Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

Mattek-Sands & Vandweghe Win In Debut

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Bethanie Mattek-Sands and CoCo Vandeweghe couldn’t have asked for a more perfect WTA debut to their newly-minted doubles partnership – the Americans rallied back from a set down to defeat Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova and claim the doubles title at the BNP Paribas Open.

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

“It’s pretty special for me. It’s my first doubles title, and to win it on home soil with an American is very special,” Vandeweghe said during the trophy ceremony. The title vaults the native Californian to No.25 in doubles, while Mattek-Sands will return to her career high ranking of No.3.

Both teams in the final were unseeded, the first time since 2009 that two unseeded teams faced off for the BNP Paribas Open doubles trophy.

Doubles debutantes Mattek-Sands and Vandeweghe, who are bidding for an Olympic spot later in the year, were up against another relatively new team in Goerges-Pliskova. Though the 2016 BNP Paribas Open marks their fourth outing as a team, the Czech-German partnership has been quite successful. They’ve always reached at least the quarterfinal stage in all the events they’ve played together.

Goerges and Pliskova drew first blood against the Americans, breaking Vandeweghe’s serve to start the match. The big-hitting Vandeweghe’s serves can rarely be called vulnerable – in fact she’s known for having one of the strongest serves on tour – but Goerges’ backhands were deadly, beating her for pace and breaking her twice in the first set.

With Goerges serving for the set at 5-3, the German thought she’d hit an ace to take the set. But after a half-hearted challenge from the Americans revealed it was out, a Mattek-Sand’s swing volley wove up the middle of Goerges-Pliskova and gave them the game. With the momentum behind the Americans, Vandeweghe was able to hold serve for the first time to keep them in the set, but Pliskova’s powerful groundstrokes erased any ideas of a comeback and the Czech-German duo took the first set.

With the Indian Wells crowd firmly cheering for the locals, the Americans kept toe-to-toe with their opponents throughout the next set and keep the pressure on. Eventually it was Goerges and Pliskova who blinked first, a Pliskova forehand sailing long bringing up 2 set points for the Americans and a double fault from Goerges giving them the second set.

Mattek-Sands and Vandeweghe grabbed an early mini-break in the final tiebreak, and though Pliskova and Goerges through everything they had at the Americans but they didn’t give up their lead. When it came time for her to serve for the match, Vandeweghe’s serve didn’t falter and a punishing smash from Mattek-Sands sealed the victory and the pair’s first doubles title.

Afterwards, the Americans gave a lot of credit to the crowd for keeping them in the match.

“All week long we’ve had great fan support, which is so cool,” Mattek-Sands said afterwards. “As two Americans together, the support was awesome.

“It’s always special coming back here to Indian Wells, it’s kind of like our home tournament. We’ll be back next year for sure.”

Source link

The Gibbs Of Gab: Bottled Brilliance

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

I remember a post-match interview from early 2014 that turned some heads, or at least turned mine. Eugenie Bouchard had just made her first Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open from a ranking of No.31, her first real major breakthrough – pun intended. When asked about her Cinderella run, here is some of what she had to say:

“I’m proud of how I’ve improved as a player throughout the tournament. But I’m never satisfied with losing. I’m always disappointed; I always want to go further and do better. I wouldn’t say I exceeded my expectations, but I’m happy with how I did.”

To me, still fresh on tour, this came off as blatant arrogance. You expect this? How could you possibly expect to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, much less actually say that in press? It had always appeared to me that, no matter how hard you work, no matter how great the coaching you receive, making a Grand Slam semifinal had to involve a little bit of luck. Surely, then, you would be humbled by the experience.

Perhaps my bias toward the involvement of luck in success on the tennis court was imparted to me by my first coach: my father. I remember clearly when, one day, he pulled me aside during a practice in which I was shuffling around listlessly and not giving my full effort. He said, “There are tons of kids out there who work every bit as hard as you, maybe even harder, who will never achieve what you’re setting out to achieve in tennis.”

Kind of brutal, no? But the bottom line stuck with me: you can give everything you have to this game and still fall short of lofty goals like “making it” on tour.

So when Genie said that she expected results like a slam semifinal, I was confused and even a bit put off.

Now, fast forward to my first three months of 2016 – months that have MOST DEFINITELY NOT seen me reach a Grand Slam semifinal – but months that have included some of my best tennis and results to date. Here are some of the questions that have been cropping up, especially after my fourth round appearance this past week at the BNP Paribas Open:

Are you surprised?
What changed?
Can you keep it up?

These questions seem simple, maybe even small talk material, but they’re not.

Am I surprised? Yes, and no. I am surprised to have arrived at a place where wins that used to evade me are feeling comfortable. But I also don’t feel that I’m doing anything unsustainable.

What changed? Everything, and nothing. I’m looking at myself and my potential very differently than I was a year ago, but it’s still me, I’m just accessing a better version.

Can I keep it up? Absolutely, but maybe not. I have every confidence that if my team stays solid, I keep working hard, and I stay healthy I can continue to improve. But nothing is ever promised, and right now I’m just trying to enjoy the process, the day in day out grind.

In other words, this recent improvement in my results has been a long time coming, and all of a sudden.

Lately, I’ve put in the work, committed to the things I’ve needed to improve, and changed my outlook to include a stronger-than-ever sense of self belief. And it’s been coming together quickly in the past few months. Things that didn’t seem attainable six months ago are feeling well within reach. When asked how far I think I can go in tennis, “Top 10” has replaced, “I don’t know, maybe Top 50.”

This is all new for me. But I’ve also wanted to be a pro tennis player since I was 11. Every life decision I’ve made since then has centered around maximizing my tennis, giving myself the best shot. Tens of thousands of hours have been spent sweating out weakness in the gym and pushing through insecurities and frustrations on court. So, in one way, I’m humbled by my recent success, but in another way, I expect this and much more.

Sorry for doubting your outlook, Genie.

To keep up with Gibbsy, you can follow her on Twitter @Gibbsyyyy and Instagram. Nicole Gibbs will feature as a regular columnist for WTA Insider. Click here for her first column, and check back regularly as she files a variety of dispatches from the road to give fans a glimpse of her life on tour.

Source link

Where To Watch: Miami

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

KEY INFORMATION:
Tournament Level: Premier Mandatory
Prize Money: $6,314,605
Draw Size: 96 main draw (32 byes)/48 qualifying
Main Draw Ceremony: Sunday, March 20, 6pm EDT
Qualifying Dates: Monday, March 21 – Tuesday, March 22
First Day of Main Draw: Tuesday, March 22
Singles Final: Saturday, April 2, 1pm EDT
Doubles Final: Sunday, April 3, NB 1pm EDT

MUST-FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
@WTA
@WTA_Insider – WTA Insider, Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen
@MiamiOpen – official tournament handle
Get involved in conversations with the official hashtags, #MiamiOpen and #WTA.

TOURNAMENT NOTES:
· Defending champion Serena Williams is bidding to capture her ninth Miami Open title. Only three other players have won the same WTA event eight or more times – Chris Evert (8 at Hilton Head), Martina Navratilova (12 at Chicago, 11 at Eastbourne, 9 at Dallas, Washington DC and Wimbledon and 8 at Los Angeles, WTA Finals and Orlando) and Steffi Graf (9 at Berlin).
– There have been five different champions in the past ten years in Miami. There are five returning champions in the field this year – Williams (2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015), Agnieszka Radwanska (2012), Victoria Azarenka (2009, 2011), Svetlana Kuznetsova (2006), Venus Williams (1998, 1999, 2001).

MAIN DRAW ENTRIES:
Serena Williams
Angelique Kerber
Simona Halep
Agnieszka Radwanska
Garbiñe Muguruza
Carla Suárez Navarro
Petra Kvitova
Lucie Safarova
Belinda Bencic
Venus Williams
Karolina Pliskova
Victoria Azarenka
Timea Bacsinszky
Roberta Vinci
Svetlana Kuznetsova
Caroline Wozniacki
Jelena Jankovic
Ana Ivanovic
Elina Svitolina
Sara Errani
Andrea Petkovic
Madison Keys
Sloane Stephens
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Samantha Stosur
Shuai Peng
Johanna Konta
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
Kristina Mladenovic
Ekaterina Makarova
Sabine Lisicki

WILDCARDS:
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA), Cici Bellis (USA), Heather Watson (GBR), Laura Robson (GBR), Naomi Osaka (JPN), Paula Badosa (ESP), Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA), Sofya Zhuk (RUS)

Source link

Game’s Greats Gather In Indian Wells

Game’s Greats Gather In Indian Wells

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – The 10th anniversary reunion of the WTA’s Alumnae & Friends Program was held on the sidelines of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, with more than 130 former players and other members of the tennis family in attendance.

With players-turned-broadcasters Mary Carillo and Pam Shriver presiding as co-emcees, greats in attendance included WTA founder Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Tracy Austin, as well as Rosie Casals and Valerie Ziegenfuss, who were among those who stood with King in 1970 as members of the Original 9 trailblazers of women’s professional tennis.

“It’s really a privilege to be here, to be in this room with all the history and the legends of this game,” said Steve Simon, who was tournament director of the BNP Paribas Open before he became CEO of the WTA late last year. “The WTA needs to embrace and honor and continually remember the history and the legends that are in this room.”

Those reunited, in some cases for the first time in 30 years, included names such as Barbara Jordan, Ilana Kloss, Ceci Martinez, Pam Teeguarden, Pat Bostrom, Ros Fairbank Niedeffer, Anne White, Robin White, Sharon Walsh, Alycia Moulton, Peanut Louie Harper, Mary Lou Piatek, Andrea Leand, Debbie Graham and Marianne Werdel.

Simon added: “Everybody playing today, they need to understand what you did and what you sacrificed for the opportunity they enjoy today. That’s something I hope we never forget.”

Mary Carillo, Mary Pierce

Before the formalities got underway, Carillo asked for a moment of silence in honor of the legendary tennis historian and journalist Bud Collins, who passed away on March 4 at the age of 86. “If you don’t mind, while we’re all silent, we’re all smiling, too,” she said.

When Evert took the podium to introduce former WTA CEO Bart McGuire, she too acknowledged all the strong women from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s who had helped build the game.

“I didn’t start any of this – I just followed in the footsteps of Billie Jean – she paved the way for our generation,” said the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion. “But to see everybody here who we’ve all played against, and who worked for tennis and who worked in tennis… it’s overwhelming. It’s powerful.”

McGuire, now the driving force behind the WTA Assistance Program (WTAAP), which provides financial support to members of the women’s professional tennis community facing serious illness, was honored for his longstanding contributions to the sport with a trip to Wimbledon.

“When I became involved in women’s tennis, former colleagues – men – would call me a feminist,” recalled McGuire. “It was probably meant as a joke but I took it seriously. Thank you all for helping me to be a feminist.”

Austin then welcomed Christopher Clouser to the stage, in recognition of his support of women’s tennis during his eight years as chairman of the board of directors of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Having retired in 2015, the much-traveled Clouser was presented with a pair of dark sunglasses so that he could enjoy future visits to tennis tournaments ‘incognito’.

Former ATP World No.4 Todd Martin, who is now the Hall of Fame’s CEO, and Dianne Hayes, the HOF’s VP of International Affairs, also joined in the fun on the night.

Peachy Kellmeyer, the first director of the WTA, was thanked for organizing the reunion with the vital support and assistance of Lisa Grattan and the Women’s Tennis Benefit Association (WTBA) as well as Peggy Michel, a three-time Grand Slam doubles champion who is now Vice President of Sales for the BNP Paribas Open.

“This is spectacular,” said Michel, looking at the assembled group. “What a strong foundation that was started by Billie Jean and Rosie and everybody. It’s like a sorority.”

The first WTA Alumnae & Friends reunion was held at Indian Wells in 2009. Since then, gatherings have been held on three continents, from Melbourne to London to Miami.

WTA Alumnae & Friends

From left to right: Chris Evert, Bart McGuire, Mary Carillo, Cindy McGuire, Steve Simon, Tracy Austin, Christopher Clouser, Billie Jean King, Pam Shriver, Lisa Grattan.

Source link

Serena Returns To Indian Wells Final

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Serena Williams withstood a spirited challenge from Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the final of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday evening.

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

In stark contrast to their meeting at the same stage of this January’s Australian Open, Williams found herself In a real dogfight, responding magnificently by rattling off 11 of the final 12 points to complete a 6-4, 7-6(1) victory.

“I love tie-breakers and my whole aim is just to win the first seven points – if you do that you can’t lose,” Serena told Andrew Krasny immediately after the match.

No player has ever won three titles in Indian Wells, and 15 years after picking up her second Williams will go in search of the hat-trick when she takes on Victoria Azarenka in the final.

“What a career. I never expected to be here again in Indian Wells, let alone the final. It’s really unbelievable,” she added.

Perhaps inspired by her imminent rise to No.2 in the rankings, Radwanska committed to attacking Williams from the outset. The decision made for an entertaining spectacle and it was immediately apparent that there would be no repeat of the Melbourne whitewash, a smart backhand winner helping the Pole to a break in the opening game.

Radwanska continued to pile on the pressure as the set wore on, only for Williams to bail herself out of trouble with a series of pin-point serves. The failure to secure the insurance of a second break proved costly, as Williams’ own return game belatedly spluttered into life.

A vicious backhand proved the catalyst as the American converted her first break point to draw level at 4-4 before completing the turnaround a few games later some more ferocious returning.

At the start of the second set, Radwanska looked in danger of getting blown away, Williams moving through the gears to open up a 3-0 lead. To her credit, Radwanska did not let her head drop, pulling back the break and even threatening to force a decider. However, there was to be no comeback, the World No.1’s grandstand finish sending her would-be rival back the drawing board.

Source link