WTA News and Gossip 2015

[Hoergren]

Maybe i'm wrong about this - starting the 2015 News and Gossip now, but to me it makes sense to start the new season with the off period leading up to the 2015 season and AFTER the 2014 season has ended. If you don't agree then continue in the 2014 thread.

On behalf of Caroline - thank you for all the positive reactions. Time for a new thread where you can use all your efforts to write about your favorite and how she spends her off season leading up to a trip down under. Well I'll start with something I haven't seen before Nasdaq greeting a tennis player - that's just great and to me it shows the importance in that top stars use some of their time for charity:

 

[tossip]

I want Serena to play the following players next year..

Madison Keys
Melanie Oudin
Alison Riske
Genie Bouchard

especially Keys..just wondering if Lindsay will come down to give her tips...tehehe..just imagine Serena bageling Maddy just after a pep talk from Lindsay..that Tennis Channel booth will be silent.
I think Keys is setting herself for beatdowns because of Lindsay....

 

[special700]

I want Serena to play the following players next year..

Madison Keys
Melanie Oudin
Alison Riske
Genie Bouchard

especially Keys..just wondering if Lindsay will come down to give her tips...tehehe..just imagine Serena bageling Maddy just after a pep talk from Lindsay..that Tennis Channel booth will be silent.
I think Keys is setting herself for beatdowns because of Lindsay....

What are you talking about - Just because Lindsay is coaching her? That does not make any sense whatsoever. What the does a beat down from Serena have to do with Lin coaching Keys....Serena and Lindsay are not enemies...

 

[kskate2]

I merged all the previous posts from this thread into the 2014 News thread. We'll use that one for awhile until we're ready to start the 2015 exhibition matches. I am closing this thread for now.

 

[kskate2]

Opening this thread for the 2015 season.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

They Said What? Report from Kamakshi Tandon Updated 23rd December.

As usual,players didn't let just their rackets do the talking this season.Here are some most memorable quotes from the year on tour.(I just posted the best quotes from the WTA tour.Fashionista).

"Welcome to the crazy women's tour." Li Na on the shake-ups in the women's draw at the Australian Open.

"She's like my little baby sister from a different mother and father and different country." Serena Williams on her friendship with Caroline Wozniacki.

"What I'm most proud of is that so far I've come this far without falling on my face." Venus Williams on her accomplishments.

"There's always a chance,I guess,that I'll say yes...so keep 'em coming,guys." Eugenie Bouchard,sarcastically responding to the marriage proposals she gets on social media.

"My lips are cracked all over the place,probably because I'm talking too much." Jelena Jankovic on needing some balm during a doubles match.

"You need to charm them,because they are pretty tough to charm.But when you have them in your pocket,they are behind you 100 percent and they can give you wings." Alize Cornet on the French crowds.

"Like you're dancing in a frying pan." Victoria Azarenka on playing in the heat at the Australian Open.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Bouchard Ready For Next Step..Report from the WTA Website December 25th

In 2014,Eugenie Bouchard's attacking instincts on court and girl next door charm off it earned her an army of loyal follower's from Melbourne to Singapore.

Her remarkable consistency at the majors took the Canadian into the Top 10 ahead of schedule.Having reached the semi finals at the Australian and French Opens,her star continued to grow on the grass at Wimbledon,she created a piece of history by becoming the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam final,her title dream eventually dashed by a truly inspired Petra Kvitova.While these exertions in Paris and London seemed to take their toll over the remainder of the summer,she raised herself once more to get across the qualification line for Singapore.

Following up a year of such remarkable consistency will be a tough ask and she will have to do it without the help of long-time mentor Nick Saviano,whom she recently parted company with.Bouchard has yet to decide on a replacement,but,if past evidence is anything to go by,is more than capable of taking the change in her stride.

After jetting out of the Caribbean for Richard Branson's Necker Cup-and satisfying her ever-increasing media obligations-the 20-year-old has been knuckling down in recent weeks,readying herself to team up with Vasek Pospisil for the Hopman Cup in Perth.

 

[Hoergren]

Carolines new dress for Australian Open - cool

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iawMeYDNhbk[/video]

 

[colleen66]

Love the colors of Caro's dress. Can't wait to see if she brings her new and aggressive style of play to the AO.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Exciting Times Ahead For Radwanska

The 2014 season was not always smooth sailing for Agnieszka Radwanska,but she capped it off with an encouraging showing at the WTA Finals before unveiling some intriguing off season news.

While there were plenty of reminders of Radwanska's talents,none more so than a masterful,victory in Montreal,her failure to make more headway at the majors was a constant source of frustration.

To help address this problem,the Pole has signed up 18 time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova as her new 'super coach'.Navratilova will join Radwanska's close knit team for the first time after Christmas,dovetailing with Radwanska's full time coach,Tomasz Wiktorowski.

Radwanska's closet brush with Grand Slam success to date came two years ago when she was a Wimbledon finalist,and she is confident Navratilova's presence will help her earn a first Grand Slam success.

"Her achievements speak for themselves and I hope that I can learn from all her experience," she said."She is my tennis idol.We are originally from a similar part of the world,so we share an understanding about tennis and life,which I'm sure will translate into a successful relationship."

The pair's first outing together will come in Sydney.Radwanska was champion in New South Wales two years ago although,with Simona Halep and Petra Kvitova among those in attendance,she will have her work cut out repeating the feat.

Report from the WTA website December 26th.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Raymond to play doubles with Lucic-Baroni.Report from Matt Cronin 27th December.

Lisa Raymond will play doubles with Mirjana Lucic-Baroni next year.One of the best doubles players ever,Raymond played with a number of different partners in 2014,including Shuai Zhang,Liezel Huber,Vania King and Casey Dellaqua.

The 41 year old Raymond has won 79 doubles titles in her career,including six Grand Slams.

The American achieved her first No 1 ranking in doubles in 2000.Both Raymond and Lucic-Baroni have won the Australian Open before,Lucic-Baroni won the tournament in 1998 while playing with former No 1 Martina Hingis.

 

[special700]

Maybe i'm wrong about this - starting the 2015 News and Gossip now, but to me it makes sense to start the new season with the off period leading up to the 2015 season and AFTER the 2014 season has ended. If you don't agree then continue in the 2014 thread.

On behalf of Caroline - thank you for all the positive reactions. Time for a new thread where you can use all your efforts to write about your favorite and how she spends her off season leading up to a trip down under. Well I'll start with something I haven't seen before Nasdaq greeting a tennis player - that's just great and to me it shows the importance in that top stars use some of their time for charity:

Just wondering did they put Serena's achievement of winning her 18th major up there too? Can't remember seeing it.

 

[tented]

Just wondering did they put Serena's achievement of winning her 18th major up there too? Can't remember seeing it.

They should have, but I don't know if they did -- which also doesn't mean Caroline didn't deserve this. I think she did, but Serena did, too.

 

[special700]

Just wondering did they put Serena's achievement of winning her 18th major up there too? Can't remember seeing it.

They should have, but I don't know if they did -- which also doesn't mean Caroline didn't deserve this. I think she did, but Serena did, too.

Absolutely agree Caroline deserved it, what she did was amazing. Like you said so did Serena, and on top of that Serena is American. But more than likely they probably did not do it for Serena for what ever reason. Hell most of the tournament Serena had to remind them that she was American and practically beg them to support her.

 

[kskate2]

Serena doesn't have to beg anyone to support her in the USA. She's the highest paid female American athlete. That position comes w/ many perks and crowd support too.

By the way, Caroline had rung the bell on Wall Street for the closing of the stock exchange, that's likely the reason NASDAQ put her accomplishment on their billboard.

 

[special700]

Serena doesn't have to beg anyone to support her in the USA. She's the highest paid female American athlete. That position comes w/ many perks and crowd support too.

By the way, Caroline had rung the bell on Wall Street for the closing of the stock exchange, that's likely the reason NASDAQ put her accomplishment on their billboard.

Yea you can keep on believing that crowd support if it makes you happy. Like I said it would have been nice to see a congratulation message for Serena posted on the NASDQ board recognizing her 18th major seeing she's American and all. But that's just my feeling. No my dear pova is the highest paid female with her mediocre results in America....paid by Americans...Oh wait - she's Russian.

 

[kskate2]

Serena doesn't have to beg anyone to support her in the USA. She's the highest paid female American athlete. That position comes w/ many perks and crowd support too.

By the way, Caroline had rung the bell on Wall Street for the closing of the stock exchange, that's likely the reason NASDAQ put her accomplishment on their billboard.

Yea you can keep on believing that crowd support if it makes you happy. Like I said it would have been nice to see a congratulation message for Serena posted on the NASDQ board recognizing her 18th major seeing she's American and all. But that's just my feeling. No my dear pova is the highest paid female with her mediocre results in America....paid by Americans...Oh wait - she's Russian.

Oh Right. Much more unrealistic that an American player would receive crowd support in their own country, but more believable that everything is a conspiracy to undermine Serena. :lolz:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Five New Doubles Teams for 2015.From the WTA Website December 29th.

Andrea Hlavacka and Lucie Hradecka (CZE/CZE)

Hsieh SuWei and Sania Mirzer (TPE/IND)

Caroline Garcia and Katarina Srebotnik (FRA/SLO)

Ally Kudryavtseva and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS/RUS)

Anastasia Rodionova and Arina Rodionova (AUS/AUS)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Serena Helping End Gun Violence...Report from the WTA Website 29th December.

Serena Williams' charity,the Serena Williams Foundation,has announced a grant to the Caliber Foundation,which helps victims,families and communities damaged by gun violence in the US.

"When someone is killed or wounded through acts of senseless violence,there are many victims," Williams said at the launch event."Aside from the person whose life was lost,there are the children,families and communities left struggling for answers or simply left with a hole in their heart."

Read more about the new grant and Williams' efforts to end gun violence on cnbc.com.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Vaidisova will play Florida Pro Circuit event,won't travel to Australia.Report from Matt Cronin 29th December.

Former No 7 Nicole Vaidisova will not travel to Australia and instead play the $25,000 Daytona Women's Pro Tennis Champioships,a USTA Pro Circuit event,held January 19-25 in Florida.The 25 year old began playing last September,after being off the pro tour for just over four years.

Vaidisova,who trains at the IMG Academy in Bradenton,is currently No 602 and will be given a wild card into the Florida Pro Circuit event.Other players entered in the tournament include Sachia Vickery,Michelle Larcher De Brito and Catherine 'CiCi' Bellis,the No 1 ranked junior who upset Cibulkova at the 2014 U.S.Open.