2025 WTA News & Gossip

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA500 Abu Dhabi
QFs,
B. Bencic vs M.Vondrousova
L.Fernandez (8) vs A.Krueger
E.Rybakina (1) vs O.Jabeur
L.Noskova vs M.Linette

 

[the AntiPusher]

Really interesting from Taylor Townsend.. She really has struggle to work her way up to the top level of doubles and hanging on a string to stay in the WTA.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Madison Keys has withdrawn from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis tournament with a leg injury, meaning that Lulu Sun moves into the main draw.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Emma Raducanu will play WTA1000 Doha after accepting a main draw wild card.
Note: Raducanu lost to Anna Kalinskaya in the 1st round last year.
The Doha draw will take place on Friday, the event starts on Sunday
Karolina Muchova (leg) and Marie Bouzkova (foot) have withdrawn

 

[the AntiPusher]

Madison Keys has withdrawn from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis tournament with a leg injury, meaning that Lulu Sun moves into the main draw.

I know its early but what are Madison's chances on the clay to win RG? She has won smaller clay tournaments like Charleston a few times. If she can finally heal her body , she could be a threat like Saba is at every tournament regardless of surface. IMO

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I know its early but what are Madison's chances on the clay to win RG? She has won smaller clay tournaments like Charleston a few times. If she can finally heal her body , she could be a threat like Saba is at every tournament regardless of surface. IMO

Madison's games does relate to clay, though my opinion her chances are higher at Wimbledon and also winning the USO, with the home crowd firmly behind her

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just read a interview with Davide Sanguinetti, Elena Rybakina's new coach
Summary,
Miracle she played Keys with her back
He knew Elena before and should have more slams with her game
Goal are slams not looking at ranking

 

[the AntiPusher]

Madison's games does relate to clay, though my opinion her chances are higher at Wimbledon and also winning the USO, with the home crowd firmly behind her

Her injuries are mostly soft tissue injuries.. I think the big 3 Saba, Rabikina and Iga train harder than the rest of the ladies like Madison.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Her injuries are mostly soft tissue injuries.. I think the big 3 Saba, Rabikina and Iga train harder than the rest of the ladies like Madison.

Rybakina to me needs more strength training, her back for example is always breaking down, Saba, Iga appear to train well, apart from that shoulder injury last year that Saba had, she had to withdraw from Wimbledon, Iga's body holds up well on the tour

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA500 Abu Dhabi
Results QFs,
Bencic d M.Vondrrousova 75 63, Belinda moving through the draw most impressive to make the SFs
A.Krueger d Fernandez (8) in 3 sets 75 46 62, Fernandez just ran out of puff in the 3rd set
Rybakina (1) d Jabeur 62 46 76(4) Elena was made to work for this win and pushed by Ons from the 2nd set
Noskova d Linette 64 63, this has been a solid tournament for Linda to make the SFs

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Updated News from Bianca Andresscu,
Bianca's training for her 1st tournament in 2025 going well, until she experienced sharp pains in her stomach, which got worse, which led to an emergency appendectomy. Surgery went well. Bianca's plan is to be back on the court for clay season

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA500 Abu Dhabi
SFs,
E.Rybakina (1) vs B.Bencic
L.Noskova vs A.Krueger

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the 1st SF in WTA 500 Abu Dhabi,
Ashlyn Krueger defeats Linda Noskova 76(2) 64 to reach her first WTA500 final, a new career high of #40 in the live rankings, Krueger awaits the winner of Rybakina v Bencic ( which is currently playing) in the final,
BTW Linda you can do better with that poor handshake at the net!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the 2nd SF at WTA500 Abu Dhabi,
This match went 3 sets Rybakina v Bencic
Bencic has been most impressive all week, Belinda was serving for the match at 5-3, broken, with her 2nd chance had no trouble at all
Bencic d Rybakina ( defending champion) 36 63 64
Belinda gets her 1st Top Ten win since coming back as a mum
1st final since 2023

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA500 Abu Dhabi
Saturday 8th February,
Ladies Singles Final,

Belinda Bencic vs Ashylan Krueger First meeting,

Bencic defeated the defending champion Elena Rybakina in the SF in 3 sets, this is her first WTA final since 2023 and also winning against a Top Ten player since returning to the tour after maternity leave.

This is the biggest final for Ashylan Krueger, WTA500, a new career high of #40 in the live rankings, after she has made the final.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Less than 5 months after her return from maternity leave, Belinda Bencic defeated Ashlyn Krueger 46 61 61 to win the WTA500 Abu Dhabi title
This is Bencic's 9th WTA career singles title and her first since she won this tournament in 2023.
In the first set it was all Krueger's power game winning the 1st set 64, Krueger is projected to make her Top 40 debut on Monday. Bencic turned things around in set 2 and 3, finding her level with winners and limiting her ufe count.
BTW Belinda's husband and little girl were there to watch, quite a moment!
Bencic +92 to No 65 in the live rankings
Krueger +11 to a career high of No 40

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Anastasia Potapova wins her 3rd career title defeating Bronzetti 46 61 62 at the Transylvania Open

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Day 1 at the WTA1000 Qatar Open, Doha,
This court is slow and when it gets windy players need to adjust their games accordingly
Emma Raducanu who recieved a WC again goes out in the 1st round to Alexandrova, who won the title in Linz last week, she's now won her last 5 matches, she won in straight sets 63 75
4 consecutive losses for Raducanu

2 retirements, Ruse, Maria Sakkari going into the next round, Tauson, with Mertens going into the next round

Seeds to lose in day 1,
Parks d Shnaider (11) 64 76(2)
Busca d Kalinskaya (14) 67(3) 75 64 worrying sign for Anna who appears not to get over her illness since the AO?
Frech d Haddad Maia (13) 64 36 62

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA1000 Qatar Total Energies Open, Doha
February 11th,

Defending Champion Iga Swaitek (2) is going for her 4th straight title in Doha, her first round match is against Maria Sakkari who came through via a retirement
Other seeds who begin their 1st round matches,
Navarro (8) Badosa (9) Kastakina (10) Vekic (15)

 

[the AntiPusher]

My Lord Did y'all catch Serena dancing or performing the Compton Crip walk dance at the SB halftime show by Kendrick Lamar. Serena looks fantastic and she almost stole his performance..I thought she looks like she was in her early 30s ..Bravo!