Tennis News

MIAMI, FLORIDA, USA – On this special Dropshot episode of the WTA Insider Podcast, hear from WTA founder Billie Jean King and 18-time major champion Chris Evert. King and Evert held an impromptu press conference last week at the Miami Open to discuss the issue of equal prize money and equality, which were brought to the fore once again after former BNP Paribas Open CEO and tournament director Raymond Moore’s comments in which he told reporters the WTA Players “ride the coattails” of the ATP when it comes to prize money. Moore has since stepped down from his post.

King and Evert, along with current WTA player Nicole Gibbs, discussed their reaction to the comments, which triggered an unfortunate avalanche of discussion regarding the merits of equal prize money at tennis’ biggest tournaments. The 45-minute conversation was educational, enlightening, and inspiring, and given the fan interest in the press conference, we’re posting the discussion in full.

Evert on the progress in women’s tennis: “If there is a silver lining to all this that’s gone on in the last week, it’s the fact that there has been such outrage from the players and from the media and from the public defending the women’s game. I think from time to time we all need a reminder of the evolution of women’s tennis and the great (indiscernible) and sacrifices every generation has had to make, from Billie Jean to myself and Martina, Steffi to Monica, to Williams sisters. What we’ve done to get the credibility, the respect, and equality that we have now.”

King on the need for inclusion: “To have equal prize money in the majors sends a message. It’s not about the money, it’s about the message. Any time you discount another human being by gender, race, disability, however, we’re not helping ourselves. You want everyone to make a lot. At least I do. We want to make the pie bigger, the marketplace bigger for all, for all of you so you have jobs.

“To argue over the prize money issue, what about when Chris and Martina were playing and their ratings were better than the men? We didn’t go, Oh, we deserve more than the men. No. Let’s just keep it equal and help each other. It’s not a “he” thing or a “she” thing; it’s a “we” thing. I’m telling you, this is the only way the world is going to make it.”

Gibbs on carrying forth King’s message: “I think our generation is very privileged sometimes because we just kind of take it for granted. We think, Okay, it’s all better. We just have to focus on our tennis. That’s what we are told from a very young age, and very few of us feel a responsibility to continue on a path of equality. You have to use the platform to continue down that path of equality. Quality and fairness — many right now think we’re so far down the road and in reality we are not necessarily. There are still so many people, men and women both, making comments that are very counterproductive to our mission of growing the game of tennis, using it as a platform.”

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on any podcast app of your choice and reviews are always helpful, so if you like what you’ve heard so far, leave us one. You can also get new episode alerts by following us on Twitter @WTA_Insider.

KATOWICE, Poland – Kirsten Flipkens has only been in Katowice a few days but it has already been a highly productive stay.

At Sunday’s player party she took home the much-coveted Katowice Open frame juggling title, before getting back to the business in hand the following evening, booking a second-round spot with a brisk win over Donna Vekic.

However, not content, the Belgian spent her day off in search of another prize: the Ricoh camera on offer for the player who could hit the most ‘tweeners’ in 30 seconds.

After completing seven in the allotted time, Flipkens found herself tied for first place with Demi Schuurs. In the subsequent tie-break, things did not go entirely to plan…

Now you all know why they call me Flipper (the flippin' dolphin!) ???? https://t.co/k7pjYZ9f0e

— Kirsten Flipkens (@FlipperKF) April 5, 2016

CHARLESTON, SC, USA – Top seed Angelique Kerber eased into the Volvo Car Open semifinal with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Irina-Camelia Begu.

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

Kerber had lost two of her three encounters with the big-hitting Romanian in 2015, but Begu had a much tougher road to reach the quarterfinals, saving a match point to defeat Monica Puig in a third set tie-break on Thursday night.

“I think I was mentally there,” the Australian Open champion told Andrew Krasny during her on-court interview. “I was trying to focus on myself because it’s always tough to play against her. Sometimes you lose your rhythm against her, so that’s what I was focusing on: just trying to go for it, move good on clay and just win the match because I remember the last match against her, I lost! So I was trying my best to win the match.

“I feel the love. The people here are so nice, so I’m just feeling welcome here. You have the best food here and I have so many great memories from last year, so it gives me confidence to play good tennis.”

Begu tried her best to force in the issue in the second set, hitting 23 winners to 18 from Kerber overall, but 35 unforced errors proved her undoing as Kerber hit only nine through the 72 minute match – four in the second set alone.

“I’m feeling better and better on clay. I think I’m getting used to it and it’s just so great to be back in the semis. I love Charleston and I’ve had a great week so far, so I’m just enjoying it here and hoping to have two more matches!”

What an angle from @AngeliqueKerber ?? #VCO2016 https://t.co/iJfpIzPAwX

— WTA (@WTA) April 8, 2016

Kerber needs to defeat Sloane Stephens to hold onto the No.2 ranking – which she briefly lost to WTA Finals champion Agnieszka Radwanska after Indian Wells – but the win over Begu has already guaranteed her return to the top of the Road To Singapore leaderboard, ousting Sunshine Double winner Victoria Azarenka.

“Sloane, she’s a great player, I know, and I played a few times against her already,” she said after the match. “I will just try to go out against her and try to take the challenge, playing a good match. So just enjoy it against her.”

Stephens won a marathon encounter with Kasatkina, who was in her first Premier level quarterfinal on clay courts. Rolling through the opening set, things were tight in the second as Kasatkina snuck away with a late break of serve to level the match. Down a match point, the young American caught fire once more, winning the final 11 points to book an ecounter with Kerber on her 37th winner.

“You guys were awesome,” she said after the match, addressing the crowd. “I’m so excited to be in the semis. it’s my best result in six years, so it’s about time I won some matches here!

“I was just fighting for every point. Obviously the conditions were really tough and I was playing a really good player. She’s had some really good results, so I knew from the beginning that it was going to be a battle. The wind and we’re on clay court were a lot of factors, so I’m happy I stayed calm and played my game.”

Semifinal for @SloaneStephens! Saves a match point to defeat Kasatkina, 6-1, 5-7, 7-5. #VCO2016 https://t.co/kXUmZidHaJ

— WTA (@WTA) April 8, 2016

KATOWICE, Poland – Dominika Cibulkova captured her first WTA final since 2014 at the Katowice Open, taking out three-time finalist Camila Giorgi, 6-4, 6-0.

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

Giorgi had reached her third straight Katowice final, but her hopes of a first title in Poland took an immediate hit as Cibulkova raced out to a 4-0 lead. The 2014 Australian Open finalist served for the opening set at 5-2 when Giorgi’s signature firepower briefly lit up the stadium, nabbing one of the two breaks back and holding break points to level the contest at five games apiece.

Cibulkova was in her second final of 2016 – having narrowly missed out on the Abierto Mexicano Telcel title to Sloane Stephens – and managed to hold her nerve to serve out the set on the second time of asking, and promptly proceeded to win the final seven games of the match.

“Thank you for coming and supporting me all week,” Giorgi said in her runner-up speech. “It was really nice to be here this year again, and I hope to come back next year.”

The fiery Slovak was forced to miss five months of 2015 after having surgery on her Achilles – addressing a bone spur issue that had been bothering her for the better part of three years. A former World No.10, Cibulkova saw her ranking fall as low as No.62, but Sunday’s title returns her back into the Top 40 with a chance to be seeded for the upcoming French Open.

Love my fans ❤️ #DOMI #POME at @KatowiceOpen_ #SlovakTennis
Prava fanusicka ❤️ #krasnypocit pic.twitter.com/8Q0NZhuO8f

— Dominika Cibulkova (@Cibulkova) April 10, 2016

“I would like to thank the city of Katowice for making such a friendly event for us,” Cibulkova said in her victory speech, adding, “Especially for me, it was very nice to drive three hours for a title!

“I was really surprised playing for the first time in Poland, it feels like home. I really appreciate it, so thank you.”

Cibulkova finished her speech dedicating the win to her team, particularly her father, who was celebrating his birthday on Sunday.

“I think this is the best gift!

Equally ebullient in press, the Slovak discussed how she turned around an 0-2 head-to-head and a difficult swing in Indian Wells and Miami, where she lost tight matches to Agnieszka Radwanska and Garbiñe Muguruza.

“I would say today I was prepared very good for Camila. My tactic was to go for it, and I was doing it 100%. I was just playing really solid, going for the shots really strong and I was reading her game really well. When I had an easy shot, I always made it, and this was very important today. In the second set, I was going for it even more, and that’s why I won today. I wasn’t afraid.

“You have to go by small steps, and this is just a small step for me to get to where I want to be. I proved that through the last matches – how I finished them – that I’m a really good player and this is how I want to play.

“I would say this my top level of tennis and this is why I worked so hard to get here. I want to go further for sure and after some bad matches in Indian Wells and Miami, this gives me really positive energy.

“When you lose tight matches, it’s not the same as when you win them.”

In the doubles final, Japanese duo Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato survived a match tie-break against Russians Valentyna Ivakhnenko and Marina Melnikova, 3-6, 7-5, 10-8.

#KatowiceOpen 2016 Finalists @GiorgiCamilla @Cibulkova #WTAKatowice #KO2016 pic.twitter.com/VxJAcsgxso

— Katowice Open (@KatowiceOpen_) April 10, 2016