Black Tennis Pros

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This time last year, the story unfolding in the 2018 WTA season revolved around the return of serve. Twelve months on and it's the serve that has set the current Top 10 apart from the field.

Current WTA Top 10

1. Naomi Osaka (9-2)
2. Simona Halep (10-4)
3. Petra Kvitova (17-4)
4. Sloane Stephens (5-4)
5. Karolina Pliskova (13-3)
6. Elina Svitolina (9-4)
7. Kiki Bertens (10-5)
8. Angelique Kerber (7-4)
9. Aryna Sabalenka (12-4)
10. Serena Williams (4-1)

In 2018, the start of the season was dominated by counter-punchers and aggressive counter-punchers. Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber, and Elina Svitolina swept the biggest tournaments in Australia, before Petra Kvitova tore through February. This season has been about the power players, highlighted by Naomi Osaka, Kvitova, and Karolina Pliskova picking up the big titles Down Under.

Champions at Premier or higher events: 2018 vs. 2019

Brisbane International
2018: Elina Svitolina (d. Sasnovich)
2019: Karolina Pliskova (d. Tsurenko)

Sydney International
2018: Angelique Kerber (d. Barty)
2019: Petra Kvitova (d. Barty)

Australian Open
2018: Caroline Wozniacki (d. Halep)
2019: Naomi Osaka (d. Kvitova)

St. Petersburg
2018: Petra Kvitova (d. Mladenovic)
2019: Kiki Bertens (d. Vekic)

Qatar Total Open
2018: Petra Kvitova (d. Muguruza)
2019: Elise Mertens (d. Halep)

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
2018: Elina Svitolina (d. Kasatkina)
2019: Belinda Bencic (d. Kvitova)

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💯 💯💯💯 💯💯💯
💯 💯 💯 💯 💯
💯 💯 💯 💯 💯
💯 💯 💯 💯 💯
💯 💯💯💯 💯💯💯#RF100 @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/McQY8WYvwW

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 2, 2019

20 Grand Slams
6 ATP Finals
27 ATP Masters 1000s
24 ATP 500s
23 ATP 250s
=
💯 titles!@rogerfederer #RF100 pic.twitter.com/8GCd6K0mXb

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 2, 2019

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Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in quarter final of the 2019 Brasil Open.

Serbian Laslo Djere and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime met in the Brazil Open quarter final five days after dueling for the title in Rio De Janeiro. Just like on Rio clay, Djere triumphed and eliminated the young Canadian 6/2, 3/6, 6/3.

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Gael Monfils and Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2019 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi final.

Frenchman Gael Monfils, who was 3-0 down in the first set before storming back to win five games in a row to take it 6-4, the defeat by Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece was hard to take, and one he pinned on his faulty serve. The defeat came in at 4-6, 7-6, 7-6.

“In terms of the game, I guess I had some opportunities,” the world No. 23 said.

“I couldn’t make them great today. I think I was up a break, and I didn’t serve that good starting the second set. It was big confirmation when he broke me back. Less first serve, less accuracy.”

Monfils has admiration for the Greek player, “He’s a great player. He just broke the top 10. He’s one of the best players in the tour.”

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Congratulations are in order for Donald Young, as the American has secured a wild card into the main draw of the 2019 BNP Paribas Open.

The fourth event in the 2018-2019 Oracle Challenger Series is underway at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and Young clinched one of the two men’s wild cards by advancing to the third round of the tournament and taking the leaderboard lead with 80 points going into his third round match against Lloyd Harris. Yong’s admirable run, coupled with several American losses yesterday, have cemented his claim to a main draw wild card into the 2019 BNP Paribas Open.

Full article here.

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Twenty years ago today, one of the greatest careers in tennis began in earnest as Serena Williams won the first of 72 WTA Tour titles to date at the Open Gaz de France in Paris. wtatennis.com looks back at how it all kicked off for the American champion.

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#TBT 20 years ago today, @serenawilliams! 🏆

A post shared by WTA (@wta) on Feb 28, 2019 at 2:09pm PST

Full Article here.

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Thursday's 2019 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi finals include No. 2 seed and seven-time champion Roger Federer, No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, No. 6 Borna Coric and Frenchman Gael Monfils.

Monfils defeated Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-3. Up next for Monfils is Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.

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