Latest news

Teenager Sabalenka Secures Fed Cup History For Belarus

Published

3 years ago

12/02/2017

Aryna Sabalenka (zimbio.com)

The absence of two-time Australian Open Victoria Azarenka has been proven irrelevant after Belarus completed a shock 3-1 win over the Netherlands to reach their first Fed Cup semifinal.

Belarus was level with their Dutch rival after the opening day, but the closeness between the two started to unravel on Sunday. World No.128 Aliaksandra Sasnovich fired 19 winners to give her country a 2-1 lead after a comprehensive 6-3, 6-4, win over Kiki Bertens. The triumph ends Bertens eight-match winning streak in Fed Cup singles matches. The Dutch player last lost in the tournament was to Anna Karolína Schmiedlová in 2015.

“I’m very happy,” Sasnovich said.
“I knew how to play against Bertens after watching yesterday’s Aryna (Sabalenka) match with her. That match boosted my self-confidence a great deal.”

Tasked with trying to take her country into their first Fed Cup semifinal was 18-year-old Aryna Sabalenka, a player who is yet to break the world’s top 100. Facing the significantly more experienced Michaella Krajicek, Sabalenka, who produced an impressive 35 winners, recovered from a 2-4 deficit in the first set to triumph 7-6(5), 6-4.

“It’s unbelievable! It’s an incredible feeling,” Sabalenka said.
“We all acted as a single unit and that was the key to our success. I failed to recover completely after yesterday’s match with Kiki Bertens and experienced some problems with my serve. But everything ended well.”

Belarus only has four players ranked inside the top 300 on the WTA Tour, one of which is in the top 100 (Azarenka at 19th). In the semifinals, they will play either Switzerland or France. Belarus has never played France in the Fed Cup, but trails 1-2 in their head-to-head against the Swiss team.

Full results

Day 1

Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) beat Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) 3-6 7-6(6) 6-4          
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) beat Michaella Krajicek (Netherlands) 4-6 6-3 6-2 

Day 2

Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) beat Michaella Krajicek (Netherlands) 7-6(5) 6-4        
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) beat Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) 6-3 6-4

Latest news

Maria Sharapova will miss the Olympic Games in Tokyo

Published

8 hours ago

09/12/2019

sampaolo

Maria Sharapova is set to miss the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, as she has committed to play the World Team Tennis at Orange County Breakers in the United States from 28 to 29 July during the same week as the Tokyo event.

“I am excited to be back with the Breakers again. The competition in World Tennis is always strong and I am looking forward to playing in team format again”, said Sharapova.

Before the US Open 2019 the five-time Grand Slam champion appointed new coach Riccardo Piatti in her team.

Sharapova has announced that she will be playing in several exhibition matches like the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi, the Hawaii Open and the Kooyong Classic before the Australian Open.

Latest news

Stan Wawrinka, Daniel Medvedev, Fabio Fognini and Gael Monfils set to highlight the Diryah Tennis Cup in Saudi Arabia

Published

8 hours ago

09/12/2019

sampaolo

Stan Wawrinka, Gael Monfils, Danil Medvedev and Fabio Fognini are set to take part in the Diryah Tennis Cup, the first ever professional tennis tournament, which takes place from 12 to 14 December 2020.

Diriyah is a UNESCO World Tennis Heritage Site will host a hard-court tournament at the Diryah Arena, where the boxing match between Anthony Joshua and Antony Ruiz took place last weekend.

The exhibition tournament will feature Stan Wawrinka, Gael Monfils, Danil Medvedev, Fabio Fognini, David Goffin, Lucas Pouille, John Isner and this year’s Australian Open semifinalist Lucas Pouille.

Medvedev is the highest ranked player in the Saudi Arabia tournament. The Russian player won four titles in Sofia, Montreal and St. Petersburg and Shanghai and reached the final at the US Open finishing runner-up to Rafael Nadal.

“Saudi Arabia will be a big part of my preparation for the new season. The heat and the conditions will be similar to Australia. It will be a great test for us. It’s in our preseason, so we will want to get that match time in to prepare for the new season. The fans should expect us to fight hard like in any tournament. It will be competitive and hopefully they will be lots of fans coming to support us there. Hopefully I can play some great tennis, help the country raise awareness of the sport and inspire people to play. Looking at the players confirmed it’s a really great field. I have heard a lot of good things about Saudi Arabia. I am excited to promote tennis there especially as it’s the first tournament”, said Medvedev.

Wawrinka won three Grand Slam tournaments at the 2014 Australian Open, at 2015 Roland Garros and at the 2016 US Open. This year the Swiss player finished runner-up to Gael Monfils in Rotterdam and to Andy Murray in Antwerp. Wawrinka reached the French Open quarter final. He upset Novak Djokovic in the US Open fourth round before losing to eventual finalist Danil Medvedev. He ended the season ranked world number 16.

ATP

Rival Backs Dominic Thiem To Win Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award

Only two players have won the award since 2004.

Published

13 hours ago

09/12/2019

Adam Addicott

For the past 15 years only two players have managed to get their hands on the prestigious Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, but one player thinks there could be a brand new winner this year.

Diego Schwartzman has lent his support behind world No.4 Dominic Thiem. The award recognizes those who have conducted the highest level of professionalism and integrity on the ATP Tour throughout the season. Established in 1977, Roger Federer has won the honour in 13 out of the past 15 years. The only other player to triumph during that period was Rafael Nadal, who won it in 2010 and 2018.

“I think Thiem can win it, he showed throughout the year a competitiveness and a respect with everyone that was spectacular,” Schwartzman told ole.com. “On top of that he is having great years of his career and this season was even better for the achievements he had.’
“He has a good chance of winning it.” He added.

Schwartzman, who reached the quarter-finals of the US Open earlier this year, has also been shortlisted for the award. Along with regular nominees Federer and Nadal. Only once has an Argentinian player won the title, which was José Luis Clerc back in 1981. At that time it was known as the ATP Sportsmanship award before getting renamed in 1996.

“I learned first (of getting nominated) through social networks rather than the official designation that the ATP sends you by mail.” The 27-year-old revealed.
“It is more spectacular than anything for the players I have next to me. It is a very important prize that recognizes a little what you do off the court, not only hitting the ball.”

Whilst he is dreaming of winning the honour himself, Schwartzman is just happy that he has been nominated.

“If I won this award, it would be spectacular. Now I am on that payroll that is very good and represents the values that I try to maintain on a day-to-day basis and that (my coaching teams over the years) have taught me. It is very nice to be recognized for that. “ He concluded.

The four nominees for the Stefan Edberg Award was shortlisted by the ATP. However, it will be the players who will decide the winner. The result will be revealed later this month.