Angelique Kerber secures second singles qualification spot for 2018 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore

Press Release

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced today that Angelique Kerber has qualified for the 2018 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, set to take place from October 21-28, 2018. The German becomes the second player to secure her spot at the $7 million year-end event, joining Simona Halep who booked her spot in August.

Photo credit: Getty Images

A former WTA World No.1, Kerber has enjoyed a stellar campaign to date, highlighted by winning her third Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon. Having also reached the semifinals at the Australian Open and quarterfinals at Roland Garros, she is the only player this season to reach the final eight in the first three Grand Slams of 2018.

Kerber started her 2018 season by lifting the Sydney International trophy and also made back-to-back quarterfinal showings at the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) and Miami Open. With 42 match wins this year, Kerber has won 40 or more matches in six of her last seven seasons.

“I am honored to qualify for the WTA Finals in Singapore this year,” said Kerber. “I have many memories of competing in Singapore, especially reaching the final in 2016, and I’m excited to be back and play in front of the amazing fans.”

Kerber has secured her fifth qualification at the WTA Finals, most recently appearing in 2016 when she posted a 3-0 record in the group stage and reached the final, falling to Dominika Cibulkova in the championship match. Her first two appearances at the year-end event were in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2012 and 2013, and also Singapore in 2015.

Staged at the Singapore Sports Hub from October 21-28, the 2018 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global is a 10-day tennis festival featuring the world’s best players vying for a US$7 million in prize money and two of the most prestigious titles in women’s tennis. The Top 8 singles players will compete in a round-robin format with the winner taking home the Billie Jean King Trophy. The Top 8 doubles teams will compete in a knock-out format for the WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy.

The Porsche Race to Singapore Leaderboard is updated each Monday (every two weeks during Grand Slams events) and can be found at www.WTAFinals.com.

The winner of the Porsche Race to Singapore - the player who sits at No.1 in singles leading into the WTA Finals - will not only seal a spot at the season-ending showpiece, but also be congratulated with a new Porsche 718 Boxster GTS.

Tickets to the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global are on sale at www.WTAFinals.com, an immersive one-stop destination for all things tournament-related, bringing fans the latest news from the top players on their journey on the Porsche Race to Singapore.

Venus Williams and Garbine Muguruza In Wimbledon Final

Source: Pool/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com

Even with the absence of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, Wimbledon women's singles spotlight still shine with Venus Williams and Garbine Muguruza in the final.

Williams, 37, who is a winner of seven major tennis tournaments managed to beat Britain's top female player Johanna Konta to guarantee a place for her ninth Wimbledon final. The American will be seeking a whooping sixth Wimbledon singles title and her first since 2008, when she defeated her younger sister, Serena. A year later, she lost the final to Serena.

It has been a tough two weeks for Williams who came into the tournament after involving in a fatal car crash incident, which eventually saw new evidences that pointed out she had drove lawfully.

Williams who is currently world's no. 11 will play no. 15 Garbine Muguruza of Spain, who cruised into her second Wimbledon final by ousting Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-1, 6-1, in slightly more than an hour.

Source: Pool/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com

Muguruza, the French Open champion last year, reached the final at Wimbledon in 2015, when she lost to Serena Williams in straight sets. At this point of time, Muguruza could be playing her best tennis and on top of her game. She has lost only one set in the tournament, and that was during her upset match of the world's no. 1, Angelique Kerber, in the fourth round. She was back in the game after that and dismissed Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

Both Williams and Muguruza will go into the final with a 3-1 head-to-head with them. In their last encounter, Muguruza defeated Williams in three sets in their quarterfinal match in Rome, Italy. The rest of the previous matches were on hardcourts with the last one in Wuhan final back in 2015. Williams certainly comes in with an advantage playing at Wimbledon final but Muguruza has already sent out an early warning saying that she has learned from her Wimbledon heartache two years' ago to beat Williams in Saturday's final.

Angelique Kerber wins first U.S. Open title

Image via Zimbio; Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America

Germany's Angelique Kerber didn't disappoint as the new world number one after a thrilling win over Czech Karolina Pliskova in the US Open final.

Kerber, 28, won 6-3 4-6 6-4 in New York to add the US Open to her victory at the Australian Open early this year.

“It means a lot to me. When I was a kid, I was always dreaming to one day be the No. 1 player in the world, to win Grand Slams,” said Kerber.

“I mean, all the dreams came true this year, and I’m just trying to enjoy every moment on court and also off court.”

Image via Zimbio; Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America

Pliskova's semi-final win over Serena Williams few days ago had already ensured Kerber will top the new rankings on Monday. Pliskova ended Serena's record-tying 186-week stay at the top, which began in February 2013.

Kerber, who collected $3.5 million in prize money, had lost to Pliskova the last time they met, which was just three weeks ago in the final of a hard-court tournament in Cincinnati.

Image via Zimbio; Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America

“She really proved she’s the world No. 1,” Pliskova told the fans. Then she addressed Kerber directly, saying: “It was a great match, and I’m very honored to play with you.”

Via CBS News and Yahoo! Sports

Angelique Kerber gets birthday wish and a cake

It's Angelique Kerber's 25th birthday today.

She described that she had one of the most beautiful moments that she could ever experience on a tennis court on her Facebook.

Right after she defeated 17-year-old Madison Keys in the third round earlier today, a cake was immediately presented to her at Rod Laver Arena and the crowd sang her a birthday song.

(Images via Dailymail.uk.co)

Angelique Kerber gets tattoo advice from Janko Tipsarevic

German Angelique Kerber who won her first round match against Zhang Shuai at the French Open posted a cute picture of her and Janko Tipsarevic on Twitter.

I don't really think it's a good idea to get tattoo advice from Tipsarevic. Maybe she should try asking Agnieszka Radwanska or Li Na.

(Image via Angelique Kerber's Twitter page)

Off season getaway photos: The Fab Four, JJ & BF, Tipsy & marriage

I'm not sure if it's just me. Looks like there are more vacation photos this year.

Here are more photos from Mauritius where Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, Urszula Radwanska and Angelique Kerber switched into relaxation mode during their off season holiday.

For more pictures, click here.

Meanwhile, Serbian Janko Tipsarevic took a big leap in his relationship with TV host girlfriend Biljana Sesevic by proposing to her during their romantic vacation in Maldives.

Yes, she has agreed to marry Tipsarevic.

Fellow Serbian Jelena Jankovic and boyfriend Mladjan Janovic also took the off season opportunity to spend a romantic weekend together in Cannes last week.

However there is no marriage announcement from the couple yet.

(Via menstennisforums.com; tennisforum.com)

Wozniacki, Radwanska caught sunbathing in Mauritius

Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, Urszula Radwanska and Angelique Kerber recently spent their off season holiday in Mauritius.
Not only that the girls were caught on bikini shots, Wozniacki and Agnieszka were also caught sunbathing on the beach!

Don't you wish you were that hand? :P

Check out the following picture. It would not surprise me if Wozniacki appears on Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue next year.

(Images via Gototennis, Forty Deuce)