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Iga Swiatek Shows Everyone Who Is The New No. 1 With Miami Open Win

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by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

Iga Swiatek entered the 2022 Miami Open as a satisfied but distant world No. 2, but leaves as the dominant world No. 1.

Suddenly thrust into the No. 1 ranking with the surprise retirement announcement of top-ranked Ash Barty at the start of the tournament, Swiatek embraced the pressure and ruthlessly plowed through the draw to the title, defeating four-time major champion Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-0 in the final.

Swiatek did not lose a set en route to the victory in Miami, which coupled with her win in Indian Wells, California two weeks earlier, gave her the sweep of what is now being branded “The Sunshine Double.”
She clinched the top ranking with her 6-2, 6-0 victory over Victoria Golubic in her opening match in Miami. Some speculated that the new pressure of being No. 1, as well as the fatigue of advancing so deep in both Miami and Indian Wells would catch up to Swiatek, but she proved to up to the task.

“She went from being elated to be No. 2 to ‘Oh my goodness,’” said Lindsay Davenport on Tennis Channel in the middle of the Miami Open of the sudden change from being “the hunter” to be “the hunted” in women’s pro tennis.

“I am still hungry. I want to win very much,” said Swiatek to Tennis Channel of her mind-set and her avoiding complacency after clinching the No. 1 ranking. “I knew I couldn’t have focused on rankings, but to focus on tennis.”

Swiatek becomes the first player from Poland to rank No. 1 in men’s and women’s tennis. She burst on the scene as the surprise champion at the French Open in 2020. She joins Steff Graf, Kim Clijsters and Vika Azarenka as the only women to win the “Sunshine Double” of Indian Wells followed by Miami Open in the same year.

“I wouldn’t even have dreamed to be compared to them,” she said of Graf, Clijsters and Azarenka to Tennis Channel.

Naomi Osaka joins HBO’s The Shop: Uninterrupted this Friday

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The Sports Emmy®Award winning series THE SHOP: UNINTERRUPTED returns with a new episode FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 (9:00-9:30 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

Naomi Osaka on HBO's the shop

Joining Maverick Carter are four-time Grand Slam tennis singles champion Naomi Osaka; actor, comedian and writer Wanda Sykes; NBA All-Star from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Love; multi-platinum hip-hop artist Jadakiss;and the SpringHill Company’s chief marketing officer, Paul Rivera.

THE SHOP: UNINTERRUPTED, staged periodically throughout the year, offers conversation and debate between a unique ensemble of some of the biggest names in sport and entertainment. Past guests include Tom Brady, Jay-Z, Drake, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Lena Waithe, Diddy, Jimmy Kimmel, Patrick Mahomes, Lil Nas X, Will Smith, Megan Rapinoe, Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Rob Gronkowski, Stacey Abrams and former President Barack Obama.

THE SHOP: UNINTERRUPTEDis presented by HBO Sports and UNINTERRUPTED; executive producers, LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, Devin Johnson and Philip Byron; directed by Robert Alexander; produced by Kevin McGrail, Brandon Riley and Rob Roediger; co-executive producer, Camille Maratchi; created by Paul Rivera and Randy Mims.

Novak Djokovic declared heavy favorite US Open 2021

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Novak Djokovic is declared heavy favorite US Open 2021

Novak Djokovic may have missed out on the Golden Slam when he lost at the Tokyo Olympics 2021 but he has not given up on his dream to win the final Grand Slam tournament 2021. And if he wins then he will have a the rare and thus very prestigious calendar Slam. Despite the withdraws from Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and more top players, there are still a lot of adversaries to go round. Despite that, you can still declare Djokovic a clear favorite.

In a press conference at the US Open 2021 Djokovic said he was inspired and incredibly motivated.

“I’m very inspired to play my best tennis here. I don’t want to say it’s now or never for me because I think I’m going to have more opportunities in my life to win Slams. I don’t know if I’m going to be having more opportunities to win Calendar Slams.”

“That’s why it’s a very unique opportunity. At the same time, I don’t need to put any additional pressure to what I already have, which is pretty big from my own self and from of course people around me.”

What do you think? Will Djokovic win the prestigious Calendar Slam? Let us know in the comments!

Vaccinated Sofia Kenin skips US Open 2021 due to corona infection

Sofia Kenin is forced to watch the US Open 2021 from the sidelines after being infected by the coronavirus. Luckily Kenin has been vaccinated so the symptoms won’t be so severe she tells.

“Fortunately I am vaccinated and thus my symptoms have been fairly mild,” Kenin wrote. “However I have continued to test positive and thus will not be able to compete at the U.S. Open next week.”

“I plan to spend the next several weeks getting healthy and preparing to play well this fall,” Kenin posted Wednesday. “Thank you all for supporting me.”

This year’s US Open will have 100% attendency again after 2020’s edition of the US Open was played behind closed doors due to the coronapandemic.

Naomi Osaka releases powerful statement ahead of US Open

It has been a tough year for Naomi Osaka. She has been dealing with mental health issues and issued a media blackout during that period. She took to Twitter to release a powerful statement ahead of the US Open of 2021. She indicated that she is her own architect of her own failing. Naomi Osaka ended her media boycott at the Cincinatti Open.

“I’ve been reflecting over the past year. So grateful for the people around me because the support I feel is completely unparalleled,” Osaka posted.

“Recently I‘ve been asking myself why do I feel the way I do, and I realise one of the reasons is because internally I think I’m never good enough.

“I‘ve never told myself that I’ve done a good job but I do know I constantly tell myself that I suck or I could do better.

“I know in the past some people have called me humble but if I really consider it I think I’m really self deprecating. Every time a new opportunity arises my first thought is, ‘Wow, why me?’

“I guess what I‘m trying to say is that I’m gonna try to celebrate myself and my accomplishments more, I think we all should.

“Your life is your own and you shouldn‘t value yourself on other people’s standards.

“I know I give my heart to everything I can and if that‘s not good enough for some then my apologies, but I can’t burden myself with those expectations anymore.

Naomi Osaka at the US Open 2021

“Seeing everything that’s going on in the world I feel like if I wake up in the morning that’s a win. That’s how I’m coming.”

The 23-year-old Japanese star lit the flame in the Olympic cauldron at the Tokyo Games, but has played only two matches since Japan ahead of the Open.

“I know I haven’t played that many matches. I know that I haven’t even gotten to a quarter-final,” Osaka said.

“Actually I feel pretty happy with how I’m playing… I feel pretty confident with where I am right now. Of course I’m not declaring that I’ll do amazing here. I’m the one-match-at-a-time like person.

“Hopefully it will work out in the end.”

What do you make of Naomi’s powerful statement? Is it something that resonates with you? Let us know in the comments.

Patrick Mouratoglou gives explanation on why Serena Williams withdrew

Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou has given an explanation on why Serena Williams withdrew from the US Open 2021. In an interview Mouratoglou with CBS Sports stated that while Serena was very motivated mentally, her body just wasn’t ready to compete yet at the highest level.

“[Serena] got injured at Wimbledon and we knew we had a very tight schedule to put her back on track and be able to play this US Open,” Mouratoglou told CBS Sports. “We knew that any setback during this period would be a no-go. So, at the start, it went well. She started from not being able to walk to being able to be finally on a tennis court, without moving but playing tennis.”

“We did exams [MRI] and we realized that there was still a tear on the tendon that was not completely back to normal,” Mouratoglou told CBS Sports. “Even though we tried, with one week until the US Open, we realized finally that there was a big risk with playing. The risk of a much worse injury which was really there because if you play with a tear in the tendon and you go too far, the tendon can completely break and it’s something you don’t want to risk.”

And it is too bad because Serena Williams and her team did everything they could to compete at this year’s US Open:

“It’s sad because it’s only a question of maybe having two more weeks and she would’ve been fine but we didn’t have those two extra weeks. She’ll be completely fine [to play again] in two to three weeks but the risk was too big to take,” he said.

Meanwhile Serena took to Instagram to issue a statement on backing out of the US Open 2021.

“After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the US Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring,” Serena Williams wrote on Instagram. “New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favorite places to play — I’ll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone on from afar. Thank you for your continued support and love. I’ll see you soon.”

US Open 2021 reaches record height in prize money

The US Open had to play without a crowd in the 2020 edition due to the corona pandemic but the US Open organisation has more than made up for that. With a $57,5 million USD there is a lot to play for.

“Last year was a very difficult year for all of us, and the pandemic had a profound impact on the USTA’s financial health,” said Mike Dowse, USTA Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. “Yet we worked—and continue to work—extremely hard to ensure that tennis would continue to thrive for the long-term at every level, and that work led to more than 4 million new and returning players participating in tennis in 2020. Our support of tennis is very broad, and touches every level of the game. The US Open is an unparalleled showcase for all that is so wonderful about our sport, and the players are an integral part of that. We are proud to return our player compensation to pre-pandemic levels.”

Added to that Stacey Allaster said the following about the US Open series and investing at the very roots that has attracted more people to the sport of tennis during the corona 2020 pandemic and created a lot of momentum with a 22% increase of new players.

Stacey Allaster added to it that the US Open has invested a lot of money at the roots of the game. Tennis has gained a lot of momentum during the 2020 pandemic and saw a 22% increase in sales and participation and it is still growing.

“With the US Open’s greatest return—fans on-site and full draws across all competitions—we know that 2021 will be an historic year for this great tournament,” said Stacey Allaster, Chief Executive, Professional Tennis and US Open Tournament Director. “We determined our round-by-round prize money allocations by engaging in an open dialogue with the players and the management of both tours. We applaud their collective leadership in directing the 2021 US Open prize money to benefit the maximum number of players.”

Round-by-round individual prize money for the US Open is as follows:

Singles:
Winner: $2,500,000
Runner-Up: $1,250,000
Semifinalist: $675,000
Quarterfinalist: $425,000
Round of 16: $265,000
Round of 32: $180,000
Round of 64: $115,000
Round of 128: $75,000

Doubles (each team):
Winner: $660,000
Runner-Up: $330,000
Semifinalist: $164,000
Quarterfinalist: $93,000
Round of 16: $54,000
Round of 32: $34,000
Round of 64: $20,000

Roger Federer withdraws from Western & Southern Open and US Open

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Roger Federer withdraws from Western & Southern Open and US Open 2021 for surgery, says future is a little bit unclear

Roger Federer has withdrawn from the Western & Southern Open and the US Open 2021. The reason for that is a third knee surgery that is necessary to keep him playing longer. Unfortunately the news also means that Federer will be sidelined for the rest of 2021. In an Instagram post Federer explained his reasons why.

“I’ve been doing a lot of checks with the doctors, as well, on my knee, getting all the information as I hurt myself further during the grass-court season and Wimbledon,” the 40-year-old said in an Instagram post Sunday.”Unfortunately, they told me for the medium to long-term, to feel better, I will need surgery, so I decided to do it. I will be on crutches for many weeks and then also out of the game for many months.”

“I want to be healthy. I want to be running around later, as well, again, and I want to give myself a glimmer of hope, also, to return to the tour in some shape or form,” he added.”I am realistic, don’t get me wrong. I know how difficult it is at this age right now to do another surgery and try it.”

Naomi Osaka donates prize money to Haiti relief efforts

Multiple Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka has donated her prize money to support relief efforts after an earthquake hit Haiti. Osaka’s father is from Haiti and she has pledged to give whatever she earns at the Western & Southern Open to the Haiti relief efforts. The Western & Southern Open is played from August 14 until August 22.

Haiti was struck by a major earthquake that hit 7.2 on the scale of Richter. So far 1297 have been found dead according to the official reports at the time of writing.

“Really hurts to see all the devastation that’s going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can’t catch a break,” Osaka said on Twitter.

“I’m about to play a tournament this week and I’ll give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti. I know our ancestors blood is strong we’ll keep rising.”

Novak Djokovic cites fatigue and withdraws from Western & Southern Open

Novak Djokovic informed fans via Twitter that he will not be playing the Western & Southern Open due to heavy fatigue.

“Dear fans, I wanted to share with you that I am taking a bit longer to recover and recuperate after quite a taxing journey from Australia to Tokyo,” Djokovic wrote. “Sadly, that means I won’t be ready to compete in Cincinnati this year, so I’ll turn my focus and attention to the US Open and spend some more time with family. See you in New York soon!” He will perhaps try his luck at Olybet Sports  

Rafael Nadal cancels Western & Southern Open with foot injury

Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Rogers Cup and now the Western & Southern Open says that Rafael Nadal will not be able to compete in Cincinnati due to the foot injury that has been hounding him since the start of the US Open series. It started at the Citi Open in Washington where he already indicated in several interviews that his success largely depended on how well his foot would hold.

Next to Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, Milos Raonic was also forced to withdraw citing a heel injury.

Serena Williams withdraws from Western & Southern Open at the women’s

Serena Williams was among the high profile competitors to skip the Western & Southern Open and thus grows the list of high profile players who are forced to skip the Cincinnatti tournament in 2021. Sister Venus Williams also joined that list of absentees.

“Unfortunately, I will not be playing in the Western & Southern Open next week as I am still in recovery from my leg injury at Wimbledon,” said the two-time champion Serena. “I will miss all of my fans in Cincinnati whom I look forward to seeing every summer. I plan to be back on the court very soon.”

Sofia Kenin is the next in line to skip the Western & Southern tennis tournament in Cincinnatti.

“Unfortunately I had to make the difficult decision to withdraw from the Western & Southern Open next week,” said Kenin. “I am rehabbing well in hopes to play the US Open later this month. I feel another week of recovery is necessary. I want to thank the USTA for all their efforts in holding the event during such challenging times. Best of luck to all the players.”

The field of the women’s part of the tournament is still going strong even with the withdraws.

2021 Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty as well as Naomi Osaka (2020 US Open, 2021 Australian Open), Barbora Krejcikova (2021 French Open) and Iga Swiatek (2020 French Open). And let’s not forget about the underdogs who won the Western & Southern Open in the past such as Victoria Azarenka, Madison Keys, Garbine Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova.

Camila Giorgi wins WTA Montreal

Italian Camila Giorgi wins the WTA tournament in Montreal by defeating Karolina Pliskova in straight sets 6-3 7-5. The WTA in Montreal title is the biggest tournament win for Giorgi ever in her career.

 “I really think I was very emotional inside,” said Giorgi. “Of course, I’m not the one that shows a lot. Of course, it’s just amazing. I’m very happy for what I did this week.” 

Karolina Pliskova had the following to say after her loss to Giorgi at the National Bank Open in Montreal:

 “I think I’m doing quite well now. Since actually the first final in Rome, I think my game really improved and I’m playing some good matches. Of course, it’s normal to lose sometimes. Of course, I would love to win all of my finals. It’s not like that it’s only in my hands. There is also somebody else. I’m playing really good players in the final.”

Despite having lost three key finals, Rome , Wimbledon and now the WTA Womens 1000 in Montreal. But proved herself to be a lovable loser in the end.

Said Pliskova: “I think she also played, like, super solid all week actually, not playing crazy like she can play sometimes. I think she played really well, serving well important moments. Yeah, just a bit better today.”

Camila Giorgi was sure to thank her father in her speech following her big win.

 “I think this comes with all the work I been doing with my father. Of course, he’s my coach. So I think all the work we’ve been putting together through all these years. I think one day I was sure and he was sure that can come in many period because I was playing very good actually. I was playing very high level already few months ago.” Though her father Sergio wasn’t in Montreal, she said they “talk a hundred times per day even FaceTime or calls.”

Daniil Medvedev takes ATP Toronto

Daniiel Medvedev has won the ATP Tournament of Toronto in this year’s edition of the Rogers Cup with a straight sets win over Reilly Opelka 6-4 6-3 thanks to Opelka’s failing serve.

Daniil Medvedev wins Rogers Cup Toronto and is now off to the Western & Southern Open

“When I played Reilly, I feel like I like to return it really far back, because otherwise it’s super tough to return,” Medvedev said earlier in the week, when he was asked about the prospect of facing the American’s serve. “At the same time, it’s obvious that if he starts making kicks and serve and volley, well, I’m not gonna have any chance by returning far back.”

Medvedev is now off to the Western & Southern tennis tournament in Cincinnatti following his great win in Toronto:

“I want to achieve more, I want to play better,” he said. “[In Canada and Cincinnati] the goal is to know where your game is.”

Can Osaka Win In Melbourne Again?

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by Bob Stockton

Naomi Osaka announced herself on the tennis circuit by producing two outstanding runs to win the US Open and the Australian Open over a year ago. The Japanese tennis player defeated Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows to win her first Grand Slam at the end of 2018. She then followed it up with another brilliant surge to the final in Melbourne to claim the crown with a victory over Petra Kvitova to start 2019 in perfect fashion.

The 22-year-old would have been looking to exert her authority over the women’s game in the rest of 2019, but she was not able to match the excellence of her play in the rest of the Slams. She failed even to reach quarter-finals, progressing only as far as the fourth round of the US Open. Osaka will now return to Melbourne to attempt to defend her crown, being backed in the odds on Australian Open winner outright markets at 7/1 to come away with the title for the second year in a row. Williams is the favourite for the crown, but Simona Halep and Ashleigh Barty will also be in contention and present good value in the betting odds just behind Osaka.

Osaka has the quality to win once again in Melbourne, although she will have to put the disappointments from the majority of last year behind her. After her breakthrough at the US Open and the sustained success in the Australian Open, Osaka was expected to roll towards a period of dominance. She was the number one seed for the French Open at Roland Garros and produced a fine performance to see off Victoria Azarenka in the second round. However, unseeded Katerina Siniakova brushed aside Osaka in straight sets in the third round – with the Japanese admitting that she was struggling with the burden of being the top-ranked player in the draw.

Matters were even worse at Wimbledon as dropping down to the two seed made no difference to the outcome of her first-round match. Osaka was dumped out of the tournament by Yulia Putintseva in straight sets, including the decisive one 6-2. If the defeat was a reality check, it did not appear so in the first round of the US Open. Anna Blinkova took the Japanese into a decider after winning a tie-breaker in the second set, but Osaka found her form to advance.

Order appeared to be restored with victories over Magda Linette and the impressive teenager Coco Gauff. The 22-year-old faced a tough challenge in the form of Belinda Bencic in the fourth round. The Swiss was excellent on the day and secured the win in straight sets, sending the defending champion out of the tournament.

It has been a peculiar decline in form for Osaka at the majors over the past year, but she does have the opportunity to make a statement at the Australian Open. Osaka did win the China Open in October by beating Barty in straight sets, while a shoulder injury ended her season at the WTA Finals. The Japanese is perhaps the brightest talent in the women’s game and it would be a welcome sight to see her return to her best in Melbourne. The odds suggest that she can make a deep surge in the tournament and there is even value there to back her to go all the way. However, Osaka will have to put her disappointing 2019 season outside of her triumph in Melbourne to lift the crown again.

Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka (photo from Peter Wenzel)

With Success of Naomi Osaka, Ash Barty and Coco Gauff, Comes Added Pressure

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by Sharada Rajagopalan

It took Naomi Osaka a few years on the tour to build up her professional resume, with the biggest titles and rankings. The fall was much quicker – building up within months – with various reasons spouted to rationalise her sudden loss of form. No matter what was being speculated, it was not until Osaka clarified what had not been working for her that the matter became clear. Not just about her career alone but also of other fellow youngsters on the professional tennis tour.

“The last few months for me have been really rough tennis wise… I can honestly reflect and say I probably haven’t had fun playing tennis since Australia and I’m finally coming to terms with that while relearning that fun feeling…” Osaka shared in a Twitter post. Though the entirety of the 21-year-old’s post stood out, the portion in which she spoke about “not having fun” stood out sharply than the rest.

Going back to her matches after the Australian Open, it became obvious to what she was referring. After the US Open, making her way into the new season as the most in-form player, alongside her results, expectations boomed. And, direct proportional to these expectations, pressure also rose on her to justify these – as though, these were of her making.

When Osaka won the Australian Open, she seemed to have found a way to negate both while fulfilling her potential. The way things have turned out, it now feels as though Osaka only – albeit successfully – masked the circumstantial despondency. Articulating the same now, is her attempt of coping with it while subtly putting out an advisory that she needs her space to re-find herself.

Borrowing from what Osaka wrote, a case for leaving a player alone can be made for other such players who are considered as the successors on the professional tour. Among the men, the scenario has been pushed to its zenith with touting such as “NextGen” forcibly nudging the idea that the present is all about the future. As youngster after youngster stumbles along the road, the idea of present – older players – being dominant versus a future that has letdown the sport in its uncertainty is also being polished in its reiteration.

In contrast, the WTA lot, especially the youngsters evade such deeply-poring intensity until obliviousness is not an option. That is, while talent abounds among the juniors, somehow or the other, the men’s action takes more precedence shoving the women into the shadows. That, however, is a debate of men’s tour vis-à-vis the women’s remains a topic to be discussed at some later, finite point. Yet, this existing chasm between the reception of the men’s and women’s game helps the younger WTA players focus on developing their game and make their way upwards, literally, through the ranks.

Once they step into the tour events and the world at large cottons on to their aptitude, and paean-like articles are sung about them being the proverbial future that is when reality enters the fray, disrupting years’ worth of carefully-nurtured concentration. Be it Osaka, or be it Jelena Ostapenko, or even Ashleigh Barty to name a few.
In case of the Australian, praises about her finding her place among the major champions do make it a point to include how she took a sabbatical from tennis to play cricket. Barty, too, has credited how cricket helped center her. The 23-year-old’s confessions aside, these narratives do not talk about how Barty moved on to play a team sport that does not receive much attention (if any, at all) from non-Commonwealth countries. If she needed to regroup, the 11-player game gave her as much of an opportunity to be connected with the sports’ world as much as there was a gulf separating her from expectations.

More than her win on a surface that was always thought to be non-conducive to her playing style, Barty’s winning a singles major at the French Open when everyone’s usual picks fell off the draw sheet was the bigger surprise. As if it were a given offshoot, it was also not surprising that Barty’s Roland Garros title led to chants of her winning Wimbledon.

This externally-driven pipe dream may have been extinguished for Barty. But onlookers latched on to another player to fuel their aspirations – in 16-year-old Coco Gauff. It also became convenient to do so since she defeated 38-year-old Venus Williams, one of her idols, in the opening round thereby earning the moniker of being someone-like the Williamses in the years to come.

However, the irony is that Venus and Serena Williams did not become who they are now while starting off as teenage prodigies. It has taken the Williams sisters over two decades on the tour to get to where they are now. In a way, they are outliers to the usual plotlines spun around tennis because they have not only shunned expectations – while battling against odds – but also used them as expedient benchmarks to be surpassed.

If they are to be used as examples, more than their achievements, it is this quality of theirs that the likes of Gauff and Osaka need to be expected to emulate – in their wins as in their losses.

Ash Barty
Ash Barty

The Latest On Naomi Osaka, Japan’s New Tennis Titan

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Naomi Osaka is taking the tennis world by storm. Last year at this time, Japan’s newest tennis super star was ranked No. 72 and now she is on the cusp of becoming No. 1. Here are some info in advance of her Australian Open final.

She is making fourth main draw appearance at Australian Open, where she has advanced to first Australian final and second Grand Slam final.

Her previous best result here was a round of 16 showing in 2018 where she defeated two Top 20 players (No.19 Vesnina and No.17 Barty) before falling to World No.1 and eventual runner-up Simona Halep. Osaka’s 2018 run saw her become the youngest Japanese to reach the round 16 at a Slam since Ai Sugiyama at 1995 Roland Garros (19 yrs, 342 days) and she was the youngest player from Japan to reach this stage at Australian Open since Kimiko Date in 1990 (19 yrs, 122 days).

In other outings at the Australian Open, she made the third round in 2016 (as qualifier, lost to Vika Azarenka) – which marked Grand Slam main draw debut – and a second round in 2017 (losing to Jo Konta).

Having won the US Open in 2018, Osaka is bidding to be the 10th woman to win US Open and Australian Open back-to-back (most recently accomplished by Serena Williams in 2015). She is seeded at No. 4 this fortnight, which is her highest seeding at a Slam, up from No. 18 at 2018 Wimbledon. The No.4 seed has won title in Australia on three occasions in the Open Era: Mary Pierce (1995), Martina Hingis (1997) and Li Na (2014) Osaka is contesting 2019 Australian Open at a career-high of No.4, which was first achieved October 8, 2018.

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Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka

Wide Open Field For WTA Finals In Singapore But Who Is The Favorite?

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Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina are the last two player to qualify for the eight-player year-end 2018 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global that will take place from October 21-28, 2018.

Pliskova and Svitolina round out the singles field, joining Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber, US Open champion Naomi Osaka, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, Dutch star Kiki Bertens, Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens in Singapore. The eight players will compete for $7 million in prize money and bragging rights as to who can lay claim to be the “best of the year” for the 2018 season.

Women’s tennis has been as unpredictably exciting the last few years, illustrated by the fact that over the last eight major championships, eight different champions have been crowned.

Pliskova has earned her WTA Finals spot with two wins this season – in Stuttgart and at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Said Pliskova, “I can’t wait to close out the year competing against the other elite players of 2018.”

Svitolina won three titles in three final-round appearances in 2018, lifting trophies in Brisbane, Dubai and Rome. The Ukrainian reached the quarterfinal stage at the Australian Open and made the round of 16 at the US Open, maintaining her Top 10 ranking all season long.

While many pointed to world No. 1 Simona Halep, the world No. 1, as the favorite, her health has been a major concern, causing her to pull out of the event in Moscow this week as well as Singapore and will not play again until 2019.

Wozniacki, the world No. 2, has shown a return-to-form with her recent victory in Beijing and could be the WTA betting favorite in Singapore because of this, Halep’s injury, and the fact that she is the defending champion, having beaten Venus Williams in Singapore last year. Following her break-through win at the Australian Open, her first major singles title, Wozniacki returned to the No. 1 ranking but struggled to maintain that form for most of the rest of the year, only winning in Eastbourne in June on grass.

Osaka turned the tennis world on its head with her shocking final-round win over Serena Williams at the U.S. Open and has handled the spotlight well since her maiden major victory in New York. She reached the final in Tokyo in her first event after her U.S. Open win, not an easy task, especially under the immense media scrutiny in her home nation. She also reached the semifinals of Beijing. She is trending upwards and could also cap her most impressive year with a title in Singapore.

Said WTA CEO & Chairman Steve Simon of the event, “Singapore will be an exciting week for women’s tennis, as the Top 8 singles players…are ready to compete for this prestigious title while celebrating an amazing five-year legacy in this wonderful city.”

Staged at the Singapore Sports Hub from October 21-28, the 2018 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global is a 10-day tennis festival featuring the world’s best players vying for a US$7 million in prize money and two of the most prestigious titles in women’s tennis. The Top 8 singles players will compete in a round-robin format with the winner taking home the Billie Jean King Trophy. For more information, go to www.WTAFinals.com

Caroline Wozniacki
Caroline Wozniacki

Photo Essay: Journey to the Title

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As for all Grand Slam champions, the road to the trophy is long, and begins at a time that seems forever before the final match. In the first days of the tournament, titles are but dreams — dreams that slowly come closer to reality as each match is won. In this photo essay, tennis writer and photographer Chris Nicholson illustrates parts of the journey of two women chasing history: Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams.

Photos by Chris Nicholson, author of Photographing Tennis. Follow Chris’ US Open photos on Instagram (@ShootingTennis).

Madison Keys Stages Extraordinary Comeback Win To Beat Naomi Osaka

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by Kevin Craig

@KCraig_Tennis

 

Madison Keys completed an extraordinary comeback on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday at the US Open, coming back from 1-5 down in the third set to beat Naomi Osaka of Japan, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(3).

“For sure. Hands down,” said Keys when asked if this was the best comeback of her career. “The crowd today was amazing, and getting to play at your home slam on Ashe is a feeling like you can’t even describe.”

Keys, the No. 8 seat in this year’s US Open, has been in terrific form this summer, holding a 19-4 record since the French Open. The impressive run she has been on saw her sitting at a career high ranking of No. 9 coming into the event, and with her results in New York, will see her propel to an even higher career high ranking when the new rankings come out.

With a title in Birmingham, a finalist appearance in Montreal, and reaching the medal rounds at the Olympics in Rio, Keys, at 21-years old, was touted as one of the outside favorites at the final major of the year, but received a massive scare from her 18-year old opponent.

Osaka, who has been highly regarded as one of the best prospects on the women’s side of the game in recent times, had an impressive result early in the year as she qualified to get into the Australian Open before reaching the third round. Her ranking as hovered in the 80-120 range in 2016, though, as she has not been able to win more than two matches in a row since her run in Melbourne.

The Japanese looked to make it three wins in a row on Friday as she broke Keys in the opening game of the match and got off to the exact start she needed. Keys, however, was up to the task and broke back just three games later to get back on serve. From the 2-2 game onward, the rest of the first set was very straight forward as neither player had a look at any break points and none of the games went to deuce until the final game of the set.

In the 12th game, Osaka gave Keys, who hit 37 winners in the match, just the smallest window of opportunity at 30-40, and the American took advantage as she broke to close out the first set, 7-5.

The second set was much different as four of the 10 games went to deuce, yet only one break point was converted. That break went to Osaka in the ninth game as she was able to fight off two break points in the early stages before taking the lead late. After converting her first break point of the set for a 5-4 lead, Osaka went on to hold comfortably at 15 to force a decider.

All the momentum looked to be on the side of the 18-year old as she would get within one game of reaching her first fourth round at a major, holding a 5-1 lead. Keys, though, knew how big of an opportunity this was for her and she didn’t let it slip, breaking Osaka as she served for the match, not even allowing the Japanese to have a look at a match point.

“I just knew that if I stayed in the match that I could maybe have a chance to come back and get back in it,” said Keys, and that was exactly the case as she fought herself all the way back to a final set tiebreak.

The unreal comeback from Keys, who won 80 percent of her first serve points in the match, was concluded as all the momentum was on her side at this point. The American was able to jump out to a 5-2 lead in the tiebreak, and there was no looking back from that point as she would close out the match three points later and place herself in the fourth round of the US Open for the second year in a row.

“I think the biggest thing is just…I’m never giving up and I’m fighting to the very end. That’s something to pat myself on the back for. But also definitely going to sit down later and work on some things for the next round because I don’t want to be two points from losing again,” said Keys.

This match-up between Keys and Osaka is surely one that will be seen many times again in the future, and possibly even in the later rounds of major tournaments. For now, though, Keys will focus on her fourth round match with former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki that will take place on Sunday.

The American has bowed out in the fourth round of the first three majors of the year, but will hope to go at least one better here in New York, and possibly match her career best result at a major; reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2015.

Madison Keys
Madison Keys