A forum to discuss all things related to the Women’s Tennis Association.
Copyright © 2024 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes
A forum to discuss all things related to the Women’s Tennis Association.
Copyright © 2024 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes
Kiki and Caroline RG Champs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo7qPXHRXrw
Vesnina — sounds like she says EYE-GAH, every time she hits the ball. Maybe it’s short for I got it.
FO is done. Moving on…
Two 280 point tournaments.
Nottingham and Hertogenbosch.
Nottingham Monday:
#21 Johanna Konta v #576 Vicki Duval
#82 Anett Kontaveit v #113 Lauren Davis
#19 Karoline Pliskova v #87 Anastasija Sevastova
#107 Ana Tatishvili v #109 Kristyna Pliskova
#67 Christina McHale v #84 Magda Linette
#85 Saisai Zheng v (WC) Freya Christie
Nottingham Draw:
http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2016/1080/MDS.pdf
Hertogenbosch Monday:
#43 Coco Vandewheghe v #274 Indy De Vroome
#37 Laura Siegemund v #68 Madison Brengle
#47 Eugenie Bouchard v Q Elise Mertens
#70 Denisa Allertova v Q Natalia Vikhlyantseva
Hertogenbosch Draw:
http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2016/822/MDS.pdf
Nice to see Belina Bencic back!
It was some good tennis in the match between Alison Van Uytvanck and Belinda Bencic. Both of them returning from injury breaks looking a little shaky at times, but the Belgian has a good game on grass; her serve got hot the 2nd set. Belinda was able to fight through some errors and emotions to win the TB in the decider.
Nice to be on grass!
Wednesday Hertogenbosch:
#68 Madison Brengle v #134 Richel Hogenkamp
Madison should come through.
#43 Coco Vandeweghe v #69 Nao Hibino
Coco looks at home and happy on the grass.
#32 Kiki Mladenovic v #254 Natalia Vikhlyantseva
Would like to watch this match because I’ve never seen the Russian, 19 year old, Vikhlyantseva. Not much info on her but her twitter has the most so far: https://twitter.com/nvikhlyantseva
#119 Aleksandra Krunic v #171 Elise Mertens
20 year old, Elise Mertens could pull the upset.
Unfortunately Roland Garros semi-finalist, Kiki Bertens, had to withdraw from the tournament with a tear in her calf muscle. https://twitter.com/kikibertens
Wednesday Nottingham:
#49 Monica Puig v #249 Michelle Larcher de Brito
#17 Karolina Pliskova v #107 Anna Tatishvili
#72 Su-Wei Hsieh v #89 Alison Riske
#34 Caroline Wozniacki v #97 Anett Kontaveit
Caroline Wozniacki is coming back from injury after missing clay season. She’s got a nice, easy draw. She’ll meet Christina McHale in the QF and I’m guessing #2 seed Johanna Konta in the SF.
This might be handy for anyone interested. The WTA Insider team came up with a grass power ranking formula. It might help, or not, for picking the WTA Wimbledon bracket. The Grass Court Top Twenty:
SERENA WILLIAMS (USA)
Grass #1
WTA #1
Grass Points: 2237.5
PETRA KVITOVA (CZE)
Grass #2
WTA #11
GP: 1985
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA (POL)
Grass #3
WTA #3
GP: 1826.25
GARBIÑE MUGURUZA (ESP)
Grass #4
WTA #2
GP: 1528.5
SABINE LISICKI (GER)
Grass #5
WTA #63
GP: 1372.5
ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER)
Grass #6
WTA #4
GP: 1231.25
EUGENIE BOUCHARD (CAN)
Grass #7
WTA #46
GP: 1127.25
BELINDA BENCIC (SUI)
Grass #8
WTA #8
GP: 1058.75
MADISON KEYS (USA)
Grass #9
WTA #16
GP: 1022.5
MARIA SHARAPOVA (RUS)
Grass #10
WTA #26
GP: 1010
LUCIE SAFAROVA (CZE)
Grass #11
WTA #29
GP: 937.5
SIMONA HALEP (ROU)
Grass #12
WTA #5
GP: 907.5
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN)
Grass #13
WTA #34
GP: 893.75
COCO VANDEWEGHE (USA)
Grass #14
WTA #43
GP: 866.25
KIRSTEN FLIPKENS (BEL)
Grass #15
WTA #61
GP: 845
BARBORA STRYCOVA (CZE)
Grass #16
WTA #30
GP: 727
SLOANE STEPHENS (USA)
Grass #17
WTA #20
GP: 688.75
CAMILA GIORGI (ITA)
Grass #18
WTA #47
GP: 670.5
EKATERINA MAKAROVA (RUS)
Grass #19
WTA #36
GP: 609
ANA IVANOVIC (SRB)
Grass #20
WTA #25
GP: 571.5
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/5631065/title/wta-grass-court-power-rankings
The list takes the results from the last 3 years — therefore, it’s a potential talent list for some. Many on there are not having a great 2016, yet.
I like:
Williams, Muguruza, Kvitova, Radwanska, Kerber, Keys, Halep, Vandeweghe, Strycova, and Stephens.
Bencic and Wozniacki are just coming back from injury but both looked good today.
Not at all sure about the rest until I see them. Kirsten Flipkins went out first round in Hertogenbosch. Bouchard was terrible in Nottingham yesterday, not sure what was wrong.
Ana Ivanovic? Isn’t she getting married this month?
Natalia Vikhlyantseva won the first set. Something began distracting her after the first game, 2nd set, and she lost her ability to serve. DF’d away a game. When she’s on, she’s on. She must be at least as tall as Sharapova. Wow. when she’s on she’s imposing but being ON comes and goes.
Sharapova banned for 2 years wef January 2016.
Sky Sports News HQ @SkySportsNewsHQ 4m4 minutes ago
More details on the news that Maria Sharapova has been banned for two years following a failed drugs test #SSNHQ
https://twitter.com/SkySportsNewsHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
I just heard the news announced on tv.
The ITF press release:
08 Jun 2016
Decision in the case of Maria Sharapova
PRESS RELEASE
8 June 2016 – London, ENGLAND – An Independent Tribunal appointed under Article 8.1 of the 2016 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (the “Programme”) has found that Maria Sharapova committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under Article 2.1 of the Programme and as a consequence has disqualified the affected results and imposed a period of ineligibility of two years, commencing on 26 January 2016.
Ms. Sharapova, a 29-year-old player from Russia, provided a urine sample on 26 January 2016, after her quarter-final match at the 2016 Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia. That sample was sent to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Montreal, Canada for analysis, and was found to contain meldonium, which is a metabolic modulator that is included under section S4 (Hormone and Metabolic Modulators) of the 2016 WADA Prohibited List, and therefore is also prohibited under the Programme.
On 2 March 2016, Ms. Sharapova was charged with an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under Article 2.1 of the Programme (presence of a Prohibited Substance in a Player’s Sample). She promptly admitted that she had committed the Anti-Doping Rule Violation charged, and asked for a hearing before an Independent Tribunal in accordance with Article 8 of the Programme to determine the consequences to be imposed on her for that violation.
At a two-day hearing on 18-19 May 2016, the Independent Tribunal received evidence and heard legal arguments from both parties, and subsequently issued a reasoned decision on 8 June, which is available below. The Independent Tribunal determined that (1) Ms. Sharapova should serve a period of ineligibility of two years; (2) due to her prompt admission of her violation, that period of ineligibility should be back-dated under Article 10.10.3(b) of the Programme to commence from 26 January 2016 (the date of sample collection) and so should end at midnight on 25 January 2018; and (3) her results at the 2016 Australian Open should be disqualified, with resulting forfeiture of the ranking points and prize money that she won at that event.
The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme applies to all players competing at Grand Slam tournaments and events sanctioned by the ITF, ATP, and WTA. Players are tested for substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency and, upon a finding that an Anti-Doping Rule Violation has been committed, sanctions are imposed under the Programme in compliance with the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code. More information on the Programme, sanctions, statistics, and related matters can be found at http://www.itftennis.com/antidoping.
Read more at http://www.itftennis.com/news/231175.aspx#0uIWaFS46lfElVUG.99
http://www.itftennis.com/news/231175.aspx
BBC Sport: “Maria Sharapova has been given a two-year ban from tennis after failing a drugs test.”
https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/740559943217106944
https://tenngrand.com/social/wta/comment-page-9/#comment-121443
https://tenngrand.com/social/wta/comment-page-9/#comment-121439
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-133/#comment-121502
The detailed hearing:
http://www.itftennis.com/media/231178/231178.pdf
Is there a reason why we have posts repeating the same info about Maria more than once? It’s redundant and unnecessary.
One post will suffice unless there is additional information to report or expand on the decision.
Benny R gets it!
Ben Rothenberg @BenRothenberg 1h1 hour ago Edinburgh, Scotland
What cuts against Sharapova most in the 33-page ruling, I think, is how she admits taking meldonium on morning of every match in Melbourne…
…if you’re taking something just on match days that’s about helping performance, not heart/pre-diabetes/whatever issues initially mentioned.
Still, athletes do everything they can within rules. Meldonium was within rules until Jan 1. She ran into a newly built, poorly lit wall.
Jonny W gets it!
Jon WertheimVerified account
@jon_wertheim
Not so. “Lack of intent” didn’t address performance enhancement. It was intent v/v knowledge of banned list. Big distinction, I’d contend…
@pseudoMcEnroe gets it!
Pseudo McEnroe @McEnroeTweets 2h2 hours ago
Doping are you kidding I never took performance enhancing drugs I was too busy yelling let’s be honest.
Pseudo McEnroe @McEnroeTweets 2h2 hours ago
Back when I played the meldonium was wooden.
Pseudo McEnroe @McEnroeTweets 3h3 hours ago
She ought to check the packaging on the Sugarpova Maria it’s got at least 12 banned substances let’s be honest.
Cheers RC, and thanks for the WTA picks, hubby has found me a sports link on this laptop, so ill be able to watch more WTA tennis now, which is actually becoming more interesting with Kerber and Mugaruza getting in the GS mix, dont work too hard ….
And I think ill stay away from Blue Moonball, posters talk like its a porn site at times YUCK ….
Fully expect Shriekapova’s sentence will be reduced to 12 months after appeal.
Don’t you? Or do you.
I’m sad her career has been blighted but at the same time relieved that the ITF and the other bodies involved have finally had the guts to stand by their decision instead of accepting weazel excuses and fabricated stories and are not afraid to make it stick to a high-profile player.
The following article suggests that even if she decides to appeal there is very little room for manoeuvring:
Professor Dionne Koller, director of the Center for Sport and the Law at the University of Baltimore, told USA TODAY Sports that the two-year ban is typical in cases like these and that a reduced sentence is unlikely for Sharapova.
“It’s tough to say,” said Koller. ” The reason why I would say she doesn’t have a great deal of chance to have it reduced is because she didn’t have any great reason for taking the drug. She tried to argue that is was for therapeutic use or that she should get exempted, and that didn’t hold up with the panel. She did not fall in the meldonium grace period that WADA gave; the drug was found in her in a remarkable level.”
“It’s hard to read the tea leaves, but I don’t think she can get it cut down or that she’ll get it cut down by much,” Koller continued. “She didn’t have any excuse. She is taking the drug and it was found in her system. That’s a two-year ban. I think they will uphold the two years or something very close to it.”
I shall always remember her facing down Serena at her first Wimbledon appearance at the age of 17. A David and Goliath moment in tennis if ever there was one. Too sad her whole career has now become tainted.
That is interstate info about the two year sentence and why it will most likely not reduced.
I think this is reasonable and sends the right message. I am sorry to see it happen to Maria and what it will mean for her career and legacy. Two years is a long time in a sport where a player’s life has a finite shelf life. But I think it’s fair.
Sorry, I meant to say “interesting” info!
I expect you did but predictive autocorrect thinks it knows better.