SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL – FINAL - Women's Tennis Associationwtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/matchnotes/2018/702.pdf · 2019-01-12 · Reached a career-high doubles ranking of No.5 on May

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MATCH NOTES: SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA | JANUARY 7 - 12, 2019 | USD $823,000

WTA Website: www.wtatennis.com | @WTA | facebook.com/wta Tournament Website: www.sydneyinternational.com.au | @SydneyTennis | facebook.com/SydneyTennis WTA Communications: Adam Lincoln ([email protected]), Catherine Sneddon ([email protected]), Bryan Shapiro ([email protected]) SAP Tennis Analytics for Media is an online portal that provides real-time data and insights to media during every WTA event and across all devices. Please email [email protected] to request your individual login to grant access to SAP Tennis Analytics for Media.

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL – FINAL

ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15) vs. [5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8)

A LOOK AT THE FINALISTS PLAYER RANK AGE NAT

SYDNEY (MD) W/L*

CAREER W/L*

CAREER PRIZE $^

CAREER TITLES

[5/WC] Petra Kvitova 8 28 CZE 13-4 495-218 27,354,912 25

Ashleigh Barty 15 22 AUS 8-1 188-78 5,208,080 3

*Includes current tournament / ^ Does not include current tournament

FINAL RECORDS PLAYER

BEST SYDNEY RESULT

LAST FINAL REACHED (final result)

CAREER F W/L

[5/WC] Petra Kvitova WON (1): 2015 2018 Birmingham (WON) 25-7

Ashleigh Barty R-Up (1): 2018; FINAL (1): 2019 2018 Zhuhai (WON) 3-3

*Not including walkovers

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS YEAR CHAMPION RUNNER-UP SCORE

2018 Angelique Kerber Ashleigh Barty 6-4 6-4

2017 Johanna Konta Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 6-2

2016 Svetlana Kuznetsova Monica Puig 6-0 6-2

2015 Petra Kvitova Karolina Pliskova 7-6(5) 7-6(6)

2014 Tsvetana Pironkova Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-4

2013 Agnieszka Radwanska Dominika Cibulkova 6-0 6-0

2012 Victoria Azarenka Li Na 6-2 1-6 6-3

2011 Li Na Kim Clijsters 7-6(3) 6-3

2010 Elena Dementieva Serena Williams 6-3 6-2

2009 Elena Dementieva Dinara Safina 6-3 2-6 6-1

Kvitova leads 2-0 Kvitova won when the two met in the 2017 Birmingham final… Barty has won 11 of past 13

matches at tour level… Kvitova has triumphed in past seven WTA singles finals


2


BACK-TO-BACK FINALS

Ashleigh Barty is the fifth woman to reach back-to-back finals since the Sydney International moved to the Olympic Park in 2000:

YEAR PLAYER FINAL RESULT 2012 Li Na Runner-Up 2011 Li Na Champion

2010 Elena Dementieva Champion


2002 Martina Hingis Champion


2001 Lindsay Davenport Runner-Up


SERVING NOTICE

Barty withstood 15 aces from the racquet of Kiki Bertens during her dramatic semifinal victory. However, both Barty and her final opponent Kvitova have been posting some pretty impressive serving statistics of their own this week:

PLAYER ACES Petra Kvitova 19

Ashleigh Barty 18

PLAYER 1ST SERVICE PTS WON

Petra Kvitova 79.2%

Ashleigh Barty 74%

PLAYER SERVICE GAMES WON

Petra Kvitova 89.2%

Ashleigh Barty 84.4%

ON A ROLL

Having lifted her title in her final tournament of 2018 at Zhuhai, Barty is currently riding high on a seven-match winning streak (not including Hopman Cup results) – the longest at WTA main-draw level of her career.

SHINING IN SYDNEY

Kvitova is bidding for her 14th main draw victory at the Sydney International. Among active players, currently only Svetlana Kuznetsova, Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams have more wins to their name:

PLAYER WINS LOSSES WIN %

Svetlana Kuznetsova 20 10 .667

Angelique Kerber 16 6 .727

Serena Williams 14 6 .700

Petra Kvitova 13 4 .765

Dominika Cibulkova 13 11 .542

RANKINGS WATCH

By reaching the final, Kvitova will overtake Karolina Pliskova as the top-ranked Czech – and World No.7. If she takes home the title, the 28-year-old will move to No.6. Barty is defending runner-up points from last year, so will remain at No.15 by reaching the final, and can move to a career-high No.13 with victory on Saturday.

AROUND THE TOUR At the Hobart International, Sofia Kenin closed in on a maiden WTA title with a 6-2 6-4 win over 2016 champion Alizé Cornet on Friday. In the final, Kenin, who is still yet to drop a set this week, will face Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, a 7-6(2) 4-6 6-2 winner over Belinda Bencic.

ON THIS DAY – January 12

2007 – Kim Clijsters lifts her 34th WTA singles title at the 2007 Sydney International, coming from match point down to defeat Jelena Jankovic, 4-6 7-6(1) 6-4. Four months later, Clijsters would announce her retirement from tennis, before returning in 2009 to win seven more titles, including three Grand Slams.

SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA | Jan 07 - Jan 12, 2019 | $823,000 | PREMIER

MATCH NOTES

ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15) vs. [5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8)

Head to Head: PETRA KVITOVA leads 2-0

2017 GRASS O F PETRA KVITOVA 107 mins4-6 6-3 6-2 BIRMINGHAM

2012 CLAY O R1 PETRA KVITOVA 54 mins6-1 6-2 ROLAND GARROS

ASHLEIGH BARTY 15

-

24-04-1996 (22)

$0

$5,208,080

0 / 3

0 / 9

4-0 / 88-49

1-0 / 25-13

0-1 / 13-11

PETRA KVITOVA 8

61

08-03-1990 (28)

$12,705

$27,354,912

0 / 25

0 / 0

13-4

5-1 / 403-190

1-0 / 121-77

2-2 / 80-59

8-1

5-1 / 268-132 4-0 / 57-30

0-0 / 9-4 1-0 / 45-14

WTA RANKING

PORSCHE RACE TO SHENZHEN LEADERBOARD

DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY

SINGLES TITLES (YTD / CAREER)

DOUBLES TITLES (YTD / CAREER)

SYDNEY W-L (MD) *

YTD / CAREER W-L (MD) *

YTD / CAREER 3-SET W-L (MD) *

YTD / CAREER TIE-BREAK W-L (MD) *

YTD / CAREER HARD W-L (MD) *

YTD / CAREER Left Hander W-L (MD) *

2-0 / 7-14 1-0 / 53-50

3-0 / 17-28 2-1 / 101-85

YTD / CAREER TOP 10 W-L (MD & Q) *


YTD / CAREER TOP 5 W-L (MD & Q) * 1-0 / 3-12 1-0 / 25-30

* Updated entering 2019 Sydney F

ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15)

SF: d. [7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9) 6-7(4),6-4,7-5 (2h18)

QF: d. [10] ELISE MERTENS (BEL #12) 6-3,6-3 (1h16)

R16: d. [1] SIMONA HALEP (ROU #1) 6-4,6-4 (1h27)

R32: d. JELENA OSTAPENKO (LAT #22) 6-3,6-3 (1h15)

ROAD TO THE FINAL

[5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8)

SF: d. ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33) 6-1,6-2 (1h06)

QF: d. [2] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #2) 6-4,6-1 (1h23)

R16: d. SU-WEI HSIEH (TPE #28) 7-6(2),6-2 (1h36)

R32: d. ARYNA SABALENKA (BLR #11) 6-1,7-5 (1h19)

Total games: 91

Won/lost: 55-36

Sets won/lost: 8-1

Total time on court: 6h16

Average time on court: 1h34

Average rank of opponent: 11

Total games: 72

Won/lost: 50-22

Sets won/lost: 8-0




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from

BARTY:

Sydney

Making second appearance at Sydney International, where she is through to a second final having been R-Up in

2018 (l. Kerber)

Last year, became first Australian finalist here since Molik beat Stosur in epic 2005 championship match

Broke five times to see off 2017 Roland Garros winner Ostapenko in 1r

Defeated reigning Roland Garros champion and current No.1 Halep in straight sets in 2r – career first victory

over a reigning World No.1

Broke serve five times during straight-set win over No.12 Mertens in QF

Hit 28 winners during tight SF win over No.9 Bertens. This is the second time she has beaten multiple Top 10

opponents at the same event (also No.7 Konta, No.4 Ka.Pliskova and No.10 Ostapenko at 2017 Wuhan)

Has now won her past seven WTA-level matches (2018 Zhuhai – 3, 2019 Sydney 4) – the longest main-draw streak

of her career

Playing No.8 Kvitova today in seventh career final; owns 3-3 record in finals, although all three defeats have

come at Premier-level tournaments (2017 Birmingham, 2017 Wuhan and 2018 Sydney)

Is the first woman to reach back-to-back Sydney finals since Li (2011 – WON, 2012 – R-Up)

Will rise to career-high No.13 by winning Sydney title

Represented Australia at last week’s Hopman Cup. Posted 2-1 singles record as home nation made group stage

exit (d. Cornet, d. Muguruza, l. Kerber)

Has been drawn to face Kumkhum in Australian Open 1r


MATCH NOTES

SYDNEY Tournament History

ASHLEIGH BARTY

2018

L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #22) F 6-4 6-4

PETRA KVITOVA

2018

R16 L - CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #100) 7-6(7) 6-2

2015

F W - KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE #22) 7-6(5) 7-6(6)

2014

SF L - TSVETANA PIRONKOVA (BUL #107) 6-4 6-3

2013

R1 L - DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #15) 6-1 6-1

2012

SF L - NA LI (CHN #5) 1-6 7-5 6-2


from

Career

Finished 2018 season with a career-best ranking of No.15, winning titles at Nottingham (d. Konta in F) and Zhuhai (d.

Q.Wang in F). Now 3-3 in career singles finals

Also was R-Up on home soil at Sydney (l. Kerber) and made SF at Montréal and Wuhan

Won maiden Grand Slam doubles title at US Open (w/Vandeweghe) and picked up three other titles at Miami

(w/Vandeweghe), Rome (w/Schuurs) and Montréal (w/Schuurs). Fell SF at WTA Finals (w/Vandeweghe)

Started 2017 ranked No.271 in singles and improved her position by 254 spots to post first Top 20 season (finishing

at a then-career-high No.17)

Clinched career first WTA singles title at 2017 Kuala Lumpur (as qualifier, d. Hibino in F)

Reached two additional finals in 2017, at Birmingham (l. Kvitova) and Wuhan (l. Garcia)

Made Top 20 debut and became Australia’s No.1 on October 23, 2017

In terms of ranking, best career wins were over No.1 Halep at 2019 Sydney and No.3 Kerber at 2018 Wuhan

Winner of nine WTA doubles titles (five w/Dellacqua, two w/Vandeweghe, two w/Schuurs)

Qualified for first WTA Finals in doubles in 2017 (w/Dellacqua)

Reached a career-high doubles ranking of No.5 on May 21, 2018

Took a break from tennis after 2014 US Open that lasted almost two years

Returned to professional tennis in 2016, having enjoyed a successful stint as an all‐rounder for the Brisbane Heat

cricket team in the 2015‐16 Women’s Big Bash League

Nominated for tennis Australia’s Newcombe Medal prize in 2017

Return to tennis was initially hindered by right arm injury sustained in August 2016, following promising start:

returned at $50k ITF/Eastbourne‐GBR in May, advancing to SF as a qualifier (l. Riske) and the following week, QF at

WTA International‐level Nottingham (as qualifier, l. eventual champion Ka.Pliskova)

Finished 2013 ranked No.12 in doubles – only teenager ranked in doubles Top 30

On ITF Circuit, has won four singles titles and nine doubles titles (including three in 2016)

Won 2011 Wimbledon girls’ singles title; finished 2011 as world No.2 ranked junior behind Khromacheva

In juniors, won national singles titles in 18&U, 16&U, 14&U and 12&U age categories. Member of Junior Fed Cup

winning team in 2011 (Australia d. Canada in F)

Made WTA main draw debut at 2012 Hobart as WC

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open was 17th Grand Slam main draw appearance and also her best result: R16 showing (l. Ka.Pliskova)

Has advanced to 3r on four occasions, at Wimbledon in 2018 (l. Kasatkina), Australian Open in 2017 (l. Barthel), and

2018 (l. Osaka), and US Open in 2017 (l. eventual champion Stephens)

Has reached 2r at Roland Garros in 2013 (l. Kirilenko) and 2018 (l. S.Williams)

First Grand Slam main draw appearance (2012 Australian Open) came from winning Tennis Australia’s 2012 WC

Play‐Off in Dec. 2011

Lifted maiden Grand Slam doubles trophy at 2018 US Open (w/Vandeweghe), defeating No.1 seeds

Krejcikova/Siniakova in SF and No.2 seeds Mladenovic/Babos in F

Advanced to three Grand Slam doubles finals in 2013 (Australian Open, Wimbledon, US Open) and also R-Up at

Roland Garros in 2017 (all w/Dellacqua)

Other Information

Father is Robert, mother is Josie; sisters are Ali and Sara. Started playing at age 5 when parents introduced her to the

sport

In April 2018, named National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador by Tennis Australia, In conjunction with the

announcement, she flew to the remote Wurrumiyanga community on Bathurst Island in the Northern Territory to

conduct a clinic at a local school

In 2015, earned a contract with the Brisbane Heat for the inaugural Women's Big Bash League (cricket) before

returning to tennis in 2016

Currently coached by Craig Tyzzer; formerly coached by Jason Stoltenberg and Jim Joyce

KVITOVA:

Sydney

Making her sixth appearance at Sydney, where she was champion in 2015 (d. Ka.Pliskova in F)

Accepted late wildcard into the draw; best previous result by a wildcard here was Stosur’s R-Up finish in 2005

In 1r, defeated No.11 Sabalenka in straight sets for first Top 20 win since d. No.14 Mertens in QF at 2018 Cincinnati

Hit eight aces to see off Hsieh in 2r on Wednesday

Upset No.2 Kerber in QF – her first Top 5 win since Doha title run last February (No.1 Wozniacki, No.3 Svitolina and

No.4 Muguruza)

Did not get on court for rain-delayed SF win against Sasnovich until nearly midnight

Faces Barty in 33rd career final; has won her past seven finals, last tasting defeat at 2016 Luxembourg (l. Niculescu)

Is looking to become the fifth multiple titlist in Sydney this millennium, following Hingis (2001, 2002 – also won in

1997), Clijsters (2003, 2007), Henin (2004, 2006, 2008) and Dementieva (2009, 2010)

Previous meeting with Barty was victory in 2017 Birmingham final – her first title since recovering from knife attack in

December 2016

Has won a tournament-leading 79.2% of first serve points and hit 19 aces this week

Opened season with 2r showing last week at Brisbane (d. Collins, l. Kontaveit)

In 2018, began season with 2r at Sydney (l. Giorgi) and 1r exit at Australian Open (l. Petkovic)

Ranked No.8 this week in Sydney; by contrast, was No.29 entering last year’s tournament

Will rise to No.7 by reaching the final and No.6 should she lift the title

Has been drawn to face good friend Rybarikova in 1r at Australian Open

Career

Won a WTA Tour-leading five titles in 2018, at St. Petersburg (d. Mladenovic in F), Doha (d. Muguruza in F), Prague (d. Buzarnescu in F), Madrid (d. Bertens in F) and Birmingham (d. Rybarikova in F). Ended the year ranked No.7 – sixth year-end Top 10 finish of career

Titles came on all three surfaces – first player to win a title on three difference surfaces in a season since S.Williams in 2015. The Czech has won at least one title every year dating back to 2011

Enjoyed a 14-match winning streak between St. Petersburg (5), Fed Cup (2), Doha (6) and Indian Wells (1), bettering

her 13 wins on the spin earlier in 2018, and equaling her joint highest win streak of her career (2011 Linz- 2012

Sydney)

Failed to reach the R16 at any of the majors in a season for the first time in her career – fell 1r at Australian Open (l.

Petkovic), had 3r showing at Roland Garros (l. Kontaveit in two tie-breaks), suffered 1r exit at Wimbledon (l. Sasnovich)

and made 3r at US Open (l. Sabalenka)

Re-entered Top 5 of the WTA Rankings on August 20, 2018 for first time since the week of October 26, 2015

Advanced to SF stage at Cincinnati (l. eventual champion Bertens) and QF at New Haven (withdrew prior to match vs.

Suárez Navarro). Made round robin exit (0-3) at end-of-season WTA Finals in Singapore

Began 2017 season in May at Roland Garros (2r, l. Mattek-Sands) after a knife attack in her home in Czech Republic on

December 20, 2016; required extensive surgery to left hand

Won title at 2017 Birmingham (d. Barty in F). Other season highlights included a SF showing at Beijing (l. eventual

champion Garcia) and equaled best result at US Open by advancing to QF (l. V. Williams)

Ended 2016 ranked No.11, ending run of five straight Top 10 finishes

Won two singles titles in 2016, at Wuhan (d. Cibulkova in F) and the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai (d. Svitolina in F). Also

finished R-Up at 2016 Luxembourg (l. Niculescu in F)

Member of Czech Republic team that successfully defended Fed Cup title in November 2016 vs. France (l. Garcia, d.

Mladenovic, then teamed w/Strycova to defeat Garcia/Mladenovic in decisive doubles match). Czech Republic have

won the Cup in five times since 2011

Contested Rio Olympics in August 2016, winning the singles bronze medal (l. Puig in SF, d. Keys in bronze medal

play-off)

2015 season highlights included three singles titles, at Sydney (d. Ka.Pliskova in F), Madrid (d. Kuznetsova in F) and

New Haven (d. Safarova in F). New Haven win was third in past four years, and marked first time she has won any

tournament title three times

Runner-up at 2015 WTA Finals in Singapore (l. A.Radwanska in 3s). Former champion at the season finale, which she

won on her event debut in 2011 (d. Azarenka in F)

At 2012 Sydney was two wins from becoming No.1 (had won Wimbledon and WTA Finals in previous six months)

Made professional debut on ITF Circuit in Czech Republic in 2006

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked 41st Grand Slam main draw appearance

Winner of two Grand Slam singles titles, at Wimbledon in 2011 (d. Sharapova in F) and 2014 (d. Bouchard in F)

Was first player born in 1990s to win a Grand Slam title (since joined by Muguruza at 2016 Roland Garros, Ostapenko

at 2017 Roland Garros, Stephens at 2017 US Open, Wozniacki at 2018 Australian Open, Halep at 2018 Roland Garros

and Osaka at 2018 US Open)

Aside from Wimbledon, best Grand Slam results include two SF showings, at 2012 Australian Open (l. Sharapova) and

2012 Roland Garros (l. eventual champion Sharapova), and QF runs at 2017 US Open (l. V.Williams), 2015 US Open (l.

eventual champion Pennetta) and 2011 Australian Open (l. Zvonareva)

Other Information

Nominated for 2018 WTA Player of the Year after winning a tour-leading five WTA singles titles

A global ambassador for Right To Play International, a charity which helps children to learn through sport

Current coach is Jiri Vanek, having split with former ATP player and fellow Czech, Frantisek Cermak, after 2016 US

Open. Previously coached by David Kotyza for seven years, with the partnership ending in January 2016

Fitness trainer is David Vydra

Parents are Jiri and Pavla


1

MATCH NOTES: BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL BRISBANE, AUS | DECEMBER 31-JANUARY 6, 2019 | USD $1,000,000

WTA Website: www.wtatennis.com | @WTA | facebook.com/wta Tournament Website: www.sydneyinternational.com.au | @SydneyTennis | facebook.com/SydneyTennis WTA Communications: Adam Lincoln ([email protected]), Bryan Shapiro ([email protected])

SAP Tennis Analytics for Media is an online portal that provides real-time data and insights to media during every WTA event and across all devices. Please email [email protected] to request your individual login to grant access to SAP Tennis Analytics for Media.

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL – SEMIFINALS

ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15) vs. [7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9)

[Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33) vs. [5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8)

A LOOK AT THE SEMIFINALISTS PLAYER RANK AGE NAT

SYDNEY (MD) W/L*

CAREER W/L*

CAREER PRIZE $^

CAREER TITLES


[7] Kiki Bertens 9 27 NED 3-1 374-226 6,536,779 7


[Q] Aliaksandra Sasnovich 33 24 BLR 3-0 269-162 2,068,505 0


SEMIFINAL RECORDS PLAYER

BEST SYDNEY RESULT

LAST FINAL REACHED (final result)

CAREER QF W/L*

CAREER F W/L

[5/WC] Petra Kvitova WON (1): 2015 2018 Birmingham (WON) 32-18 25-7

[7] Kiki Bertens SF (1): 2019 2018 Seoul (WON) 9-7 7-2

Ashleigh Barty R-Up (1): 2018 2018 Zhuhai (WON) 6-4 3-3

[Q] Aliaksandra Sasnovich SF (1): 2019 2018 Brisbane (R-Up) 2-2 0-2


POTENTIAL FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS SASNOVICH KVITOVA

BARTY Barty leads 1-0 Kvitova leads 2-0

BERTENS Series tied 2-2 Series tied 2-2

Barty leads 1-0 Barty triumphed easily when the pair met at 2018 Montréal… Bertens has won 94.7% of her

service games so far this week… Both players yet to drop a set

Sasnovich leads 1-0 Sasnovich upset Kvitova at last year’s Wimbledon… Kvitova beat No.2 Kerber in QF for her

first Top 5 win since last February… Sasnovich’s two career finals came as a qualifier


This image cannot currently be display ed.

2


RANKING MOVERS

Should she reach the final, Petra Kvitova will overtake Karolina Pliskova as the top-ranked Czech – and World No.7. Kiki Bertens could move up to No.8 or No.7 (depending on Kvitova’s result) by lifting the title. Ashleigh Barty is defending runner-up points from last year, so will need to win the title to improve her ranking. By reaching the final, Aliaksandra Sasnovich could rise to a career-high No.29.

BACK-TO-BACK FINALS

Ashleigh Barty is bidding to become the fifth woman to reach back-to-back finals since the Sydney International moved to the Olympic Park in 2000:

YEAR PLAYER FINAL RESULT 2012 Li Na Runner-Up 2011 Li Na Champion






2000 Lindsay Davenport Champion

NO SURPRISES

For the fifth time in the past six years a qualifier has reached the semifinals at the Sydney International:

YEAR PLAYER ROUND REACHED 2018 Camila Giorgi Semifinals

2016 Monica Puig Runner-Up

2015 Tsvetana Pironkova Semifinals

2014 Tsvetana Pironkova Champion

Continuing the underdog theme, this is the sixth successive edition of the tournament when two or more unseeded players have made the last four.

GOOD OMEN

Aliaksandra Sasnovich negotiated two rounds of qualifying last weekend to make the main draw. However, given that she came through qualifying en route to her two career finals to date (2015 Seoul and 2018 Brisbane), the Belarusian will be unperturbed by her longer road to the last four.

ACE RACE 2019

Last year, Julia Goerges led the aces leaderboard on tour, firing an impressive 474 during a career-best campaign. Kiki Bertens and Petra Kvitova were also among the frontrunners, hitting 325 and 259 respectively. Judging by the opening weeks of 2019, all three will once again feature prominently on this year’s aces leaderboard:

PLAYER ACES MATCHES Victoria Kuzmova 36 4

Samantha Stosur 32 3

Karolina Pliskova 32 5

Petra Kvitova 31 5

Kiki Bertens 29 4

Julia Goerges 29 5

AROUND THE TOUR

Belinda Bencic saw off the challenge of Ukrainian teenager Dayana Yastremska at the Hobart International on Thursday, winning 7-6(2) 6-3 to set up a semifinal against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. On the other half of the draw 2016 champion Alizé Cornet faces Sofia Kenin.

ON THIS DAY – January 11

1988 - American qualifier Wendy Wood causes a shock in the first match on the Australian Open’s new Rod Laver Arena, beating the top-ranked Australian and No.14 seed Dianne Balestrat, 6-2 4-6 8-6.


MATCH NOTES

ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15) vs. [7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9)

Head to Head: ASHLEIGH BARTY leads 1-0

2018 HARD O QF ASHLEIGH BARTY 55 mins6-3 6-1 MONTREAL

ASHLEIGH BARTY 15

-

24-04-1996 (22)

$0

$5,208,080

0 / 3

0 / 9

3-0 / 87-49

0-0 / 24-13

0-0 / 13-10

KIKI BERTENS 9

62

10-12-1991 (27)

$14,655

$6,536,779

0 / 7

0 / 10

3-1

3-1 / 157-134

1-1 / 43-48

0-2 / 33-40

7-1

3-1 / 67-85 3-0 / 56-30

0-0 / 9-4 0-0 / 16-9

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






1-0 / 6-14 0-0 / 15-20

2-0 / 16-28 1-0 / 24-36




* Updated entering 2019 Sydney SF


QF: d. [10] ELISE MERTENS (BEL #12) 6-3,6-3 (1h16)



ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS

[7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9)

QF: d. YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #44) 6-2,6-2 (1h01)

R16: d. GARBINE MUGURUZA (ESP #18) W/O

R32: d. BERNARDA PERA (USA #69) 7-5,6-4 (1h45)

Total games: 56

Won/lost: 36-20

Sets won/lost: 6-0




Total games: 38

Won/lost: 25-13

Sets won/lost: 4-0





from

BARTY:

Sydney

Making second appearance at Sydney International, where she was R-Up in 2018 (l. Kerber)


Broke five times to see off 2017 Roland Garros champion Ostapenko in 1r

Defeated reigning Roland Garros champion and current No.1 Halep in straight sets in 2r – career first victory

over a reigning World No.1

Hit 17 winners and broke serve five times during straight-set win over No.12 Mertens in QF. Has returned

impressively all week, winning 50% of her return games (14/28)

Faces No.9 Bertens in SF today; owns six career Top 10 wins, over No.9 V.Williams (2017 Cincinnati), No.7 Konta,

No.4 Ka.Pliskova and No.10 Ostapenko (all 2017 Wuhan), No.3 Kerber (2018 Wuhan) and No.1 Halep (2019

Sydney)

Bidding to reach seventh career final; owns 6-4 win-loss record in WTA SFs

Should she win today, will become the first woman to reach back-to-back Sydney finals since Li (2011 – WON,

2012 – R-Up)




MATCH NOTES

SYDNEY Tournament History "-Q" Qualifying match

ASHLEIGH BARTY

2018


KIKI BERTENS

2018

R16 L - GARBIÑE MUGURUZA (ESP #3) 6-3 7-6(6)

2014

R16-Q

L - VARVARA LEPCHENKO (USA #52) 6-4 6-4

2013

R1-Q L - MISAKI DOI (JPN #92) 6-3 6-0


from

Career

Finished 2018 season with a career-best finish of No.15, winning titles at Nottingham (d. Konta in F) and Zhuhai (d.



























Grand Slam History











Other Information


sport







BERTENS:

Sydney

Making second main draw appearance at Sydney International, having fallen 2r in 2018 (l. Muguruza) and in qualifying in

2013 and 2014

After beating last-minute lucky loser Pera (who herself replaced injured lucky loser Konta) in 1r, advanced to QF when

Muguruza withdrew with GI illness

Dropped just eight points on serve against qualifier Putintseva on Thursday to reach first SF on Australian soil; best

previous results were QF runs at Hobart in 2016 and 2017 and 3r showing at 2018 Australian Open

Faces No.15 Barty in SF; posted 15 Top 20 wins in 2018 season

Has served well this week, winning a tournament-leading 94.7% of her service games and 70.9% of her service points

Enters 2019 Sydney ranked at a career-high No.9 (first achieved October 22, 2018). This time last year, was ranked

No.32

Last week, fell 2r at Brisbane (d. Mertens, l. Vekic)

Results during last year’s Australian swing were 1r exit at Brisbane, 2r at Sydney and 3r at Australian Open

Career

Enjoyed a break-out year in 2018, reaching a career-best four singles finals across the season and breaking into the

Top 10 (October 8, 2018) – first Dutch woman to be ranked in the Top 10 since Brenda Schultz-McCarthy in 1996

Won the WTA’s Most Improved Player Award in 2018

Won three titles in 2018, at Charleston (d. Goerges in F), Cincinnati (d. World No.1 Halep in F) and Seoul (d.

Tomljanovic in F). Reached one further final, at Premier Mandatory Madrid (l. Kvitova in F)

Scored WTA-leading 12 Top 10 wins last season. Prior to 2018, only had three Top 10 wins in her career

Also reached SF on WTA Finals debut (l. Svitolina) and picked up a doubles title at 2018 Brisbane (w/Schuurs)

At Grand Slam level last season, posted career best results at Wimbledon (QF - l. Goerges) US Open (3r - l.

Vondrousova) and Australian Open (3r - (l. eventual champion Wozniacki). At Roland Garros, made 3r (l. Kerber)

Ended 2017 at No.31, down from career-best year-end finish of No.22 in 2016

Season highlights in 2017 were winning titles at Nürnberg (as defending champion, d. Krejcikova in F) and Gstaad (d.

Kontaveit in F, having finished R-Up there in 2016)

Posted strong SF run at 2017 Rome (l. eventual R-Up Halep) and reached QF at Madrid (l. Sevastova), which marked

first QF at Premier Mandatory level. As a result, posted a then-career-high singles ranking of No.18 (May 29, 2017)

Career-high doubles ranking is No.16 (first reached on April 16, 2018)

Qualified for her first WTA Finals in Singapore in 2017 (w/Larsson), advancing to the final (l. Babos/Sestini

Hlavackova), defeating defending champions Makarova/Vesnina en route

Finished 2016 ranked No.22 in singles – big jump in the rankings from her season-ending ranking of No.101 in 2015

Reached third WTA singles final at 2016 Gstaad (as qualifier, l. Golubic, d. No.17 Bacsinszky en route)

In 2016, qualified for the WTA Elite Trophy and went 0-2 in singles – falling to Svitolina and Vesnina

Played on Netherlands Olympic team at 2016 Rio Olympics – fell in 1r (l. Errani)

Made a clean sweep of titles at 2016 Nürnberg, claiming the singles (as qualifier, d. Duque-Mariño) and doubles

(w/Larsson, d. Aoyama/Voracova). The last qualifier to win a singles title prior to this was Vandeweghe at 2014

‘s-Hertogenbosch

Won maiden career singles title at 2012 Fès as a qualifier (d. Pous-Tio in F) in just her second main draw appearance

Owns 10 doubles titles: Hobart and Bastad in 2015, Nürnberg, Linz and Luxembourg in 2016, Auckland, Gstaad,

Seoul, Linz (all w/Larsson) in 2017 and Brisbane (w/Schuurs) in 2018

Made WTA main draw debut as a wildcard at 2011 ‘s-Hertogenbosch (l. 1r)

Played first event of career on ITF Circuit in the Netherlands in 2006; has won seven singles titles and 11 doubles

titles at this level

Netherlands Fed Cup Team, 2011-2012, 2014-2017

Grand Slam History

Best result across the Slams came with SF run at 2016 Roland Garros (l. eventual R-Up S.Williams)

With that result in Paris, became the first Dutch woman to reach SF at Roland Garros since Marijke Schaar in 1971 (l.

SF), and at any Slam since Betty Stove at 1977 US Open (l. SF)

Enjoyed her best result at Wimbledon in 2018 by reaching her second career Grand Slam QF (l. Goerges).

Became first Dutch woman to reach QF at Wimbledon since Krajicek in 2007

In 2018 reached 3r for first time at both Australian Open (l. eventual champion Wozniacki) and US Open (l.

Vondrousova)

Is a two-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist in doubles, at 2015 Australian Open (w/Larsson, l. Goerges/Groenefeld) and

2016 Roland Garros (w/Larsson, l. eventual champions Garcia/Mladenovic)

Other Information

Coached by former ATP player Raemon Sluiter; brought former WTA player Elise Tamaela into coaching team during

off-season

In November 2018, announced engagement to boyfriend Remko de Rijke, who has been involved as part of her team

as a physiotherapist, fitness coach and hitting partner

Parents are Rob and Doré; sisters are Joyce and Daisy

Started playing at age 6. Tennis idol growing up was Kim Clijsters


MATCH NOTES

[Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33) vs. [5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8)

Head to Head: ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH leads 1-0

2018 GRASS O R1 ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH 134 mins6-4 4-6 6-0 WIMBLEDON

ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH 33

24

22-03-1994 (24)

$23,685

$2,068,505

0 / 0

0 / 0

5-1 / 65-59

2-0 / 28-21

0-0 / 17-11

PETRA KVITOVA 8

61

08-03-1990 (28)

$12,705

$27,354,912

0 / 25

0 / 0

12-4

4-1 / 402-190

1-0 / 121-77

2-2 / 80-59

3-0

4-1 / 267-132 5-1 / 50-38

0-0 / 6-2 1-0 / 45-14

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






2-0 / 5-7 1-0 / 53-50

2-0 / 11-17 2-1 / 101-85




* Updated entering 2019 Sydney SF

[Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33)

R2-Q: d. MONICA PUIG (PUR #53) 6-1,6-0 (0h45)

R1-Q: d. TAMARA ZIDANSEK (SLO #79) 6-4,6-1 (1h07)

QF: d. TIMEA BACSINSZKY (SUI #192) 6-3,6-3 (1h27)

R16: d. PRISCILLA HON (AUS #161) 0-6,6-3,6-3 (1h46)

R32: d. [8] DARIA KASATKINA (RUS #10) 6-1,6-4 (1h14)

ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS


QF: d. [2] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #2) 6-4,6-1 (1h23)



Total games: 59^

Won/lost: 36-23^

Sets won/lost: 6-1^

Total time on court: 4h27^

Average time on court: 1h29^

Average rank of opponent: 121^ ^Not including qualifiers

Total games: 57

Won/lost: 38-19

Sets won/lost: 6-0





from

SASNOVICH:

Sydney

Making first main draw appearance at the Sydney International, having come through two qualifying rounds (d.

Zidansk and former R-Up Puig)

This is the fifth time in the past six years a qualifier has reached Sydney SF (also Pironkova 2014 – WON, Pironkova

2015 – SF, Puig 2016 – R-Up and Giorgi 2018 – SF)

Upset No.10 Kasatkina in 1r on Monday – her fifth career Top 10 win, having previously beaten No.6 Ka.Pliskova (2016

Tokyo [PPO]), No.7 Kvitova (2018 Wimbledon), No.10 Bertens (2018 Moscow [Kremlin Cup]) and No.4 Svitolina (2019

Brisbane)

Recovered from losing first eight games of match to defeat fellow qualifier Hon in 2r and reach back-to-back tour-level

QFs for first time in career (also made final eight at Brisbane last week (l. Vekic))

Broke serve five times to beat Bacsinszky in QF; has now won a tournament-leading 51.7% (15/29) of return games and

50% of her return points

Faces No.8 Kvitova in SF today; bidding to reach third career final (also 2018 Brisbane and 2015 Seoul – was a qualifier

at both tournaments)

Career

Posted career-best season finish in 2018 at No.30 – the first Top 50 finish of her career

In 2018, reached second career WTA final and first at a Premier tournament at Brisbane, as a qualifier – defeated

No.11 Mladenovic and No.16 Sevastova en route to final (l. No.6 Svitolina).

Also made SF at Moscow [River Cup] and first Grand Slam R16 at Wimbledon


MATCH NOTES


ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH

2016

L - YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #78) R1-Q 6-1 6-1

PETRA KVITOVA

2018

R16 L - CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #100) 7-6(7) 6-2

2015

F W - KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE #22) 7-6(5) 7-6(6)

2014

SF L - TSVETANA PIRONKOVA (BUL #107) 6-4 6-3

2013

R1 L - DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #15) 6-1 6-1

2012

SF L - NA LI (CHN #5) 1-6 7-5 6-2


from

Has risen nearly 20 places in the rankings over the past 12 months. Enters 2019 Sydney ranked No.33, up from No.53

this time last year

Played all three ties during Belarus’ run to its first Fed Cup final in 2017 – posted 5-1 record, including win over No.13

Stephens in final

Other standout performances in 2017 were SF run at Biel and QF appearance at Premier-level Moscow

Reached maiden WTA final, at 2015 Seoul (as qualifier, l. Begu)

Made Top 100 debut on September 8, 2015 (after US Open; rose from No.120 to No.97)

In 2014 season won 11th and most recent singles title on ITF Circuit. Also owns seven ITF doubles titles

Made WTA qualifying debut at 2013 Brussels; made WTA main draw debut at 2014 US Open

Played first event of career at 2009 ITF/Minsk 2-BLR

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked 15th main draw appearance at a Grand Slam

Best Grand Slam result is R16 run at 2018 Wimbledon (d. No.8 Kvitova in 1r, l. Ostapenko)

Also posted 3r run at 2018 Australian Open (l. Garcia) and 2018 US Open (l. eventual champion Osaka)

Made 2r at Roland Garros in 2017 and 2018

Other Information

Coached by Aliaksandr Leniuchau

Started playing at age 9; introduced to sport by father

Practiced Taekwondo for a couple of years when she was younger

KVITOVA:

Sydney


Accepted late wildcard into the draw; best result by a wildcard here was Stosur’s R-Up finish in 2005

After 1r bye, defeated No.11 Sabalenka in straight sets in 1r for first Top 20 win since d. No.14 Mertens in QF at 2018

Cincinnati


Rain-delayed victory over No.2 Kerber in QF finished at nearly 11:30pm

Before this, most recent Top 5 wins came during Doha title run last February: No.1 Wozniacki, No.3 Svitolina and No.4

Muguruza

Faces qualifier Sasnovich in SF today; posted 3-1 record against qualifiers in 2018, with sole loss coming to Giorgi at

Sydney

Bidding to reach 33rd career final and first final since 2018 Birmingham

Has won a tournament-leading 78.6% of first serve points and hit 17 aces this week – the most of the four remaining

players




Career





Sydney)


















play-off)








Grand Slam History









Other Information








1


WTA Website: www.wtatennis.com | @WTA | facebook.com/wta Tournament Website: www.sydneyinternational.com.au | @SydneyTennis | facebook.com/SydneyTennis WTA Communications: Adam Lincoln ([email protected]), Bryan Shapiro ([email protected])


SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL – QUARTERFINALS ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15) vs. [10] ELISE MERTENS (BEL #12)

[Q] YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #44) vs. [7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9)

[Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33) vs. TIMEA BACSINSZKY (SUI #192)

[5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8) vs. [2] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #2)

A LOOK AT THE QUARTERFINALISTS PLAYER RANK AGE NAT

SYDNEY (MD) W/L*

CAREER W/L*

CAREER PRIZE $^

CAREER TITLES

[2] Angelique Kerber 2 30 GER 16-5 596-311 27,156,841 12


[7] Kiki Bertens 9 27 NED 2-1 373-226 6,536,779 7

[10] Elise Mertens 12 23 BEL 2-0 257-133 3,169,136 4


[Q] Aliaksandra Sasnovich 33 24 BLR 2-0 268-162 2,068,505 0

[Q] Yulia Putintseva 44 24 KAZ 3-1 252-196 3,034,306 0

Timea Bacsinszky 192 29 SUI 2-2 409-228 6,332,488 4


First meeting Barty upset World No.1 Halep in previous match… Mertens played both first and second

round matches on Wednesday… Barty on five-match winning streak at tour level

Series tied 1-1 (at tour level)Pair playing for the first time on hard courts… Putintseva looking for back-to-back Top 10

wins after defeating No.5 Stephens… Bertens contesting third career QF in Australia

Sasnovich leads 1-0 Sasnovich beat the Swiss during Fed Cup tie in 2017… Bacsinszky missed start of last season

with hand injury… Sasnovich also made QF last week at Brisbane

Series tied 6-6 Players split two meetings on tour in 2018… Kvitova scored three Top 5 wins during 2018

season… Kerber appearing in first QF since Wimbledon title run


2


QUARTERFINAL RECORDS PLAYER

BEST SYDNEY RESULT

LAST SEMIFINAL REACHED (final result)

CAREER QF W/L*

CAREER SF W/L*

[2] Angelique Kerber WON (1): 2018 2018 Wimbledon (WON) 51-31 28-24

[5/WC] Petra Kvitova WON (1): 2015 2018 Cincinnati (SF) 39-23 32-18

[7] Kiki Bertens QF (1): 2019 2018 WTA Finals (SF) 16-13 9-7

[10] Elise Mertens QF (1): 2019 2018 San Jose (SF) 8-6 5-5

Ashleigh Barty R-Up (1): 2018 2018 Zhuhai (WON) 10-5 6-4

[Q] Aliaksandra Sasnovich QF (1): 2019 2018 Moscow [River Cup] (SF) 3-5 2-2

[Q] Yulia Putintseva QF (1): 2019 2018 Guangzhou [R-Up] 5-11 2-3

Timea Bacsinszky QF (1): 2019 2018 Tianjin (SF) 17-11 7-10


POTENTIAL SEMIFINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS PUTINTSEVA BERTENS KVITOVA KERBER

BARTY First meeting Barty leads 2-0 SASNOVICH Sasnovich leads 1-0 First meeting

MERTENS First meeting Mertens leads 2-1 BACSINSZKY Bacsinszky leads 2-0 Series tied 1-1

RANKING MOVERS Aliaksandra Sasnovich will break back into the Top 30 by reaching the final.

Qualifier Yulia Putintseva will return to Top 40 for the first time since the summer of 2017 thanks to run this week.

Timea Bacsinszky, who entered the tournament using her Special Ranking of No.23, is projected to return to the Top 150 by reaching the quarterfinals.

QUALIFIED SUCCESS For the seventh year in a row, the Sydney International features a qualifier in quarter-final line-up:

YEAR PLAYER ROUND REACHED 2018 Camila Giorgi Semifinals 2017 Duan Ying-Ying Quarterfinals

2016 Monica Puig Runner-Up

2015 Tsvetana Pironkova Semifinals

2014 Tsvetana Pironkova Champion

2014 Bethanie Mattek-Sands Quarterfinals

2013 Madison Keys Quarterfinals

2013 Svetlana Kuznetsova Quarterfinals

QUEEN OF SYDNEY Reigning champion Angelique Kerber has a fine record in Sydney. In fact, following her second-round victory this week, among active players only 2016 winner Svetlana Kuznetsova has more wins at the tournament:

PLAYER WINS LOSSES WIN %

Svetlana Kuznetsova 20 10 .667

Angelique Kerber 16 5 .762

Serena Williams 14 6 .700

Dominika Cibulkova 13 11 .542

AROUND THE TOUR At the Hobart International on Wednesday, young American Sofia Kenin followed up her upset of top seed Caroline Garcia with a 7-6(6) 6-3 win over Ons Jabeur. Also advancing to the last eight in Tasmania were Alizé Cornet and Kirsten Flipkens – the last remaining seeds in the draw.

ON THIS DAY – January 10 2007 - Serena Williams, playing her first tournament in four months, slips to a shock 3-6 7-5 6-3 defeat at the hands of Sybille Bammer in Hobart. Williams did not take long to bounce back, though. Little over two weeks later the No.94-ranked American lifted the Australian Open title.


MATCH NOTES

ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15) vs. [10] ELISE MERTENS (BEL #12)

Head to Head: First meeting

ASHLEIGH BARTY 15

-

24-04-1996 (22)

$0

$5,208,080

0 / 3

0 / 9

2-0 / 86-49

0-0 / 24-13

0-0 / 13-10

ELISE MERTENS 12

-

17-11-1995 (23)

$8,890

$3,169,136

0 / 4

0 / 6

2-0

2-1 / 83-46

1-1 / 27-15

2-0 / 19-18

6-1

2-1 / 46-28 2-0 / 55-30

0-0 / 9-4 0-0 / 6-2

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






1-0 / 6-14 0-1 / 3-10

1-0 / 15-28 1-1 / 7-21




* Updated entering 2019 Sydney QF




ROAD TO THE QUARTERFINALS

[10] ELISE MERTENS (BEL #12)

R16: d. ANETT KONTAVEIT (EST #20) 6-3,6-1 (1h06)

R32: d. KATERINA SINIAKOVA (CZE #36) 7-6(4),2-6,6-2 (2h42)

Total games: 38

Won/lost: 24-14

Sets won/lost: 4-0




Total games: 45

Won/lost: 27-18

Sets won/lost: 4-1





ASHLEIGH BARTY

2018



from

BARTY:

Sydney

Making second appearance at Sydney, where she was R-Up in 2018 (l. Kerber)


Broke five times to see off Ostapenko in 1r

Defeated No.1 Halep in straight sets in 2r to record career first victory over a reigning World No.1

Faces No.12 Mertens in QF today for the pair’s first meeting; recorded five Top 20 wins last season



Career




























Grand Slam History











Other Information


sport







MERTENS:

Sydney

Making main draw debut at Sydney International, where she is through to QF

Defeated qualifier Siniakova in rain-delayed 1r on Wednesday before seeing off Kontaveit in straight-set 2r win

later in the day

Faces No.15 Barty in QF today for the pair’s first meeting – owns 3-1 record against Australian opponents at tour

level (main draw and qualifying), with wins coming over Gavrilova (2017-2018 Roland Garros) and Tomljanovic

(2018 Rabat), and sole loss coming against Gavrilova (2017 Rabat)

Opened season with 1r exit in Brisbane (l.Bertens). Also fell 1r in doubles w/Stosur (l.Hradecka/Klepac)

Started 2019 season ranked at a career-high No.12 (first achieved November 26, 2018)

Enjoyed stellar start to 2018 season, defending Hobart title and reaching first Grand Slam SF at Australian Open;

with Australian Open results, made Top 20 debut at No.20 (week of January 29, 2018)

Career

Won three titles in 2018 (Hobart, Rabat and Lugano), one of six players on tour with three or more titles to their

name - also Kvitova (5), Svitolina (4), Bertens (3), Halep (3) and Wozniacki (3)

Posted 46 main draw match wins in 2018 – only Ka.Pliskova (49) and Kvitova (47), registered more. By contrast,

prior to last season owned only 36 wins at this level across entire career

In doubles in 2018, won four titles and reached QF at WTA Finals (w/Schuurs)

Finished 2017 season at No.35, up from No.120 in 2016 – first Top 50 and Top 100 year-end finish in career

2017 season highlighted by first career singles title at Hobart (as a qualifier, d. Niculescu in F)

Also in 2017, advanced to final at Istanbul (l. Svitolina) and made SF runs at Bastad (l. Wozniacki), New Haven (l.

Cibulkova) and Luxembourg (l. Puig)

Registered first Top 10 win of career over No.10 Cibulkova in 1r at 2017 Beijing

Made WTA singles main draw debut at 2016 ‘s-Hertogenbosch – as qualifier, advanced to QF (l. Mladenovic)

In 2016 also reached 2r on grass at Mallorca (as qualifier, d. Schiavone in 1r, l. Jankovic) and fell in qualifying on

nine occasions: Auckland, Australian Open, St Petersburg, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Gstaad, Bastad, Linz and

Luxembourg

Won first WTA title of any kind in doubles at 2016 Auckland (w/Mestach). Now has six doubles titles – also 2017

Guangzhou (w/Schuurs), 2018 Hobart (w/Schuurs), 2018 Lugano (w/Flipkens), 2018 ‘s-Hertogenbosch (w/Schuurs)

and 2018 Wuhan (w/Schuurs)

Played first tour-level event of career at 2015 Antwerp (fell in qualifying)

Winner of 11 singles titles and 14 doubles titles on ITF Circuit

Played first events of career on ITF Circuit in Belgium in 2010

Grand Slam History

Advanced to first Grand Slam SF of career at 2018 Australian Open (l. eventual champion Wozniacki)

Became first Belgian to reach a Grand Slam SF since Flipkens at 2013 Wimbledon; also the first Belgian to reach

QF at Australian Open since 2012 (Kim Clijsters, SF)

In 2018, also achieved best result at Roland Garros, with run to R16 (l eventual champion Halep), Wimbledon,

where she reached 3r (l. Cibulkova), and US Open where she also reached R16 (l. Stephens)

Prior to making Grand Slam main draw debut at 2016 US Open, fell in qualifying at five majors: 2015 Wimbledon,

2015 US Open, 2016 Australian Open, 2016 Roland Garros and 2016 Wimbledon

Other Information

After successful trial towards the end of 2018, brought David Taylor on as full-time coach during off season

Earlier coaching history includes Belgian federation until early teens, as well as a year at the Mouratoglou

Academy

Mother Liliane, teaches languages and history and father, Guido, makes furniture for churches. Was introduced to

tennis by her sister Lauren, who is six years older (now airline pilot with KLM)

Speaks Dutch/Flemish, French and English

Was home schooled


MATCH NOTES

[Q] YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #44) vs. [7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9)

Head to Head: Series tied 1-1

2016 CLAY O QF KIKI BERTENS 162 mins6-3 6-7(4) 6-3 RABAT

2015 CLAY O R16 YULIA PUTINTSEVA 176 mins6-4 5-7 7-5 NÜRNBERG

YULIA PUTINTSEVA 44

9,999

07-01-1995 (24)

$6,940

$3,034,306

0 / 0

0 / 0

2-1 / 90-110

1-1 / 29-34

2-0 / 26-24

KIKI BERTENS 9

62

10-12-1991 (27)

$14,655

$6,536,779

0 / 7

0 / 10

2-1

2-1 / 156-134

1-1 / 43-48

0-2 / 33-40

3-1

2-1 / 66-85 2-1 / 54-72

0-0 / 3-6 0-0 / 16-9

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






1-1 / 6-16 0-0 / 15-20

1-1 / 11-33 1-0 / 24-36





[Q] YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #44)

R2-Q: d. ZARINA DIYAS (KAZ #89) 6-2,6-2 (1h40)

R1-Q: d. DESTANEE AIAVA (AUS #247) 6-0,6-2 (1h18)

R16: d. [4] SLOANE STEPHENS (USA #5) 3-6,7-6(4),6-0 (2h03)

R32: d. DARIA GAVRILOVA (AUS #35) 6-1,7-6(4) (1h40)


[7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9)

R16: d. GARBINE MUGURUZA (ESP #18) W/O R32: d. BERNARDA PERA (USA #69) 7-5,6-4 (1h45)

Total games: 48

Won/lost: 29-19

Sets won/lost: 4-1




Total games: 22

Won/lost: 13-9

Sets won/lost: 2-0





from

PUTINTSEVA:

Sydney

Making second main draw appearance at Sydney (fourth overall). Fell 2r in 2017 (l. Wozniacki)

Came through qualifying over the weekend – won through qualifying twice last season (Eastbourne and Beijing)

In 1r, broke serve five times to beat Australian No.2 Gavrilova

Recovered from 6-3 5-3 down to upset No.5 Stephens in 2r – her second career Top 5 win (also No.5 Cibulkova at 2017 St

Petersburg)

Faces No.9 Bertens in QF – bidding to win three consecutive main draw matches on Australian soil for first time

Best previous showing Down Under was 3r run at 2016 Australian Open

Began season last week with 1r exit at Brisbane (l. eventual champion Ka.Pliskova, whom she led by a set and a break)

Career

Posted first Top 50 season in 2018, finishing at No.45 (up from No.53 in 2017). Season highlighted by second career WTA

final at Guangzhou (l. Q.Wang)

Also in 2018, reached QF at Roland Garros for a second time (l. Keys) and advanced to the last eight at Taipei City (l.

Kozlova) and Washington DC (l. eventual champion Kuznetsova)

Reached maiden WTA final in 2017 at St Petersburg (l. Mladenovic) after notching two Top 10 wins over No.8 Kuznetsova

and No.5 Cibulkova (l. Mladenovic in F) – became first woman from Kazakhstan to reach a WTA singles final since

Shvedova at 2015 Bogotá (l. Pereira)

Rose to new career-high ranking of No.27 on February 6, 2017 following her run to the final in St. Petersburg

Also in 2017 made QF at Tokyo [Japan Open] (l. eventual champion Diyas) and Nürnberg (l. Cirstea), and reached 3r at

Roland Garros (l. No.5 Muguruza)

In 2016 became first Kazakh to reach the quarterfinals at Roland Garros – or at any major – since Shvedova in 2012

Also reached SFs at two International-level events in 2016: Kaohsiung (l. V.Williams) and Washington, DC (l. Wickmayer).

Defeated No.14 V.Williams en route to first Premier-level quarterfinal of career at 2016 Charleston


MATCH NOTES


YULIA PUTINTSEVA

2017

L - CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN #20) R16 6-0 7-5

2016

L - MONICA PUIG (PUR #94) R16-Q

7-5 6-1

2014

L - CHANELLE SCHEEPERS (RSA #78) R16-Q

6-2 6-1

KIKI BERTENS

2018


2014

R16-Q


2013



from

Later in season, posted second career win over a Top 10 opponent at 2016 Tokyo [PPO], defeating No.9 Keys in 1r. First

Top 10 win came over No.10 Petkovic at 2015 Nürnberg (via ret.)

Reached maiden WTA SF at 2015 Bastad (l. eventual champion Larsson)

Made WTA qualifying debut at 2009 Luxembourg and WTA main draw debut at 2012 Copenhagen

On ITF Circuit, winner of six singles titles and six doubles titles.

Kazakhstan Fed Cup Team, 2014-18

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked 20th Grand Slam main draw appearance

Best result across the Slams were QF runs at Roland Garros in 2016 (l. S.Williams in 3 sets) and 2018 (l. Keys). Was the

first Kazakh to reach QF at Roland Garros – or at any major – since Shvedova in 2012 (l. QF)

Away from Paris, other key results include 3r at 2016 Australian Open (l. Gasparyan), 2r at Wimbledon in 2015 (l.

V.Williams) and 2016 (l. Pavlyuchenkova) and 2r at US Open in 2016 (l. Witthoeft) and 2017 (l. A.Radwanska)

A two-time junior Grand Slam runner-up (2010 US Open, 2012 Australian Open)

Other information

Coached by Roman Kislianskii

Changed representation from Russia to Kazakhstan in May 2012

Practiced at Spartak Club in Moscow as a junior before moving to Paris to attend Mouratoglou Academy

Tennis idols were Martina Hingis and Justine Henin - still watches videos of Henin on YouTube

Enjoys dancing, music, singing, Sudoku, playing cards and chess

BERTENS:

Sydney


2013 and 2014

After beating last-minute lucky loser Pera (who herself replaced injured lucky loser Konta) in 1r, advanced to QF when

Muguruza withdrew with GI illness

Faces qualifier Putintseva in QF today; best previous results on Australian soil were QF runs at Hobart in 2016 and

2017 and 3r showing at 2018 Australian Open

Posted 6-2 win-loss record against qualifiers and lucky losers in 2018, with defeats against Q.Wang at Dubai and

Siniakova at Beijing


No.32



Career
























‘s-Hertogenbosch








Grand Slam History







Vondrousova)



Other Information


off-season






MATCH NOTES

[Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33) vs. TIMEA BACSINSZKY (SUI #192)

Head to Head: ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH leads 1-0

2017 HARD I R1 ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH 6-2 7-6(2) FED CUP WEEK 2


24

22-03-1994 (24)

$23,685

$2,068,505

0 / 0

0 / 0

4-1 / 64-59

2-0 / 28-21

0-0 / 17-11

TIMEA BACSINSZKY 192

42

08-06-1989 (29)

$8,334

$6,332,488

0 / 4

0 / 5

2-2

2-1 / 170-144

2-0 / 57-42

0-2 / 22-35

2-0

2-1 / 91-88 4-1 / 49-38

0-0 / 6-2 0-0 / 10-5

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






2-0 / 5-7 0-0 / 10-25

2-0 / 11-17 1-0 / 33-45








R16: d. PRISCILLA HON (AUS #161) 0-6,6-3,6-3 (1h46)



TIMEA BACSINSZKY (SUI #192)

R16: d. SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS #73) 5-7,6-4,6-3 (2h29)

R32: d. [9] ANASTASIJA SEVASTOVA (LAT #11) 6-7(3),6-4,6-4 (2h49)

Total games: 41^

Won/lost: 24-17^

Sets won/lost: 4-1^

Total time on court: 3h00^

Average time on court: 1h30^

Average rank of opponent: 86^

^Not including qualifying matches

Total games: 64

Won/lost: 35-29

Sets won/lost: 4-2





from

SASNOVICH:

Sydney


Zidansk and Puig)

This is the seventh successive year a qualifier has reached Sydney QF. Best result by a qualifier here was Pironkova’s

title run in 2014



Brisbane)

Recovered from losing first eight games of match to defeat fellow qualifier Hon in 2r

Has now reached back-to-back tour-level QFs for first time in career, having made final eight at Brisbane last week (l.

Vekic)

Faces Bacsinszky today; beat the Swiss in third rubber of Belarus’s Fed Cup SF win in 2017

Career






this time last year


Stephens in final


MATCH NOTES



2016


TIMEA BACSINSZKY

2016

R1 L - ANNA KAROLINA SCHMIEDLOVA (SVK #29) 1-6 6-1 6-3

2011

R1-Q L - REBECCA MARINO (CAN #106) 7-6(4) 6-3

2010

R1 L - DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #24) 7-6(2) 6-1

2008

R16-Q

L - YULIANA FEDAK (UKR #119) 7-6(5) 7-5


from


Reached maiden WTA final, at Seoul (as qualifier, l. Begu)





Grand Slam History





Other Information




BACSINSZKY:

Sydney

Making third main draw appearance at Sydney (fifth overall), where she is through to QF for first time

In 1r on Monday, broke serve nine times to upset No.11 Sevastova – her first main draw win at Sydney

Battled back to beat Stosur in 2r to reach first QF on Australian soil; best previous results were 3r runs at Australian

Open in 2015 and 2017

Plays No.33 Sasnovich today in QF. Has beaten four Top 50 players since returning from injury last summer: No.11

Sabalenka (2018 Tianjin), No.38 Collins (2018 Tianjin), No.47 Cornet (2018 Limoges WTA 125k) and No.11 Sevastova

(2018 Sydney)

In doubles this week w/Martic fell 1r (l. Krunic/Martic on Wednesday)

Began 2019 season with 1r exit last week at Shenzhen (l. Sharapova)

Entered Sydney with Special Ranking of No.23 after missing much of 2018 w/right hand injury

Missed start of 2018 season w/right hand injury

Career

Ended 2018 ranked No.241 after missing much of season w/right hand injury

Best WTA-level result was SF showing at Tianjin (d. No.11 Sabalenka, l. Ka.Pliskova). Made seven 1r exits, including at

US Open

Also won fifth career WTA doubles title at St Petersburg (w/Zvonareva)

On ITF Circuit in 2018, won title at $25k/Nantes-FRA and was R-Up at $80k/Biarritz-FRA

Highlight of 2017 was reaching SF for second time at Roland Garros (l. eventual champion Ostapenko). Hand injury

ended season after Wimbledon

Has twice ended year inside Top 20, in 2016 (No.15) and 2015 (No.12)

Captured fourth and most recent WTA singles title at 2016 Rabat (d. Erakovic in F); now 4-3 in career singles finals,

earlier wins coming at 2009 Luxembourg and 2015 Acapulco and Monterrey in back-to-back weeks. Reached biggest

final of career to date (at Premier Mandatory level) at 2015 Beijing (l. Muguruza)

Won silver medal in doubles at 2016 Rio Olympics (w/Hingis, l. Makarova/Vesnina in F)

Other highlights in 2016 season included reaching SF at Miami – d. Ivanovic, A.Radwanska and Halep en route before

falling to eventual runner-up Kuznetsova. Became first Swiss player to reach last four at Miami since Hingis in 2001

Following QF run at 2016 Rome (l. Muguruza) posted new career-high ranking of No.9 (May 16, 2016)

Backed up 2015 SF run at Roland Garros by reaching QF again in 2016 (l. Bertens)

Cracked Top 10 (at No.10) in October 2015 for first time in career – becoming fourth Swiss woman to break Top 10 in

WTA Rankings history, after Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere (a former No.3), Martina Hingis (a former No.1) and Patty

Schnyder (a former No.7)

Has won five doubles titles, most recently 2018 St Petersburg (w/Zvonareva); owns a 5-5 record in finals

A foot injury and subsequent abdominal injury limited her to play for three seasons (2011-13); undertook

training in hospitality at a hotel in Switzerland and contemplated giving up tennis; had been ranked in Top 40

during 2010 season, was No.285 by end of 2013

Made WTA main draw debut at 2004 Strasbourg

Winner of 12 singles and 14 doubles titles on ITF Circuit

Grand Slam History

Best Grand Slam results have come at Roland Garros, where she reached SF in 2015 (l. eventual champion S.Williams)

and 2017 (l. eventual champion Ostapenko) and QF in 2016 (l. Bertens)

Elsewhere has reached QF at 2015 Wimbledon and 3r at both Australian Open and US Open

Reached 2r on Grand Slam debut at 2007 Roland Garros

Other Information

Mother, Suzanne, is a dentist; father, Igor, is a tennis coach; both parents are Hungarian. Brother, Daniel, is a music

teacher; has two sisters, Sophie (musician) and Melinda (mother of two girls)

Speaks French, Hungarian, English, German, Italian

In July 2016 was announced as a UNAIDS Global Advocate for Young People, promoting the #ProTESTHIV campaign


MATCH NOTES

[5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8) vs. [2] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #2)


2018 CLAY I R1 ANGELIQUE KERBER 77 mins6-3 6-2 STUTTGART

2018 CLAY I R1 PETRA KVITOVA 6-2 6-2 FED CUP WEEK 2

2016 HARD O R16 PETRA KVITOVA 200 mins6-7(10) 7-5 6-4 WUHAN

2016 HARD O R16 ANGELIQUE KERBER 88 mins6-3 7-5 US OPEN

2016 CLAY I SF ANGELIQUE KERBER 124 mins6-4 4-6 6-2 STUTTGART

2015 HARD I R1 ANGELIQUE KERBER 105 mins6-2 7-6(3) WTA FINALS

2014 HARD I R4 PETRA KVITOVA 7-6(5) 4-6 6-4 FED CUP FINAL

2013 HARD I R1 PETRA KVITOVA 127 mins6-7(3) 6-2 6-3 WTA FINALS

2013 HARD O F PETRA KVITOVA 100 mins6-2 0-6 6-3 TOKYO

2012 HARD O SF ANGELIQUE KERBER 114 mins6-1 2-6 6-4 CINCINNATI

2012 CLAY O QF ANGELIQUE KERBER 135 mins7-6(2) 1-6 6-1 ROME

2012 CLAY I QF PETRA KVITOVA 67 mins6-4 6-4 STUTTGART

PETRA KVITOVA 8

61

08-03-1990 (28)

$12,705

$27,354,912

0 / 25

0 / 0

3-1 / 401-190

1-0 / 121-77

2-2 / 80-59

ANGELIQUE KERBER 2

9,999

18-01-1988 (30)

$0

$27,156,841

0 / 12

0 / 0

16-5

1-0 / 400-225

0-0 / 112-88

1-0 / 79-53

11-4

1-0 / 261-145 3-1 / 266-132

0-0 / 44-14 0-0 / 32-19

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 52-50 0-0 / 37-59

1-1 / 100-85 0-0 / 86-111









[2] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #2)

R16: d. CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #27) 7-6(3),6-2 (1h47)

R32: BYE


from

KVITOVA:

Sydney



After 1r bye, defeated No.11 Sabalenka in straight sets in 1r for first Top 20 win since d. No.14 Mertens in QF at 2018

Cincinnati


Faces No.2 Kerber, the only other former Sydney champion in the draw, in QF today. Posted three Top 5 wins in 2018,

against No.1 Wozniacki, No.3 Svitolina and No.4 Muguruza (all at Doha)





MATCH NOTES

Total games: 40

Won/lost: 26-14

Sets won/lost: 4-0




Total games: 21

Won/lost: 13-8

Sets won/lost: 2-0





PETRA KVITOVA

2018

L - CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #100) R16 7-6(7) 6-2

2015

W - KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE #22) F 7-6(5) 7-6(6)

2014

L - TSVETANA PIRONKOVA (BUL #107) SF 6-4 6-3

2013

L - DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #15) R1 6-1 6-1

2012

L - NA LI (CHN #5) SF 1-6 7-5 6-2

ANGELIQUE KERBER

2018

F W - ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #19) 6-4 6-4

2017

R16 L - DARIA KASATKINA (RUS #26) 7-6(5) 6-2

2016

R16 L - EKATERINA MAKAROVA (RUS #23) W/O

2015

SF L - KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE #22) 6-3 6-2

2014

F L - TSVETANA PIRONKOVA (BUL #107) 6-4 6-4

2013

SF L - DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #15) 6-2 4-6 6-3

2009

R1 L - KAIA KANEPI (EST #27) 6-1 7-5


from

Career





Sydney)


















play-off)








Grand Slam History









Other Information







KERBER:

Sydney

Making eighth appearance at Sydney International. Won the title in 2018 (l. Barty) and lost championship match to

qualifier Pironkova in 2014

Saved 2mp during 1r win over Safarova during last year’s title run

Also made SFs in 2013 (l. Cibulkova) and 2015 (l. Ka.Pliskova). Lost opening match – after 1r bye - to Kasatkina

After 1r bye, saw off Giorgi in 2r – a rematch of last year’s SF

Faces Kvitova today in her first QF since Wimbledon title run last July

Bidding for 17th main draw win at Sydney – among active players, only Kuznetsova (20) has more

Playing first WTA event of the season. Last week, helped Germany finish R-Up to Switzerland at Hopman Cup

(posted 4-0 singles record – with wins over Barty, Bencic, Cornet and Muguruza)


Career

Won two titles in 2018, at Sydney (d. Barty in F) and third Grand Slam crown of career at Wimbledon (d. S.Williams in

F), finishing the season ranked No.2

Record in tour-level finals stands at 12-16 – her 28 final appearances is the joint tenth-most among active players

(level with A.Radwanska)

Also in 2018, posted SF runs at Australian Open (l. Halep in 3s, having held two match points), Dubai (l. eventual

champion Svitolina) and Eastbourne (l. eventual champion Wozniacki having held match point). Returned to Top 10

following Eastbourne result – at No.10

Ended 2017 on a ranking of No.21 – sixth consecutive Top 25 season. Best results of season were R-Up finish at

Monterrey and SFs at Tokyo [PPO] (l. Pavlyuchenkova) and Dubai (l. Svitolina)

Enjoyed an outstanding 2016 season, winning first Grand Slam titles of career at Australian Open (d. S.Williams in F)

and US Open (d. Ka.Pliskova in F), finishing R-Up at Wimbledon (l. S.Williams in F) and rising to World No.1 in the WTA

rankings

Courtesy of her results in 2016, doubled her career prize money during season, passing $19 million mark; passed

$20 million at 2017 Roland Garros, becoming 15th player to do so

After 2016 US Open, aged 28, became oldest player to make her debut at World No.1, a record previously held by

Jennifer Capriati, who was 25 years, 200 days when she reached No.1 in October 2001

Secured the 2016 year-end World No.1 ranking –became 12th WTA player to achieve the feat and second German

woman to do so after Graf (eight times)

Was voted WTA Player of the Year in 2016 by international media and fans; also, ITF World Champion

2016 marked fifth successive Top 10 season finish. Was the WTA match win leader in 2016, going 63-18

Posted the most wins against Top 10 opponents in 2016, going 12-3, including defeats of No.8 Cibulkova, No.4 Halep,

No.7 Keys and No.3 A.Radwanska in Singapore, as well as No.1 S.Williams (Australian Open), No.6 Halep (Fed Cup),

No.7 Kvitova (Stuttgart), No.5 Halep and No.8 V.Williams (Wimbledon), No.10 Keys (Rio Olympics), No.4 Halep

(Cincinnati) and No.8 Vinci (US Open)

Reached a career-best total of eight finals across the 2016 season (most finals of any player); as well as winning first

two majors, successfully defended title on home soil at Stuttgart (d. Siegemund in F)

2016 Stuttgart marked first time she had successfully defended a title in her career; the first German (and seventh

player overall) to do so in Stuttgart

Made fourth appearance at WTA Finals in 2016, progressing past round-robin for first time (l. Cibulkova in F); first

German to reach final at the season-ending championships since Graf won title in 1996

Other runner-up finishes in 2016 came at Brisbane (l. Azarenka in F), Wimbledon (l. S.Williams in F), Rio Olympics (l.

Puig, won silver medal)

Reached first WTA final of career at 2010 Bogotá and won first title at 2012 Paris [Indoors]. Has won titles on all

surfaces: hardcourt, grass and clay (red and green) Career record in tour-level finals stands at 12 -16

Made first WTA appearance in qualifying at 2003 Berlin

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked 44th Grand Slam main draw appearance. Is a three-time Grand Slam champion, winning 2016

Australian Open (d. S.Williams in F), 2016 US Open (d. Ka.Pliskova in F) and 2018 Wimbledon (d. S.Williams in F)

At 2016 Australian Open, became first German to win a Grand Slam singles title since Graf at 1999 Roland Garros (d.

Hingis in F). At the time was the fourth player to defeat S.Williams in a Grand Slam final (after V.Williams, Sharapova

and Stosur; since joined by Muguruza and Osaka)

Also became first Grand Slam champion to save match point en route to the title since Li at 2014 Australian Open

(Kerber saved a match point in 1r win over Doi) and was the first left-handed player to win a Grand Slam singles title

since Kvitova at 2014 Wimbledon

Won second Grand Slam singles title at US Open (d. Ka.Pliskova in F) and rose to World No.1; was 22nd player to hold

WTA World No.1 ranking, and second German woman to achieve milestone since computer rankings were

introduced in 1975 (after Graf, who spent the last of her record 377 weeks at No.1 in March 1997)

Became the first German since 1996 to win Wimbledon in 2018, her third career Grand Slam singles title (d.

S.Williams in F). Kerber hit only five unforced errors in the match to oust Williams in just 67 minutes. The win moved

Kerber to No.4 in the WTA Rankings, moving her back into the Top 5 after a near-11 month absence

In 2016, also finished R-Up at Wimbledon (l. S.Williams). Is fourth player in Open Era to reach three Grand Slam finals

in the same year they reached their first, after Goolagong Cawley (1971), Graf (1987) and Hingis (1997)

Roland Garros remains the only major where she has yet to reach the final. Best results are a pair of QF runs in 2012

(l. eventual R-Up Errani) and 2018 (l. eventual champion Halep)

Other Information

Currently working with former Australian Open finalist Rainer Schüttler, having ended partnership with Wim Fissette

at the end of 2018. Previously worked with Torben Beltz

In January 2017 was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 in Europe (in the entertainment category), alongside the likes of

Gareth Bale and Luis Suárez

Speaks three languages: German, Polish, and English


1



SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL – DAY 3

[1] SIMONA HALEP (ROU #1) vs. ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15)

[4] SLOANE STEPHENS (USA #5) vs. [Q] YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #44)

[WC] SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS #73) vs. TIMEA BACSINSZKY (SUI #192)

[Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33) vs. [Q] PRISCILLA HON (AUS #161)

[5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8) vs. SU WEI HSIEH (TPE #28)

Halep leads 2-0 Halep beat Australian in back-to-back events last summer, at Montréal and Cincinnati… Barty

scored straight-set win over Ostapenko on Tuesday… Halep reached SF here in 2016

Series tied 1-1 Putintseva upset the American in three hours at Nürnberg in 2018… Stephens overcame

nightmare start to beat Alexandrova on Tuesday… Putintseva owns one Top 5 win in career

Series tied 1-1 Players facing one another for first time since 2014… Stosur’s first-round win was first main

draw success since last summer… Bacsinszky missed much of 2018 with hand injury

First meeting Sasnovich bidding to reach back-to-back QF on tour for first time in career… Hon one of

three Australians to reach second round… Sasnovich upset No.10 Kasatkina in first round

Kvitova leads 2-0 Kvitova won both previous meetings against Hsieh in straight sets… Hsieh owns three career Top 10 wins… Kvitova scored first Top 20 win since last summer over Sabalenka on Tuesday


MATCH NOTES

[1] SIMONA HALEP (ROU #1) vs. ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15)

Head to Head: SIMONA HALEP leads 2-0

2018 HARD O R16 SIMONA HALEP 89 mins7-5 6-4 CINCINNATI

2018 HARD O SF SIMONA HALEP 70 mins6-4 6-1 MONTREAL

SIMONA HALEP 1

-

27-09-1991 (27)

$0

$28,145,579

0 / 18

0 / 1

0-0 / 327-151

0-0 / 95-49

0-0 / 39-50

ASHLEIGH BARTY 15

-

24-04-1996 (22)

$0

$5,208,080

0 / 3

0 / 9

5-1

1-0 / 85-49

0-0 / 24-13

0-0 / 13-10

2-2

1-0 / 54-30 0-0 / 191-95

0-0 / 33-11 0-0 / 9-4

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 33-44 0-0 / 5-14

0-0 / 90-67 0-0 / 14-28




* Updated entering 2019 Sydney 2r

[1] SIMONA HALEP (ROU #1)

R32: BYE

ROAD TO THE SECOND ROUND




SIMONA HALEP

2016

L - SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA (RUS #25) SF 7-6(5) 4-6 6-3

ASHLEIGH BARTY

2018

F L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #22) 6-4 6-4


from

HALEP:

Sydney

Making third appearance at Sydney International, where she reached SF in 2016 (l. eventual champion Kuznetsova)

After 1r bye, faces Australian No.1 Barty in 2r. Is on eight-match winning streak against Australian opposition, last

tasting defeat vs. Stosur at 2016 Roland Garros

Playing first match since retiring against Jabeur (w/back injury) at 2018 Beijing

Twelve months ago made a brilliant start to season, winning title at Shenzhen and then finishing R-Up at Australian

Open

Career

Ended 2018 season as World No.1 for the second time in her career, with season highlighted by maiden Grand Slam

title at Roland Garros (d. Stephens in F)

Also won titles last year at Shenzhen (d. Siniakova in F) and Montréal (d. Stephens in F) and was R-Up at Australian

Open (l. Wozniacki), Rome (l. Svitolina) and Cincinnati (l. Bertens). Is 18-15 in career finals

During Australian Open run, in 3r saved triple match points and battled back to defeat Davis in 3h44, 4-6 6-4 15-13 –

ranks as the third longest women’s singles match ever at Australian Open, after Schiavone d. Kuznetsova (2011, R16,

4h44) and Strycova d. Kulikova (2010, 1r, 4h19). Saved another two match points in defeat of Kerber in SF at

Melbourne – believed to be first player to save match points in multiple matches and reach a Grand Slam final

Qualified for the 2018 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore after reaching the F in Montréal but forced to withdraw

from season-ending finale w/back injury

Won first career WTA doubles title at 2018 Shenzhen (w/Begu)

Finished 2017 as the year-end World No.1, having ascended to the No.1 spot for first time in career on October 9,

2017 – became the 25th woman to reach the top spot since computer rankings began in November 1975, and the

13th to hold year-end No.1

Defended Madrid title in 2017 (d. Mladenovic in F) – the third Premier Mandatory title of career (after 2015 Indian

Wells and 2016 Madrid); reached a further four finals in 2017: Rome (l. Svitolina), Roland Garros (l. Ostapenko),

Cincinnati (l. Muguruza) and Beijing (l. Garcia)

2016 season highlighted by three titles, at Madrid (d. Cibulkova in F), Bucharest (d. Sevastova in F) and Montréal (d.

Keys in F)


MATCH NOTES

2014

L - MADISON KEYS (USA #36) R1 6-1 6-4


from

Bucharest and Montréal results started 13-match winning streak that ended in SF at Cincinnati. Was second-longest

streak of 2016, after Azarenka (16)

Won first career doubles title at 2018 Shenzhen (w/Begu, d. Krejcikova/Siniakova in F). Now 1-1 in career doubles

finals, having also finished R-Up at 2016 Montréal (w/Niculescu, l. Makarova/Vesnina)

Owns a 2-13 record vs. Top 2 opponents, wins coming against No.1 S.Williams (2014 WTA Finals) and No.2 Kerber

(2016 Montreal). Losses were to No.1 Azarenka (2012 Doha, 2012 Linz), No.2 Sharapova (2012 Indian Wells, 2012

Beijing), No.1 S.Williams (2013 Rome, 2013 Cincinnati, 2014 WTA Finals, 2015 Miami, 2016 Indian Wells, 2016 US

Open), No.2 Kerber (2016 Cincinnati), No.1 Kerber (2016 WTA Finals) and No.2 Wozniacki (2018 Australian Open)

Between May 2013 and August 2014, improved ranking from No.64 to No.2, winning seven titles in this period

Made Top 100 debut on July 12, 2010 and became third Romanian to break into the WTA Top 10 (after Ruzici, Spirlea)

making debut there in week of January 27, 2014

Has qualified five times for WTA Finals in Singapore (2014-18), reaching final in 2014 (l. S.Williams, having defeated

the World No.1 in the round robin stage)

Named 2013 WTA Most Improved Player after winning her first six WTA titles and rising to year-end No.11 (dipped as

low was No.64 in May)

Reached first career final at 2010 Fès in just her third main draw appearance

Made WTA main draw debut at 2010 Marbella as a qualifier, reaching quarterfinals

Former junior World No.1

Member of Romanian Fed Cup Team, 2010, 2012, 2014-18

Grand Slam History

Won first Grand Slam title at 2018 Roland Garros (d. Stephens in F) after three runner-up finishes, at Roland Garros

in 2014 (l. Sharapova in 3s), 2017 (l. Ostapenko in 3s) and at Australian Open in 2018 (l. Wozniacki in 3s)

Became 49th different woman to win a Grand Slam title in the Open Era, and the second Romanian woman to win a

Slam after Ruzici at 1978 Roland Garros

First Romanian woman to advance to final at Australian Open

Also, semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2014 (l. Bouchard) and U.S. Open in 2015 (l. eventual champion Pennetta)

Won Roland Garros girls’ singles title in 2008 – now the sixth woman to go on to win the women’s singles title – after

Durr, Jausovec, Mandlikova, Capriati and Henin

Other Information

Tennis idols are Justine Henin and Roger Federer

Currently without a full-time coach. During off-season long-time coach Darren Cahill announced he was talking a

12-month break from tennis

Formerly coached by Wim Fissette and Victor Ionita

Endorsement portfolio currently includes Mercedes-Benz and Hublot; earlier this year signed clothing endorsement

deal with Nike and began wearing their kit at 2018 Doha

BARTY:

Sydney



Broke five times to see off Ostapenko in 1r – one of three Australians to reach 2r (also qualifier Hon and wildcard

Stosur)

Faces World No.1 Halep in 2r; owns 0-4 record against reigning World No.1s, falling to S.Williams at 2014

Australian Open, Kerber at 2017 Brisbane and Halep at 2018 Montréal and 2018 Cincinnati



Career











In terms of ranking, best career win was over No.3 Kerber at 2018 Wuhan

















Grand Slam History











Other Information


sport








MATCH NOTES

[4] SLOANE STEPHENS (USA #5) vs. [Q] YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #44)


2018 CLAY O R1 YULIA PUTINTSEVA 181 mins5-7 6-4 7-6(3) NÜRNBERG

2017 HARD O R1 SLOANE STEPHENS 133 mins6-7(4) 6-0 6-4 TORONTO

SLOANE STEPHENS 5

-

20-03-1993 (25)

$6,940

$13,383,143

0 / 6

0 / 0

1-1 / 197-132

1-0 / 64-44

2-0 / 50-27

YULIA PUTINTSEVA 44

-

07-01-1995 (24)

$6,940

$3,034,306

0 / 0

0 / 0

2-1

1-1 / 89-110

0-1 / 28-34

1-0 / 25-24

1-1

1-1 / 53-72 1-1 / 130-87

0-0 / 16-5 0-0 / 3-6

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 17-33 0-1 / 5-16

0-0 / 35-54 0-1 / 10-33





[4] SLOANE STEPHENS (USA #5)

R32: d. EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA (RUS #72) 0-6,7-6(3),7-6(3) (2h38)


[Q] YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #44)

R2-Q: d. ZARINA DIYAS (KAZ #89) 6-2,6-2 (1h40)

R1-Q: d. DESTANEE AIAVA (AUS #247) 6-0,6-2 (1h18)

R32: d. DARIA GAVRILOVA (AUS #35) 6-1,7-6(4) (1h40)


from

STEPHENS:

Sydney

Making second main draw appearance at Sydney International, having fallen 1r in 2018 (l. Giorgi)

Recovered from a 6-0 5-3 down to beat qualifier Alexandrova in 1r on Tuesday

Faces another qualifier Putintseva in 2r today. Last season suffered two defeats against qualifiers: Giorgi at Sydney

and Jabeur at Moscow [Kremlin Cup]

One of three Americans in the draw (also Collins and Pera – both fell in 1r). The last US woman to win the title

here was Davenport in 1999

Played doubles this week w/Ostapenko (l. No.4 seeds N.Kichenok/Strycova)

Began season at last week’s Brisbane International, making 1r exit (l. Konta)

Struggled during start to 2018 season, suffering opening round losses at Sydney and Australian Open

Career

Posted best year-end finish at No.6 in 2018; reached career-high No.3 ranking on July 16, 2018

Season highlights in 2018 were lifting first Premier-Mandatory title at Miami (d. Ostapenko in F) - subsequently

made Top 10 debut at No.9 - and R-Up finishes at Roland Garros (l. Halep), WTA Finals (l. Svitolina) and Montréal (l.

Halep)

Won her maiden Grand Slam title at 2017 US Open, d. Keys 6-3 6-0 to become the fifth unseeded player to win a

major in the Open Era

Voted 2017 WTA Comeback Player of the Year. Only returned to action at 2017 Wimbledon (1r) following 11 months

on sidelines with foot injury, having had surgery in January

After 1r loss at Washington DC, went 15-2 through US Open, also making back-to-back SFs at Toronto and Cincinnati

Prior to 2017 Wimbledon, last match came at 2016 Rio Olympics

Won three titles in 2016, at Auckland, Acapulco and Premier-level Charleston. Won maiden singles title in first final

contested at 2015 Washington, DC (d. Pavlyuchenkova in F)


MATCH NOTES


SLOANE STEPHENS

2018

L - CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #100) R1 6-3 6-0

YULIA PUTINTSEVA

2017

R16 L - CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN #20) 6-0 7-5

2016

R16-Q

L - MONICA PUIG (PUR #94) 7-5 6-1

2014

R16-Q

L - CHANELLE SCHEEPERS (RSA #78) 6-2 6-1


from

Owns nine wins vs. Top 5 players: No.2 Kerber (2018 WTA Finals), No.4 Osaka (2018 WTA Finals), No.5 Svitolina (2018

Montréal), No.5 Ostapenko (2018 Miami), No.3 Muguruza (2018 Miami), No.3 Kerber (2017 Toronto), No.2 Kerber

(2016 Charleston via ret. w/viral illness), No.3 Sharapova (2013 Cincinnati) and No.3 S. Williams (2013 Australian

Open)

At No.97 was youngest player in year-end Top 100 in 2011; and after a phenomenal sophomore season, reached

No.38 and was the youngest player, and the only teenager, in the year-end Top 50 in 2012

Made Top 20 debut on January 29, 2013 and went on to win a career-best 39 matches across the season

First WTA qualifying at 2008 Miami. First WTA main draw at 2010 Indian Wells (as qualifier, No.747, fell 2r, l.

Zvonareva)

Won one singles title and one doubles title on ITF Circuit

Grand Slam History


Enjoyed fairytale run at 2017 US Open, lifting maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows (d. Keys in F). At No.83,

is second-lowest ranked Grand Slam champion (since inception of computer rankings in 1975) and 14th unseeded

player to advance to a Grand Slam final in the Open Era, and only fifth unseeded champion

Was one of four American women to reach SF at 2017 Flushing Meadows (also Keys, Vandeweghe and V.Williams) –

the sixth time in the Open Era that four Americans have contested the final four at a major

Also R-Up at 2018 Roland Garros (l. Halep)

Prior to 2017 US Open triumph, best result to date across all majors was reaching SF at 2013 Australian Open (d.

S.Williams in QF, l. eventual champion Azarenka)

Along with Makarova, is one of only two players who’ve never held the No.1 ranking, but have managed to beat

both V.Williams (2015 Roland Garros and 2017 US Open) and S.Williams (whom she defeated at 2013 Australian

Open) at Grand Slam level

Also just the second American (after Davenport) to defeat both Williams sisters in Grand Slam match play

Advanced to SF at 2013 Australian Open (d. Halep, Mladenovic and S.Williams en route) and QF at 2013 Wimbledon

(l. eventual champion Bartoli)

Won junior doubles titles at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open in 2010 (all w/Babos)

Other Information

Mother is Sybil Smith a former collegiate swimmer at Boston University and late father, John Stephens, was an NFL

player in 1980s and 1990s; brother is Shawn Farrell

Started playing tennis at the age of nine, at the Sierra Sport and Racquet Club, in Fresno, California. Two years later

relocated from Fresno to Boca Raton, Florida, where she began training at the Evert Tennis Academy before moving

to Nick Saviano High Performance Tennis Academy

Coached by Kamau Murray (started working together in January 2016). Worked with Nick Saviano in 2015

PUTINTSEVA:

Sydney

Making second main draw appearance at Sydney (fourth overall). Fell 2r in 2017 (l. Wozniacki)

Came through qualifying over the weekend – won through qualifying twice last season (Eastbourne and Beijing)

In 1r, broke serve five times to upset Australian No.2 Gavrilova

Faces No.5 Stephens in 2r today; owns one career Top 5 win, against No.5 Cibulkova at 2017 St Petersburg

Bidding to win consecutive main draw matches on Australian soil for second time (also 3r run at 2016 Australian Open)

Began season last week with 1r exit at Brisbane (l. eventual champion Ka.Pliskova, whom she led by a set and a break)

Career

Posted first Top 50 season in 2018, finishing at No.45 (up from No.53 in 2017). Season highlighted by second career WTA

final at Guangzhou (l. Q.Wang)

Also in 2018, reached QF at Roland Garros for a second time (l. Keys) and advanced to the last eight at Taipei City (l.

Kozlova) and Washington DC (l. eventual champion Kuznetsova)

Reached maiden WTA final in 2017 at St Petersburg (l. Mladenovic) after notching two Top 10 wins over No.8 Kuznetsova

and No.5 Cibulkova (l. Mladenovic in F) – became first woman from Kazakhstan to reach a WTA singles final since

Shvedova at 2015 Bogotá (l. Pereira)

Rose to new career-high ranking of No.27 on February 6, 2017 following her run to the final in St. Petersburg

Also in 2017 made QF at Tokyo [Japan Open] (l. eventual champion Diyas) and Nürnberg (l. Cirstea), and reached 3r at

Roland Garros (l. No.5 Muguruza)

In 2016 became first Kazakh to reach the quarterfinals at Roland Garros – or at any major – since Shvedova in 2012

Also reached SFs at two International-level events in 2016: Kaohsiung (l. V.Williams) and Washington, DC (l. Wickmayer).

Defeated No.14 V.Williams en route to first Premier-level quarterfinal of career at 2016 Charleston

Later in season, posted second career win over a Top 10 opponent at 2016 Tokyo [PPO], defeating No.9 Keys in 1r. First

Top 10 win came over No.10 Petkovic at 2015 Nürnberg (via ret.)

Reached maiden WTA SF at 2015 Bastad (l. eventual champion Larsson)

Made WTA qualifying debut at 2009 Luxembourg and WTA main draw debut at 2012 Copenhagen

On ITF Circuit, winner of six singles titles and six doubles titles.

Kazakhstan Fed Cup Team, 2014-18

Grand Slam History


Best result across the Slams were QF runs at Roland Garros in 2016 (l. S.Williams in 3 sets) and 2018 (l. Keys). Was the

first Kazakh to reach QF at Roland Garros – or at any major – since Shvedova in 2012 (l. QF)

Away from Paris, other key results include 3r at 2016 Australian Open (l. Gasparyan), 2r at Wimbledon in 2015 (l.

V.Williams) and 2016 (l. Pavlyuchenkova) and 2r at US Open in 2016 (l. Witthoeft) and 2017 (l. A.Radwanska)

A two-time junior Grand Slam runner-up (2010 US Open, 2012 Australian Open)

Other information

Coached by Roman Kislianskii

Changed representation from Russia to Kazakhstan in May 2012

Practiced at Spartak Club in Moscow as a junior before moving to Paris to attend Mouratoglou Academy

Tennis idols were Martina Hingis and Justine Henin - still watches videos of Henin on YouTube

Enjoys dancing, music, singing, Sudoku, playing cards and chess


MATCH NOTES

[WC] SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS #73) vs. TIMEA BACSINSZKY (SUI #192)


2014 CLAY O R1 TIMEA BACSINSZKY 73 mins6-4 6-0 OEIRAS (ESTORIL)

2012 CLAY I R1 SAMANTHA STOSUR N/A6-2 7-5 FED CUP WEEK 1

SAMANTHA STOSUR 73

-

30-03-1984 (34)

$8,890

$17,792,852

0 / 9

0 / 25

1-1 / 451-327

1-1 / 123-118

0-0 / 92-107

TIMEA BACSINSZKY 192

42

08-06-1989 (29)

$8,334

$6,332,488

0 / 4

0 / 5

1-2

1-1 / 169-144

1-0 / 56-42

0-2 / 22-35

9-12

1-1 / 90-88 1-1 / 265-208

0-0 / 42-39 0-0 / 10-5

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 31-81 0-0 / 10-25

0-0 / 72-145 1-0 / 33-45





[WC] SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS #73)

R32: d. DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #25) 3-6,6-3,6-4 (2h23)


TIMEA BACSINSZKY (SUI #192)

R32: d. [9] ANASTASIJA SEVASTOVA (LAT #11) 6-7(3),6-4,6-4 (2h49)


from

STOSUR:

Sydney

Making 13th appearance at Sydney International. Former finalist, losing out to compatriot Molik in a classic

championship match on debut in 2005

Since then, best showing was QF run in 2016 (l. Puig). Also fell 2r on three occasions, including 2018 (l. Gavrilova)

Upset No.25 Cibulkova in 1r on Monday – first Top 30 win since beating No.28 Pavlyuchenkova at 2018 Roland Garros

Faces Bacsinszky in 2r today – bidding for back-to-back main draw wins for first time since QF run at 2018 Gstaad (d.

Schiavone and Schnyder)

In opening tournament of 2019, fell 1r at Brisbane (l. qualifier Bouzkova in what was the 1000th match of her career)


MATCH NOTES


SAMANTHA STOSUR

2018

L - DARIA GAVRILOVA (AUS #25) R16 6-4 6-2

2017

L - ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA (RUS #27) R1 6-3 6-1

2016

L - MONICA PUIG (PUR #94) QF 6-4 6-4

2015

L - BARBORA STRYCOVA (CZE #25) R16 7-6(1) 6-2

2013

L - JIE ZHENG (CHN #42) R1 6-3 6-7(7) 6-4

2012

L - FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE (ITA #11) R1 6-2 6-4

2011

L - SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA (RUS #25) R16 3-6 6-3 6-4

2010

L - FLAVIA PENNETTA (ITA #12) R1 6-3 6-1

2009

L - SERENA WILLIAMS (USA #2) R1 6-3 6-7(4) 7-5

2007

L - JELENA JANKOVIC (SRB #12) R16 6-2 7-6(2)

2006

L - NICOLE VAIDISOVA (CZE #16) R1 6-4 4-6 6-1

2005

L - ALICIA MOLIK (AUS #12) F 6-7(5) 6-4 7-5

TIMEA BACSINSZKY

2016

R1 L - ANNA KAROLINA SCHMIEDLOVA (SVK #29) 1-6 6-1 6-3

2011

R1-Q L - REBECCA MARINO (CAN #106) 7-6(4) 6-3

2010

R1 L - DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #24) 7-6(2) 6-1

2008

R16-Q

L - YULIANA FEDAK (UKR #119) 7-6(5) 7-5


from

Oldest of five thirtysomethings in the draw this week (also Kerber, Hsieh, Maria and Suárez Navarro)

One of tournament-leading five Australians to start the main draw – also Barty, Gavrilova, Hon and Tomljanovic. The

last Australian to win the title here was Molik in 2005

Began last season with 1r exit at Brisbane (l. Sevastova), 2r showing at Sydney (l. Gavrilova), before losing to Puig in 1r

at Australian Open after holding match point in second set tie-break

Career

Ended 2018 outside Top 50, at No,72, for first time since 2008

During 2018, reached SF on grass at Mallorca and QFs on clay at Strasbourg, Prague and Gstaad. Also won 25th career

doubles title at Hong Kong (w/S.Zhang)

Suffered through an injury-plagued 2017 season, but, still managed to post her ninth consecutive Top 50 finish, ending

at No.41

Highlight of reduced season came with ninth career title at Strasbourg (d. Gavrilova in F), along with QF runs at Taipei

City (l. Peng), Doha (l. Cibulkova) and Hong Kong (l. Wang) – also reached R16 of Roland Garros for sixth time (l.

eventual champion Ostapenko)

Career record in finals is 9-15, and has advanced to at least one singles final in 11 of past 12 seasons

2016 season highlights included R-Up finish at Prague (l. Safarova in three sets) and advancing to fifth Grand Slam SF of

career at Roland Garros (l. eventual champion Muguruza). Following Roland Garros result, rose to No.14 – first time

ranked inside Top 15 since week of August 26, 2013

Represented Australia at Rio Olympics, progressing to 3r in singles (l. eventual silver medalist Kerber), and fell 1r in

doubles (w/Gavrilova, l. eventual silver medalists Bacsinszky/Hingis) and 1r in mixed doubles (w/Peers, l.

Mirza/Bopanna)

Won two WTA singles titles in 2015 season, both at International level, at Strasbourg (d. Mladenovic in F) and Bad

Gastein (d. Knapp in F). Was second season where had won multiple titles (also 2013 – Carlsbad, Osaka)

Achieved 500th career match win (all levels) at 2015 Washington DC.

Owns two wins over a reigning World No.1: S.Williams (2010 Roland Garros) and Wozniacki (2010 WTA Finals)

Former doubles World No.1 (spent 61 weeks in top spot) with 24 titles to her name, including 2005 US Open and 2006

Roland Garros (both w/Raymond)

Owns three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles: 2005 Australian Open (w/Draper), 2008 Wimbledon (w/B.Bryan) and 2014

Wimbledon (w/Zimonjic)

Played first events of career on ITF Circuit in Australia in 1998, and first WTA main draws in 2002, as a wildcard at Gold

Coast and Australian Open

Grand Slam History


Owns one Grand Slam singles title, having won 2011 US Open (d. S.Williams in F). One of just five women who have

defeated S.Williams in a Grand Slam final (also V.Williams, Sharapova, Kerber and Muguruza)

Reached the final at Roland Garros in 2010 (l. Schiavone). Also a three-time Paris semifinalist, in 2009 (l. eventual

champion Kuznetsova), 2012 (l. eventual R-Up Errani) and 2016 (l. eventual champion Muguruza)

Best result at Wimbledon is reaching 3r three times (2009, 2013, 2015) and at home Slam of Australian Open made R16

in 2006 (l. Hingis) and 2010 (l. S.Williams)

In doubles, won 2005 US Open and 2006 Roland Garros (both w/Raymond)

Other Information

Currently without full-time coach after splitting with former ATP player and Australian Davis Cup coach Joshua Eagle

during off-season. Stopped working with long-time coach, David Taylor, after 2016 Roland Garros

Friend introduced her to tennis at age eight

Off the court, enjoys going to the beach, swimming in the sea, hanging out with friends, surfing and listening to music

BACSINSZKY:

Sydney

Making third main draw appearance at Sydney (fifth overall), where she is through to 2r for first time

In 1r on Monday, broke serve nine times to upset No.11 Sevastova

Faces Stosur in 2r today. Owns 6-8 career win-loss record against Australian opposition

Began 2019 season with 1r exit last week at Shenzhen (l. Sharapova)

Entered Sydney with Special Ranking of No.23 after missing much of 2018 w/right hand injury

Missed start of 2018 season w/right hand injury

Career

Ended 2018 ranked No.241 after missing much of season w/right hand injury

Best WTA-level result was SF showing at Tianjin (d. No.11 Sabalenka, l. Ka.Pliskova). Made seven 1r exits, including at

US Open

Also won fifth career WTA doubles title at St Petersburg (w/Zvonareva)

On ITF Circuit in 2018, won title at $25k/Nantes-FRA

Highlight of 2017 was reaching SF for second time at Roland Garros (l. eventual champion Ostapenko). Hand injury

ended season after Wimbledon

Has twice ended year inside Top 20, in 2016 (No.15) and 2015 (No.12)

Captured fourth and most recent WTA singles title at 2016 Rabat (d. Erakovic in F); now 4-3 in career singles finals,

earlier wins coming at 2009 Luxembourg and 2015 Acapulco and Monterrey in back-to-back weeks. Reached biggest

final of career to date (at Premier Mandatory level) at 2015 Beijing (l. Muguruza)

Won silver medal in doubles at 2016 Rio Olympics (w/Hingis, l. Makarova/Vesnina in F)

Other highlights in 2016 season included reaching SF at Miami – d. Ivanovic, A.Radwanska and Halep en route before

falling to eventual runner-up Kuznetsova. Became first Swiss player to reach last four at Miami since Hingis in 2001

Following QF run at 2016 Rome (l. Muguruza) posted new career-high ranking of No.9 (May 16, 2016)

Backed up 2015 SF run at Roland Garros by reaching QF again in 2016 (l. Bertens)

Cracked Top 10 (at No.10) in October 2015 for first time in career – becoming fourth Swiss woman to break Top 10 in

WTA Rankings history, after Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere (a former No.3), Martina Hingis (a former No.1) and Patty

Schnyder (a former No.7)

Has won five doubles titles, most recently 2018 St Petersburg (w/Zvonareva); owns a 5-5 record in finals

A foot injury and subsequent abdominal injury limited her to play for three seasons (2011-13); undertook

training in hospitality at a hotel in Switzerland and contemplated giving up tennis; had been ranked in Top 40

during 2010 season, was No.285 by end of 2013

Made WTA main draw debut at 2004 Strasbourg

Winner of 12 singles and 14 doubles titles on ITF Circuit

Grand Slam History

Best Grand Slam results have come at Roland Garros, where she reached SF in 2015 (l. eventual champion S.Williams)

and 2017 (l. eventual champion Ostapenko) and QF in 2016 (l. Bertens)

Elsewhere has reached QF at 2015 Wimbledon and 3r at both Australian Open and US Open

Reached 2r on Grand Slam debut at 2007 Roland Garros

Other Information

Mother, Suzanne, is a dentist; father, Igor, is a tennis coach; both parents are Hungarian. Brother, Daniel, is a music

teacher; has two sisters, Sophie (musician) and Melinda (mother of two girls)

Speaks French, Hungarian, English, German, Italian

In July 2016 was announced as a UNAIDS Global Advocate for Young People, promoting the #ProTESTHIV campaign


MATCH NOTES

[Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33) vs. [Q] PRISCILLA HON (AUS #161)



24

22-03-1994 (24)

$23,685

$2,068,505

0 / 0

0 / 0

3-1 / 63-59

1-0 / 27-21

0-0 / 17-11

PRISCILLA HON 161

-

10-05-1998 (20)

$6,940

$253,624

0 / 0

0 / 0

1-0

1-1 / 4-8

0-1 / 2-3

1-0 / 1-1

1-0

1-1 / 4-8 3-1 / 48-38

0-0 / 6-2 0-0 / 1-0

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






2-0 / 5-7 0-0 / 0-1

2-0 / 11-17 0-0 / 0-1










[Q] PRISCILLA HON (AUS #161)

R2-Q: d. KIMBERLY BIRRELL (AUS #283) 6-7(2),6-4,6-3 (2h16)

R1-Q: d. ALEKSANDRA KRUNIC (SRB #55) 6-1,6-4 (1h16)

R32: d. TATJANA MARIA (GER #71) 6-3,7-6(4) (1h31)



2016



from

SASNOVICH:

Sydney


Zidansk and Puig)

Best result by a qualifier here was Pironkova’s title run in 2014



Brisbane)

Plays fellow qualifier Hon in 2r; bidding to reach back-to-back tour-level QF for first time in career, having reached final

eight at Brisbane last week (l. Vekic)

Career






this time last year


Stephens in final







Grand Slam History





Other Information




HON: Sydney

Making debut at Sydney International, having come through qualifying over the weekend

Beat No.55 Krunic in first round of qualifying – best win-by-ranking of career

Won 83.3% of first serve points against Maria in 1r. One of three Australians through to 2r (also Barty and Stosur)

Faces Sasnovich in 2r; bidding to reach second career QF (also 2017 Seoul)

Began season with 1r exit last week at Brisbane (l. Dart)

Career

Posted career-best year-end finish of No.158 in 2018 (up from No.227 in 2017)

Highlights in 2018 came during Asian swing where she qualified for then reached 2r at Seoul (l. Minella) and fell 1r at

Hiroshima (l. Q.Wang) and Hong Kong (l. Svitolina)

Also contested qualifying at 10 tour-level events (incl. all four majors), and won biggest ITF Circuit title of career at

$60k/Bendigo-AUS

Posted career-high ranking of No.156 in week of October 29, 2018

WTA main draw debut came as wildcard at 2016 Brisbane (l. Crawford)

Made WTA qualifying debut at 2015 Hobart

On ITF Circuit, winner of four singles titles and 10 doubles titles

Played first professional events of career on ITF Circuit in Australia in 2012

Peaked at No.13 in the junior world rankings

Grand Slam History

As wildcard, made 1r exit on Grand Slam debut at 2016 Australian Open (l. Beck); triumphed at the 18s Australian

Championships in December 2015 to earn WC

Also, contested qualifying at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open in 2018

Other Information

Born in Brisbane and currently trains at the National Academy Brisbane

Started playing tennis at age six

Favorite surface is clay; dream is to win at Roland Garros

Thinks Pat Rafter is the greatest Aussie player of all time

Lists her hobbies as friends, shopping, music and the beach


MATCH NOTES

[5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8) vs. SU-WEI HSIEH (TPE #28)

Head to Head: PETRA KVITOVA leads 2-0

2016 HARD I R1 PETRA KVITOVA 71 mins7-5 6-0 LUXEMBOURG

2016 CLAY O R2 PETRA KVITOVA 70 mins6-4 6-1 ROLAND GARROS

PETRA KVITOVA 8

61

08-03-1990 (28)

$12,705

$27,354,912

0 / 25

0 / 0

2-1 / 400-190

1-0 / 121-77

1-2 / 79-59

SU-WEI HSIEH 28

19

04-01-1986 (33)

$11,300

$6,034,836

0 / 3

0 / 20

1-0

4-1 / 115-131

0-0 / 45-41

2-0 / 26-35

10-4

4-1 / 83-83 2-1 / 265-132

0-0 / 44-14 0-0 / 12-16

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 52-50 0-0 / 3-17

1-1 / 100-85 0-0 / 6-35




* Updated entering Sydney 2r




SU-WEI HSIEH (TPE #28)

R32: d. DANIELLE COLLINS (USA #35) 7-6(4),6-3 (1h40)


from

KVITOVA:

Sydney



One of two former champions to begin the draw (also Kerber – 2018, who is through to QF)

Faces No.28 Hsieh in 2r today; after defeating No.11 Sabalenka in straight sets in 1r on Tuesday- first Top 20 win since

d. No.14 Mertens in QF at 2018 Cincinnati

Has 3-1 record here in 2r matches




Career





Sydney)


MATCH NOTES


PETRA KVITOVA

2018


2015


2014


2013


2012

L - NA LI (CHN #5) SF 1-6 7-5 6-2

SU-WEI HSIEH

2016

R16-Q

L - POLONA HERCOG (SLO #73) 6-1 7-5

2015

R1-Q L - KRISTINA MLADENOVIC (FRA #69) 2-6 6-0 6-2

2014

R16-Q

L - YAROSLAVA SHVEDOVA (KAZ #80) 6-7(0) 6-3 6-4


from


















play-off)








Grand Slam History









Other Information







HSIEH:

Sydney

Making first main draw appearance at Sydney (fourth overall). Previously fell during qualifying rounds in 2014, 2015

and 2016

Has not played here since 2016, where she was ranked No.92. Returns this year at No.28 - five places off career high

No.23, achieved on February 25, 2013

After defeating Collins in 1r on Monday, faces No.8 Kvitova in 2r today for third time in her career, has lost both

previous meetings and yet to win a set

Owns three Top 10 victories – all three coming in Slams: No.8 Konta (2017 Roland Garros), No.3 Muguruza (2018

Australian Open) and No.1 Halep (2018 Wimbledon)

Celebrated 33rd birthday last week; second-oldest of three players aged 30 or over left in the draw (also Stosur and

Kerber)

Opened 2019 season with SF run last week in Auckland (l. R-Up Andreescu)

Has reached back to back SFs – also 2018 Tianjin. Has made SF or better at four of her last six events – others were

2018 Hiroshima and 2018 Seoul. Exceptions were 2018 Wuhan (l. 1r Kenin) and 2018 Beijing (l. 1r Babos)

Best result in Australia is R16 at Australian Open in 2008 and 2018

Career

Ended 2018 ranked No.28, up from No.96 in 2017

Returned to Top 30 on September 17, 2018 for the first time since reaching career high of No.23 on February 25, 2013

Won third WTA singles title at 2018 Hiroshima – others both coming in 2012 at Kuala Lumpur (as qualifier, d. Martic in

F) and Guangzhou (d. Robson in F)

Won 20th career doubles title at 2018 Indian Wells (w/Strycova, d. Makarova/Vesnina in F)

Highlights of 2018 season were SF runs Auckland (l. eventual champion Goerges), Rabat (l. eventual champion

Mertens), Seoul (l.Tomljanovic) and Tianjin (.Garcia). Also made QF at Strasbourg (l.Buzarnescu) and equaled best

Grand Slam result by reaching R16 at Australian Open and Wimbledon

Stunned No.1 Halep at 2018 Wimbledon for first win over reigning No.1

Reached QF at Nanchang (l. Y.Wang) in 2017 and concluded season with runner-up effort at WTA 125K Series event in

Hua Hin, Thailand (l. Bencic)

2016 season highlights included SF run at Kaohsiung (l. Doi) and QF showing at Prague (l. eventual champion

Safarova)

Ended 2016 by winning 27th singles title on the ITF Circuit at $100K ITF/Dubai-UAE; has also won 22 doubles

titles at that level, most recently at $100k ITF/Cagnes-sur-Mer in May 2017 (w/Chang)

Just second player from Chinese Taipei to win a tour-level singles title (Wang Shi-Ting won six titles in 1990s)

Qualified for 2012 Tournament of Champions-Sofia (went 1-2 in round robin play)

Won two Grand Slams w/Peng and qualified twice for WTA Finals, emerging as champions in 2013 (d.

Makarova/Vesnina in F) and runners-up in 2014 (l. Black/Mirza in F)

Became first player from Chinese Taipei (male or female) to achieve the WTA World No.1 doubles ranking on May 12,

2014 – held the top spot for five non-consecutive weeks

On ITF Circuit, winner of 26 singles titles and 23 doubles titles

Played first professional tournament at ITF level in New Zealand in 2001; started career by winning first 33 matches

(mix of ITF and tour level)

Grand Slam History

Reached R16 at 2018 Australian Open (l. Kerber), equaling best singles major run at 2008 Australian Open (as

qualifier, l. Henin)

Set new career-best result at 2018 Wimbledon by reaching R16 (l.Cibulkova). Previously reached 3r in 2012 (l.

Sharapova). Reached 2r on three further occasions

Also made 3r at 2017 Roland Garros (l. Garcia). At US Open, posted 2r efforts in 2018 (l. Cibulkova) and 2013 (l.

Giorgi)

Winner of two Grand Slam doubles titles – 2014 Roland Garros (w/Peng, d. Errani/Vinci in final) and 2013 Wimbledon

(w/Peng, d. Barty/Dellacqua in final)

Other Information

Has six siblings. Introduced to tennis by father at age 5

Father is Hsieh Tze-Lung; mother is Ho Fom-Ju

Idolized Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi growing up


1




[5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8) vs. ARYNA SABALENKA (BLR #11)

JELENA OSTAPENKO (LAT #22) vs. ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15)

CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #27) vs. [2] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #2)

[4] SLOANE STEPHENS (USA #5) vs. [Q] EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA (RUS #72)

[8] DARIA KASATKINA (RUS #10) vs. [Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33)

Series tied 1-1 Sabalenka won pair’s most recent encounter in straight sets at 2018 US Open… Kvitova one

of two former champions in the draw… Sabalenka coming off title run at Shenzhen

Barty leads 1-0 Barty triumphed when the two met at 2017 Wuhan… Winner faces World No.1 Halep in

second round… Barty was in Hopman Cup action last week

Kerber leads 3-0 Kerber beat Giorgi in last year’s SF… Giorgi saw off Australian No.3 Tomljanovic in opening

round… Kerber has made SF or better on four occasions here

First meeting Stephens lost to qualifier in opening round at Sydney last year… Alexandrova owns one

career Top 10 win… Both players made early exits in last week’s season openers

Kasatkina leads 3-2 Sasnovich upset Kasatkina in second round at 2018 US Open… Kasatkina reached QF here in

2017… Sasnovich bidding for second Top 10 win of the season


MATCH NOTES

[5] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #8) vs. ARYNA SABALENKA (BLR #11)


2018 HARD O R3 ARYNA SABALENKA 85 mins7-5 6-1 US OPEN

2018 HARD O R2 PETRA KVITOVA 121 mins7-5 3-6 6-3 MIAMI

PETRA KVITOVA 8

61

08-03-1990 (28)

$12,705

$27,354,912

0 / 25

0 / 0

1-1 / 399-190

1-0 / 121-77

1-2 / 79-59

ARYNA SABALENKA 11

4

05-05-1998 (20)

$163,260

$2,312,199

1 / 3

0 / 0

0-0

5-0 / 63-30

2-0 / 26-12

1-0 / 16-11

9-4

5-0 / 51-20 1-1 / 264-132

0-0 / 44-14 0-0 / 6-4

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 52-50 0-0 / 8-5

0-1 / 99-85 0-0 / 16-10





Rnd Result Duration Duration

"-Q" Qualifying match


PETRA KVITOVA

2018


2015


2014


2013


2012

L - NA LI (CHN #5) SF 1-6 7-5 6-2


from

KVITOVA:

Sydney



One of two former champions in the draw (also Kerber – 2018)

Faces No.11 Sabalenka in 1r today; most recent Top 20 win came against No.14 Mertens at 2018 Cincinnati

Opened season with 2r at last week at Brisbane (d. Collins, l. Kontaveit)

In 2018, began season with 2r showing at Sydney (l. Giorgi) and 1r exit at Australian Open (l. Petkovic)

Career

Won a WTA Tour-leading five titles in 2018, at St. Petersburg (d. Mladenovic in F), Doha (d. Muguruza in F), Prague (d.Buzarnescu in F), Madrid (d. Bertens in F) and Birmingham (d. Rybarikova in F). Ended the year ranked No.7 – sixthyear-end Top 10 finish of career

Titles came on all three surfaces – first player to win a title on three difference surfaces in a season since S.Williams in2015. The Czech has won at least one title every year dating back to 2011



Sydney)


















play-off)








Grand Slam History









Other Information







SABALENKA:

Sydney

Making debut appearance at Sydney International

Faces No.8 Kvitova in 1r. Owns eight career wins over Top 10 players (all coming in 2018), most recently beating No.8

Garcia at Beijing. Only Bertens (12) and Svitolina (nine) posted more Top 10 wins during 2018 season

Last week won third title of her career, at Shenzhen (d. Riske in F); now owns 3-3 record in career singles finals

Ranked at career-high No.11 entering Sydney. By contrast, 12 months ago sat at No.69 in the rankings

Opened 2018 season with back-to-back QFs at Shenzhen (l. eventual champion Halep) and Hobart (l. Tsurenko) before

making 1r exit at Australian Open (l. Barty)

Career

Enjoyed breakthrough season in 2018, lifting two titles, at New Haven (d. Suárez Navarro in F) and Wuhan (d.

Kontaveit in F), winning 46 matches and finishing at No.11 in the rankings

Also in 2018, was R-Up at Lugano (l. Mertens) and Eastbourne (l. Wozniacki), made SF at Cincinnati, reached five QFs

and produced a career-best Grand Slam run to R16 at US Open

Posted first Top 100 season finish in 2017, ending year at No.78. Season highlight was reaching first tour-level final at

Tianjin (l. Sharapova) and amking SF run at Tashkent (l. Babos)

Made Grand Slam main draw debut 2017 Wimbledon, falling in 2r (as qualifier, l. Witthoeft), and WTA main draw

debut at 2017 Dubai (as qualifier, l. Ka.Bondarenko)

Member of Belarus Fed Cup Team that advanced to competition final in 2017 – went 1-1 in singles and 0-1 in doubles

as side lost to USA

Scored first Top 20 win of career with defeat of No.13 Stephens during 2017 Fed Cup final in Minsk

Rounded out season by lifting WTA 125k Series title at Mumbai (d. Jakupovic)

In 2016 rose nearly 400 places in the rankings, ending year at No.155. Won on ITF Circuit at $50k ITF/Tianjin-CHN and

$50k ITF/Toyota-JPN

Made WTA qualifying debut at 2016 Rabat

On ITF Circuit has won five singles titles and one doubles title

Made debut on ITF Circuit in 2012 at $25k ITF/Minsk-BLR

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked fifth career main draw appearance at a Grand Slam, where she advanced to R16 for first time

(l. eventual champion Osaka in 3s)

Only previous Grand Slam win came during 2r showing on Grand Slam debut at 2017 Wimbledon (as qualifier, d.

Khromacheva, l. Witthoeft)

Made 1r exit on next three major appearances, at 2018 Australian Open (l. Barty), 2018 Roland Garros (l. Bertens) and

2018 Wimbledon (l. Buzarnescu)

Also fell in qualifying at 2016 and 2017 US Opens, 2017 Australian Open and 2017 Roland Garros

Was No.26 seed at 2018 US Open– first Grand Slam seeding of her career

Other Information

Coached by former ATP player Dmitry Tursunov

Since their partnership formed this summer, the pairing has scored the best win-by-ranking of her career over No.2

Wozniacki en route to a R16 finish in Montréal. Then in Cincinnati, the Belarusian dropped three consecutive seeds

(No.9 Ka.Pliskova, No.6 Garcia and No.13 Keys) en route to SF, before capturing her first career titles at New Haven

and Wuhan

Started playing aged six

Prefers playing on hard


MATCH NOTES

JELENA OSTAPENKO (LAT #22) vs. ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #15)

Head to Head: ASHLEIGH BARTY leads 1-0

2017 HARD O SF ASHLEIGH BARTY 75 mins6-3 6-0 WUHAN

JELENA OSTAPENKO 22

9,999

08-06-1997 (21)

$5,714

$7,540,198

0 / 2

0 / 3

0-1 / 92-72

0-0 / 32-25

0-0 / 27-13

ASHLEIGH BARTY 15

9,999

24-04-1996 (22)

$0

$5,208,080

0 / 3

0 / 9

4-1

0-0 / 84-49

0-0 / 24-13

0-0 / 13-10

0-1

0-0 / 53-30 0-1 / 50-50

0-0 / 8-10 0-0 / 9-4

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 8-11 0-0 / 5-14

0-0 / 12-20 0-0 / 14-28





Rnd Result



JELENA OSTAPENKO

2018

L - EKATERINA MAKAROVA (RUS #33) R1 7-6(3) 6-1

2016

L - DANIELA HANTUCHOVA (SVK #88) R1-Q 6-4 6-4

ASHLEIGH BARTY

2018

F L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #22) 6-4 6-4


from

OSTAPENKO:

Sydney

Making second consecutive main draw appearance at Sydney International, where she fell 1r last year

Faces No.15 Barty in 1r today; scored two Top 20 wins last season, over No.9 Kvitova and No.4 Svitolina (both at Miami)

Career win-loss record against Australian opposition stands at 4-3

Winner faces World No.1 Halep in 2r

Played doubles this week w/Stephens (l. N.Kichenok/Strycova in 1r)

Made 1r exit during season opener last week at Shenzhen (l. Niculescu)

Began 2018 season with 1r exits at Shenzhen and Sydney before reaching 3r at Australian Open

Career

Ended 2018 season at No.22, with season highlighted by R-Up finish at Miami (l. Stephens). Record in singles

finals now stands at 2‐4

Saw off No.9 Kvitova and No.4 Svitolina during Miami run to register multiple Top 10 wins in the same

tournament for the first time in her career

Elsewhere in 2018, made SF at Wimbledon (l. Kerber) and reached four further QFs

Won both singles rubbers (d. Makarova and Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets) to help Latvia beat Russia 3-2.

Latvia will play in 2019 Fed Cup World Group II for the first time

Enjoyed career-best season in 2017, finishing the year in the Top 10 for the first time in her career (at No.7); was

No.44 at end of 2016 (first Top 50 finish) and No.79 at end of 2015 (first Top 100 finish)

Won first tour-level title and maiden Grand Slam trophy at 2017 Roland Garros (d. Halep in F), where she became the

lowest‐ranked player (No.47), and first unseeded player, to lift the trophy in the Open Era

Clinched second tour-level title at Seoul in September (d. Haddad Maia in F) as top seed

Seoul title, and subsequent SF runs at Wuhan and Beijing, helped earn her first-ever qualification at WTA Finals,

where she went 1-2 in the group stage – d. Ka.Pliskova; l. V.Williams and Muguruza

Advanced to third career singles final at 2017 Charleston in April, falling to then fellow 19‐year‐old Kasatkina; was the first

all‐teenage final on tour since 2009 Linz (Wickmayer d. Kvitova)

Made four additional semifinals in 2017: Auckland (l. eventual champion Davis), Prague (l. Kr.Pliskova), Wuhan (l. Barty)

and Beijing (l. Halep)

Upset Muguruza in QF at 2017 Beijing to register first win over a reigning World No.1

Reached QF stage at Acapulco (l. eventual champion Tsurenko) and Wimbledon (l. eventual R-Up V.Williams)

Following run to 3r at 2017 US Open (l. Kasatkina), made her Top 10 debut at No.10 on September 11, 2017

In doubles, won first and second career titles in 2017, at St. Petersburg (w/Rosolska) and Stuttgart (w/Atawo)

2016 season highlight and breakthrough result was reaching final at Premier 5 Doha (l. Suárez Navarro)

Made Top 40 debut by virtue of reaching final at 2016 Doha

Represented Latvia at 2016 Rio Olympics, losing 1r in singles (l. Stosur)

Reached first WTA final of career at 2015 Québec City (l. Beck)

Ended 2015 at No.79 for first Top 100 finish (up from No.308 in 2014). Having leapt 229 spots, was second‐highest

year‐end rankings jump, after Kasatkina who went from No.370 to No.72 (298 spots)

Began playing ITF Circuit events in 2012. Has won seven singles and eight doubles titles. Made WTA main draw debut

at 2014 Tashkent (2r, l. Pervak)

Latvian Fed Cup Team, 2013‐18; Latvian Olympic Team, 2016

Grand Slam History


Champion at 2017 Roland Garros (d. Halep in F), becoming first woman to win her first tour‐level title at a Grand Slam

since Barbara Jordan at 1979 Australian Open (d. Walsh in F)

First Latvian player to reach the championship match at a Grand Slam; previously Ernests Gulbis reached SF at 2014

Roland Garros

Is one of seven players born in the 1990s to win a Grand Slam title (also Kvitova at 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon, Muguruza

at 2016 Roland Garros and 2017 Wimbledon, Stephens at 2017 US Open, Wozniacki at 2018 Australian Open, Halep at

2018 Roland Garros and Osaka at 2018 US Open)

Followed Paris victory by posting her then-second best major result, reaching QF at 2017 Wimbledon (l. V.Williams).

Along with S.Williams in 2015, is the only woman in the last 10 years to have followed up victory at Roland Garros with a

run to the QF or better at Wimbledon. Before that, Henin also achieved the feat in 2007

Also the first woman to back up her maiden Slam title with QF or better at next Slam since Kim Clijsters (US

Open‐Australian Open 2006)

Improved upon her 2017 result by reaching the SF of Wimbledon in 2018 (l. eventual champion Kerber)

becoming the first woman representing Latvia to reach SF at Wimbledon

Best result to date at Australian Open and US Open is reaching 3r in 2017 and 2018

Fell in 1r at all four majors in 2016, however, reached mixed doubles SF at 2016 Wimbledon (w/Marach, l. eventual

champions Kontinen/Watson)

Won girls’ singles title at 2014 Wimbledon

Other Information

Works with Glen Schaap (as of June 2018) and her mother, Jelena Jakovleva

Father is Jevgenijs, half‐brother is Maksim Ostapenko (graduated from art academy in Los Angeles and lives there)

Previously worked with David Taylor from December 2017 until 2018 Roland Garros

Introduced to tennis at age five by mother; favorite shots are serve and backhand; favorite surfaces are grass and

hard

Tennis idols are Serena Williams and Ernests Gulbis – watched Gulbis’ QF match at Roland Garros from his box in

2014

Took ballroom dancing classes for seven years

BARTY:

Sydney



Faces Ostapenko in 1r, whom she beat en route to R-Up finish at 2017 Wuhan

Record against Grand Slam champions in 2018 was 1-8, with sole win coming against Kerber at Wuhan


exit (d. Cornet, D. Muguruza, l. Kerber)

One of tournament-leading five Australian’s in main draw (also Gavrilova, Hon, Stosur and Tomljanovic)

Career











In terms of ranking, best career win was over No.3 Kerber at 2018 Wuhan

















Grand Slam History











Other Information


sport








MATCH NOTES

CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #27) vs. [2] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #2)

Head to Head: ANGELIQUE KERBER leads 3-0

2018 HARD O SF ANGELIQUE KERBER 75 mins6-2 6-3 SYDNEY

2016 HARD O R1 ANGELIQUE KERBER 128 mins5-7 6-3 6-0 BRISBANE

2015 HARD O R16 ANGELIQUE KERBER 81 mins6-2 6-4 WUHAN

CAMILA GIORGI 27

-

30-12-1991 (27)

$0

$3,347,675

0 / 2

0 / 0

1-0 / 129-114

0-0 / 43-38

0-0 / 32-27

ANGELIQUE KERBER 2

-

18-01-1988 (30)

$0

$27,156,841

0 / 12

0 / 0

15-5

0-0 / 399-225

0-0 / 112-88

0-0 / 78-53

4-1

0-0 / 260-145 1-0 / 76-69

0-0 / 9-8 0-0 / 32-19

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 9-15 0-0 / 37-59

0-0 / 25-40 0-0 / 86-111





CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #27)

R32: d. AJLA TOMLJANOVIC (CRO #46) 6-3,6-3 (1h30)


[2] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #2)

R32: BYE


from

GIORGI:

Sydney

• Making second main draw appearance at Sydney (fourth overall), where she reached SF as qualifier in 2018 (l.

eventual champion Kerber)

• Defeated No.13 Stephens and former champions Kvitova and A.Radwanska en route to last year’s SF

• Was ranked No.100 for 2018 run, but returns this year at No.27 – one place off career-high No.26

• Italian No.1 and only representative from her country in the Top 100 (next is No.114 Errani). Best result by an Italian

woman in Sydney is Schiavone’s R-Up finish in 2006

• Hit 21 winners during straight-set win over Australian No.3 Tomljanovic in 1r. Has now won six straight matches

having won title in last event of 2018 at Linz

• Faces No.2 Kerber in 2r. Owns nine Top 10 wins in her career, over No.7 Errani at 2012 Beijing, No.8 Wozniacki at

2013 US Open, No.5 Sharapova at 2014 Indian Wells, No.10 Cibulkova at 2014 Rome, No.8 Azarenka at 2014

Eastbourne, No.9 A.Radwanska at 2015 Katowice, No.3 Ka.Pliskova at 2017 Prague, No.5 Svitolina at 2017

Birmingham and No.2 Wozniacki at 2018 Tokyo

• Withdrew from last week’s Brisbane International w/right foot injury


MATCH NOTES


CAMILA GIORGI

2018

L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #22) SF 6-2 6-3

2014

L - CHRISTINA MCHALE (USA #65) R1-Q 5-7 7-5 6-3

2013

L - JOHANNA LARSSON (SWE #69) R1-Q 6-2 6-3

ANGELIQUE KERBER

2018

F W - ASHLEIGH BARTY (AUS #19) 6-4 6-4

2017

R16 L - DARIA KASATKINA (RUS #26) 7-6(5) 6-2

2016

R16 L - EKATERINA MAKAROVA (RUS #23) W/O

2015

SF L - KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE #22) 6-3 6-2

2014

F L - TSVETANA PIRONKOVA (BUL #107) 6-4 6-4

2013

SF L - DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #15) 6-2 4-6 6-3

2009

R1 L - KAIA KANEPI (EST #27) 6-1 7-5


from

Career

• Ended 2018 season perched at a career-best ranking of No.26, winning second career title in final event at Linz (d.

Alexandrova in F). Won 29 tour-level matches in 2018 – the most wins she had previously posted in a single season

was 28, in 2014

• Advanced to first Grand Slam QF at 2018 Wimbledon (l. eventual R-Up S.Williams) on her 26th appearance at this

level; became the first Italian woman to reach the QF of Wimbledon since 2009 (Schiavone, l. Dementieva)

• Other highlights last season included SF runs at Sydney (l. eventual champion Kerber), Prague (l. Buzarnescu after

serving for match in third set) and Tokyo (l. Osaka)

• Owns nine Top 10 wins in her career, over No.7 Errani at 2012 Beijing, No.8 Wozniacki at 2013 US Open, No.5

Sharapova at 2014 Indian Wells, No.10 Cibulkova at 2014 Rome, No.8 Azarenka at 2014 Eastbourne, No.9

A.Radwanska at 2015 Katowice, No.3 Ka.Pliskova at 2017 Prague,No.5 Svitolina at 2017 Birmingham and No.2

Wozniacki at 2018 Tokyo

• Posted sixth consecutive Top 100 season, finishing 2017 ranked No.79 (up from No.83 in 2017)

• Made SF at Shenzhen (l. Riske) and QF at Biel (l. Sasnovich), Prague (l. Barthel) and Birmingham (l. Barty)

• In 2016 reached final at Katowice for the third year in a row (l. Cibulkova). Appeared in four additional quarterfinals

in 2016, at Hobart (l. Bouchard), Prague (l. Ka.Pliskova), Washington, DC (l. Davis) and Seoul (l. Zhang)

• Won first career title at 2015 ‘s-Hertogenbosch (d. Bencic in F). Has 2-4 record in finals, having also won 2018 Linz (d.

Alexandrova in F) and been R-Up at 2014 Linz (l. Ka.Pliskova – held match points) and Katowice in 2014 (l. Cornet –

held match points), 2015 (l. Schmiedlova) and 2016

• Finished 2015 season with then best year-end ranking (No.34), up one place from No.35 in 2014. Season highlighted

by winning her first WTA singles title at 's-Hertogenbosch (d. Bencic in F)

• Had never reached WTA QF prior to 2014; reached QF or better at seven events during that season

• Made Top 100 debut on July 9, 2012 and broke into Top 50 on May 26, 2014

• Made tour-level main draw debut as a qualifier at 2011 Wimbledon

• On ITF Circuit, winner of five singles titles

• Played first career professional tournament at 2006 ITF/Baku‐AZE

• Member of Italian Fed Cup Team, 2014-16

Grand Slam History

• 2018 US Open marked 27th career Grand Slam main draw

• Best result across the majors was reaching QF at 2018 Wimbledon (l. S.Williams)

• Also reached R16 at 2012 Wimbledon (as qualifier, l. eventual R-Up A.Radwanska) and at 2013 US Open (l. Vinci)

• Made 3r at Wimbledon in 2013 (l. eventual champion Bartoli) and 2015 (l. Wozniacki), 2015 Australian Open (l.

V.Williams) and 2018 Roland Garros (l. eventual R-Up Stephens)

• Made tour-level debut at Wimbledon in 2011 (as qualifier, l. Pironkova in 1r)

• Enjoyed the only Grand Slam seeding of her career at All England Club in 2015 (as No.31)

Other Information

• Coached by father, Sergio Giorgi

• Favorite book is The Diary of Anne Frank

• Mother Claudia is a fashion designer

KERBER:

Sydney

Making eighth appearance at Sydney International. Won the title in 2018 (l. Barty) and lost championship match to

qualifier Pironkova in 2014

Saved 2mp during 1r win over Safarova during last year’s title run

Also made SFs in 2013 (l. Cibulkova) and 2015 (l. Ka.Pliskova). Lost opening match – after 1r bye - to Kasatkina

After 1r bye, faces Giorgi today in rematch of last year’s SF. Lost to Kasatkina after opening round bye in 2017

Playing first WTA event of the season. Last week, helped Germany finish R-Up to Switzerland at Hopman Cup

(posted 4-0 singles record – with wins over Barty, Bencic, Cornet and Muguruza)


Career

Won two titles in 2018, at Sydney (d. Barty in F) and third Grand Slam crown of career at Wimbledon (d. S.Williams in

F), finishing the season ranked No.2

Record in tour-level finals stands at 12-16 – her 28 final appearances is the joint tenth-most among active players

(level with A.Radwanska)

Also in 2018, posted SF runs at Australian Open (l. Halep in 3s, having held two match points), Dubai (l. eventual

champion Svitolina) and Eastbourne (l. eventual champion Wozniacki having held match point). Returned to Top 10

following Eastbourne result – at No.10

Ended 2017 on a ranking of No.21 – sixth consecutive Top 25 season. Best results of season were R-Up finish at

Monterrey and SFs at Tokyo [PPO] (l. Pavlyuchenkova) and Dubai (l. Svitolina)

Enjoyed an outstanding 2016 season, winning first Grand Slam titles of career at Australian Open (d. S.Williams in F)

and US Open (d. Ka.Pliskova in F), finishing R-Up at Wimbledon (l. S.Williams in F) and rising to World No.1 in the WTA

rankings

Courtesy of her results in 2016, doubled her career prize money during season, passing $19 million mark; passed

$20 million at 2017 Roland Garros, becoming 15th player to do so

After 2016 US Open, aged 28, became oldest player to make her debut at World No.1, a record previously held by

Jennifer Capriati, who was 25 years, 200 days when she reached No.1 in October 2001

Secured the 2016 year-end World No.1 ranking –became 12th WTA player to achieve the feat and second German

woman to do so after Graf (eight times)

Was voted WTA Player of the Year in 2016 by international media and fans; also, ITF World Champion

2016 marked fifth successive Top 10 season finish. Was the WTA match win leader in 2016, going 63-18

Posted the most wins against Top 10 opponents in 2016, going 12-3, including defeats of No.8 Cibulkova, No.4 Halep,

No.7 Keys and No.3 A.Radwanska in Singapore, as well as No.1 S.Williams (Australian Open), No.6 Halep (Fed Cup),

No.7 Kvitova (Stuttgart), No.5 Halep and No.8 V.Williams (Wimbledon), No.10 Keys (Rio Olympics), No.4 Halep

(Cincinnati) and No.8 Vinci (US Open)

Reached a career-best total of eight finals across the 2016 season (most finals of any player); as well as winning first

two majors, successfully defended title on home soil at Stuttgart (d. Siegemund in F)

2016 Stuttgart marked first time she had successfully defended a title in her career; the first German (and seventh

player overall) to do so in Stuttgart

Made fourth appearance at WTA Finals in 2016, progressing past round-robin for first time (l. Cibulkova in F); first

German to reach final at the season-ending championships since Graf won title in 1996

Other runner-up finishes in 2016 came at Brisbane (l. Azarenka in F), Wimbledon (l. S.Williams in F), Rio Olympics (l.

Puig, won silver medal)

Reached first WTA final of career at 2010 Bogotá and won first title at 2012 Paris [Indoors]. Has won titles on all

surfaces: hardcourt, grass and clay (red and green) Career record in tour-level finals stands at 12 -16

Made first WTA appearance in qualifying at 2003 Berlin

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked 44th Grand Slam main draw appearance. Is a three-time Grand Slam champion, winning 2016

Australian Open (d. S.Williams in F), 2016 US Open (d. Ka.Pliskova in F) and 2018 Wimbledon (d. S.Williams in F)

At 2016 Australian Open, became first German to win a Grand Slam singles title since Graf at 1999 Roland Garros (d.

Hingis in F). At the time was the fourth player to defeat S.Williams in a Grand Slam final (after V.Williams, Sharapova

and Stosur; since joined by Muguruza and Osaka)

Also became first Grand Slam champion to save match point en route to the title since Li at 2014 Australian Open

(Kerber saved a match point in 1r win over Doi) and was the first left-handed player to win a Grand Slam singles title

since Kvitova at 2014 Wimbledon

Won second Grand Slam singles title at US Open (d. Ka.Pliskova in F) and rose to World No.1; was 22nd player to hold

WTA World No.1 ranking, and second German woman to achieve milestone since computer rankings were

introduced in 1975 (after Graf, who spent the last of her record 377 weeks at No.1 in March 1997)

Became the first German since 1996 to win Wimbledon in 2018, her third career Grand Slam singles title (d.

S.Williams in F). Kerber hit only five unforced errors in the match to oust Williams in just 67 minutes. The win moved

Kerber to No.4 in the WTA Rankings, moving her back into the Top 5 after a near-11 month absence

In 2016, also finished R-Up at Wimbledon (l. S.Williams). Is fourth player in Open Era to reach three Grand Slam finals

in the same year they reached their first, after Goolagong Cawley (1971), Graf (1987) and Hingis (1997)

Roland Garros remains the only major where she has yet to reach the final. Best results are a pair of QF runs in 2012

(l. eventual R-Up Errani) and 2018 (l. eventual champion Halep)

Other Information

Currently working with former Australian Open finalist Rainer Schüttler, having ended partnership with Wim Fissette

at the end of 2018. Previously worked with Torben Beltz

In January 2017 was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 in Europe (in the entertainment category), alongside the likes of

Gareth Bale and Luis Suárez

Speaks three languages: German, Polish, and English


MATCH NOTES

[4] SLOANE STEPHENS (USA #5) vs. [Q] EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA (RUS #72)


SLOANE STEPHENS 5

-

20-03-1993 (25)

$6,940

$13,383,143

0 / 6

0 / 0

0-1 / 196-132

0-0 / 63-44

0-0 / 48-27

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA 72

9

15-11-1994 (24)

$7,238

$854,248

0 / 0

0 / 0

0-0

1-1 / 19-29

0-0 / 4-12

0-0 / 7-4

0-1

1-1 / 14-14 0-1 / 129-87

0-0 / 16-5 0-0 / 0-2

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 17-33 0-0 / 1-3

0-0 / 35-54 0-1 / 1-7





Rnd Result Duration



SLOANE STEPHENS

2018

L - CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #100) R1 6-3 6-0

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA

2018

QF-Q L - CATHERINE BELLIS (USA #56) 3-6 6-3 6-1


from

STEPHENS:

Sydney

Making second main draw appearance at Sydney International, having fallen 1r in 2018 (l. Giorgi)

Faces qualifier Alexandrova in 1r today. Last season suffered two defeats against qualifiers: Giorgi at Sydney and

Jabeur at Moscow [Kremlin Cup]

One of three Americans in the draw (also Collins and Pera). The last US woman to win the title here was

Davenport in 1999

Played doubles this week w/Ostapenko (l. No.4 seeds N.Kichenok/Strycova)

Began season at last week’s Brisbane International, making 1r exit (l. Konta)

Struggled during start to 2018 season, suffering opening round losses at Sydney and Australian Open

Career

Posted best year-end finish at No.6 in 2018; reached career-high No.3 ranking on July 16, 2018

Season highlights in 2018 were lifting first Premier-Mandatory title at Miami (d. Ostapenko in F) - subsequently

made Top 10 debut at No.9 - and R-Up finishes at Roland Garros (l. Halep), WTA Finals (l. Svitolina) and Montréal (l.

Halep)

Won her maiden Grand Slam title at 2017 US Open, d. Keys 6-3 6-0 to become the fifth unseeded player to win a

major in the Open Era

Voted 2017 WTA Comeback Player of the Year. Only returned to action at 2017 Wimbledon (1r) following 11 months

on sidelines with foot injury, having had surgery in January

After 1r loss at Washington DC, went 15-2 through US Open, also making back-to-back SFs at Toronto and Cincinnati

Prior to 2017 Wimbledon, last match came at 2016 Rio Olympics

Won three titles in 2016, at Auckland, Acapulco and Premier-level Charleston. Won maiden singles title in first final

contested at 2015 Washington, DC (d. Pavlyuchenkova in F)

Owns nine wins vs. Top 5 players: No.2 Kerber (2018 WTA Finals), No.4 Osaka (2018 WTA Finals), No.5 Svitolina (2018

Montréal), No.5 Ostapenko (2018 Miami), No.3 Muguruza (2018 Miami), No.3 Kerber (2017 Toronto), No.2 Kerber

(2016 Charleston via ret. w/viral illness), No.3 Sharapova (2013 Cincinnati) and No.3 S. Williams (2013 Australian

Open)

At No.97 was youngest player in year-end Top 100 in 2011; and after a phenomenal sophomore season, reached

No.38 and was the youngest player, and the only teenager, in the year-end Top 50 in 2012

Made Top 20 debut on January 29, 2013 and went on to win a career-best 39 matches across the season

First WTA qualifying at 2008 Miami. First WTA main draw at 2010 Indian Wells (as qualifier, No.747, fell 2r, l.

Zvonareva)

Won one singles title and one doubles title on ITF Circuit

Grand Slam History


Enjoyed fairytale run at 2017 US Open, lifting maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows (d. Keys in F). At No.83,

is second-lowest ranked Grand Slam champion (since inception of computer rankings in 1975) and 14th unseeded

player to advance to a Grand Slam final in the Open Era, and only fifth unseeded champion

Was one of four American women to reach SF at 2017 Flushing Meadows (also Keys, Vandeweghe and V.Williams) –

the sixth time in the Open Era that four Americans have contested the final four at a major

Also R-Up at 2018 Roland Garros (l. Halep)

Prior to 2017 US Open triumph, best result to date across all majors was reaching SF at 2013 Australian Open (d.

S.Williams in QF, l. eventual champion Azarenka)

Along with Makarova, is one of only two players who’ve never held the No.1 ranking, but have managed to beat

both V.Williams (2015 Roland Garros and 2017 US Open) and S.Williams (whom she defeated at 2013 Australian

Open) at Grand Slam level

Also just the second American (after Davenport) to defeat both Williams sisters in Grand Slam match play

Advanced to SF at 2013 Australian Open (d. Halep, Mladenovic and S.Williams en route) and QF at 2013 Wimbledon

(l. eventual champion Bartoli)

Won junior doubles titles at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open in 2010 (all w/Babos)

Other Information

Mother is Sybil Smith a former collegiate swimmer at Boston University and late father, John Stephens, was an NFL

player in 1980s and 1990s; brother is Shawn Farrell

Started playing tennis at the age of nine, at the Sierra Sport and Racquet Club, in Fresno, California. Two years later

relocated from Fresno to Boca Raton, Florida, where she began training at the Evert Tennis Academy before moving

to Nick Saviano High Performance Tennis Academy

Coached by Kamau Murray (started working together in January 2016). Worked with Nick Saviano in 2015

ALEXANDROVA:

Sydney

Making debut at Sydney International after coming through qualifying over the weekend (d. Voegele and Konta –

via ret. w/neck injury)

Faces No.5 Stephens in 1r today – sole Top 10 win came against No.10 Ostapenko at 2018 Seoul

Coming off 2r showing last week at Shenzhen (l. eventual champion Sabalenka)

One of two Russians in the main draw (also Kasatkina). Best result by a Russian here were title runs by

Dementieva in 2009 and 2010

Career

Enjoyed second Top 100 season in 2018 at No.93, highlighted by maiden WTA final at Linz (l. Giorgi)

Other highlights in 2018 were QF run at Seoul (l. Hsieh) and WTA 125K Series title at Limoges

At majors reached 2r at Australian Open and 1r at other three

Posted career-best year-end finish in 2017 and first Top 100 finish, at No.73 – peaked in rankings at No.69 on

September 25, 2017

Played in main draw of all four Grand Slams in 2017 for first time in career and played a career-best twelve

tour-level main draws

Season highlights included winning sixth and seventh ITF singles titles, at $60k ITF/Shenzhen-CHN and $60k

ITF/Croissy-Beaubourge-FRA

Also reached QFs at WTA $125k event in Limoges (as defending champion)

2016 highlight was winning WTA 125K Series title at Limoges (d. No.24 Garcia in F). Made WTA main draw debut at

Katowice (as qualifier, l. eventual R-Up Giorgi in 2r)

Also reached 2r at Wimbledon (won her way through qualifying, on first attempt to qualify at any Slam, upsetting

No.23 seed Ivanovic in 1r, l. Friedsam) and Québec City (l. Martincova)

Rest of year was spent on ITF Circuit and attempting to qualify at WTA events (Prague, US Open, Tashkent, Linz

and Moscow)

First WTA-level appearance came at 2014 Bad Gastein – fell in qualifying

Played first professional events of career on ITF Circuit in 2011

Posted Top 300 season finishes in 2014 (No.256) and 2015 (No.269) on the WTA rankings

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked ninth main draw major appearance

Made debut at 2016 Wimbledon – defeated No.23 seed Ivanovic before falling to Friedsam in 2r

Competed in all four majors for the first time in career in 2017, falling in 1r at Australian Open (l. compatriot

Makarova) and Wimbledon (l. eventual champion Muguruza) and advancing to 2r at Roland Garros (l. Ka.Pliskova)

and US Open (l. Garcia)

Other Information

Coached by her father, Evgeny Alexandrova and Petr Kralert, who both travel with her

Born in Chelyabinsk, Russia, and began playing tennis at age six; remembers playing on holiday at Spain. Now

trains in Prague, Czech Republic

Prefers hardcourts; admires Serena Williams

Speaks Russian, Czech and English


MATCH NOTES

[8] DARIA KASATKINA (RUS #10) vs. [Q] ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #33)

Head to Head: DARIA KASATKINA leads 3-2

2018 HARD O R2 ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH 94 mins6-2 7-6(3) US OPEN

2017 HARD I QF DARIA KASATKINA 83 mins6-4 6-3 MOSCOW

2017 HARD O R1 DARIA KASATKINA 66 mins6-4 6-2 CINCINNATI

2016 CLAY I R1 DARIA KASATKINA 6-3 3-6 6-1 FED CUP WEEK 2 - PLAYOFFS

2014 CLAY O R16 ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH 6-4 7-5 PADOVA

DARIA KASATKINA 10

-

07-05-1997 (21)

$8,890

$5,051,984

0 / 2

0 / 1

0-1 / 114-74

0-1 / 42-27

0-1 / 20-19


24

22-03-1994 (24)

$23,685

$2,068,505

0 / 0

0 / 0

0-0

2-1 / 62-59

1-0 / 27-21

0-0 / 17-11

2-2

2-1 / 47-38 0-1 / 73-49

0-0 / 7-7 0-0 / 6-2

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 12-20 1-0 / 4-7

0-0 / 21-32 1-0 / 10-17





Rnd Result Duration



DARIA KASATKINA

2018

L - BARBORA STRYCOVA (CZE #21) R1 7-5 1-6 6-4

2017

L - JOHANNA KONTA (GBR #10) QF 6-3 7-5

2016

L - LARA ARRUABARRENA (ESP #89) R16-Q

7-5 1-0


2016

R1-Q L - YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ #78) 6-1 6-1


from

KASATKINA:

Sydney

Making third main draw appearance at the Sydney International - best result being QF run in 2017

Beat No.1 Kerber en route to 2017 QF – first career win over a reigning No.1

Playing Sasnovich in 1r today. Lost most recent encounter in 2r at 2018 US Open

Playing 2019 Sydney as Top 10 player for first time – by contrast, this time last year was No.24

Fell to wildcard Birrell in 1r at Brisbane last week after leading 5-3 in the third set

Career

Posted season-best finish of No.10 in 2018, up from No.24 in 2017

2018 saw the Russian achieve her second WTA singles title at Moscow [Kremlin Cup]. Recovered from a set and 6-2

4-1 down to defeat Jabeur in final; is now 2-3 in WTA singles finals, all coming at Premier-level or above.

Reached biggest final of career at 2018 Indian Wells (l. Osaka). Finished R-Up at Dubai and made SF at St. Petersburg

Was one of eight players to reach QF or better at two or more Grand Slams in 2018 (Wimbledon and Roland Garros)

Earned her sixth win over a Top 2 player when she ousted No.2 Wozniacki at 2018 Roland Garros R16

One of five players in WTA history to have multiple wins over World No.1s before their 21st birthday, others being:

V.Williams (9), S. Williams (8), Sharapova (4) and Kuznetsova (2)

2017 season was highlighted by capturing first WTA singles title in debut final at Charleston, defeating fellow teenager

Ostapenko in F – the first all-teenage final on tour since 2009 Linz (Wickmayer d. Kvitova)

Reached second tour-level final at Moscow in 2017 (l. Goerges in F). Also finished R-Up in two WTA doubles finals at

2017 – at Tokyo [PPO] and Moscow (both w/Gavrilova)

2016 highlights included reaching second WTA SF at St Petersburg (l. eventual R-Up Bencic) and QF stage at Indian

Wells (l. Ka.Pliskova), Charleston (l. eventual champion Stephens having held mps), Montreal (l. Kerber), Rio Olympics

(l. Keys) and Moscow (l. Goerges)

Reached first WTA SF at 2015 Moscow (l. Pavlyuchenkova, having recorded first Top 20 win over No.14 Suárez Navarro

in QF)

QF run at 2015 Bad Gastein (as qualifier) was first time reaching last eight at a WTA-level tournament

Won maiden WTA doubles title at 2015 Moscow (w/Vesnina)

Won five singles titles on ITF Circuit in 2015, taking total to seven

Made WTA qualifying debut at 2013 Moscow; made main draw debut as WC also at Moscow in 2014 (l. Riske 1r)

Grand Slam History

Lost to Sasnovich in 2r at 2018 US Open in what was her 13th main draw appearance at a Grand Slam

Earned best result at the majors with QF runs at 2018 Roland Garros (l. Stephens) and 2018 Wimbledon (l. eventual

champion Kerber) surpassing her previous-best R16 effort at 2017 US Open (l. Kanepi)

Reached 3r on her main draw debuts at all of the majors – 2015 US Open (l. Mladenovic), 2016 Australian Open (l.

eventual champion S.Williams), 2016 Roland Garros (l. Bertens) and 2016 Wimbledon (l. V.Williams)

In juniors, lifted the 2014 Roland Garros singles trophy

Other Information

Born and resides in Togliatty, Russia. Mother is Tatiana Timkovskaya and father is Sergey Kasatkin

Began playing at age six when older brother and fitness trainer, Alexsandr Timkovskii, introduced her to tennis

Currently attending Sport College in Samara, Russia; three years into a five-year degree

Loves football; favorite team is Barcelona FC

Coached by Philippe Dehaes; formerly coached by Vladimir Platenik

SASNOVICH:

Sydney


Zidansk and Puig)

Playing No.10 Kasatkina in 1r today. Won most recent encounter in 2r at 2018 US Open

Fell in QF at Brisbane last week (l. Vekic). Upset No.4 Svitolina in 2r to score fourth career Top 10 win of career – also

No.6 Ka.Pliskova (2016 Tokyo [PPO]), No.7 Kvitova (2018 Wimbledon) and No.10 Bertens (2018 Moscow [Kremlin Cup])

Career





Has risen nearly 20 places in the rankings over the past 12 months. Enters 2019 Sydney ranked No. 33, up from No. 53

this time last year


Stephens in final







Grand Slam History





Other Information





1


WTA Website: www.wtatennis.com | @WTA | facebook.com/wta Tournament Website: www.sydneyinternational.com.au | @SydneyTennis | facebook.com/SydneyTennis WTA Communications: Adam Lincoln ([email protected]), Catherine Sneddon ([email protected]), Bryan Shapiro ([email protected])



[WC] AJLA TOMLJANOVIC (AUS #46) vs. CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #26)

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #25) vs. [WC] SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS #74)

CARLA SUÁREZ NAVARRO (ESP #23) vs. GARBIÑE MUGURUZA (ESP #18)

[LL] JOHANNA KONTA (GBR #37) vs. [7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9)

*Please note rankings have not yet been updated following last week’s results in Brisbane, Auckland and Shenzhen *

First meeting Giorgi made SF as qualifier here in 2018… Tomljanovic scored only one Top 30 win last

season… Giorgi has risen over 70 ranking spots in past 12 months

Stosur leads 5-2 Cibulkova won pair’s most recent encounter at 2018 Strasbourg… Stosur was runner-up on

Sydney debut in 2005… Cibulkova lost to eventual champion Kerber in QF last year

Series tied 1-1 Spain’s top two players meeting for first time since 2015… Both players have reached QF

here on multiple occasions… Muguruza was in Hopman Cup action last week

Series tied 1-1 Konta won in straight sets when the two met at 2017 Cincinnati… Both players fell in second

round last week at Brisbane… This time last year, Bertens was ranked No.32


MATCH NOTES

[WC] AJLA TOMLJANOVIC (AUS #46) vs. CAMILA GIORGI (ITA #26)


AJLA TOMLJANOVIC 46

-

07-05-1993 (25)

$0

$2,116,995

0 / 0

0 / 0

0-0 / 71-88

0-0 / 33-34

0-0 / 27-22

CAMILA GIORGI 26

-

30-12-1991 (27)

$0

$3,347,675

0 / 2

0 / 0

3-1

0-0 / 128-114

0-0 / 43-38

0-0 / 32-27

1-1

0-0 / 75-69 0-0 / 45-53

0-0 / 4-9 0-0 / 9-8

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 1-5 0-0 / 9-15

0-0 / 4-24 0-0 / 25-40





Rnd Result Duration

Rnd Duration



AJLA TOMLJANOVIC

2014

L - MADISON KEYS (USA #36) R16 6-0 3-6 7-6(3)

CAMILA GIORGI

2018

SF L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #22) 6-2 6-3

2014

R1-Q L - CHRISTINA MCHALE (USA #65) 5-7 7-5 6-3

2013

R1-Q L - JOHANNA LARSSON (SWE #69) 6-2 6-3


from

TOMLJANOVIC:

Sydney

Making second appearance at Sydney International, having fallen in 2r in 2014 (l. Keys)

Faces Giorgi in 1r today. Scored one Top 30 win in 2018, against No.29 Hsieh during run to Seoul final

Last week at Brisbane, reached first career QF on home soil, defeating No.31 Siniakova and No.37 Konta before falling to eventual champion Ka.Pliskova in 3s

One of tournament-leading five Australians to start the main draw – also Barty, Gavrilova, Hon and Stosur. The last Australian to win the title here was Molik in 2005

Playing doubles this week with compatriot Hon (face No.3 seeds Klepac/Martínez Sánchez in 1r)

Career

Return to form and fitness in 2018 was marked by first Career Top 50 finish, at No.46 and second and third WTA singles finals at Rabat (l. Mertens) and Seoul (l. Bertens)

Elsewhere in 2018, at Monterrey, made first WTA QF appearance since 2015 (Tokyo [Japan Open]) before falling to the eventual champion, Muguruza. Reached three other QFs last season, at Mallorca, San Jose and Hiroshima

Opened 2016 season at Brisbane and Australian Open, but thereafter underwent shoulder surgery and was off tour until 2017 Acapulco (early March)

Finished 2016 season at No.930

Advanced to 2r at comeback event at 2017 Acapulco, defeating Bouchard in 1r – her first main draw win since September 2015 at Tokyo [Japan Open] – before retiring vs. Flipkens in 2r (w/shoulder injury)

Improved ranking back to No.151 by end of 2017 season, helped by 3r run at Miami (l. Safarova) and 2r efforts at US Open (l. Krunic) and Linz (l. Buzarnescu)

On ITF Circuit, finished R-Up in final tournament of 2017 at $100k ITF/Dubai-UAE (l. Bencic) in December and also reached finals at $60k ITF/Sacramento (l. Anisimova), CA-USA and $80k Waco, TX-USA (l. Townsend)

Ended 2015 at No.66 for her third consecutive Top 100 finish

Made first WTA final of career in 2015, finishing R-Up at Pattaya City (l. Hantuchova in 3s) – previously, had never been past the QF at any WTA event

Reached first Premier-level QF of career in 2015, at Stanford (l. No.11 Ka.Pliskova). Other notable results in 2015 were SF run at Tokyo [Japan Open] (l. eventual champion Wickmayer) and QF at Strasbourg (l. eventual champion Stosur)

Improved ranking from No.453 to No.78 in 2013 season – biggest jump of any player in Top 100

Made pro debut on ITF Circuit in Croatia in 2007. WTA main draw debut came at 2009 Indian Wells (as WC, l. 1r)

Owns four wins over Top 20 opponents: No.13 Vesnina (2017 Miami), No.18 Keys (2015 Stanford), No.16 Jankovic (2015 Brisbane) and No.3 A.Radwanska (2014 Roland Garros)

As a junior, achieved career-high ranking of No.4 in singles and No.4 in doubles. Member of Croatia’s victorious junior Fed Cup team in 2009

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked 17th Grand Slam main draw appearance. Made debut at 2013 Wimbledon (as qualifier, l. Bojanovski)

Best Grand Slam result to date was R16 run at 2014 Roland Garros (d. No.32 seed Vesnina in 2r and No.3 seed A.Radwanska in 3r, l. Suárez Navarro)

Has also reached 2r at Australian Open twice, in 2014 (l. Stephens) and 2015 (l. Lepchenko), at Wimbledon in 2015 (l. A.Radwanska) and at US Open in 2013 (as qualifier, l. Cornet), 2017 (l. Krunic) and 2018 (l. Siniakova)

Won the junior doubles crown in Australia in 2009 (w/McHale)

Other Information

Coach and fitness trainer is father Ratko Tomljanovic

Started playing tennis at age 7 (introduced by sister)

Announced in 2014 she would switch nationalities and start representing Australia (first did so at 2014 US Open)

Moved to Brisbane in November 2014 with Australian residency; parted ways with coach David Taylor in June 2015

GIORGI:

Sydney

• Making second main draw appearance at Sydney (fourth overall), where she reached SF as qualifier in 2018 (l.


• Defeated No.13 Stephens and former champions Kvitova and A.Radwanska en route to last year’s SF

• Was ranked No.100 for 2018 run, but returns this year inside Top 30

• Italian No.1 and only representative from her country in the Top 100 (next is No.114 Errani). Best result by an Italian

woman in Sydney is Schiavone’s R-Up finish in 2006

• Faces Australian No.3 Tomljanovic in 1r; owns 9-7 career record against Australians (including ITF Circuit results)

• Looking for sixth consecutive win on tour, having won title in last event of 2018 at Linz

• Last season, lost opener to Bogdan in 1r at Shenzhen – her first match since 2017 US Open (due to elbow injury)

• Withdrew from last week’s Brisbane International w/right foot injury

Career

• Ended 2018 season perched at a career-best ranking of No.26, winning second career title in final event at Linz (d.

Alexandrova in F). Won 29 tour-level matches in 2018 – the most wins she had previously posted in a single season

was 28, in 2014

• Advanced to first Grand Slam QF at 2018 Wimbledon (l. eventual R-Up S.Williams) on her 26th appearance at this

level; became the first Italian woman to reach the QF of Wimbledon since 2009 (Schiavone, l. Dementieva)

• Other highlights last season included SF runs at Sydney (l. eventual champion Kerber), Prague (l. Buzarnescu after

serving for match in third set) and Tokyo (l. Osaka)

• Owns nine Top 10 wins in her career, over No.7 Errani at 2012 Beijing, No.8 Wozniacki at 2013 US Open, No.5

Sharapova at 2014 Indian Wells, No.10 Cibulkova at 2014 Rome, No.8 Azarenka at 2014 Eastbourne, No.9

A.Radwanska at 2015 Katowice, No.3 Ka.Pliskova at 2017 Prague,No.5 Svitolina at 2017 Birmingham and No.2

Wozniacki at 2018 Tokyo

• Posted sixth consecutive Top 100 season, finishing 2017 ranked No.79 (up from No.83 in 2017)

• Made SF at Shenzhen (l. Riske) and QF at Biel (l. Sasnovich), Prague (l. Barthel) and Birmingham (l. Barty)

• In 2016 reached final at Katowice for the third year in a row (l. Cibulkova). Appeared in four additional quarterfinals

in 2016, at Hobart (l. Bouchard), Prague (l. Ka.Pliskova), Washington, DC (l. Davis) and Seoul (l. Zhang)

• Won first career title at 2015 ‘s-Hertogenbosch (d. Bencic in F). Has 2-4 record in finals, having also won 2018 Linz (d.

Alexandrova in F) and been R-Up at 2014 Linz (l. Ka.Pliskova – held match points) and Katowice in 2014 (l. Cornet –

held match points), 2015 (l. Schmiedlova) and 2016

• Finished 2015 season with then best year-end ranking (No.34), up one place from No.35 in 2014. Season highlighted

by winning her first WTA singles title at 's-Hertogenbosch (d. Bencic in F)

• Had never reached WTA QF prior to 2014; reached QF or better at seven events during that season

• Made Top 100 debut on July 9, 2012 and broke into Top 50 on May 26, 2014

• Made tour-level main draw debut as a qualifier at 2011 Wimbledon

• On ITF Circuit, winner of five singles titles

• Played first career professional tournament at 2006 ITF/Baku‐AZE

• Member of Italian Fed Cup Team, 2014-16

Grand Slam History

• 2018 US Open marked 27th career Grand Slam main draw

• Best result across the majors was reaching QF at 2018 Wimbledon (l. S.Williams)

• Also reached R16 at 2012 Wimbledon (as qualifier, l. eventual R-Up A.Radwanska) and at 2013 US Open (l. Vinci)

• Made 3r at Wimbledon in 2013 (l. eventual champion Bartoli) and 2015 (l. Wozniacki), 2015 Australian Open (l.

V.Williams) and 2018 Roland Garros (l. eventual R-Up Stephens)

• Made tour-level debut at Wimbledon in 2011 (as qualifier, l. Pironkova in 1r)

• Enjoyed the only Grand Slam seeding of her career at All England Club in 2015 (as No.31)

Other Information

• Coached by father, Sergio Giorgi

• Favorite book is The Diary of Anne Frank

• Mother Claudia is a fashion designer


MATCH NOTES

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK #25) vs. [WC] SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS #74)

Head to Head: SAMANTHA STOSUR leads 5-2

2018 CLAY O QF DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA 94 mins6-4 6-3 STRASBOURG

2017 HARD O QF DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA 99 mins7-5 6-4 DOHA

2014 CLAY O R3 SAMANTHA STOSUR 100 mins6-4 6-4 ROLAND GARROS

2014 CLAY O R1 SAMANTHA STOSUR 77 mins6-4 6-0 MADRID

2012 HARD O R16 SAMANTHA STOSUR 96 mins6-4 7-5 TOKYO

2012 CLAY O QF SAMANTHA STOSUR 85 mins6-4 6-1 ROLAND GARROS

2009 HARD O R1 SAMANTHA STOSUR 91 mins6-4 6-3 STANFORD

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA 25

-

06-05-1989 (29)

$0

$13,459,963

0 / 8

0 / 1

0-0 / 376-264

0-0 / 119-103

0-0 / 87-66

SAMANTHA STOSUR 74

-

30-03-1984 (34)

$0

$17,783,962

0 / 9

0 / 25

8-12

0-0 / 450-326

0-0 / 122-117

0-0 / 92-107

13-10

0-0 / 264-207 0-0 / 259-184

0-0 / 31-29 0-0 / 42-39

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 37-62 0-0 / 31-81

0-0 / 70-108 0-0 / 72-145





Rnd Result Duration

Rnd Result Duration

SYDNEY Tournament Performance - 2019 "-Q" Qualifying match


from

CIBULKOVA:

Sydney

Making 10th main draw appearance at Sydney as a former finalist in 2013 (l. A.Radwanska in F); defeated four Top

20 players en route to 2013 final (No.8 Kvitova, No.19 Makarova, No.7 Errani and No.5 Kerber)

Other notable results in Sydney include three QF runs in 2010 (l. Azarenka), 2011 (l. Kleybanova) and 2018 (l.


2018 Sydney marks first tournament of the season – last competitive match was QF exit at 2018 Beijing (l.

Sevastova)

Faces Stosur in 1r today; last suffered defeat in the opening match of a new season in 2015 against Keys at Brisbane

Career record against Australian oppositions stands at 13-10; half of these defeats have come at hands of Stosur


MATCH NOTES


DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

2018

L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #22) QF 6-3 6-1

2017

L - EUGENIE BOUCHARD (CAN #49) R16 6-4 6-3

2015

L - JARMILA WOLFE (AUS #68) R16 1-6 6-3 6-4

2014

L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #9) R1 7-6(5) 7-5

2013

L - AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA (POL #4) F 6-0 6-0

2012

L - CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN #1) R16 7-5 2-6 6-4

2011

L - ALISA KLEYBANOVA (RUS #26) QF 6-3 5-7 6-2

2010

L - VICTORIA AZARENKA (BLR #7) QF 2-6 6-2 7-5

2009

L - CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN #12) R1 6-1 6-2

2008

L - KAIA KANEPI (EST #73) R1 3-6 6-1 7-6(6)

SAMANTHA STOSUR

2018

R16 L - DARIA GAVRILOVA (AUS #25) 6-4 6-2

2017

R1 L - ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA (RUS #27) 6-3 6-1

2016

QF L - MONICA PUIG (PUR #94) 6-4 6-4

2015

R16 L - BARBORA STRYCOVA (CZE #25) 7-6(1) 6-2

2013

R1 L - JIE ZHENG (CHN #42) 6-3 6-7(7) 6-4

2012

R1 L - FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE (ITA #11) 6-2 6-4

2011

R16 L - SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA (RUS #25) 3-6 6-3 6-4

2010

R1 L - FLAVIA PENNETTA (ITA #12) 6-3 6-1

2009

R1 L - SERENA WILLIAMS (USA #2) 6-3 6-7(4) 7-5

2007

R16 L - JELENA JANKOVIC (SRB #12) 6-2 7-6(2)

2006

R1 L - NICOLE VAIDISOVA (CZE #16) 6-4 4-6 6-1

2005

F L - ALICIA MOLIK (AUS #12) 6-7(5) 6-4 7-5


from

Career

Posted ninth career Top 30 finish in 2018 (at No.25), reaching finals at Budapest (l. Van Uytvanck) and Strasbourg (l.

Pavlyuchenkova). Record in WTA finals now stands at 8-13 (most recent title came at 2016 WTA Finals in Singapore)

Held 2mp in Strasbourg final against Pavlyuchenkova; match lasted 3h 35m – the longest non-Slam match of the

2018 season

Also made QFs in 2018 at Sydney, Wimbledon, Wuhan and Beijing and R16 at US Open

Upset World No.1 Halep in 2r at Wuhan; now has 5-11 record against current World No.1s, with other wins over

Wozniacki at 2011 Sydney and 2011 Wimbledon, Azarenka 2012 Roland Garros and Kerber at 2016 WTA Finals

2017 was highlighted by R-Up finish at New Haven (l. Gavrilova in F)

Won first WTA doubles title of career at 2017 ‘s-Hertogenbosch (w/Flipkens)

Posted career-high ranking on March 20, 2017 at No.4 following run to R16 at Indian Wells (l. Pavlyuchenkova)

Capped 2016 by winning biggest title of career to date at WTA Finals in Singapore – went 1-2 in group stage before

defeating No.9 Kuznetsova in SF and World No.1 Kerber in final

At No.7, became lowest seeded player to triumph at WTA Finals since No.7 seed V.Williams in 2008; first player to win

WTA Finals on debut since Kvitova in 2011

Won 2016 WTA Comeback Player of the Year award – ended 2015 ranked No.38 having been sidelined for four

months with a left Achilles problem, with ranking dipping as low as No.66 in February 2016

Won career-high 53 matches in 2016 (previous best was 42 matches in 2011)

Won a WTA-leading four singles titles in 2016 – qualified for Singapore by virtue of lifting trophy at Linz (d. Golubic in

F) after earlier wins at Katowice (d. Giorgi in F) and Eastbourne (d. Ka.Pliskova in F). In 2016 also reached finals at

Acapulco (l. Stephens), Madrid (l. Halep) and Wuhan (l. Kvitova)

Earlier titles came at 2011 Moscow, 2012 Carlsbad, 2013 Stanford and 2014 Acapulco

Withdrew from Rio Olympics in singles and doubles (w/left calf injury)

Owns 37 victories over Top 10 opponents (eight coming in 2016) including five over reigning World No.1s: Wozniacki

at 2011 Sydney and 2011 Wimbledon, Azarenka at 2012 Roland Garros, Kerber at 2016 WTA Finals and Halep at 2018

Wuhan

Made Top 10 debut at No.10 on March 31, 2014 (after Miami)

Broke into Top 20 on August 4, 2008

Made WTA qualifying debut at 2005 Rabat and main draw debut at 2006 Istanbul

Grand Slam History

2018 US Open marked 44th Grand Slam main draw appearance. Win-loss record at this level now stands at 80-44

Best result across the majors came with runner-up finish at 2014 Australian Open (l. Li). Defeated four seeds en

route to final at Melbourne Park, including No.3 Sharapova and No.5 A.Radwanska to become first player

representing Slovakia (male or female) to reach a Grand Slam singles final

At Roland Garros, advanced to SF in 2009 (l. eventual R-Up Safina) and QF in 2012 (l. Stosur)

Also, a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon in 2011, 2016 and 2018, and at US Open in 2010

Other Information

In February 2014 launched her own sportswear and accessories line, ‘Domi’, which incorporates her on‐court Slovak

catch-cry ‘Pome!’; proceeds go to her foundation which assists athletes and other notables in her native Slovakia who

have fallen on tough times

Married husband Michal ‘Miso’ Navara in Bratislava in July 2016, after Wimbledon

Coached by Matej Liptak; fitness trainer and physio is Jozef Ivanko

STOSUR:

Sydney

Making 13th appearance at Sydney International. Former finalist, losing out to compatriot Molik in a classic championship

match on debut in 2005

Since then, best showing was QF run in 2016 (l. Puig). Also fell 2r on three occasions, including 2018 (l. Gavrilova)

Faces Cibulkova in 1r today. Most recent Top 30 win came against No.28 Pavlyuchenkova at 2018 Roland Garros

In opening tournament of 2019, fell 1r at Brisbane (l. qualifier Bouzkova in what was the 1000th match of her career). Last

main draw win came at 2018 Gstaad

Oldest of five thirtysomethings in the draw this week (also Kerber, Hsieh, Maria and Suárez Navarro)

One of tournament-leading five Australians to start the main draw – also Barty, Gavrilova, Hon and Tomljanovic. The last

Australian to win the title here was Molik in 2005

Began last season with 1r exit at Brisbane (l. Sevastova), 2r showing at Sydney (l. Gavrilova), before losing to Puig in 1r at

Australian Open after holding match point in second set tie-break

Career

Ended 2018 outside Top 50, at No,72, for first time since 2008

During 2018, reached SF on grass at Mallorca and QFs on clay at Strasbourg, Prague and Gstaad. Also won 25th career

doubles title at Hong Kong (w/S.Zhang)

Suffered through an injury-plagued 2017 season, but, still managed to post her ninth consecutive Top 50 finish, ending

at No.41

Highlight of reduced season came with ninth career title at Strasbourg (d. Gavrilova in F), along with QF runs at Taipei

City (l. Peng), Doha (l. Cibulkova) and Hong Kong (l. Wang) – also reached R16 of Roland Garros for sixth time (l. eventual

champion Ostapenko)

Career record in finals is 9-15, and has advanced to at least one singles final in 11 of past 12 seasons

2016 season highlights included R-Up finish at Prague (l. Safarova in three sets) and advancing to fifth Grand Slam SF of

career at Roland Garros (l. eventual champion Muguruza). Following Roland Garros result, rose to No.14 – first time

ranked inside Top 15 since week of August 26, 2013

Represented Australia at Rio Olympics, progressing to 3r in singles (l. eventual silver medalist Kerber), and fell 1r in

doubles (w/Gavrilova, l. eventual silver medalists Bacsinszky/Hingis) and 1r in mixed doubles (w/Peers, l.

Mirza/Bopanna)

Won two WTA singles titles in 2015 season, both at International level, at Strasbourg (d. Mladenovic in F) and Bad

Gastein (d. Knapp in F). Was second season where had won multiple titles (also 2013 – Carlsbad, Osaka)

Achieved 500th career match win (all levels) at 2015 Washington DC.

Owns two wins over a reigning World No.1: S.Williams (2010 Roland Garros) and Wozniacki (2010 WTA Finals)

Former doubles World No.1 (spent 61 weeks in top spot) with 24 titles to her name, including 2005 US Open and 2006

Roland Garros (both w/Raymond)

Owns three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles: 2005 Australian Open (w/Draper), 2008 Wimbledon (w/B.Bryan) and 2014

Wimbledon (w/Zimonjic)

Played first events of career on ITF Circuit in Australia in 1998, and first WTA main draws in 2002, as a wildcard at Gold

Coast and Australian Open

Grand Slam History


Owns one Grand Slam singles title, having won 2011 US Open (d. S.Williams in F). One of just five women who have

defeated S.Williams in a Grand Slam final (also V.Williams, Sharapova, Kerber and Muguruza)

Reached the final at Roland Garros in 2010 (l. Schiavone). Also a three-time Paris semifinalist, in 2009 (l. eventual

champion Kuznetsova), 2012 (l. eventual R-Up Errani) and 2016 (l. eventual champion Muguruza)

Best result at Wimbledon is reaching 3r three times (2009, 2013, 2015) and at home Slam of Australian Open made R16

in 2006 (l. Hingis) and 2010 (l. S.Williams)

In doubles, won 2005 US Open and 2006 Roland Garros (both w/Raymond)

Other Information

Currently without full-time coach after splitting with former ATP player and Australian Davis Cup coach Joshua Eagle

during off-season. Stopped working with long-time coach, David Taylor, after 2016 Roland Garros

Friend introduced her to tennis at age eight

Off the court, enjoys going to the beach, swimming in the sea, hanging out with friends, surfing and listening to music


MATCH NOTES

CARLA SUÁREZ NAVARRO (ESP #23) vs. GARBIÑE MUGURUZA (ESP #18)


2015 HARD O R1 CARLA SUÁREZ NAVARRO 45 mins6-5 ret. DOHA

2015 HARD O QF GARBIÑE MUGURUZA 139 mins6-7(4) 6-3 6-3 DUBAI

CARLA SUÁREZ NAVARRO 23

-

03-09-1988 (30)

$0

$10,763,923

0 / 2

0 / 3

0-0 / 333-234

0-0 / 105-70

0-0 / 61-46

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA 18

-

08-10-1993 (25)

$0

$18,192,111

0 / 6

0 / 5

3-1

0-0 / 214-121

0-0 / 67-52

0-0 / 31-43

4-3

0-0 / 140-81 0-0 / 178-145

0-0 / 30-20 0-0 / 17-12

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 28-61 0-0 / 29-29

0-0 / 47-98 0-0 / 55-52





Rnd Result Duration



CARLA SUÁREZ NAVARRO

2018

L - KRISTIE AHN (USA #111) R1-Q 6-1 6-4

2016

L - SARA ERRANI (ITA #19) R1 6-3 6-3

2015

L - KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE #22) QF 4-6 6-4 6-0

2014

L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #9) QF 6-2 6-4

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA

2018

QF L - DARIA GAVRILOVA (AUS #25) W/O

2015

QF L - ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER #9) 0-6 6-1 6-4


from

SUÁREZ NAVARRO:

Sydney

Making fourth main draw appearance at Sydney International, where she is a two-time quarterfinalist in 2014 and

2015

Faces compatriot and former doubles partner Muguruza in 1r today. Won their most recent encounter at 2015

Doha when Muguruza retired w/viral illness

Posted five Top 20 wins in 2018, against No.4 Svitolina (Indian Wells and Madrid), No.17 Osaka (Montréal), No.5

Kvitova (New Haven) and No.6 Garcia (US Open)

Opened 2019 season last week in Brisbane with 1r exit (l. Kontaveit in straight sets)

Preceded last year’s QF run at Australian Open with 1r exit at Brisbane (l. eventual champion Svitolina) and

qualifying exit at Sydney

Career

Highlights of 2018 season were QF runs at Australian Open (l. eventual champion Wozniacki) and US Open (l. Keys)

– still waiting for first Grand Slam SF

Also in 2018 was R-Up at New Haven (l. Sabalenka in F) – her first final since February 2016 (Doha). Career record in

singles finals now stands at 2-9

Claimed three Top 5 wins in 2018, over No.4 Svitolina in Indian Wells and Madrid and No.5 Kvitova at New Haven

Finished 2017 ranked at No.40, down from No.12 in 2016 – best season finished of career to date

Reached R16 at both US Open (l. V. Williams) and Roland Garros in 2017 (l. R-Up Halep). Also in 2017, reached SF at

Monterrey (l. then No.1 Kerber) and Bucharest (l. eventual champion Begu)

2016 season highlight was winning biggest title of career at Premier 5 Doha (d. Ostapenko in F). Triumph was

second WTA singles title, after winning first at 2014 Oeiras (d. Kuznetsova in F)

Returned to Top 10 after 2016 Doha title at No.6, a new career-high singles ranking

Represented Spain at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Reached 3r in singles (l. Keys), QF in doubles (w/Muguruza, l. eventual

gold medalists Makarova/Vesnina), and fell 1r in mixed doubles (w/Ferrer, l. Watson/A.Murray)

Ended 2015 season third on list for Top 5 wins (4-6 record), defeating No.3 Kvitova (3r Dubai), No.3 Kvitova (QF

Doha), No.4 Kvitova (QF Rome) and No.2 Halep (SF Rome)

One of six players to make Top 10 rankings debut in 2015 (April 6, 2015 at No.10), rising as high as No.8 during the

season. Third Spanish women to achieve a Top 10 ranking, after Sánchez‐Vicario and Martínez; Muguruza has since

become the fourth

2015 singles highlights included finishing runner-up in three singles finals. Reached title match at Antwerp in

February 2015, but was forced to withdraw vs. Petkovic w/neck injury; a month later, reached biggest final of

career at Miami (l. S.Williams). Capped off strong first half of season with run to final in Rome (l. Sharapova in 3s)

In doubles, qualified for 2015 WTA Finals (w/Muguruza) after winning titles at Birmingham and Tokyo [PPO], and

posting R-Up finishes at Dubai and Madrid. Pair advanced to final in Singapore, falling to top seeds Hingis/Mirza

Won first WTA doubles title in 2014, at Stanford (w/Muguruza); team qualified for 2014 WTA Finals (l. QF)

Spanish No.2, having been overtaken by Muguruza after she reached 2015 Wimbledon final

Currently the highest ranked woman with a single‐handed backhand

Grand Slam History


Best Grand Slam results have been reaching the QF stage at three of the four majors – at Roland Garros in 2008 (as

qualifier, l. Jankovic) and 2014 (l. Bouchard), at Australian Open in 2009 (l. Dementieva), 2016 (l. A.Radwanska) and

2018 (l. Wozniacki), and 2013 US Open (l. S.Williams) and in 2018 (l. Keys)

By virtue of 2018 Wimbledon results, passed $10 million in career prize money

QF run at 2008 Roland Garros made her the first qualifier to reach Roland Garros last eight since 2001; and ranked

No.132, became joint‐lowest‐ranked quarterfinalist at Roland Garros (also Pierce)

Best result at Wimbledon is reaching R16 in 2013 and 2016

2016 saw her reach R16 or better at each of the four Grand Slams – one of just four players to do so (also Keys,

A.Radwanska and S.Williams)

Other Information

Currently coached by Marc Casabó and Óscar Serrano

Split with longtime coach Xavier Budo in July of 2017, having spent 10 years together

Father is José Luís (plays handball) and mother is Lali (was gymnast, now teacher)

Began playing tennis at age 9

Moved from Canary Islands to Barcelona in 2007 to train at Pro-Ab Team Tennis Academy

Favorite surface is clay, favorite shot is crosscourt backhand

MUGURUZA:

Sydney

Making third appearance at Sydney International. Reached QFs in 2015 and 2018

Last year in Sydney withdrew prior to QF match against Gavrilova w/thigh injury

Played Hopman Cup last week, posting 1-2 singles record (d. Cornet, l. Kerber, l. Barty) as Spain made group stage exit

Faces compatriot Suárez Navarro today; only meeting on tour with a fellow Spaniard since 2015 was win over Sorribes

Tormo at Hong Kong last October

Began 2018 season with retirement against Krunic in Brisbane (w/cramp) before QF withdrawal at Sydney and 2r exit at

Australian Open (l. Hsieh)

Career

Finished 2018 season at No.18 for first non-Top 10 finish since 2014

Season highlight in 2018 was sixth career singles title at Monterrey (d. Babos in F). Now owns 6-4 career record in singles

finals

Also was R-Up at Doha (l. Kvitova) and made SF at Roland Garros, Zhuhai, Dubai and Hong Kong

Ended 2017 on a ranking of No.2 for career-best year-end finish. Rose to World No.1 on September 11, 2017. Became

the 24th woman in history of the WTA to hold the top spot and second from Spain (after Sánchez Vicario in 1995)

Named ITF World Champion for 2017

Won two titles in 2017, lifting her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon (d. V.Williams in F), as well as winning

Premier 5-level Cincinnati (d. Halep in F)

Dropped just one set en route to title at All England Club, during 2h20 R16 encounter against No.1 Kerber. Registered

300th match win (at all levels) with final victory over V.Williams

At Cincinnati, defeated World No.1 Ka.Pliskova and World No.2 Halep en route to title

Qualified for WTA Finals for third year in a row in 2017, however failed to progress from group stage

2016 season highlight was winning maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. Rose to then career‐high ranking of

No.2 as a result. Was first Spanish woman to be ranked in Top 2 since Sánchez Vicario in December 1996 (as No.2)

Enjoyed breakout season in 2015, ending the year ranked No.3 and reaching first major final at Wimbledon

Made Top 10 rankings debut after 2015 Wimbledon; one of six players to enter the elite bracket in 2015 – also

Makarova, Suárez Navarro, Safarova, Ka.Pliskova and Bacsinszky

In 2015, became first Spanish player to compete at the WTA Finals in singles since 2001 (Sánchez Vicario) and

reached doubles final (w/Suárez Navarro, l. Hingis/Mirza)

Owns 6‐4 career record in singles finals, winning titles at 2018 Monterrey, 2017 Wimbledon, 2017 Cincinnati, 2016

Roland Garros, 2015 Beijing and 2014 Hobart

Made WTA main draw debut at Miami in 2012, defeating No.9 Zvonareva for first Top 10 win of career

Grand Slam History


Is a two-time Grand Slam champion, winning titles at 2016 Roland Garros (d. S.Williams in F, and dropping just one set

en route to lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen) and 2017 Wimbledon (d. V.Williams in F)

Is one of 27 women in the Open Era to win multiple Grand Slam titles. Owns a 2-1 record in Grand Slam final

matches to date (also finishing R-Up at 2015 Wimbledon – l. S.Williams)

Is the second player to face both Williams sisters in the final of the same major (also Hingis, at US Open in 1997 – d.

V.Williams, and 1999 – l. S.Williams). By winning 2017 Wimbledon, became only player to defeat both sisters in

Grand Slam final, at Roland Garros (d. S.Williams in 2016) and Wimbledon (d. V.Williams in 2017)

The 45th woman in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title and one of 10 women (also Bouchard, Halep, Keys,

Kvitova, Osaka, Ostapenko, Ka.Pliskova, Stephens and Wozniacki) born in the 1990s to make a Grand Slam final

At 2015 Wimbledon, became first Spaniard to reach Wimbledon final since Sánchez Vicario (1996) and first Spanish

woman to reach any Grand Slam singles final since Conchita Martínez at 2000 Roland Garros (l. Pierce)

Reached SF stage at 2018 Roland Garros (l. eventual champion Halep)

At Australian Open, best result is QF in 2017 (l. Vandeweghe) and at US Open reached R16 in 2017 (l. Kvitova)

Other Information

Coached by Sam Sumyk

Began playing tennis at age three; first memory of the sport was playing with her brothers

Mother, Scarlet is from Venezuela and father, José Antonio, is from Spain


MATCH NOTES

[LL] JOHANNA KONTA (GBR #37) vs. [7] KIKI BERTENS (NED #9)


2017 HARD O R2 JOHANNA KONTA 76 mins6-3 6-3 CINCINNATI

2012 HARD I QF KIKI BERTENS 158 mins3-6 6-3 7-6(6) ITF/BATH 2

JOHANNA KONTA 37

-

17-05-1991 (27)

$0

$7,180,419

0 / 3

0 / 0

0-0 / 128-86

0-0 / 28-39

0-0 / 28-21

KIKI BERTENS 9

-

10-12-1991 (27)

$0

$6,522,124

0 / 7

0 / 10

1-1

0-0 / 154-133

0-0 / 42-47

0-0 / 33-38

5-1

0-0 / 64-84 0-0 / 87-48

0-0 / 10-10 0-0 / 16-9

WTA RANKING


DATE OF BIRTH (AGE)

YTD PRIZE MONEY

CAREER PRIZE MONEY



SYDNEY W-L (MD) *






0-0 / 15-18 0-0 / 15-20

0-0 / 30-30 0-0 / 23-36





Rnd Result Duration

Rnd Result Duration



JOHANNA KONTA

2018

L - AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA (POL #28) R1 6-3 7-5

2017

W - AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA (POL #3) F 6-4 6-2

2015

L - KRISTINA MLADENOVIC (FRA #69) QF-Q 6-3 3-6 6-3

KIKI BERTENS

2018


2014

R16-Q


2013



from

KONTA:

Sydney

Making third main draw appearance (fourth overall) at Sydney International, where she was champion in 2017

(d. A.Radwanska in F)

During final round of qualifying over the weekend ret. w/neck injury against Alexandrova; received one of three

lucky loser spots in main draw after withdrawals of Osaka, Ka.Pliskova and Tsurenko

Faces No.9 Bertens in 1r today – last week in Brisbane upset No.6 Stephens in 1r to register 15th career victory

over a Top 10 opponent and first since No.2 Halep at 2017 Wimbledon

Playing third tournament with new coach Dimitri Zavialoff after successful trial in Moscow last October

Reached 2r last week at Brisbane (l. Tomljanovic)

Last year, began season with QF in Brisbane, before 1r exit during Sydney title defense and 2r showing at

Australian Open

Career

Finished 2018 at No.37, with season highlights a second consecutive R-Up finish at Nottingham (l. Barty) –

overall record in WTA finals now stands at 3-3 – and SF showing at Moscow [Kremlin Cup] (l. eventual champion

Kasatkina)

Also in 2018, made QFs at Brisbane and San Jose, while best results at the Slams were 2r showings at Australian

Open and Wimbledon

Posted five Top 20 wins in 2018, over No.19 Keys (Brisbane), No.19 Rybarikova (Madrid and Rome), No.11

Ostapenko (Montréal) and No.16 Mertens (Moscow [Kremlin Cup])

Enjoyed best season of career in 2017, posting career-high season finish of No.9 (second Top 10 season in a

row). Peaked in rankings at No.4 on July 17, 2017

Began 2017 season in great form by lifting title at Sydney (d. A.Radwanska in F), before landing biggest title of

career at Premier-Mandatory Miami (d. Wozniacki in F)

At 2017 Wimbledon became first British player since Virginia Wade in 1978 to reach Wimbledon SF (l. R-Up

V.Williams). Had previously won just one match from five previous visits to All England Club, in 2016 (d. Puig, l.

Bouchard in 2r)

Reached third final of 2017 season at Nottingham (l. Vekic)

Also in 2017, reached SF for second year in a row at home event of Eastbourne – conceded walkover to eventual

champion Ka.Pliskova, having sustained a thoracic spine injury during her QF defeat of World No.1 Kerber (fell

heavily on match point, but won match after treatment). Match against Kerber was second of day, after she

defeated Roland Garros champion Ostapenko in R16

With win over Kerber, became first British woman to defeat a reigning World No.1 since Barker d. Chris Evert at

1979 Boston

Was in contention for WTA Finals qualification in 2017, however withdrawal from Moscow opened spot for

Garcia

Owns five Top 5 wins over No.2 Halep at 2015 Wuhan, No.3 A.Radwanska at 2017 Sydney, No.5 Halep at 2017

Miami, No.1 Kerber at 2017 Eastbourne and No.2 Halep at Wimbledon

Posted first Top 10 season in 2016, at No.10

Ended 2016 season at WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai in November (went 2‐0 in round‐robin play), fell in SF (l.

Svitolina)

Reached first Premier Mandatory final of career at 2016 Beijing (l. A.Radwanska)

Alternate for WTA Finals in Singapore, narrowly missing qualification in the Top 8; was not called upon to play

By virtue of reaching 2016 Beijing final, made WTA Top 10 debut – first British woman to feature in the elite

group since Durie in 1984, and the fourth British woman overall to do so (also Wade and Barker). Became 119th

woman to break into the Top 10, and the fourth to do so in 2016 after Vinci, Bencic and Keys

Won career‐first singles title at 2016 Stanford in maiden final (d. V.Williams in F). First British woman to reach

final of a Premier event since WTA Roadmap was introduced in 2009, and first British woman to win the

tournament since Barker in 1977 (when it was held in San Francisco)

Broke into Top 20 on June 6, 2016 (at No.18) – first British woman in Top 20 for nearly 30 years (the week of

October 13, 1986, with Durie at No.20)

Was voted WTA Most Improved Player in 2016 by international media and fans

Played first events of career on ITF Circuit in 2006, making WTA main draw debut at 2011 Copenhagen (as

qualifier, l. 1r)

Grand Slam History


Is a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist. Made Slam breakthrough with historic run to SF at 2016 Australian Open

(l. eventual champion Kerber); first British woman to reach the last four at Melbourne Park since Sue Barker in

December 1977, and at any Grand Slam since Jo Durie at 1983 US Open

Has since reached SF at 2017 Wimbledon (l. R-Up V.Williams), becoming the first British woman to reach the last

four since Virginia Wade in 1978 (l. Evert)

Also made QF at Australian Open in 2017 (l. eventual champion S.Williams), while at US Open has twice reached

R16, in 2015 (l. Kvitova) and 2016 (l. Sevastova)

At Roland Garros has never been beyond 1r, falling at the first hurdle in 2015-18

Other Information

Was introduced to the sport at age eight by parents; started to play at an after‐school care program

Born in Sydney, Australia; became a British citizen in May 2012. Parents are Gabor (hotelier) and Gabriella

(dentist); older sister is Eva (works in fashion)

Grandfather Tamas Kertesz played football for the Hungarian ‘Golden Team’ with Ferenc Puskas in 1955

Currently working with Dimitri Zavialoff, having parted ways with Michael Joyce at the end of 2018 season

BERTENS:

Sydney


2013 and 2014

Faces British No.1 Konta in 1r today; owns 8-5 career record against British opponents

Best results on Australian soil are QF runs at Hobart in 2016 and 2017 and 3r showing at 2018 Australian Open


No.32



Career
























‘s-Hertogenbosch








Grand Slam History







Vondrousova)



Other Information


off-season





Documents

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL – FINAL - Women's Tennis Associationwtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/matchnotes/2018/702.pdf · 2019-01-12 · Reached a career-high doubles ranking of No.5 on May