2024 WTA News & Gossip

[Hoergren]

Svitolina made a brave comeback and despite her back problems she came through and will meet Coco Gauff in tomorrows final. I doubt she'll win that - but in tennis?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Tossip if you are around,
I noticed that Taylor Townsend is playing qualies ( singles) at Adelaide International, she is playing C.Liu today Sunday 7th January., this will be her 2nd qualifying match, she won the 1st one yesterday

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

United Cup final Sunday 7th January, Sydney
Starting at 5.30pm local time

Poland vs Germany

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies Singles Final,
Brisbane International WTA500
Sunday 7th January,
Not before 2.30pm local time,

A.Sabalenka (1) vs E.Rybakina (2) H2H Sabalenka 5-2 Both players have not lost a set enroute to the final

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies Singles Final
ASB Auckland Tournament
Sunday 7th January,
Starting at 5pm, local time,

C.Gauff (1) vs E.Svitolina (2) H2H Svitolina 1-0 last time they played was at the AO in 2021, Elina won in straight sets

 

[tossip]

Tossip if you are around,
I noticed that Taylor Townsend is playing qualies ( singles) at Adelaide International, she is playing C.Liu today Sunday 7th January., this will be her 2nd qualifying match, she won the 1st one yesterday

Ok so she made her way Down under.She definitely needs match play before AO24.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The Brisbane Singles final is about to start ( I will also keep my eye on the score in the ladies final in Auckland which has started between Gauff v Svitolina)
Rybkina has won the toss and elected to serve
Elena with a dream start breaks Saba in her opening service game, Saba 4 UFE in her opening service game.Elina leads 2-0 lets see if she can consolidate the break? yes she does and ends with an Ace, she leads 3-0.
Great racket control and Elena again breaks Saba, returning well leads 4-0
There is a weakness in the Saba fhand wing and Elena is targeting well holds and leads 5-0
Of course I have said this to Saba countless times over the year 'Dont over play or press' and Watch your Margins' at the present time it is going on Deaf Ears
Saba has the game to wipe everyone off the court? though apparently she is not aware of her capabilities
Saba DFs and then returns a FH which finds the net?
Rybakina serves her a bagel in just 24 mins!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the Ladies Final in Auckland
Gauff v Svitolina
1st set went to a TB which Svilotlina won 76(4) I am just SB that match

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Help Me!
Saba continues on her merry way of over playing, pressing etc early in the 2nf set
Elena with 8 straight games breaks and leads 2-0
Okay a :Miracle has just happened" Saba actually used Control and breaks the serve of Elena,. I mean it has only taken her a set and game to figure out what she was doing Wrong, there is Hope yet for Saba!
Saba has the trainer out a problem with her left upper thigh.she gets a massage, seems okay back to serving
Elena with a great fh down the line breaks Saba and leads 3-1
Consolidates the lead with an Ace leads 4-1 one thing that has impressed me with Elena is her foot speed on both wings in this tournament from last year

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just a pleasure to watch Rybakina play in Brisbane all week, she has not lost a set,
Rybakina d Sabalenka 60 63 in a masterclass display of tennis, that was Elena's 6th WTA title
Well done Elena ( please there is no need to play Adelaide International even if you get a first round bye, you have finalist points to defend from 2023)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the Ladies Singles final in Auckland,
Svitlona wins the 1st set 76(4)
Gauff wins the 2nd set 63
On serve in the 3rd set 3 all

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Back to back titles in Auckland for Gauff who battled past Svitolina 67(4) 63 63 to win the Auckland title for the second year in a row!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Potapova has withdrawn from Adelaide Internations WTA 500 she picked up a niggling injury in her SF match in Brisbane, she wants to be healthy to play the AO in a week, I think it is a wise decision

 

[kskate2]

So the #1 player and a servebot cannot get it done against a vet doub specialist and a gassed Zed.

Congrats to Germany. Zed single handedly decided they were not losing tonight.

Heartbreak for the Poles. I see Iga shedding tears.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA Top Ten Monday 8th January,

1. Swiatek
2. Sabalenka
3. Rybakina (+1)
4. Gauff (-1)
5. Pegula
6. Jabeur
7. Vondrousova
8. Sakkari
9. Muchova
10. Krejcikova

New Career Highs WTA Top 100
13. Zhang
39. Gracheva
42. Maria
73. Yuan
98 Zarazua ( top 100 debut)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Taylor Townsend miss out playing in Adelaide WAT500, defeated in her 2nd qualifying match by Liu who goes through to the main draw of the tournament
Seeing that Kerber and Tomljanovic have withdrawn from the main draw, there will be 2 LL added, so Townsend may still get in
Taylor was not a LL and wont be playing in Adelaide

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jarmere Jenkins has confimed the split with Team Coco, due to logistics ( recently moved) and family reasons.He plans to work with high profile juniors and pros dueing the 2024 season

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Angie Kerber (GER) and Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) have withdrawn from the Adelaide International main draw, they will be replaced by LL

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Next tournament in the Aussie Summer of Tennis is the Adelaide International WTA500, Adelaide is nick named The City of Churches I have been to Adelaide it is much quieter than Sydney or Melbourne though has wonderful wine region The Barossa Valley, great food as well. This event is a co shared event with the men

I am interested to see the return of Paula Badosa who is coming back from a stress fracture to her back and spent the better part of 2023 on the sidelines
Badosa will play the night session not before 6.30pm local time and will play against LL B.Pera

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Haddad Maia vs Pavs, I have always had a 'soft spot' for Pavs, I have watched her live many times, she is a clean striker of the ball, sad to say injuries have stopped started her career, last injury was knee, had to take time off the tour.
!st set Pavs 63 over Haddad Maia
Good solid win from Pavs 63 64