| ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA – The WTA announced that Iga Swiatek and Katerina Siniakova have secured the 2022 WTA Year-End No.1 Singles and Doubles Rankings. This is the first time in her career that Swiatek has finished the season in the top spot, becoming the 15th player overall and first from Poland to earn the WTA Year-End No.1 singles ranking accolade. The week of November 7 marks her 32nd week as the WTA World No.1, a position she reached on April 4, 2022, and only Serena Williams (57 weeks), Martina Hingis (80 weeks) and Stefanie Graf (186 weeks) have held the top ranking for longer streaks after making their No.1 debut. Siniakova has secured her third WTA Year-End No.1 finish in doubles, which she first achieved in 2018 (when co-ranked with regular partner Barbora Krejcikova) and also again last year in 2021. Siniakova is the first player outright to finish the year as the doubles No.1 in consecutive years since Sania Mirza in 2015 and 2016. Siniakova, along with Krejcikova, first achieved the No.1 ranking on October 22, 2018 and this week marks Siniakova’s 70th week overall in the top spot. “Iga and Katerina have enjoyed memorable seasons and I am delighted to see them earn the WTA Year-End No.1 Rankings,” said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. “The Hologic WTA Tour this year has been more competitive than ever, featuring more than 50 tournaments across six continents, and Iga and Katerina deserve huge credit and recognition as they continue to redefine excellence in our sport.” Swiatek has won an incredible eight tournaments in 2022, including winning six events in a row which took in a 37-match winning streak. Among those eight titles were two Grand Slams, at Roland-Garros and the US Open, winning WTA 1000 tournaments at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open (Doha), BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells), Miami Open presented by Itaú and Internazionali BNL d’Italia (Rome), and WTA 500 events at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Stuttgart) and the San Diego Open. Overall she has won 67 matches this season, and has amassed the second-most year-end ranking points with 11,085 since the WTA Rankings were introduced, sitting only behind Serena Williams in 2013 who earned 13,260 across that season. |
 |
| Siniakova’s season has seen her win six titles, at the WTA 500 bett1open (Berlin), WTA 250 tournaments at the Melbourne Summer Set and Jasmin Open Monastir, in addition to three Grand Slams, at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Her title in New York with Krejcikova secured the team the career Grand Slam, a feat achieved by only six other doubles teams, and she capped off her memorable season by reaching the title match at the WTA Finals in Fort Worth on Monday. Click here to read more on Swiatek and Siniakova’s amazing seasons which saw them capture the WTA Year-End No.1 rankings. |
Archives
Novak Djokovic Tops Tennis Prize Money List With $158 Million!
The tennis experts at The Sports Daily compiled a list of the top-150 players in all-time career earnings on both the ATP and WTA tours.
Over the last 20 years, men’s tennis has been dominated by three players: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. This is also reflected in career earnings, as the trio tops the list of highest-paid tennis players by a wide margin.
Djokovic leads all tennis players in career earnings at $158M. Nadal is right behind him at $131M and recently surpassed Federer, who once led the group with $130M in ATP earnings.
To no surprise, Venus and Serena Williams lead all women’s tennis players on the prize money list. Venus ranks seventh in all-time earnings at over $42M and trails only her sister, Serena, in WTA earnings.
Meanwhile, Serena Williams has earned over $92M on the WTA tour, good for fourth all-time and the most of any female tennis player. The full story, information and salary data for all tennis players can be found here: https://thesportsdaily.com/news/with-158m-in-career-earnings-djokovic-tops-tennis-prize-money-list/
Clijsters, Fernandez, Sock and Baghdatis To Compete In Latest Champions Series Tennis Mixed Team Event In St. Louis
LOS ANGELES – Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters and 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez will join four-time major doubles champ Jack Sock and 2006 Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis at the St. Louis Champions Classic, July 21 at Chaifetz Arena.
The event will be the second ever mixed team format event on the Champions Series tennis circuit featuring men’s and women’s legends competing throughout the year for prize money and the season-long points championship.
Clijsters and Sock will play as a team against Fernandez and Baghdatis, each playing a set of singles and then pairing for a deciding mixed doubles match.
The event will feature $75,000 in prize money with $50,000 going to the winning team and $25,000 to the runner-up. The winning team members will each be awarded 200 ranking points while the runner-up team members will be awarded 100 ranking points towards the season-long championship. Each player will also be awarded 100 ranking points for every singles match they participate in and an additional 100 ranking points for each victory.
“This is going to be a very special and exciting night of tennis, featuring two legend players competing against two current touring pros which will make for a fascinating dynamic,” said Jon Venison, Co-President of InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, the organization that founded and runs Champions Series Tennis.
Tickets are for sale starting Thursday, June 2 at www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com and www.ticketmaster.com.
Earlier this year, Genie Bouchard and Tommy Haas were victorious in the first-ever Champions Series mixed team event at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif., defeating Sofia Kenin and Sam Querrey two matches to one. Champions Series Tennis will also stage events in 2022 in Dallas, The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Orlando and other sites to be announced. Full player fields and event dates will be announced in the near future.
For the St. Louis Champions Classic, the event will start with “Play with the Pros” fan experiences from 3 pm to 5 pm, followed by a “Player Party Experience” and a “Backstage Experience” starting at 5:30 pm. Sock and Baghdatis will kick off match play at 7 pm, followed by Clijsters and Fernandez and concluding with the mixed doubles match. Champions Series Tennis began in 2005 and over the last 16 years has featured some of the greatest names in men’s tennis, including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Michael Chang among others. Courier won the first Champions Series Tennis event held in 2005 in Houston at the Westside Tennis Club.
ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT
InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a Los Angeles based producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, The World Series of Beach Volleyball and numerous corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $5 million for charity. In 2014, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment merged with Horizon Media, the largest privately held media services agency in the world. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or InvescoSeries.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Carlos Alcaraz Beats Casper Ruud For Miami Open Title
Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest ever Miami Open men’s singles champion after the 18-year-old Spaniard defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-4 in the final at Hard Rock Stadium.
Only two men have won titles at the ATP 1000 level at a younger age — Michael Chang, who was 18 years and five months old when he won Toronto in 1990, and Rafael Nadal, 18 years and 10 months when he claimed the Monte Carlo crown in 2005. To boot, Alcaraz became the first Spanish man to win in Miami, a title that even Nadal has not won in his career.
“I have no words to describe how I feel right now, but it is so special to win my first Masters 1000 here in Miami,” Alcaraz said in his post-match speech. “I’m so happy with the win and for sure with my team. “I knew Casper is playing very well, he has a big forehand. I tried to play to his backhand first and tried to go to attack, to not let him dominate the match.”
Alcaraz came back after a slow start, trailing 1-4, then broke Ruud twice early in the second en route to closing out victory, capped with a serve-and-volley winner.
The win will move Alcaraz to No. 11 in the world, but many see him as the No. 3 threat to win the French Open later this Spring, behind Nadal and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
Iga Swiatek To Become WTA No. 1 After Ash Barty Retirement
The WTA announced that Poland’s Iga Swiatek will become the new WTA World No.1 when the rankings are released on Monday, April 4 following the Miami Open presented by Itaú, becoming the first man or woman from Poland to ascend to the No.1 position in singles. She will become the 28th woman to capture the WTA World No.1 ranking.
At 20 years, 308 days of age, Swiatek will become the youngest player to make the WTA World No.1 debut since Caroline Wozniacki did so in 2010, aged 20 years and 92 days.
“I am really satisfied and proud of myself for reaching the No.1 spot,” stated Iga. “I feel like my tennis is going the right way and my goal is to stay at No.1 and continue what I am doing.” On the impact she is making in Poland, Swiatek said, “Polish fans continue to grow more and more passionate about tennis. It is amazing to see and one of my goals is to make tennis more popular in Poland and I hope this will help grow the game. The support from home and all around the world has been great.”
“Iga is an incredible player with an all-around athleticism and unique shot-making ability, and I am delighted she will become the new WTA World No.1 ranked player,” said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. “To achieve all that she has at such a young age and reach the pinnacle of the WTA rankings is a true testament to her hard work and professionalism. I am pleased to congratulate Iga on this very special moment and achievement.”
With the announcement of current WTA World No.1 Ashleigh Barty retiring from the sport earlier this week, Swiatek has now secured her rise to the elite ranking position with her win today over Viktorija Golubic in the second round at Miami. Her victory over Golubic was her 12th match win in a row as she advances in Miami.
Swiatek started the season in excellent form, reaching the semifinal stage at her first two events– Adelaide International, a WTA 500 level event, and the Australian Open – marking a continuation of her success across 2021, when she picked up the title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals for the first time in her career.
In 2022, Swiatek has captured back-to-back WTA 1000 titles at the Qatar TotalEngergies Open in Doha and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Swiatek first rose to prominence after winning the title at Roland-Garros in 2020 without dropping a set, and at No.54 became the lowest-ranked Roland-Garros champion since rankings were introduced in 1975. Her success in Paris also saw her become the first Polish player (man or woman) to win a Grand Slam singles title and was subsequently voted as the WTA Most Improved Player at the end of the 2020 season.
Iga Swiatek Now The No. 2 Player In The World After Indian Wells Triumph
Iga Swiatek of Warsaw, Poland jumped to the second place of the WTA Tour rankings after defeating Greek Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 in the BNP Paribas Open final in Indian Wells.
“I did not expect to be in this place. This is something crazy. I didn’t think I could play on this level from tournament to tournament,” said Swiatek. “Every game with Maria Sakkari is amazing, I would like to thank you very much. Hopefully we will face each other in the finals for the next 10 years.”
The Pole started nervously going down 0-2 quickly. The first set was very tight but it was the 20-year-old who rebounded to win it 6-4.
Both players had to cope with very demanding conditions and strong wind in the second set while Swiatek turned the pace after a bad start and took control on the court. The 2020 French Open champion broke Sakkari twice to end her hopes to turn the game into her favor, winning 6-1 to seal her fifth WTA title.
“Right now, it’s too surreal to describe it, honestly. But of course I want to go higher because I feel like taking first place is getting closer and closer,” said Swiatek.
Swiatek extended her winning streak to 11 matches and improved her WTA Tour record this season to 20-3.
“Especially winning after playing so well in Doha is giving me a lot of confidence and kind of belief that I can do it, because I wouldn’t think of myself as someone who’s ready to play two tournaments in a row and win it,” she added.
Max Cressy, Sebi Korda, Jenson Brooksby and Four Former Champions To Play Delray Beach Open
While eyes are currently on the Australian Open, the tennis world will soon be shifting focus to the U.S. and Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com where four former champions – Reilly Opelka (2020), Frances Tiafoe (2018), Kevin Anderson (2012) and Kei Nishikori (2008) – are among the players who have entered the 30th anniversary tournament set for Feb. 11-20.
“We are thrilled to welcome an incredible field of players for our 30th anniversary event, ” Tournament Director Mark Baron said. “It is exciting to bring back many of our fan favorites in addition to some of the ATP Tour’s rising stars who will be making their debuts in Delray Beach.”
Tickets are available at YellowTennisBall.com and at the on-site box office (561-330-6000, 30 NW 1st Ave., Delray Beach FL 33444), with individual tickets starting at just $33. Seating options range from on-court “Best Seats in the House” and covered Veranda seating to reserved seats and courtside box seats, all with backs and armrests.
Here is an overview of the 2022 Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com field:
• Four former Delray Beach Open champions (Opelka – 2020, Tiafoe – 2018, Anderson – 2012, Nishikori – 2008)
• Three former Delray Beach Open finalists (Korda – 2021, Gojowczyk – 2018, Anderson– 2014 )
• Six players making their Delray Beach Open debuts (Daniel Altmaier, Jenson Brooksby, Maxime Cressy, James Duckworth, Marcos Giron, Oscar Otte)
• Three players who won ATP Tour Titles in 2021 (Anderson– Newport, Korda – Parma, Cameron Norrie – Los Cabos + ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells)
• Five players who reached the 2021 US Open Round of 16 (Brooksby, Gojowczyk, Opelka, Otte, Tiafoe)
• Eight countries represented
• Seven players aged 25 or younger (Youngest is 20-year-old Brandon Nakashima)
• Seven players aged 30 or older (Oldest is 37-year-old Andreas Seppi)
Below are the players on the 2022 official entry list released Monday:
(ATP Rank) Name Age, Country • Mini Bio
(12) Cameron Norrie 26, Great Britain • Ended last season as World No. 12; 2021 Delray semifinalist
(29) Reilly Opelka 25, USA • Owns a pair of ATP Tour titles; 2020 Delray champion
(34) Frances Tiafoe 23, USA • Posted a career-high 33 match wins in 2021; 2018 Delray champion
(43) Sebastian Korda 21, USA • Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up last season; 2021 Delray finalist
(46) Kei Nishikori 32, Japan • Captured 12 titles; Youngest champion in Delray history in 2008 at 18
(49) James Duckworth 29, Australia • Career-best 22 tour-level wins in 2021; First Delray appearance
(58) Jenson Brooksby 21, USA • Won three ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2021; First Delray appearance
(66) Marcos Giron 28, USA • Former NCAA singles champion at UCLA; First Delray appearance
(68) Brandon Nakashima 20, USA • 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals semifinalist; 2020 Delray quarterfinalist
(69) Adrian Mannarino 33, France • Has made 10 career ATP Tour finals; 2015 Delray semifinalist
(70) Maxime Cressy 24, USA • Reached first Tour-level final earlier this month; First Delray appearance
(73) Jordan Thompson 27, Australia • Surged to 2020 US Open Round of 16; Third Delray appearance
(82) Peter Gojowczyk 32, Germany • 2021 US Open quarterfinalist as a qualifier; 2018 Delray finalist
(87) Daniel Altmaier 23, Germany • Has three ATP Challenger Tour titles; First Delray appearance
(89) John Millman 32, Australia • Beat Federer for 2018 US Open quarterfinals; Fourth time in Delray
(94) Tennys Sandgren 30, USA • Three-time ATP Challenger Tour winner; Second Delray appearance
(96) Oscar Otte 28, Germany • Possesses five ATP Challenger Tour titles; First Delray appearance
(97) Kevin Anderson 35, South Africa • Two-time Major finalist; 2012 Delray champion
(101) Andreas Seppi 37, Italy • Three-time ATP Tour titleholder; 2019 Delray quarterfinalist
(115) Nick Kyrgios 26, Australia • Six-time ATP Tour titleholder; Second time in Delray
Is Tennis A Top Sport?
Tennis has been a popular sport for a very long time with millions of people taking part in either watching it or playing it. A lot of sports fans have always debated if tennis is up there with being a top sport or not. Tennis has become more popular over recent years with some outstanding new players being coming through the ranks which have given the sport a huge boost with there now being more tennis fans than ever before. The pandemic caused the ban on fans attending live tennis matches which led to a lot of people being at home looking for something to do and this led many to watch tennis matches on tv and fall in love with the sport.
Tennis is now seen as a top sport and a lot of tv and sports companies are looking to get involved with up and coming tournaments to make sure that they do not miss out on the rise of tennis. Online industries are looking to sponsor tennis players and tennis tournaments with the gambling industry sponsoring players with either kits or equipment and sponsoring the events as well so that their logo is up in full view. You can see this when you are looking online due to online casinos being a popular sponsor amongst the sporting world, with them now getting involved in tennis due to it being seen as a world-class sport now with so much potential.
With other industries now being invested in tennis, the sports are being noticed a lot more around the world with brands pushing the sport and promoting it a lot. Some great young tennis stars are coming through the ranks which are also helping to get the sport better known around the world with thousands more younger people wanting to take up tennis in their spare time to learn it to the best of their ability, with some even going all the way to make it professional. With lockdowns being lifted around the world this has helped tennis become more popular and more of a top sport due to spectators being allowed back to the live matches which have helped to give the sport a big boost and take it to the next level. Tennis is a top sport now and a very competitive one to say the least with the sport now being more competitive than ever before.
2018 US Open To Feature Electronic Line Calling On All Courts
The USTA announced that electronic line calling will be utilized on all tournament courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the first time at the 2018 US Open. In 2006, the US Open became the first Grand Slam event to use electronic line calling during play, featuring video replay in Arthur Ashe Stadium, and now the US Open will be the first Grand Slam to utilize electronic line calling on all match courts.
In 2018, all Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles events will be scheduled to feature electronic line calling technology. Having the technology available on all tournament courts provides a level of consistency and fairness throughout the tournament.
“Having electronic line calling on all of our courts allows us to provide a level playing field for all competitors,” said David Brewer, US Open Tournament Director. “The US Open has a history of innovation, and by becoming the first Grand Slam to feature this technology on all courts, we are proud to carry-on that tradition.”
Since 2007, the US Open’s replay challenge system has been sponsored by Chase and is called the “Chase Review” in-venue and during the domestic broadcast of the US Open.
The four main stadium courts (Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand, Court 17) will house instant replay teams within each stadium. A centralized office housed inside the broadcast compound on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will handle the electronic line calling for all other courts. In this office, each court will be given a dedicated two-man team, consisting of a Review Official and a Hawk-Eye technician.
The implementation of this technology was made possible by the Strategic Transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which will be completed this year, as it afforded the opportunity to install the necessary technology throughout the grounds, in a cost-efficient manner.
Last year seven courts showcased electronic line calling: Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium (temporary structure), Grandstand, Court 17, Court 5, Court 10 and Court 13.
This year’s tournament marks the 50th Anniversary of the US Open, and throughout Fan Week and the Main Draw, special recognitions and ceremonies will take place to honor the tradition and history of the event, as well as celebrate its great champions. In addition, the 2018 US Open marks the completion of the Strategic Transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center with the opening of the new 14,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium. In all, the five-year project, which revamped more than 90 percent of the facility, will have incorporated the installation of a retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium, the construction of a new Louis Armstrong Stadium (also with a retractable roof), a new Grandstand, new West Stadium and practice courts, as well as a completely renovated and redesigned southern campus.
“The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” Makes For Great Holiday Gift
Having trouble thinking of the proper holiday gift for the tennis player in your life? Consider the book “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” by 2017 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Steve Flink
“The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” features profiles and rankings of the greatest matches of all time dating from the1920s featuring Bill Tilden and Suzanne Lenglen up through the modern era of tennis featuring contemporary stars Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Flink breaks down, analyzes and puts into historical context the sport’s most memorable matches, providing readers with a courtside seat at these most celebrated and significant duels. Flink also includes a fascinating “greatest strokes of all-time” section where he ranks and describes the players who best executed all the important shots in the game through the years. Other champions featured in the book include Don Budge, Maureen Connolly, Rod Laver, Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf among many others.
The book is published by New Chapter Press, the premier global publisher of tennis books.
The hard-cover book, that makes for a centerpiece of a coffee table or at your local tennis club, retails for $28.95, and can be purchased here on Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257936/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_Qj-rybVBRK7ZW or at www.NewChapterMedia.com and where ever books are sold.
Flink, one of the most respected writers and observers in the game, is currently a columnist for TennisChannel.com. A resident of Katonah, N.Y., he is the former editor of World Tennis magazine and a former senior columnist at Tennis Week.
The book has received high praise from some of the most respected names in the sport, including Chris Evert, a winner of 18 major singles titles in her career, who wrote the foreword to the book.
Said seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras, “Steve Flink was there reporting on almost every big match I played in my career. He has seen all of the great players for the last 45 years. I encourage you to read this book because Steve is one of the most insightful writers on the game that I have known and he really knows his tennis.”
Said former U.S. Davis Cup captain and player Patrick McEnroe, “As a writer and a fan, Steve Flink’s knowledge of tennis history and his love of the sport are second to none, which is why you should read his book.”
Said ESPN’s Cliff Drysdale, “To see tennis through the eyes of Steve Flink is to wander through a wonderland. These are not fantasies because Steve captures the essence of tennis matches in graphic detail. There is no one more passionate or caring about his subject. In this absorbing book, I can relive matches that I have called on television.”
Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “The Greatest Jewish Tennis Players of All Time” by Sandra Harwitt, “The Secrets of Spanish Tennis” by Chris Lewit, “Sport of a Lifetime” by Judy Aydelott, “Absolute Tennis: The Best and Next Way To Play The Game” by Marty Smith, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins (a new third edition published in late 2016), “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Your Playbook for Beating Depression” by Cliff Richey and Mary Garrison, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker, “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “The Lennon Prophecy” by Joe Niezgoda (www.TheLennonProphecy.com), “Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Susan Anson, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According To Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin, “People’s Choice Guide Cancun” by Eric Rabinowitz, “Lessons from the Wild” by Shayamal Vallabhjee among others.
