Apia International Sydney, when the Indian star partnered Bethanie Mattek-Sands to beat Hingis and former partner Flavia Pennetta en route to the title.

Inseparable since pairing up ahead of the BNP Paribas Open last spring, Santina have played 17 tournaments together, winning 11 times. From their initial three-title breakthrough in Indian Wells, Miami, and Charleston, the two capped their near-perfect season with a win at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, and have picked up where they left off in 2016, winning back-to-back titles in Brisbane and Sydney and losing only one set in Melbourne.

Handicapping their chances in mixed, Hingis has won four major titles to Mirza’s three. The Swiss Miss was a French Open title short of a mixed doubles Grand Slam in 2015, partnering Paes – with whom she plays for the Washington Kastles each summer for Mylan World TeamTennis – to win the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles.

Mirza’s most recent mixed doubles victory came in 2014 with Bruno Soares at the US Open, but she is also a former Australian Open mixed champion, pairing Mahesh Bhupati for the title in 2009.

Should Hingis emerge victorious on Thursday afternoon, the 20-time Grand Slam champion would remain in the hunt for non-calendar year Grand Slams in both women’s doubles and mixed, having already earned two legs of the box set at Wimbledon at the US Open.

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Riske Clears Opening Hurdle In Shenzhen

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Last year’s runner-up Alison Riske overcame her nerves to defeat wildcard Zhu Lin in the first round of the Shenzhen Open. Fellow seed Monica Niculescu was among Sunday’s other winners.

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Britain & Belgium Vie For Fed Cup Spot

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

EILAT, Israel – Even without their new star Johanna Konta, Great Britain had few problems securing a place in this weekend’s Fed Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group I promotion play-offs.

Singles victories for Heather Watson and Katie Swan helped Britain to a 2-1 win over Georgia in their final Group B outing. The result sets up a meeting with Belgium on Saturday to determine which nation will advance to the World Group II play-offs this spring.

In the absence of some of Britain’s more experienced campaigners, most notably Australian Open semifinalist Konta, 16-year-old Swann has stepped up magnificently, easing past Georgian No.2 Ekaterine Gorgodze, 6-3, 6-3, for her second win of the week. Watson then put the tie beyond Georgia’s reach by swatting aside Sofia Shapatava, 6-2, 6-0, in an hour.

“I wouldn’t call it easy at all, I don’t think any match is easy, I only have to focus 100% and be prepared for anything,” Watson said.

Sterner tests lie ahead, in the shape of a talented young Belgium side, which extended their perfect record this week with a 3-0 success over Bulgaria.

Ysaline Bonaventure got the ball rolling with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Elitsa Kostova, before Alison Van Uytvanck and Tsvetana Pironkova put their unbeaten records this week on the line.

In the end it was Van Uytvanck that prevailed, edging a see-saw opening set before cantering through the second, wrapping up an impressive 6-4, 6-2 victory with an ace.

“I think they did a great job. They all have a little bit of experience now in Fed Cup, only one rookie this year,” Belgium captain Ann Devries said. “Everybody wants to go for it, everybody wants to win, and not just the players who are playing but everyone in the team.”

The other play-off at Eilat’s Municipal Tennis Centre will see the Ukraine take on home nation Israel.

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While Great Britain and Belgium are battling it out to climb another rung on the Fed Cup ladder, over in Europe the heavyweights will duke it out for a spot in the World Group semifinals.

In Leipzig, Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber is hoping to inspire Germany to the semifinals for a third straight year when they take on neighbors Switzerland. Friday’s draw paired Kerber with Timea Bacsinszky, while in the opening rubber Andrea Petkovic takes on Swiss No.1 Belinda Bencic.

In Cluj, Romania make their return to the World Group when they meet defending champions Czech Republic. Romania, who last appeared at this stage in 1992, will be lead by Simona Halep, but face an uphill battle against the nine-time champions. Halep postponed nasal surgery to lead the home nation and opens the weekend against Karolina Pliskova. Petra Kvitova and Monica Niculescu will meet in Saturday’s second singles rubber.

The other two ties see 2008 champions Russia host the Netherlands, in Moscow, and Italy travel to Marseille to take on France.

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Venus Withdraws From Auckland Following First Win Of 2017

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Venus Williams eased through a tense opening set against hometown favorite Jade Lewis, 7-6(2), 6-2, before being forced to withdraw from what would have been her second match of the day at the ASB Classic, citing right arm pain ahead of a highly anticipated encouter with Japanese youngster Naomi Osaka.

“I love this tournament and I’m really sad that I have to withdraw, but I’m happy to have had the opportunity to be here again this year,” the five-time Wimbledon winner said in a statement.

Impacted by adverse weather to start the tournament, Venus was scheduled to play a pair of singles matches on Tuesday after defeating Lewis to kick off the day session in Auckland. Lewis led by a service break three times in the opening set, holding a set point in the tenth game before fading in the tie-break and ensuing second set.

The win booked a clash with Osaka, who first the American after winning the Rising Stars Invitational at the 2015 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

“I wasn’t really talking,” Osaka said at the time. “I was just kind of creeping her out. But she’s really nice. I don’t remember what we talked about because I was really freaked out.”

Venus reached back-to-back finals at the ASB Classic in 2014 and 2015, winning the latter over Caroline Wozniacki in the final.

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