WTA News & Gossip 2023

[MargaretMcAleer]

The final of Rothesay Classic tournament, Birmingham, Sunday 25th June

B. Krejcikova (1) vs J. Ostapenko (2) should be a contrast of styles in this final!.....Battle of the 2 former RG title champions!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

SFs are now being played at the BETT10PEN tournament Berlin,

M. Sakkari v D. Vekic, Vekic won the 1st set 64, impressed with Vekic and her game on grass
Sakkari was serving for the 2nd set 6-4 and was broken, 6 games all a TB for the 2nd set now in play
Well done Vekic into the final at Berlin with a 64 76(8) over her good friend Maria Sakkari!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

2nd SF match at Berlin has just started,

P> Kvitova (7) vs E. Alexandrova

Always a pleasure to watch Petra when she plays well on her best surface grass, defeating Alexandrova 64 64 to make the final at Berlin, where she will play Donna Vekic
Well done Petra!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies final BETT10PEN tournament, Berlin,
Sunday 25th June,

Petra Kvitova (7) this is Petra's 42nd career final vs D. Vekic

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Bad Homburg WTA250 tournament, Germany starts tomorrow, Sunday 25th June,
Defending champion Caroline Garcia will not be defending her title ( Caroline has taken a WC into Eastbourne tournament)
No 1 ranked player in the world,Iga Swiatek is the top seed in the tournament.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The main draw for singles for women for Wimbledon 2023 will be held on Friday June 30th at 10am BST ( British Summer Time)

 

[Jelenafan]

I am so bummed….

WTA moves San Jose tournament to Washington for combined event

The governing body of women's tennis paved the way for the first combined WTA-ATP tournament at the 500 level on Thursday as it approved the move of its San Jose event to Washington this year.

www.reuters.com

So now zero main tour professional tennis tournaments in the Bay Area ( the San Jose ATP event last played in 2013)

So many fond memories of the women's event while at the Stanford campus. It was the longest continuously run professional womens tour event (1971?). Alas.

 

[Kieran]

Just been reading that Swiatek coach saying that Serena would not survive in today's game because the new girls are faster and better.He was saying Iga is going to achieve more than Serena because she is better than Serena.At first I said must be click bait and then I said wait a minute the poles called Serena names when she beat Aga.Iga will never reach the Serena heights of winning 4 gold medals,winning doubles at every grandslam or holding four slams at one time.

Seriously? That’s disappointing…

 

[Kieran]

I want Vee to protect her legacy,and playing on is not it.She plays one set then fizzles out in the next set.

I think she’s adding to her legacy playing on like this. She’s a great example to young players coming up, and all of us who remember her as a kid with beads in her hair at Wimbledon have to be happy to see her still out there making dents in much younger opponents..

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I am so bummed….

WTA moves San Jose tournament to Washington for combined event

The governing body of women's tennis paved the way for the first combined WTA-ATP tournament at the 500 level on Thursday as it approved the move of its San Jose event to Washington this year.

www.reuters.com

So now zero main tour professional tennis tournaments in the Bay Area ( the San Jose ATP event last played in 2013)

So many fond memories of the women's event while at the Stanford campus. It was the longest continuously run professional womens tour event (1971?). Alas.

I don't think it really matters. The tournament was going to be gutted anyways, and I'm not so sure Washington even survives past next year. When Toronto and Cincinnati (or Charlotte?) go to 2 weeks in 2025, there's just no room on the calendar for some of these tournaments.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Back to tennis and results,

Jelena Ostapenko has won her first title of the year defeating the No 1 seed Barbora Krejcikova 76(8) 64 at Birmingham
Well done Jelena!
Nice hug at the net from these 2!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the final at Berlin between Kvitova and Vekic
Petra won the 1st set 62
5 all in the 2nd set, Vekic has fought back stronger in the 2nd set and has found her game
6 games all, TB for the 2nd set

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well done to Petra Kvitova her 2nd title in 2023 and her 31st career title defeating Donna Vekic at the Berlin tournament 62 76(6)
Dona had a good tournament reaching the final, one to watch on the grass this year, Donna will be back in the Top 20, well done Donna!
Petra always great to watch on her surface grass!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rothesay International WTA500, Eastbourne starts Monday 26th June,
Defending champion is Petra Kvitova ( I wonder if Petra will play now she has just won Berlin, have to wait and see)
Top seeds are,
Rybakina (1) Garcia ( 2 WC) Pegula (3) Jabeur (4) Gauff (5) Sakkari (6) Kvitova (7) Haddad Maia (8)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Bad Hamburg tournament, Germany
Monday 26th June, a few interesting match ups,

World No 1 ranked player Iga Swiatek will play her first match on grass against T.Maria
L. Fernandez v A. Parks
B.Andreescu (5) v S.Kartal
D. Vekic (3) vs E.Navarro

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rothesay International, Eastbourne
Monday 26th June,

E.Rybakina (1) vs X.Wang
S.Zhang vs H.Dart
K.Pliskova vs E.Mertens
M.Keys vs L.Fruhvirtova

BTW Gauff/Pegula are playing doubles and are the No 1 seeds - they will play tomorrow against Putintseva/Rakhimova

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Some Happy News,

Congratulations!

Former Top Ten player Carla Suarez Navarro announces birth of twin daughters and her partner, soccer player Olga Garcia, recently welcomed Noa and Ona!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

After Petra won her 31st title on the grass at Berlin I looked up most WTA Titles Among Active Players,

Venus 49
Kvitova 31
Halep 24
Azarenka 21
Svitolina 17
Pliskova 16
Kerber 14
Swiatek 14
Sabalenka 13

 

[kskate2]

After Petra won her 31st title on the grass at Berlin I looked up most WTA Titles Among Active Players,

Venus 49
Kvitova 31
Halep 24
Azarenka 21
Svitolina 17
Pliskova 16
Kerber 14
Swiatek 14
Sabalenka 13

who's going to catch Queen Vee or Serena? Is anyone going to play long enough to chase that many titles?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA Top Ten ( Monday 26th June)

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