2024 WTA News & Gossip

[MargaretMcAleer]

No surprise that Scone Stephens went out in her 1st round match WTA500 Guadalajara Open in Mexico, losing to Aussie Olivia Gadecki 64 63

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Elina Svitolina has announced she is ending her tennis season due to injury.
This is the second year in a row where she ends her season right after the USO due to injury.
Elina said she will treat her injuries, hoping she can start the next season better.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Maria Sakkari who was the defending champ at WTA500 Guadalajara Open Mexico ( last year it was a WTA1000) forced to withdraw due to neck and shoulder injury, which forced her to retire in her 1st round match at this year's USO.
Jelena Ostapenko is the No 1 seed and Danielle Collins is the No 2 seed

In todays matches,
Azarenka (3) retired in her match against Rakhimova 2-6 and 0-3 in the 2nd set. I read an article recently, Azarenka hinted at retirement? lets see how the end of the year pans out for Vika.
Kudermetova (7) who was a Top Ten player, her form this year has gone backwards and goes out in 3 sets to Osorio 76 67(2) 75
Aussie Gadecki who defeated Stephens in her first round match, took out the 2nd seed Collins in straight sets, 63 63, Collins injury (hip) she sustained at the Olympics, has not healed 100%.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This comes as no surprise Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from Korea Open,( back injury), Elena is on the players list for WTA1000 Wuhan Open, starts October 7th
Lets see if Rybakina plays the WTA1000 Wuhan Open, there has been a lot of rumors surrounding Rybakina since she withdrew in her 2nd round match at the USO, though there has been no confirmation from Rybakina or her team to date.
Defending champion Korea Open Jess Pegula has withdrawn (rib injury)
Emma Navarro withdrew, change of schedule
Pliskova ( foot injury, she has had ankle tendon surgery recently)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The No 1 seed Jelena Ostapenko is defeated in 3 sets by Canadian Marina Stakusic 63 57 76(0), Ostapenko had 17 DFs
No 1 and No 2 seeds ( Collins) have fallen in the WTA500 Gualalajara so far, it does have high altitude, a problem for some players to adjust

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

More drama for the WTA500 Korea Open, in Seoul, Iga Swaitek has also withdrawn, including Pegula, Rybakina, Navvaro
Now all Top Ten players have withdrawn in its first year as a 500 tournament.
Daria Ksatkina will now be the Top seed at this tournament
5 players move into the draw as a result of withdrawals
Zheng Shaui
Amanda Anisimova
Viktoriya Tomova
Sloane Stephens
Emma Raducanu

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Congratulations to former player and 2013 Wimbledon finalist, Sabine Lisicki, announced the birth of her first child, a daughter, Bella!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

There were rumors before the start of the USO that Naomi Osaka was negotiating to make a change in her coaching setup
Confirmation that Osaka has ended her coaching arrangement with Wim Fissette.
Patrick Mouratoglou. former coach of Holger Rune and also Serena Williams is the new coach of Naomi Osaka.Lets see what Patrick M can bring to the game of Osaka. And today at the UCLA tennis courts, Osaka, Mourtatoglou , were spotted on the ground at practice. ( source Open Court.com)

This is from Naomi Osaka ( via social media today),

" 4 years and 2 slams, and a whole lot of memories.Thanks Wimm for being a great coach and even greater person. Wishing you all the best".

Yet to hear from Patrick Mourtatoglou

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Results of QFs,
WTA500 Guadalajara Open , Mexico,

M Bouzkova (6) withdrew, Garcia (4) gets a walk over to the SF
O.Gadecki d M.Trevisan 62 36 61
C.Osorio d K.Rakhimova 65(6) 62
M.Frech (5) d M.Stakusic 64 63

SFs Saturday 14th September,

C.Osorio vs O.Gadecki ( making her first SF career on the tour)

C.Garcia (4) vs M.Frech (5)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This is from Wim Fissette in response after Osaka ended their coaching arrangement ( not for the first time may I add)

Wim Fissette, the split comes with mixed emotions.The coach, who has guided other tennis stats like Kim Clijsters, Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber, expressed his belief that they were on the verge of something significant in Osaka's comeback season.
"We were very close to a breakthrough" Fissette wrote in his own Instagram post, emphasizing the progress they had made and the potential there was just within reach".

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Results of SF WTA500 Guadalajara Open, Mexico
Q O. Gadecki d C.Osorio 62 63
M.Frech (5) d C.Garcia (4) 76(5) 75

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

More drama for the WTA500 Korea Open, in Seoul, Iga Swaitek has also withdrawn, including Pegula, Rybakina, Navvaro
Now all Top Ten players have withdrawn in its first year as a 500 tournament.
Daria Ksatkina will now be the Top seed at this tournament
5 players move into the draw as a result of withdrawals
Zheng Shaui
Amanda Anisimova
Viktoriya Tomova
Sloane Stephens
Emma Raducanu

I'm not surprised. The fall schedule has been a mess since the WTA dropped Virginia Slims as a sponsor. The WTA either needs to make these tournaments U21 or move up the WTA Finals to the last 2 weeks of September. This field is embarrassing. I have seen high school girls tennis tournaments field better than this.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I'm not surprised. The fall schedule has been a mess since the WTA dropped Virginia Slims as a sponsor. The WTA either needs to make these tournaments U21 or move up the WTA Finals to the last 2 weeks of September. This field is embarrassing. I have seen high school girls tennis tournaments field better than this.

Another factor is it is too close after the USO, sad because this Korea Open is the first year as a WTA 500 tournament and I am not surprised that players who went deep at the USO Pegula, Navarro have withdrawn,

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Final WTA500 Guadalajara Mexico,
Sunday 15th September,

Qualifer Aussie Oliver Gadecki makes her first WTA tour final and she will face Frech in the final.
Both ladies are vying for their 1st WTA title on tour and this will be their first meeting

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Magdalena Frech won her first WTA Singles title at the WTA500 Gaudalajara Open, Mexico defeating Q Oliver Gadecki in straight sets 76(5) 64!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Congratulations to Anett Kontaveit and her partner, who welcomed a baby boy, Leon, into the world yesterday!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Due to her ongoing shoulder injury Ons Jabeur has decided to take the time out and get the necessary treatment on her shoulder, she will be back on the court in Australia 2025 ( thank goodness Ons has finally come to her scenes regarding her injuries this year)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The WTA announced on Monday the doubles team of Hsieh-Su-Wei and Elise Mertens have qualifed for the WTA finals in Riyadh, they are the second pairing to qualify joining Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Belinda Bencic might return to competition as early as this years BJK Cup Finals, after giving birth in April this year, she's planning to for several more years on tour.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Danielle Collins will finish her carer in Malaga at the BJK, where the USA are one of the biggest title favorites ( no Gauff or Navarro)