WTA News and Gossip 2015

[kskate2]

^^ I was just coming to post the same thing. Her baby is due in the summer. Boy, she and Dennis didn't waste any time! :devil :snigger

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/01/li-na-pregnant-australian-open-due-date

 

[golds girl]

^^....walked off the court and had a date night planned

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The Williams' Doubles Mystery.

Venus and Serena Williams' prefer not to say why they pulled out of the doubles competition at the Australian Open.

"According to the rules you don't have to give a reason.I think we'll stick with that," Venus said Thursday after winning her second-round singles match.The Williams' sisters have won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles together,including four at the Australian Open.

They were scheduled to play their first-round match Wednesday but withdrew before it started without explaining why.The mystery continued Thursday,with Venus saying she was allowed to be coy,which naturally prompted a string of questions.

Was it the heat?
"It was warm," the 34-year-old American said,"I don' think it was as warm as it could have been.But,no that wasn't it."

Was there a medical reason? Were doctors consulted?
"No further questions on that," Venus said."I object.Sustained."Thank you."

But the questions continued at Serena's post match news conference.

"I don't think we have to give a reason," reiterated Serena,who also advanced to the third round,"I think Venus answered that already."

Report from AP Thursday 22nd January.

 

[the AntiPusher]

The Williams' Doubles Mystery.

Venus and Serena Williams' prefer not to say why they pulled out of the doubles competition at the Australian Open.

"According to the rules you don't have to give a reason.I think we'll stick with that," Venus said Thursday after winning her second-round singles match.The Williams' sisters have won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles together,including four at the Australian Open.

They were scheduled to play their first-round match Wednesday but withdrew before it started without explaining why.The mystery continued Thursday,with Venus saying she was allowed to be coy,which naturally prompted a string of questions.

Was it the heat?
"It was warm," the 34-year-old American said,"I don' think it was as warm as it could have been.But,no that wasn't it."

Was there a medical reason? Were doctors consulted?
"No further questions on that," Venus said."I object.Sustained."Thank you."

But the questions continued at Serena's post match news conference.

"I don't think we have to give a reason," reiterated Serena,who also advanced to the third round,"I think Venus answered that already."

Report from AP Thursday 22nd January.

Report from AP Thursday 22nd January. Hey, this is news to me, there wasnt a report from me.. :laydownlaughing Just kidding.. I think this is a good thing. I would prefer for these two ladies just to concentrate on their singles career.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ I tend to agree with your comments.Quite frankly I feel Serena and Venus withdrew to focus on their singles.

 

[sk310]

Yeah... I think its kind of silly for the number 1 player in the world and major contender and a player who won one of the first tournaments of the year to play doubles and singles at a slam.

 

[golds girl]

It's weird that the media was pushing on that...does anyone care whether they're in the doubles...besides the doubles competition.:s

 

[kskate2]

It's weird that the media was pushing on that...does anyone care whether they're in the doubles...besides the doubles competition.:s

The Aussie's care honey. The Williams' fill the seats whether they're playing singles or doubles. I guarantee you if they had decided to play, each of their matches would be on a medium-large show court.

 

[Vince Evert]

We know Serena Williams is about to embark on a quest for her 19th Grand Slam title,which would separate her from Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for second-most Grand Slam titles in the Open Era,trailing just one player-Steffi Graf,who won 22 Grand Slam titles.

But before anyone plays a match,the world No 1 has already achieved something historic,so rare that it's on the fourth time in almost 40 years of the WTA Rankings that it's happened.

Serena is spending her 100th straight week at No 1 this week.Just how rare is it? Here's the short- and complete list of the four times it's been done.

Chris Evert - 113 straight week from May 10,1976 to July 9,1978.

Martina Navratilova - 156 straight weeks from June 14,1982 to June 9,1985

Steffi Graf - 186 straight weeks from August 17,1987 to March 10,1991.

Serena Williams - 101 straight weeks from February 18,2013 to February 1,2015 ***

*** Williams' is guaranteed a 101st week at No 1 during week 2 of the Australian Open.

So how is Serena Williams feeling about her preparation for the first Grand Slam of the year?

"It's okay.I'm not very happy with it but I'm never really happy about my practice or preparation,so maybe that's a good sign," Williams said."I definitely feel better now than I did a couple of weeks ago.But I still want to improve some things.I feel like I should be doing some things better right now.

"But every day I see something coming through,so there's a light at the end of the tunnel."

Before her long-year long injury and illness lay off from July 2010-to June 2011,the Australian Open was Williams' best Grand Slam-she had five titles here,one at the French Open,four at Wimbledon and three at the U.S.Open.But since back it's the only one that has eluded her-She's piled on another French Open,another Wimbledon and another three U.S.Opens.What's her take on that?

"It would be really great to win here again," she said."I've been going for number six for a number of years now.I would be really happy.So I want it I think more than anyone else here."

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to get it,I'll have to fight hard to get it."

Report from the WTA website 18th January.

Don't forget Margaret Court with 24 GS.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ I understand your point with Margaret Court,though I was just re-typing this from the WTA website.
There has always been contention with Court and her GS titles,Margaret has won 62 GS titles in her career,24 Singles titles,the rest are made up of doubles and mixed doubles titles.I attended a lunch where Margaret Court was the guest speaker.Margaret said she found the centre court at Wimbledon,the hardest GS title to win,she said she never felt comfortable there.Then you look at how many GS singles titles she won at Kooyong on grass,10 titles,I think from memory.Margaret also said in hindsight she should not have changed to play right handed she thinks she could have won more titles as a natural left hander.

 

[Vince Evert]

Wow. I say that's interesting fact. Margaret was born left-handed. Thanks.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ So was Ken Rosewall.

 

[Vince Evert]

^ So was Ken Rosewall.

I know that. Thanks once again. Did Margaret say if she followed the modern game and if she had any favorite player (s) ?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ So was Ken Rosewall.

I know that. Thanks once again. Did Margaret say if she followed the modern game and if she had any favorite player (s) ?

Margaret still follows the game,she sometimes presents the trophy to the women champion at the AO,I have often seen her in the stands at Wimbledon, and also RG.No she didnt mention a favorite player

 

[colleen66]

^ So was Ken Rosewall.

Nista, I thought I read somewhere that Maria S. is a natural left-hander who plays righty. Do you know if that is correct?

 

[rubydo]

Maria Kirilenko

Reports are circulating that Maria Kirilenko got secretly married today. There is a partial picture of her in a wedding dress. Wondered what she had been up to recently. There had been no information on her for quite a few weeks, especially after she had departed ways with Alex Ovechkin. I wish the sweet Russian well, and hope to see her back on the court healthy again. She has been beset with a number of injuries the last couple of years.:clap

 

[Front242]

RE: Maria Kirilenko

Didn't take her long to get married! Then again a girl working with me said she her now husband proposed to her after 3 days lol.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Since the williamses withdrew before the first match, that spot went to a lucky loser right.
At least, they did not stop somebody from playing.

 

[tented]

Since the williamses withdrew before the first match, that spot went to a lucky loser right.
At least, they did not stop somebody from playing.

Correct.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ So was Ken Rosewall.

Nista, I thought I read somewhere that Maria S. is a natural left-hander who plays righty. Do you know if that is correct?

Yes that is correct,Sharapova is a natural left hander.I read somewhere that in Russia,it would have been about the time Maria was a junior,that any Russian tennis player that was left handed,was made to change to play right handed.Of course that has changed now.