Charleston: Daria Kasatkina’s Shot Of The Day
Check out Daria Kasatkina’s shot of the day from the final of the Volvo Car Open.
Check out Daria Kasatkina’s shot of the day from the final of the Volvo Car Open.
STANFORD, CA, USA – Less than seven months after giving birth to son Leo, former No.1 Victoria Azarenka is set to return to tennis this summer at the Bank Of The West Classic in Stanford.
“I am very excited to be returning to the WTA at the Bank of the West Classic,” Azarenka said. “Becoming a mother has been the most rewarding thing that has ever happened to me and really puts things in perspective. I am looking forward to beginning this new stage of my career.”
The two-time Australian Open champion enjoyed a strong start to last season, winning the elusive Sunshine Double at the BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open, but was forced to sit out the remainder of 2016 after announcing the imminent birth of her son.
Tickets for this year’s event, which will be held July 31-August 6 at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium on Stanford University’s campus, can be purchased online at www.BankOfTheWestClassic.com or by phone at 866-WTA-TIXS (866-982-8497).
Check out Daria Kasatkina’s stat of the day from the Volvo Car Open final.
CHARLESTON, SC, USA – Kicking off finals Sunday at the Volvo Car Open, World No.1 Bethanie Mattek-Sands treated the Charleston crowd to a rousing doubles match alongside partner and Australian Open co-champion Lucie Safarova.
Up against a newly formed Czech duo in Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova, Mattek-Sands and Safarova recovered from a tough second set to rebound in the match tie-break, winning, 6-4, 1-6, 10-7, to take home their second title of the season – and Mattek-Sands’ third overall.
The win triggered a lengthy celebration from two of the tour’s biggest personalities, and even a revival of the Shaun T-choereographed dance the two debuted after winning in Melbourne.
Check out some the best photos from after the match right here, courtesy of the Volvo Car Open:
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova takes on Angelique Kerber in the final of the Abierto GNP Seguros.
BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – The inaugural Ladies Open Biel Bienne will commence on Monday at the Swiss Tennis Center in Roger Federer Allee, Biel, Switzerland.
While the new indoor hardcourt event is attracting many of the top players- Carla Suárez Navarro, Roberta Vinci, Karolína Pliskova are all confirmed, among others, it is the Swiss who are particularly excited.
At the Biel draw, Belinda Bencic explained that it has always been her dream to play in Switzerland. As a youngster, she would watch Martina Hingis play at the Zurich Open, before it shut down ten years ago. Now, she is being given the opportunity to play in front of a home crowd, herself.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be here’, Bencic said. “I’m glad to have a tournament in Switzerland where I can finally play at home and it’s absolutely amazing. The new stadium looks amazing. I will definitely enjoy my first match. I’m familiar with the conditions and I think it’s definitely an advantage for us home players’.
“I was so sad when it [the Zurich Open] stopped being there because it was my dream to play in Switzerland. I used to watch Martina Hingis from as long as I can remember so I’m very thrilled that there is now a tournament in Switzerland.”
Rebeka Masarova is a rising Swiss start with a history of playing well in her home country, having made an impressive tour debut at the Ladies Championship Gstaad last year, making the semifinals at just 16 years old and as the World No.797. Masarova was also excited to be playing at home again and hopes Biel will bring her similar success.
Viktorija Golubic knocked countrywoman Masarova out of the Gstaad semifinal last summer en route to the title, said that it means a lot to her to have two tournaments in Switzerland and that she enjoys the pressure of playing at home.
Bencic will play Carina Witthoeft in the first round, Masarova will face Annika Beck and Golubic has drawn against Laura Siegemund. The full draw can be found here. The tournament will run from 10-16th April.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova thanks her fans after winning the Abierto GNP Seguros.
BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland/BOGOTA, Colombia – The Ladies Open Biel Bienne will make its debut on the WTA circuit this week. The second annual tournament in Switzerland is played on indoor hard-courts. While the Claro Open Colsanitas continues the spring, clay court season. Since it’s upgrade to a WTA-level event in 1998, the Colombian tournament has evolved into one of the most prestigious sporting events in all of Latin America.
1) The Swiss are out with a vengeance.
Three Swiss players are playing in Biel/Bienne this week. Belinda Bencic, former World No.7 was given a wildcard into the tournament, while Rebeka Masarova is back at home after making her debut to the women’s tour at Gstaad in 2016 – beating former World No.1 Jelena Jankovic in the first round. Finally, Viktorija Golubic who went on to win the tile in Gstaad, is also in action.
2) Strycova leads in Swiss field.
Top seed Barbora Strycova will aim to win her second career title in Biel/Bienne after strong results at the Miami Open in singles and doubles. Her last title came in 2011 at the Tournoi de Québec – another indoor hardcourt event.
3) Babos, Niculescu anchor quarter of contrasts.
There are few match-ups more fun than those that provide a contrast in styles, one of which we may get if No.3 seed Timea Babos and No.8 seed Monica Niculescu advance into the last eight. Niculescu leads their head-to-head 3-2, but Babos won both of their 2016 encounters.
4) Carla Suárez Navarro back on form after injury.
Suárez Navarro looks nearly back to her best after an injury-addled start to 2017, she will come into Biel as the No.2 seed after reaching the quarterfinals in Monterry last week.
5) Vinci gets KrisPlis rematch in Biel/Bienne.
Roberta Vinci was a game away from knocking out Kristyna Pliskova at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships before Karolina’s twin sister stunned the Italian veteran in three sets. The two face off again in the first round in Biel/Bienne, Vinci the No.4 seed.
6) Kiki Bertens will start in Colombia as the No.1 seed.
The Dutchwoman reached her career high in February, cracking the World’s Top 20. She is set to play 20-year-old Nina Stojanovic in the first round.
7) Irina Falconi is back to defend her title in Bogota.
The World No.105 has has struggled with injury since winning her maiden WTA title last spring, but she will be fighting to defend it this week. The American faces Slovenian Dalila Jakupovic in the first round.
8) Errani to face streaking Alexandrova.
Former French Open finalist Sara Errani will begin her red clay swing in earnest down in Bogota, but will first have to get past the on-fire Ekaterina Alexandrova. The young Russian comes to Colombia on the back of 10 straight wins and two ITF titles in China and France.
9) Siniakova aims to bring doubles success to singles court in Bogota.
20-year-old Katerina Siniakova started the season with a singles title in Shenzhen, and has since shown her best tennis on the doubles court with Lucie Hradecka, reaching finals at the BNP Paribas Open and the Volvo Car Open last week. The Czech will aim to rediscover her singles form in Bogota, where she will be the No.2 seed.
10) Can Arruabarrena reclaim her Colombian crown.
Lara Arruabarrena won the Claro Open Colsanitas in 2012, and has shown some improved hardcourt form at the Miami Open, where she upset Madison Keys en route to the fourth round. The No.4 seed in Bogota, she opens against a qualifier.
Daria Kasatkina takes on Jelena Ostapenko in the final of the Volvo Car Open.
MONTERREY, Mexico – World No.1 Angelique Kerber battled past Carla Suárez Navarro in two sets to return to the Abierto GNP Seguros final for the second time, 7-6(6), 6-1.
Kerber will face three-time champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the final, a rematch of the pair’s 2013 final here in Monterrey which saw the Russian defeat Kerber to claim her third title.
“It’s a completely new year, so I will not think about my last final here,” Kerber joked in her post-match press conference. “It was three years ago, and anything is possible. I’m going out there tomorrow to try to play my best tennis and try to win the match.”
Playing in her first Monterrey day session match of the tournament, Kerber had to contend with the different conditions as well as the determined Suárez Navarro.
What.A.Rally. ? pic.twitter.com/3A7wGPGlyv
— WTA (@WTA) 8 de abril de 2017
The Spaniard came into Monterrey with just one victory all season long after shoulder injury kept her off the courts for much of 2017, but she brought her best tennis against the World No.1 in the opening set.
She stayed calm despite Kerber opening up a double break lead, climbing back from 1-4 down to 4-4. They traded breaks once more and sent the match to a tiebreak, where Kerber finally emerged victorious after a string of marathon rallies.
It was more comprehensive for the World No.1 in the second set, though, as she raised her level to outhit Suárez Navarro and find winners from every angle. She started the set with another double break lead to go up 5-0.
.@AngeliqueKerber ousts Suarez Navarro 7-6(6), 6-1!
Sets @Abierto_GNP Final vs @NastiaPav! pic.twitter.com/NNOaxbiLB1
— WTA (@WTA) 8 de abril de 2017
Despite the Spaniard managing to get on board late, she couldn’t stem the tide as Kerber powered through to her second Monterrey final – and her first final of 2017.
“I think we both played on a really high level today,” she said. “It was a really tough match. It’s always tough to play against her, I know this because I’ve played her in a lot of tough battles in the past.
“I tried to stay focused, especially in the beginning of the second set, and I’m happy to be in the second final here.”