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Wimbledon Fashion Preview

Wimbledon Fashion Preview

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

We all love colorful prints and vibrant colors in tennis outfits, but isn’t it nice to get back to basics from time to time? Let’s hand it over to Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog and see the pure whites that tennis apparel companies prepared for Wimbledon 2016.

Nike

Serena Williams will try to defend her title in the NikeCourt Premier Dress, whose mock neck is a new aesthetic in the world number one’s tennis fashion. The skirt design is the continuation of Williams’ looks from the previous 2016 Grand Slams, while two tiers of pleats in the back add a special flash of style.

Nike

Eugenie Bouchard and other NikeCourt team athletes will wear the NikeCourt Premier Slam Dress, which means that skirt-top combinations are taking a back seat. Stunning power pleats that stretch all the way from the chest of this simple swing silhouette make this a truly unique piece that has daringly departed quite a bit from a classic tennis dress. When it comes to the much-talked-about length of the dress, Bouchard says that it’s perfect.

adidas

adidas’ Climachill collection is equipped with a trio of advanced technologies that provide an instant chilling sensation and lower the body temperature, an ideal choice for high temperatures.

Industry-first 3D aluminium-cooling spheres on the back and neck, the warmest parts of the body, have an immediate cooling effect on contact, mesh-like micro fibres take moisture away from the skin, and SubZero flat yarns containing titanium maximize surface contact with the skin, thus transferring the heat away from the body.

adidas

Stella McCartney’s adidas line stands out with the abundance of laser-cut holes that serve both as fashionable elements and as functional features that improve breathability. The collection’s supreme performance is supported by Climacool and Climalite heat regulation.

adidas

Caroline Wozniacki has the adidas Fall Stella Barricade Primeknit Dress ready for her Wimbledon campaign. Besides the stylish abundance of holes in the skirt, the dress is specific for its scoop neck and back and engineered mesh fabric in targeted breathability zones. Last year’s runner-up Garbiñe Muguruza is expected to wear one of the top-skirt ensembles from the London collection. One possible combination includes the adidas Stella McCartney Core Tank, which features a large mesh section at upper back, and the adidas Fall Stella McCartney Skirt, that includes exposed elastic waistband.

eleVen by Venus

Venus Williams’ EleVen Game Day Dress is a classy cap-sleeve item with very subtle details: a boomerang-shaped contrast binding at waistband and light silver company logo at center chest.

Lotto

Agnieszka Radwanska’s clean white Lotto look consists of the Nixia Dress made from lightweight fabrics that even the most demanding players feel comfortable in. The clean and elegant style combines technical and breathable materials with a large mesh back panel for added heat control and touch of femininity. The Stratosphere W shoes are designed to take your footwork to new heights, owing to their advanced cushioning and responsiveness, as well as maximum transpiration.

New Balance

New Balance’s WTA players, led by Heather Watson, will wear the white version of the popular Spring Tournament Dress, which captivates with its sleek strappy racerback and subtle functional details such as the “N” houndstooth burnout mesh back panel. The 996v2 tennis shoes are made for players that want a stable shoe which rises up to the challenge during sharp lateral movements.

Marion Bartoli

For the second Grand Slam in a row Fila’s Jelena Jankovic will exhibit Marion Bartoli’s tennis designs. The all-white Trophee collection contains six pieces of clothing created by the 2013 Wimbledon champion: a dress, a tank, two skort styles, a blazer, and pants. Details such as mesh inserts and a feminine flounce adorn the collection.

Fila

Other representatives of Fila will wear the Lawn collection which boasts a selection of tops, dresses and two different lengths of skorts. These Wimbledon whites are focused on waist-accentuating cut lines stylized with details such as curved seam lines, princess seams, and pintuck accents. The promo image shows Yaroslava Shvedova in the Fila Lawn Full Coverage Tank, which brings all the attention to the waist by a strategic use of pintuck detail at sides and peplum-inspired curved hem.

Lacoste

Lacoste’s designs are never too far from tradition and their Wimbledon collection is along those lines as well, although in these promotional photos of Elena Vesnina, Dominika Cibulkova and Christina McHale we can see that quite a bit of color is included in the clothes prepared for the grass-court Grand Slam, as each item has a pop of blue and fluo yellow colorblocking.

As we can see, even within Wimbledon’s strict clothing rules, there are limitless possibilities for unique and breathtaking designs.

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MELBOURNE, Australia – The 2017 Australian Open begins on Monday in Melbourne, with World No.1 and defending champion Angelique Kerber headlining the first night session on Rod Laver Arena. What else do you need to know about your favorite WTA stars as the first Grand Slam tournament of the season gets underway?

Click here for a full analysis of the draw, courtesy of WTA Insider.

1. Kerber contends for first-ever major title defense.
Kerber came away with an impressive haul of Grand Slam titles in 2016, bookending the season with wins Down Under and the US Open – taking the No.1 ranking at the latter. 2017 is a new ballgame for the German, who will seek to defend a major title for the first time in her career. Her first opponent is Lesia Tsurenko, with the likes of Eugenie Bouchard and Roberta Vinci looming in her section of the draw.

2. Serena could reclaim No.1 in Australia.
In the other half of the draw stands 22-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who is firmly in the hunt for her seventh Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy in Melbourne. The American would have to reach the final to have a chance at wresting the No.1 ranking from Kerber; click here to find out how it would all have to shake out.

3. Radwanska feeling in Grand Slam rhythm.
Armed with a new racquet, No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska is the high seed in Serena’s half of the draw, projecting a rematch of their 2016 semifinal encounter Down Under. Radwanska shrugged off a tough week in Shenzhen to reach the final at the Apia International Sydney, but has a potentially tricky opener against Tsvetana Pironkova. The Bulgarian beat Radwanska in their most recent meeting at last year’s French Open.

4. Halep in hot pursuit of first major title.
No.4 seed Simona Halep also started her year in Shenzhen, but arrived last week for some early preparation in Melbourne on the advice of coach Darren Cahill. The Romanian opens against American Shelby Rogers, and is aiming to build on her pair of quarterfinal appearances earned in 2014 and 2015. 

5. Cibulkova seeking Singapore stepping stone.
No.5 seed Dominika Cibulkova ended 2016 on an all-time high, winning the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global and reaching a best-ever ranking of No.5. The Slovak’s biggest major success came in Melbourne, where she reached the final back in 2014.

6. Is this Pliskova’s breakthrough moment?
Karolina Pliskova fell before the second week in her first 17 Grand Slam appearances, but made up for lost time in style at the US Open, where she rolled past both Williams sisters en route to the final. The Czech looked just as tough in Brisbane to start 2017, winning the tournament alongside new coach David Kotyza and moving back up to a career-high of No.5.

7. Muguruza feeding off good Melbourne memories.
Garbiñe Muguruza enjoyed a strong start to the season before injury forced her to retire from the Brisbane International semifinals. Still, the the No.7 seed feels fit and fresh ahead of the Australian Open, starting off against New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic on Monday.

8. Kuznetsova rounds out Top 8.
Kuznetsova burned some serious rubber on the Road to Singapore last fall, narrowly qualifying to become the story of the tournament, reaching the semifinals. This year, Kuznetsova is feeling calm as she hopes to surpass the quarterfinals, her previous best finish in Australia.

9. Venus & Serena headline the doubles draw.
The Australian Open women’s doubles draw came out on Sunday, with Wimbledon winners Venus and Serena Williams coming in as the most dangerous floaters in the draw, seeded No.15. The pair could play No.2 seeds Lucie Safarova and new World No.1 Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the third round.

10. No.1 up for grabs in Australia.
The singles No.1 isn’t the only ranking under threat at the Australian Open. Mattek-Sands narrowly took the top spot from Sania Mirza in Brisbane, ending the Indian star’s 91-week reign. But Elena Vesnina and the French team of Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic all have a shot of taking No.1 during the fortnight. Click here to find out how.

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Lisicki's 52-Second Wimbledon Start

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

LONDON, England – There are fast starts and there are fast starts. And Sabine Lisicki’s opening game at this year’s Wimbledon certainly falls into the latter category.

Three aces and another booming serve down the T saw Lisicki wrap up the opening game of her first-round match with Shelby Rogers in just 52 seconds.

The German, a finalist at the All England Club in 2013, barely slowed down as the match progressed, living up to her ‘Boom Boom’ nickname by hitting 19 winners and wrapping up a 6-1, 6-3 victory after a minute shy of one hour on court.

In the second round she will face Samantha Stosur, a 7-5, 6-3 winner over Magda Linette.

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MELBOURNE, Australia – An ageless Venus Williams played remarkable tennis in the high heat of the Australian Open, knocking out a game Kateryna Kozlova, 7-6(5), 7-5.

“Girl, I don’t know,” Venus joked when asked how she got the job done during her on-court interview. “I know how to play tennis, and I like to think I’m good at this. She hasn’t had the years I’ve had, the grey hair I’m dyeing, the wrinkles I’m hiding.”

Seeded No.13, Venus was playing just her second match of 2017 after withdrawing from the ASB Classic due to right-arm pain, and was taking on a tricky opponent in Kozlova, who took her to three sets at the US Open last summer. In an ironic twist, the 22-year-old was born the same year Venus turned pro back in 1994.

“You’re trying to make me feel old!” joked Williams.

Kozlova served for the first set but the seven-time Grand Slam champion’s experience shone through when it mattered most, breaking the young Ukrainian to win the ensuing tie-break.

“Just from the warm-up it looked like she was just ready to go, hitting it solid,” she said in her post-match press conference. “I really have to give her a lot of credit for playing a match that was not a lot of errors and just relentless.

“I guess when I walk out there I have to expect that from my opponents and not an easy first round, but a great first round to get through, for sure.”

Venus appeared to struggle with the heat at times, relying on ice towels to keep cool during the changeovers.

“I’m a Floridian, so I’m pretty good with heat,” she admitted. “But obviously, if it’s going to be hot, I think with players, you can train in the heat the week before. This last week it was kind of cool, actually, a lot of the time. So it’s definitely a wildcard, like, total wildcard.”

Despite losing some momentum in the second set, the American rebounded to take the last three games of the match and advance into the second round after just over two hours.

Up next for the former World No.1 is either Stefanie Voegele or Kurumi Nara.

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Photos | WTA Tennis English

Photos | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970
Life is a rollercoaster for Svetlana Kuznetsova, and while in Melbourne she stopped by Luna Park to take a ride on one in real life. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Life is a rollercoaster for Svetlana Kuznetsova, and while in Melbourne she stopped by Luna Park to take a ride on one in real life. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Before the action, Sveta made sure to grab some popcorn and cotton candy, standard amusement park treats! (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Before the action, Sveta made sure to grab some popcorn and cotton candy, standard amusement park treats! (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Luna Park is a very historic amusement park – it opened in 1912! (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Luna Park is a very historic amusement park – it opened in 1912! (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Sveta eased into the amusement park spirit with a ride on the Magical Carousel. (Getty Images)

Sveta eased into the amusement park spirit with a ride on the Magical Carousel. (Getty Images)

Next up, Sveta took her whole team onto the Scenic Railway rollercoaster. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Next up, Sveta took her whole team onto the Scenic Railway rollercoaster. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Sveta looks like she’s having fun! Coach Carlos Martínez? Not so much… (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Sveta looks like she’s having fun! Coach Carlos Martínez? Not so much… (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

Opened in December 1912, the Scenic Railway is the oldest continually operating roller coaster in the world! (Getty Images)

Opened in December 1912, the Scenic Railway is the oldest continually operating roller coaster in the world! (Getty Images)

“I was a little bit nervous before getting on, but it was not too big!” Sveta said after the ride.  (Getty Images)

“I was a little bit nervous before getting on, but it was not too big!” Sveta said after the ride. (Getty Images)

Scenic Railway is one of only three roller coasters in the world that require a brakeman to stand in the middle of the train – he looks pretty calm! (Getty Images)

Scenic Railway is one of only three roller coasters in the world that require a brakeman to stand in the middle of the train – he looks pretty calm! (Getty Images)

“I don’t remember the last time I’ve been to a park like this! Visiting somewhere other than the tennis club, it’s already very good,” she added. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

“I don’t remember the last time I’ve been to a park like this! Visiting somewhere other than the tennis club, it’s already very good,” she added. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)

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WTA Stars Rally Around Charity

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

At this year’s Wimbledon, some of the most famous names in women’s tennis are once again lending their support to the StarCards charity auction, raising money for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London.

The WTA has been helping the charity since 2002, raising thousands of pounds. Among the lots at this year’s auction are items from Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki and StarCards’ official celebrity supporter Ana Ivanovic, who has signed and donated her 2016 French Open player accreditation.

“With the tremendous support of the WTA we have raised over £100,000 for the charity, tennis fans around the world each year contact us in advance of to make sure they don’t miss out on the new collection. We are extremely grateful to the WTA and our official supporter Ana Ivanovic who help us every year to raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity,” StarCards founder Paul Bretta said

The auction, held on the StarCards website, started on June 30 and will finish on July 10.

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News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MELBOURNE, Australia – Mirjana Lucic-Baroni caused the biggest upset of this year’s Australian Open by knocking out No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round.

In little over an hour on Margaret Court Arena, Lucic-Baroni struck 33 winners to complete a 6-3, 6-2 victory and set up a third-round meeting with another unseeded player, Maria Sakkari.

Lucic-Baroni will turn 35 in March and last progressed beyond the first round at Melbourne Park in 1998. However, even after dropping serve at the start of the second set, she refused to be derailed, reeling off the next six games to seal victory, and hand Radwanska her earliest loss at Melbourne Park in eight years.

A one-time teenage prodigy, Lucic-Baroni has returned to the limelight in recent years, winning a third career title at Québec City in 2014, and upsetting Simona Halep at the French and US Opens. These performances have imbued the Croat with the confidence that on her day she can compete with the game’s best.

“That was my first big win in a while and it was a shock,” Lucic-Baroni said when asked about her win over Halep at the 2014 US Open. “I know I have some good tennis in me still, that’s the reason I’m still out here playing at 34 – I’m no spring chicken – to get these moments and these feelings. It was really fun tonight.

“I know that I have the game to win a big match. I didn’t go in there to see a big court, I went in with a gameplan. I’ve been around too long to just gain experience.”

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, Agnieszka Radwanska

Like Halep, Radwanska proved powerless in the face of a barrage of winners, responding with just eight of her own.

“There’s not a lot I could do; she’s playing without pressure, full power. It’s hard to comment because it all went so fast,” Radwanska said in her press conference. “It’s always disappointing when you lose in the first week of a Grand Slam. I need to come back next year and do better.”

Lucic-Baroni now faces Sakkari, another player appearing at this stage of the tournament for the first time.

“I don’t feel like I’m that old. I’ve missed a few years on tour, but this time around I don’t have anything to prove, I’m just enjoying myself, playing for myself. I’m enjoying it, enjoying the moments and just trying to go as far as I can,” Lucic-Baroni added.

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