Indian Wells: Preview
A preview of action to come at this year’s the BNP Paribas Open.
This summer, former WTA No.1 Justine Henin will be inducted to the International Hall of Fame. Ahead of the big day, wtatennis.com and SAP took a look at the numbers behind the Belgian legend’s wonderful career.
1. Henin is one of seven players to hold the WTA No.1 ranking for more than 100 weeks
Henin held the No.1 ranking for a total of 117 weeks, one of only seven players in WTA history with more than 100 weeks to her name. She ascended the rankings summit on four separate occasions, and held the top spot by 1,709 ranking points when she announced her first retirement in 2008. (Note: At the time of her retirement, a Grand Slam title was 1,000 points).
2. Henin has the 12th most singles titles in WTA history
With 43 career singles titles, Henin is tied with Martina Hingis for 12th on the career titles leaderboard. In 143 tournaments, Henin reached the final 42.7 percent of the time winning 43 titles with 18 runner-up finishes. She won 23 titles on hardcourt, 13 on clay, four on grass and three on carpet.
3. Career Slam near miss
Henin won seven Grand Slam singles titles with four coming at Roland Garros (2003, 2005-07). Her other Grand Slam titles came at the Australian Open (2004) and twice at the US Open (2003, 2007). Wimbledon is the only Slam that eludes her resume, although she was a two-time runner-up (2001, 2006) – she is one of seven players to come within one major short of the Career Grand Slam.
4. Dubai dominance
In addition to Roland Garros, Henin enjoyed her most success at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winning 17 of 18 matches in Dubai with four titles (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) in five appearances. Her sole defeat came on her last visit, against Francesca Schiavone.
5. A record-setting season in 2007 vaulted Henin to No.1
Henin’s annus mirabilis came in 2007, winning 10 of 14 events with a 63-4 (.940) win-loss record. As a result, she became the first woman to surpass the $5 million prize money mark in a season.
6. Henin vs. Clijsters Rivalry
Henin and fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters met 25 times on tour with Clijsters edging the rivalry by the narrowest of margins, 13-12. However, in their 10 meetings in tour-level finals, Henin held the advantage, 6-4, including winning all three Grand Slam finals (2003 Roland Garros, 2003 US Open, 2004 Australian Open).
7. Gold medalist at 2004 Olympics
In her one and only appearance at the Olympic Games, at Athens in 2004, Henin struck gold, defeating France’s Amélie Mauresmo in the singles final.
8. A two-time champion at the WTA Finals
A two-time champion at the WTA Finals, Henin competed in the year-end event five times posting a 13-5 record, winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Henin defeated Maria Sharapova 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 for the 2007 title – a three hour, 24 minute battle that still holds the record for the longest final in the event’s history (three hours, 24 minutes).
9. Comeback
After retiring in 2008, Henin returned to the WTA at Brisbane in 2010, advancing to the final in her first event back. Henin won 34 of her 43 matches on her return, adding two titles to her career total – in Stuttgart and ‘s-Hertogenbosch – reaching the Australian Open final and climbing as high as No.12 in the rankings before walking away from the sport for good at the start of 2011.
10. Henin is one of 13 players in WTA history to surpass the $20-million mark in prize money
Throughout her career, Henin earned $20,863,335 in prize money, a mark that sees her occupy 11th place on the all-time pecking order.
The WTA is encouraging fans around the world to celebrate International Women’s Day by recognizing the exceptional women who they admire by using the hashtag #MySuperwoman.
International Women’s Day has been celebrated on March 8 since 1977, when the United Nations proclaimed the date as a time to reflect on progress made for women’s rights, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
In honor of IWD, WTA’s #MySuperwoman campaign aims to recognize exceptional women who make a difference by engaging with WTA players, legends, coaches, industry leaders and the online fan community.
Here’s how you can join the conversation:
1. On a piece of paper, write “#MySuperwoman is (your female inspiration’s name)”.
2. Take a picture of you with your paper.
3. Post your photo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram today with the following hashtags: #IWD2016 and #MySuperwoman.
4. Make sure to tag your Superwoman so she knows you celebrate her!
5. Like and share posts from players and fans to support and recognize the Superwoman they have named.
Check out the video above and the pictures below to find out who Garbiñe Muguruza, Agnieszka Radwanska, Simona Halep and more named as their Superwoman!
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Simona Halep faces a daunting challenge if she is to become the second player to successfully defend her crown at the BNP Paribas Open.
In the event’s 27-year history, only the great Martina Navratilova has won back-to-back titles. Halep’s hopes of following in these legendary footsteps were done no favors during Monday afternoon’s draw, which placed her in a treacherous top quarter.
All 32 seeds receive a first-round bye and Halep’s opening match will be against either Vania King or a qualifier.The mercurial Ekaterina Makarova, who famously upset Halep at the 2015 Australian Open, is seeded to be her third-round opponent.
Should she pass these early tests, then in all likelihood the Romanian will have to run the Williams gauntlet; Venus Williams is Halep’s projected fourth round foe, with top seed Serena Williams likely to be lying in wait in the quarterfinals. Only seven players have succeeded in beating both sisters at the same tournament, Jelena Jankovic being the most recent, at Rome in 2010.
Twelve months ago, Serena made her much-publicized return to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and her move prompted Venus to follow suit. Agnieszka Radwanska and Petra Kvitova are also in the top half, both of whom will be wise not to look too far ahead.
In a section that includes Svetlana Kuznetsova, Monica Niculescu, Heather Watson and last year’s runner-up, Jelena Jankovic, No.3 seed Radwanska’s most pressing concern will be the possible second-round banana skin against Dominika Cibulkova.
Keeping Kvitova company are Fed Cup teammate Lucie Safarova and fellow big-hitters Madison Keys and Sabine Lisicki.
No.2 seed Angelique Kerber finds herself in the less threatening bottom half, although her recent Doha hiccup will surely safeguard against complacency.
Barring upsets, Kerber and Carla Suárez Navarro are set to lock horns in the last eight, while two of the WTA’s new kids on the block, Garbiñe Muguruza and Belinda Bencic, are the leading seeds in the other quarter.
Click here to see the full draw.
1. Can Simona Halep turn her 2016 around with a title defense?
It has been a rough season thus far for Romania’s Simona Halep; beginning the year ranked No.2 in the world, Halep has lost five of her last six matches – though she earned a big three-set win playing Fed Cup at home against Petra Kvitova.
“I lost a few matches at the beginning of the year and I lost my confidence a little bit,” she said after unveiling a mural of herself as the BNP Paribas Open defending champion, “but those were because I was sick and couldn’t practice. Now I’m healthy and I feel great and I’m waiting to start the tournament.”
Watch @Simona_Halep unveil her #BNPPO16 mural! ????? pic.twitter.com/YKJN8sVSCg
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 7, 2016
Halep hasn’t played her best tennis of late, but she rarely needed her A game during last year’s title run, relying on an indomitable fighting spirit to recover from a set and a break down to defea former No.1 Jelena Jankovic in the final. Practicing with coach Darren Cahill, the Romanian was joined by a pair of tennis legends in Andre Agassi and 22-time Grand Slam champion Steffi Graf.
“It was a great experience; they gave great advice and I really want to thank them for helping me. I need to change my thoughts to be more like big champions.”
Opening against a qualifier or Vania King – who is on the way back from a back injury that kept her off the court for most of 2015 – in the second round, the No.5 seed has a tough road back to the final, potentially facing No.10 seed Venus Williams and World No.1 Serena Williams before the semifinals. But Halep sounds in good spirits, enjoying the perks of being the defending champion.
“I went to the locker rooms and there were no more lockers left for me. But they said I have a special room where the champions are, so I went there and I felt very special. For a minute I felt very special in my mind!”
2. Can Venus cap her return to Indian Wells with a quarterfinal face-off with sister Serena?
Speaking of the Williams sisters, Serena leads the field and opens against a qualifier or Irina-Camelia Begu following a first round bye. The American is playing her first tournament since the Australian Open, where she roared into the final only to be stunned by Angelique Kerber – who is seeded second in Indian Wells.
With Kristina Mladenovic, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and reigning Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winner Sara Errani all in her section, look for Serena to shake off the rust early in the hopes of winning her first BNP Paribas Open title since 2001.
Venus has rebounded from her slow start in Australia (where she went 0-2 in Auckland and Melbourne) with an emphatic run to the Taiwan Open title. The No.10 seed also enjoys a bye into the second round of her first appearance in Indian Wells since 2001, and could start her tournament against a qualifier or Brazil’s Teliana Pereira. The elder Williams hasn’t beaten Halep since 2013, but the American leads their overall head-to-head 3-1 – something to remember should they meet in the round of 16.
Venus and Serena thrilled the US Open crowd in their most recent encounter; a repeat in the quarterfinals could be a highlight of the fortnight.
3. Can Kerber cruise into her third final of 2016?
Angelique Kerber endured a hiccup in her first WTA match since winning the Australian Open, dropping out to Zheng Saisai at the Qatar Total Open, but the German could well be back to her best in the California desert. At the bottom of the draw, her second round match-up will be one of a pair of powerful Czechs: Denisa Allertova or Petra Cetkovska.
Seeded to face fellow Australian Open semifinalist Johanna Konta in the third round, Kerber has most of the season’s most consistent performers in her quarter, with a potential quarterfinal against Doha’s champion Carla Suárez Navarro or Sloane Stephens, the only woman to win multiple titles in 2016 with wins in Auckland and Acapulco. Also in her section is Ana Ivanovic – who could open her tournament against the winner of Camila Giorgi or Julia Goerges – and Karolina Pliskova, who struggled through the Middle East swing after leading her country to a Fed Cup win over Romania.
Kerber made back-to-back semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open in 2012 and 2013, but didn’t win a match in either of her last two appearances; still feeling the kind of confidence that took her to a maiden Grand Slam title, the veteran will be eager to buck the trend.
4. Can Agnieszka Radwanska fulfill her big title potential?
Radwanska has largely been the one to beat since last year’s US Open; the Pole has won four titles since September – including the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global – and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open.
Despite turning heads in a thrilling three-set win against Roberta Vinci in the quarterfinals of Qatar, the crafty Radwanska showed worrying signs of fatigue – be it physical or mental – in her flat semifinal loss to Suárez Navarro the next day. To make it through a two week tournament, the World No.3 will have to leave the extended highlight reel at home, especially with a potential rematch with Serena Williams looming just before the finals weekend.
When they played in Australia, Radwanska had few answers for a Serena playing at her peak, but the Pole will do herself no favors by getting in epic grindfests with Dominika Cibulkova (her potential second round opponent) or any of the seeds in her section: Monica Niculescu, 2015 finalist Jelena Jankovic, or Apia International Sydney champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
5. How well can the kids table tread water during adult swim?
No.7 seed Belinda Bencic is the highest ranked of three 18-year-olds in the Top 50, but any one of the young stars can cause a stir over the next two weeks. Opening against either 21-year-old Nao Hibino or 22-year-old wildcard Lauren Davis, the reigning Rogers Cup champion is in an interesting quarter anchored by fellow youngster and 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbiñe Muguruza – who is seeded No.4 – but peppered with a mix of new and familiar faces.
Bencic is seeded to play Daria Gavrilova, who is up to a career-high ranking of No.33, and could play one of BMW Malaysian Open champion Elina Svitolina or St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy winner and oldest Top 10 debutante, Roberta Vinci.
A third round match-up of veritable veterans is also on the menu as former No.1s Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki are projected to face off following their opening rounds, with Muguruza a possible fourth round opponent. Azarenka is playing just her second tournament since her shocking Australian Open loss to Kerber, but her first since withdrawing from the Abierto Mexicano Telcel with a left wrist injury.
Daria Kasatkina is the other top ranked teen; the young Russian sits in the same section as Suárez Navarro and the same quarter as Stephens, who might end up with a blockbuster second round against former No.5 Eugenie Bouchard – should the Canadian win her first round against a qualifier. Opening against two-time champion and wildcard Daniela Hantuchova, Kasatkina hasn’t paid too much attention to where her rapid rise has left her in the rankings, and is excited to make her Indian Wells debut.
“I don’t care, really; I just go and play every match and I don’t watch the rankings. I just play. I’m getting some experience and every tournament and every match is helping me.”
One of the younger stars looking to kickstart her season is Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. The Slovak made her first Premier-level quarterfinal at last summer’s Western & Southern Open and was an alternate at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai. On hand for the draw ceremony, Schmiedlova hopes to start small and end up with something big.
“I didn’t have a really great start of the season, and I just really want to get back and play some more matches, win something to get more confidence now. I’m practicing a lot so I hope it will show up on the courts. I didn’t have big goals here; I just want to play good and show what I can do.”
The Favorites:
– Serena Williams: When she is at her best, she is unquestionably the best in any draw. The World No.1 shook off the disappointments from the end of last year to play some of her best tennis in Melbourne, and with six weeks of rest should be primed for another deep run in Indian Wells.
– Angelique Kerber: Capable of playing consistent tennis, the German will have to shift into a more aggressive mindset the farther she goes in the draw – particularly against Stephens or Suárez Navarro in the quarterfinals. Whether this is indeed a new Kerber may become apparent fairly quickly depending on her result here.
The Next Best Things:
– Agnieszka Radwanska: Radwanska hasn’t faced any early upsets in a while, and should she stay fresh heading into the later rounds, the No.3 seed could be make it into the final – but how things shake out in the Williams/Halep quarter may still determine where she finishes.
– Carla Suárez Navarro: The Spaniard impressed in the Middle East and assumed the role of the alpha to great success in Doha. Suárez Navarro has beaten Kerber on hardcourts before, and as she looks to break into the Top 5, will need to continue proving herself with big wins as she rockets up the rankings.
– Simona Halep: A confidence player, Halep may be feeling a bit more pressure after taking a look at her draw, but not being expected to defend her title may free her up, and if her time with Graf was half as inspiring as it was for Kerber last spring, the Romanian may have a fortnight to remember.
Dark Horses:
– Belinda Bencic: The teenager has had a flying start to 2016, and despite stumbling in the Middle East, the Swiss star has shown a champion’s mettle that tends to be rewarded with big titles.
– Sloane Stephens: With two titles already under her belt, Stephens is suddenly in search of a deep run at a major tournament – something that used to be her calling card. Should she get past Bouchard, the American has all the tools to succeed on this surface.
– Victoria Azarenka: Struggles with injury keep her lower on the list than she might have otherwise been given her stellar run to the Brisbane International title, but it will be interesting to see how Azarenka recovers from that loss in Melbourne; given how things panned out, the two-time Australian Open champion might feel she let an opportunity slip by. The next few weeks will undoubtedly be a big test for the Belarusian.
First week spoilers:
– Barbora Strycova (vs. Andrea Petkovic, second round)
– CoCo Vaneweghe (vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova, second round)
– Bethanie Mattek-Sands (vs. Elina Svitolina, second round)
– Zhang Shuai (vs. Caroline Wozniacki, second round)
Click here to see the full draw.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA – Maria Sharapova held a press conference on Monday to announce she has tested positive for meldonium. Sharapova told reporters she received a letter from the ITF after the Australian Open notifying her of the failed drug test.
“I failed the test and I take full responsibility for it,” Sharapova said. “For the past 10 years, I have been given a medicine called Mildronate by my family doctor, and a few days ago after I received the ITF letter, I found out that it also has another name of Meldonium, which I did not know.
“It’s very important for you to understand that for 10 years, this medicine was not on WADA’s ban list, and I had been legally taking the medicine for the past 10 years.”
Sharapova said she was prescribed the medication for health issues dating back to 2006, including magnesium deficiency, an irregular heartbeat, and a family history of diabetes.
“Throughout my long career, I have been very open and honest about many things, and I take great responsibility and professionalism in my job every single day, and I made a huge mistake,” Sharapova said. “I let my fans down, and this sport down that I’ve been playing since the age of four and that I love so deeply.
“I know that with this, I face consequences, and I don’t want to end my career this way and I really hope that I will be given another chance to play this game.”
Sharapova said she does not know what the consequences will be yet. “I just received the letter a few days ago and I will be working with the ITF,” Sharapova said.
“I am very saddened to hear this news about Maria,” WTA CEO Steve Simon said in a statement. “Maria is a leader and I have always known her to be a woman of great integrity. Nevertheless, as Maria acknowledged, it is every player’s responsibility to know what they put in their body and to know if it is permissible. This matter is now in the hands of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program and its standard procedures. The WTA will support the decisions reached through this process.”
Following the announcement, WADA released the following statement:
“WADA is aware of the ongoing case. As is our normal process, and in order to protect the integrity of the case, WADA will refrain from commenting further until a decision has been issued by the ITF. Following that, WADA will review the reasons for the decision and subsequently decide whether or not to use its independent right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
We can confirm that meldonium was added to the 2016 Prohibited List which took effect on 1 January 2016, having previously been on WADA’s monitoring program for the duration of 2015.
Meldonium was added [to the Prohibited List] because of evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance.”
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – USANA Health Sciences and the WTA have kicked off their third annual Aces for Humanity campaign in support of the USANA True Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide immediate and long-term assistance to suffering populations worldwide. USANA is a global nutritional company and has been a longstanding partner of the WTA since 2006.
Beginning with the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, every ace served at a Premier-level WTA event will translate into a donation for the Foundation. For every ace served by the nine USANA Brand Ambassadors – Caroline Wozniacki, Genie Bouchard, Madison Keys, Samantha Stosur, Sloane Stephens, Monica Puig, Zheng Saisai, and most recently Kristina Mladenovic and Alizé Cornet – the WTA will contribute $10 toward the campaign, while every ace served by any other WTA player will translate into a $5 donation.
Collectively, 430 aces were recorded by USANA Brand Ambassadors during last season’s campaign, with Keys leading the group with 138 non-returnable serves. Through this program and other charitable efforts, the WTA has contributed over $115,000 to the USANA True Health Foundation since 2011.
“One hundred percent of every dollar donated to the Foundation goes directly toward helping those in need of assistance,” said Deb Jordan, president of the USANA True Health Foundation. “The support we have received through the WTA and our Brand Ambassadors has allowed us to help millions around the world and we couldn’t be more grateful for their continued support and partnership.”
“I’m really impressed by USANA’s commitment to helping others and what the USANA True Health Foundation has accomplished over the past few years,” said USANA Brand Ambassador Caroline Wozniacki. “I’m proud to be part of this campaign and to help raise more awareness to their efforts.”
This year the program will also involve regular social giveaways, including autographed tennis balls and USANA product. For official rules, head to wtatennis.com.
“The WTA is proud to support the significant efforts of USANA’s True Health Foundation,” said Steve Simon, WTA CEO. “Through our partnership with USANA and the Aces for Humanity campaign, we are able to provide meaningful assistance to those in need, which is something we value greatly.”
#AcesForHumanity Fan Giveaway
It’s simple: before each WTA Premier tournament guess how many total aces will be hit.
First up is the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Last year there was a total of 460 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
• Indian Wells deadline is March 9th at 11am PST
• The winner will be announced March 21st
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.
THE WINNERS
Heather Watson roared back from a set down to dispatch Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, to win her third career title at the Abierto Monterrey Afirme.
“I don’t know where to start,” Watson said. “I’m extremely happy today. I was nervous coming into the match, and I’ve never beaten Kirsten before – she’s a great player who really makes you work for it.”
With Johanna Konta also reaching the quarterfinals in Monterrey and Naomi Broady matching the effort in Kuala Lumpur, it was the largest contingent of British women in a WTA quarterfinal in one week since 1978 (Eastbourne).
Read the Monterrey final match recap here.
Elina Svitolina survived a stormy Sunday final against an inspired Eugenie Bouchard to capture her fourth career title at the BMW Malaysian Open, 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-5. Winning in Kuala Lumpur brings Svitolina up to a career-high ranking of No.14, and back into the Top 15 for the first time since last summer.
“It was a long day,” Svitolina said after the match, which was interrupted by rain four times. “Emotionally, I’m really exhausted now.”
Read the Kuala Lumpur final match recap here.
GAME, SET, MATCH: WTA Insider
Game: Heather Watson avoids disaster to win the Abierto Monterrey Afirme.
Things weren’t looking bright for Watson when she landed in Monterrey. She was on a string of three tough three-set losses, her tennis bag was literally being held together by a safety pin, and she lost half her laundry. Sure enough, there she was in the first round struggling against Misaki Doi and about to succumb to full-body cramps.
But she found a way to get the 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 win and went on to lose just one more set en route to her third career title. All this with her mother Michelle serving as her coach – both on and off court – throughout the week. This was the most impressive title run of the week, with the No.84 Watson knocking out No.2 seed Caroline Wozniacki and No.4 seed Caroline Garcia in straight sets.
Heather Watson wins Monterrey, her 3rd title. Shares a moment with her mom Michelle, who was her coach this week. pic.twitter.com/DivLR8Bx1w
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 6, 2016
Heather’s mother Michelle had never been courtside for Watson’s first two title wins. She couldn’t have asked for a better present on Mother’s Day.
Set: Elina Svitolina gets her junior Wimbledon revenge.
In a rematch of the 2012 Wimbledon junior final, Svitolina outlasted both a rain-interrupted final and a resurging Eugenie Bouchard 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-5 to win her first title of the season at the BMW Malaysian Open. The No.2 seed took a wildcard into the event, and though she struggled to get past four players ranked outside the Top 130 to make the final, she saved her best for last against Bouchard.
It was a strong week for both finalists, though Bouchard was undoubtedly disappointed to come so close to her first title since 2014 – she served for the match at 5-4 in the third only to get broken. She has already made two finals this year and didn’t drop a set in Kuala Lumpur until the final. The consistency and decision-making has improved tremendously since last year, though her struggle to remain healthy on-court continues. She complained of dizziness during the final but played through against medical advice.
“The medical staff also strongly advised me not to continue during the second set but there was no way I was going to retire in a final,” she told TheStar.com. “I think I gave it my all and I fought well. Now I just need to go on to my next tournament and do well there.”
Match: Dry spell or oasis?
The tour now turns to two of its biggest events of the season at this week’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California before hitting the opposite coast at the Miami Open. With so many questions lingering about the state of the Top 10, all eyes are on the desert to see whether the tour’s elite can offer some stability after two unpredictable months.
Read more about what to expect during March Madness here.
RANKING MOVERS
Notable singles ranking movers for the week of March 7, 2016.
Heather Watson (GBR), +31 (No.84 to 53): Watson gave her mother the best Mother’s Day gift she could ask for this week. As her mum looked on in the stands, Watson clinched the third title of her career at Monterrey and made biggest ranking jump of the week, vaulting up to No.53.
Naomi Broady (GBR), +20 (No.96 to 76): Broady made her second WTA semifinal of her career at Kuala Lumpur and jumped 20 spots to a career high ranking of No.76.
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL), +14 (No. 73 to 59): Flipkens is back into the Top 60 after a stellar run in Monterrey, which saw her reach her first final since 2013.
Eugenie Bouchard (CAN), +10 (No.52 to 42): With a final appearance in Kuala Lumpur – her second final of the year – Bouchard continues her upward trend back up rankings with a spot inside the Top 50.
Elina Svitolina (UKR), +5 (No.19 to 14): Svitolina captured the title in Kuala Lumpur and took home an even sweeter prize: a brand new career-high ranking of No.14.
Read Ranking Watch for in-depth analysis of this week’s ranking jumps.
UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS
BNP Paribas Open
Indian Wells, USA
Premier | $6,134,605 | Hard, Outdoors
Wednesday, March 9 – Sunday March 20
Miami Open
Miami, USA
Premier | $6,134,605 | Hard, Outdoors
Tuesday, March 22 – Sunday, April 3
TOP 20 PLAYER SCHEDULES
1. Serena Williams – Indian Wells, Miami
2. Angelique Kerber – Indian Wells, Miami
3. Agnieszka Radwanska – Indian Wells, Miami
4. Garbiñe Muguruza – Indian Wells, Miami
5. Simona Halep – Indian Wells, Miami
6. Carla Suárez Navarro – Indian Wells, Miami
7. Maria Sharapova – Miami
8. Belinda Bencic – Indian Wells, Miami
9. Petra Kvitova – Indian Wells, Miami
10. Roberta Vinci – Indian Wells, Miami
11. Flavia Pennetta – (retired)
12. Venus Williams – Indian Wells, Miami
13. Lucie Safarova – Indian Wells, Miami
14. Elina Svitolina – Indian Wells, Miami
15. Victoria Azarenka – Indian Wells, Miami
16. Sara Errani – Indian Wells, Miami
17. Svetlana Kuznetsova – Indian Wells, Miami
18. Ana Ivanovic – Indian Wells, Miami
19. Karolina Pliskova – Indian Wells, Miami
20. Jelena Jankovic – Indian Wells Miami
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:
An-Sophie Mestach (BEL) – March 7, 1994
Petra Kvitova (CZE) – March 8, 1990
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) – March 9, 1982
Belinda Bencic (SUI) – March 10, 1997
Stefanie Voegele (SUI) – March 10, 1990
Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) – March 12, 1981
Andreja Klepac (SLO) – March 13, 1986
Since her memorable run to the semifinals of the Australian Open, Johanna Konta has been the talk of British sport – back-page domination, feature articles and talk show slots.
However, last week Heather Watson provided a timely reminder of just what she is capable of, outplaying a series of higher-ranked rivals to win the Abierto Monterrey Afirme.
A watertight defense and fit-as-a-fiddle physique were the hallmarks of Watson’s original rise to prominence on tour, bringing her a maiden WTA title and a Top 50 ranking before a debilitating bout of glandular fever intervened.
Since returning the British No.2 augmented her defensive qualities with a newfound aggression. And in Monterrey her positivity paid dividends, bossing former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki in their quarterfinal then blowing away the gifted Caroline Garcia in the semis.
She completed the week in dramatic fashion, seeing off an inspired Kirsten Flipkens in the final to lift the third singles title of her career. The result catapults Watson from No.84 to 53 – her highest ranking since last June.
Watson, though, is not the only upwardly mobile Briton.
Naomi Broady (+20, No.96 to No.76): Watson’s compatriot Naomi Broady is no shrinking violet. This week was another eventful one for Broady, whose 46 aces helped her to wins over Klara Koukalova and Sabine Lisicki, a second WTA semifinal and a career-best ranking.
Eugenie Bouchard (+10, No.52 to No.42): Broady’s conqueror, Eugenie Bouchard, narrowly missed out on a second career title, but produced enough signs to suggest that her recent revival is no flash in the plan. With few points to defend over the next few months, the Canadian’s climb up the rankings is unlikely to stall at No.42.
Elina Svitolina (+5 No.19 to No.14): Elina Svitolina does not turn 22 until September, but after her thrilling final victory over Bouchard means she already has four titles to her name. The 280 points picked up in the Malaysian capital also takes her to a career-high No.14 in the rankings.
Kirsten Flipkens (+14, No.73 to No.59): While Flipkens was unable to maintain her electric start to defeat Watson, victories over seeds Alison Van Uytvanck and Konta ensured the tournament remained a highly encouraging one. She is now back inside the Top 60 for the first time since last March.
Anett Kontaveit (+18, No.91 to No.73): Anett Kontaveit progress up the rankings has been steady rather than spectacular. In Monterrey, the Estonian took the latest step in the shape of a first WTA semifinal, a result that edged her 18 places closer to a Top 50 debut.
It is hard to recall a tennis season in recent memory that has thrown up quite so many surprises as the opening few months to 2016.
Showcasing the unprecedented strength and depth of the women’s game, 14 tournaments have witnessed 13 different players lifting silverware. The result has been a Road To Singapore leaderboard featuring a pleasing mix of youth and experience.
Angelique Kerber still leads the way in the fledgling leaderboard thanks to her magnificent January, when she reached the final in Brisbane before an unforgettable triumph at the Australian Open.
Hot on her heels is Carla Suárez Navarro, whose title in Doha, backed up by semi and quarterfinal runs in Brisbane and Melbourne, sees her occupy the No.2 spot.
Reigning WTA Finals champion Agnieszka Radwanska has been as consistent as ever, reaching the semifinals or better on all three outings thus far – a title in Shenzhen followed by deep runs at the Australian Open and Doha. Since the US Open last year, no player has won more matches than Radwanska, who has accumulated a 32-7 record.
Most Match Wins Since 2015 US Open
Agnieszka Radwanska 32-7
Angelique Kerber 27-10
Venus Williams 24-5
Roberta Vinci 22-11
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 21-11
Current WTA world No.1 Serena Williams holds the No.4 spot on the leaderboard with her finals appearance at the Australian Open. Jostling for position below the early pacesetters are Victoria Azarenka, Roberta Vinci, Johanna Konta and Belinda Bencic, while Sara Errani and Jelena Ostapenko are among those just outside the qualification places.
In doubles, Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza cemented their place atop the leaderboard with titles at Brisbane, Sydney, Australian Open and St. Petersburg before their remarkable winning streak was finally snapped in Doha. Profiting from their slip-up were the Chan sisters, Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan, who left Doha with the title and the No.2 position on the leaderboard.
Click here to see the singles and doubles leaderboards heading into the BNP Paribas Open.
