WTA - Luxembourg

WTA Luxembourg started this week and Heather Watson lost in three sets to Yanina Wickmayer. 

Yanina is good former top twenty player. Heather is not playing well and with little  confidence. 

Now that the tennis season is nearly over, it should give her time to regroup and play better. 

 

Sloane Stephens won her first round with relative ease. Sloane now faces Yvonne Meusburger in the second match tomorrow.

Sabine Liscki and Caroline Wozniacki are playing in this tournament. So the semi - finals and the finals should be good one.

World Cup qualifiers round up

The World Cup qualifiers took place over the weekend England beat Montenegro by four goals to one. Now need to beat Poland at Wembly to ensure qualification to Brazil 2014.

The star of the match went to the Tottenham winger Andros Townsend who helped set up Wayne Rooney's goal and then scored his own goal. 

It's good to see Roy Hodgson is prepared to take risks and play players with little or no international experience. It was a good win for England but I expect Poland to be tougher opposition.

Elsewhere Germany secured its place in the final by beating Republic of Ireland three goals to nil. This also end Ireland's chance of qualifying.

In the African qualifiers Nigeria beat Ethiopia by two goals to one which has brought Nigeria little closer to qualification. 

Ivory Coast beat Senegal three goals to one to take them a step closer to qualification. 

Tunisia drew nil nil with Cameron so this match like the others in the African qualifiers have it all play for to secure qualification to Brazil 2014. 

WTA HP Open, Osaka, Japan - Final

The HP Open Osaka, final took place over the weekend, Samantha Stosur beat Eugenie Bouchard in three sets.

It was very much a match which had the experience of Sam Stosur up against the teen Eugenie Bouchard. 

Eventually Sam's experience of big matches helped her to secure the match and the title. 

But Eugenie's performance in this tournament will make her contender for titles in 2014 and will certainly make the tennis elite take notice.

WTA Generali Linz - Final

The Generali Linz final took place over the weekend Angelique Kerber beat Ana Ivanovic in straight sets. 

Angelique had already gained enough points to compete in the WTA end of year tournament. 

But Angelique's win was somewhat controversial as she was a last minute entrant for this tournament. Which meant that another player had their wild card rescinded. 

However should not take way from Angelique's win and hopefully she will start to do better at the Grand Slams in 2014.

WTA Generali Ladies Linz -

The quarter finals of the WTA Linz tournament took place today and Sloane Stephens lost in three sets to Stefanie Vogele. 

This was a bad loss for Sloane who was at one point a game away from winning the match. 

It means that she has also missed out on qualification for the end of year tournament and most importantly has yet to win any WTA titles. 

So Stefanie Vogele alongside Angelique Keber, Ana Ivanovic and Carla Suarez make up the semi - finals. 

It is a pretty open tournament but I would not be surprised if Angelique Kerber won this title.

WTA HP Open, Osaka. Japan

WTA HP Open Osaka quarter finals took place today and Madison Keys the teenage American recorded a good win straight victory over Jie Zheng.

Madison could potentially win this tournament but there was also good quarter finals win are Eugenie Bouchard and Sam Stosur. 

This tournament has got the experience Sam Stosur and the up and coming teenagers like Eugenie Bouchard and Madison Keys and it certainly helps to make this tournament more interesting and watchable.

 

WTA Generali Ladies Linz -Second round

The second round of the Generali Ladies Linz tournament took place yesterday. Sloane Stephens beat Andrea Petkovic in three sets and this was a good win for Sloane.

As Sloane has not been playing her best tennis, so this tournament gives Sloane an opportunity to win her first WTA title. 

I do think Sloane is one of the few teengers on the WTA tour that can win big. But that the moment she lacks that hunger and even come accross as someone who sees tennis a hobby and not a profession.

If Sloane wants to win this tournament she is going have to up her game. As Anglique Kerber, Ana Ivanovic and Kirsten Flipkens all had good second round wins.

There is still one spot left for the end of year tournament and I am hoping that if Sloane wins this tournament she will get the last spot.

                                                   (sportsillustrated.com)