This Week In Tennis: Miami Open Review

Serena’s Dominance

After a successful comeback campaign in Indian Wells, Serena Williams returned to a tournament, which the Williams family has dominated for the past 15 years. Serena entered the Miami Open as the two-time defending champion, and undefeated on the season (excluding the two losses in Hopman Cup). The world number one breezed through her first three matches, never losing more than three games in a set. However, Serena’s next two matches were anything but straightforward. Against both Sabine Lisicki in the quarterfinals, and Simona Halep in the semifinals, Serena was pushed deep into the third-set. During these matches, it became evident that Serena was facing two opponents, the person on the other side of the net, and herself.

After careful analysis, the most surprising facet about these victories was not Serena’s ability to overcome an uncharacteristic amount of unforced errors; rather, it was her ability to win relying so heavily on her second serve. The world number one consistently served under 50% of first serves throughout the tournament. What does that say for the field that even when Serena gets less than half of her first serves in players still cannot beat her? As the old saying goes, a player is only as good as their second serve. This statement epitomizes why Serena Williams has been the most dominant player of this generation, and possibly ever.

In the final, Serena had a first-serve percentage above 50%, and as a result, she defeated her opponent in under an hour, 6-2 6-0. The rest of the WTA players should take note of Serena’s performance. In order to become an elite player, you must be able to win matches when having to rely on her second serve. Serena’s performance during the Miami Open might not have been the cleanest we have seen out of the 19-time Grand Slam champion. However, her performance proved that even at 33 years of age, she is still as dominant as ever.  

The WTA’s New Rivalry

In a previous blog post, I mentioned the lack of a rivalry in the women’s game. With Azarenka being in and out of the game the past years due to injury, and Sharapova’s inability to  beat Serena, there has not been a player since Justine Henin who truly challenges the world number one. However, after the Miami Open semifinals, I think the WTA found their new rivalry.

Over the past two seasons, no player has improved their game more than Simona Halep. At the start of 2013, the Romanian was the 47^th player. In this week’s WTA rankings, Halep is perched at No. 3 in the world. The progression over the past few seasons for Halep has been steady and fruitful. Last season alone the Romanian (1) reached her first Grand Slam final, (2) won the biggest title of her career (Doha), (3) reached a career-high No. 2 in the WTA rankings, (4) qualified for the WTA Finals, and (5) beat Serena Williams for the first time. Moreover, the manner in which Halep defeated Serena revealed the potential for the next rivalry in women’s tennis.

If Halep’s victory over Serena revealed the potential, their semifinal match at the Miami Open all but confirmed the rivalry. The contrasting styles of the two players: Halep with her calculated aggressiveness, and Serena with her fearless aggression, have all the makings of an intriguing rivalry. Serena won the opening set of the encounter using her forceful groundstrokes and unmatchable power. However, Halep was able to force a deciding set because of successful point construction and unwavering focus. In the end, Serena may have came out the victor; but the real winner of the matchup was women’s tennis. Serena Williams has gone quite some time without having a formidable opponent push her to the limit. Based on what tennis fans witnessed in last Thursday’s semifinal, there is a challenger worthy enough to go toe–to-toe with one of the game’s greats.

Disarray at the Top

Outside of the Top 5 players, the 2015 season has been a struggle for the women ranked between six and ten. Lets that a look at the disarray at the top of women’s tennis:

Sixth-ranked Ana Ivanovic had a resurgent 2014 season. The Serb reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2012 U.S. Open, captured four singles titles, and got back into the Top 5 in the world. In 2015, Ivanovic has a 9-6 record, suffering early losses at the Australian Open (1^st Round), Indian Wells (3^rd Round) and Miami (3^rd Round). The cause for Ivanovic’s struggles this year is due a loss in confidence. The former word number is not showing the fearless aggression she showed throughout last season. In addition, her serve is slowly becoming a liability again. Can Ivanovic turn her season around as the women transition to the red clay? If she can regain some of the confidence from 2014, then yes she can.

Last year, Eugiene Bouchard was the breakout star on the WTA Tour. The seventh-ranked Canadian won her first singles title, made the semifinals or better at three of the four majors, cracked the Top 10 and qualified for the WTA Finals. Everything was looking up for the 21-year-old Bouchard; however, it appears that expectation has set in. After defending a majority of her semifinal ranking points from last year’s Australian Open, Bouchard has only won 2 matches in three tournaments since. At 21 years of age, Bouchard is still getting accustom to the pressures of being a top player. Entering this season, I expected somewhat of a drop-off in the young Canadian’s play due to inexperience. However, Bouchard’s champion-mentality could help her overcome the incredible amount of pressure she faces.

Out of the players ranked in the lower half of the Top 10, nothing has been more shocking than the inconsistent play of world number nine, Agnieszka Radwanska. Consistency has been the cornerstone of Radwanska’s game ever since she burst onto the scene in 2007. However, Radwanska’s 2015 results have been anything but consistent. After the Miami Open, her record is a mediocre 9-8, with no quarterfinal appearances in 6 tournaments played. The inconsistent play could be attributed to the offseason acquisition of Martina Navratilova. During her 3^rd round match in Miami, Radwanska was indecisive of which game plan she wanted to implement: the more aggressive style Navratilova is trying to incorporate; or the counter-punching style she is more accustom to playing. If Radwanska wants to one day win a Grand Slam title, she must play a more aggressive-brand of tennis. When you play an aggressive-style of tennis, the downside is a higher number of unforced errors. Furthermore, the transition in Radwanska’s mindset could be the cause of the inconsistency. The question then becomes, will the consistency return once she becomes more comfortable playing with an aggressive mindset, or will she sacrifice the aggressive mindset altogether and revert to her old mindset for the sake of consistency?

Additional News and Notes

• Carla Suarez Navarro cracks the WTA Top 10 for the first time by virtue of reaching the final of the Miami Open. Suarez Navarro becomes the 3^rd Spaniard in WTA history to reach the Top 10.
• After withdrawing from the Premier Mandatory Events in Indian Wells and Miami, Petra Kvitova will return to the court to play in next week’s Fed Cup semifinals. The Czech sited exhaustion as the reason for skipping both tournaments.
• Both Venus and Serena Williams will represent the U.S. Fed Cup team in their World Group Playoff tie against Italy. In February, the Williams Sisters led the U.S. squad in a 4-1 victory over Argentina to qualify for the playoff. The best-of-five event will take place next week in Brindisi, Italy.  

Australian Open Wrap Up

Serena Captures Number 19

Serena Williams had a lot of questions to answer about her form entering the first major of the season. The world number one went 2-2 in her Hopman Cup singes matches, looking sluggish and drained of energy. Through the first four of the Aussie Open, it appeared Williams was still struggling to find the form that has helped her capture five Australian Open titles. However, if you have watched any of Williams’ major title runs in years past, you would know that if she can get through the first week unscathed, she becomes incredibly difficult to beat.   

From the quarterfinals onward, Williams looked totally dialed in, firing on all cylinders. In fact, her final three matches, Williams struck 46 aces, four more than she hit in the previous four rounds. The most intriguing match of the American’s fortnight was her semifinal match against 19-year-old Madison Keys. In the 84-minute encounter, it provided tennis fans a look at the present and future of American tennis. Williams, clearly affected by the pressure of the match, overcame the heavy artillery of her fellow countrywomen using her top-notched defensive skills and her masterful serve.

In the final, Williams faced a familiar foe in world number two, Maria Sharapova. Having won the previous 15 meetings against the Russian, Williams was heavily favored to capture number 19. However, Sharapova came out with a different game plan against Williams, which involved the use of drop shots to draw Williams forward, and body serves to prohibit Williams from attacking the serve. Even with the change in tactics, the huge discrepancy in the movement and serve of the two players was too much for Sharapova to overcome. Williams, striking 38 winners and 18 aces, defeated Sharapova for the 16^th straight time, 6-3 7-6 (5).

With the victory over Maria Sharapova in the final, Williams passes legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova into second place in the Open Era for major titles won. Williams is now only three majors behind Steffi Graf’s seemingly unreachable 22 major titles. At 33 years of age, almost 16 years after winning her first grand slam title at the U.S. Open, Serena Williams is still capturing major titles, and is determined to make history.    

Keys Unlocks Potential

Ever since Madison Keys made her tour debut back in 2009, tennis fans knew they were witnessing a superstar in making. Fast forward to 2015, the 19-year-old American can now at grand slam semifinalist to her resume. Unseeded at this year’s Aussie Open, Keys had to overcome steep obstacles to reach her first career major semifinal. The first came from the native Aussie, Casey Dellacqua. After quickly dropping the opening set 6-2 to the Aussie southpaw, Keys showed great maturity in turning the match around. This newfound maturity can be attributed to Keys’ new coach, Lindsay Davenport. In a short amount of time, Davenport has taught Keys make mid-match adjustments, depending on how well she is playing.

As impressive as the win over Dellacqua was, Keys’ victories over Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams assured tennis fans the potential of the young American. In these victories, Keys proved that she could go toe-to-toe, and even out hit the biggest hitters on tour. The 19-year-old seemed unfazed by the enormity of the moment, showing laser-like focus throughout the two encounters. Even in her semifinal loss to Serena Williams, Keys was often times the aggressor, bullying Williams with her relentless power off the serve and the groundstrokes.

Interestingly, for the third straight Australian Open, a 19-year-old reached the semifinals (2013: Sloane Stephens; 2014: Eugenie Bouchard). How Madison Keys follows up this breakthrough performance will definitely be one to watch. If Keys can maintain the form she displayed during the fortnight, the sky is the limit for the young American.   

Venus’ Resurgence Continues

 Venus Williams’ strong start to 2015 continued at the Australian Open. After capturing the title at the warm-up tournament in Auckland, Williams looked poised to make the second week of a major for the first time since 2011. Seeded 18^th, the 34-year-old American’s road to the round of 16 was a winnable one. However, proceedings got tricky prematurely for the seven-time grand slam champion.

Following straightforward victories in the first two rounds, Williams faced stiff competition in rising Italian, Camila Giorgi. Down a set and a break, two points from elimination, Williams was able to limit the unforced errors, and impose her game on Giorgi. After winning the second set in a tiebreaker, Williams took control of the match, and ran away with the third set.    

In the round of 16, Williams gave another impressive performance against sixth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska. Having lost the previous three matches to Radwanska, Williams changed her game plan against the crafty Pole. Williams made every attempt to move forward and take time away from her opponent. Even though the strategy wasn’t always successful, the 34-year-old was able to overcome Radwanska in three well-contested sets.  

Now in her first grand slam quarterfinal since Wimbledon in 2010, Williams’ opponent waas 19-year-old American, Madison Keys. There was a lot riding on this match for Williams. A win would set up an all-Williams semifinal, as well as get Williams back into the Top 10 for the first time in four years. The 1 hour and 55 minute match definitely lived up to the hype of American tennis fans. It possessed all the elements of a great tennis match: hard hitting; big serving; and loads of drama. Unfortunately for Williams, she was unable to sustain her break lead in the final set, falling to Keys 3-6 6-4 4-6.

Even with the loss, Williams rose to No. 11 in this week’s rankings, which is a remarkable achievement given her age and health problems. A little over three years ago, Williams was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease, Sjögren’s syndrome. Many questioned whether Williams would ever play tennis again. Now, after her quarterfinal showing at the Australian Open, the American is on the cusp of breaking back into the Top 10.     

Makarova’s Follows Up Major Breakthrough

Ekaterina Makarova’s impressive play at the Australian Open continued in 2015. For the fourth straight year, the 26-year-old Russian reached at least the quarterfinals. However, after falling in the quarterfinals the previous three years, Makarova took it one step further this fortnight, reaching the semifinals for the first time. As a result, the Russian has now made the semifinals of the last two majors.

Makarova’s most notable match was her quarterfinal encounter with world number three, Simona Halep. The Russian dominated with her tricky lefty-serve, and signature down-the-line groundstrokes to easily dispatch the unmotivated Romanian, 6-4 6-0. As surprising as Makarova’s quarterfinal victory was, the most shocking part of the match was the performance of Halep.

From the very first point of the match, Halep looked as if she had already lost the match. The Romanian, who already plays at a quicker pace than most, displayed a heightened need to continue proceedings. Halep’s performance can only be described as an unwillingness to make an effort, or in other words, she tanked the match. However, all the credit should be given to Makarova, who played with passion and the will to win.  

Notable Upsets:

First Round: No. 142 Lucie Hradecka def. No. 5 Ana Ivanovic

•  Ivanovic was defending quarterfinal points from a year ago
• Loss was the third time in last four majors Ivanovic lost to a Czech player
• Became the first Top 5 player to lose in the opening round of the Aussie Open since Jennifer Capriati in 2003

Third Round: Madison Keys def. No. 4 Petra Kvitova

• The biggest win of Keys’ career
• Keys reached the second week of a major for the first time
• Since making the semifinals in 2012, Kvitova has failed to reached the second week of the Aussie Open (2013: second round; 2014: first round; 2015: third round)

Fourth Round: No. 18 Venus Williams def. No. 6 Agnieszka Radwanska

• Win secured Williams’ first quarterfinal berth since 2010 Wimbledon
• Radwanska had won previous three matches (4-6 H2H vs. Williams)
• Radwanska was defending semifinal points from 2014

Quarterfinal: No. 10 Ekaterina Makarova def. No. 3 Simona Halep

• Win secured Makarova’s second grand slam semifinal in as many majors
• Halep was victorious in their only previous encounter (2013 New Haven)
• Makarova rose to No. 9 in Monday’s rankings

Australian Open Women’s Draw: Quarter by Quarter

First Quarter (Williams’ Quarter)

Projected Quarterfinal: (1) Williams vs. (8) Wozniacki
Nightmare Section: Wozniacki section

• The Dane could face Azarenka in Round 2, (25) Zahlavova Strycova (who she lost to in Sydney) in Round 3, and either (11) Cibulkova or (19) Cornet in Round of 16

Popcorn First Round Match: Sloane Stephens vs. Victoria Azarenka

• In 2012, these two played in a controversial semifinal. However, after an injury-filled 2014 for both, they now meet in the opening round.

Young Guns to Watch: (24 ) Garbine Muguruza, (26) Elina Svitolina, Taylor Townsend

Three Things to Consider

1. How will Serena Williams rebound after a shaky performance at the Hopman Cup
2. How will  Caroline Wozniacki’s wrist fair after retiring from her match in Sydney?
3. Will Victoria Azarenka be a serious threat for the title?

Quarterfinal Prediction: Williams vs. Wozniacki
Semifinalist: Williams

Second Quarter (Kvitova’s Quarter)

Projected Quarterfinal: (4) Petra Kvitova vs. (6) Agnieszka Radwanska

Young Guns to Watch: Coco Vandeweghe, Madison Keys, Shelby Rogers

Popcorn First Round Match: (12) Flavia Pennetta vs. Camila Giorgi

Riper with Age: (18) Venus Williams

• After Wililams was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome in 2011, it appeared that her tennis career would be coming to an end. However, at 34 years of age, the veteran American is playing some inspired tennis. After capturing the title in Auckland just one week ago, Wiliams seems poised to make a deep run in Melbourne.

Three Things to Consider

1. Can Kvitova maintain her impressive form? (Fell in 1^st round in 2014)
2. Can Venus reach the second week of a major for the first time since 2011?
3. Can Radwanska make her breakthrough at a major with Navratilova in her box?

Quarterfinal Prediction: Kvitova vs. Williams

Semifinalist: Kvitova

Third Quarter (Halep’s Quarter)

Projected Quarterfinal: (3) Simona Halep vs. (5) Ana Ivanovic

Young Guns to Watch: (22) Karolina Pliskova, (32) Belinda Bencic

Popcorn Fourth Round Match: (5) Ana Ivanovic vs. (10) Ekaterina Makarova

Three Things to Consider

1. Can Ivanovic finally make another deep run at a major?
2. Will Makarova make her fourth consecutive Aussie Open quarterfinal?
3. Will Halep continue her impressive run at the majors?

Quarterfinal Prediction: (10) Ekaterina Makarova vs. (3) Simona Halep

Semifinalist: Makarova

Fourth Quarter (Sharapova’s Quarter)

Projected Quarterfinal: (2) Maria Sharapova vs. (7) Eugiene Bouchard

Young Guns to Watch: Caroline Garcia, Ana Konjuh, (31) Zarina Diyas

Huge Expectations: Eugiene Bouchard

• After a breakout 2014, which began at last year’s Australian Open, Bouchard will be under enormous pressure to emulate her success at the majors. The 20-year-old finished last season with a terrible showing at the WTA Finals, where she won only 11 games in three matches. Expectation has always reeked havoc on the minds of young tennis stars, it will be interesting to see how Bouchard handles it during the fortnight.

Three Things to Consider

1. Can Bouchard rekindle the success she had last year?
2. Can Sharapova maneuver through what is arguably the weakest quarter of the draw?
3. Can Angelique Kerber set up another blockbuster encounter with Maria Sharapova?

Quarterfinal Prediction: (2) Maria Sharapova vs. (9) Angelique Kerber

Semifinalist: Sharapova

Semifinals: Williams def. Kvitova; Sharapova def. Makarova

Final: Williams def. Sharapova

This Week In Tennis

Venus Queen of Auckland

Venus Williams began the year in impressive fashion this week, capturing the title in Auckland. The title marks the 46^th WTA victory for the 34-year-old American. After falling one win short of the title in 2014, Williams looked determined from the opening round to ensure she was the one lifting the trophy in this edition of the ABS Classic. The American used her booming serve and penetrating groundstrokes to power through her opponents. En-route to the title, Williams dropped only one set, which was to Wozniacki in the final. After falling behind a quick set and a break, Williams picked up her game, taking this next two sets 6-3 6-3. The title marks Williams’ first victory since Dubai last February.   

Sharapova Closes in on Number One

Maria Sharapova entered 2015 with a chance to overtake Serena Williams as the number one player in the world. The 27-year-old Russian improved her chance of regaining the top ranking this week with a dominant showing at the Brisbane International. Similar to Williams in Auckland, Sharapova breezed through the draw, not dropping a set en-route to the final. Proceedings proved much more difficult for the Russian in the championship match against fellow top-five player, Ana Ivanovic. World number five Ivanovic captured a hard-fought opening set in a tiebreak 7-6(4). With her back against the wall, Sharapova proved to tennis fans once again why she is one of the game’s greatest competitors. After hitting seven double-faults in the first set, Sharapova would only hit two in the final two sets, which she prevailed 6-3 6-3. With the win, Maria Sharapova is now only 681 points behind World No. 1 Serena Williams. The Russian can overtake Williams as early as the Australian Open, which begins next week.  

Halep Shines in Shenzhen

Simona Halep began 2015 right where she left open, winning the title at the Shenzhen Open. After a shaky first round encounter against Germany’s Annika Beck, the world number three breezed through the next four rounds, never losing more than three games in a set. Halep is coming off a career best year, where she made her first career Grand Slam final (French Open), reached a career high No. 2 in the rankings and won the biggest title of her career, the Premier 5 event in Doha. The 23-year-old Romanian is definitely a player you want to keep your eye on heading into the Australian Open and throughout 2015.

Team Poland Wins the Hopman Cup

Team Poland, made up of Agnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz, captured the nation’s first title at the mixed-team event. In the final, Poland upset the heavily-favored United States team made up of John Isner and top-ranked Serena Williams. The most shocking result of the final was Radwanska’s three set victory over Williams. In their previous eight encounters, Radwanska was winless against the 18-time grand slam champion; winning only one set in those eight matches. Williams appeared out of sorts throughout the week-long competition, where she went 2-2 in her singles matches. Heading into the Australian Open next week, Radwanska will be riding a wave of confidence; whereas Williams will have a lot of questions to answer when it comes to her current form.     

Tournament Results

Venus Williams def. Caroline Wozniacki 2-6 6-3 6-3

Maria Sharapova def. Ana Ivanovic 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3

Simona Halep def. Timea Bacsinszky 6-2 6-2

Team Poland def. Team United States 2-1 (Hopman Cup)

Notable Results

Karolina Pliskova def. Victoria Azarenka 4-6 7-6(7) 6-4

Madison Keys def. Dominika Cibulkova 7-5 6-2

Timea Bacsinszky def. Petra Kvitova 6-4 6-4

Agnieszka Radwanska def Serena Williams 6-4 6-7(3) 6-1

Next Week: Australian Open Women's Draw: Quarter by Quarter

Top 5 Questions For The 2015 Season

The 2015 tennis season begins this week Down Under. Here are the five burning questions on most tennis fans’ minds, as well as my predictions to these questions.

  1. How many majors will Serena win?

After a historic 2013 season, which saw Serena Williams capture 11 WTA titles, including two majors, the world number one looked to continue her dominance in 2014. However, an up and down 2014 season resulted in Williams capturing only one major title. Now that Williams has tied Evert and Navratilova with 18 grand slam titles, the 33-year-old has only Steffi Graf ahead of her with 22 majors. The question of how many majors will Serena Williams win this year comes down to two factors: (1) whether she can remain injury-free; and (2) whether she can deal with the overwhelming pressure from both tennis fans and herself. If Williams can do both of these things, the American is poised to narrow the gap between her and Graf by the end of 2015

Prediction: 2 Majors

  2. Will Radwanska breakthrough at a major?

Agnieszka Radwanska finalized a huge addition to her coaching box this offseason. The world number six hired tennis legend Martina Navratilova to work along long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. Navratilova now joins Hall of Famers Michael Chang, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker in the coaching ring. If Navratilova is to improve any part of Radwanska’s game, it will most likely be strategically. The Pole, who stands at 5’8”, is at a sizable disadvantage when playing the bigger hitters in women’s tennis. Furthermore, Navratilova will focus more of the X’s an O’s in order to compensate for this weakness. I have always believed that Radwanska has the potential to win a major. With the addition of Navratilova in her coaching box, this might just be the lift she needs to capture her first major.    

Prediction: No

  3. Who will be the next breakout star(s)?

The 2014 season saw several breakout stars on the WTA. Youngsters Eugiene Bouchard, Garbiñe Muguruza, and Simona Halep all made huge statements at the grand slams last year. Muguruza made the quarterfinals at the French Open, while Halep and Bouchard made their maiden major final at the French Open and Wimbledon respectively. As the WTA continues to go through a transition period, 2015 is destined to have another breakout star. Here is a shortlist of players to keep your eye on: (1) Belinda Bencic; (2) Taylor Townsend; (3) Ana Konjuh  

Prediction: Taylor Townsend

  4. Can the 2014 breakout stars (Halep, Bouchard, Muguruza) continue their impressive form in 2015?

Consistent results by top players over an extended period of time are hard to come by unless your last name is Williams or Sharapova. Over the past five years, women’s tennis has seen a rotating carousel of players, who have a breakout season where they crack the Top 10, but are unable to sustain their level of play. Andrea Petkovic, Roberta Vinci, Maria Kirilenko are just three recent examples of players who struggled after reaching the games’ elite. In regards to 2014’s breakout stars, all three must be able to handle the increased expectation to perform at the bigger WTA events. All three of these women have the game to compete for major titles. However, if they can’t handle what happens between the ears, their success will be short-lived.  

Prediction: Yes

  5. How will Azarenka bounce back from a forgettable 2014?

The 2014 season was one to forget for former world number one, Victoria Azarenka. After a strong start in Brisbane, where she made the final, injuries sidelined the Belarusian for a majority of the year. In fact, Azarenka only played nine events the entire season. Furthermore, the Belarusian’s ranking fell from No. 2 at the start of the 2014, to No. 32 by season’s end. There is no question whether the former world number one can bounce back from a forgettable 2014. Azarenka has proven throughout her career that she is one of women’s tennis’ fiercest competitors. However, it is uncertain whether Azarenka can go deep in tournaments and remain injury-free.     

(Update): Victoria Azarenka fell to Karolina Pliskova in the 1R of Brisbane 4-6, 7-6 (7), 4-6. With the loss, the Belarusian will not be seeded for the Australian Open. Talk about a dangerous floater. 

Prediction: Yes

This Week In Tennis

In cased you missed it; here is a summary of the week’s biggest tennis stories.

1.   The WTA makes History

This past Wednesday, the Women’s Tennis Association and Media Company, PERFORM, signed the largest media rights contact in the history of women’s sports. In addition to being the largest media rights agreement in women’s sports history, the ten-year, $525 million agreement is the largest live media and production endeavor for the WTA. The WTA, with the creation of WTA Media will look to expand the amount of premium content for fans around the world. Most importantly, the WTA will be broadcasting all 2,000 main draw matches, which dwarfs the 450 matches currently broadcasted for fans. The deal is set to begin in 2017 and run through 2026.

2.    Radwanska names ‘Supercoach’

Last week I reported Agnieszka Radwanska would be adding a high-profile coach to her camp for the 2015 season. On December 8^th, the 25-year-old Pole stated she would be coached by tennis-legend Martina Navratilova. The 18-time grand slam champion will work alongside Radwanska’s long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. Navratilova becomes the latest former player to make the transition to coach. Last season, former players Michael Chang and Stefan Edberg had successful starts to their coaching careers working with Kei Nishikori and Roger Federer.       

3.    Keys Makes Coaching Change

Less than a week after I reported Madison Keys hiring Wim Fissette as her new coach, the 19-year-old American has made a coaching change. Keys will instead add Jon Leach, the husband of Lindsay Davenport, to her coaching team. The partnership developed after the American spent time hitting with Leach while Davenport recovered from foot surgery. Being parents of four young children, Davenport and Leach will work with Keys at the bigger WTA events. At some point, another coach will be added to travel to the smaller tournaments. Madison Keys is the third-highest ranked American at No. 30.  

4.    Junior Report: Cici Bellis Year-End No. 1

As a result of her quarterfinal victory at the Orange Bowl this past Friday, 15-year-old Cici Bellis clinched the year-end No. 1 junior ranking. This marks the second time in three years that an American girl finished the year as the top junior player. In 2012, Taylor Townsend became the first American girl in nearly three decades to accomplish this feat. At this year’s U.S. Open, Bellis won the hearts of U.S. fans with her inspiring opening-round performance against Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova. The American became the youngest player since Anna Kournikova in 1996 to win a main draw match at a major.

This Week In Tennis

Here is a brief summary of the top stories in women’s tennis this past week.

1.    Keys Hires Fissette

The 19-year-old American has hired coach Wim Fissette, who recently ended his partnership with Simona Halep. Fissette will be working alongside another fresh acquisition to the Keys camp, 2014 Hall-of-Fame inductee, Lindsay Davenport. Keys made huge strides in the past season, capturing are first WTA title in Eastbourne, and reaching a career-high ranking of 27 in July. Fissette will be traveling with Keys internationally, while Davenport will be in the coaching box when Keys competes domestically.    

2.    Radwanska Makes New Hire

Agnieszka Radwanska is another player who will be adding a high-profile coach to her camp. In the past year, we have seen tennis legends Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, and Amelie Mauresmo step out of retirement, and into the coaching box for Federer, Djokovic and Murray respectively. Even though the world number six has yet to disclose the name of this ‘supercoach,’ the Pole did state that the person is a former grand slam champion. 

  

3.    Wuhan 2015: Bigger and Better

The premier-level tournament, which made its WTA Tour debut in September, has promised to be bigger and better in 2015. The tournament plans on building a massive 15,000-seat stadium with a retractable roof for the 2015 edition of the event. The tournament organizers look to continue the success of its 2014 debut, which saw over 75,000 fans attend the week long event.

The image below of displays the new stadium in comparison to the 2014 center court.

4.    Legendary Tennis Selfie

Over the past few weeks the International Premier tennis league has been host to top male and female players like Roger Federer and Serena Williams. As the players enjoy the team-formatted competition, the players are documenting their experience with selfies including some of the game’s greats. Below is just one example of the incredible photos taken by players during the IPTL. Thank you Daniela Hantuchova for providing fans with the awesome pic!

Thanks for reading. You are now up to date on all things tennis. Until next time!