2024 WTA News & Gossip

[MargaretMcAleer]

New Career Highs WTA Top 100, Monday 23 September,
31. Frech
47. Avanesyan
61. Sramkova
67. E.Andreeva
74. Zaeazua
84. Gadecki

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA Top Ten, Monday September 23rd,

1. Swiatek
2. Sabalenka
3. Pegula
4. Rybakina
5. Paolini
6. Gauff
7. Zheng
8. Navarro
9. Collins (+1)
10. Krejcikova (+1)

Maria Sakkari loses point from Guadalajara 2023 and leaves the Top Ten. Down to #17.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

China Open, WTA1000
Tournament takes place in Beijing, China from September 25-October 6th.
This year the tournament was expanded to 2 weeks and to 96 players in singles.It is held at the same time as an ATP500 tournament.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek.
Top 8 seeds,
Sabalenka, Pegula, Paolini, Gauff, Zheng, Navarro, Krejcikova, Ostapenko.
There are 32 seeds and all receive a first round bye.
There are 8 wild cards all are from China.
Protected Ranking,
Irina-Camelia Begu, Ajla Tomljanovic, Wang Qiang
There were 17 withdrawals including,
Swiatek, Rybakina, Jabeur, Sakkari, Collins and Raducanu.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Longest losing streak in WTA history finally snapped!
After enduring a record breaking run of 24 consecutive losses, Zhang Shuai gets her first singles win since January 2023, defeating McCartney Kessler 76(5) 76(1) at home in Beijing.Zhang has continued to thrive in doubles, now faces Emma Navarro

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ostapenko has withdrawn from Beijing.Dolehide moves into her seeded slot and Kprpatsch comes in as a LL to play Burel

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Having split with previous coach Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff is now working with Matt Daly ( Daly worked with Denis Shapovalov last year) as a new voice in addition to long time coach Jean Christophe Faurel.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Zhang Shuai, who lost a record 24 consecutive tennis matches in the last 19 months, easily defeats world no 8 Emma Navarro 64 62 to reach the 3rd round at the WTA100 in Beijing
( this is a big blow on Emma's WTA Finals chances)

 

[kskate2]

Welp, she might have overperformed. I've noticed that about her climb this year. She can't put 2 good back to back results together. She did well at IW and then bombed out of MIA and Charleston. Same thing happened this summer. She did well at Wimby, but bombs out of OG and Cinci.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Caroline Garcia has announced she is closing the curtain on her 2024 season, as she needs to heal her ongoing shoulder injury and mentally reset.
Garcia registered a 3-4 record at Grand Slams this year and fell in the 1st round of the Olympics.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Simona Halep and Emma Navarro have received wild cards into WTA125 Hong Kong Open
A top ten player according to rules cannot play a WTA250 tournament, let alone a WTA125 tournament? Hmmm.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In Beijing plays suspends 2 matches, they will be played on Monday,
Osaka v Volynets, the winner will play Coco Gauff
Stearns v Kalinskaya, Stearns leading 63 2-3 when match was suspended, winner will face Yulia Starodubtseva

 

[kskate2]

Simona Halep and Emma Navarro have received wild cards into WTA125 Hong Kong Open
A top ten player according to rules cannot play a WTA250 tournament, let alone a WTA125 tournament? Hmmm.

Actually a top 10 can play a 250, but they are limited w/ how many they can play in one season. I think it's 2 and the tourney is only allowed to have so many in the draw, 2 I think w/o looking it up. Not sure on the rules for the 125k

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Actually a top 10 can play a 250, but they are limited w/ how many they can play in one season. I think it's 2 and the tourney is only allowed to have so many in the draw, 2 I think w/o looking it up. Not sure on the rules for the 125k

A top ten player can play 2 WTA250 tournaments per year as long as there are no other top ten players in the tournament, meaning one top ten player at a WTA250 tournament.
I strongly disagree that a Top Ten player is able to play at a WTA125 tournament, WTA125 tournaments are designed to give a chance for points and money for lower ranked players, this will be Navarro's 3rd WTA125 tournament this year.

 

[kskate2]

But this is her first time being ranked in the top 10 after her run at the USO. So what's the rules for top 20ish in 125K

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

But this is her first time being ranked in the top 10 after her run at the USO. So what's the rules for top 20ish in 125K

Regardless of Navarro being in the Top Ten after her run at the USO, I am still against any top ten player, playing at WTA125 tournament period., regardless of any rules that may include a top ten player or even a top 20 player for that matter.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I know it is early days though I must say Patrick M has encouraged Osaka to come to the net more than her other coaches, while the bulk of her volley skills remain at a unskilled level, and her transition to the net needs practice, at least she is making an effort.Osaka has never been a 'good mover' and has always liked to hug the baseline, the trick is to move her side to side and bring her forward.
Anna Kalinskaya advances in Beijing, as Sterns retires down 1-3 in the 3rd set, ( this match was suspended yesterday due to rain)
Anna has come back from a set down in her last 2 matches, 1st R16 in Beijing Kalinskaya wins by retirement 36 63 3-1
The match between Osaka v Volynets which was cancelled yesterday due to wet weather, now completed with Osaka winning 63 62
Solid win from Madison Keys over Haddad Maia 63 63
Magda Linette (31) gets her first Top 10 win of the year defeating Jasmine Paolini (3) 64 60!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA1000 Beijing
Round 16,
Tuesday October 1st,

J. Pegula (2) vs P.Badosa (15)
M.Frech (23) vs S.Zhang
C.Gauff (4) vs N.Osaka
A.Kalinskaya (10) vs Y.Starodubtseva

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Paula Badosa gets her 1st win over Jessica Pegula 64 60 to reach the QFs in Beijing
Paula has reached the QF or better in 4 of the last 5 events she has played

Shaui Zang is into QFs at Beijing for the 3rd time, 64 62 against Magdalena Frech, who was on a 7 match winning streak.

Starodubtseva d Kalinskaya (10) 75 60
Unbelievable week for Yulia coming through qualifying this week and hasnt dropped a set all week
Yulia is into her 1st WTA1000 QF. 1st Top 20 win.

I had to go out and didnt watch the match between Gauff v Osaka,
Gauff won the match by retirement as Osaka retired with a back injury 36 64 I will watch the highlights of this match later, by all accounts from what I have read, it was a real shame that Osaka had to retire, as she did have the upper hand in the match before the back injury happened.Though both ladies didnt have great serving in their match.From what I read from Osaka her back locked up in practice before the match, and got progressively worse as the match went on.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA1000 Beijing
Round 16,
Wednesday October 2nd,

A.Sabalenka (1) vs M.Keys 18)
Q.Zheng (5) vs A.Anisimova (34)
K.Muchova vs C.Busca
M.Andreeva (17) vs M.Linnete (31)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sabalenka (1) d Keys (18) 64 63
Solid display of tennis from Sabalenka
Sabalenka has reached the QFs or better in 12 of the 15 events she has played this season.
This is Sabalenka's 3rd Beijing QF.

K. Muchova d C. Busca 62 60, Karolina reaches her first QF at Beijing, she hasnt dropped a set all week.

Well done to 17 yo Mirra Andreeva making her 1st Beijing WTA1000 QF, Mirra showed her composure and her overall tennis ability at big tournaments this year , which is a feather in her young cap, she defeated Linette 61 63

I didnt watch the last match between Zheng v Anisimova
Zheng has made the QFs defeating Anisimova in 3 sets 36 61 62