Clara Tauson Kicks Off MUSC Health Women’s Open With a Win
Clara Tauson is your first winner at the MUSC Health Women’s Open, a WTA 250 event in Charleston. The 18-year-old Danish player took a tumble in the second set of her first round match against Liudmila Samsonova today, but came back after a medical timeout to take the match, 6-3, 6-3. Over the course of five break points, Samsonova was unable to save a single one. With the win, Tauson’s a solid 22-4 in matches this year, having won her first title in Lyon just last month.
The left knee “wasn’t good in the match but I think the adrenaline took some of the pain,” she told me after the match. “Right now, I can walk fine so I hope it’s going to be fine. I hope maybe I can get a day off tomorrow, just to feel it on court. It looked in the match that it was worse to walk than it was to play in the match.”
Tauson will face either Renata Zarazua of Mexico or Ajla Tomljanovic in the second round of this event.
Kudermetova, Kovinic Look For Big Hardware Today in Unlikely Volvo Car Open Final Matchup
Nobody asked me, but yesterday I tipped the two losers of the semifinals matches. Ons Jabeur looked horrible on court after a strong week and Danka Kovinic took full advantage in route to a 6-3, 6-2 upset. No one should bet against Veronika Kudermetova today after another dominant outing, this time a 5th straight straight sets win for the Russian. In fact, those 10 straight sets sets up another milestone: she could be the first woman since Serena Williams in 2012 to win this WTA 500 event without dropping a set.
Nobody asked me, but this final feels like it should be played next Sunday as the showcase showdown for the MUSC Health Women’s Open, the WTA 250 event already underway. That said, it wouldn’t surprise me if next Sunday’s final finds higher-ranked players vying for the trophy than the Volvo Car Open. Ons Jabeur, Magda Linette, Shelby Rogers and Alize Cornet are your top four seeds and it may be time for them to shine. But hey, unseeded Danka Kovinic is in the mix as well as Clara Tauson, so buckle up, Charleston.
Photo Credit: Chris Simon, Volvo Car Open
Nobody asked me, but the Althea Gibson Stadium Court has never looked better. The fanless event allowed tournament organizers to use more of the real estate for flowers and video boards. With no spectator sightlines to interrupt, the look on television was a gorgeous one. It made up for the all day barrage of 18-wheelers making noise on the I-526 bridge right above the north end of the stadium.
Nobody asked me, but if I lived in Charleston, I might have had to feign car trouble a few times on that bridge last week just to catch a few sets.
Nobody asked me, but if I had to pick the winner today, it’d be hard to bet against Kudermetova. So there’s your opening, Danka. This whole week has been filled with opposite days.
Semifinals Saturday Arrives at Volvo Car Open with A Surprising Field
In 10 years of covering the WTA Charleston event, I haven’t seen so many upsets over the course of a week. Gone are the days when Serena Williams would come through and pencil in a spot in the final. Even World #1 Ashleigh Barty couldn’t take advantage of the gaping holes in the field as she fell to Paula Badosa yesterday, 6-3, 6-3. A resurgent Sloane Stephens sputtered against Victoria Kudermetova, 6-3, 6-4. After beating #3 seed Petra Kvitova the day before, Danka Kovinic found a way to advance against the plucky and lucky Yulia Putintseva, 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-1. Ons Jabeur (#12) was the highest-seeded player left in the tournament before stunning a sluggish Coco Gauff, 6-3, 6-3.
Danka Kovinic (Credit: Chris Simon, Volvo Car Open)
That sets up four players who have never won a WTA tour level title and yet are this close to taking home the most impressive trophies of their collective careers. If you looked at this field before the tournament began, you’d have plenty of educated guesses on who would hoist the hardware, from Kvitova, Barty, Stephens, Kenin, Muguruza, Keys, Bencic, Mertens or Bertens. But no.
(Credit: Chris Simon, Volvo Car Open)
Instead, you’ve got a semifinal field that could pose for a couple of Charleston qualifying finals just a few years back. Still, you’ve got to believe that Ons Jabeur’s experience and momentum will propel her to a berth in the final when she steps on court against Danka Kovinic later today. She’s a deserved -239 favorite, and even though the unimaginable has already happened this week, the green clay dust of uncertainty will certainly settle today.
The match between Badosa and Kudermetova is a little more unpredictable.
Victoria Kudermetova, (Credit: Chris Simon, Volvo Car Open)
Although the Russian owns a 2-0 head to head against Badosa, the lower-ranked Spaniard has beaten the better players this week and is the tournament’s leader in aces with 24. It’s also Kudermetova’s first semifinal on clay. I’m going with Badosa, a +110 underdog in this match.
The parlay: Jabeur (-239) & Badosa (+110) for a +197 payout
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (March 19, 2021) – Get into the head of Toni Nadal, the mastermind coach of 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, and dozens of other world-renowned coaches like Boris Becker and legendary Nick Bollettieri at the 2021 World Tennis Conference.
Those icons of the game and 60-plus more world-class tennis coaches will divulge their coveted secrets and winning strategies as the TennisONE App plays host to a four-day online extravaganza featuring the world’s top tennis coaches in the World Tennis Conference taking place March 25-28. The event is designed and organized by the Global Professional Tennis Coach Association (GPTCA) and Segal Institute.
Click on the link below to download the TennisONE App to register for the conference now!
Registered viewers of the virtual conference will be able to learn from six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker presented by TLT. The German star, who formerly coached world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, will hold a 40-minute online session on Thursday, March 25, to offer tips on strategy and creating powerful tennis strokes.
“The lineup of coaches presenting at this conference is impressive, and includes coaches from the world’s top six men’s players,” said Kristin Geer, CEO the TennisONE App. “Over the four days, viewers of the conference will be able to watch top instructors and learn the techniques they use to take players to the top.”
Alberto Castellani, GPTCA President, mentioned that the “WTC is the first-ever conference with such a high level of high-performance tennis coaches involved. It’s great to be able to put on such an amazing list of speakers who have worked with so many tennis champions world-wide.”
All of the conference sessions will be archived for later viewing. Conference attendees will have access to all the video sessions for 30 days after the conference ends through the TennisONE App.
Headliners include Toni Nadal, who is the opening presenter on Thursday, March 25, and will discuss “the principles and values to develop from the beginning” of a player’s journey.
“At the WTC we are ready to create a transformative journey with every participant, developing a bridge between top tennis coaches and their knowledge, experiences, and outstanding results. All of this coming through the TennisONE app,” said Fernando Segal, WTC Organizer and Director.
Former ATP stars Andrei Medvedev, Andres Gomez, Janko Tipsarevic, Jacco Eltingh and Ivan Ljubicic will also take part in the conference.
Bollettieri, the 89-year-old coaching icon, will discuss his history of developing high-performance tennis players. His session is scheduled for Sunday, March 28.
In addition, the conference will include a talk by former top-10 player and current coach to recent Australian Open champion Dominic Thiem, Nicolas Massu. Massu, who won two Olympic gold medals during his playing career, will discuss the nuances of “being a great player on the road.” Former Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Jim Courier coach Gabe Jaramillo will reveal the details of “making champions.”
Registration is available through the TennisONE App, available free for Android and Apple devices. A full four-day pass is available for $110, while individual days are offered for $45 each day. A Headliners pass for $60 is also available.
6 Grand Slam Champs, 3 Former #1 Players Highlight @VolvoCarOpen Player Field
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Volvo Car Open, to be held without fans April 3 – 11 on Daniel Island in Charleston, SC, has announced its preliminary player field for the 2021 tournament. The field for the premier women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America is led by World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty and features some of the top players in the world.
The Volvo Car Open’s 56-player draw is made up of 43 direct entries into the tournament, five wild cards and eight qualifiers. Kim Clijsters has already accepted a wild card for the event. Four additional players will join the main draw via wild card entry, to be announced at a later date.
“The world of live sporting events has had to make many difficult decisions over the past year,” said Bob Moran, Tournament Director for the Volvo Car Open. “We wish we could host a stadium full of fans in 2021 to appreciate the world-class talent represented in our player field, from WTA’s top-ranked Ashleigh Barty and our defending champion Madison Keys, to next generation tennis stars like Sofia Kenin and Coco Gauff. We are grateful that our broadcast partner Tennis Channel will air first ball to last ball main draw matches, providing our fans with more than 70 hours of live tennis and an opportunity to watch the powerful and entertaining competition on our courts this year. We look forward to getting back to normal in 2022 with a newly renovated stadium and celebrating 50 years of professional women’s tennis.”
Highlights from the main draw include:
21 countries represented in the international player field, including 10 Americans
Three past Volvo Car Open champions: Madison Keys (2019), Kiki Bertens (2018) and Sloane Stephens (2016)
Six Grand Slam champions: Sofia Kenin (2020 Australian Open), Ashleigh Barty (2019 French Open), Garbiñe Muguruza (2016 French Open and ‘17 Wimbledon), Sloane Stephens (2017 US Open), Jelena Ostapenko (2017 French Open) and Kim Clijsters (2005, ‘09 & ‘10 US Open and ‘11 Australian Open)
Three Former World No. 1 Ranked Players: Ashleigh Barty (current), Garbiñe Muguruza and Kim Clijsters
Debut player field appearance by Coco Gauff and Kim Clijsters
Charleston native Shelby Rogers to compete in hometown tournament again
At the top of the Volvo Car Open player field is current World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty. The 2021 Volvo Car Open will mark the Australian’s second time playing in Charleston. She has held the top WTA singles ranking for the past two seasons, stemming from winning her first Premier Mandatory title at the Miami Open, her first Grand Slam title at the French Open and her first WTA Finals title.
American Sofia Kenin celebrated her first Top 10 season in 2020. She earned her first Grand Slam title at the 2020 Australian Open and ended the year as World No. 4. The 2021 Volvo Car Open will be the 22-year-old’s fourth time competing in Charleston.
2018 Volvo Car Open champion Kiki Bertens will play the Volvo Car Open for the fifth time. The Dutch player finished 2020 in the top 10 for the third year in a row and has amassed 10 career WTA titles.
Rounding out the top-four in Charleston’s player field is Garbiñe Muguruza. Since her last appearance at the Volvo Car Open in 2013, the Spanish player has captured seven career titles, including the 2017 Wimbledon and 2016 Roland-Garros titles, and reached the World No. 1 ranking.
Current Volvo Car Open champion Madison Keys will also return two years later to defend her title. Keys defeated Caroline Wozniacki in the 2019 Volvo Car Open final to capture her fourth career WTA title and her first on clay.
The 2021 Volvo Car Open will be held without fans due to the ongoing pandemic. The tournament has partnered with the WTA and the Medical University of South Carolina to develop its health and safety protocols for the event, which will allow the team to create a safe atmosphere for players, essential staff and operational partners. Both Tennis Channel and WTA Media have agreed to broadcast the 2021 Volvo Car Open, providing a full week of coverage and more than 70+ hours of live tennis for fans both in the U.S. and abroad.
The Volvo Car Open was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since 1973, the tournament has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports, paving the path for female tennis players to receive equal recognition, respect and pay in the sport. Originally held on Hilton Head Island, the event moved to Charleston in 2001 and is now played on Daniel Island at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center, home to the Volvo Car Stadium.
Charleston Tennis, LLC, which manages the Volvo Car Stadium under a lease from the City of Charleston, recently announced plans to renovate and modernize the 20-year-old Volvo Car Stadium. The city-owned facility will undergo upgrades to enhance the stadium experience for patrons, performers, tennis players and event management, allowing the venue to attract world-class athletes and talent to Daniel Island.
For more information on the Volvo Car Open, visit volvocaropen.com or call 843.856.7900.
Tournament to be held as made-for-TV event, April 3 – 11, 2021
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Volvo Car Open, the premier women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America, will be held as scheduled, April 3-11, 2021, in Charleston, SC without fans. With public health and safety as the event’s top priority, the tournament will forgo its traditional on site fan environment to create a made-for-TV tennis event instead. This change will allow the Volvo Car Open to still operate in 2021, providing tennis players an opportunity to compete and earn a living and offering fans a unique and engaging broadcast experience they can enjoy from home.
The tournament reached this decision after closely monitoring the rise in COVID-19 cases and consulting with local government and health officials. Ticket holders will receive communication from the Volvo Car Open’s ticketing department on processing ticket refunds.
“After much deliberation, our team has made the difficult but necessary decision to host the 2021 Volvo Car Open without fans,” said Bob Moran, Volvo Car Open Tournament Director. “We delayed this decision as long as we possibly could in hopes that the end result may be different. But, in order to successfully execute a fan experience that complies with all guidelines and requirements given by local government and health officials, we would need to begin building our event facilities this week. Unfortunately, with the ongoing high positivity numbers and the potential of unknown restrictions on travel to the U.S., we have concluded that the creation of a made-for-TV tournament is the best possible outcome for the 2021 Volvo Car Open.”
Both Tennis Channel and WTA Media have agreed to broadcast the 2021 Volvo Car Open, providing a full week of coverage for fans both in the U.S. and abroad.
The tournament is actively working in partnership with the WTA and the Medical University of South Carolina on the development of health and safety protocols for the event, which will allow the team to create a safe atmosphere for players, essential staff and operational partners.
The Volvo Car Open was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since 1973, the tournament has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports, paving the path for female tennis players to receive equal recognition, respect and pay in the industry. Originally held on Hilton Head Island, the event moved to Charleston in 2001 and is now played on Daniel Island at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center, home to the Volvo Car Stadium.
Charleston Tennis, LLC, which manages the Volvo Car Stadium under a lease from the City of Charleston, recently announced plans to renovate and modernize the 20-year-old Volvo Car Stadium. The city-owned facility will undergo upgrades to enhance the stadium experience for patrons, performers, tennis players and event management, allowing the venue to attract world-class athletes and talent to Daniel Island.
Fanny Stollar, 2018 Volvo Car Open
“Although we are disappointed by our recent event updates, we are already looking ahead to the future”, said Moran. “We are making great progress with the Volvo Car Stadium renovations and are excited to unveil this reimagined space at the celebration of our 50th tennis event in 2022. Our upgraded venue will continue to provide unforgettable entertainment experiences with new state-of-the-art features and elevated patron services.”
For more information on the Volvo Car Open, visit volvocaropen.com or call 843.856.7900.
NeuroTennis Signs WTA Player Lauren Davis To Official Sponsorship Deal For 2021
Arlington, Va., February 4, 2021 – Tennis players around the world can now “Do It Like Davis” as smart tennis wristband company NeuroTennis, Inc., has announced that American WTA player Lauren Davis has been signed to an official sponsorship deal to represent the popular wearable in 2021.
Currently ranked No. 75 in the WTA World Tour rankings, the 27-year-old Davis has landed Down Under in advance of this year’s first Grand Slam, the 2021 Australian Open to be played Feb. 8-21 in Melbourne.
Using the NeuroTennis wristband, professional, collegiate, junior and even recreational players can take part in a virtual tennis lesson with Davis called “Do It Like Davis.” The lesson is composed of five drills, including:
1) Laurentating forehands (She calls out the shots she wants you to hit)
2) King Kong Backhands
3) Cardiac Arrest (High low drill)
4) Serving Shouldn’t Be Nerving
5) Rapid Fire Volley Drill
All instructions within NeuroTennis can be downloaded using Davis’ voice. Each of her specific instructions come with a video of her explaining what each instruction means.
“In preparation for the Australian Open I’ve incorporated the NeuroTennis technologies into my training and workouts,” said Davis, who is based in Jupiter, Fla., and coached by Eddie Elliott of WOW Sports, Inc. “The NeuroTennis wristband trains you to focus, react quickly and work on specific improvements in your game. It’s been a nice added feature to mix in with my workouts as I prepared for the 2021 season.”
Originally from Gates Mills, Ohio, the speedy and aggressive playing Davis ascended to a WTA career-high world ranking of No. 26 in 2017. She has reached the third round three times at the Australian Open, and twice at Wimbledon. A lucky loser in 2019 at the All-England Club, Davis upset defending champion Angelique Kerber in three sets in the second round.
At the 2018 Australian Open, Davis played one of the most memorable matches over the past several years as she held match points against world No. 1 and eventual champion Simona Halep before falling in the third round 15-13 in the final set in nearly four hours and tying a tournament record for most games played in a match at 48.
“If you are serious about improving your tennis…NeuroTennis is for you,” said NeuroTennis COO Cameron Lickle.
NeuroTennis is available now at NeuroTennis.com and sells as a pair for $329. For more information on how to train your brain and raise your game, visit NeuroTennis.com.
2-4-8! Who Do We Appreciate? Three Seeded Players In Delray Beach Open Quarterfinal Play Today
Steve Fogleman in Delray Beach
January 11–-John Isner, Hubert Hurkacz and Frances Tiafoe are clearly the ones to beat in this tournament at the moment. Those seeded Delray Beach Open seeds have a lot of contenders at their tails. Sebastian Korda, who beat John Isner at Roland Garros last year, is set for the challenge against the second seed nig man Isner.
Roberto Quiroz, the 28-year-old Ecuadorean with deep pro tennis roots and in his first ever ATP quarterfinal, will square off against the 4 seed, Hubert Hurkacz. Hurkacz hopes to be the 7th 4 seed to win this tournament. It’s been tours since his last semifinal berth, but former Texas Christian University standout Cameron Norrie will do his best to move on against 8 seed and 2018 champion Frances Tiafoe.
Finally, you’ve got a match this afternoon that will result in an automatic underdog advancing to the semifinals between Christian Harrison and Gianluca Mager. This is Harrison’s first quarterfinal and Mager beat his brother Ryan to open the main draw of the tournament. In fact, Mager is looking to defeat his third American in a row after a win over Sam Querrey in the second round.
I’ve said it many times and it seems to hold true. At the lower level tournaments, seeding means little.The experience and confidence the players earn on the courts prior to the main draw are often enormously valuable.
As far as coronavirus and social distancing protocols here, there seems to be a ramped-up enforcement. With fewer fans in attendance on Friday, there were more groups together in the upper areas of the stadium and plenty of chin-strapping. I looked at the ushers on the concourse below and was worried that these mature-aged volunteers wouldn’t be up to the task. Meanwhile, Delray Beach Police Officers were all over the facility and didn’t seem interested in managing the new rules. By the weekend, that had changed. Frequent announcements were made that all fans were required to be in their assigned seats and that ushers would be coming around to check those seat assignments. Seats were sold in blocks of 2 or 4 with alternating rows and the protocols appeared to be enforced more stringently. Though it’s completely understandable, my heart sunk a little during announcements that fans were prohibited from asking for selfies or autographs from the players. And that photo of Frances Tiafoe above? He says he requested it. The only reason his mask was down was because he’d just finished answering a few questions for me twelve feet away. Throughout the weekend, the announcer made a point to inform the fans that they were about to be part of a national telecast on Tennis Channel, as if to remind them that they didn’t want to give their own town a bad look on TV. Maybe that was the trick.
More Delray Beach Open Seeds Fall on Saturday; Four Quarterfinal Spots Left
Steve Fogleman in Delray Beach
January 10, 2021–The seeds kept dropping on Saturday at the Delray Beach Open in Delray Beach, Florida. Gianluca Magher, the man who defeated Rio Open top seed Dominic Thiem last March, continued his underdog magic with a rude dismissal of #6 seed Sam Querrey, 7-6(8), 6-1.
Next up was Christian Harrison, and Christian’s Mission continued as he handled the tournament’s top seed Cristian Garin, 7-6, 6-2. He continues to marvel at his run in Delray Beach, where as a child he first saw pro tennis played in person.
Following up on Harrison’s heroics, Sebastian Korda advanced over #5 seed Tommy Paul. The tournament’s highest remaining ranked player, John Isner, served his way past Thiago Monteira in the night cap in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6(4).
Those results set up a quarterfinal square-off between Magher and Harrison and an All-American match with Isner and Korda. The top half of the singles draw has now lost two of its seeded players, leaving only #4 Hubert Hurkacz in the driver’s seat. In that top half, either Harrison or Magher will reach the semifinals and play on Tuesday. All eyes will be on Hurkacz in today’s day session when he will play his first ever match at Delray Beach following his first round bye.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
STADIUM – start 11:00 am
[WC] C. Harrison (USA)/R. Harrison (USA) vs O. Marach (AUT)/L.D. Martinez (VEN)
Not before 12:30 pm
[4] H. Hurkacz (POL) vs D.E. Galan (COL)
Not before 2:30 pm
[8] F. Tiafoe (USA) vs B. Fratangelo (USA)
Night Session – Not before 6:00 pm
[Q] R. Quiroz (ECU) vs I. Karlovic (CRO)
Not before 8:00 pm
C. Norrie (GBR) vs [3] A. Mannarino (FRA)
Court 1 – start 2:00 pm
A. Krajicek (USA)/S. Querrey (USA) vs A. Molteni (ARG)/H. Nys (MON)
Not before 4:00 pm
N. Monroe (USA)/F. Tiafoe (USA) vs [PR] M. McDonald (USA)/T. Paul (USA)
Christian’s On A Mission: Harrison Sets Up Clash with Top Seed Cristian Garin
Steve Fogleman in Delray Beach
January 9. 2021–-For years, it was young Cristian Harrison who came to Delray Beach to watch his older brother, Ryan, compete in this ATP 250 tournament tucked inside this idyllic beach town. Yesterday, as Cristian Harrison warmed up on the outer court for his first round main draw match, there were only a few fans scattered around the bleachers. Among them was Ryan Harrison, who’d been eliminated from the singles draw on the opening day of the event.
“I’m feeling good. I’m playing a lot of qualies because I don’t have much of a ranking right now,” the younger Harrison said after his straight sets win over Tomas Etcheverry, 6-4, 6-2. After seasons of injuries and more surgeries than you can count on one hand, he knows that court time is precious. “It’s very special,” he told me after the match. “Honestly, to do it in Delray just because some of my first pro tennis memories when I was 13 or 14, coming to this tournament to watch my brother play. I love it here, I love Atlantic Avenue. It sucks that we can’t see it this year with everything going on. It’s special to this in Florida, where I live.”
After getting through the qualifying final in a tiebreak, he breezed through the first round yesterday. Harrison opened the qualifying tournament by knocking out Chile’s Marcelo Barrios Vera. Today, he’ll face the Open’s top seed and #1 Chilean, Cristian Garin, who is currently ranked #22 in the world. “I’ve obviously never played him, but I’ve seen him a lot, in a lot of other tournaments,” he told me. “I don’t think we’ve ever practiced but he’s had a lot of good results.”
He expounded on his fraternal bond with Ryan. “I know how he always wanted it for me, so it sucked for him whenever I was out a lot,” he said. “He could feel my pain when I couldn’t play these tournaments. Now that we’re getting theses chances to be in the same place, we’re making the most of it.”
Indeed, they made the most of it yesterday. After Christian’s singles win, the pair defeated the Texas Twins—Hunter and Yates Johnson, 6-4, 7-6(2), to advance to the quarterfinals in doubles.
SAT., JAN 9 ~ Day Session
11:00am: (2) M. Daniell (NZL) / P. Oswald (AUT) vs A. Molteni (ARG) / H. Nys (MON)
12:30pm: (6) Sam Querrey (USA) vs G. Mager (ITA)2:30pm: (1) Cristian Garin (CHI) vs C. Harrison (USA)
