Victoria Azarenka has just signed with Wilson. Azarenka seems very excited to be joining Wilson and Im sure she got a nice signing bonus to match.
I’m extremely excited to be changing to Wilson’s new Juice racket. The power and spin that I feel with this racket is insane and I look forward to seeing what I can do with it
After starting out the year ranked 34 in the world, Petra Kvitova turned everyone’s head when she won her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon this year to former champion Maria Sharapova.
And after winning the Year-Ending Championships on her first try, not losing a single match en route to the final where she beat Victoria Azarenka; this young woman has certainly proved herself as the best of the year. Apart from these tremendous wins, she has also won 6 singles titles this year and has a record of 60-13 for the 2011 season. Not too long ago she won both her matches to help the Czech Republic win the Fed Cup and has by the end of the year catapulted herself to the number 2 ranking spot only behind Caroline Wozniacki.
Kvitova also won the Most Improved Player and Sportsmanship Award. Other winners include Sabine Lisicki of Germany for the Comeback Player of the Year and Irina-Camelia Begu for the Newcomer of the Year.
“This season has been simply a dream,” Kvitova said. ”It is an incredible honour to win the player of the year award and join the ranks of some of the best players that have ever played the sport, especially Martina Navratilova.” ”I will always cherish the 2011 season and look forward to building on it.”
Let’s see if Kvitova can have an even better year in 2012!
On a recent episode of “Tennisography” on the Tennis Channel, current world number 10 Victoria Azarenka was the featured tennis player that discussed her life story, and how she came about to holding a tennis racquet for the first time to being one of the top players on the women’s tour.
The entire episode can be seen below, and I hope you guys get inspired by this young lady and her desire to be the best at what she does.
Here is a great video from the Rogers Cup in Toronto. They caught up with the top female players in the world to see how they have been preparing for the event and how their holidays have been.
Players in the video: Francesca Schiavone, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova & Li Na.
Marina Erakovic has just had the best win of her young career. Marina Erakovic defeated Victoria Azarenka 4-6 7-5 6-2.
This is Erakovic’s first win over anyone in the top 20. Its great to see a young Kiwi doing so well and Im looking forward to seeing if she can backup this result.
“Coming in I knew I had to be the aggressor and try to dictate the pace,” Erakovic said. “I knew the court and I felt like I was hitting the ball well.”
The WTA tour Bank of the West Classic is coming up next week and here is where you can watch all of Friday and the weekend action.
All of the top players from all over the world will be at the event and it will be very interesting to see who can take the title.
Stanford TV Coverage (Click on broadcaster links for coverage details)
| Date | Broadcasters |
| Friday, July 29 | CCTV; Eurosport; Eurosport 2; Eurosport Asia/Pacific; TennisTV.com |
| Saturday, July 30 | Abu Dhabi Sports; Band Sports; CCTV; DirecTV; Dubai Sports Channel; Eurosport; Eurosport Asia/Pacific; FOXSports Australia; Gaora; Neo Sports; Rogers; SBS Sports; Sky Mexico; Sportcast; TennisTV.com; True Visions; Vietnam Cable |
| Sunday, July 31 | Abu Dhabi Sports; Band Sports; CCTV; DirecTV; Dubai Sports Channel; Eurosport; Eurosport Asia/Pacific; FOXSports Australia; Gaora; Neo Sports; Rogers; SBS Sports; Sky Mexico; Sportcast; TennisTV.com; True Visions; Vietnam Cable |
Andrea Petkovic uploaded the video with this message:
“This is what the species of pro tennis players does when it rains in Wimbledon and they don’t know what to do with their life. Starring Novak Djokovic, Viktoria Azarenka and myself, Petkorazzi. Somwhere you will find Ivo Karlovic who is trying to be professional by exercising something. Enjoy!”
Mens Singles:
Rafael Nadal is playing some great tennis when it matters. Nadal swept aside Ivan Ljubicic in straight sets 7-5 6-3 6-3. Additionally, Robin Soderling performed very well today and knocked out Gilles Simon in straight sets 6-2 6-3 7-6. That now setups a Soderling and Nadal quarterfinal! Im really looking forward to seeing if Soderling can knock out Nadal yet again.
In the other two match Juan Ignacio Chela defeated Alejandro Falla 4-6 6-2 1-6 7-6 6-2, while Gael Monfils defeated David Ferrer 6-4 2-6 7-5 1-6 8-6.
Womens Singles:
Sharapova seems to be continuing her run with a 7-6 7-5 win over Agnieszka Radwanska. There were other strong results from Victoria Azarenka, Andrea Petkovic and Na Li.
Its amazing to see Na Li performing amazingly well after a layoff from tennis.
The Tennis Channel have put together a great little segment called bag check. Here is a bit of an old video of Victoria Azarenka, but we thought it was appropriate as she is one to watch going into the French Open this year.
Victoria Azarenka has run over Maria Sharapova in the final of the WTA Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Saturday. Victoria defeated Sharapova 6-1 6-4 in a relatively one sided final.
Azarenka was leading 6-1, 4-0 before Sharapova held serve for the first and only time. Sharapova then broke Azarenka’s serve twice to bring it up to 4-5, giving a little glimpse of hope. But Azarenka closed it out at 6-4.
It seems that Sharapova is still yet to get over her serving troubles, only holding serve once in the final. It is near impossible to win if you cant continually hold your own service games.
Most professional tennis players spend more time on planes than anyone else. Recently in Dubai, Victoria Azarenka took that flying experience to another level. Azarenka jumped in an Emirates A380 simulator at the Emirates Training College.
Robin Soderling (23) vs Nikolay Davydenko (10) = This is going to be a great match. Robin Soderling beat four time reigning champion Rafael Nadal in four sets in the previous round and Davydenko defeated Fernando Verdasco in straight sets. I think Robin will be still on a high from his last victory, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep it going. This could be a five set match with Soderling taking the first few sets then Davydenko coming back.
Andy Murray (3) vs Fernando Gonzalez (12) = Andy and Fernando have been in great for in this tournament so far and they both didnt lose a set in their fourth round matches. Murray has had quite an easy draw so far and I think Gonzalez might actually cause a big upset in this match.
Juan Martin Del Potro (5) vs Tommy Robredo (16) = Juan Martin Del Potro has been playing some great tennis and beating good opponents so far in the tournament. However, in this match he will coming up against Tommy Robredo who has a huge amount of experience on the clay courts of Roland Garros. I can see Robredo winning this match in a long five set match.
Gael Monfils (11) vs Roger Federer (2) = This is another exciting match with Roger on the back of coming from two sets to love down to win in five, while Monfils played one of his greatest matches at the French Open defeating Andy Roddick in straight sets. I think this will be Rogers match to lose.
Dinara Safina (1) vs Victoria Azarenka (9) = Azarenka had a great previous match disposing of the defending champion Ana Ivanovic in straight sets. While Safina hasn’t put a foot wrong and has been demolishing her opponents. I think the first set is going to be very tight and Azarenka really needs to win it, cause I cant see her coming back in three sets.
Dominika Cibulkova (20) vs Maria Sharapova = This is going to be a very interesting match, Maria hasnt been in the greatest of form but she has been grinding out wins. Cibulkova has been playing some good tennis, but hasnt really played a major name at this years French Open. I can see Maria winning in another three set match.
Sorana Cirstea vs Samantha Stosur (30) = Cirstea has had a great tournament so far, especially with her win in the last match at 9-7 in the third set over Jelena Jankovic. Stosur has been going through the draw very quietly. Clay is not Stosurs best surface but she has a great kick serve for a female player and I can see her demolishing Cirstea in straight sets.
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7) vs Serena Williams (2) = The girls have a great rivalry and have played some great matches over the years. I think Serena is in great form and the quick clay surface this year is suiting her game and I cant really see Kuznetsova getting into the match from the beginning.
After yesterday when I mentioned that there was a big upset at the French Open and it was the loss of Novak Djokovic, well today has got even better. Today both defending champions have been beaten, Rafael Nadal and Ana Ivanovic.
Rafael Nadal lost in four sets to Robin Soderling of Sweden 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6. Nadal’s hopes of becoming the first player, man or woman, to win the French Open five times in a row are gone, dashed as the scintillating Swede played the game of his life.
After 31 consecutive match wins dating back to 2005, the King of Clay lost his first-ever match at the French Open and can have no complaints after playing on the back foot virtually throughout, while the inspired No23 seed blitzed him from every corner of the court.
Ana Ivanovic had a really tough day on court today after getting a little bit of a lesson from Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. The defending womens champion was never really in the match beaten 6-2 6-3. Azarenka will now face Dinara Safina who seems to be in amazing form. Safina defeated Aravane Rezai 6-0 6-1 in less than an hour.
Victoria Azarenka, Dominika Cibulkova, Anna Chakvetadze and Alona Bondarenko appear on this month’s French edition of FHM men’s magazine. The article, which coincides with the tournament of Roland Garros being held in Paris, includes interviews with the tennis players and very sexy pictures in bikini.
