Kremlin Cup WTA 500
Tenerife Ladies Open WTA 250
Kremlin Cup ATP 250
Antwerp Belgium European Open ATP 250
Indian Wells is finis and what a two weeks this was! The tournament this year may have been a Sportsbooks' Dream, unless there were a slew of risk takers betting on Underdogs, Longshots, Dark Horses. The Top seeds fell like dominos beginning Week 1.
And congratulations in order: Women's Champion Spaniard Paula Badosa and RUP Belarusian Victoria Azarenka; Men's Champion Brit Cameron Norrie and RUP Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili. Both Finals were down to the wire - 3 sets - multiple changes in momentum, exciting, and well worth the Finals for a Masters 1000, especially in "Tennis Paradise" in the desert of Indian Wells, California!
But, there's no crying in Tennis and "no rest for the wicked." We're traveling well across the Pond to Europe for four Fall tournaments 2021 - October 17 - 24th in Moscow, Antwerp and the Canary Islands, so let's get to it!
Tenerife Ladies Open, WTA 250
Surface: Hard outdoor
Draw: Singles 32, doubles 16
This is an inaugural Tournament, in the Spanish Canary Islands - closer to Northwest African coast than to Spain, but a Paradise in the Atlantic! Should Tenerife continue to host the WTA, this easily could become a 500 or a Masters, with the Main Draw filled with Top 20, the qualification rounds Top 50!
Seeds (in order of seeding): Elina Svitolina, Tamara Zidansek, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Camila Giorgi, Viktorija Golubic, Zhang Shuai, Clara Tauson, Alison Riske.
Other notables include: Alize Cornet, Marta Kostyuk, Alison Van Uytvanck, Heather Watson.
Wildcards: Lucrezia Stefanini and Spanish players Rebeka Masarova, Nuria Parrizas Dias.
Surface: Hard indoor
Draw: Singles 28, doubles 16
Defending champ: Andrey Rublev (2019) (won on his 22nd birthday.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Andrey Rublev, Aslan Karatsev, Karen Khachanov, Alexander Bublik, Filip Krajinovic, Marin Cilic (won in 2014 and 2015), Ilya Ivashka, Laslo Djere.
Other notables include: Adrian Mannarino, Mackenzie McDonald, John Millman, Yoshito Nishioka.
Withdrawal: World No.2, Daniil Medvedev
Wildcards: all went to Russian players - Evgeny Donskoy, Alibek Kachmazov, Roman Safiullin.
VTB KREMLIN CUP ATP + WTA WEBSITE
Surface: Hard indoor
Draw: Singles 28, doubles 16
Defending champ: Ugo Humbert
Andy Murray, the 2019 champ, is the tourney’s lowest ranked champion, ranked No. 243. Obviously this was a strange ranking for Murray, but makes for a fun stat.
The tournament was established in 2016, with Richard Gasquet winning the title.
The organizers are very excited that Belgian Xavier Malisse is returning to play doubles. His partner will be Lloyd Harris, whom he is coaching.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Jannik Sinner, Diego Schwartzman, Cristian Garin, Roberto Bautista Agut, Reilly Opelka, Alex de Minaur, Lloyd Harris, Dusan Lajovic.
Other notables include: Marton Fucsovics, Lorenzo Musetti, Jan Lennard Struff, Frances Tiafoe.
Wildcards: Richard Gasquet (won the inaugural 2016 tournament), Andy Murray, Belgian player Zizou Bergs.
But, there's no crying in Tennis and "no rest for the wicked." We're traveling well across the Pond to Europe for four Fall tournaments 2021 - October 17 - 24th in Moscow, Antwerp and the Canary Islands, so let's get to it!
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| The Kremlin Cup Venue - the Irina Viner-Usmanova Gymnastics Palace & the Palace of Sports Luzhniki |
October 16-24, 2021
VTB Kremlin Cup WTA 500Luzhniki Palace of SportsMoscow, Russia
Surface: Hard indoor
Draw: Singles 32, doubles 16
This is the 25th edition of the tournament, which was cancelled in 2020. The event is to be held at two arenas simultaneously – the Irina Viner-Usmanova Gymnastics Palace and the Palace of Sports Luzhniki. Both arenas are located within walking distance from each other with free shuttle buses to be commuting between the two venues to make it more convenient for the spectators.
2019 champ: Belinda Bencic
Seeds (in order of seeding): Aryna Sabalenka, Garbine Muguruza, Maria Sakkari, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Ons Jabeur, Angelique Kerber, Elena Rybakina, Simona Halep.
Other notables include: Daria Kasatkina, Jelena Ostapenko, Marketa Vondrousova
Withdrawals: Several high-profile players withdrew before the tourney, including Bianca Andreescu, Belinda Bencic, Elise Mertens, Emma Raducanu.
Wildcards: Simona Halep, Anett Kontaveit, Aryna Sabalenka, and Russian Anastasia Potapova
"I won't lie, I want to win the tournament" ~ Pavlyuchenkova 10/17/21
Tenerife Ladies Open, WTA 250
Abama Tennis Academy
Tenerife, Spain
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| Abama Tennis Academy - Tenerife, Spain's Canary Islands |
Surface: Hard outdoor
Draw: Singles 32, doubles 16
This is an inaugural Tournament, in the Spanish Canary Islands - closer to Northwest African coast than to Spain, but a Paradise in the Atlantic! Should Tenerife continue to host the WTA, this easily could become a 500 or a Masters, with the Main Draw filled with Top 20, the qualification rounds Top 50!
Seeds (in order of seeding): Elina Svitolina, Tamara Zidansek, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Camila Giorgi, Viktorija Golubic, Zhang Shuai, Clara Tauson, Alison Riske.
Other notables include: Alize Cornet, Marta Kostyuk, Alison Van Uytvanck, Heather Watson.
Wildcards: Lucrezia Stefanini and Spanish players Rebeka Masarova, Nuria Parrizas Dias.
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| You think the Canary Islands in October might be a mainstay of the WTA's future calendar in Tenerife? Very hard to look at😋 |
VTB Kremlin Cup, ATP 250Irina Viner-Usmanova Gymnastics PalaceMoscow, Russia
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| Winter in Moscow - "Onion Dome" Russian Orthodox Architecture |
Surface: Hard indoor
Draw: Singles 28, doubles 16
Defending champ: Andrey Rublev (2019) (won on his 22nd birthday.
Editorial commentary: and at 23 yoa, the tennis twitterverse is 'concerned' Andrey may be in need of either or all: anger management, mental health/therapy, is at risk of self-harm, and may be mentally unstable for thwacking his fist on a racquet multiple times unhappy with his performance 😏)This is the 31st edition of the tournament, which “became the country’s first pro international tennis tournament" when it was founded in 1990. Russian players have dominated the event, with Yevgeny Kafelnikov winning a record five consecutive titles between 1997-2001.” (ATP website) In 2018 Karen Khachanov was the 8th Russian to win the title.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Andrey Rublev, Aslan Karatsev, Karen Khachanov, Alexander Bublik, Filip Krajinovic, Marin Cilic (won in 2014 and 2015), Ilya Ivashka, Laslo Djere.
Other notables include: Adrian Mannarino, Mackenzie McDonald, John Millman, Yoshito Nishioka.
Withdrawal: World No.2, Daniil Medvedev
Wildcards: all went to Russian players - Evgeny Donskoy, Alibek Kachmazov, Roman Safiullin.
"I invited my friends all the time to the Matches just to prove to them that I also can do something" ~ Evgeny Donskoy
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| Presnensky International Business Center - Moscow - Moscow's Modern Architecture |
VTB KREMLIN CUP ATP + WTA WEBSITE
Surface: Hard indoor
Draw: Singles 28, doubles 16
Defending champ: Ugo Humbert
Andy Murray, the 2019 champ, is the tourney’s lowest ranked champion, ranked No. 243. Obviously this was a strange ranking for Murray, but makes for a fun stat.
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| National Maritime Museum 'THE STEEN' Antwerp, Belgium |
The tournament was established in 2016, with Richard Gasquet winning the title.
The organizers are very excited that Belgian Xavier Malisse is returning to play doubles. His partner will be Lloyd Harris, whom he is coaching.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Jannik Sinner, Diego Schwartzman, Cristian Garin, Roberto Bautista Agut, Reilly Opelka, Alex de Minaur, Lloyd Harris, Dusan Lajovic.
Other notables include: Marton Fucsovics, Lorenzo Musetti, Jan Lennard Struff, Frances Tiafoe.
Wildcards: Richard Gasquet (won the inaugural 2016 tournament), Andy Murray, Belgian player Zizou Bergs.
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| MOSCOW CHAMPION ANETT KONTAVEIT d. EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA |
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| EUROPEAN OPEN CHAMPION - JANNIK SINNER d. DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN |
Shirley Hartt content ♕ Bueno, muchos gracias!
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