Rome: Story Of The Tournament
The story of the tournament from the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
The story of the tournament from the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
No.3 seed Annika Beck was among the first to arrive.
Doubles partners Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke stepped out on the step and repeat.
American Irina Falconi was also on hand and ready for her close-up.
Julia Goerges was met by some extra special friends on the red carpet.
Lesia Tsurenko caught up with Simba the Bear as well.
Top seed Roberta Vinci was feeling right at home in Nürnberg in this group shot.
No.2 seed Laura Siegemund was dressed to the nines at the Player’s Party…
…and caught up with countrywomen Annika Beck and Anna-Lena Friedsam to take home some extra-special souvenirs.
The WTA stars were treated to a sumptuous dinner, and it was clear some magic was in the air…
…and sure enough, some magicians were on hand to entertain the players; Sabine Lisicki tries her luck and finding her card.
The WTA and your favorite WTA stars want to wish you a Happy Holiday and a joyful New Year full of women’s tennis!
ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA – The WTA will launch a unique WTA Livestreaming subscription service in 2017 where tennis fans can view every WTA singles and many doubles semifinals and finals matches. That’s over 2000 WTA matches – everywhere the tour is playing around the world.
This is a breakthrough for women’s tennis.
We’re excited to create a new digital home where you will be able to follow your favorite players and share the thrills, suspense and fun moments on and off the court. WTA Livestreaming will be available to subscribers on smartphones, laptops and tablets soon. We regret there will be an unavoidable gap until we are able to bring this new service to you. We are working hard to bring this to you as fast as we can. Updated scheduling and subscription information will be provided on wtatennis.com as soon as possible.
Please stay tuned. We believe it’s worth the wait. Thank you for your patience and continued support of women’s tennis.
Click here to follow the tour on the wtatennis.com web site offering live results point by point, live press conferences at selected WTA events, live and exclusive off court and behind the scenes content, player-commented match and video highlights, and breaking news. Follow the tour in real-time on WTA social channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
Click here for information about where to watch the WTA on TV and digital channels today via your local broadcaster.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: Why aren’t WTA matches livestreamed on TennisTV any longer?
A: We’re launching a new and exciting WTA livestream subscription service in 2017 dedicated to viewing women’s tennis both on and off court.
There will be an unavoidable gap before we can make this exciting service available to subscribers via smartphones, laptops and tablets. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.
Q: When will the new service be available?
A: We are working hard to bring this service to you as soon as we can. We appreciate your patience and we look forward to welcoming you as a new subscriber when we launch WTA Livestreaming.
Q: Where will I find out more information about this service?
A: Updated information will be available on wtatennis.com.
Q: How can I view WTA matches via livestream until then?
A: In the meantime, please find up to date “Where to Watch” live WTA matches on your local broadcaster’s TV and digital channels on the wtatennis.com/tv-schedule page.
We invite fans to follow the tour on the wtatennis.com web site which offers live results point by point, live press conferences at selected WTA events, live and exclusive off court and behind the scenes content, player-commented match and video highlights, and breaking news. Follow the tour in real-time on WTA social channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
Q: How much is it to subscribe?
A: Updated information will be provided on wtatennis.com closer to launch date.
Q: Why should I subscribe to the WTA Livestreaming service?
A: Fans will have access to every singles match live and many doubles semifinals and finals matches. For the first time ever, fans can pick and choose from over 2000 WTA matches and follow their favorite players behind the scenes like never before. Subscribers can follow the thrill and fun on and off court day in and day out all season long. This is new and it’s exciting.
World No.1 Serena Williams raced through the first match in her title defense at Roland Garros, dropping just two games to Magdalena Rybarikova.
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.
PARIS, France – No.9 seed Venus Williams survived a second set surge from Alizé Cornet to win a sixth straight match against the Frenchwoman, 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-0, to reach the second week of Roland Garros for the first time in six years.
The 2002 finalist came into Paris having won just two matches in her last four French Open appearances, but heads into the second week having dropped just one set in her first three matches, though this marked her toughest test yet against Cornet, who played her best match against the American in her career.
Williams and Cornet emerged on Court Suzanne Lenglen from a brief rain delay to resume the first set, and though Cornet led by a late break, the former No.1 reclaimed the initiative and served out a tense tie-break with some fiercesome serving.
“After the break I felt a lot more clear about what I wanted to accomplish,” she said in her post-match press conference. “It’s never easy to play in France against a French player. Probably not easy for them either. So that’s the extra pressure against you.
“Honestly, she played really well. In the third I was able to capitalize on a couple of her errors, play some good points, and go on to the next match, literally,” referring to her doubles match with sister Serena, which was suspended due to darkness after they took the first set from Vitalia Diatchenko and Galina Voskoboeva.
Undaunted, Cornet rode her building momentum and the support of the French crowd to her first set over the elder Williams sister, roaring through the second set to force a decider.
“She’s a great competitor and it’s always a tough match,” Williams said in her on-court interview.
The turning point for the World No.11 came a game into the final set; with Cornet serving up 30-0, Venus clawed back to break serve and it was one-way traffic from then on, clinching the match in just over two hours.
“I had some luck in the end on the important points, and I’m so excited to be in the next round.
“I’ve had some issues in the past, but what can you do? Every year is different, and I’m trying to make this year my best yet.
“I love tennis, and today I was just telling myself to enjoy the battle and to compete. With Alizé, it’s always a battle and you always have to compete.
“What can I say? I’m doing what I love every day and I couldn’t ask for more.”
Standing between Williams and a spot in her first French Open quarterfinal in 10 years is No.8 seed Tima Bacsinszky. The 2015 French Open semifinalist has never beaten the American in their two previous encounters, but the two haven’t played since the 2014 US Open, and neither encounter came on clay.
No9 seed Venus Williams remains undefeated against Cornet, d. the Frenchwoman 7-6(5) 1-6 6-0. Next up: Bacsinszky. pic.twitter.com/46PmrZGBoL
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 28, 2016
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.
We regret to announce that @Venuseswilliams has had to pull out of the #ASBClassic Tournament due to injury. Updated Order of Play to follow pic.twitter.com/hc95EMuYAr
— ASB Classic (@ASB_Classic) January 4, 2017
BRISBANE, Australia – Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands have booked their spot into the Brisbane semifinals, but should they reach the final there could be more at stake than just the Brisbane International trophy.
Mirza has held the WTA Doubles No.1 Ranking since April 13, 2015, a total of 91-consecutive weeks (as of Jan 2, 2017), which includes 31 weeks as co-No.1 with Martina Hingis.
She faces a difficult task defending her top spot, though, as she will be defending 2,960 points during the Australian swing. Last year she teamed up with Martina Hingis to win titles at Brisbane, Sydney and the Australian Open.
This year in Brisbane, Mirza is the top seed along with her new partner Mattek-Sands, who currently sits at No.5 in the WTA Doubles Rankings. If they go on to win the title in Brisbane, Mattek-Sands will overtake Mirza for the No.1 WTA Doubles Ranking.
It’s not the first time that the American has come close to usurping her current partner’s top spot; last year at the WTA Finals, Mattek-Sands came within one win of climbing to No.1, but Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina dashed her hopes in the championship match.
Makarova and Vesnina, the No.2 seeds in Brisbane, are also through to the Brisbane semifinals and will play the winner of Irina Falconi and Shelby Rogers vs. Abigail Spears Katerina Srebotnik for a spot in the final. Mattek-Sands and Mirza await the winner of Andreja Klepac and María José Martínez Sánchez vs. Hsieh Su-Wei and Laura Siegemund.
Most Consecutive Weeks at WTA Doubles No.1 (As of Jan 2, 2017):
181 Martina Navratilova
145 Cara Black^
134 Liezel Huber^
91 Sania Mirza
73 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario
^ Black & Huber held co-No.1 Doubles Rankings for 127 weeks (Nov. 12, 2007 until April 18, 2010)
In today’s SAP Stat Of The Day, Angelique Kerber showed how she stayed cool under pressure during the break points at the Brisbane International.