Tennis News

GSTAAD, Switzerland – Patty Schnyder was set to play first WTA main draw match since 2011 before a rain storm held serve, canceling her scheduled first round encounter with Katerina Siniakova on Tuesday. Nonetheless, the former World No.7 was optimistic about taking her comeback to the next level.

“It all depends,” she told press when asked what she would consider a good week. “If I play a great match in the first round, and my opponent plays an even better one – because they can all say – why couldn’t I call that a good week? But obviously I feel ready and I want to win the match once I step on the court. I’d feel the same way with a quarterfinal.”

Schnyder made a tentative return to tennis last summer by playing a series of ITF Challenger tournaments, and was offered a wildcard to play qualifying at the Volvo Car Open, a tournament she’d twice finished runner-up in 2002 and 2006.

“There’ve been challenges everywhere, every week I go, I find challenges. I’m not really watching the rankings too much, and most of the girls, I don’t even know, so I’m just trying to adapt, see how they play and feel good with myself and my tennis.”

Awarded a main draw wild card at the inaugural Ladies Championship Gstaad alongside young countrywoman and junior French Open champion Rebeka Masarova, Schnyder won’t handicap the field too much, opting for a full immersion before analyzing just how much has changed since she was a fixture in the Top 10.

“It’s really hard to tell because I think you can only judge it once you play the girls. It’s not so easy to watch on TV and make a comment. Like I said, I was able to play in the German league, several matches against Top 100 players. I played one that was really physical with Friedsam, and I think it’s going in that direction, with the serve and return really improving.

“The constants, playing the rallies, that feels the same. Maybe I’m missing a bit more than before, but I have to play a few more of these girls to really say something.”

All photos courtesy of Ladies Championship Gstaad.

As we’re approaching the end of the season, tennis apparel launches are few and far between. Still, in the month of October we did have some tennis fashion releases, while some older designs reminded us just how good they are. Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog will give us an overview of the best clothes that graced the courts during the month highlighted by the $7,000,000 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

It’s been a while since Lacoste has launched a truly different design, but Dominika Cibulkova’s powerful and inspiring title run at the WTA Finals helped us better notice just how good the blue dress with orange built-in racerback sports bra suits the courageous Slovak. Every inch of the Lacoste Fall Racer Dress fits Cibulkova just right, so much that I thoroughly enjoyed watching the determined 27-year-old work the design that we’ve been seeing around the courts, in one form or another, through most of the year.

The sporty mini skirt and thick straps complemented Cibulkova’s 5’3″ frame perfectly, the peeking mango tree bra and 3D Lacoste script at mid-back reflect her drive and energy, while the mesh racerback overlay and white zipper create an absolutely winning look. What’s more, Cibulkova paired the dress with a classic white head tie, for an overall perfect blend of sporty, modern, retro and functional.

Before being stopped by inspired Cibulkova, Angelique Kerber confidently marched through the WTA Finals, wearing winter colors (white and light green), brightened by the vibrant coral contrast. The World No.1 opted for the white version of the adidas Fall Pro Tank, whose flash red racerback provides just the right amount of warm contrast, and the adidas Fall Pro Skirt, whose print is one of the best prints this season, and you know how tough the competition is.

The impression wouldn’t have been complete without the beautiful Adizero Ubersonic 2 shoes that offer confidence and stability even in ultra fast on-court movements.

Karolina Pliskova made her first appearance at the WTA Finals in style, wearing classic black and white hues from Fila’s Court Couture line characterized by feminine ruching, fashion-forward draping, and elegant, gold finishing touches. The Czech No.1 showcased the Court Couture Halter Tank, featuring a built-in bra and 30+ UV protection for the perfect melding of fashion and function, and the Court Couture Skirt, another timeless piece with classic contrasting colors.

Another player rocking the classic black and whites this October was Venus Williams, but the queen of prints used them to create a busy floral pattern, pairing it with solid colorblocks.

During her short campaign at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, Williams presented the EleVen Casablanca Glide Back Tank, a sleek black top featuring printed contrast elastic binding that enhances a feminine silhouette, and the EleVen Casablanca Triple Threat Skirt, equipped with EleVen Pro-Dri for moisture-wicking performance and superior breathability.

World No. 87 Carina Witthoeft lost in the first round of the Generali Ladies Linz as a qualifier, but in the fashion battle the German would have progressed much further at the tournament. Her purple Nike outfit consisted of the NikeCourt Maria Tank in color plum fog and the NikeCourt Maria Skort. The tank is made of stretch mesh fabric that provides stylish and breathable coverage. Carina decided to tuck the top in, not exposing split hems that offer a different, yet just as stylish look.