Latest news with #AngeliqueKerber

Olympic champion Zheng pauses WTA Tour after elbow surgery

Straits Times

19-07-2025

Sport
Straits Times

Olympic champion Zheng pauses WTA Tour after elbow surgery

Find out what's new on ST website and app. Qinwen Zheng of China in action during her match against Angelique Kerber of Germany. Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen said on July 19 she would take a short break from the WTA Tour after undergoing elbow surgery. The 22-year-old Chinese player was eliminated from this year's Wimbledon tournament in the first round by Czech Katerina Siniakova earlier in July. "Now begins the recovery journey," she wrote on Instagram. "Over the next few weeks and months, I'll be focusing entirely on rehab — doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier." She powered her way to gold in Paris last year and reached the 2024 Australian Open final. Zheng added she had arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow on July 18. "This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on the court," she said. REUTERS

Qualifier Maria completes fairytale run to Queen's title

Arab News

15-06-2025

Sport
Arab News

Qualifier Maria completes fairytale run to Queen's title

LONDON: Tatjana Maria completed her fairytale run at Queen's Club as the German qualifier beat American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-4 in Sunday's final to become the oldest winner of a WTA 500 event. The 37-year-old's victory secured the fourth singles title of her career, and her first since 2023 on the clay in Bogota. World number 86 Maria is the first German to win a WTA 500 title since Angelique Kerber in 2018 in Sydney. In the first women's tournament at Queen's since 1973, Maria is the event's first female champion since Russia's Olga Morozova 52 years ago. When Morozova won in west London, the prize money was just £1,000 ($1,353). Maria banked a cheque for £120,000 and more importantly earned a huge confidence boost ahead of Wimbledon, which starts on June 30. The mother of two arrived at Queen's on a nine-match losing streak and had to survive two rounds of qualifying matches to reach the main draw. Deploying her slice-heavy style to devastating effect, she stunned sixth seed Karolina Muchova, fourth seed Elena Rybakina and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys en route to the final. Maria, who has taken two maternity breaks from the WTA Tour, has never been past the second round of any Grand Slam except Wimbledon, where she reached the semifinals in 2022. But once again she proved a formidable force on grass, brushing aside Anisimova to secure her second title on the surface as her husband and young daughters Charlotte and Cecilia watched from courtside. 'A dream come true. I came here I was never thinking I could hold the trophy at the end,' Maria said. 'When we arrived my little girl said: 'Wow that's a nice trophy, so big' and I said: 'OK let's go for it, I will try to win it'. And in the end I've won it, it's incredible. 'Everything is possible if you believe in it. You go your way, doesn't matter which it is but you have to keep going. I want to show this to my kids and hopefully they are proud. It's amazing.' Asked if she planned to celebrate with her family, Maria said: 'For sure. This doesn't happen every week so we have to celebrate with something. 'I think the kids will probably want some crepes with Nutella!' Anisimova has struggled to live up to her early success after reaching the French Open semifinals aged 17 in 2019. She took an eight-month break from tennis and dropped out of the top 400 after suffering with depression bought on by the scrutiny and expectations that came with being a teen prodigy. The 23-year-old returned last year and won the Qatar Open this February, reaching a career-high 15th in the rankings before underlining her renaissance by defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen to reach her first grass-court final. However, Maria was too savvy on grass for Anisimova, who said: 'It's incredible to see Tatjana playing at this level. To have her family here, it's super special. 'I wouldn't be surprised if we see her in the Wimbledon final. She really had me running out there today.'

RNZ News

11-06-2025

Health
RNZ News

Players undergoing fertility procedures to get protected ranking, says WTA

Angelique Kerber and Ash Barty hug, Wimbledon 2021. Photo: Paul Zimmer / PHOTOSPORT Female players who choose to undergo a fertility protection procedure will be allowed to take time away from the sport and return to competitive action with a protected ranking, the governing body of women's tennis has said. The new rule aims to support women athletes to balance their family goals and career ambitions and comes three months after the WTA offered players up to 12 months of paid maternity leave for the first time. "The new rule means that players can now take time away from professional tennis for a fertility protection procedure such as egg or embryo freezing and safely return to competition with a protected ranking," the WTA said in a statement. "Eligible players will receive a Special Entry Ranking (SER), which can be used to enter up to three tournaments, based on the 12-week average of their WTA Ranking from eight weeks prior to the start of their out-of-competition period." Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, has previously called for egg freezing to be recognised as a protected ranking activity and called Wednesday's announcement a "ground-breaking" move. "I'm incredibly proud of our sport in recognising the importance of fertility treatments for female athletes. For any woman, the conversation of family life versus a career is nuanced and complex," the former world No.3 said. "The WTA has now created a safe space for players to explore options and to make the best decisions for themselves." The WTA also said players will benefit from paid maternity leave and grants for fertility protection through the WTA Maternity Fund sponsored by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. -Reuters

Osaka wins first WTA title since maternity break

Straits Times

04-05-2025

Sport
Straits Times

Osaka wins first WTA title since maternity break

Paris 2024 Olympics - Tennis - Women's Singles First Round - Roland-Garros Stadium, Paris, France - July 27, 2024. Naomi Osaka of Japan in action during her first round match against Angelique Kerber of Germany. REUTERS/Edgar Su Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka won her first WTA title since triumphing at the 2021 Australian Open after beating Slovenia's Kaja Juvan 6-1 7-5 in the final of the L'Open 35 de Saint-Malo - a WTA 125 tournament. It was the 27-year-old Japanese player's first WTA title since she became a mother in July 2023. Osaka struggled with her lack of power and accuracy as she failed to progress beyond the second round of any Grand Slam last year. The former world number one, who reached the third round of the Australian Open in January, is set to feature in the main draw of the French Open later this month. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

The Star