WTA News & Gossip 2023

[MargaretMcAleer]

A lot of people do not like the performance byes: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/te...ee3dea315ca4&ocid=winp2fptaskbar&ei=3#image=1

The WTA shouldn't be tinkering with the rules this late in the season. If they want to experiment with performance byes, then fine, do it at the beginning of the season when there isn't much at stake. This quote puts it best:

"So now the draw is based not on yearly performances but on your schedule? Imagine other sports like MLB doing this. ‘Cool you won your division this year, but the Wild card team is advancing to the LCS bc they played the other day'. Tennis can't get out of its own way," a fan argued.

I disagree, at this late in the season 'there isnt much at stake at all? all the four majors are over and quite frankly the top 8 in singles and the top 8 in doubles are practically set in stone for the end of year finals, there would be much more out cry from players at the beginning of the season compared to late in the season, at the start of the season all players have more to play for.

 

[tossip]

No lol! as far as I am aware she is playing, yes Performance byes have been in place for sometime, though the WTA said they are trialing them again? strange lol!
well she spat her dummy and then said she could not play Tokyo tournament because of illness, after learning of the Performance byes given in Toyko

She has been a crybaby since Montreal,and she is the only player that seems to be complaining about one thing or the other.If she is bothered then she can just stay home and heal whatever is bothering her.These players from Ukraine and Russia are holding the tour hostage by their antics,from Kustyuk refusing to take picture with Kasatkina at the start of the match.Enough is enough with this war thing.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

She has been a crybaby since Montreal,and she is the only player that seems to be complaining about one thing or the other.If she is bothered then she can just stay home and heal whatever is bothering her.These players from Ukraine and Russia are holding the tour hostage by their antics,from Kustyuk refusing to take picture with Kasatkina at the start of the match.Enough is enough with this war thing.

I have to agree with you regarding players not doing hand shakes, not taking photo's etc, these are suppose to be professional tennis players, and while I have empathy for anyone whose country is being invaded, this is their job to play tennis, also their opponents from Russia etc, did not start the war btw, I honestly wish politics,war etc didnt get involved with sport period

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Kudermetova and Palyuchenkova will play a 3rd set in Tokyo after 2hr 40 mins! Heck of a match between these 2 players!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

After 3hrs and 30mins of big hitting, Veronika is into her 2nd final of 2023, quite a battle from both women
Kudermetova d Pavlyuchenkova 76(6) 67 (2) 63
Veronika awaits the winner of Pegula v Sakkari to play in the final WTA500 Tokyo

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I disagree, at this late in the season 'there isnt much at stake at all? all the four majors are over and quite frankly the top 8 in singles and the top 8 in doubles are practically set in stone for the end of year finals, there would be much more out cry from players at the beginning of the season compared to late in the season, at the start of the season all players have more to play for.

Then why hold tournaments in between the US Open and WTA Finals? They should just hold the WTA Finals the last 2 weeks of September, then call it a season. These filler tournaments have no business being in a late season schedule. They'd be best served in November/December to kick off a new season and be a ramp up to the Australian Open. Then, if they want to try out performance byes, there won't be difference because little of the season has been played so far. I just don't think it's fair for a performance bye to be awarded off a meaningless tournament, when you have nearly a full season (including all 4 slams) of other results to go by. Besides, there was nothing ever wrong with the traditional bye system. At this late in the season, byes should be awarded based on the body of work of the entire season.

Then again, no other sport would put out a god awful product like this in their late season schedule. At least there's always some good high school girls tennis matches being played every year during the second half of September and October. It's better than the garbage the WTA has put on after the US Open.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I watched the 1st set between Pegula and Sakkari and had to go out
Jess was too good in all departments for Maria and won the match 62 63 and will face Kudermetova in the final at Toyko

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the final of WTA250 Ningbo Open in China Ons Jabeur (1) d D.Schaider 62 61

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies Singles Final, WTA500 Tokyo,
1st October ( already lol)
Starts at 12.00pm,

J.Pegula (2) vs V.Kudermetova (8) H2H Kudermetova 1-0 on clay in Madrid 2023 in 3 sets.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA1000 China Open,
Interesting match ups
1st October
Diamond Court, starting at 12.30pm,

M. Vondrousova (8) vs A.Kalinina
A.Sabalenka (1) vs S.Kenin
P. Kvitova (12) vs X.Wang

Lotus Court, starts at 11.00am,

B.Haddad Maia (15) vs J.Paolini
B.Krejcikova (10) vs M. Andreeva


Victoria Azarenka no 14th seed was defeated by M.Linette yesterday 57 61 62

 

[kskate2]

Saw some of that match. Vika was awful. She has no hope of staying in the top 20 if she can't defeat the likes of Magda. She has SF points in Aus to worry about come Jan.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well done to Veronika Kudermetova d Jess Pegula 75 61 to win Toyko WTA500 tournament,
Before this week, Veronika had lost 6 of her last 8 matches.
She leaves Toyko with wins over No 2 and No 4 world ranked players
This is her 2nd WTA title. First since 2021.

Pegula serve let her down 'big time' she did not get enough 1st serves in. Just 45% and only winning 42% of those points, broken 4 times.
With this win Veronika a former top 10 player, will be back up to No 16 on Monday.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In Beijing WTA1000,
Sabalenka d Kenin 61 62
First match as world no 1
First win as world no 1
22 winners and only 6 points lost on her serve

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Saw some of that match. Vika was awful. She has no hope of staying in the top 20 if she can't defeat the likes of Magda. She has SF points in Aus to worry about come Jan.

Then again, the WTA competition is so weak, Magda also made it to the SF of that AO.

 

[kskate2]

Then again, the WTA competition is so weak, Magda also made it to the SF of that AO.

Her ranking has already tumbled some because she hasn't done anything all year. She will probably fall outside the top 40 when she doesn't defend those points in Jan

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

A few seeds were defeated in China, matches 1st October
A.Kalinina d M.Vondrousova (8) 16 64 61
J. Paolini d B.Haddad Maia (15) 36 64 64
M.Andreeva d B.Krejcikova (10) 62 62

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

China Open, WTA1000,
Matches, 2nd October,

Diamond Court starts at 12.30pm,
C.Gauff (3) vs E. Alexandrova
E.Rybakina (5) vs Q.Zheng

Lotus Court starts at 11.00 am,
I.Swiatek (2) vs S..S.Tormo
O.Jabeur (7) vs A.Kreuger

Brad Drewett Court, starts at 12.30pm,
C.Garcia (9) vs K.Baindl
D.Kastakina (11) vs M.Sherif

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jelena Ostapenko received a walk over to the next round with the withdrawal of Linda Noskova in China Open today
The only seed that was defeated was Petra Kvitova (12) who lost in straight sets to L. Samsonova 64 75

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Tossip,

Well it paid off for Taylor Towsend who decided not to go to Asia, she won the ITF $60K in California.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

China Open WTA1000
Matches 3rd October,
Diamond Court, starts at 12.30pm,
A.Sabalenka (1) vs K.Boulter
C.Gauff (3) vs P.Martic
M.Sakkari (6) vs L. Fruhvirtova

Moon Court, starts at 12.30pm,
C.Garcia (9) vs Y.Putinseva
O.Jabeur (7) vs M.Kostyuk
V.Kudermetova (16) vs L. Tsurenko
A.Pavlyuchenkova vs M.Andreeva

Lotus Court, starts at 12.30pm,
J.Pegula (4) vs A.Blinkova
D.Kastakina (11) vs X.Wang
I.Swiatek (2) vs V.Gracheva
E.Rybakina (5) vs T.Maria