The first Grand Slam tournament of the 2024 season is on the horizon, and the entry list for the women's edition of the Australian Open has been released.
Running from January 14th to 28th, next year's Australian Open will have a historic Sunday start. One hundred twenty-eight women will compete in the biggest party of Australian summer, but only one player will be lucky enough to emerge from the fortnight with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
The Australian Open is played on outdoor hard courts at its famed home - Melbourne Park. It's been ten years since there was a successful title defense in the women's tournament, so is that trend likely to continue, or will Belarus Aryna Sabalenka defend the crown she won 12 months ago?
Looking at the entry list, Iga Swiatek will be the top seed for the second year in a row thanks to her scintillating run of...
Running from January 14th to 28th, next year's Australian Open will have a historic Sunday start. One hundred twenty-eight women will compete in the biggest party of Australian summer, but only one player will be lucky enough to emerge from the fortnight with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
The Australian Open is played on outdoor hard courts at its famed home - Melbourne Park. It's been ten years since there was a successful title defense in the women's tournament, so is that trend likely to continue, or will Belarus Aryna Sabalenka defend the crown she won 12 months ago?
Looking at the entry list, Iga Swiatek will be the top seed for the second year in a row thanks to her scintillating run of...
- 1/7/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek's second stint as World No. 1 shows no signs of ending anytime soon as the Pole built a cushion over her closest challenger, Aryna Sabalenka.
After last year's US Open, Swiatek had relinquished the World No. 1 ranking to Sabalenka. But the Belarusian's reign lasted for just eight weeks before the 22-year-old Warsaw native bounced back spectacularly with title wins in Beijing and Cancun.
The victory over Sabalenka at the Wta Finals semifinal proved critical for Swiatek because she would demolish Jessica Pegula in the final to reclaim the No. 1 ranking. Swiatek pipped Sabalenka to the top by just 245 points in the year-end rankings.
But at the turn of the year, Swiatek added 210 points this week thanks to a new Wta rule of points allocation. Previously, a Wta player's ranking was determined by the results in a maximum of 16 tournaments and the Wta Finals if they qualified.
But that...
After last year's US Open, Swiatek had relinquished the World No. 1 ranking to Sabalenka. But the Belarusian's reign lasted for just eight weeks before the 22-year-old Warsaw native bounced back spectacularly with title wins in Beijing and Cancun.
The victory over Sabalenka at the Wta Finals semifinal proved critical for Swiatek because she would demolish Jessica Pegula in the final to reclaim the No. 1 ranking. Swiatek pipped Sabalenka to the top by just 245 points in the year-end rankings.
But at the turn of the year, Swiatek added 210 points this week thanks to a new Wta rule of points allocation. Previously, a Wta player's ranking was determined by the results in a maximum of 16 tournaments and the Wta Finals if they qualified.
But that...
- 1/2/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Petra Kvitova is expecting her first child after revealing the pleasant news on her Instagram on New Year's Day.
The two-time Wimbledon champion has been away from the tour since the start of October 2023, when she lost a second-round match at the China Open to Liudmila Samsonova. Having qualified for the Wta Elite Trophy, Kvitova withdrew from the consideration of competing at the tournament.
With tennis fans questioning about a possible injury, considering that she hasn't signed up to play in any Australian Open warm-up tournaments, Kvitova has finally spilled the beans about her supposed silence in one post on social media.
"On the first day of 2024 I wanted to wish you a happy new year and share the exciting news that Jiri and I will be welcoming a baby into our family this summer!"
Kvitova wed her longtime coach, Jiri Vanek, at Statek Oblik, a resort in the Bohemian Highlands,...
The two-time Wimbledon champion has been away from the tour since the start of October 2023, when she lost a second-round match at the China Open to Liudmila Samsonova. Having qualified for the Wta Elite Trophy, Kvitova withdrew from the consideration of competing at the tournament.
With tennis fans questioning about a possible injury, considering that she hasn't signed up to play in any Australian Open warm-up tournaments, Kvitova has finally spilled the beans about her supposed silence in one post on social media.
"On the first day of 2024 I wanted to wish you a happy new year and share the exciting news that Jiri and I will be welcoming a baby into our family this summer!"
Kvitova wed her longtime coach, Jiri Vanek, at Statek Oblik, a resort in the Bohemian Highlands,...
- 1/1/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Karolina Muchova is one of the most talented players on the Wta Tour, but the world no. 8 won't compete at the 2024 Australian Open as she withdrew weeks before the start.
There's no doubt about the talent that the Czech player possesses. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka to reach the Roland Garros final this year, and after that, Muchova even pushed Iga Swiatek to the limit, ultimately losing in the final.
For a very long time now, the Czech has been described as a talented player that never got to show her full potential, and unfortunately, that seems to be the theme also early in 2024.
After she was forced to withdraw from her maiden Wta Finals earlier this year, Muchova hoped to fully recover during the off-season, but as she disclosed in an Instagram post, the wrist pain returned in the middle of her preparations for the new season.
"Hi fans and friends.
There's no doubt about the talent that the Czech player possesses. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka to reach the Roland Garros final this year, and after that, Muchova even pushed Iga Swiatek to the limit, ultimately losing in the final.
For a very long time now, the Czech has been described as a talented player that never got to show her full potential, and unfortunately, that seems to be the theme also early in 2024.
After she was forced to withdraw from her maiden Wta Finals earlier this year, Muchova hoped to fully recover during the off-season, but as she disclosed in an Instagram post, the wrist pain returned in the middle of her preparations for the new season.
"Hi fans and friends.
- 12/28/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek won only one Grand Slam in 2023, but she'll win at least one in 2024, according to former pro Alex Corretja.
Corretja was a pretty good tennis player during his peak, making the Roland Garros final, among other things. He never won the event, unlike Iga Swiatek, who has three trophies from the French capital.
The most recent one came earlier this year as she bested Karolina Muchova in a match where she was down a break in the final set. According to the Polish player, who faced strong opposition from all sides this year, it was the hardest to win.
It wasn't a bad year for her despite winning only one Grand Slam, as she still finished as number one in the world after a title-winning run at the Wta Finals. Despite the opposition catching up on Swiatek, Corretja still feels she's the player to beat, per a recent interview with Eurosport.
Corretja was a pretty good tennis player during his peak, making the Roland Garros final, among other things. He never won the event, unlike Iga Swiatek, who has three trophies from the French capital.
The most recent one came earlier this year as she bested Karolina Muchova in a match where she was down a break in the final set. According to the Polish player, who faced strong opposition from all sides this year, it was the hardest to win.
It wasn't a bad year for her despite winning only one Grand Slam, as she still finished as number one in the world after a title-winning run at the Wta Finals. Despite the opposition catching up on Swiatek, Corretja still feels she's the player to beat, per a recent interview with Eurosport.
- 12/28/2023
- Tennis Infinity
For the first time since 2020, tennis stars will descend on Queensland to play in the 13th edition of Brisbane International.
Running from December 31st to January 7th, the 2024 Brisbane International will welcome a plethora of world-class players to mark the official start of a brand-new tennis season.
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka will attempt to become the first woman to defend the Australian Open in a decade, and getting some much-needed momentum in Brisbane is vital. The Belarusian powerhouse has a slim chance of becoming No. 1 for a second time at the end of January.
She'll be joined in Brisbane by the returning former Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka, who has already landed Down Under to play her first tournament in 15 months. 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina will also add power and class to the 64-player singles draw with 16 byes.
Former Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Ostapenko are also part of the field.
Running from December 31st to January 7th, the 2024 Brisbane International will welcome a plethora of world-class players to mark the official start of a brand-new tennis season.
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka will attempt to become the first woman to defend the Australian Open in a decade, and getting some much-needed momentum in Brisbane is vital. The Belarusian powerhouse has a slim chance of becoming No. 1 for a second time at the end of January.
She'll be joined in Brisbane by the returning former Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka, who has already landed Down Under to play her first tournament in 15 months. 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina will also add power and class to the 64-player singles draw with 16 byes.
Former Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Ostapenko are also part of the field.
- 12/28/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Emma Raducanu is inching ever closer to having her name in the Australian Open main draw without the need to play qualifying.
Raducanu, currently ranked outside the world's Top 200, is slated to play the Australian Open qualifying rounds because her Special Ranking (World No. 103) is not high enough to warrant an automatic main draw berth.
A Special Ranking (Sr) is a provision that the Wta Tour gives to injured players or those on maternity leave (subject to application and approval) who are out of action for not less than six months to use the actual ranking of the last tournament in which they played or receive prize money.
Raducnau's Sr of 103 would have qualified her for the year's first Grand Slam. However, the cut-off entry at the 2024 Australian Open has been lowered due to a stack of Special Ranking entrants with double-digit rankings (higher than Raducanu's).
Therefore, the British tennis...
Raducanu, currently ranked outside the world's Top 200, is slated to play the Australian Open qualifying rounds because her Special Ranking (World No. 103) is not high enough to warrant an automatic main draw berth.
A Special Ranking (Sr) is a provision that the Wta Tour gives to injured players or those on maternity leave (subject to application and approval) who are out of action for not less than six months to use the actual ranking of the last tournament in which they played or receive prize money.
Raducnau's Sr of 103 would have qualified her for the year's first Grand Slam. However, the cut-off entry at the 2024 Australian Open has been lowered due to a stack of Special Ranking entrants with double-digit rankings (higher than Raducanu's).
Therefore, the British tennis...
- 12/26/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek once again proved to be a dominant force in 2023, but her reign was seriously challenged and will be challenged again in 2024.
2022 was a spectacular year for Iga Swiatek who played amazing tennis all year long. 2023 was, in many ways, a more impressive year because she overcame quite a few obstacles and still came out on top despite several players improving their level.
A similar challenge awaits her in 2024 as several players are looking to step up even further, and that's very exciting news for all tennis fans, who are closely following the Wta Tour.
The usual suspects of ARyna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula will always be a problem, but other players like Marketa Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova had tremendous years in 2023.
Analyzing what Swiatek might face in 2024, Eurosport analyst Barbara Schett picked Sabalenka and Rybakina as the biggest challenges.
I think on the hard courts,...
2022 was a spectacular year for Iga Swiatek who played amazing tennis all year long. 2023 was, in many ways, a more impressive year because she overcame quite a few obstacles and still came out on top despite several players improving their level.
A similar challenge awaits her in 2024 as several players are looking to step up even further, and that's very exciting news for all tennis fans, who are closely following the Wta Tour.
The usual suspects of ARyna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula will always be a problem, but other players like Marketa Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova had tremendous years in 2023.
Analyzing what Swiatek might face in 2024, Eurosport analyst Barbara Schett picked Sabalenka and Rybakina as the biggest challenges.
I think on the hard courts,...
- 12/23/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Two of the highest seeds at the 2024 Wta Brisbane International have withdrawn from Queensland's new season's opening tournament.
The two players are World No. 8 Karolina Muchova and World No. 12 Madison Keys. Reasons for their absence have not been disclosed, but Muchova's wrist injury is well documented, and it appears she hasn't recovered in time to play in Brisbane.
This is a setback for Muchova on the back of a career-best year on the Wta tour. She played 51 matches in 2023, the most she has managed in a calendar year since 2019. It was the first time in a long while that 27-year-old managed to keep her health in check.
But that persistence and sheer effort have come at the expense of her body again as she injured her wrist at the US Open, where she made the semis and lost to eventual champion Coco Gauff.
Muchova tried all rehabilitation procedures to make it to the Wta Finals,...
The two players are World No. 8 Karolina Muchova and World No. 12 Madison Keys. Reasons for their absence have not been disclosed, but Muchova's wrist injury is well documented, and it appears she hasn't recovered in time to play in Brisbane.
This is a setback for Muchova on the back of a career-best year on the Wta tour. She played 51 matches in 2023, the most she has managed in a calendar year since 2019. It was the first time in a long while that 27-year-old managed to keep her health in check.
But that persistence and sheer effort have come at the expense of her body again as she injured her wrist at the US Open, where she made the semis and lost to eventual champion Coco Gauff.
Muchova tried all rehabilitation procedures to make it to the Wta Finals,...
- 12/22/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Marketa Vondrousova has been named the Czech Tennis Player of the Year after a superb season, which included a maiden Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon.
Vondrousova demonstrated tremendous tennis skills years ago when she reached the French Open final. She lost that one to Jelena Ostapenko, but it was only a matter of time before she got another chance.
She was simply that good. It took her a very long time, though, as it only happened several years after that achievement and not in the place where you'd expect. She's generally regarded as a pretty strong clay player with a very good hard-court level as well.
Even so, her maiden Grand Slam trophy came on grass. That was a major shock to her and everybody else because she's never been known as a good grass player.
She even admitted that she anticipated a first-round exit, but she made it to the final,...
Vondrousova demonstrated tremendous tennis skills years ago when she reached the French Open final. She lost that one to Jelena Ostapenko, but it was only a matter of time before she got another chance.
She was simply that good. It took her a very long time, though, as it only happened several years after that achievement and not in the place where you'd expect. She's generally regarded as a pretty strong clay player with a very good hard-court level as well.
Even so, her maiden Grand Slam trophy came on grass. That was a major shock to her and everybody else because she's never been known as a good grass player.
She even admitted that she anticipated a first-round exit, but she made it to the final,...
- 12/22/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Emma Raducanu might not need to go through the rigors of qualifying to play in the main draw of the 2024 Australian Open.
However, there is a caveat on how she'll enter next year's first Grand Slam tournament. Because Raducanu's rank dropped to a low of No. 296 upon release of the entry list, she needed either a main draw wild card or use her Special Ranking to avoid playing qualifying rounds.
Suffice to say neither of those two possibilities worked for her. A wild card has not been forthcoming, and at this moment, Raducanu's Sr of World No. 103 is inadequate to garner her a main draw spot. It would have been sufficient on any other previous edition, but not next year.
It's not all doom and gloom for Raducanu, who is set to return at the Asb Classic in Auckland in January, as she'll now need four more withdrawals to qualify...
However, there is a caveat on how she'll enter next year's first Grand Slam tournament. Because Raducanu's rank dropped to a low of No. 296 upon release of the entry list, she needed either a main draw wild card or use her Special Ranking to avoid playing qualifying rounds.
Suffice to say neither of those two possibilities worked for her. A wild card has not been forthcoming, and at this moment, Raducanu's Sr of World No. 103 is inadequate to garner her a main draw spot. It would have been sufficient on any other previous edition, but not next year.
It's not all doom and gloom for Raducanu, who is set to return at the Asb Classic in Auckland in January, as she'll now need four more withdrawals to qualify...
- 12/21/2023
- Tennis Infinity
One of the stats of the 2023 Wta season showcased Iga Swiatek's unwavering dominance that cemented her spot as the world's top-ranked woman for the second year in a row.
Swiatek won Roland Garros for a third time in June thanks to an epic win over first-time Grand Slam finalist Karolina Muchova in three pulsating sets. She extended her unbeaten streak in Grand Slam finals to 4-0 and is now part of a very exclusive list of players to achieve this feat.
The 22-year-old from Warsaw is just the third Wta player in the Open Era and fourth overall across both tours to win their first four Grand Slams finals. Swiatek has won more French Opens than Maria Sharapova and Martina Navratilova and has drawn level with Serena Williams.
Swiatek joins fellow Wta star Naomi Osaka, who also won her first four Grand Slams, Monica Seles, who won her first six,...
Swiatek won Roland Garros for a third time in June thanks to an epic win over first-time Grand Slam finalist Karolina Muchova in three pulsating sets. She extended her unbeaten streak in Grand Slam finals to 4-0 and is now part of a very exclusive list of players to achieve this feat.
The 22-year-old from Warsaw is just the third Wta player in the Open Era and fourth overall across both tours to win their first four Grand Slams finals. Swiatek has won more French Opens than Maria Sharapova and Martina Navratilova and has drawn level with Serena Williams.
Swiatek joins fellow Wta star Naomi Osaka, who also won her first four Grand Slams, Monica Seles, who won her first six,...
- 12/15/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2024 Adelaide International is the last Wta 500 tournament before the first major of the season, held from January 8th to 13th, 2024.
As the last so-called "warm-up tournament," the entry list for Adelaide International includes all the top names, with the initial cut-off being already 28th place in the Wta Rankings.
Last year, there were two tournaments held at the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre in Adelaide, Australia. Aryna Sabalenka won the first one, and Belinda Bencic triumphed in the second tournament, but neither of them will come in 2024.
On the other hand, it will be Elena Rybakina, who later lost to Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, who will be the leading player at the tournament, and speaking ahead of the event on the tournament's official website, the Kazakhstani player was happy to lead the entry list.
"I’m looking forward to returning to Adelaide. As players we have everything we...
As the last so-called "warm-up tournament," the entry list for Adelaide International includes all the top names, with the initial cut-off being already 28th place in the Wta Rankings.
Last year, there were two tournaments held at the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre in Adelaide, Australia. Aryna Sabalenka won the first one, and Belinda Bencic triumphed in the second tournament, but neither of them will come in 2024.
On the other hand, it will be Elena Rybakina, who later lost to Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, who will be the leading player at the tournament, and speaking ahead of the event on the tournament's official website, the Kazakhstani player was happy to lead the entry list.
"I’m looking forward to returning to Adelaide. As players we have everything we...
- 12/13/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic were among the most searched athletes via Google in 2023.
The results perhaps come as no surprise, considering Alcaraz and Djokovic dominated the biggest Atp competitions in 2023. Overall, the duo won all four Grand Slams between them, but Djokovic edged his Spanish competitor by winning the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and US Open compared to Alcaraz's Wimbledon victory.
However, the pair were not just among the most searched tennis players worldwide, and they ranked sixth and seventh among the most searched athletes this year.
Other tennis players also featured in the most-searched list from Google and the analytics, revealed some interesting queries for the best tennis players.
Damar Hamlin topped the list of most-searched athletes ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Travis Kelce, with Djokovic being the sixth most-searched athlete while Alcaraz was right behind him in seventh.
The final trends from 2023 show a slight change from earlier in the year.
The results perhaps come as no surprise, considering Alcaraz and Djokovic dominated the biggest Atp competitions in 2023. Overall, the duo won all four Grand Slams between them, but Djokovic edged his Spanish competitor by winning the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and US Open compared to Alcaraz's Wimbledon victory.
However, the pair were not just among the most searched tennis players worldwide, and they ranked sixth and seventh among the most searched athletes this year.
Other tennis players also featured in the most-searched list from Google and the analytics, revealed some interesting queries for the best tennis players.
Damar Hamlin topped the list of most-searched athletes ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Travis Kelce, with Djokovic being the sixth most-searched athlete while Alcaraz was right behind him in seventh.
The final trends from 2023 show a slight change from earlier in the year.
- 12/11/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Coco Gauff's historic US Open win in September has earned global acclaim, and she was among the women who dominated this year's events economy.
This is according to a report by StatHub - an online ticket marketplace - which tables a year-end report showcasing women's impact in generating sales across live entertainment, including concerts and sporting events.
Gauff's spontaneous rise last season saw her bag three titles during the US swing, including her maiden Grand Slam in New York, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
She became the first American teenager to win the US Open since Serena Williams over two decades ago.
The young American's seismic win has earned her a seat at the table as some of the most revered women in different live entertainment genres, like pop music stars Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Adele. Gauff is credited for driving the average ticket price for...
This is according to a report by StatHub - an online ticket marketplace - which tables a year-end report showcasing women's impact in generating sales across live entertainment, including concerts and sporting events.
Gauff's spontaneous rise last season saw her bag three titles during the US swing, including her maiden Grand Slam in New York, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
She became the first American teenager to win the US Open since Serena Williams over two decades ago.
The young American's seismic win has earned her a seat at the table as some of the most revered women in different live entertainment genres, like pop music stars Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Adele. Gauff is credited for driving the average ticket price for...
- 12/10/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek has been praised for her mental focus by many including the king of mental focus, Novak Djokovic, and credit goes to her psychologist.
Swiatek wasn't always known as a mental powerhouse, quite the opposite really. She was known to get overwhelmed by the moment or pressure, which isn't good if you're shooting at the top like she was. It needed to change, and she hired a sports psychologist to help her tackle that.
It workd as she was able to transform herself into a mental powerhouse that is able to overcome some pretty tough things. Take the Roland Garros final earlier this year. She was down a break against Karolina Muchova in the final set btu rallied to win the match. Performances like those earned her the praise of Novak Djokovic and others, and according to Swiatek, it wouldn't have happened with her psychologist.
I remember I always...
Swiatek wasn't always known as a mental powerhouse, quite the opposite really. She was known to get overwhelmed by the moment or pressure, which isn't good if you're shooting at the top like she was. It needed to change, and she hired a sports psychologist to help her tackle that.
It workd as she was able to transform herself into a mental powerhouse that is able to overcome some pretty tough things. Take the Roland Garros final earlier this year. She was down a break against Karolina Muchova in the final set btu rallied to win the match. Performances like those earned her the praise of Novak Djokovic and others, and according to Swiatek, it wouldn't have happened with her psychologist.
I remember I always...
- 12/9/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek won the 2023 Roland Garros, but it almost didn't happen as she battled a serious injury prior to the event.
For the most part, Swiatek has been utterly spectacular at Roland Garros. She basically looked like the female version of Rafael Nadal in the way she dominated her opponents at the event.
That was impressive, but it was a bit different this year. She didn't quite dominate as much, at least as the event went on. She faced strong opposition from a few players, including Karolina Muchova, in the final.
It was a match that Muchova could have won and almost did win. She was up a break in the final set but couldn't quite hold it together due to a sickness.
Swiatek herself had physical problems even though it wasn't really noticeable. According to the Polish player, who spoke to Radio One’s Cezary Gurjew, she had a serious injury during the event,...
For the most part, Swiatek has been utterly spectacular at Roland Garros. She basically looked like the female version of Rafael Nadal in the way she dominated her opponents at the event.
That was impressive, but it was a bit different this year. She didn't quite dominate as much, at least as the event went on. She faced strong opposition from a few players, including Karolina Muchova, in the final.
It was a match that Muchova could have won and almost did win. She was up a break in the final set but couldn't quite hold it together due to a sickness.
Swiatek herself had physical problems even though it wasn't really noticeable. According to the Polish player, who spoke to Radio One’s Cezary Gurjew, she had a serious injury during the event,...
- 12/7/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The first Wta 500 event of the 2024 season will begin in earnest on New Year's Day, where eight of the world's Top 20 players will lead the pack at the Brisbane International.
Primarily played on outdoor hard courts and serving as one of the Australian Open warm-up tournaments, the Brisbane International will return to the calendar after a four-year absence. Tournament organizers have wasted no time brokering deals to bring the most prominent names on the women's circuit to the event.
Firstly, World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka will look to continue the fine trend of her fellow compatriots at this event. Since Brisbane International was incepted in 2009, a Belarusian player has reached the finals on four occasions (Victoria Azarenka accounts for two titles).
Sabalenka is the top seed and will be joined by her good friend Elena Rybakina in gracing the courts in Brisbane. The big-serving Kazakh has previously won on Australian soil...
Primarily played on outdoor hard courts and serving as one of the Australian Open warm-up tournaments, the Brisbane International will return to the calendar after a four-year absence. Tournament organizers have wasted no time brokering deals to bring the most prominent names on the women's circuit to the event.
Firstly, World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka will look to continue the fine trend of her fellow compatriots at this event. Since Brisbane International was incepted in 2009, a Belarusian player has reached the finals on four occasions (Victoria Azarenka accounts for two titles).
Sabalenka is the top seed and will be joined by her good friend Elena Rybakina in gracing the courts in Brisbane. The big-serving Kazakh has previously won on Australian soil...
- 12/6/2023
- Tennis Infinity
According to former Wta player Andrea Petkovic, Aryna Sabalenka could have won all four Grand Slams in 2023, as she was very close to winning all of them.
While it might seem like a pretty laughable take, given the strength of the competition, it's not. First of all, Sabalenka did win one Grand Slam, and it was the first one in the calendar - the Australian Open.
It showed a new Sabalenka, which we didn't see in 2022, and it was a pretty strong one. She would keep the level high for much of the year, which secured her the number one rank at the end of summer, though she didn't hold it.
A superb finish by Iga Swiatek snatched away the number one rank from Sabalenka. So she was quite consistent this year, but how close was she actually to a calendar Grand Slam? Well, let's see.
After winning the Australian Open,...
While it might seem like a pretty laughable take, given the strength of the competition, it's not. First of all, Sabalenka did win one Grand Slam, and it was the first one in the calendar - the Australian Open.
It showed a new Sabalenka, which we didn't see in 2022, and it was a pretty strong one. She would keep the level high for much of the year, which secured her the number one rank at the end of summer, though she didn't hold it.
A superb finish by Iga Swiatek snatched away the number one rank from Sabalenka. So she was quite consistent this year, but how close was she actually to a calendar Grand Slam? Well, let's see.
After winning the Australian Open,...
- 12/6/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek broke new ground last season when she became the first woman to triumph at every level on the Wta tour in precisely a decade.
The consistent Pole won six singles titles - the most of any woman in 2023 - but that is not where the records end. She replicated a feat last achieved by Serena Williams in 2013, winning at least one tournament in every category - 250, 500, 1000, Wta Finals, and Grand Slam.
She was slow off the blocks at the start of the season but finished with a sprint, passing Aryna Sabalenka in the year-end race for the No. 1 ranking and winning the two big titles in the final weeks. Of her six titles this season, one was at a 250 level in her home city of Warsaw.
It was the first title win in her home country after a very tough loss to Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon. At the 500 level,...
The consistent Pole won six singles titles - the most of any woman in 2023 - but that is not where the records end. She replicated a feat last achieved by Serena Williams in 2013, winning at least one tournament in every category - 250, 500, 1000, Wta Finals, and Grand Slam.
She was slow off the blocks at the start of the season but finished with a sprint, passing Aryna Sabalenka in the year-end race for the No. 1 ranking and winning the two big titles in the final weeks. Of her six titles this season, one was at a 250 level in her home city of Warsaw.
It was the first title win in her home country after a very tough loss to Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon. At the 500 level,...
- 12/5/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Marketa Vondrousova and Elina Svitolina are the biggest favorites to win the prestigious Wta Comeback Player of the Year award after the list of nominees was released.
As the Wta Tour rests after 11 months of intense competition, it's time to hand out the post-season accolades. The Wta does a good job of honoring some of the players in its customary annual awards in five categories.
One of those is the Wta Comeback Player of the Year award which recognizes the forgotten women on tour who enjoyed a resurgence this season. The five-woman shortlist has been determined and it is led by Vondrousova.
What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, the 24-year-old Czech had just won a W100 title in Shrewsbury. It was her breakthrough comeback tournament after a torrid year was hindered by a wrist injury.
Nobody doubted her talent, but could Vondrousova stay fit for a whole season?...
As the Wta Tour rests after 11 months of intense competition, it's time to hand out the post-season accolades. The Wta does a good job of honoring some of the players in its customary annual awards in five categories.
One of those is the Wta Comeback Player of the Year award which recognizes the forgotten women on tour who enjoyed a resurgence this season. The five-woman shortlist has been determined and it is led by Vondrousova.
What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, the 24-year-old Czech had just won a W100 title in Shrewsbury. It was her breakthrough comeback tournament after a torrid year was hindered by a wrist injury.
Nobody doubted her talent, but could Vondrousova stay fit for a whole season?...
- 11/21/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek reigned supreme as the Wta's best player for the second straight year after a scintillating finish to the season.
Despite the notion from many quarters saying she wasn't quite as dominant as in 2022, the numbers paint a different story. Yes, she faced much sterner tests and opposition in 2023, but she was unequivocally the top-performing player overall in a captivating season.
Shortly after the end of the Wta season, Swiatek was chosen as our 2023 Wta Player of the Year, and here are some of the numbers and milestones that reinforce this vote.
13 Wins Over Top 10 Players
If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Iga Swiatek stood by these words after earning an impressive 13 wins over Top 10 players. In fact, she is the first player to tally 10 or more wins over this caliber of opposition for successive seasons since Serena Williams (2013 & 2014).
Most Match...
Despite the notion from many quarters saying she wasn't quite as dominant as in 2022, the numbers paint a different story. Yes, she faced much sterner tests and opposition in 2023, but she was unequivocally the top-performing player overall in a captivating season.
Shortly after the end of the Wta season, Swiatek was chosen as our 2023 Wta Player of the Year, and here are some of the numbers and milestones that reinforce this vote.
13 Wins Over Top 10 Players
If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Iga Swiatek stood by these words after earning an impressive 13 wins over Top 10 players. In fact, she is the first player to tally 10 or more wins over this caliber of opposition for successive seasons since Serena Williams (2013 & 2014).
Most Match...
- 11/19/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek emerged as the Wta's top-performing player in one of the tightest finishes to the Wta Race.
Despite playing second fiddle to Aryna Sabalenka for 95% of the season, Swiatek had a faultless finish in the final two tournaments to swing the pendulum on her side. She won 68 matches this year, at least one more than during her stunning 2022 season.
Although her dominance waned at Grand Slam level and the Wta 1000 tournaments in comparison to the past year, her aura of invincibility never eluded her, and her opponents would attest to this. On that note, let's delve into what made the Polish star earn our vote as the season's Player of the Year.
Year-End Ranking: 1st
Coming to the 2023 season, the big question was whether Swiatek would continue to tick all the boxes on the self-improvement grid and eclipse her previous season's accomplishments. In 2022, she won two Grand Slams...
Despite playing second fiddle to Aryna Sabalenka for 95% of the season, Swiatek had a faultless finish in the final two tournaments to swing the pendulum on her side. She won 68 matches this year, at least one more than during her stunning 2022 season.
Although her dominance waned at Grand Slam level and the Wta 1000 tournaments in comparison to the past year, her aura of invincibility never eluded her, and her opponents would attest to this. On that note, let's delve into what made the Polish star earn our vote as the season's Player of the Year.
Year-End Ranking: 1st
Coming to the 2023 season, the big question was whether Swiatek would continue to tick all the boxes on the self-improvement grid and eclipse her previous season's accomplishments. In 2022, she won two Grand Slams...
- 11/15/2023
- Tennis Infinity
After 11 months of entertainment and intense competition, the 2023 Wta season came to an end this past week.
Iga Swiatek played second fiddle in the Wta Live Race in 43 of 44 weeks but sprinted to the finish line in the final lap ahead of Aryna Sabalenka who can count herself unfortunate not to hold onto the No. 1 ranking. Going to the Wta Finals, just 630 points separated the world's top two.
The math was very simple. If Swiatek defeated Sabalenka and won the Wta Finals she would reclaim the No. 1 ranking that she momentarily lost after the US Open. The Pole did just that, beating Sabalenka in a one-off semifinal in Cancun and demolishing Jessica Pegula in the title match.
Swiatek pipped Sabalenka to the top spot by just 245 points. The Belarusian will have to do it all over again in Australia at the start of next year where she will defend 2,500 points in January.
Iga Swiatek played second fiddle in the Wta Live Race in 43 of 44 weeks but sprinted to the finish line in the final lap ahead of Aryna Sabalenka who can count herself unfortunate not to hold onto the No. 1 ranking. Going to the Wta Finals, just 630 points separated the world's top two.
The math was very simple. If Swiatek defeated Sabalenka and won the Wta Finals she would reclaim the No. 1 ranking that she momentarily lost after the US Open. The Pole did just that, beating Sabalenka in a one-off semifinal in Cancun and demolishing Jessica Pegula in the title match.
Swiatek pipped Sabalenka to the top spot by just 245 points. The Belarusian will have to do it all over again in Australia at the start of next year where she will defend 2,500 points in January.
- 11/13/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Aryna Sabalenka may have relinquished the No. 1 ranking after just eight weeks, but there is one chart in which she outscored the rest of the tour.
It is easy to forget that Sabalenka led Swiatek in the Wta race in 43 of 44 weeks this season, but we cannot deny she was the Wta's big-stage player in 2023. And there is no bigger battleground than the Grand Slams.
For many years, the Belarusian was treading dangerously on the path of underachievers, having come tantalizingly close to breaking her Grand Slam duck but stumbled when a couple of steps was all she needed.
With renewed vigor and unwavering confidence, Sabalenka was determined to change her track record in Grand Slams. And it all started from the first ball she struck in the Australian summer series.
Sabalenka won the Wta 500 in Adelaide, a result that gave her the platform to go on record in Melbourne.
It is easy to forget that Sabalenka led Swiatek in the Wta race in 43 of 44 weeks this season, but we cannot deny she was the Wta's big-stage player in 2023. And there is no bigger battleground than the Grand Slams.
For many years, the Belarusian was treading dangerously on the path of underachievers, having come tantalizingly close to breaking her Grand Slam duck but stumbled when a couple of steps was all she needed.
With renewed vigor and unwavering confidence, Sabalenka was determined to change her track record in Grand Slams. And it all started from the first ball she struck in the Australian summer series.
Sabalenka won the Wta 500 in Adelaide, a result that gave her the platform to go on record in Melbourne.
- 11/12/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek has always been known as a great clay player, and she backed it up this year by dominating the whole Wta Tour on that surface.
Swiatek emerged on Tour as basically a clay specialist. While her junior career saw her win Wimbledon, among other things, everybody knew that playing on clay was her main strength.
It was her favourite surface and the one where her movement really shined. Her breakout came late in 2020 when she surprisingly won the pandemic French Open, which was played in October.
She blasted everyone en route to the final, beating Sofia Kenin in the final and finishing as champion. She didn't drop a single set at that event and finished that year with a 16-2 record on clay.
She backed it up the following year by finishing 12-2 on clay. 2022 saw her win another Roland Garros trophy, finishing 18-1 on the year. This...
Swiatek emerged on Tour as basically a clay specialist. While her junior career saw her win Wimbledon, among other things, everybody knew that playing on clay was her main strength.
It was her favourite surface and the one where her movement really shined. Her breakout came late in 2020 when she surprisingly won the pandemic French Open, which was played in October.
She blasted everyone en route to the final, beating Sofia Kenin in the final and finishing as champion. She didn't drop a single set at that event and finished that year with a 16-2 record on clay.
She backed it up the following year by finishing 12-2 on clay. 2022 saw her win another Roland Garros trophy, finishing 18-1 on the year. This...
- 11/9/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek is back on her perch once again after a successful week in Cancun, Mexico, culminating with a Monday final, which she won in devastating fashion.
The Polish star won the Wta Finals for the first time in her career and reclaimed the World No. 1 from Aryna Sabalenka. Swiatek ends the season with 9,295 points, beating the Belarusian to top spot by a mere 245 points in one of the tightest finishes to a Wta season.
19-year-old Coco Gauff will crown her breakthrough year at Grand Slam level with a Top 3 year-end ranking. The American young sensation won her maiden major title at the US Oepn and was a semifinalist at this year's season finale in Cancun.
Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula complete the Top 5. Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova failed to qualify from their group but still finished sixth and seventh in the rankings. Czech players dominate the world's Top 20.
Aside from Vondrousova,...
The Polish star won the Wta Finals for the first time in her career and reclaimed the World No. 1 from Aryna Sabalenka. Swiatek ends the season with 9,295 points, beating the Belarusian to top spot by a mere 245 points in one of the tightest finishes to a Wta season.
19-year-old Coco Gauff will crown her breakthrough year at Grand Slam level with a Top 3 year-end ranking. The American young sensation won her maiden major title at the US Oepn and was a semifinalist at this year's season finale in Cancun.
Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula complete the Top 5. Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova failed to qualify from their group but still finished sixth and seventh in the rankings. Czech players dominate the world's Top 20.
Aside from Vondrousova,...
- 11/7/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Aryna Sabalenka totally overpowered struggling Maria Sakkari to win her first match at the 2023 Wta Finals 6-0, 6-1.
The 2023 Wta Finals started with a solid match between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina, which saw the American win . After that, the world no. 1 took on a player who ranked ninth in 2023 but still qualified for the tournament.
The reason is simple. Karolina Muchova was forced to withdraw from the tournament , and as a result, Sakkari replaced the Czech player in Cancun . However, her first match was certainly far from what she imagined.
Sabalenka is fighting for the world no. 1 spot in Cancun , and in her first match, she showed that she is all business in the Mexican city, ruthlessly destroying her opponent, and giving up only one game.
However, despite the scoreboard showing a dominant result, many times, the match wasn't so dominant. In the opening set, Sakkari troubled her opponent...
The 2023 Wta Finals started with a solid match between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina, which saw the American win . After that, the world no. 1 took on a player who ranked ninth in 2023 but still qualified for the tournament.
The reason is simple. Karolina Muchova was forced to withdraw from the tournament , and as a result, Sakkari replaced the Czech player in Cancun . However, her first match was certainly far from what she imagined.
Sabalenka is fighting for the world no. 1 spot in Cancun , and in her first match, she showed that she is all business in the Mexican city, ruthlessly destroying her opponent, and giving up only one game.
However, despite the scoreboard showing a dominant result, many times, the match wasn't so dominant. In the opening set, Sakkari troubled her opponent...
- 10/30/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Wta 's world number one Aryna Sabalenka kicks off her 2023 Wta Finals with a match against Maria Sakkari , so what might happen here?
Maria Sakkari wasn't even supposed to play at the Wta Finals, but the withdrawal of Karolina Muchova sealed her spot at the event. The Greek player was in Forth Worth last year, so it's not like she's undeserving, and she also has a really good track record in Mexico, having won the Guadalajara Open recently.
Sabalenka has played pretty well all year long, and many expected her to be one of the likelier players to do well at the event. We haven't seen her much in Mexico, but considering her consistency this year, it's unlikely that she'll be anything but good here.
Head-to-head:
The H2H between them is pretty fascinating, as they played nine matches so far. Sabalenka leads 6-3, having won both matches this year.
Maria Sakkari wasn't even supposed to play at the Wta Finals, but the withdrawal of Karolina Muchova sealed her spot at the event. The Greek player was in Forth Worth last year, so it's not like she's undeserving, and she also has a really good track record in Mexico, having won the Guadalajara Open recently.
Sabalenka has played pretty well all year long, and many expected her to be one of the likelier players to do well at the event. We haven't seen her much in Mexico, but considering her consistency this year, it's unlikely that she'll be anything but good here.
Head-to-head:
The H2H between them is pretty fascinating, as they played nine matches so far. Sabalenka leads 6-3, having won both matches this year.
- 10/29/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The draw for the 2023 Wta Finals has been released, in which the race for the No. 1 ranking will be determined.
Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek will contest one last sprint to the finish line in Cancun, but there is a trophy to win and a whopping $3,024,000 in prize money for the undefeated champion .
Sabalenka and Swiatek learned before the draw ceremony that they wouldn't be paired in the same group because they were drawn from the same pots . But the draw is set to rekindle some exciting rematches.
The Wta Finals usually begin in the round-robin phase, where two groups of four players will vie to finish in the top two. The top finishers in each group will face the second-placed players in the other group in the semifinal (knockout phase).
Bacalar Group
The first group will see a redux of the Australian Open final. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will...
Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek will contest one last sprint to the finish line in Cancun, but there is a trophy to win and a whopping $3,024,000 in prize money for the undefeated champion .
Sabalenka and Swiatek learned before the draw ceremony that they wouldn't be paired in the same group because they were drawn from the same pots . But the draw is set to rekindle some exciting rematches.
The Wta Finals usually begin in the round-robin phase, where two groups of four players will vie to finish in the top two. The top finishers in each group will face the second-placed players in the other group in the semifinal (knockout phase).
Bacalar Group
The first group will see a redux of the Australian Open final. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will...
- 10/28/2023
- Tennis Infinity
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has a higher winning rate this season than the rest of the world's Top 8 in the Wta Race ahead of the 2023 Wta Finals .
In addition, Swiatek has a better aggregate head-to-head record against the same club, which could give her a psychological edge in the tournament that will kick off on Sunday, October 29. Swiatek has never won the prestigious season finale, but this is a very good chance to break that barren run.
The Pole was named the 2022 Wta Player of the Year after an outstanding season saw her clinch two of the four Grand Slams along with many other big trophies at the Wta 1000 level. While her 2023 season doesn't quite stack up in terms of trophies, her output has been excellent.
Testament to this, Swiatek has won the most matches on tour this year, with 60 from 70 matches. That translates to a tour-leading 85.7% win rate. Only...
In addition, Swiatek has a better aggregate head-to-head record against the same club, which could give her a psychological edge in the tournament that will kick off on Sunday, October 29. Swiatek has never won the prestigious season finale, but this is a very good chance to break that barren run.
The Pole was named the 2022 Wta Player of the Year after an outstanding season saw her clinch two of the four Grand Slams along with many other big trophies at the Wta 1000 level. While her 2023 season doesn't quite stack up in terms of trophies, her output has been excellent.
Testament to this, Swiatek has won the most matches on tour this year, with 60 from 70 matches. That translates to a tour-leading 85.7% win rate. Only...
- 10/28/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Aryna Sabalenka took to the practice courts on Wednesday ahead of the Wta Finals , but the Belarusian star was clearly dismayed at the state of the playing conditions.
Sabalenka used her Instagram account to share her coach's thoughts after finding out that only two practice courts will be available for the players to prepare for the season-ending championships which will begin on Sunday, October 29.
Sabalenka's coach Antonio Dubrov shared a video on his Insta stories while taking charge of the practice session. Dubrov was not happy with the conditions and raised the issue on social media with the caption, "2 practice courts till Saturday. 1 stringer on site."
Ostensibly, complaints about limited practice courts seem unreasonable considering the smaller field at this event. But the news of the main stadium that is expected to host the matches being far from complete is what paints a grim picture for the tournament and the Wta.
Sabalenka used her Instagram account to share her coach's thoughts after finding out that only two practice courts will be available for the players to prepare for the season-ending championships which will begin on Sunday, October 29.
Sabalenka's coach Antonio Dubrov shared a video on his Insta stories while taking charge of the practice session. Dubrov was not happy with the conditions and raised the issue on social media with the caption, "2 practice courts till Saturday. 1 stringer on site."
Ostensibly, complaints about limited practice courts seem unreasonable considering the smaller field at this event. But the news of the main stadium that is expected to host the matches being far from complete is what paints a grim picture for the tournament and the Wta.
- 10/26/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Maria Sakkari was torn between empathy and excitement in the wake of Karolina Muchova's withdrawal from the 2023 Wta Finals.
The Greek was the first alternate to replace any player who would pull out from the season finale, having finished ninth in the Wta Race, behind Muchova. The 27-year-old Muchova along with fellow Czech Marketa Vondrousova were all set to make their debuts at the event.
But Vondrousova will be the one heading there alone after her countrywoman withdrew due to a persistent wrist injury . On Tuesday, Muchova shared the disappointing news, that despite taking extra precautionary measures with doctors, the injury did not heal in time.
Since her last appearance at the US Open (where she fell to a straight sets defeat to eventual champion Coco Gauff in the semifinal), Muchova spent nearly two months on the sidelines. She sacrificed the entire Asian swing in order to recuperate. But...
The Greek was the first alternate to replace any player who would pull out from the season finale, having finished ninth in the Wta Race, behind Muchova. The 27-year-old Muchova along with fellow Czech Marketa Vondrousova were all set to make their debuts at the event.
But Vondrousova will be the one heading there alone after her countrywoman withdrew due to a persistent wrist injury . On Tuesday, Muchova shared the disappointing news, that despite taking extra precautionary measures with doctors, the injury did not heal in time.
Since her last appearance at the US Open (where she fell to a straight sets defeat to eventual champion Coco Gauff in the semifinal), Muchova spent nearly two months on the sidelines. She sacrificed the entire Asian swing in order to recuperate. But...
- 10/25/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Even though she might not have qualified the traditional way, Maria Sakkari will once again play at the Wta Finals after Karolina Muchova withdrew.
Maria Sakkari had a pretty up-and-down season as the Greek player struggled with form and confidence issues. She spoke about it openly, admitting to almost going on a hiatus after those disappointments but pushed through, and it paid off.
She won the Guadalajara Open , which broke a very long trophy drought and is by far the biggest trophy she's ever won. It was a huge moment for her as her play continued to remain solid after that during her stay in Asia.
Now, she'll get a chance to play at the Wta Finals once more as Karolina Muchova withdrew from the event . The Czech player qualified recently but unfortunately won't be able to make it due to a wrist injury, which leaves her unable to play.
Maria Sakkari had a pretty up-and-down season as the Greek player struggled with form and confidence issues. She spoke about it openly, admitting to almost going on a hiatus after those disappointments but pushed through, and it paid off.
She won the Guadalajara Open , which broke a very long trophy drought and is by far the biggest trophy she's ever won. It was a huge moment for her as her play continued to remain solid after that during her stay in Asia.
Now, she'll get a chance to play at the Wta Finals once more as Karolina Muchova withdrew from the event . The Czech player qualified recently but unfortunately won't be able to make it due to a wrist injury, which leaves her unable to play.
- 10/24/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Karolina Muchova finally had a semi-healthy season, which was enough for her to secure a spot at the Wta Finals, but she won't play there because of an injury.
The opening line says it all because Karolina Muchova is truly one of the best players on the Tour when fully healthy. Her combination of skills is rather unique on Tour allowing her to play well on all surfaces. Her run at Roland Garros was almost impeccable but she couldn’t keep the level towards the end allowing Iga Swiatek to win the trophy .
She's also amazing on hard courts, which she demonstrated a few times, including this year in Cincinnati, where she made it to the final, losing to Coco Gauff. All of those efforts were enough for her to secure a spot at the Wta Finals .
It's a well-deserved one as she truly was one of the best players this year,...
The opening line says it all because Karolina Muchova is truly one of the best players on the Tour when fully healthy. Her combination of skills is rather unique on Tour allowing her to play well on all surfaces. Her run at Roland Garros was almost impeccable but she couldn’t keep the level towards the end allowing Iga Swiatek to win the trophy .
She's also amazing on hard courts, which she demonstrated a few times, including this year in Cincinnati, where she made it to the final, losing to Coco Gauff. All of those efforts were enough for her to secure a spot at the Wta Finals .
It's a well-deserved one as she truly was one of the best players this year,...
- 10/24/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The four pots for the 2023 Wta Finals have been determined, pitting the top two seeds, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek , together and who will avoid each other in the round-robin stage.
The rest of the pots are in accordance with the race standings. This means the second pot includes Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina . The third pot has Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur . The fourth and last pot contains the two Czech debutants Marketa Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova .
The Wta Finals will begin on October 29th and conclude on November 5th . It will be held in Cancun, Mexico. The date for the draw ceremony has not yet been announced, but fans are already speculating about the possible matchups we could see from the group stage.
Players belonging to the same pot cannot face each other until the semifinal at the earliest. So Sabalenka and Swiatek, who have their year-end No.
The rest of the pots are in accordance with the race standings. This means the second pot includes Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina . The third pot has Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur . The fourth and last pot contains the two Czech debutants Marketa Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova .
The Wta Finals will begin on October 29th and conclude on November 5th . It will be held in Cancun, Mexico. The date for the draw ceremony has not yet been announced, but fans are already speculating about the possible matchups we could see from the group stage.
Players belonging to the same pot cannot face each other until the semifinal at the earliest. So Sabalenka and Swiatek, who have their year-end No.
- 10/18/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Cluj-Napoca has been home for the Transylvania Open for just two seasons, but it has garnered a reputation as the best Wta 250 in the past year.
Now in its third edition, which will run from October 16th to 22nd , we are guaranteed a new champion. That is because last year's winner Anna Blinkova is extending her spell in Asia, while the inaugural champion Anett Kontaveit retired from professional tennis this season at the age of 27.
The tournament has received a big blow in its player participation. Caroline Garcia and Donna Vekic have withdrawn due to injuries, therefore the seeds will now shuffle a bit. Romania's Sorana Cirstea will now spearhead the 28-player field in her home tournament, and the draw for the event has been released.
Cirstea will start her campaign against the highly-talented Eva Lys. But the young German's recent retirement in Seoul leaves a major question mark on her fitness coming to Cluj-Napoca.
Now in its third edition, which will run from October 16th to 22nd , we are guaranteed a new champion. That is because last year's winner Anna Blinkova is extending her spell in Asia, while the inaugural champion Anett Kontaveit retired from professional tennis this season at the age of 27.
The tournament has received a big blow in its player participation. Caroline Garcia and Donna Vekic have withdrawn due to injuries, therefore the seeds will now shuffle a bit. Romania's Sorana Cirstea will now spearhead the 28-player field in her home tournament, and the draw for the event has been released.
Cirstea will start her campaign against the highly-talented Eva Lys. But the young German's recent retirement in Seoul leaves a major question mark on her fitness coming to Cluj-Napoca.
- 10/15/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Former Wta player Pam Shriver thinks that Iga Swiatek will break Chris Evert 's Roland Garros record, which sits at seven trophies right now.
Chris Evert was an amazing tennis player who won a lot of trophies in her career. Among those trophies, she has won seven Roland Garros trophies which is the best mark in women's tennis.
No player has ever won more trophies in Paris as Evert finished ahead of Steffi Graff, who has six, and Margaret Court, who had five. There are some great players on clay on the women's side of tennis, but none are as good as Iga Swiatek.
The Polish player has been spectacular so far, winning three Roland Garros trophies. The 3rd came this year over Karolina Muchova , and according to Shriver, who talked on Inside-In Podcast, Swiatek will likely topple Evert for the most trophies.
I do think Iga Swiatek can certainly chase down Chrissie’s record,...
Chris Evert was an amazing tennis player who won a lot of trophies in her career. Among those trophies, she has won seven Roland Garros trophies which is the best mark in women's tennis.
No player has ever won more trophies in Paris as Evert finished ahead of Steffi Graff, who has six, and Margaret Court, who had five. There are some great players on clay on the women's side of tennis, but none are as good as Iga Swiatek.
The Polish player has been spectacular so far, winning three Roland Garros trophies. The 3rd came this year over Karolina Muchova , and according to Shriver, who talked on Inside-In Podcast, Swiatek will likely topple Evert for the most trophies.
I do think Iga Swiatek can certainly chase down Chrissie’s record,...
- 10/13/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek has reduced Aryna Sabalenka 's lead at the top of the world rankings to three digits as the season inches to its climax.
The Polish superstar won the 2023 China Open this past week - her first Wta 1000 of the season in scintillating style, dropping just one set throughout the week. She ended Coco Gauff 's 16-match winning streak at the event before romping to the title in Sunday's final.
Swiatek, who now has 8,890 points is just 590 points behind Sabalenka in the latest rankings and the world No. 1 ranking will be decided at the season finale in Cancun. Both players won't play at any Wta tournament between now and the end of October.
The rest of the Top 10 remains unchanged, but results in Beijing sealed the last three spots at the Wta Finals . Marketa Vondrousova , Ons Jabeur , and Karolina Muchova will join the current Top 5 of Sabalenka, Swiatek, Coco Gauff,...
The Polish superstar won the 2023 China Open this past week - her first Wta 1000 of the season in scintillating style, dropping just one set throughout the week. She ended Coco Gauff 's 16-match winning streak at the event before romping to the title in Sunday's final.
Swiatek, who now has 8,890 points is just 590 points behind Sabalenka in the latest rankings and the world No. 1 ranking will be decided at the season finale in Cancun. Both players won't play at any Wta tournament between now and the end of October.
The rest of the Top 10 remains unchanged, but results in Beijing sealed the last three spots at the Wta Finals . Marketa Vondrousova , Ons Jabeur , and Karolina Muchova will join the current Top 5 of Sabalenka, Swiatek, Coco Gauff,...
- 10/9/2023
- Tennis Infinity
After some final-less appearances in the United States, Iga Swiatek is back to a big final as she'll face Liudmila Samsonova in the 2023 China Open final.
It's been a very interesting week for Iga Swiatek, who is back again in a big final after missing out on several. Her last big final came at Roland Garros against Karolina Muchova. She has already played a couple of finals at the Wta 1000 level.
She was in the final in Dubai (l. to Krejcikova) and Madrid (l. to Sabalenka) hoping to finally win a trophy. The opponent will be a tricky one in Samsonova. She's one of the streakiest players on Tour capable of an amazing level when it's her day.
She's had one of their crazy weeks where she goes ballistic and beats everybody, which she further demonstrated against Elena Rybakina . Swiatek's semi-final win was no less impressive as she bested Coco Gauff,...
It's been a very interesting week for Iga Swiatek, who is back again in a big final after missing out on several. Her last big final came at Roland Garros against Karolina Muchova. She has already played a couple of finals at the Wta 1000 level.
She was in the final in Dubai (l. to Krejcikova) and Madrid (l. to Sabalenka) hoping to finally win a trophy. The opponent will be a tricky one in Samsonova. She's one of the streakiest players on Tour capable of an amazing level when it's her day.
She's had one of their crazy weeks where she goes ballistic and beats everybody, which she further demonstrated against Elena Rybakina . Swiatek's semi-final win was no less impressive as she bested Coco Gauff,...
- 10/7/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The Zhengzhou Open is the final Wta 500 of the season and features the cream of the crop in the 28-player field.
Main draw action will commence on Monday, October 9th, and the draw for the 2023 edition has been released throwing up the potential for exciting matches. Three Grand Slam champions and two Grand Slam finalists garnish the field.
Top seed Coco Gauff raised eyebrows with her surprise decision to take a late wild card into this year's field . The tournament organizers will be sweating at Gauff's arrival after the young American appeared to struggle with a shoulder issue during her Beijing defeat against Iga Swiatek.
The top four seeds at the tournament have a bye in the first round. So the 2023 US Open champion will begin her campaign on Wednesday against one of Petra Martic or Magda Linette. Gauff needed three hours to deconstruct the Croatian in Beijing this week,...
Main draw action will commence on Monday, October 9th, and the draw for the 2023 edition has been released throwing up the potential for exciting matches. Three Grand Slam champions and two Grand Slam finalists garnish the field.
Top seed Coco Gauff raised eyebrows with her surprise decision to take a late wild card into this year's field . The tournament organizers will be sweating at Gauff's arrival after the young American appeared to struggle with a shoulder issue during her Beijing defeat against Iga Swiatek.
The top four seeds at the tournament have a bye in the first round. So the 2023 US Open champion will begin her campaign on Wednesday against one of Petra Martic or Magda Linette. Gauff needed three hours to deconstruct the Croatian in Beijing this week,...
- 10/7/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2023 Wta Finals is the year-end climax to another fantastic tennis season that generated plenty of intriguing talking points, with the major story yet to be written.
That will happen in the first week of November when the Wta Finals will be held in Cancun, Mexico - its new home for the 2023 edition. The tournament will kick off on October 29th and run till November 5th. As is customary, this showpiece event will be held on indoor hard courts, at the Plaza Quintana Roo.
Eight of the world's best players during the 2023 Wta season will have the chance to win the most prestigious tennis tournament outside the four majors. The eight players will be split into two groups of four, and compete in a Round Robin format, where the top two players in each group will qualify for the semifinals.
Sabalenka qualified for the season finale for the third straight...
That will happen in the first week of November when the Wta Finals will be held in Cancun, Mexico - its new home for the 2023 edition. The tournament will kick off on October 29th and run till November 5th. As is customary, this showpiece event will be held on indoor hard courts, at the Plaza Quintana Roo.
Eight of the world's best players during the 2023 Wta season will have the chance to win the most prestigious tennis tournament outside the four majors. The eight players will be split into two groups of four, and compete in a Round Robin format, where the top two players in each group will qualify for the semifinals.
Sabalenka qualified for the season finale for the third straight...
- 10/7/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The race for the 2023 Wta Finals is over after the final three singles entrants sealed their spots at the season-ending finale.
The world's Top 5 had booked their flights to Cancun, Mexico, home for this year's Wta Finals . And ahead of the China Open, as many as six players were in contention to qualify. But with a couple of more rounds to go in Beijing, the situation became clear and conclusive for the aspirants.
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova and fellow Czech Karolina Muchova will be making their debuts at the season finale in Cancun, while Tunisian trailblazer Ons Jabeur has qualified for a second consecutive year.
Maria Sakkari who sat in ninth place, will miss out on a return to her 'second home' after winning a maiden Wta 1000 in Guadalajara , in western Mexico. The Greek player needed at least a semifinal finish in Beijing to keep her chances alive.
But defeat to World No.
The world's Top 5 had booked their flights to Cancun, Mexico, home for this year's Wta Finals . And ahead of the China Open, as many as six players were in contention to qualify. But with a couple of more rounds to go in Beijing, the situation became clear and conclusive for the aspirants.
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova and fellow Czech Karolina Muchova will be making their debuts at the season finale in Cancun, while Tunisian trailblazer Ons Jabeur has qualified for a second consecutive year.
Maria Sakkari who sat in ninth place, will miss out on a return to her 'second home' after winning a maiden Wta 1000 in Guadalajara , in western Mexico. The Greek player needed at least a semifinal finish in Beijing to keep her chances alive.
But defeat to World No.
- 10/7/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Aryna Sabalenka hasn't struck a ball since her US Open final loss, but she reigned over the rest of the field including Iga Swiatek , whom she replaced at the top of the rankings.
The Belarusian star has 9,266 points in top spot, maintaining a 1,071-point gap over second-placed Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka also leads the Pole in the Wta Race for year-end No. 1 ranking with a healthy lead of 1,305 points before the start of the China Open.
The rest of the Top 10 remains unchanged, but Jessica Pegula attained the cut-off points required to qualify for the 2023 Wta Finals after her runner-up finish at the Japan Open. Just three spots remain for the flight to Cancun, Mexico.
Marketa Vondrousova , Ons Jabeur , and Karolina Muchova are in prime position to join the eight-woman caravan, but that could change in Beijing depending on the progress of Maria Sakkari . Russia's Veronika Kudermetova rose three places to...
The Belarusian star has 9,266 points in top spot, maintaining a 1,071-point gap over second-placed Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka also leads the Pole in the Wta Race for year-end No. 1 ranking with a healthy lead of 1,305 points before the start of the China Open.
The rest of the Top 10 remains unchanged, but Jessica Pegula attained the cut-off points required to qualify for the 2023 Wta Finals after her runner-up finish at the Japan Open. Just three spots remain for the flight to Cancun, Mexico.
Marketa Vondrousova , Ons Jabeur , and Karolina Muchova are in prime position to join the eight-woman caravan, but that could change in Beijing depending on the progress of Maria Sakkari . Russia's Veronika Kudermetova rose three places to...
- 10/2/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2023 Zhengzhou Open returns to the Wta calendar for the first time in four years and will run from October 9th to 15th.
The entry list for this year's event has been released featuring 32 singles players contesting for the penultimate Wta 500 tournament on the calendar on outdoor hard courts. The Zhengzhou Open was part of the women's calendar, first as an Itf tournament in 2014.
It was upgraded to form part of the Wta 125K series (2017-2018) and in 2019, the event was part of the Premier category, which has since been rebranded as part of the Wta's strategy to align tournament categories with the Atp.
That means the 2023 edition will be Zhengzhou's first 500-level category. And a fantastic lineup will aggrandize the courts at Zhongyuan Tennis Training Base Management Center. These include Wimbledon champions of the past two editions , Elena Rybakina and Marketa Vondrousova .
The tournament has also secured the...
The entry list for this year's event has been released featuring 32 singles players contesting for the penultimate Wta 500 tournament on the calendar on outdoor hard courts. The Zhengzhou Open was part of the women's calendar, first as an Itf tournament in 2014.
It was upgraded to form part of the Wta 125K series (2017-2018) and in 2019, the event was part of the Premier category, which has since been rebranded as part of the Wta's strategy to align tournament categories with the Atp.
That means the 2023 edition will be Zhengzhou's first 500-level category. And a fantastic lineup will aggrandize the courts at Zhongyuan Tennis Training Base Management Center. These include Wimbledon champions of the past two editions , Elena Rybakina and Marketa Vondrousova .
The tournament has also secured the...
- 9/26/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Cancun in November doesn't sound too bad, and let's see which players are fighting for a chance to find themselves there at the 2023 Wta Finals.
After months of speculation and player complaints, the Wta finally sent out a notice that the Wta Finals would be played in Cancun . It's not a bad place to be in November or any month, but the choice did raise some concern over the scheduling, which has been a big talking point for much of this year.
In any case, we're heading to Cancun to finish up the season, and not all players have their tickets booked. Four know they'll be there: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff . We have four more spots and quite a few willing travellers.
Jessica Pegula has been a consistent performer for a long time, but she's a bit different this year. She's already recognised her win total from the previous year,...
After months of speculation and player complaints, the Wta finally sent out a notice that the Wta Finals would be played in Cancun . It's not a bad place to be in November or any month, but the choice did raise some concern over the scheduling, which has been a big talking point for much of this year.
In any case, we're heading to Cancun to finish up the season, and not all players have their tickets booked. Four know they'll be there: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff . We have four more spots and quite a few willing travellers.
Jessica Pegula has been a consistent performer for a long time, but she's a bit different this year. She's already recognised her win total from the previous year,...
- 9/26/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek is one of the best players in the world right now, thanks to a combination of talent and hard work, something she shares with her idol, Rafael Nadal .
Swiatek was never considered this outragedly talented player who was supposed to win multiple Grand Slams. Yet that's exactly what happened when she became a pro, and she's certainly going to win a few more because her competitive spirit doesn't allow her to rest.
She got her first one as a teenager, stunning several prominent clay experts at Roland Garros. That run was incredibly impressive because nobody really came close to beating her that year. She added one more last year by beating Gauff in the final and one more this year by beating Karolina Muchova in the final .
She won the US Open last year as well, so it's pretty clear that none of this is a fluke. She's talented,...
Swiatek was never considered this outragedly talented player who was supposed to win multiple Grand Slams. Yet that's exactly what happened when she became a pro, and she's certainly going to win a few more because her competitive spirit doesn't allow her to rest.
She got her first one as a teenager, stunning several prominent clay experts at Roland Garros. That run was incredibly impressive because nobody really came close to beating her that year. She added one more last year by beating Gauff in the final and one more this year by beating Karolina Muchova in the final .
She won the US Open last year as well, so it's pretty clear that none of this is a fluke. She's talented,...
- 9/23/2023
- Tennis Infinity
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka maintained her 1,071-point gap over second-placed Iga Swiatek , kicking off her second week atop the Wta standings.
Sabalenka and Swiatek were not in action this past week, as were a number of Top 10 players who preferred to take some time off from the rigors of competition after the 2023 US Open. Nonetheless, there were two significant changes in the world's Top 10.
Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula swapped places in 4th and 5th, respectively. Rybakina dropped down after her runner-up points from Portoroz came off, allowing Pegula to overtake her. While Barbora Krejcikova re-entered the world's Top 10 (10th spot) after capturing the San Diego Open last weekend.
Krejcikova is one of three Czech players in the world's Top 10 , along with Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova (6th) and French Open finalist Karolina Muchova (8th). She breaks that barrier once again after a tough summer in which she lost four matches on the spin.
Sabalenka and Swiatek were not in action this past week, as were a number of Top 10 players who preferred to take some time off from the rigors of competition after the 2023 US Open. Nonetheless, there were two significant changes in the world's Top 10.
Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula swapped places in 4th and 5th, respectively. Rybakina dropped down after her runner-up points from Portoroz came off, allowing Pegula to overtake her. While Barbora Krejcikova re-entered the world's Top 10 (10th spot) after capturing the San Diego Open last weekend.
Krejcikova is one of three Czech players in the world's Top 10 , along with Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova (6th) and French Open finalist Karolina Muchova (8th). She breaks that barrier once again after a tough summer in which she lost four matches on the spin.
- 9/18/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The Zhengzhou Open will be the final Wta 500-level event of the 2023 season which will run from October 9th to 15th.
The Zhengzhou Open was part of the women's calendar, first as an Itf tournament in 2014, before it was upgraded to a Wta 125K level. In 2019, the event was spruced up, forming part of the 500 category. After a four-year hiatus, it has a spot on the Wta calendar this year .
The tournament will feature a 32-player singles field in its second edition as a fully-fledged Tour-level event. Four of the seven players who have contested a Grand Slam final this season will aggrandize the courts at the Zhongyuan Tennis Training Base Management Center - home of the Zhengzhou Open.
The 2023 Zhengzhou Open boasts an ostentatious list, spearheaded by former and current Wimbledon champions Elena Rybakina and Marketa Vondrousova . The tournament organizers attracted four more Top 10 players, including two-time Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur,...
The Zhengzhou Open was part of the women's calendar, first as an Itf tournament in 2014, before it was upgraded to a Wta 125K level. In 2019, the event was spruced up, forming part of the 500 category. After a four-year hiatus, it has a spot on the Wta calendar this year .
The tournament will feature a 32-player singles field in its second edition as a fully-fledged Tour-level event. Four of the seven players who have contested a Grand Slam final this season will aggrandize the courts at the Zhongyuan Tennis Training Base Management Center - home of the Zhengzhou Open.
The 2023 Zhengzhou Open boasts an ostentatious list, spearheaded by former and current Wimbledon champions Elena Rybakina and Marketa Vondrousova . The tournament organizers attracted four more Top 10 players, including two-time Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur,...
- 9/17/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Aryna Sabalenka admitted that she got discredited by the No. 1 talk at Roland Garros , causing her to lose the match against Karolina Muchova.
Sabalenka was on the verge of securing the Roland Garros final by beating Karolina Muchova. It didn't happen because she threw away a huge lead in the final set to deny fans the dream matchup between Iga Swiatek and herself.
At that time, the Belarusian had a chance to secure number one, and she got a bit distracted by that. She admitted it in an interview with the Wta , explaining that it left her very angry, so she completely disregarded talk about becoming world number at the US Open.
I think at the French Open. It went into my head and I let this thing distract me. It was a little bit painful, to be honest. I was really pissed after the match because, for me, it...
Sabalenka was on the verge of securing the Roland Garros final by beating Karolina Muchova. It didn't happen because she threw away a huge lead in the final set to deny fans the dream matchup between Iga Swiatek and herself.
At that time, the Belarusian had a chance to secure number one, and she got a bit distracted by that. She admitted it in an interview with the Wta , explaining that it left her very angry, so she completely disregarded talk about becoming world number at the US Open.
I think at the French Open. It went into my head and I let this thing distract me. It was a little bit painful, to be honest. I was really pissed after the match because, for me, it...
- 9/12/2023
- Tennis Infinity
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