Although the runner-up at the 2017 Australian Open in women’s singles was Venus Williams, I submit that the 2nd best player (to Serena, obviously) in Melbourne was Great Britain’s Johanna Konta. She had the misfortune of facing Serena in the quarters in a match where Konta played tight as a drum and fell short of … Continue reading
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2017 Australian Open First Week – 7 Players To Watch Moving Forward
With the first week of women’s singles in the book, here are 7 players that caught my eye. I am posting this before the bottom half determines its quarterfinal match-ups. GARBINE MUGURUZA I’m always a little hesistant to pick Garbine to win a tournament. She has all the talent, but I don’t know what Mugu … Continue reading
2017 Australian Open Women’s Singles Preview
I am a fan of so many of the great athletes on the WTA that just about every tournament winner gives me reason to celebrate. But I do have what I call my Mount Rushmore favorites, my top 4 current faves. Unfortunately, 3 of those 4 will be absent at the 2017 Australian Open. Maria … Continue reading
Fairways and Forehands 2016 WTA and LPGA Top 12 Year In Review: #11 Johanna Konta and Haru Nomura
For the fourth annual edition of my WTA and LPGA money list countdown I will focus on the dynamic dozen from each tour, the top 12 on the money lists. For the WTA, singles, doubles and mixed are combined for total earnings. Here are the #11 players for 2016: Johanna Konta (WTA) and Haru Nomura … Continue reading
2016 WTA Finals Preview
Ah, my love/hate relationship with the WTA Finals. On the one hand, it’s probably my favorite event outside of the Olympics and US Open. But it also means the end of the year is near. And what a year it has been. I would never have guessed back on January 1st that Angelique Kerber would … Continue reading
Madison Keys Last American Woman Standing At 2016 Rio Olympics; Monica Puig Upsets Garbine Muguruza
I had high hopes for the American women in tennis at the 2016 Rio Olympics. It was a great team with future Hall of Famers Serena Williams and Venus Williams leading the singles participants with rising stars Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens threats to medal. In doubles, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Coco Vandeweghe had potential with … Continue reading
Madison Keys Wins Marathon Match To Advance In Round 2 Of 2016 Rio Olympics; Petra Kvitova Ousts Caroline Wozniacki
One of the biggest reasons to watch an entire tennis tournament rather than just the semifinals and/or championship match is that you never know when the best match will occur. This is especially true in the WTA where there have been dominant champions over the years like Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, … Continue reading
Johanna Konta Wins 2016 Bank of the West Classic
If you’re going to win your first WTA singles title, why not make it over a legend? That was the case in Stanford as Great Britain’s Johanna Konta captured her first WTA singles crown, in her first ever WTA level final, against future Hall of Famer Venus Williams at the 2016 Bank of the West … Continue reading
2015 US Open Day 6: Victoria Azarenka Wins Epic Match Against Angelique Kerber; Eugenie Bouchard Off-Court Injury
Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber combined in the third round of the 2015 US Open to give fans the best women’s match so far of the tournament. It was a high quality, high drama face-off between two women fully capable of going a long way at this Major. If there is one stat that illustrates … Continue reading
Fairways and Forehands 