WTA Championships Diary: Another milestone in the extraordinary rise of Petra Kvitova

Petra Kvitova, WTA champion

Some year for Petra

Petra Kvitova began the 2011 season as a rather unknown lanky Czech ranked No 34 in the world. She has finished it as the world No 2, Wimbledon champion, and WTA champion, and with over $5 million in prize money. Not bad for a 21 year-old.

The Czech was at her gut-screeching best for the first five games of the final against Victoria Azarenka, throwing in aces and drop shots alongside her fearsome forehand to lead 5-0. But then she went walkabout, dropping four games in a row to Azarenka, who to her credit, didn’t waste the opportunity. Although Kvitova sneaked the first set 7-5, Azarenka, with the crowd firmly behind her, battled back to take the second. But then Kvitova decided to find one of her purple patches, and despite squandering a championship point at 5-2, served out for a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory.

She is now odds-on favourite to be crowned the WTA player of the year.

Young and old

The WTA’s top three singles players may all be aged 22 and younger when the new rankings come out on Monday, but that doesn’t mean the age of the golden oldie is over.

38 year-old Lisa Raymond and 35 year-old Liezel Huber used their combined aged of 73 to excellent effect to become the WTA doubles champions. They beat Kveta Peschke and  Katerina Srebotnik 6-4, 6-4, Huber became world No 1, and they now have their sights set on the Olympics. And why on earth not.

As for the young guns, it's safe to say that we can expect to see plenty more of Kvitova and Azarenka in 2012 – both of them are not at all far off Wozniacki in terms of points, just 115 for Kvitova, so we could well have a new world No 1 during the Australian Open.

Turkey done good

The week in Istanbul has been such a success from the WTA’s point of view that Stacey Allaster, WTA CEO and Chairman, compared it to the glory days of Madison Square Garden. Slight exaggeration, perhaps.

But the fact remains this tournament has been very illuminating from a fan-base point of view. 11,000 people a day, peaking at 13,676, and with 70,824 in total? Quite something.

That’s what happens when you price tickets at 10 and 20 lira (£3 and £7).

The great grunting debate

"I thought we'd get away without that," joked Stacey Allaster as grunting came up in conversation again, confirming that the WTA plans to speak to players and coaches about noise on the court after receiving increasing amounts of negative feedback  from fans.

But, she did say that it is up to the players to complain if it's bothering them, implying that if that was the case, the tour would react accordingly.

"I haven't had one player come to me and complain, not one," Allaster said.

Her view was backed up by Huber, who said "As long as the players don’t stand up and say, Hey, this bugs me, then it’s the player’s fault."

Azarenka, who greeted the question about her noise level with a wry smile, also said that players are just not bothering about what their opponent is doing on the court.

"Whatever helps players to be better, that's their own way. I have to respect that. Somebody has to jump around, somebody have to say bad words or whatever. It's their own way. I just try to focus on myself and that's it."

Changes afoot

The WTA is set to introduce a new level of tournaments, WTA Challengers, to sit in between the ITF $100K and the $220 WTA International events. There will be two in 2012, as pilot events, with plans for 8-10 by 2013. Prize money will be $125K, and they are likely to be in the Asia-Pacific region.

The women’s tour is also bumping up its prize money by eight per cent to $52.4 million for the 2012 season.

What’s next?

The last WTA tournament of the year is the Tournament of Champions in Bali (lucky them), while the men compete in Basle and Valencia this week, before Paris, and then London. It’s the final stretch…

For the ladies who've been in Istanbul this week, it's very much holiday time. Azarenka is off to Minsk, and a Rihanna concert in Zurich, Kvitova is heading home, maybe to a spa, and then to off-season training in the mountains. Happy holidays to them.

Soundbites

“I have had too good of a career to kind of just be mediocre”

Lisa Raymond on Lisa Raymond

“Can I have a real one?”

Victoria Azarenka on being handed a model of a Turkish Airlines plane

Something a little different…

According to Vegas Confidential, there is set to be a bidding war for the film rights to Andre Agassi’s explosive autobiography “Open.” Steven Spielberg and Jerry Bruckheimer are both said to be interested.

Lessons learned in Istanbul

If someone offers you ‘brains’ in a restaurant, they’re not speaking figuratively.

WTA Championships Diary: Another milestone for the extraordinary rise of Petra Kvitova

Petra Kvitova, WTA champion

Some year for Petra

Petra Kvitova began the 2011 season as a rather unknown lanky Czech ranked No 34 in the world. She has finished it as the world No 2, Wimbledon champion, and WTA champion, and with over $5 million in prize money. Not bad for a 21 year-old.

The Czech was at her gut-screeching best for the first five games of the final against Victoria Azarenka, throwing in aces and drop shots alongside her fearsome forehand to lead 5-0. But then she went walkabout, dropping four games in a row to Azarenka, who to her credit, didn’t waste the opportunity. Although Kvitova sneaked the first set 7-5, Azarenka, with the crowd firmly behind her, battled back to take the second. But then Kvitova decided to find one of her purple patches, and despite squandering a championship point at 5-2, served out for a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory.

She is now odds-on favourite to be crowned the WTA player of the year.

Young and old

The WTA’s top three singles players may all be aged 22 and younger when the new rankings come out on Monday, but that doesn’t mean the age of the golden oldie is over.

38 year-old Lisa Raymond and 35 year-old Liezel Huber used their combined aged of 73 to excellent effect to become the WTA doubles champions. They beat Kveta Peschke and  Katerina Srebotnik 6-4, 6-4, Huber became world No 1, and they now have their sights set on the Olympics. And why on earth not.

As for the young guns, it's safe to say that we can expect to see plenty more of Kvitova and Azarenka in 2012 – both of them are not at all far off Wozniacki in terms of points, just 115 for Kvitova, so we could well have a new world No 1 during the Australian Open.

Turkey done good

The week in Istanbul has been such a success from the WTA’s point of view that Stacey Allaster, WTA CEO and Chairman, compared it to the glory days of Madison Square Garden. Slight exaggeration, perhaps.

But the fact remains this tournament has been very illuminating from a fan-base point of view. 11,000 people a day, peaking at 13,676, and with 70,824 in total? Quite something.

That’s what happens when you price tickets at 10 and 20 lira (£3 and £7).

The great grunting debate

"I thought we'd get away without that," joked Stacey Allaster as grunting came up in conversation again, confirming that the WTA plans to speak to players and coaches about noise on the court after receiving increasing amounts of negative feedback  from fans.

But, she did say that it is up to the players to complain if it's bothering them, implying that if that was the case, the tour would react accordingly.

"I haven't had one player come to me and complain, not one," Allaster said.

Her view was backed up by Huber, who said "As long as the players don’t stand up and say, Hey, this bugs me, then it’s the player’s fault."

Azarenka, who greeted the question about her noise level with a wry smile, also said that players are just not bothering about what their opponent is doing on the court.

"Whatever helps players to be better, that's their own way. I have to respect that. Somebody has to jump around, somebody have to say bad words or whatever. It's their own way. I just try to focus on myself and that's it."

Changes afoot

The WTA is set to introduce a new level of tournaments, WTA Challengers, to sit in between the ITF $100K and the $220 WTA International events. There will be two in 2012, as pilot events, with plans for 8-10 by 2013. Prize money will be $125K, and they are likely to be in the Asia-Pacific region.

The women’s tour is also bumping up its prize money by eight per cent to $52.4 million for the 2012 season.

What’s next?

The last WTA tournament of the year is the Tournament of Champions in Bali (lucky them), while the men compete in Basle and Valencia this week, before Paris, and then London. It’s the final stretch…

For the ladies who've been in Istanbul this week, it's very much holiday time. Azarenka is off to Minsk, and a Rihanna concert in Zurich, Kvitova is heading home, maybe to a spa, and then to off-season training in the mountains. Happy holidays to them.

Soundbites

“I have had too good of a career to kind of just be mediocre”

Lisa Raymond on Lisa Raymond

“Can I have a real one?”

Victoria Azarenka on being handed a model of a Turkish Airlines plane

Something a little different…

According to Vegas Confidential, there is set to be a bidding war for the film rights to Andre Agassi’s explosive autobiography “Open.” Steven Spielberg and Jerry Bruckheimer are both said to be interested.

Lessons learned in Istanbul

If someone offers you ‘brains’ in a restaurant, they’re not speaking figuratively.

WTA Championships Diary: Battle for world No 2 as Petra Kvitova to face Victoria Azarenka for title

Petra Kvitova has her sights set on the world No 2 ranking

Hot and cold

When Petra Kvitova hits the lines, she’s unbeatable. When she misses, she misses by a long way. Thus was the story of her semi-final against Sam Stosur, which essentially was the Czech’s for the taking from the off. But the 21 year-old surrendered a 4-2 lead to drop the opening set 5-7, looking extremely non-plussed at her inability to hit the ball in.

All credit to Stosur, who had stick-bageled Li Na the day before, who seized her opportunity. Two decisive breaks made the difference in the next two sets though, although yet again Kvitova somehow managed not to hang onto a 5-0 lead in the decider, eventually winning 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. She’s got some way to go. Which is all the more scary, given how good she is already.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

A day after essentially tanking her way through her final round robin match against Marion Bartoli in a very Mr Hyde manner, Victoria Azarenka came up with the goods better suited to Dr Jekyll to beat Vera Zvonareva in a match far tighter than the 6-2, 6-3 scoreline suggested, and advance to her first WTA Championships final.

Bizarrely, having been effusive to say the least in her match-winning celebrations all week, all Azarenka did was salute to the crowd. As my press centre neighbour observed, you’d have thought she’d lost.

World No.2

The result means that there will be more than the title of WTA champion at stake when Kvitova takes on Victoria Azarenka in the final…the winner will move up to world No.2, the loser to world No.3. Scary. Look out Wozniacki, who will be just 115 points in front if Kvitova wins.

Get well soon

Speaking of Wozniacki, no sooner had she secured the year-end No.1 ranking than she was struck down with a fever, and spent the whole of Friday in bed. She still managed to revive herself for a spot of Turkish shopping though…

Double teaming

The doubles event began yesterday, as Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik saw off Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova in straight sets to reach the final. They’ll play either Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, or Lisa Raymond and Liezel Huber. Props to Raymond, who looks fitter than ever at the grand old age of 38.

Super sub

Called in to replace the injured Maria Sharapova, Marion Bartoli made the most of her cameo appearance, coming up with the goods to beat Victoria Azarenka in three sets. Admittedly, Azarenka appeared to be treating the match as a practice session, in fact that’s exactly what she called it, but Bartoli still managed to take advantage.

Follow our lead

Sam Stosur made a few comments about the proverbial Medusa that is the tennis calendar, saying that the ATP should have a look at how the WTA overhauled their schedule.

“We’ve, on the women’s side, really got a tournament schedule where you can make good decisions and make a good schedule and put good breaks throughout the year. They [the men] kind of complain about it but don’t make the situation any better for themselves either.”

Quite.

Republic day…

…meant that every inch of every building in Istanbul became covered with Turkish flags. Including the seats at the Sinam Erdem Dome. It was thus a fitting day for the tournament to donate $200,000 towards the Turkish earthquake appeal.

Lessons from Istanbul…No is not an answer

I got approached about having my shoes shined, and let’s just say I ended up having my shoes shined.

Soundbite

“I’m tired now”

Petra Kvitova. Why say more?

The final preview

Petra Kvitova v Victoria Azarenka

Battle of the young guns as the tour’s newest newcomer, Czech Kvitova, takes on Azarenka. Expect emotions and noise levels to be running high as Kvitova screeches after every point and Azarenka shrieks during every point, but the way these two have been playing, it is sure to be an exciting contest.

The Czech leads their head-to-head 3-2, their most recent encounter coming in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. Kvitova came through 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 on that occasion, and won the two meetings before that, in Madrid on clay, and at Wimbledon again last year. Azarenka won their first two encounters, at Prague in 2008, and the Australian Open in 2009.

Form would probably favour Azarenka, who despite losing to Marion Bartoli, has looked the more consistent, when she tries to be. Kvitova on the other hand as been as up and down as the Istanbul weather. She won’t be able to afford to make the mistakes she has been making this week. Even so, I’d go with Kvitova in three.

The daily click

There's no one quite like Marion Bartoli…