WTA News & Gossip 2023

[MargaretMcAleer]

Adelaide 1 Ladies Final, Sunday 8th January,
Not before 4pm local time,

A. Sabalenka (2) vs L. Noskova (Q)

Note: Linda Noskova becomes the youngest player to reach a WTA500 final or higher since Caroline Wozniacki at 2008 New Haven.

Congratulations to Aryna Sabalenka who did not lose a set all week in this tournament, to me her serve was the 'standout all tournament,this is her 11th singles title and her first since May 2021.
Shout out to the 18year old Qualifer Linda Noskova who had a 'breakout tournament and she will be ranked in the Top 60 when the new rankings come out on Monday.

A.Sabalenka (2) d L.Noskova (Q) 63 76(4)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

ASB Classic, Auckland, Ladies Final, Sunday 8th January,

C. Gauff (1) vs R.Masarova

Coco is bidding to win her first title since Parma 2021, her first HC title since Linz 2019.

Guess what it is raining in Auckland for the final? lol! hopefully it wont be too late a start.
Play has started after 1 1/2 hour delay fingers crossed no more delays due to rain
Of course I spoke too soon another delay...Coco leading 5-1 1st set...resumed after 1 hour break, feel sorry for both players in these type of suspended conditions, though this has been the way of this tournament all week, with play having to be taken indoors
Finally Coco served out the 1st set 61, Masarova really hasnt any weapons to hurt Coco

Congratulations Coco winning the HC title in Auckland with stop and start conditions, defeating Masarova 61 61. Coco did not drop a set all tournament! Well Done!
This is Coco's first HC title win since Linz, 2019..

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

No surprise really, waiting to hear the reason why she withdrew? I also wonder how long her sponsors will shell out the big dollars seeing she is not actually playing and to me is disinterested in playing tennis

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the AO 2023
Dayana Yastremska now moves into the main draw

 

[Hoergren]

Yesterday Caroline Wozniacki was one of the hosts on a year review over Danish winners in 2022 and was surprised by becoming the 39th member of the Danish Hall of Fame :

 

[kskate2]

No surprise really, waiting to hear the reason why she withdrew? I also wonder how long her sponsors will shell out the big dollars seeing she is not actually playing and to me is disinterested in playing tennis

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the AO 2023
Dayana Yastremska now moves into the main draw

You're right, no surprise. We knew it was coming when she hadn't made her way down under yet. Now that she's turned into the poster child for mental illness fatigue, she can use any # of excuses.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA Top Ten Monday 9th January, 2023

1.Swiatek
2. Jabeur
3. Pegula
4. Garcia
5. Sabalenka
6. Sakkari
7. Gauff
8. Kasatkina
9. Kudermetova
10. Keys ( +1)

Biggest Movers
56# Noshova (+46)
94 Masarova (+36)

 

[kskate2]

How bout that? AP's girl back in the top 10

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

How bout that? AP's girl back in the top 10

Due to her good results at the United Cup....

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Update on withdrawals WTA500 Adelaide International 2 begins Monday 9th January,
No 1 Iga Swiatek ( right shoulder)
No 3 Jessica Pegula ( change of schedule....playing final of the United Cup in Sydney)
No 2. Ons Jabeur ( lower back injury).
World No 4 Caroline Garcia sits atop the draw taking over Swiatek's vacated position on Line 1.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenko is also in the draw, after being sidelined for most of 2022 ( knee), Pavlyuchenkova is set to play her first tournament since Rome 2022.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Adelaide International 2,
Notable first rd matches,
P.Kvitova (12) vs E. Rybakina
D.Collins (10) vs K. Pliskova
B.Bencic (8) vs G. Muguruza
B.Haddad Maia (11) vs S.Cirstea
A.Pavlyuchenkova vs J. Teichmann

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Hobart International, Jan 9th - 14th,
Notable first round matches,

S.Stephens vs L. Davis
M.Bouzkova vs J. Cristian
A.Kalina vs R.Marino

 

[tossip]

No surprise really, waiting to hear the reason why she withdrew? I also wonder how long her sponsors will shell out the big dollars seeing she is not actually playing and to me is disinterested in playing tennis

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the AO 2023
Dayana Yastremska now moves into the main draw

I am tired of this girl,she should retire and let the tour be.We know that she was never really interested in tennis.The person who was interested in copying the sisters story is her dad,now they have the money move on and be happy.She was always excited to stop Serena from winning 24,and now that Serena is gone she has lost interest.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I am tired of this girl,she should retire and let the tour be.We know that she was never really interested in tennis.The person who was interested in copying the sisters story is her dad,now they have the money move on and be happy.She was always excited to stop Serena from winning 24,and now that Serena is gone she has lost interest.

Some of her fans have stated when Serena retired, her idol, she lost all interest in tennis they also blame her rapper boy friend?
Personally speaking I never thought even with the GS titles and titles she won, she never had the 'Hunger' you need all the time to be a top player, though the sad thing is she has the game to be one.When she sacked Wim Fissette and the rest of her team and decided to get her father be her coach again, I knew then ' the writing was on the wall' her interest in tennis went by the wayside,just look at her results in 2022, which speak for themselves,instead of preparing for the AO, she went on TV and promoted her kiddies book and then went on a European jaunt with her boy friend. arrived back last week...enough said.

 

[tossip]

I remember Serena saying she is evolving from tennis,and now Osaka 's new company is called Evolve.This girl is something else..

 

[kskate2]

Maddening Scone is back to her old tricks, new coach and all...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Maddening Scone is back to her old tricks, new coach and all...

Yep Scone being Scone
L. Davis d Sloane Stephens 62 62

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just watching Collins vs Pliskova match in Adelaide all I can say is that Sasha Bajin has his work cut out for him
Collins 1st set 62. Pliskova is the finalist at last year's AO, r/u to Ash Barty, points to defend at the AO. BTW Pliskova had to play qualies to get to the main draw
Collins d Pliskova 62 64

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

AO boss Craig Tiley confirmed today that for the first time since 2020, players would no longer be required to report positive COVID-19 tests, but would be encouraged to stay away if ill.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Some of her fans have stated when Serena retired, her idol, she lost all interest in tennis they also blame her rapper boy friend?
Personally speaking I never thought even with the GS titles and titles she won, she never had the 'Hunger' you need all the time to be a top player, though the sad thing is she has the game to be one.When she sacked Wim Fissette and the rest of her team and decided to get her father be her coach again, I knew then ' the writing was on the wall' her interest in tennis went by the wayside,just look at her results in 2022, which speak for themselves,instead of preparing for the AO, she went on TV and promoted her kiddies book and then went on a European jaunt with her boy friend. arrived back last week...enough said.

Osaka benefitted from a weak era of tennis. She got lucky that Serena was past her prime, and no one was ready to seize the throne. Even then, after winning the 2018 US Open and 2019 AO, she went into an extended slump. Don't forget that she lost to Coco Gauff at the 2020 AO before the pandemic. If not for the pandemic, which allowed Osaka to reset, she probably would have burnt out faster and not win the final 2 slams (also don't forget that Ash Barty, the best player in the world, wasn't even present for those slams). Once the new generation of players (Swiatek, Gauff, Raducanu, Fernandez, etc) developed, Osaka tapped out.

Osaka is a good example of why we don't rank players based on slam wins alone. Osaka isn't as good as Kim Clijsters, and she's certainly not better than players like Jennifer Capriati and Ash Barty.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Adelaide International 2 Tuesday 10th January,
Notable matches,

V. Azarenka vs V. Kudermetova
A. Kontaveit vs P. Badosa
A. Anisimova vs L. Samsonova
Q. Zheng vs S. Rogers