2020 WTA Abierto Mexicano preview: Madison has the Keys to victory
MADISON Keys leads the field in the WTA International event in Acapulco, Mexico, where Sloane Stephens is the other top 30 prospect taking to the hard courts next week. FAVOURITE: Madison Keys (USA) The standout prospect in the draw, Keys realistically should not have too many problems winning this title. All of her major rivals […]
2020 Dubai Tennis Championships preview: Clijsters returns in tournament full of Grand Slam winners
ARGUABLY the most anticipated tournament since the Australian Open, the 2020 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships are choc-a-block full of big names and Grand Slam winners from the WTA Tour. Most of the top 10 are in appearance despite Ash Barty and Bianca Andreescu unfortunately withdrawing from the tournament. Three of the four Australian Open […]
St Petersburg Ladies Trophy: Dodin piles on more pain for sore Konta
JOHANNA Konta‘s winless streak on the WTA Tour stretched into its fifth month, having not won since the fourth round of the US Open last year. Having publicly announced her soreness this year, Konta was bundled out in the first round of Brisbane (Barbora Strycova) and Melbourne Park (Ons Jabeur), then bypassed Fed Cup in […]
Fed Cup qualifiers wrap: Eight nations book spot in Finals
SIX of the eight seeded nations have booked a spot in the Fed Cup finals following the round’s qualifying action over the weekend. Plenty of top 20 WTA Tour players were running around the courts across the world in a number of tight contests. Fourth seed Germany was the only side to sweep the opponent […]
2020 Fed Cup qualifiers preview: Nations load up on star talent
MUCH like the Davis Cup last year, the Fed Cup in 2020 has undergone a revamp with a World Cup-style tournament planned for Budapest in April. In it, 12 nations will compete for the title, with last year’s grand finalists, France and Australia automatically qualifying, as well as host nation Hungary, and wildcard Czech Republic […]
2020 WTA Newport Beach Challenger preview: Can Pegula go one better in 2020?
WHILE many might not look at a Challenger as a good source of form, the last two winners of the tournament – since its inception in 2018 – have gone on to become top 30 players. United States’ Danielle Collins and Bianca Andreescu have enjoyed strong careers in the short times since and look to […]
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 […]
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 the review – 2019: Karolina Pliskova
FOR the fourth consecutive year, Czech Republic’s world number two, Karolina Pliskova finished in the top eight. A key player on the WTA Tour, she reached world number one at various stages over the past few years, but sits at number two heading into 2020. Rank: #2 Wins: 52 Losses: 17 Titles: 4 Prize Money: […]
Osaka’s shoulder gives Bertens opportunity
A SHOULDER injury to world number three, Naomi Osaka threw a curveball into the Shiseido WTA Finals, with Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens taking her spot in the Red Group to ensure play continued. Remarkably, she not only showed that she was a worthy fill-in, but stunned world number one, Ash Barty by defeating her 3-6 6-3 […]
