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Most Favorites Advance on Tuesday Ahead of Wet Wednesday at Charleston Open

Posted by Admin on April 3, 2024
Posted in: Charleston, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Daniel Island, SC–Most top-seeded players–and a Lucky Loser– advanced in the draw on Tuesday at the Charleston Open. Heavy rains in the area today will likely push the start of play to late afternoon, making for a long night of meaningful matches.

In the day session on Tuesday, Sloane Stephens, Danielle Collins and Maria Sakkari won in straight set matches as big favorites on Stadium Court. On the outer courts, Townsend, Dolehide, Krueger and Cocciaretto advanced while 13 seed Dayana Yastremska was upset by Magda Linette in three sets. Lucky Loser Astra Sharma looked flawless in the second set as she beat Arina Rodionova, 6-4, 6-1.

The night session provided the less predictable. Jessica Pegula stayed poised after giving up the first set to Amanda Anisimova before the #1 seed edged her way to victory, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3). Madison Keys has always had a love-hate relationship with this surface and became the highest ranked player to lose in the 2024 Charleston WTA 500 event, and did so before a fueled-up Jaqueline Cristian, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3..

Today’s sessions look to be a concentrated version of the best of the player field, with Caroline Wozniacki, Emma Navarro, Shelby Rogers, Vika Azarenka, Elina Svitolina, Elise Mertens and Beatriz Haddad Maia all scheduled on court. None of the mentioned players will compete against each other today. That’s why Danielle Collins vs. Ons Jabeur is the real prize fight scheduled for tonight. Collins hold the edge in meetings, 2-1, with the players last connection being a 6-2, 6-4 Collins win in Miami in 2022, and also notable was a 2020 victory for the American on the terre battue of Roland Garros over Jabeur.

—S. Fogleman

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BEHOLD THE STACKED CHARLESTON OPEN PLAYER FIELD

Posted by Admin on March 11, 2024
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Player field highlighted by five Grand Slam champions, five Charleston champions and four top 10 players

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Credit One Charleston Open, the largest women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America, has released its preliminary main draw player field for the 2024 tennis tournament, March 30 – April 7 on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina. The tournament is the clay season kick-off on the Hologic WTA Tour and was recently named the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year for the second consecutive season. 

The Credit One Charleston Open preliminary main draw is highlighted by five Grand Slam champions, five Charleston champions and four top 10 players. The field is headlined by World No. 5 and 2023 Montreal champion Jessica Pegula, World No. 6, three-time Grand Slam finalist and 2023 Charleston champion Ons Jabeur, World No. 9 and 2023 Guadalajara champion Maria Sakkari and World No. 10 and 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko. In addition to Ostapenko, Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka, Barbora Krejcikova, Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens have entered the field. 

Jabeur joins Stephens (2016), Daria Kasatkina (2017), Madison Keys (2019) and Veronika Kudermetova (2021) as one of five past Charleston champions returning in pursuit of a second title on the green clay of the Credit One Stadium in April. Charleston native and World No. 23 Emma Navarro, who captured her first WTA title recently in Hobart, will also compete on home soil this year.  

“We are very happy with the exceptional quality and depth of our 2024 Charleston player lineup, which showcases an exciting blend of the sport’s elite competitors and emerging young talent,” said Bob Moran, President of Beemok Sports & Entertainment. “From Grand Slam champions to players who have recently won their first WTA title, our field highlights the pinnacle of women’s tennis in Charleston. I can guarantee outstanding matches from start to finish for our attendees and viewers tuning in on Tennis Channel.”

Player field stats include:

  • Four Top 10 Players: Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur, Maria Sakkari, Jelena Ostapenko
  • Five Grand Slam Champions: Victoria Azarenka (2012 and 2013 Australian Open), Jelena Ostapenko (2017 Roland Garros), Sloane Stephens (2017 US Open), Sofia Kenin (2020 Australian Open), Barbora Krejcikova (2021 Roland Garros)
  • Five Charleston Open Champions: Ons Jabeur, Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, Veronika Kudermetova, Daria Kasatkina 
  • Nine American Competitors: Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, Sloane Stephens, Caroline Dolehide, Sofia Kenin, Danielle Collins, Amanda Anisimova and Ashlyn Krueger

Four additional players will join the main draw via wild card entry, to be announced at a later date. To round out the field, six players will earn entry into the main draw via qualifying competition beginning March 30. 

The nine-day Credit One Charleston Open showcases a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 28 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. The event traditionally hosts more than 90,000 attendees on Daniel Island. The tournament recently released its Fan Hub, which showcases special events, food and beverage options, partner activities and more happening throughout the nine-day tournament.

Charleston Tennis, LLC, which manages Credit One Stadium under a lease from the City of Charleston, renovated and modernized the 20-year-old facility in 2022. The city-owned venue underwent 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.

The Credit One Charleston Open has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports since 1973, 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 played on Daniel Island at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center, home to the Credit One Stadium.

Tickets can be purchased online at creditonecharlestonopen.com or by calling (843) 856-7900. For additional information, please email tickets@charlestontennisllc.com or visit creditonecharlestonopen.com. 

—A. Alpino

Survival of the Fittest at @CitiOpen as Semifinals Set

Posted by Admin on August 6, 2022
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Survival of the Fittest at Citi Open as Semifinals Set

Steve Fogleman in Washington

It’s been a tortuous few days for players and fans as scorching heat and torrential downpours hit the venue in Rock Creek Park, but the survivors have emerged from the wreckage and they are ready to collect their hardware. On Friday, some of these athletes played twice to book their ticket to the weekend action. Victoria Azarenka opened the day with straight sets win over Tereza Martincova, 7-6(7), 6-2 but that win came at a high price: 2 hours and 10 minutes on court. Hours later, she struggled throughout against the rested lucky loser Xiyu Wang as Azarenka fell 6-1, 6-3.

NO PIC NICK: KYRGIOS HURRIES OFF COURT AFTER FIRST FRIDAY WIN

Nick Kyrgios started the day up a set over Reilly Opelka and got out of the match after a solo set on court Friday afternoon, 7-6(1), By contrast, Frances Tiafoe walked on court yesterday down a set before pulling off the comeback win against Botic Va de Zandschulp, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. That extra effort for the win may have been the difference as Kyrgios prevailed in the evening quarterfinal match in three sets, 6-7(5), 7-6(12), 6-2.

Andrey Rublev played his cards right on Friday by spending only 1:42 on court in a straight sets win over Maxime Cressy, 6-4, 7-6(8) and was more than ready for wild card J.J. Wolf, who needed 2:36 to beat Holger Rune, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 earlier in the the day. The result? Rublev cruised to the semifinals with a convincing 6-2, 6-3 drubbing of the Buckeye.

Kaia Kanepi and Daria Saville only had to play one match yesterday and it showed. Saville made mincemeat out of qualifier Rebecca Marino’s game, 6-1, 7-5. The second set was closer as the rain delay required Saville to re-adjust her game. Kanepi’s opponent, Anna Kalinskaya, seemed to wither in the hot conditions and it felt like Kanepi grew stronger with each passing game as the Estonian advanced to the quarterfinals, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3. Saville and Kanepi face off this afternoon and the winner will be the odds-on favorite to lift the trophy tomorrow.

2022 @CitiOpen Has Powerful Player Field With Addition of Fan Favorites @KeiNishikori, @Vika7, @GrigorDimitrov and @GenieBouchard

Posted by Admin on June 24, 2022
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Victoria Azarenka, Kei Nishikori, Jessica Pegula, Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur and Eugenie Bouchard join Citi Open’s growing player field Victoria Azarenka, Kei Nishikori, Jessica Pegula, Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur and Eugenie Bouchard join Citi Open’s growing player field 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The world’s best men’s and women’s tennis players will compete in Washington D.C. July 30 – August 7 at the Citi Open®. New player field additions include two-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 player Victoria Azarenka, World No. 9 and 2019 Citi Open champion Jessica Pegula, 2014 Wimbledon finalist and 2017 Citi Open doubles finalist Eugenie Bouchard, 2015 Citi Open champion Kei Nishikori, two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov and 2018 Citi Open finalist Alex de Minaur. 

The tournament’s growing player field now includes four Grand Slam champions, four Citi Open champions and seven current top 20 players.

The new player commitments join 2019 Citi Open champion Nick Kyrgios, D.C. native Frances Tiafoe, World No. 8 Andrey Rublev, 2022 Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz, World No. 18 Reilly Opelka, 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, 2015 Citi Open and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the D.C. field, with more player announcements coming soon. 

I’ve been attending this event for years and Kei Nishikori attracted the attention of more fans than any other player in Washington. Except last year, when all eyes were on the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, in his D.C. debut.

“We are thrilled about the incredibly strong and deep field of men’s and women’s players we are building for the 2022 Citi Open, including so many Grand Slam champions, former Citi Open champions and fan favorites,” said Mark Ein, Citi Open Chairman. “With even more player commitments on the near horizon, it will be another unforgettable week of tennis in the nation’s capital for our fans in person and those watching around the world.”

New Citi Open ATP player field additions:

  • Kei Nishikori (WC), 2015 Citi Open Champion: Nishikori is the top Asian men’s tennis player in history. He holds 12 career ATP titles and is the 2015 Citi Open champion, where he has acquired an 18-7 record. Along with his title in D.C., the Japanese player has also reached the tournament’s quarterfinal round and semifinal round twice, respectively. He is a Grand Slam finalist, a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist and a nine-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist. In 2021, he reached the semifinals in D.C. and the quarterfinals in Dubai, Rotterdam and at The Olympics.
  • Grigor Dimitrov, World No. 21: Dimitrov holds eight career titles and a career-high ranking of World No. 3. The fan favorite Bulgarian will play the Citi Open for the seventh time this year, where he reached the quarterfinals in 2013. This season, he had semifinal berths in Monte Carlo and Melbourne and quarterfinal appearances in Indian Wells and Delray Beach. Dimitrov has also reached two Grand Slam semifinals and three Grand Slam quarterfinals. 
  • Alex de Minaur, 2018 Citi Open Finalist & World No. 24: de Minaur will compete at the Citi Open for the fourth time in 2022. He reached the D.C. final in 2018. The Australian has captured five ATP titles, including two in 2021 in Eastbourne and Antalya. So far this season, he has reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, quarterfinals in Rotterdam and semifinals in Lyon and Barcelona. He was also a quarterfinalist at the 2020 US Open.  

New Citi Open WTA player field additions:

  • Victoria Azarenka, 2-time Grand Slam Champion, Former World No.1 & Current World No. 20: Former World No. 1 Azarenka will make her Citi Open debut in 2022. She holds 21 career WTA singles titles and is a two-time Australian Open champion, winning the Grand Slam in 2012 and 2013. She has also played the US Open final three times and has reached the semifinals of both Wimbledon and Roland-Garros. This season, she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals in Adelaide. Her 2021 season included a finals run in Indian Wells, semifinal appearances in Berlin and Doha and quarterfinal matches in Montreal and Bad Homburg. 
  • Jessica Pegula, 2019 Citi Open Champion & World No. 9: Top 10 player Pegula won her maiden WTA singles title at the 2019 Citi Open. She reached the tournament’s semifinals in 2016 and was also victorious in Washington in 2021, when she was named the Citi Open Women’s Invitational champion. The American has had a strong 2022 season, including a back-to-back Australian Open quarterfinals appearance, a second Grand Slam quarterfinal in Roland-Garros, a finals berth in Madrid and semifinals appearance in Miami.
  • Eugenie Bouchard (WC), 2014 Wimbledon Finalist: Bouchard is returning to tennis this season after undergoing shoulder surgery in 2021. The Canadian has a career-high ranking of World No. 5 and is a Grand Slam finalist and two-time Grand Slam semifinalist. In 2021, she was a finalist in Guadalajara. This will be her seventh time playing the Citi Open, where she reached the singles quarterfinal in 2012 and the doubles final with partner Sloane Stephens in 2017.

The Citi Open is one of only five combined tennis tournaments in the country, featuring professional competition from both men and women. Citi Open’s ATP 500 event will showcase 48 singles players and 16 doubles teams. Its revived WTA 250 event will celebrate its 10th edition in 2022 with a player field featuring 32 singles competitors and 16 doubles teams. The tournament will continue to announce players and updates in the coming weeks.

In April 2019, MDE Sports, owned and led by Washington-based venture capitalist, entrepreneur and civic leader Ein, acquired the management rights of the Citi Open tournament from the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), a non-profit which provides free tennis and educational programs for children in underserved communities. This acquisition secured the Citi Open’s future in the U.S. and specifically in Washington.

For more than 50 years, the Citi Open has hosted top tennis talent in Rock Creek Park. The tournament was founded to support Arthur Ashe’s vision of playing a professional tennis tournament in a fully accessible public park. The Citi Open has continued to build and expand the event, with the goal of positively impacting the Washington community and creating one of the best events in the world. The WTEF, a longtime beneficiary of the Citi Open, capitalizes on the tournament annually for fundraising and has raised millions for youth programs in the Washington area.

Last year’s tournament was the most successful in the event’s history, shattering previous attendance records and selling out all sessions throughout the week. Full tournament packages and single session tickets are on sale now and can be purchased via citiopentennis.com or by calling (202) 721-9500. To learn more about the tournament, ticket options, player fields, event policies and more, visit citiopentennis.com.

2021 @CitiOpen Women’s Invitational Starts Tonight

Posted by Admin on August 5, 2021
Posted in: Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2021 Citi Open Women’s Invitational Starts Tonight

WASHINGTON-AUGUST 5—Starting tonight, Coco Gauff, Victoria Azarenka and Jessica Pegula will compete in the Citi Open Women’s Invitational, a special, round-robin singles event as part of Citi Open week. Pegula and Gauff were crowned singles and doubles champions, respectively, in the WTA Tour’s 2019 Citi Open.

The inaugural champion will receive $25,000 in prize money. The Women’s Sports Foundation will be the beneficiary of the tournament and will receive a $50,000 donation from the Citi Open, Citi and the Mark and Sally Ein Foundation. 

Coco Gauff

  • WTA No. 25; 2019 Citi Open women’s doubles champion; 5 WTA titles (2 singles, 3 doubles); 2021 French Open quarterfinalist

Victoria Azarenka

  • Current WTA No. 15; Former World No. 1; 30 WTA titles (21 singles, 9 doubles); 2012 and 2013 Australian Open winner; 2012, 2013 and 2020 U.S. Open finalist
Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Jessica Pegula

  • 2019 Citi Open women’s singles champion; Current WTA No. 28; 2021 Australian Open quarterfinalist

Schedule:            

Thursday, August 5 (Following tonight’s. match on Stadium Court)

Coco Gauff vs. Victoria Azarenka

Friday, August 6 (Final day session match on Stadium Court)

Victoria Azarenka vs. Jessica Pegula

Saturday August 7 (Following 7 p.m. match on Stadium Court)

Coco Gauff vs. Jessica Pegula

The format is best of 3 sets, regular scoring, with a 10-point super-tiebreak to decide the third. The player with the best record will be crowned the champion. In the event of a tie, the champion will be decided by most sets, or if necessary, most games won.

It’s Azarenka’s With Asterisks: Vika Wins @CincyTennis Title After Osaka Withdraws

Posted by Admin on August 29, 2020
Posted in: Cincinnati, Western & Southern Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

2012 Winston-Salem Open, Copyright Lindsay Gibbs

It’s Azarenka’s With Asterisks: Vika Wins @CincyTennis Title After Osaka Withdraws

The hot mess that is the 2020 Western & Southern Open has reached its exciting conclusion: with the withdrawal of Naomi Osaka, suffering from a left hamstring injury which occurred in Saturday’s semifinal against Johanna Konta. Vika Azarenka is your women’s singles champion.

In a statement from the tournament, Osaka said that “this has been an emotional week and I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support.” Osaka’s initial announcement on Thursday  that she would be withdrawing from the Western & Southern Open taught us a lot about who she is as a person, and even more about tournament organizers clumsiness in responding to off-court issues.

Before American tennis’ governing body even had a chance to decide if it was sufficiently woke, it postponed all play on Friday at the tournament in Queens. According to reports from Tennis.com and ESPN, Osaka tweeted her decision not to play and in less than two hours, the USTA announced that all play would be suspended. Osaka’s courage to make her decision was effectively co-opted by the USTA for their gain. Their Come-to-Jesus moment is not one to be celebrated, as it was only made after Osaka’s decision. The tournament-wide postponement would never have happened if there had been paying ticket holders in the stands and it most certainly would not have happened if the tournament were held in its ancestral home of Mason, Ohio. If Donald Young had announced his intention to withdraw from the first round of the event, would the USTA have postponed 32 matches on a Monday? It’s clear that Osaka’s star power carries enormous weight.

While I continue to consider Osaka’s decision a bold one, her fellow players didn’t ask for a day off. This is unprecedented, and as you know, horrible injustices occur against minorities and the poor every single day of the year. I don’t pretend to know how to eliminate police brutality and social injustice, but I wonder if a precedent is now set: that if something horrible happens to an individual somewhere, that a single athlete can put an entire tournament on hold. I pray that we never lose another human being to police brutality, but in a country of 329 million people, it will sadly happen again. Maybe there is a better way to seek redress for these injustices. To beat the USTA at their own game of glomming on to Osaka’s decision as if it were their own original thought, Osaka should have continued to do the right thing and bowed out of the tournament. We always knew there would be an asterisk next to this year’s Western & Southern Open in the record books, but we didn’t know there would be a ball basket full on the women’s side. Now we’ll remember it for Osaka’s courageous leadership, her left hamstring and virtually nothing else.

 

 

Who Says You Can’t Do The Charleston in 2020? Women’s Tennis Resumes Next Week With @CreditOneBank Invitational #Tennisisback

Posted by Admin on June 17, 2020
Posted in: Charleston, Volvo Car Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Who Says You Can’t Do The Charleston in 2020? Women’s Tennis Resumes Next Week With @CreditOneBank Invitational
CREDIT ONE BANK INVITATIONAL ANNOUNCES MATCH SCHEDULE, SCORING AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Tournament will receive live coverage on Tennis Channel June 23 – 28 daily at 4pm EST
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Competitive professional tennis returns to Charleston, SC next week with the new Credit One Bank Invitational, contested June 23 – 28 at LTP Daniel Island. The 16-player team event will receive more than 40 hours of live coverage on Tennis Channel and raise funds for frontline healthcare workers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).

The public has played an important role in MUSC’s response to the pandemic. To date, community donations have supported testing, medical research and relief for MUSC healthcare workers experiencing financial hardships due to the virus. Throughout the tournament, viewers wishing to support these efforts can make gifts online at give.musc.edu/CreditOneBank.

Sloane Stephens, 2018 US Open (Getty)

Sloane Stephens  (Photo credit:KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images)

The tournament will kick off on Tennis Channel on June 22 at 8pm EST with the Credit One Bank Invitational draft with team captains, Madison Keys (Team Kindness) and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (Team Peace). The captain who wins the coin toss, happening at a media online press conference earlier in the week, will have first draft pick, then the captains will alternate until all selections have been made. Tennis Channel will air each player’s profile during the draft with information on their Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) for singles and doubles. Results from the tournament will be counted towards each player’s individual UTR.

Tennis Channel will air live coverage of the Credit One Bank Invitational every day at 4pm EST from June 23 – June 28.

Screen Shot 2020-06-15 at 3.24.48 PM.png

“We are excited to support the Credit One Bank Invitational and its exciting team format with Universal Tennis’ innovative tools and technology,” said Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis Chairman & CEO. “When matches count for UTR, local play has a global impact. Every tennis player in the world, from the pros in Charleston to recreational players, can view their rating, monitor their competitive ability and register for events on MyUTR.com for free.”

Sofia Kenin, Charleston 2017 (TennisAtlantic.com)

The Credit One Bank Invitational’s player field includes reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin as well as Keys, Mattek-Sands, Sloane Stephens, Victoria Azarenka, Amanda Anisimova, Monica Puig, Ajla Tomljanovic, Danielle Collins, Alison Riske, Shelby Rogers, Genie Bouchard, Jennifer Brady, Leylah Fernandez, Emma Navarro and Caroline Dolehide. Bianca Andreescu was originally slated to play in the tournament, but has withdrawn from the event. Dolehide has taken her place in the field.

The event has worked closely with MUSC throughout the planning process to ensure a secure environment for all players and staff. MUSC developed the event’s official health and safety protocol plan, and their ‘Back to Work’ team established the tournament’s health guidelines, which include: on-site testing, daily temperature tests and health questionnaires, sanitizing equipment at high touch areas and mandatory face masks for all personnel. Housing for players will also be located within walking distance of the stadium.

To maintain social distancing guidelines, each competitor will have her own lounge around the stadium, where she can cheer on her teammates. Tennis Channel will air behind-the-scenes content filmed by players throughout the tournament and check-in with players in their lounges during the broadcast for updates.

On court, players will call their own lines and the tournament will only use one official. Two ball crew members will wear gloves and use equipment to avoid touching the tennis balls. Players will be responsible for handling their own towels and refreshments.

The tournament will be conducted without fans and media. It is currently the largest-scale tennis event to be confirmed since the sport went on hiatus to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Credit One Bank Invitational is part of Tennis Channel’s Re(Open) Tour, a series of events and exhibitions taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2016 @BNPParisbasOpen Women’s Preview

Posted by Admin on March 10, 2016
Posted in: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2016 @BNPParisbasOpen Women’s Preview
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Indian Wells logo

We hit the US for the first of the back to back hardcourt Premier events in Indian Wells and Miami.

Indian Wells debuted as a men’s event in 1976 before staging a women’s tournament a week prior in 1989. Then in 1996 it evolved into a joint event and has earned it’s status as one of the biggest events outside the four grand slams.

Former champions include Lindsay Davenport, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles, and more recently Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki. Simona Halep was victorious last year.

BNP Paribas Open

Tier: Premier Mandatory

Location: Indian Wells, USA

Surface: Hard

Prize money: $6,134,605

Date: March 09- March 20

 

Top eight seeds (ranking)

  1. Serena Williams (1)
  2. Angelique Kerber (2)
  3. Agnieszka Radwanksa (3)
  4. Garbine Muguruza (4)
  5. Simona Halep (5)
  6. Carla Suarez Navarro (6)
  7. Belinda Bencic (8)
  8. Petra Kvitova (9)

 

The big absentee is Maria Sharapova who recently was caught taking a banned substance.

First round matches to watch

Puig

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni vs Monica Puig 

This match should be a good clash as it pits the power player vs the count puncher and experience vs youth.

Lucic burst on to the scene in the late 90’s and was regarded as a bright prospect capable of winning Grand Slam titles, but the Croatian decided to take time off and has only made a comeback in recent years. Puig had looked promising herself but has stalled since last year and has struggled to gain form since.

Puig owns the win in their only head to head meeting which came on the clay of Strasbourg. On a hard court it could prove to be much tighter however, and it will be interesting to see which style prevails.

 

Caroline Garcia vs Christina McHale

 

Christina McHale (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots

Christina McHale (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots)

One of the American hopefuls will meet one of the most talented underachievers on the tour in what could end up being a seesaw match.

Their previous three meetings have all been fairly tight with McHale getting the better of two of them. Garcia has been in the better form overall but suffered from back problems last week in Monterrey so will he be fit enough to win here?

Winner faces Muguruza in round two, so there is plenty of interest for this one.

 

Julia Goerges vs Camila Giorgi

 Julia Goerges

This match will be fun for completely different reasons. Both hit hard, but they are also massively inconsistent. Expect some big winners and some horrific errors in a match that really will just come down to who has the better day.

Giorgi has won both their meetings in straight sets but the Italian is very much a Jekyll and Hyde player and could easily lose this one as the favourite.

 

Draw Analysis

Serena’s Quarter: 

For the second straight year, Serena Williams is back in Indian Wells and with all the past behind her she can set her sights on winning her first title of the season. The world number one has not played since the Australian Open so might be rusty when she faces Irina Begu or a qualifier. The other seed in the section is the talented Kristina Mladenovic who is certainly capable of catching Serena off guard. The fourth round opponent will likely be Sara Errani who has been in good form on the hardcourts recently. The Italian has the inconsistent Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in her section and some dangerous unseeded players is Lesia Tsurenko and Alison Van Uytvanck.

The defending champion, Simona Halep, has had the misfortune of being placed in the same quarter as the world number one. The Romanian will begin her defence in round one against Vania King or a qualifier. Ekaterina Makarova could be a tricky round three opponent as lefties always provide a different look. Venus Williams will make her return to Indian Wells for the first time in over a decade as the tenth seed. Providing the former world number one can get through her section which includes Barbora Strycova and Andrea Petkovic, it will be a blockbuster round four against Halep and then a potential quarter final against her sister.

Radwanska’s quarter:

For the Pole this could be a big opportunity to claim another big title. The third seed might have a tough task in Dominika Cibulkova in her opening match however- the Slovenian is capable of catching fire. The ever tricky Monica Niculescu is the projected third round opponent but she could have her hands full with the in form Heather Watson who is fresh off winning the Monterrey title. Svetlana Kuznetsova is the 16th seed and another player who can catch fire out of nowhere. The Russian has the big serving Coco Vandeweghe in round two potentially. Jelena Jankovic is projected for round three.

Petra Kvitova has not enjoyed the best of starts to the season and on these slow courts could be an upset scalp in the early rounds if not playing well. But her draw is quite kind with the ever unpredictable Sabine Lisicki being the biggest hurdle in round three- providing she gets there of course. Madison Keys could be the biggest beneficiary of a fairly open section as Lucie Safarova is rusty having only just returned from injury. Yaroslava Shvedova could potentially upset the Czech in round two as well.

Muguruza’s section:

Muguruza’s season has just not gotten going thus far with the Spaniard struggling to handle the extra pressure and the niggling injuries. Caroline Garcia, if healthy, or Christina McHale may fancy their chances at grabbing a big name win if her form has not improved. Sam Stosur is projected for round three and offers something different with the amount of spin she can put on the ball. Perhaps the favourite to make it out of the section is Victoria Azarenka who is looking like returning to form this year. It could be a good battle of the former world number one’s in round three and if Muguruza can make it through, this section has plenty of enticing matches to look out for.

Belinda Bencic is one of the rising stars of the WTA and certainly a dark horse for the title this week, but the Swiss has a tough draw ahead of her. Daria Gavrilova, another rising youngster, is scheduled for round three. Roberta Vinci is the projected round four and that is never an easy task, but she also has some dangerous players to contend with. Margarita Gasparyan in round two could be an interesting one handed backhand contest. Elina Svitolina, fresh off a title win, is another player to look out for and her good form could provide problems.

Kerber’s section:

The Australian Open champion’s hangover could be over as she attempts to claim yet another big title in Indian Wells. The German could meet the improved Joanna Konta in round three which is a testing match for the second seed. Ana Ivanovic is projected for round four but she has a powerful task of toppling Karolina Pliskova in round three, though the Czech has started the season in poor form. Goerges or Giorgi could also easily take out Ivanovic.

One player who is enjoying a good season is Carla Suarez Navarro who recently won the Doha title a few weeks a go. The Spaniard is another player who could go deep here, and her draw is quite kind. Anna Schmiedlova in round three is against a player who has struggled to get going in 2016. It is probable that her biggest test might come in the form of Sloane Stephens who potentially meets Eugenie Bouchard in round two then Timea Bacsinszky in round three.

Predictions 

Quarter finals:

Serena def. Halep

Radwanska def. Keys

Azarenka def. Bencic

Kerber def. Suarez Navarro

 

Semi finals:

Serena def. Radwanska

Azarenka def. Kerber

 

Final:

Serena def. Azarenka

 

 

 

2015 WTA @RogersCup Toronto Preview and Predictions

Posted by Admin on August 10, 2015
Posted in: Niall Clarke, Rogers Cup, Toronto, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2015 WTA Rogers Cup Toronto Preview and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic
Rogers Cup Official Site
US Open preparations are now in full swing with the Rogers Cup next on the WTA calendar. The event is held in Toronto this year after being held in Montreal last season. The Premier event rotates between the two major Canadian cities, with the ATP event being held on the same week in the alternating city.

A whole host of all-time greats have won the Rogers cup. Chris Evert and Monica Seles lead the way with four titles each, followed by Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams with three. Agnieszka Radwanska in the defending champion.

The Rogers Cup
Tier: Premier
Location: Toronto, Canada
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $2,377,305
Date: August 10th- 16th 2015

Top eight seeds who receive a first round bye (ranking)
1. Serena Williams (1)
2. Simona Halep (3)
3. Petra Kvitova (4)
4. Caroline Wozniacki (5)
5. Ana Ivanovic (6)
6. Agnieszka Radwanska (7)
7. Lucie Safarova (8)
8. Garbine Muguruza (9)

All the top players are here except Maria Sharapova, who withdrew due to a right leg injury.

First round matches to watch:

(14) Venus Williams vs Sabine Lisicki:
A big serving battle between Sabine Lisicki and 14th seed Venus Williams would have undoubtedly caught the eye of tennis fans across the world, and for good reason. This one has potential to be a barn burner if both are playing well, and could be an awesome display of power tennis.

Venus’ stint in Istanbul lasted all of one match as she would be upset by Kateryna Bondarenko in the opening round. Having not played on the American hard courts since the swing started, the world number 15’s form is unknown. The 35 year old has never won this event, but did make the final in Montreal last year.

Lisicki’s US hard court season started out with a disappointing loss to 44 year old Kimiko Date Krumm in Stanford. You never know what you will get from Lisicki, but her record in North America has been good this year with some good runs in Indian Wells and Miami.

The German leads the head to head 2-1 with the last meeting being in Beijing 2013. This match is a definition of a toss-up with the form of either player unknown, but it could turn out to be one of the best matches of the year if they both play to their capabilities.

Belinda Bencic (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots)

Belinda Bencic (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots)

Eugenie Bouchard vs Belinda Bencic:
Eugenie Bouchard will look to get out of her slump when she faces talented teenager Belinda Bencic the opening round of her home tournament.
Bouchard will undoubtedly have the support of the Toronto crowd, but her form has been nothing short of shocking this year. After lighting the tennis world up with her deep grand slam runs in 2014, the Canadian has slumped in 2015 winning only one of her last ten matches.

Genie Bouchard (C) Tennis Atlantic

Bencic on the other hand continues her rise up the world rankings, and will look to prepare her US Open semi-final defence with a good run in Toronto. The Swiss won her first title in Eastbourne, and followed it up with a fourth round run at Wimbledon. She recently feel early in Washington however.

Bencic leads the head to head 1-0 with hr victory over Bouchard in Eastbourne. The 18 year old is the favourite going by form, but the home crowd could boost Bouchard back in to form. Can the Canadian find herself again, or will the slump continue?

Victoria Azarenka vs Elina Svitolina:

Two of the best unseeded players in the draw have had the misfortune of facing each other in the opening round, as former world number one Victoria Azarenka plays rising youngster Elina Svitolina.

Azarenka saw her 2014 season plagued with injury, and now with that behind her the former world number one is looking to regain her position amongst the elite. The Belarusian was scheduled to play Washington, but pulled out prior to the tournament. Therefore she has not played since losing a tight quarter final to Serena at Wimbledon. Hard courts suit Vika more than any other surface, but she has never won this event.
Svitolina will be riding fairly high after a semi-final run in Stanford. She was routine by Angelique Kerber in the final four, but it was still a good form booster for the 20 year old. The Ukrainian has aspirations of winning all four grand slams (her words), and a good start towards achieving that would be to beat a two time Australian Open champion.

Azarenka was taken to three sets in their only prior meeting in Doha earlier this year. The world number 19 ran out a 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 winner that day, though she will hope this match will be more routine. Svitolina will look to avenge that loss as she continues her ranking ascension. It should be a great battle especially in the backhand rallies which is both players’ biggest weapon. Which one will hold up best?

Draw Analysis:
World number one Serena Williams is returning to action since playing only the single match in Bastad a week after Wimbledon. The top seed is preparing for an historic US Open where she could potentially achieve the calendar year grand slam and win her 22nd Grand Slam title. Williams will receive a first round BYE courtesy of her seeding and will play either Flavia Pennetta or Gabriela Dabrowski in the second round. The other seed in this mini section is Andrea Petkovic who is coming in off a loss to compatriot Mona Barthel in Stanford. The German will look to get the ‘Petko dance’ going against home favourite Francois Abanda in round one and a qualifier in round two before her likely showdown with Serena in the third round.

Seventh seeded Lucie Safarova failed to really build on her run to the French Open final during grass season, but now back on hard courts the Czech can start to re-find that Roland Garros form. Like Serena, Safarova receives an opening round BYE due to her seeding and will begin her campaign in round two against Sam Stosur or Daria Gavrilova. The Aussie showed good form in her title win in Bad Gastein, though a loss to Sloane Stephens in Washington might have dented that confidence. Karolina Pliskova- who is fresh off an excellent week in Stanford is the other seed in this section of the draw. She faces a qualifier in round one with Roberta Vinci or Karin Knapp awaiting the Czech in the second round. It is possible we could see an all Czech encounter in round three with the winner possibly facing Serena in the quarter finals.

Former champion Caroline Wozniacki is one of the bigger beneficiaries of Sharapova’s withdrawal having been granted a fourth seed as a result. Bouchard or Bencic will await the Dane after a first round BYE in one of the more anticipated second round potentials. Venus could be the third round opponent. The American has a tough draw however with Lisicki in round one and the winner of Varvara Lepchenko vs Barbora Strycova in round two.

Ana Ivanovic will be trying her hand at a new coach this week. The first test of their relationship will be against either a qualifier or Irina Begu, who has had a solid year so far. Ekaterina Makarova is the projected third round opponent, though Alison Van Uytvank could pose an interesting challenge in round two. Makarova vs Ivanovic will most certainly be a tight one.

2012 champion Petra Kvitova had a disappointing defence of her Wimbledon crown, but the third seed is back to get her season on track. She could potentially have a blockbuster round two against Azarenka if the Belarusian can survive the tough test of Svitolina in the first round. A potential for a top seed to drop out very early there. Sara Errani will look to take advantage though Kristina Mladenovic could easily spring a surprise in round one. The winner of that should make the third round, but it hard to see them going any further.

Petra Kvitova, 2013 New Haven

All eyes will be on eighth seed Garbine Muguruza who is playing her first tournament since making the Wimbledon final. How will she cope with the added pressure on her shoulders? First indications will be seen in the second round against a qualifier, but the first major test will come in the third round where she is projected to face Timea Bascinszky who is having a great year. Muguruza has won their two meetings this year.
Simona Halep originally planned to skip this event, but due to her bad form in recent months the world number three has taken a wildcard and will be the second seed. She will have a first round BYE, but could have a troubling second round against the winner of Caroline Garcia vs Jelena Jankovic. Angelique Kerber will be the favourite the make it out of this section, but the German could be tired after a long final in Stanford. She should make round three with both her opening two rounds being qualifiers, but fatigue and the bad form of Halep could open the door for Garcia or Jankovic to make a surprise run.

That could also open the door for sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska to make the semi finals. The Pole has got her season back on track after an impressive grass season which has seen her re-enter the top 10. Zarina Diyas or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will await in round two, both of which could be troubling in different ways. Carla Suarez Navarro is the projected third round opponent but the winner of Sloane Stephens vs Dominika Cibulkova could easily upset the Spaniard.

Predictions:

Quarter finals:
Serena def. Pliskova
Wozniacki def. Ivanovic
Azarenka def. Muguruza
Radwanska def. Kerber

Semi finals:
Serena def. Wozniacki
Azarenka def. Radwanska

Final:
Serena def. Azarenka

Hard to bet against the world number one, even if she was injured last week. Azarenka will take advantage of the open bottom half and make the final.

Embed from Getty Images

Niall Clarke (Sofia)

Now Everyone Knows The Name Jamie Hampton

Posted by Admin on January 19, 2013
Posted in: Australian Open. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Jamie Hampton (Photo by Rick Limpert)

Jamie Hampton, Birmingham Bomber (Photo by Rick Limpert)

You would think Jamie Hampton was content to cruise along like a stealth bomber over the last couple of years as a name that only US tennis enthusiasts knew. She had to go and ruin all of that last night by taking 12 games off of Vika Azarenka. The world #1 looked weak in that second set and the first half of the third. The Auburn Tiger’s run ended at the Australian Open with the 3rd round loss, but there has never been more internet chatter about the Birmingham Bomber.

2013 looks to be a great year for Jamie which will see her crack the top 50 or better. Now I just wish she’d claim the free url that’s been held in trust for her for years, jamiehampton.com. She’s no triple threat chatterbox like Irina Falconi, but her growing fan base demands to know more about her. Here’s hoping!