Lisicki Back to Winning Ways in Hong Kong

When she emerged on the big scene, emotional Sabine Lisicki impressed with her power game. When at its finest, her whipping serve, combined with lethal groundstrokes, is enough to blow anyone off the court. However, after a fast rise in 2010, the last couple of seasons weren't so fortuned for the German. Besides Wimbledon—where she's always done great—Sabine has failed to shine. 

This year she once again rekindled her fire on the grass and although she didn't defend the 2013 final, she made the quarterfinals, losing to Romanian revelation, Simona Halep. Her post-London results weren't spectacular, but she continued to improve. Having been 8-8 January to June, she's now compiled a 20-15 record since Wimbledon. The German also set the fastest serve in WTA history 131mph in Stanford.
Seeded first in Hong Kong, she finally put forth a winning run, ending a three-year title draught. It wasn't quite a walk in the park, but Lisicki did brilliantly to turn matches around, recovering from 3-6,2-4 against Romanian Monica Niculescu in the first round and from a break down in the decider against former Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone in the semifinals. The final was again a struggle, the German recovering from 5-1 down in the first set to close out a 7-5,6-3 victory over Czech Karolina Pliskova.

"After being in three finals last year and losing them closely, this is a big step forward for me," Lisicki said. "I've won titles in doubles but obviously the main goal is to play well in singles and get these trophies. And I'm even happier because coming here was such a spontaneous decision—we literally decided three or four days before the tournament—and I felt very well all week in Hong Kong."

I hope all these hard-fought victories will spark a return to top form for Lisicki. She has a huge potential and can reach the highest heights.

photos: Hab Studio

The Queen Is Back, Long Live the Queen!

When she made a sudden return to the tour last summer, the world was kinda expecting Martina Hingis to pick up right where she left off when she quit several years ago. I too was among the optimists who envisioned her winning one Grand Slam and after. It wasn't quite a smooth transition though, and the former world No.1 failed to win back-to-back matches in the five tournaments she played alongside Slovak Daniela Hantuchova. Visible hurt by her misfortune, the Swiss Miss decided to skip the Asian swing, casting shadow on the future of her comeback.

Nothing much was heard on this matter until a few weeks ago when Hingis entered Indian Wells with her new trainee, German Sabine Lisicki. The duo once again faced a difficult draw and subsequently were beaten first round by three-time Grand Slam finalists, Aussies Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua. It was all about to change big time in Miami, where the two caught fire.

Again, the draw was harsh. In their opener, Hingis and Liscki faced 6th-seeded Czechs, Lucie Hradecka and Lucie Safarova. Compared to previous encounters, the magic kicked in this time. They won the battle pretty easily to record their first victory together 6-1,6-4. After a quick dismal of Romanian Sorana Cirstea and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the dream team showed tremendous fighting spirit, surviving seven match points to eventually battle past unseeded duo Medina-Garriguez/Shvedova. This triumph marked the turned point for Hingis. Relieved to have finally won one of these thrillers, the Swiss Miss was able to fully display the stunning tennis that won her the world. Fired up by Lisicki's gusty shot-making, Martina put together a majestic display to lift the 38th doubles career title. It wasn't easy though, but they made it happen. After stopping red-hot Cara Black and Sania Mirza in the semis, the duo came from behind to defeat reigning Roland Garros champions, Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, 4-6,6-4,10-5 to claim the title.

Needless to say it's great to have Martina back on the court. I just hope that this triumph gives her confidence to continue and, why not, maybe even consider a singles return. Asked about her plans, she gave an encouraging answer: "Well, I think two weeks ago if you asked me that question, it would probably be a completely different answer from today! Last week, I was like, 'I'm not sure if I want to put myself out there like this and lose first, second round.' But now, after this victory, definitely things have changed. I would be very happy to continue to play some more doubles."

It's also nice to see such a beautiful relationship developing between Hingis and Lisicki. Hopefully, Hingis, who is also training the German, can help Sabine fulfill her huge potential by improving her mental strength and on-court focus. This duo really seems a match made in heaven and I look forward to seeing more from these two lovely ladies in the near future. A first Grand Slam would be a nice objective for this duo! Let's do some magic, Hingis!

The Swiss Miss is back! My all-time darling rekindled her magic in Miami claiming her 38th doubles title alongside German Sabine Lisicki. Hingis came out of retirement last summer, but failed to win back-to-back matches until this week.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

The 2013 WTA Moods Awards

2013 has been a fabulous year for the WTA tour. Not only did the WTA celebrate its 40th anniversary, but the leading ladies of the tour have put forth some breath-taking performances. Serena Williams once again dominated the proceedings, making an emphatic return to No.1 before going on to win Roland Garros, the US Open, and the WTA Tour Championships. Her fiercest rival, Vika Azarenka, also showed glimpses of geniuses, successfully defending her Australian Open crown. More important, she set records straight with Serena, beating the American to win in Doha and Cincinnati. Sadly, she lost the Flushing Meadows final, one of the most emotional and electrifying matches I ever saw. 

Wimbledon provided one of the most beautiful stories of the year, with quirky Marion Bartoli achieving her life goal by crowning herself champion. The star of the tournament was German Sabine Lisicki though, who beat Serena Williams and Aga Radwanska en route to her first Grand Slam final. 

2013 also saw the emergence of two new stars in Sloane Stephens and the million-dollar Romanian, Simona Halep. Stephens fared better in majors, but Simona turned things around in the second half of the season, winning six titles, among them the Tournament of Champions in Sofia. 

Tennis Moods favourites Flavia Pennetta and Andrea Petkovic fought their way back to the top, while Bartoli and former world No. 5, Russian Anna Chakvedatze, sadly said good-bye to the sport sooner than expected. The queen of hearts, Martina Hingis, stirred waters in August announcing she'll be making a comeback in doubles alongside Slovak Daniela Hantuchova. Poor results quickly made her reconsider her plans and the Swiss Miss is still undecided whether she'll continue playing in 2014.

The young guns have stepped up their game this year with Canadian sweetheart Eugenie Bouchard, Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic, German Annika Beck, Croat Donna Vekic, as well as Americans Madison Keys, Victoria Duval, and Taylor Townsend showing their enormous potential. 

Tennis Moods looks back at all these incredible stories and rewards these amazing champions. Congrats to all the 2013 WTA Moods Awards winners!

The 'World's Greatest' Award (for the best player of the year)

Winner: Serena Williams

Runner-up: Victoria Azarenka

The 'She Found Love' Award (for the most improved player of the year)

Winner: Simona Halep

Runner-up: Sloane Stephens

The 'Homecoming' Award (for the most spectacular comeback)

Winner: Flavia Pennetta

Runner-up: Andrea Petkovic

The 'She Works Hard for the Money' Award (for the most hard-working player)

Winner: Agnieszka Radwanska

Runner-up: Sara Errani

The 'Here I Am' Award (for the newcomer of the year)

Winner: Sloane Stephens

Runner-up: Shuai Zhang

The 'We Are Young' Award (for the most promising youngster on the tour)

Winner: Eugenie Bouchard

Runner-up: Kristina Mladenovic

The 'Talk That Talk' Award (for the wittiest player on the tour)

Winner: Victoria Azarenka

Runner-up: Martina Hingis

The 'Broken Hearted Girl' Award (for the most disappointing player of the year)

Winner: Julia Goerges

Runner-up: Heather Watson

The 'Queen of Hearts' Award (for the Tennis Moods' favourite)

Winner: Victoria Azarenka

Runner-up: Marion Bartoli

The 'When We Collide' Award (for the most spectacular doubles team)

Winner: Daniela Hantuchova & Martina Hingis

Runner-up: Ashleigh Barty & Casey Dellacqua

The 'I Feel Pretty' Award (for the the most beautiful player)

Winner: Eugenie Bouchard

Runner-up: Maria Kirilenko

The 'Fashion of Her Love' Award (for the best dressed player throughout the year)

Winner: Serena Williams

Runner-up: Sloane Stephens

The 'Paparazzi' Award (for the most memorable outfit of the season)

Winner: Venus Williams (US Open outfit)

Runner-up: Serena Williams (US Open outfit)

The 'I Will Always Love You' Award (for the player who retired this year and will be missed the most)

Winner: Marion Bartoli

Runner-up: Anna Chakvetadze

The 'Imagine' Award (for the most emotional story of the year)

Winner: Victoria Azarenka winning Australian Open

Runner-up: Marion Bartoli winning Wimbledon

The 'I Dreamed a Dream' Award (for the accomplishment of a dream)

Winner: Marion Bartoli winning Wimbledon

Runner-up: Kristen Flipkens reaching Wimbledon semifinal

The 'Hero' Award (for the braveheart performance of the year)

Winner: Sabine Lisicki at Wimbledon

Runner-up: Victoria Azarenka at the Australian Open

The 'Clash of Titans' Award (for the most exhilarating duel of the year)

Winner: Victoria Azarenka & Serena Williams

Runner-up: Victoria Azarenka & Maria Sharapova

SEE ALSO: The 2011 WTA Moods Awards and The 2012 WTA Moods Awards

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Emotional Lisicki Misses out on a Great Finish

After playing an unbelievable tournament, Sabine Lisicki seemed destined to crown herself as the new Wimbledon queen. She did all the hard work already, shocking world No.1 and defending champion, Serena Williams, in the fourth round, before an epic defeat of last year's runner-up, Agnieszka Radwanska, in the semis. She needed just one more win and her dream would come true. Her opponent in the final was Marion Bartoli, a player she beat in three of their four previous meeting. It seemed an easy task, right? However, no Grand Slam final is ever easy.

The German, renowned for being an emotional player, could not really cope with the big occasion. What promised to be a day to remember, quickly turned into a nightmare, Bartoli being one point away from a total blow-out at 6-1,5-1 on Lisicki's serve. After saving three match points to hold serve, an extremely frustrated Sabine finally hit her zone. She won three consecutive games, reducing the deficit to one game. Desperate not to let her opponent get back on equal terms, the Frenchwoman hold to love to win the crown.

Tennis can be crude at times. Lisicki did everything right before this last match, but she just couldn't control her nerves. "I felt fine this morning but it's an occasion that you don't get every day," she told a news conference. "So it's something completely new for me. The walk on court is different. You walk on with the flowers. You walk on together. Everything is a little bit different. The feeling, the atmosphere is different."

Of course, all credit should go to Bartoli for producing a flawless display, but I feel like Lisicki could have won this battle if she was better prepared. Nevertheless, this is no time for regrets. The German possesses such a huge game that she just needs to be given this opportunity again. As she confessed, she will surely learn from the defeat and hopefully be ready next year. "I will learn and take away so much from it," she assured us. "I've done that in the past. Experience has always helped me so much. When I was in the quarters here the first time, when I was in the semis for the first time, and now in the final for the first time. I've always gained my experience here, which is good. I hope that next time it will help me to do that one step further."

Despite the painful loss, Lisicki tried to remain positive and look at what a sensational run she's had these past two weeks. "It's still been a great tournament," she said. "It's been an amazing two weeks. I've played my best tennis here. I had to take out the champion and runner-up from last year, so I think that's pretty big. This tournament definitely made me a better player." Sabine loves grass and she always did great at Wimbledon, so I do expect her to win this title one day. As Marion said "I'm sure you will be there one more time. I have no doubt about it."

Although she was hot favourite to become the new Wimbledon queen, Sabine Lisicki could not cope with the pressure. The German was unable to respond to the inspired display of Marion Bartoli, losing her first Grand Slam final 1-6,4-6.

During the on court interview, the emotional Lisicki declared her love for Wimbledon and vowed to come back next year and try to win the title.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

The Triumph of the Wonder Woman

Probably no one gave her a chance at the beginning of the tournament, but Marion Bartoli has always felt inspired on the grass-courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. She may have not advanced past the quarterfinals so far this year, but when she saw the draw open nicely for her, she knew she was given the chance of a lifetime. And she went for it.

If all the top names fell in the early rounds, Marion kept her focus and cruised through to the quarterfinals without dropping a set. A tough test followed, but the Frenchwoman showed incredible mental strength to dismiss teen sensation Sloane Stephens 6-4,7-5 to reach her second Wimbledon semifinal. She may not be the ultimate athlete, but Bartoli is one of the smartest women on the tour. Playing a smart mental game, she put an end to Kirsten Flipkens' dream run, stunning the Belgian 6-1,6-2 to book her place in the grand finale against big-hitting German, Sabine Lisicki. 

Although I rooted for Bartoli, I admit I was certain the German would prevail. Sabine showed such great fight the entire tournament, shocking world No.1 and defending champion, Serena Williams, and last year's runner-up, Agnieszka Radwanska, to reach her maiden Grand Slam final. However, Marion has been in this situation before and the experience helped her prepare mentally for the challenge. Although her opponent held a 3-1 head-to-head record against her, the Frenchwoman seized the opportunity and was determined not to let it go. While Lisicki could not handle the emotions, Bartoli was all pumped up and ready to achieve her dream. She played flawless tennis to go 6-1,5-1 up and although she missed three match points to allow the German to close the gap, she cold-bloodedly served out the match to clinch her maiden major title. "Honestly I still can't believe it," she beamed. "I've dreamed about this moment for so long. For me, winning Wimbledon is beyond my wildest dreams, let alone with an ace - but I've been practicing my serve for so long, I guess I saved it for the best moment! I'm so happy to be holding this trophy. This has been my dream since I was six years old."
"I honestly just can't believe it," she added. "I feel like I'm going to wake up and none of this will have happened. I was just really focused on every single point out there. I saw the finish line at 5-1 but then she started playing so well - but to finish it with an ace is just amazing. I'm so happy right now."

The peculiar Frenchwoman may not be everyone's cup of tea, but she's certainly one of my favourite players. I think what she does on the court is so special, that she sometimes is not given the respect she deserves. It is just amazing that Marion is now a Grand Slam winner. Surreal even. It was a shock when she beat the dominant Justine Henin to make the 2007 final, but she needed today's win to prove everyone what a great champion she is. No matter what happens next, no one can take this win from her. She is the new Wimbledon queen and she did it without dropping a set. Wow, what an amazing achievement. Congrats Marion, you fully deserve this!

An extremely joyful Marion celebrated her triumph with her camp: new coach, Amelie Mauresmo, father, doctor Walter Bartoli, as well as compatriot, Kristina Mladenovic.

After losing the 2007 final to Venus Williams, Marion Bartoli was determined not to let another chance slip by. The Frenchwoman controlled the match throughout, closing out Sabine Lisicki 6-1,6-4 to win her maiden Grand Slam crown.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

The 2013 WHITE Fashion Scoop

This year's Wimbledon quickly became a true nightmare for the hot favourites, as many of the big names exited the tournament on a manic first Wednesday. Azarenka and Tsonga sustained injuries and withdrew, Federer and Sharapova followed on Nadal's footsteps and were shocked by unheralded opponents, while a few days later, the untouchable Serena Williams was brought down to Earth by the aggressive, never-say-die attitude of Sabine Lisicki. All these surprising results made this edition unique. 

Consequently, although the big fashion names were prepared to showcase their latest outfits for the entire fortnight, they saw their time to shine drastically reduced. Nevertheless, it was enough to observe the stunning looking Serena, who once again topped the best dressed list with an adorable cocktail dress, the edgier Federer, as well as the boring Sharapova. Continuing the tradition, the Wimbledon greats, i.e. Roger Federer and Serena Williams, once again wore personalized blazers to reinforced their status.

The rigours of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club don't allow for much innovation, but Nike got away with a pop of colour, continuing to position orange as the star colour of this year's collection. Adidas went for transparency, while Stella McCartney proposed odd looking attire.

A pop of Orange from Nike

Serena Williams - NIKE

Serena Williams has made a habit of topping the best dressed list lately and she did it again at Wimbledon. Following her great appearance at the players' party, the American looked stunning on court too, wearing a little white cocktail dress, the must have of the season. The transparency at the top and the heart-shaped cleavage give it a cute, romantic feel and the pop of orange adds that trademark Serena touch. This is one of the beautiful dresses of the year so far.

Roger Federer - NIKE RF Group

Roger Federer was dressed for another sensational Wimbledon fortnight, but his campaign got to an abrupt end when he was beaten by Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovski in the second round. The Swiss legend has upgraded his style lately and he continued the trend at the All England Lawn and Croquet Club. The Swiss opted for an edgier blazer and a pop of bright orange. His personalized orange shoes actually got banned by the tournament officials for violating the strict colour code.

Victoria Azarenka - NIKE

Victoria Azarenka was really unlucky this year, having to withdraw in the second round following the nasty knee injury she sustained in her opening match. The Belorussian did not get to show us her Wimbledon garment, but we did see the outerwear and I really like the trench. It perfectly reflects Vika's edgy style.

Maria Sharapova - Nike 'Maria Sharapova' Group

Maria Sharapova continued the disappointing trend of boring, unflattering outfits with another dull white dress. She tried to add a bit of spark by using orange underpants, but it was not enough to save the look. I think the bottom of the dress has a nice detail, but that kind of a top just doesn't suit her body. I stick to my idea that the Russian should not go sleeveless, a tank top emphasizing too much her big shoulders.

Sabine Lisicki - NIKE

Sabine Lisicki is not a fashionista, but I really loved her Wimbledon outfit. The top is simple, yet nice, while the skirt is a show-stopper. It has a great movement that I adore. 

Adidas Transparency

Ana Ivanovic - Adidas AdiZero

Kristina Mladenovic - Adidas AdiZero

Flavia Pennetta - Adidas AdiZero

Considering the 'all white' dress code of the Championships, it is really hard to come up with outstanding apparel. While Nike pushed for orange, Adidas stick to the rules and opted for transparency as the distinct element of its collection. The clothes look good, well-made, but unfortunately their are not memorable. I look forward to seeing the coloured version though. I saw a preview and I was intrigued.

Doubtful Stella

Laura Robson - Adidas Barricade by Stella McCartney

Andrea Petkovic - Adidas Barricade by Stella McCartney

Maria Kirilenko - Adidas Barricade by Stella McCartney

Caroline Wozniacki - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney's quirky ideas came to life at Wimbledon, as the designer put forward some awkward looking attire. The transparency and the weird cuts make some of the garments seem severely damaged. Take Petkovic's short-sleeved top or Wozniacki's weird apron of a dress. Those pieces should be prohibited from such competitions. No one should walk on the court dressed like that. There are some positives though. I like Robson's look, as well as Kirilenko's. Both players can reply on great taste and that's what makes them look different than their counterparts.

The future looks bright

Sloane Stephens - UnderArmour

Teen sensation, Sloane Stephens is living up to her reputation of the newest tennis fashionista, looking sharp in her UnderArmour dress. As at the French, the American wore those nice pleaded head pieces that I really like.

Open contest

Marion Bartoli - Lotto

Agnieszka Radwanska - Lotto

Heather Watson - K-Swiss

While the big names exited the scene early in the first week, unheralded players got a well-deserved chance to shine. While Heather Watson did not take advantage of it, Marion Bartoli and Aga Radwanksa did, being among the last ladies standing. The threesome looked good though in K-Swiss, respectively Lotto. I like the use of the black stripes on the Lotto dress. It's a nice detail that makes the outfit stand out. I am usually a fan of K-Swiss and this dress resembles some of its vintage best.

Stop the experiments!

Bethanie Mattek-Sands - n/a

Camila Giorgi -  Denise Cronwall

Every Grand Slam has its so-called fashion experimentalists. While Bethanie Mattek-Sands with her crazy dyed hair and high socks is a regular, Camila Giorgi is a newcomer. Wearing a lace skirt and a corset top, the Italian becomes a front-runner for the worst dressed award.

photos: GETTY IMAGES