WTA week of 1/1; Adelaide 1 500 & Auckland 250

[D-Lite]

I also feel bad for Vee. I feel like with her legacy, most players will bring their best to try and beat her. Eve though she's 42, it's still a win against a great, or testing your ability against one, so I feel often players will be mentally sharper and more focused when playing her than if they played someone most of us haven't heard of or seen play before.

 

[spystud]

Jabeur up an early break on Sorana.

 

[ScottleeSV]

What a desperate day for Raducanu. Got to feel sorry for the lass. Probably all she wants at this point is to play unhindered and be judged on merit, and she can't. One injury after another. Eventually she'll just walk away.

 

[D-Lite]

What a desperate day for Raducanu. Got to feel sorry for the lass. Probably all she wants at this point is to play unhindered and be judged on merit, and she can't. One injury after another. Eventually she'll just walk away.

Your body is either not cut out for it and you walk away, or you take adequate time off to get the body strong and ready for these rigours. At this point even skipping 1 major may be worth it. I definitely think after the AO, if she does play it, she should take another 'off season' and build on her physique and fitness especially ahead of the clay season which is notoriously very physical when you get into long 3 setters.
I feel bad for her, and I'm seriously hoping this is a short lived period of her career with so many injuries, but having said that it's also becoming frustrating as a fan.

 

[coolcamden]

Who is Lyn Zhu? Never heard of/seen her and I follow WTA closely. If she can beat VW, well… how many UE did VW have? Six zillions? It time now, Venus?

 

[Purestriker]

Your body is either not cut out for it and you walk away, or you take adequate time off to get the body strong and ready for these rigours. At this point even skipping 1 major may be worth it. I definitely think after the AO, if she does play it, she should take another 'off season' and build on her physique and fitness especially ahead of the clay season which is notoriously very physical when you get into long 3 setters.
I feel bad for her, and I'm seriously hoping this is a short lived period of her career with so many injuries, but having said that it's also becoming frustrating as a fan.

Don't feel sorry for her, she has capitalized on fame and as result is wealthy. She will be fine.

 

[Connor35]

Don't feel sorry for her, she has capitalized on fame and as result is wealthy. She will be fine.

We can still fine to feel bad for her at an athlete

As a person, she'll presumably be fine as long as she invests well

As an athlete who struggles to stay healthy enough to compete, its fair to feel for her.

 

[PDJ]

Who is Lyn Zhu? Never heard of/seen her and I follow WTA closely. If she can beat VW, well… how many UE did VW have? Six zillions? It time now, Venus?

I don't understand why she doesn't strike up a good doubles partnership if she wants to keep playing. At least she'd have a fighting chance of silverware. Doubtful she'd achieve similar to Hingis, but would still do better than in the singles.
It's sad to see her looking decidedly middle-aged. Although the cap doesn't help! Positively dowdy given she's generally one of the more stylish out there.

 

[ktx]

Her makeup looked good and I liked her skirt! But yea the cap is weird. Anyone catch gauff/kenin? It’s on replay on TC right now and Sofia is not playing badly. Really nice from the baseline and nice serves. Maybe we will see a resurgence.

 

[spystud]

This indoors Coco v. Zhu match looks like a side-court practice.

 

[spystud]

3 & 2 for the 1-seed.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Looks like it'll be a tough day at the office for Leylah.
Bonaventure is thick as a brick!

 

[Mark-Touch]

If Leylah doesn't start mixing things up BIG TIME she's doomed to lose this one.
Slice, dice, moon balls, drop shots etc.
Otherwise Bona will just blast her off the court into outer space.

 

[coolcamden]

Kuder is super smoking hot in this all black kit.

 

[spystud]

18-year old Noskova serving to send Vika packing.

 

[spystud]

Of course not, broken to 5-all.

 

[spystud]

Breaker for the match.

 

[slipgrip93]

Azarenka keeping up her strong serving. Nosokova , a couple of amazing from the baseline winners this tiebreak.

edit: wow, what a nice off the air bh drive volley.
still pretty close to call it at the end.

 

[spystud]

The kid wins, sweet.

 

[slipgrip93]

Congrats Noskova! , nice how she calmed and got through it to the end. maybe a newcomer fav for me.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Nice fight back from Sakkari! Takes the second set 7-6.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Sakkari was looking so good this 3rd set but Trevisan plays a fantastic game and she goes up the break, hit a brilliant drop shot on break point.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Ash Barty just posted that she’s pregnant. Wonderful news.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Lots of momentum shifts in this match. Trevisan held for 4-2 but Sakkari has now gotten the break back, it’s 4-4.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

This is a really good quality match. Just clocked 3 hours

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Trevisan paints the line and she holds for 5-5. She somehow is hanging on. This is really good.

 

[Deleted member 758560]

Ash Barty just posted that she’s pregnant. Wonderful news.

whos the father u know?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Another momentum shift and Trevisan breaks and will serve for the win over Sakkari!!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

whos the father u know?

Her husband, Garry.

 

[Deleted member 758560]

Her husband, Garry.

wonderful

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Incredible! What a great match.

Martina Trevisan starts Italy off perfectly, defeats #6 Sakkari in 3 fantastic sets.

That was high quality.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

So barring some absolute miracle, it looks like it’ll be USA v Italy in the final.

 

[D-Lite]

So barring some absolute miracle, it looks like it’ll be USA v Italy in the final.

If Hurkacz can beat Fritz then it's back on. I think Linette beat Keys in the BJK Cup Finals in Glasgow in November.

Edit: turns out Keys beat Linette in Guadalajara the month before, so they're 1 win apiece. There's a lot of pressure on the Greek #2 Papamichael and on #1 Tsitsipas, but if she can win her rubber and Tsitsipas does so too then that's also not impossible to imagine a mixed play-off. Actually, I'm pretty keen for both ties to go to the mixed doubles rubber as with the format often the singles decides the winner of the tie before we even get to the mixed.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Can anyone here tell me what is the exact wording needed to pull up the scores on Google for Adelaide?
I've got it for Auckland.

 

[ktx]

I hope we get the Hubi/Iga v. Taylor/Jess mixed doubles match, but I won't hold my breath.

 

[AM75]

Noskova sure looks like a future slam champion. But so did some others who quietly disappeared then.
re: Venus she had back luck with all those delays.She sure will make some impact in AO if she has a merciful draw.
And what‘s the matter with Iga crying like a baby after losing? Sorry, we don‘t need another Osaka. One is enough.

 

[Purestriker]

Noskova sure looks like a future slam champion. But so did some others who quietly disappeared then.
re: Venus she had back luck with all those delays.She sure will make some impact in AO if she has a merciful draw.
And what‘s the matter with Iga crying like a baby after losing? Sorry, we don‘t need another Osaka. One is enough.

I think they were different tears. Iga was not crying because she didn’t want to be there, she was crying because she wanted to win.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

#6 seeds Muhammad/Townsend easily handling #1 seeds Hunter/Siniakova. Up a set and break in the final.

Fascinating to see how many top double players are trying to play with Storm Hunter (formerly Storm Sanders) now she's had her breakthrough 2022.

Last year she started the year by winning this very tournament with Barty.

Then she continued her partnership with Caroline Dolehide. The pair made:
Aus Open QF
Indian Wells QF
French Open 2R
Silicon Valley QF
Cincy 2R
US Open SF

She played with one of the Kichenok twins in Stuttgart making the QF

She partnered with Zhang as top seeds in Madrid where they made the SF and then Rome making the QF. Also in Canada making the QF.

Played with Siniakova in Berlin and won the title.

Partnered Bencic at Wimbledon losing 2R.

Then finished the year partnering Luisa Stefani in San Diego making the QF before playing in Guadalajara 1000 where they won the title together.

 

[spystud]

We’ll get a thread soon, but this qualie draw for Adelaide 2 is silly.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

#6 seeds Muhammad/Townsend easily handling #1 seeds Hunter/Siniakova. Up a set and break in the final.

Fascinating to see how many top double players are trying to play with Storm Hunter (formerly Storm Sanders) now she's had her breakthrough 2022.

Last year she started the year by winning this very tournament with Barty.

Then she continued her partnership with Caroline Dolehide. The pair made:
Aus Open QF
Indian Wells QF
French Open 2R
Silicon Valley QF
Cincy 2R
US Open SF

She played with one of the Kichenok twins in Stuttgart making the QF

She partnered with Zhang as top seeds in Madrid where they made the SF and then Rome making the QF. Also in Canada making the QF.

Played with Siniakova in Berlin and won the title.

Partnered Bencic at Wimbledon losing 2R.

Then finished the year partnering Luisa Stefani in San Diego making the QF before playing in Guadalajara 1000 where they won the title together.

Next week she'll play Adelaide again but instead of Siniakova, she'll play with Siniakova's former doubles partner and the 6x slam pairing of Krejcikova.

And commentator just said she'll play with Elise Mertens at the Australian Open as a trial to see if they'll maybe play the year together if they click.

 

[spystud]

Coco v. Kovinic underway in the Auckland semis.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

We’ll get a thread soon, but this qualie draw for Adelaide 2 is silly.

Looking at the main draw, it looks like Azarenka is the last direct entrant with the low low ranking of.. #26.

The draw literally has:
#1 Swiatek
#2 Jabeur
#4 Garcia
#8 Kasatkina
#9 Kudermetova
#11 Keys
#12 Bencic
#13 Badosa
#14 Collins
#15 Haddad Maia
#16 Kvitova
#17 Kontaveit
#18 Ostapenko
#19 Alexandrova
#20 Samsonova
#21 Rybakina
#22 Krejcikova
#26 Azarenka

And then wildcards, PR and SE.

Strangely, Anisimova is #23 and Zhang is #25 but both in qualies. Guess they entered too late.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Muhammad/Townsend were up 6-2 5-3 and 2 points from victory but Siniakova and Hunter have just upped their game, they got the break back and are up 6-5 on serve in the 2nd set now. Game away from forcing a 3rd.

 

[Purestriker]

#6 seeds Muhammad/Townsend easily handling #1 seeds Hunter/Siniakova. Up a set and break in the final.

Fascinating to see how many top double players are trying to play with Storm Hunter (formerly Storm Sanders) now she's had her breakthrough 2022.

Last year she started the year by winning this very tournament with Barty.

Then she continued her partnership with Caroline Dolehide. The pair made:
Aus Open QF
Indian Wells QF
French Open 2R
Silicon Valley QF
Cincy 2R
US Open SF

She played with one of the Kichenok twins in Stuttgart making the QF

She partnered with Zhang as top seeds in Madrid where they made the SF and then Rome making the QF. Also in Canada making the QF.

Played with Siniakova in Berlin and won the title.

Partnered Bencic at Wimbledon losing 2R.

Then finished the year partnering Luisa Stefani in San Diego making the QF before playing in Guadalajara 1000 where they won the title together.

Sinakova is a great, maybe Storm asked her?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Sinakova is a great, maybe Storm asked her?

They played last year together and won a title. I just find it funny that Stormy plays with Siniakova this week and then next week plays with Krejcikova (considering Siniakova/Krejcikova are the greatest doubles pairing we've had since the Williams). Both Czech ladies wanting to try Stormy in Adelaide.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

They played last year together and won a title. I just find it funny that Stormy plays with Siniakova this week and then next week plays with Krejcikova (considering Siniakova/Krejcikova are the greatest doubles pairing we've had since the Williams). Both Czech ladies wanting to try Stormy in Adelaide.

In terms of the last 15 years, Williams sisters aside, these are the leaders.

Krejcikova/Siniakova have won 6 ladies doubles slams together.
Mladenovic has won 6 ladies doubles slams but 2 with Garcia and 4 with Babos.
Safarova/Mattek Sands won 5 slams together.
Errani/Vinci also won 5 together.

And then two pairings with 3 slams together: Makarova/Vesnina and Hingis/Mirza.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Townsend/Muhammad get it done in the 2nd set tiebreaker.

Biggest title of both their careers. Muhammad's 8th career title, Townsend's 2nd.

However, Taylor has had the better doubles career, especially last year by making the SF of the French Open and then the final of the US Open with McNally.

Even crazier is that Townsend gave birth to her first child under 2 years ago in March 2021.

 

[spystud]

Kovinic may want to join the match, 7 straight games for Coco.

 

[spystud]

0 & 2, on to the final.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Sabalenka ALERT!

It appears that either they have turned down the mic level on court or Sabalenka has
greatly reduced her grunts!