Simona Halep, 2018 Roland Garros Champion

I will admit, I shed a tear this time. Well, maybe a tear or two. Simona Halep was due this. I understand that nobody in sports is owed anything. No matter how many close calls an athlete has, in the end it is in their hands whether they win or lose. You have to do … Continue reading →

Naomi Osaka Wins 2018 BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells)

Oh. Yes. Heck. Yes. Naomi Osaka’s championship victory at the 2018 BNP Paribas open at Indian Wells was the most thrilling win to watch as a fan for me in a very long time. I often speak of my Mount Rushmore top four currently being Madison Keys, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep. But right … Continue reading →

Team Bucie Wins Roland Garros 2017 Women’s Double Title; Jeļena Ostapenko Champion Photoshoot

Team Bucie solidified their position as the best women’s doubles pair in the world, taking out Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-2 6-1 to win Roland Garros 2017. Without a doubt,  Lucie Šafářová and Bethanie Mattek-Sands should one day enter the International Tennis Hall of Fame together. This is their 2nd Roland Garros title, their … 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 →

Karolina Pliskova Wins 2017 Brisbane International; Lauren Davis, Katerina Siniakova Win First WTA Titles

If you want to know how great Karolina Pliskova was in winning the 2017 Brisbane International final 6-0 6-3 over Alize Cornet, look no further than the comments Cornet herself made when she went to press . She called Pliskova’s serve harder to read than Serena Williams. That’s not to say Serena’s serve isn’t more … Continue reading →

2016 WTA Finals Day Eight: Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina Win Doubles Title

The 2016 WTA Finals might have disappointed me in singles, but at least the doubles championship featured my favorite duo, Team Bucie, against another of the top pairs, Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina. So while I was pulling for Team Bucie, a 7-6 (5) 6-3 title victory by Kate and Elena is still cause to … Continue reading →

2016 WTA Finals Day Seven: Elena Vesnina/Ekaterina Makarova Advance To Doubles Final, Will Play Team Bucie

As all my rooting favorites fell in singles at the 2016 WTA Finals and my attention turned to my two favorite doubles pairs, Team Bucie and the Chan sisters, I overlooked another duo for whom I root, Elena Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova. With their 3-6 6-2 [10-6] victory over Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza, Kate … Continue reading →

2016 WTA Finals Day Five: Team Bucie Advances To Semifinals In Doubles; Madison Keys Ousted In Singles

And so ends my 2016 tennis season as a fan. Ok, not really. But it feels like a lot of wind was let out of my balloon as Madison Keys, Simona Halep and Garbine Muguruza all failed to get out of the round robin stage at the 2016 WTA Finals. As a lifelong tennis fan, … Continue reading →

2016 WTA Finals Day Four: Garbine Muguruza Eliminated From Semifinal Contention; Svetlana Kuznetsova First To Qualify

While I am unabashedly rooting for Madison Keys and Simona Halep to advance to the semifinals from the Red Group at the 2016 WTA Finals, in the White Group it was all about Garbine Muguruza for me. Well, Garbi will make it to the semifinals of the year-end tournament…one day, just not this year. After … Continue reading →

2016 WTA Finals Day Three: Madison Keys Wins, Still Alive For Semis; Simona Halep Falls To Kerber

I’ve made no secret of my hope that Madison Keys and Simona Halep make the semifinals of the 2016 WTA Finals out of the Red Group. Unfortunately, there is only one scenario in which that can happen. Maddie took care of Dominika Cibulkova 6-1 6-4 on day three, but Simona fell to Angelique Kerber, 6-4 … Continue reading →