2020 Hobart International preview: Can Mertens win her third title?
AFTER back-to-back wins from Belgium’s Elise Mertens, then-ranked world number 56 (now 14th) Sofia Kenin won her maiden title in Hobart, defeating 25 year-old Slovakian, Anna Schmiedlova. With Mertens returning and the clear standout in the $250k tournament, the number one seed will also be joined by a host of players ranked in the top […]
2020 Adelaide International ATP preview: Djoker of the pack leads young gun charge
TOURNAMENT organisers in Adelaide would have been thrilled at the announcement that world number two and multiple Grand Slam winner, Novak Djokovic had committed to the tournament for 2020. Djokovic leads a host of young guns who are hoping to upset the heavy favourite at the final warm-up tournament prior to the Australian Open. FAVOURITE: […]
2020 Adelaide International WTA preview: Kvitova and Barty return to renew hostilities
IN the first of the new tournaments to begin in 2020, the Adelaide International takes over from the previous Sydney International as the premier lead-up event to the Australian Open. With four top 10 players, and a further 15 players inside the top 30, the Adelaide International is set to have some unbelievable contests. FAVOURITE: […]
2020 Qatar ExxonMobil Open preview: Is Stan the man for this year’s title?
BOASTING an open field with plenty of potential winners, the 2020 Qatar Open will almost certainly have a first-time title holder. The most recent winner was Roberto Bautista Agut, with Gael Monfils winning in 2018, ending the run of back-to-back victories by Novak Djokovic, and triumphs to David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal. In fact, the […]
2020 ASB Classic preview: Serena leads American assault
THERE could be a real changing of the guard at the 2020 ASB Classic in Auckland, with arguably the greatest women’s tennis player of all-time clashing against one who is expected to be a future star of the circuit. FAVOURITE: In what could be akin to a Group 1 racer dropping down to a Group […]
2020 Brisbane International preview: Will the Barty Party continue?
BRISBANE locals will be set for an absolute treat once again in 2020, with a stacked field of WTA stars heading to the Brisbane International. Six of the top 10 players will front up on the hard courts during the Australian summer, including the top three players on tour. FAVOURITE: There is not much more […]
2020 Shenzhen Open preview: Bencic rises as key challenger to Sabalenka’s title defence
SWITZERLAND’S top female player and top 10 talent, Belinda Bencic will lead the entrants at the 2020 Shenzhen Open in China. Also featuring a two-time Grand Slam winner, a couple of top 20 players and a eastern European young gun, there is plenty to like about the upcoming tournament. FAVOURITE: Bencic is one of the […]
2020 ATP Cup preview: Can Serbia bounce back from heartbreaking Davis Cup defeat?
THERE are plenty of storylines that could play out at the inaugural 2020 ATP Cup in Australia early in the New Year. The tournament is the same style as the controversial Davis Cup, but with a clear goal that makes sense – to get the best players playing. Each win gains ATP Tour ranking points […]
Three WTA Young Guns to watch in 2020
A TRIO of up-and-coming stars aged 21 or younger as of the end of 2019 shone brightly in this year and really put their names up into lights with strong performance. These three players had never won a singles title prior to 2019, and now one is Grand Slam champion, and the other two are […]
Year in review – 2019: Kiki Bertens
THIS year was an important break-even year for 28-year-old Kiki Bertens. The Dutchwoman was able to maintain her ninth placed ranking at year’s end, having moved up into the top 10 in 2018 after previously being ranked no higher than 18 prior to that. Rank: #9 Wins: 55 Losses: 26 Titles: 2 Prize Money: $4,208,026 […]
Open BLS De Limoges wrap – Day 7: Alexandrova romps to third title in four years
NUMBER one seed Russian, Ekaterina Alexandrova has continued her stranglehold on the Open BLS De Limoges event, with a straight sets win over unseeded Belarusian, Aliaksandra Sasnovich in just 56 minutes. In a tournament that saw the seeds fall often and early, Alexandrova was the sole remaining seed from the remaining eight, but it helped […]
Open BLS De Limoges wrap: Day 6 – Sasnovich the challanger for Alexandrova in final
BELARUSIAN, Aliaksandra Sasnovich is the only player standing in between Ekaterina Alexandrova and the top seeded Russian’s third Open BLS De Limoges in four years, after the pair won through to the final. Both players had to battle hard during different points of their semi-finals, with Sasnovich coming from a set down to defeat Belgium’s […]
