MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 4 : Maria Sharapova at the 2017 Tie Break Tens tennis exhibition event
The WTA tour is back in Madrid for the annual Mutua Madrd Open, but this year the tournament is having a very special start featuring a star-studded Tie Break Tens exhibition on Thursday night. Eight big WTA and ATP names competed for 500K EUR in prize money through a series of tiebreak matches.
The center of attention was once again Maria Sharapova. Not only is the five-time Grand Slam champion entering the Madrid Open with a wildcard following her comeback in Stuttgart last week, she also spent most of the evening sitting next to former boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov.
On court, Sharapova’s day was not successful, as the Russian lost her encounter with Monica Puig, while Simona Halep took overall honors at the event, winning the big check.
Qualifying action at the Mutua Madrid Open will kick off on Friday as the tournament is gearing up for a very packed week with main-draw play starting as early as Saturday. Keep checking back to Women’s Tennis Blog as we’ll be bringing you all the latest from the Caja Magica all week long.
Friday at the 2017 BNP Paribas Open saw the start of second-round play and the tournament’s top seeds started their Indian Wells campaigns.
While several seeds cruised to comfortable wins, the day had quite a huge surprise in store with young American talent Kayla Day managing to upset Australian Open semifinalist Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. At seventeen years of age, Day is the youngest player in the WTA Top 200. Day is continuing an impressive run in her native home of California after first making her mark in the pro circuit at the US Open last August.
The tour’s prospect Belinda Bencic keeps on struggling, as her woes continued on Friday. Exactly a year ago, Bencic made the Top 10 for the first time, while 12 months later little of that is left as the Swiss player has recently dropped out of the Top 100, following a year full of injuries. After finally winning her first WTA match of the season on Wednesday, Bencic’s second-round encounter was somewhat of a setback. The 20-year-old was blown off the court by Dutch Kiki Bertens and in shambles between games during what was less than a happy 20th birthday for the Swiss player.
There was even more drama in store for the night session as Olympic Gold medalist Monica Puig took on Karolina Pliskova. The Czech player, one of the favorites to win the event, had massive problems dealing with Puig from the get-go, quickly finding herself losing the first set. Pliskova recovered to win the second, only to go a break behind in the final set as well. The Puerto Rican could not convert this lead into a win, as the Czech’s growing experience with high-pressure situations allowed her to escape and edge out a three-set win.
The tournament’s second round will conclude on Saturday as the final of the top seeds will be playing their first match, including the comeback of Madison Keys, who is due to play her first match since the WTA Finals in Singapore last October.
Keep checking back to Women’s Tennis Blog for more from Indian Wells all week.
Main-draw action kicked-off with first-round matches at the 2017 BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday. As usual, loads of fans roamed the tournament site, but the day didn’t go particularly well for American players, especially out Stadium 1.
The crowd was almost in for quite an upset win as young talent CiCi Bellis came close to beating Kirsten Flipkens, but the Belgian’s experience made the difference in the third set. Bellis’ eventual loss was preceded by Nicole Gibbs losing to Heather Watson and Christina McHale getting eliminated by Evgynia Rodina in the evening, completing a somewhat disappointing day for Ameircan players.
Out in Stadium 2, fans could see the all-new Belinda Bencic win her first match of the 2017 season. A lot has been changing for the Swiss talent, who recently dropped out of the Top 100 due to injury. Sporting blonde hair now and being paired up with Polish coach Maciej Synowka, Bencic freshly-inked a new apparal contract with Nike, wearing the Maria Sharapova line in Indian Wells.
Keep checking back for much more from Indian Wells all week long and visit our photo galleries from previous days:
The qualifying stage of the 2017 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells completed on Tuesday and the packed main draw was set with 12 successful qualifiers joining the prestigious field.
Among them is qualifying seed #1 Peng Shuai who swept through her two matches, joined by players such as Varvara Lepchenko, Mona Barthel, Mandy Minella & Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone, the Italian who is most likely playing her last Indian Wells.
Unfortunately, Tuesday also had some bad news in store for the tournament, as world #1 Serena Williams had to withdraw from the event due to a knee injury, not only handing Angelique Kerber back the #1 ranking, but opening up another spot in the field that has been taken by lucky loser Evgeniya Rodina.
Main draw action in Indian Wells is due to kick off tomorrow, so keep checking back to Women’s Tennis Blog for all the latest from the Californian desert.
There is no shortage of spectacular tennis fashion at the 2017 Australian Open and the best thing is that there is no uniformity, as leading sports apparel companies have taken up very differentroutes with some going for outstanding prints, some playing with layers and laser-cuts, and some indulging in updated retro fashion. Let’s open Women’s Tennis Blog’s eighth consecutive year of Grand Slam fashion overviews!
When I first saw Serena Williams‘ Australian Open dress, I immediately named it the Piano Dress, obviously because of the print at the back, but later I read somewhere that the black and white pattern is inspired by the shadows cast on a tennis court. The Nike Spring Premier Power Dress, as it’s actually called, has a slightly sheer body, with solid panels at the bust and upper back.
At last year’s Australian Open Serena stole the show with her yellow crop top and pleated skirt, while this time Canadian Eugenie Bouchard continued the trend, only that her Nike Spring Premier Crop Top features elongated sleeves and her printed Nike Spring Print Power Spin Skirt, which comes in two lengths, closely follows the shape of the hips, stretching as the Canadian covers the court.
Genie’s shoes of choice are the Nike Air Zoom Ultra React in orange/black/volt.
We all know that crop tops are not for everyone, so for those who don’t like to show off their bellybutton we have the Nike Spring Premier Slam Tank as seen here on France’s Caroline Garcia.
Simona Halep‘s short Melbourne appearance was sporty chic, as the Romanian paired her flowy ocean blue Adidas Melbourne Tank with navy shorts whose orange binding matches the top’s spaghetti straps.
Defending champion and world number one Angelique Kerber also rocks the layered tank from new Adidas’ collection inspired by the Melbourne environment and combines it with the orange Adidas Melbourne Skirt, whose built-in compression shorts have a sun bleached graphic as a reflection of the host city’s ever-present heat. Adidas created the Adizero Ubersonic 2 shoes to increase Kerber’s chances of winning another Grand Slam title.
Garbine Muguruza showcases this Adidas Spring Stella McCartney Dress, a perfect blend of an athletic silhouette and femininity. The top tightly hugs the body, while its front zipper allows for easy on and off and its back mesh panel provides the much needed ventilation. The skirt’s design gives this dress feminine flair.
The Spaniard also rocks the bright yellow Adidas Spring Stella McCartney Long Sleeve Top, which features Climalite moisture management, and completes her look with the Adidas Stella Barricade 2017 shoes.
As I mentioned in my Stella McCartney fashion preview for AO17, this is the first tournament Caroline Wozniacki has not worn a dress, ever since becoming the face of Stella’s Adidas back in 2010. The Dane’s first ever separates are all about blues, while the style is similar to Garbi’s sporty femininity. The form-fitting seamless Adidas Spring Stella McCartney Barricade Tank has moisture-wicking properties, while the perforated Adidas Spring Stella McCartney Skirt combines a feminine silhouette with cooling Climalite technology.
Caro’s footwork is taken to the next level with the Adidas by Stella McCartney Barricade Boost 2017 shoe.
Venus Williams launched her Thika collection, whose lovely purple print reminds me of tropical sunsets with the lines representing sunrays. My favorite item from the collection is the Competitor Dress, as I like the balance created by the simple white top and wide waistband. With her bold eyeliner and printed Thika Visor accessorizing the look, the American also showcased the EleVen Thika Center Stage Top and the EleVen Thika Flutter 13″ Skirt. This is my favorite EleVen print of all time! Good job, V!
If you’re a regular at Women’s Tennis Blog, you know that Fila created two lines for their athletes’ Australian Open campaigns. Karolina Pliskova and Jelena Jankovic are clad in the Heritage collection that’s all about a simple color palette that pays homage to the company’s original aesthetic with timeless designs. JJ looks so awesomely retro in the Heritage Polo Dress, doesn’t she?
Other Fila representatives like Yaroslava Shvedova and Irina-Camelia Begu showcase the Sleek Streak collection, characterized by noveaux tie-dye print, color-blocking and glimmer-sheen finishes.
Lacoste opened the 2017 season with their best ever tennis collection that I wrote about in early January. It’s stunning when designers manage to create a totally different look by making just subtle changes that can’t even be pinpointed.
Lacoste’s new collection absolutely stays true to the company’s traditional aesthetic that has exclusively nurtured navy, white and red/orange tones for years, never departing from classic sporty cuts. Yet, the new clothes have some refreshing feel about them, especially the gorgeous Lacoste Spring Player Dress worn by Dominika Cibulkova and Alize Cornet. Adorbz!
The world number six Cibulkova matches her Lacoste dress with the Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour shoes.
Agnieszka Radwanska sports the Nixia III Dress from Lotto‘s SS17 tennis tech collection, just as at the tournaments leading up to the Australian Open. The dress features ventilating mesh in the back and the flouncy skirt. Aga has the Lotto Stratosphere II shoes for the Melbourne hardcourts, which I presented in more detail in my AO Lotto outfit unveiling post.
British Heather Watson rocks the jewel multi version of the New Balance Yarra Tank, including stylish slit openings along armholes and contrast mesh panel at back, and the yellow lightweight New Balance Tournament Skort featuring printed shorts. American Nicole Gibbs is in the same kit, only that her tank is pink and skort white. The 996v3 shoes are providing a stable base for the ladies’ feet.
Asics‘ Johanna Konta and Daria Gavrilova are continuing to nurture a simple and sporty look with an athletic navy tank and blue pleated skirt. The freshly-crowned Sydney champion Konta wears the new Asics Gel Resolution 7 shoes that are updated from the previous model for increased comfort, support and flexibility.
Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig looks lovely as always in her classic Ellesse dress. The item doesn’t differ much from the Puerto Rican’s previous dresses, but that doesn’t matter since the design suits her to perfection. Traditionally my favorite part of the outfit is the hair tie that gives a nice retro touch to young Monica!
Svetlana Kuznetsova‘s clothing sponsor Qiaodan has introduced laser-cut details in the skirt, Stella McCartney’s signature feature, producing probably the best outfit since the beginning of the partnership with the Russian Grand Slam champion.
Bethanie Mattek Sands‘ is traditionally colorful and there’s no matching in sight, but the American can go away with it. This is even one of her more subtle looks, if we compare it to her most memorable outfits.
Now that you’ve seen the WTA fashions gracing the courts of the 2017 Australian Open, tell me your favorites in the comments! There are so many outstanding designs in Melbourne, but if I had to pick just one, it would be the Lacoste Spring Player Dress.
VIDEO: Enjoy my Australian Open 2017 video fashion overview! I’m working on improving my video editing skills 🙂
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 9 : Daria Gavrilova in action at the 2017 Apia International Sydney WTA Premier tennis tournament
The first round of the 2017 Apia International in Sydney’s Olympic Park continued on Monday and some of the tournament’s biggest names were in action for the first time this week.
Inside Ken Rosewall Arena, it was Sam Stosur’s turn to give the local fans something to be happy about but once again Stosur and playing in Australia just didn’t mix well as the Aussie was blown off the court by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in two quick sets.
The following match between Caroline Wozniacki and Monica Puig proved to be much more competitive. The former world #1 and the Olympic gold medalist put on a thrilling three-set battle that ultimately saw Puig leaving empty-handed, as Wozniacki’s famed consistency proved to be the winning asset.
In the evening, a thrilling battle of young prospects kept the crowd entertained. Aussie fan favorite Daria Gavrilova took on Croatia’s Donna Vekic, who made the main draw via the lucky loser role. Vekic put on a competitive match, forcing a second-set tiebreak that decided the match in favor of Gavrilova.
The tournament’s second round will complete on Tuesday with seeds Angelique Kerber and Agnieszka Radwanska in action inside Sydney’s Olympic Park. Keep checking back to Women’s Tennis Blog for all the latest from the 2017 Apia International, all week long.
MORE PHOTOS FROM THE 2017 APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY:
In 2016 my photographer Jimmie48attended 15 tennis events, including three Grand Slams, so you can imagine how many amazing WTA pics we have. Last year he made his own selection of best shots, while this time we decided that I make a Top 25 out of his 2016 archives, since he’s already in Auckland, preparing to shoot the ASB Classic. I will list the photos with numbers, but there is no particular order.
2. When we saw this Brisbane International photo of Victoria Azarenka and her super cute fan, who would’ve thought that the Belarusian would soon get pregnant and become a mother to a baby boy by the end of the year.
3. Zhang Shuai had never before won a main-draw Grand Slam match in her professional career dating back to 2003, but at this year’s Australian Open she went all the way to the quarterfinals.
4. This epic photobomb was even voted as the “LOL of the Year” at the WTA website! It happened at Indian Wells, after Victoria Azarenka defeated Serena Williams in the final 6-4 6-4.
5. Caroline Garcia recorded some spectacular wins for France in the Fed Cup final, but later Barbora Strycova ruined her plans and the Czech Republic won.
Playing her first singles match in 11 months, Maria Sharapova lost to Monica Puig 6-3 1-6 10-6 in an exhibition match in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Our photographer Jimmie48 was right there, bringing us photos from the busy Thursday which included a beach walk, press conference, kids clinic and the match in the evening.
My photographer Jimmie48 is in San Juan, bringing us exclusive coverage from the exhibition event featuring Puerto Rico’s darling, Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig, and Russian five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova, who is getting ready for her first singles match since January.
The Monica Puig Invitational starts on Thursday, but our Jimmie48 is the early bird, so we already have photos from the players’ practice sessions. We also have photos from the evening reception.
The event officially starts tomorrow, so stay tuned for more photos!
I’m excited to tell you that Maria Sharapova and Monica Puig are set to play an exhibition match in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on December 15th and Women’s Tennis Blog’s photographerJimmie48 will be there!
The Monica Puig Invitational, as the event is called, promises to be a stunning exho for several reasons:
There’s hardly a name in the WTA world that attracts more spectators than Sharapova and everyone is excited to be a part of her comeback strategy (the Russian’s long-awaited return to the competitive courts will be in April 2017).
Puerto Rico has no bigger sports star than Puig, who won the country’s first Olympic gold medal this summer in Rio de Janeiro, while yesterday in Doha the International Olympic Committee handed the 23-year-old the prestigious Association of National Olympic Committee Award for Best Female Athlete at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
The exho will be played in the 16,000-seat Coliseo de Puerto Rico, which is bigger than all WTA’s indoor venues.
Such an honor to win the award for Best Female Athlete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games! Thanks to my friends, family, ANOC, COPUR and my team! pic.twitter.com/Vuwf0QKF7D
