Tennis Frontier

Category: WTA Tour

Tennis Frontier News from the WTA Tour

  • 2014 French Open Roland Garros Women’s Draw

    2014 French Open Roland Garros Women’s Draw

    The women’s draw for the 2014 French Open at Roland Garros is out. Serena Williams (#1) and Agnieszka Radwanska (#3) are in the top half; Li Na (#2) and Simona Halep (#4) are in the bottom.

    Serena Williams (USA) (1)
    Alize Lim (FRA)

    Qualifier
    Garbine Muguruza (ESP)

    Anna Schmiedlova (SVK)
    Jie Zheng (CHN)

    Belinda Bencic (SUI)
    Venus Williams (USA) (29)

    Roberta Vinci (ITA) (17)
    Pauline Parmentier (FRA)

    Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)
    Lauren Davis (USA)

    Karin Knapp (ITA)
    Mona Barthel (GER)

    Fiona Ferro (FRA)
    Sabine Lisicki (GER) (16)

    Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) (9)
    Virginie Razzano (FRA)

    Qualifier
    Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL)

    Amandine Hesse (FRA)
    Yvonne Meusburger (AUT)

    Monica Puig (PUR)
    Samantha Stosur (AUS) (19)

    Kaia Kanepi (EST) (25)
    Monica Niculescu (ROU)

    Romina Oprandi (SUI)
    Paula Ormaechea (ARG)

    Annika Beck (GER)
    Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL)

    Qualifier
    Maria Sharapova (RUS) (7)

    [divider]

    Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) (3)
    Shuai Zhang (CHN)

    Mathilde Johansson (FRA)
    Karolina Pliskova (CZE)

    Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO)
    Francesca Schiavone (ITA)

    Christina McHale (USA)
    Elena Vesnina (RUS) (32)

    Alize Cornet (FRA) (20)
    Ashleigh Barty (AUS)

    Taylor Townsend (USA)
    Vania King (USA)

    Qualifier
    Qualifier

    Qualifier
    Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) (14)

    Flavia Pennetta (ITA) (12)
    P.Mayr-Achleitner (AUT)

    Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
    Johanna Larsson (SWE)

    Qualifier
    Julia Goerges (GER)

    Shahar Peer (ISR)
    Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) (18)

    Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) (31)
    Jovana Jaksic (SRB)

    Claire Feuerstein (FRA)
    Olga Govortsova (BLR)

    Petra Cetkovska (CZE)
    Varvara Lepchenko (USA)

    Katarzyna Piter (POL)
    Angelique Kerber (GER) (8)

    [divider]

    Petra Kvitova (CZE) (5)
    Zarina Diyas (KAZ)

    Marina Erakovic (NZL)
    Nadiya Kichenok (UKR)

    Bojana Jovanovski (SRB)
    Camila Giorgi (ITA)

    Qualifier
    Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) (27)

    Lucie Safarova (CZE) (23)
    Mandy Minella (LUX)

    Casey Dellacqua (AUS)
    Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP)

    Elina Svitolina (UKR)
    Petra Martic (CRO)

    Caroline Garcia (FRA)
    Ana Ivanovic (SRB) (11)

    Sloane Stephens (USA) (15)
    Shuai Peng (CHN)

    Polona Hercog (SLO)
    Jana Cepelova (SVK)

    Iveta Melzer (CZE)
    Coco Vandeweghe (USA)

    Shelby Rogers (USA)
    Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) (22)

    Klara Koukalova (CZE) (30)
    Mt.Torro-Flor (ESP)

    Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK)
    Urszula Radwanska (POL)

    Qualifier
    B.Zahlavova Strycova (CZE)

    Alisa Kleybanova (RUS)
    Simona Halep (ROU) (4)

    [divider]

    Jelena Jankovic (SRB) (6)
    Sharon Fichman (CAN)

    Anna Tatishvili (USA)
    Kurumi Nara (JPN)

    Teliana Pereira (BRA)
    Luksika Kumkhum (THA)

    Qualifier
    Sorana Cirstea (ROU) (26)

    Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) (21)
    Qualifier

    Donna Vekic (CRO)
    Julia Glushko (ISR)

    E.Cabeza Candela (ESP)
    Dinah Pfizenmaier (GER)

    Madison Keys (USA)
    Sara Errani (ITA) (10)

    Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) (13)
    Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)

    Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP)
    Chanelle Scheepers (RSA)

    Alexandra Cadantu (ROU)
    Qualifier

    Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN)
    A.Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) (24)

    Andrea Petkovic (GER) (28)
    Misaki Doi (JPN)

    Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER)
    Stefanie Voegele (SUI)

    Alison Riske (USA)
    Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO)

    Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
    Na Li (CHN) (2)

  • Serena Williams Defends in Rome

    Serena Williams Defends in Rome

    Serena Williams

    World No. 1 Serena Williams defended her title at the Internazionale BNL d’Italia, defeating an injured Sara Errani 6-3, 6-0.

    Williams broke the Italian No. 1 in her first service game, but Errani broke back in the seventh, to the delight of the wildly partisan Rome crowd, who were hoping to have their first female champion since 1950. In the next game, Errani came up lame, and Serena got the break back. The Italian was taken off the court by the trainer for treatment. A short while later, she jogged out onto the court with her left thigh strapped, but Serena served the set out.

    In the second set, it became clear that the injury was definitely impairing the Italian’s movement, and there was nothing to do but hang on for the sake of honor while the American served the set out, which she won at love. Serena’s celebration was subdued, given her injured opponent. Errani couldn’t contain her tears in her speech to her fans at the trophy presentation.

    It ended up being a double disappointment for the Italians today, as Errani and her partner, Roberta Vinci, also of Italy, were forced to retire from the doubles final due to Errani’s injury, and the win went to Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik, 4-0 by retirement.

    For Williams, this is her third title in the Italian capital, having won in 2002 and again last year. In both of those years, Serena went on to win the French Open, which begins next week, and where she will go in as the favorite.

    [divider]

    Photo credit (Creative Commons License): Yann Caradec

  • Sharapova Takes Madrid Title

    Sharapova Takes Madrid Title

    Maria Sharapova

    Maria Sharapova recovered from a first set loss to beat the fourth-seeded Romanian, Simona Halep, and take the Mutua Madrid Open championship, a WTA Premiere mandatory event.

    Halep came out strong, but Sharapova found her timing and confidence early in the second set to win the match in the third, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3. This was Sharapova’s 11th straight win on clay. For Halep, it was her first final at this level.

    [divider]

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Yann Caradec

  • Elena Baltacha, British Tennis Player, Dies at 30

    Elena Baltacha, British Tennis Player, Dies at 30

    Elena Baltacha

    Elena Baltacha (14 August 1983 – 4 May 1914)

    [divider]

    Elena Baltacha, the former British Women’s No. 1, has died of liver cancer, just months after announcing her diagnosis. Born in the Ukraine and raised in Scotland, Baltacha was the top women’s tennis player in Britain for nearly three years. She reached a career high of 49. Her cancer diagnosis came in January of this year. Baltacha had retired in November of last year. She is survived by her husband, Nino Severino, who was her long-term coach, and whom she married in December of last year.

    [divider]

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Dave Rubenstein

     

  • Sharapova Drives Away with Title in Stuttgart

    Sharapova Drives Away with Title in Stuttgart

    Maria Sharapova

    Maria Sharapova retains her title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, besting Ana Ivanovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, in a match that featured a dramatic shift in momentum at the midway point. Ivanovic came out strong and played at a very high level, seeming to be about to take out the defending champion, leading by a set and up 3-1 in the second. The Russian, with her back nearly to the wall, at risk of not only losing this title which she’d won the last two years, but also of dropping out of the Top 10, raised her level of play dramatically, and left the Serbian suddenly more confounded than confident. Sharapova won four games in a row, and then the set.

    In the third, Sharapova broke Ivanovic in the first game, from which she never recovered. Both women are former world No. 1 players, with Sharapova currently at No. 9 and Ivanovic at No. 12, but this win brings Sharapova’s record in their head-to-head match-up to 10-3.

    And she gets to keep the car, too.

    [divider]

    Also in women’s tennis today, Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, a 21-year-old Spaniard, overcame Romina Oprandi of Switzerland to take the title at the Grand Prix De SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Marrakesh, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

    [divider]

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Francisco Carbajal

  • Serena Williams Wins Record Seventh Title in Miami

    Serena Williams Wins Record Seventh Title in Miami

    Serena Williams

    World No. 1 Serena Williams won her record-breaking seventh title in Miami on Saturday, beating Li Na in the final, 7-5, 6-1.

    After a shaky opening game, Li Na, the No. 2 seed, broke to open the set. She then held, and looked to be in control of the match, eventually going up a double break, to 5-2. However, despite error-riddled play from Williams, Li Na failed to capitalize on the lead, and got broken both times she served for the set. It was exactly what Williams needed to gain confidence, and she began playing remarkably better.

    When serving to stay in the set at 5-6, Li Na was broken a third consecutive time, giving Williams the first set 7-5.

    Each player held to open the second set, but Williams broke Li Na’s second service game, giving her a 4-1 lead. Trouble on serve continued for the Chinese No. 1, as Williams, in true dominant form, broke again to go up 5-1 after another lengthy game, then held easily, serving it out 6-1. It was Williams’ 59th career title.

    [divider]

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Francisco Carbajal

  • Pennetta Dry-Spell Ends in the Desert of Indian Wells

    Pennetta Dry-Spell Ends in the Desert of Indian Wells

    Flavia Pennetta

    Flavia Pennetta overcame the No. 2 seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, 6-2, 6-1 in the final of the BNP Paribas Open in the California desert. This is the biggest tournament win by the 32-year-old Italian, who is coming back after wrist surgery in 2012.

    Pennetta broke at 1-1 to take the lead in the first set, but it soon became apparent that Radwanska was compromised. She took a medical timeout for a nagging knee injury, and never could get back into the match. At times, she couldn’t move to the ball at all, though she hung in to the end.  She choked back tears in her speech.

    The first Italian women ever to reach the Top 10 in 2009, Pennetta was ranked No. 21 coming into the match, and will be No. 12 when the new rankings come out tomorrow.

    [divider]

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

  • Cibulkova Overcomes McHale in Acapulco

    Cibulkova Overcomes McHale in Acapulco

    Dominika Cibulkova

    Top-seeded Dominika Cibulkova won the Abierto Telcel Mexicano over Christina McHale of the US, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4. This was Cibulkova’s fourth career title.  She was the runner-up in this year’s Australian Open to eventual winner, Li Na.

    Her opponent, Christina McHale, was the surprise finalist. The #70 ranked 21-year-old American made a strong showing in her first WTA final. She has a career-high ranking of 24, and will surely see her ranking go up after this tournament.

    Acapulco, a combined women’s and men’s event, saw a surface change this year. After 20 years as a clay court tournament, it was contested for the first time this year on hard courts. This makes it a good tune-up event to Indian Wells, also a co-ed event, and one of the premier events on both tours. The surface change for Acapulco has been seen as a boon for the event.

    [divider]

    In other WTA news, Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic won her third WTA singles title by defeating Garbine Muguruza of Spain 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 in the Brazil Cup final on Saturday. The Spaniard was leading 6-4, 5-2 and serving for the match when her game fell apart. The 32-year-old Zakopalova won 11 straight games to close out the match.

    Zakopalova was playing in her third final this year, with only her first win since 2005.
    [divider]

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): NAPARAZZI

  • Venus Still Formidable in Dubai

    Venus Still Formidable in Dubai

    Venus Williams

    Venus Williams won her 45th title today, defeating  France’s Alize Cornet, 6-3, 6-0, in the Dubai Open. Williams, 33 years old, hadn’t won a title in 16 months. Her recent battles with illness, and her age, have put her career in question. However, the seven-time Grand Slam Champion and former world No. 1 put all of her skills on display today. The French woman, Cornet, who was the vanquisher of Venus’s sister yesterday, had little answer to the big serving American, who was having a very strong day.

    Cornet scored the upset and was the surprise finalist over world No. 1 Serena Williams. As Venus said, “I was expecting to be playing Serena, but Alize played an amazing game in the semis, so congratulations on that.”

    Venus staved off retirement questions for another tournament, and proved she still has more than a little game.

    [divider]

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

  • Halep Takes Doha

    Halep Takes Doha

    Simona Halep

    Simona Halep, the 22-year-old Romanian who made a splash last year by winning six titles on the WTA Tour, has won her biggest one yet at the Qatar Open, beating Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the final, 6-2, 6-3.

    For the first time, Halep beat 3 Top 10 players on her way to the trophy, including Kerber (No. 9), having already dispatched Sara Errani (No. 7), and Agnieszka Radwanska (No. 4.)

    Despite four break point opportunities, Kerber was unable to break Halep in the match.

    “It’s tough to play against a player like Simona,” Kerber said. “I was trying to play my game plan, but it was not easy … she hit the balls very well and on the line.”

    “I just want to be focused for every point, to fight for every point,” Halep said.  She will rise to a career-high No. 9 when the rankings come out on Monday.

    [divider]

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): robbiesaurus