Tennis News

TOKYO, Japan – Unseeded Czech Katerina Siniakova powered past No.6 seed Zhang Shuai to book a spot in the final at the Japan Women’s Open Tennis, where she’ll face No.7 Christina McHale for the title.

Watch live action from Tokyo this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

It’s been a banner year for the 20-year-old Siniakova, who continues to inch closer to a Top 50 berth. Earlier in the season, Siniakova posted her first appearance into the third round of a Grand Slam at Wimbledon, then backed up her results by reaching her first WTA-level final at the Ericsson Open in Bastad.

Now, two months later, Siniakova has kept her momentum going strong and booked a spot into her second career WTA final.

The Czech faced a stern test against No.6 seed Zhang, the highest-ranked player left in the draw. The two players traded breaks seven times during a tense first set, but Siniakova kept Zhang under pressure. The Chinese player won just one point behind her first serve all set long, and Siniakova took every break point that came her way – a perfect seven out of seven. She fired two aces in the final game to serve out the opening set in commanding fashion.

Siniakova broke three more times and rattled off the next six games in a clinical display of aggressive baseline play to see off Zhang 6-3, 6-0.

No.7 seed McHale had a more difficult road to the Japan Women’s Open Tennis final, needing to battle through her fourth three-set match of the tournament against Jana Cepelova.

The momentum swung back and forth between the two players throughout the match, with McHale and Cepelova splitting sets and trading breaks twice in the third set. Cepelova’s aggressive returning kept the American under pressure, but McHale kept her cool – the Slovakian player brought up seven chances to get another break off of McHale but couldn’t convert on any.

McHale broke Cepelova in the final game to take the match 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 and book a spot into her first WTA final since March 2014.

TOKYO/GUANGZHOU/SEOUL – The Asian Swing made its official debut last week but begins in earnest with a trio of tournaments in Tokyo, Guangzhou, and Seoul. What are the biggest storylines heading into the Toray Pan Pacific Open, Guangzhou International Women’s Open, and Korea Open? Find out right here on wtatennis.com…

1) Garbiñe Muguruza leads stacked Tokyo draw.
French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza headlines the Toray Pan Pacific Open field. The Spaniard could see a US Open rematch against Anastasija Sevastova, who knocked her out in the second round. The draw doesn’t get any easier with No.8 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova as her projected quarterfinal opponent and a potential semifinal with either No.3 seed and US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova or No.6 seed Dominika Cibulkova. Can Muguruza replicate her stellar form from last fall to win her first Tokyo title?

2) Two-time Tokyo champ Radwanska seeded second.
Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska aims for title No.20 in Tokyo. Hoping to shake off a fourth round defeat to Ana Konjuh in Flushing, Radwanska could face a tough row of opponents including Barbora Strycova, No.7 seed Petra Kvitova, and either No.4 seed Carla Suárez Navarro or No.5 seed Madison Keys to reach the final.

3) Pliskova has Singapore in her sights.
Karolina Pliskova’s phenomenal run to the US Open final saw her shoot up to No.4 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard. She can’t guarantee qualification in Tokyo, but the No.3 seed could boost her chances 2015 winner Radwanska and 2015 semifinalist Muguruza not far behind at No.5 and No.6, respectively. Pliskova plays her first match against either a qualifier or Yanina Wickmayer.

4) Mirza looking for a second Singapore berth?
Sania Mirza was one half of the first team to qualify for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global alongside Martina Hingis, but could be making a push for a second spot with new partner Barbora Strycova. Mirza and Strycova won the Western & Southern Open in their first tournament together, and the US Open quarterfinalists are seeded second in Tokyo.

5) Osaka the wildcard in Tokyo.
Naomi Osaka received a main draw wildcard after her US Open heroics, where she narrowly lost to Madison Keys in the third round. The personable Japanese star kicked off the Asian Swing by joining Twitter, and will play countrywoman Misaki Doi in the first round.

6) Tough draw for Errani, top seed in Guangzhou.
Sara Errani leads the field at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open, but could face 2015 finalist Denisa Allertova in the second round. Unseeded in Guangzhou, Allertova beat former No.1 Ana Ivanovic in straight sets at the US Open.

7) Jankovic hoping to rebound from injury woes.
Jelena Jankovic took home the title in Guangzhou last year, and hopes for a repeat as the former No.1 tries to turn around a tough season. “I haven’t competed much this year because of two ruptures in my shoulder,” she said at the US Open. “So, I’m a little rusty, I think that shows. I have to stay healthy and hang in there because you have to be ready for every point.” The Serb will be playing doubles with Hingis and opens against qualifier You Xiaodi in singles.

8) Begu adds some Seoul to the mix.
Irina-Camelia Begu is the No.1 seed at the Korea Open and the defending champion after winning the event last year. The Romanian opens against local wildcard Jang Su Jeong and could play countrywoman Monica Niculescu in the quarterfinals.

9) Larsson looks to build on strong summer.
Seeded No.2 in Seoul, Larsson reached the semifinals of the Connecticut Open as a lucky loser, upsetting Timea Bacsinszky and Roberta Vinci en route. The Swede followed that up by reaching the third round of the US Open for the second time in three years. Cutting her ranking in half since a July low of No.82, Larsson hopes to keep going against American Grace Min in the first round, with another American Louisa Chirico looming in the last eight.

10) Find out where you can watch the action from Asia here!

MELBOURNE, Australia – Serena Williams broke the Open Era record for Grand Slam titles on Saturday night, beating her older sister Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 to win her record-setting seventh Australian Open title. Her 23rd major title moved her past Stefanie Graf’s record of 22 and puts her just one shy of the all-time record of 24 majors, set by Australia’s Margaret Court.

But in a career that has spanned three separate decades, having won her first major in the 90s (1999 US Open), 10 more in the 2000s, and 12 in the aughts, Serena stands alone as the greatest tennis player the game has ever seen.

Saturday night’s blockbuster final at Melbourne Park was a celebration of greatness, revolution, and longevity. There was nothing more poetic than for Serena to finally capture No.23 – she fell short in her last attempt at the US Open last fall – with Venus by her side. The Williams sisters took the sport by storm when they turned pro as teenagers in the late 90s. Venus got the ball rolling, but it was Serena who carried it.

“There’s no way I would be at 23 without her, there is no way I would be at 1 without her, there’s now way I would have anything without her. She’s my inspiration. She’s the only reason I’m standing here today, the only reason the Williams sisters exist. So thank you, Venus, for inspiring me to be the best player I could be.”

As Venus joked in her speech on court, she had a front row seat for Serena’s 23 major titles, whether because she was on the court – she is now 7-8 in Slam finals with seven of those losses coming to her sister – or playing the role of cheerleader in the players’ box. Together they now hold 30 major singles titles.

? @serenawilliams' Grand Slam singles titles@AustralianOpen: ???????@rolandgarros: ???@Wimbledon: ???????@usopen: ?????? pic.twitter.com/ThqFAW7C95

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

“I don’t think we’re going for the greatest story in sports,” Venus said, when asked how she reacts whenever the reference is made. “We’re just going for some dreams. In the case that we are, what an honor.

“What an honor.”

Melbourne belongs to Serena, who in addition to breaking the Open Era record for major titles, also reclaimed her position atop the rankings, overtaking last year’s champion Angelique Kerber at No.1. But 23 was the number of the day. Before taking to the podium to accept her trophy, Serena switched out her match shoes for a pair of Nike Air 23s, an homage to another great sporting champion, Michael Jordan.

“His Airness” wrote her a letter, delivered on the set of ESPN, congratulating on her record-breaking feat.

???#AusOpen #Serena pic.twitter.com/etQVXxfCDP

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

Aside from sending every record book back to the printer, Slam No.23 puts Serena firmly ahead of the woman to whom her domination is often compared in Stefanie Graf. Both women showed incredible dominance – Graf remains the last palyer to complete the Calendar Slam – and the German still holds the record for weeks at No.1, at 377 (Serena trails at 309 weeks). But this is where Serena’s longevity reigns supreme.

“My first Grand Slam started here, and getting to 23 here, but playing Venus, it’s stuff that legends are made of,” Serena said. “I couldn’t have written a better story. I just feel like it was the right moment. Everything kind of happened. It hasn’t quite set in yet, but it’s really good.”

.@WilsonTennis (via Mary Joe Fernandez) present @serenawilliams w/ a special golden racquet on the occasion of Grand Slam No. 23 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/0VIgFhN2SA

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

Graf’s glorious career ended in 1999 at the age of 30. By contrast, Serena has won 10 major titles after the age of 30. At 35 years old she continues to be the standard against whom all others are measured, and given her performance over the fortnight in Melbourne, that window is not closing anytime soon.

En route to the title, Serena faced down four current or former Top 10 players and did not lose a set, never once even going to a tie-break. In five of her matches she finished with more winners than unforced errors.

This was a relaxed and focused Serena. And a stress-free Serena is a dangerous one.

“I feel like my game is good,” Serena said. “I was thinking yesterday on the practice court that gosh, I’m playing better than I have ever. I thought, man, I’m hitting pretty well. It felt really good to know that I’m playing better and I’m here to take this game pretty seriously.”

Team Serena celebrates the new ? addition to the family! ?#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/JRtpjnIWiY

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

Numbers won’t matter much for Serena going forward. But they also don’t lie. As she repeatedly insists, she is playing with house money and everything from here on out is a bonus. From the outside, the focus will shift to the prospect of eclipsing Court’s record of 24 major titles. It’s a nice goal, but whether she beats it or not will have zero impact on her legacy.

“I’ve been trying to live it (play stress-free) for quite some time now, but definitely I agree that this tournament I was really able to do it even though I was trying to do it and trying and trying. I think having to play those two matches in the first two rounds, I had no choice but to be better.

“I really was OK with, not losing, but I knew that I didn’t have to win here to have to make my career. For whatever reason that settled with me this time. I don’t know why. I wish I could tell you. I want to know because I definitely want to do that next time,” she said with a laugh.

#Serena on GOAT talk: “Between Martina [Navratilova], myself, Steffi Graf — hands down we are leading that conversation.” #AusOpen

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

Outside of Billie Jean King, no woman – or women, if you rightfully include Venus – has had more impact on the women’s game. They introduced and perfected the power game. They forced the rest of the field to match their intensity and physicality. In elevating their status as pop culture icons they elevated the game, bringing what was traditionally considered a country-club sport to the masses.

And they did it by marching to the beat of their drummer, faltering and flying on their own specific terms. 

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Japanese qualifier Kurumi Nara ended Venus Williams’ fairytale comeback to Indian Wells, where she was playing in her first match back in 15 years.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!

Walking out on court to the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” Williams was given a hero’s welcome to the BNP Paribas Open. The packed Stadium 1 crowd roared as she waved and gave them a big smile, touching her hand to her heart.

The stage was set for a triumphant return, but Nara didn’t read the script.

Undaunted by neither the occasion nor the crowd – who cheered every service hold and point won by Williams – the Japanese kept her head down and proved why she was once ranked as high as No.32, keeping her game clean and tidy as Williams’ frustration – and unforced error count – began to grow.

With the wind swirling and clouds threatening overhead, both players came out solid, trading service holds until the rain finally broke through and halted play at 3-3.

Williams drew first blood when play resumed after the 35-minute delay, breaking Nara for her first lead of the match. It would turn out to be her only one, as Nara quickly leveled the score and grabbed the next three games to close out the opening set.

She rode the momentum and continued her ruthlessly methodical game, forcing error after error off of Williams’ racquet. The American broke Nara twice, powered on by the boisterous crowd, but each time the 24-year-old held on. She remained steady until the end, calmly serving out the biggest match of her career to win 6-4, 6-3.

For Nara, who had to fight through qualifying to book her encounter against Williams and had only defeated one Top 20 player in her previous 16 attempts, this is a moment she won’t soon forget.

“Yes, I’m very happy, this is the biggest win of my career,” Nara enthused after the match.

Despite the experience ending in a defeat, Williams will take only positives from her return to the Indian Wells desert.

“It was enough of a fairy tale to come here and play,” she said in her post-match press conference. “A win would have been nice, but that means I have to come back and play next year.”

“I would definitely love to come back.”

Welcome back! ? ? ?@VenusesWilliams returns to the @BNPParibasOpen after 15 years! #WTA https://t.co/wr7FU9gZ9X

— WTA (@WTA) March 12, 2016