Tennis News

The 2016 Aces For Humanity campaign was launched by USANA and the WTA at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this year, where every ace hit by a WTA player at Premier-level events translates into a donation to the USANA True Health Foundation, whose mission is to provide the most critical human necessities to those who are suffering or in need around the world. For every ace hit by any player the WTA donates $5, and for every ace hit by a USANA Brand Ambassador, it’s $10.

USANA Brand Ambassadors Caroline Wozniacki, Eugenie Bouchard, Samantha Stosur, Kristina Mladenovic, Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, Monica Puig, Zheng Saisai and Alizé Cornet (who did not play in Indian Wells) have hit 42 of the 489 aces so far – raising a grand total of $2,655 over the fortnight.

Read more about the campaign here and see below to find out who’s hit the most aces so far!

#AcesForHumanity Fan Giveaway

It’s simple: before each WTA Premier tournament guess how many total aces will be hit.
Next up is the Miami Open in Miami. Last year there was a total of 411 aces hit. It’s now your turn, take your best guess of how many will be hit in the desert this year.

How To Enter:
• Follow @WTA and @USANAFoundation on Twitter and before each WTA Premier tournament tweet the number of aces you predict will be hit during the whole tournament (Singles, Main Draw)
• Include the hashtag #AcesForHumanity
• Miami deadline is March 23rd at 11:59pm ET
• The winner will be announced April 4th

Aces For Humanity is a joint WTA and USANA initiative that benefits the USANA True Health Foundation, which provides critical human necessities to those in suffering or in need around the globe.

For full rules on how to enter, click here.

1. Can Serena get back to her winning ways in Miami?

It has been an odd start to Serena Williams’ season. On one hand, she is clearly playing at a superior, more consistent level of tennis than her near-historic 2015 season. On the other han,d she has yet to win a title, losing back-to-back finals for the first time since the summer of 2004 – getting nipped at the finish line by Angelique Kerber at the Australian Open and Victoria Azarenka last week at the BNP Paribas Open.

There are legitimate explanations for both losses. Kerber played the match of her life in Melbourne, while the emotions from playing an Indian Wells final for the first time 15 years clearly led to her nervy, tense play against Azarenka. In other words, they weren’t “bad” losses. But they were losses nonetheless, and for a perfectionist like Serena, they were tough to swallow.

Click here to check out the Miami Open draw.

Now she returns to the tournament she has dominated like no other. An eight-time champion at the Miami Open, the familiar surrounds of Crandon Park may just be what Serena needs to get her hands on her first trophy since the Western & Southern Open. She leads the top half of the draw with Petra Kvitova as a potential quarterfinal opponent and Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep – both of whom she beat in Indian Wells – looming as potential semifinal opponents. She opens against either Misaki Doi or Christina McHale.

2. Can Vika go coast-to-coast?

Not since Kim Clijsters in 2005 has a player completed the Indian Wells-Miami double. With her sterling 16-1 record in 2016 – and riding a high after winning Indian Wells – Azarenka has a chance to cap off her resurgent spring hardcourt season if she can win her third Miami title. Drawn into the Spanish Quarter anchored by No.4 Garbiñe Muguruza and last year’s finalist Carla Suárez Navarro, she’ll play either Catherine Bellis or Monica Puig in the second round.

3. Can Simona Halep build on her Indian Wells form?

After a season start marred by injury and illness, Halep looked well on her way to regaining her form in Indian Wells, where she rolled into the quarterfinals without losing a set before bowing out to Serena. The No.5 seed is once again in Serena’s half but landed in Radwanska’s quarter. She could open her tournament against the surging Daria Kasatkina – who is making her Miami Open debut – and could face Sam Stosur and Sloane Stephens before the second week.

If Halep and Radwanska can take care of business in the first week, their projected quarterfinal would be a must-watch clash. Radwanska, the new World No.2, has made the semifinals or better at every tournament she’s played this year.

4. Can Garbiñe Muguruza navigate her tough draw?

The top players will breathe a sigh of relief once Dominika Cibulkova gets her ranking up and is no longer unseeded and looming. The Abierto Mexicano Telcel finalist narrowly lost out to Radwanska in three sets in the second round in Indian Wells and could be Muguruza’s opening round opponent in Miami (Cibulkova opens against Johanna Larsson). From there, the Spaniard’s draw could see her face one of either Kristina Mladenovic, Nicole Gibbs, or Yulia Putintseva, before a potential fourth round match against Victoria Azarenka. That’s a very tricky first week for Garbi.

5. Can Angelique Kerber hit the ground running?

Ranked No.3 but seeded No.2 this week – the draw was conducted before the new rankings came out on Monday – Kerber is about to embark on a stretch of tournaments in April in which she has a load of points to defend on clay. Miami offers her an opportunity to pick up some points to ease that pressure (she lost in the third round last year). The problem for her is she’s on a three-match losing streak, having won just one match at Fed Cup since her Australian Open win.

Kerber could open her tournament against the highest-ranked unseeded woman in the draw in World No.32 Barbora Strycova, who has had a fine start to the season. The Czech veteran beat Muguruza in Australia, made the biggest final of her career at the Dubai Duty Free Championships, and beat Andrea Petkovic en route to the fourth round in Indian Wells, where she retired due to illness. Kerber could also face Indian Wells semifinalist Karolina Pliskova – the pair had two thrilling three-set encounters last year, which Kerber won – with No.7 seed Belinda Bencic a possible Round of 16 opponent.

6. Can the teenagers do more damage?

In addition to main draw entries by Bencic and Kasatkina, the Miami Open awarded wildcards to five teenagers – Naomi Osaka, Sofia Zhuk, Paula Badosa Gibert, Beatriz Haddad Maia, and CiCi Bellis – all of whom are worth keeping an eye on this week.

Bencic is trying to get back on a roll since cracking the Top 10 in February. She’s been drawn into Kerber’s quarter and will play either a qualifier or 18-year-old wildcard Paula Badosa Gibert, the reigning French Open junior champion. Meanwhile, Kasatkina could face Halep in the second round, a fun potential match between two strong clay courters. Also notable: Jelena Ostapenko is the No.1 seed in qualifying. If she makes it through, watch for her placement in the draw.

Japan’s Osaka, 18, faces a qualifier in the first round. Get past that and she would face No.14 seed Sara Errani. At No.104 a win could put her into the Top 100 for the first time.

In addition to Badosa Gibert, another reigning junior champion is in the mix in 16-year-old Zhuk. The feisty Russian won junior Wimbledon last year and will face Zhang Shuai in the first round. Keeping Zhuk company in the 16-and-under category, Bellis will try her luck against Monica Puig in the first round.

Lastly, in the “What are the odds?” match-up of the first round, it’s an all-Brazilian battle between 19-year-old Haddad Maia and the veteran Teliana Pereira.

7. Can Caroline Wozniacki snap out of her slump?

Down to No.25 in the rankings – her lowest since July 2008 – the Dane has yet to get her season into gear. She has beaten just one Top 50 player this season and has taken losses to No.30 Sloane Stephens, No.76 Yulia Putintseva, No.66 Dominika Cibulkova, No.118 Elena Vesnina, No.84 Heather Watson, and No.69 Zhang Shuai.

Drawn into Serena’s quarter, she’ll open against either Vania King or a qualifier, and is projected to face Elina Svitolina and Petra Kvitova before a potential meeting with Serena.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Former No.1 Victoria Azarenka capped her return to the Top 10 with a second BNP Paribas Open title, outlasting top seed and 21-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

The two-time Australian Open champion set down with WTA Insider to discuss forming the perfect team, believing in a career without limits, and the poignant reason why she has never been one to waste food.

WTA Insider: You’re the first player to do two Champion’s Corners, because we spoke after Brisbane. Are you still kind of basking in the glow of the win?
Azarenka: I’m very happy. I can’t say that I’m over the moon excited – maybe it didn’t sink in just yet – but I’m just very happy that I’m able to do whatever I want to do on the court. I can move the way I want to move, and see improvements in my game. I’m able to take whatever I’m working on in practice and bring it to the court. This is what gets me more excited, keeps me motivated, and seeing that it works against the best player in the world just brings a little bit extra to work even harder.

WTA Insider: Last year your season ended pretty roughly and you said you wanted to focus on fitness. Big payoff, but what were the toughest moments from that training bloc?
Azarenka: I can’t say there weren’t days that I didn’t want to want to lay down and maybe sleep a little longer. The training bloc was very important, but I think what got me to win here was that I kept working during and after the Australian Open. All this time I was setting little goals to improve whatever it is that I want to. I said in Australia, it’s going to be a process, and I still believe that I’m not there where I want to be. I’m getting there and I’m getting closer and I’m improving, but knowing that I could just be better gets me excited. That’s what helps me wake up in the morning and go after it. There is nothing else I want to do in life right now but give myself the best chance I can to be able to chase my dreams. Set my goals and go after them, and then we’ll see what happens. But I’ll know that I’m the best prepared I’ve ever been – mentally, physically, tennis-wise, tactical-wise – the best prepared. Whatever happens out there is more or less not in my control. But knowing that I’m prepared is the key.

WTA Insider: Do you think you’re more prepared now than in 2012?
Azarenka: I believe I’m a stronger, faster, and a smarter player. I find ways to win when some other things don’t work. I’ve improved my serve a lot. I’m mentally way happier, and I have people with whom I see no limitations. That’s also very important, to surround yourself with energy and with people who believe you have no limits, and not just trying to tell you how to stay the same.

WTA Insider: Talking about your renewed outlook, you seem happier and more zen than in the past. Do you feel like a happier outlook has been more positive for your game?
Azarenka: The difference is trying to find the balance. The off-court stuff, the preparation is something where I feel I’ve completely changed. I’m much more relaxed; I know what’s going to make me feel good. But on the court, I’m going to be a fearless, edgy self. I play with a lot of passion because that’s what makes me the best player. I’ve always said there is a difference between frustration and being angry. I think angry and pumped up is good for you; it gives you emotions. Once you get frustrated, you tip over into that bad side. That’s trouble, but being able to control and navigate your emotions, your body, how you feel, is a craft.

WTA Insider: Can you talk about your emotional evolution on the tennis court? How has time molded you into a better competitor?
Azarenka: I’ve always been a fighter, since a really young age. A fighter is something that I think I was born to be. I never give up at any stage.

WTA Insider: Are there stories your parents might have of you as a kid, where you feel you were born this way?
Azarenka: I think I was born this way, and where I came from, there was no other way. It was always, ‘If you want it, you have to fight for it.’ It’s as simple as being hungry. I had no food sometimes, and that’s something that to this day in my life, it leaves an impact on me. You will never see me not finish one of my meals. How you react to every situation as it’s happening in your life, is up to you. Whatever His plan is, I think is going to happen, but you are in control of how you want to handle it. I was struggling with injuries, mentally, with everything, but I was brave enough to do something about it. That sometimes scares people, because it’s not easy to dig down to all of your emotions and talk about that and be open about it. It’s hard, but once you do it, you realize it’s not that bad, and maybe you should do it more.

Nothing is going to happen if you win or lose; the world is not going to change. It can change for a little bit for your situation, for whatever, but it’s not going to change. Everybody’s going to remember it for a little bit and forget about it after. I learned for me to take care of what I want to do, where I want to go, and that’s it. I’m not trying to please someone who thinks what is right for me. Nobody will know what’s right for me better than I know. I think that, as a young player, it’s important to keep learning and to stay open-minded. But you should also have a strong stance on what you believe in, because that’s something that is in you and you have to apply that. But you have to be open-minded.

WTA Insider: What do you think is that kind of core belief that you think you’ve had to stick to in your career?
Azarenka: I think a difficult thing for women in general is that we get manipulated very easily. It happens a lot on the women’s tour – and it’s just my observation, I’m not going to talk specifically – where coaches try to teach you and put their philosophy on you. But I think a great coach and a great listener is one who is adapting to how you feel, and teaching you through that. That is something that I also had to learn, and what young people have to be aware of. Believe in what you think is right, because your first instinct is always right.

WTA Insider: Do you think that the Vika of five years ago was angrier than the Vika of today?
Azarenka: I felt whatever I didn’t feel was right, was wrong. That would make me frustrated because, ‘I wouldn’t do it that way.’ With time and with experience and a few burned hands, you understand that it’s not your way, it’s how you adapt to situations. If people don’t act in a way that you want them to, you can’t control that. I think that allowed me to show my emotions more, and I don’t believe I was an angry person. I just didn’t know how to react to what were, in my opinion, unfair situations. I think I didn’t understand it before, and thinking it wasn’t fair. The world is unfair, so you have to understand that.

WTA Insider: Your team is fairly unique with what are essentially two head coaches with Sascha and Wim. Can you talk about that set-up and how that’s allowed you to settle into your game?
Azarenka: I have a very strong personality, and I have very strong beliefs of what I think I have to do but, as I said, I’m very open-minded and am willing to listen. What they’ve done great is to listen to how I feel and suggest the things that can make me better. It’s a lot of teamwork; everybody has their own role to do whatever is necessary. Having people around you believe that you have no limits is great because they’re encouraging and pushing you to somewhere where you think, ‘I don’t know if I can get there.’ But you can when they’re really pushing you and believing in you.

They’re also not afraid to say whatever they don’t like; I always want honest in my team, because I can handle whatever comes my way as long as they’re honest. JP, my physio specifically, has been just a soldier; he taught me so much to learn on the court, off the court, the listen, to be present every time. So I’m very grateful for him because he really took me out of my injury, got me healthy, and then everyone started putting their pieces together to help me build a new me.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.