Petra Kvitova wrapped up her best week in Stuttgart taking the title over Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-6(2). And she also becomes the first multi-winner on the year on the WTA after picking up her second title.

“I’m glad of course for breaking this streak.”

Kvitova withstood early break points then broke mid-way through the first to seize control. Kontaveit would recover in the second and it was the Estonian with two sets …

After coming up just short in the 2017 final, Dominic Thiem got it done today hammer Russian giant Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-0 to win his first Barcelona title.

“Winning this means a lot to me because it’s such a traditional and special tournament,” said Thiem. “Only great players have won here. Rafa has won it 11 times and it means a lot that Muster won it twice. It’s a big moment …

The first big clay title of the season will put Petra Kvitova against Anett Kontaveit in the Stuttgart final Sunday.

Kvitova dropped the second but cruised in the third to beat Kiki Bertens 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-1 to reach her first final at the German event.

“I think I had a really great two weeks of preparation on clay,” the third-seeded Kvitova said. “You know me, I always need matches to get used …

For the second straight week, Rafael Nadal’s bid for a 12th title at a single event fell short. Today, Nadal was handed his first career loss in a semifinal of the Barcelona event after getting stunned by Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-4.

Nadal, who fell to Fabio Fognini at this stage just seven days ago in Monte Carlo, still hasn’t been able to find his form, and Saturday, Thiem took advantage.

The …

Naomi Osaka had to come from the brink to stay alive in the Stuttgart event this weekend. The World No. 1 escaped a 5-1 deficit in the third set to deny Donna Vekic 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4).

“I mean I felt like it just happened really fast. She was 3-0 and suddenly, she was 5-1 and I felt like I took a while to get going,” Osaka said.

“I didn’t feel like I …

Rafael Nadal will collide with Dominic Thiem Saturday in a mouth-watering semifinal in Barcelona. Nadal reached the final four after a tough 7-5, 7-5 victory over Jan-Lennard Struff.

The 11-time tournament champion broke the German twice in the first and needed just one in the second to get the job done.

“It was a pressure match because he’s a very aggressive player, difficult to be on rhythm with him. I’m happy …

In one of her biggest wins since childbirth, Victoria Azarenka knocked out world No. 4 and defending champion Karolina Pliskova coming from a set down to win it 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in Stuttgart Thursday.

After missing break chances in the first, Azarenka quickly converted early in the second and then broke again after the set evened. In the third, Azarenka held off an early push from Pliskova, but broke late to …

Even light rain couldn’t derail Rafael Nadal as he took down the retiring David Ferrer 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals today in Barcelona.

After a shaky opening round against Leonardo Mayer, Nadal was in more in tune today against his popular countryman.

“Big difference. It was a tough match in all ways yesterday. Today was a different energy, a different motivation. In general terms, for me, I needed to play …

Petra Kvitova made a successful 2019 debut on the clay beating Greet Minnen, 6-1, 6-4 in Stuttgart today.

“I think I started pretty well,” Kvitova said. “I think that I was ready from the first point. I didn’t know the opponent which is always tricky, so I was really focusing.”

“You know, playing on the clay the first time is always kind of difficult,” she added. “I like playing indoor, but you …

Kevin Anderson will miss the clay season to further get his elbow right. The South African missed nearly two months of tennis between Australia and Miami due to the elbow, but after playing in South Florida last month, he felt it still wasn’t sufficiently ready for the tour.

“I wanted to let you all know that I will unfortunately be missing the clay season this year,” Anderson posted on social media. …

After a stunning loss last week in Monte Carlo, Rafael Nadal’s struggles continued in his opening match this after in Barcelona where he dropped the first set before rallying to beat Leonardo Mayer 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-2.

After jumping out to a 5-3 lead, Nadal couldn’t convert any of the three set points he held in the opener. But got into gear after that against the Argentine.

“It wasn’t the best start. Not …

After suffering a shock loss Saturday in Monte Carlo, Rafael Nadal returns to Spain eyeing a 12th title in Barcelona.

Nadal has won his last 15 matches at the event, and overall he’s 58-3. But this year’s field is loaded, and his path is a tough.

Rafa is joined by Masters champions Dominic Thiem, Karen Khachanov and Alexander Zverev, plus 2-time champ Kei Nishikori, 2018 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and …

Top Croats Marin Cilic and Borna Coric are the top two seeds at the Budapest Open this upcoming week.

The world No. 11 Cilic has struggled this season with just four wins to five defeats having lost five of his last six.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Coric has been strong with a 12-6 record on the year and quarters runs at his last two Masters, Miami and Monte Carlo.

Also in the field is …

Two-time Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova continues her comeback to tennis this week at the WTA stop in Istanbul.

The 33-year-old is playing just her second event of the season after a knee injury last fall. She only returned two weeks ago in Lugano where she fell in the quarters to Kristyna Pliskova.

Kuznetsova will open against home favorite and former champion Cagla Buyukakcay.

The Top 4 seeds in the field are 1) Carla …

The first big clay event on the WTA calendar kicks off in Stuttgart this week with a loading field featuring the Top 5 in the world led by World No. 1 Naomi Osaka who makes her debut as a Grand Slam champion on the slippery surface.

The Japanese, who is the youngest in the field at 21, will be joined by some serious opposition with former champions Karolina Pliskova and Angelique …