Osaka earns breakthrough milestone in Doha
FORMER world number one Naomi Osaka earned back-to-back victories on the WTA Tour for the first time in almost two years overnight, defeating another former top 15 player in Petra Martic, 6-3 7-6. The Japanese star missed all of 2023 after giving birth to her daughter Shai, but is now into the Round of 16 […]
Rybakina rises to second WTA title in 2024
TOP FIVE talent Elena Rybakina won her second WTA Tour title in four tournaments, putting aside her Australian Open disappointment to take out the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open overnight. The world number five looked far too strong against fellow Russian-born seed Daria Kasatkina, as the 2022 Wimbledon champion won 6-1 6-4 against the world number […]
Rybakina rolls past Collins in comeback win
TOP Abu Dhabi seed Elena Rybakina fought back from a set down to defeat American qualifier Danielle Collins and reach the quarter finals of the WTA 500 event. Taking on the powerful former Australian Open finalists and top 10 player, Rybakina found herself a set down before working her way back into it to salute, […]
Collins storms away from Osaka in Abu Dhabi win
FORMER Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins proved too good for two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, with the American qualifier storming to victory in Abu Dhabi after a tight first set. In what was billed as a potential classic in the WTA 500 event, Collins used her extra match fitness to power past the Japanese […]
Career-high WTA Tour rankings | February 5
FOLLOWING the first week of tournaments in February, five players – including three inside the top 100 – moved up to career-highs. Two of those entered the top 50 for the first time, and we take a look at how they, along with the other bolters have stepped up. Clara Burel (France)24/03/2001 | Previous best: […]
Epic tiebreaker sees third seed undone
THE big names continue to fall in the women’s draw at the Australian Open, with Elena Rybakina the latest victim. After an epic record-breaking 31-minute third set tie breaker, the number three seed and 2023 finalist was ultimately beaten by Anna Blinkova 6-4, 4-6, 722-620. In the match Rybakina served nine aces compared to Blinkova’s […]
2023 BJK Cup Finals preview: Swiss eye back-to-back titles
SWITZERLAND returns to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals determined to go back-to-back after defeating Australia in the decider last year. Twelve months on, and the four players that tasted that success return with top seeded Belinda Bencic alongside Jil Teichmann, while doubles pairing Viktorija Golubic and Simona Waltert are also back. This year, the […]
Déjà vu as Muchova downs Maria in Paris opener
FOR the second successive year, Czech Karolina Muchova has knocked off Greek talent Maria Sakkari at the French Open, grinding out a 7-6 7-5 victory on Court Suzanne Lenglen to advance to the Round of 64. After defeating Sakkari in the second round last year at Roland Garros, Muchova double down on her efforts against […]
Swiatek’s swift surge to Doha title
WORLD number one Iga Swiatek made light work of the rest of the competition at Doha, claiming the WTA 500 title in just three hours. That was not the length of the final, but rather, the entire tournament, as Swiatek dropped just five games in three matches, as well as having a first round bye […]
Zheng continues ascent up WTA rankings
POWERFUL Chinese young gun Qinwen Zheng remains one of the shining lights on Tour, backing up a promising start to 2023 to reach the quarter finals of the Abu Dhabi Open. Following the conclusion of the Australian Open – where Zheng had a shock loss to American Bernarda Pera as 29th seed – the Chinese […]
