Day two at the WTA Finals in Singapore had two darkhorses cruising to wins in the White Group. Favorite Petra Kvitova was taken out by Kerber 6-2, 7-6(3) while Garbine Muguruza defeated Lucie Safarova by a similar score of 6-3, 7-6(4), in a battle of two Finals debutants.

“It was a very tough match, I was very nervous as it was my first time here playing singles,” Muguruza said afterward….

Rafael Nadal overcame some dire odds Monday in his Basel opener. Playing the fearless Lukas Rosol who stunned the Spaniard at Wimbledon in 2012, Nadal found himself down a set and a break, and later just two points from the loss with Rosol serving for the match in the second.

Rafa fought back, as he often does, but like he has done much of this dismal season, he blew a …

As the tour shifts to it’s final few weeks, Rafael Nadal is hoping for a strong finish. After a tough first half of the year, indoors is not Nadal’s surface of choice, but the former No. 1 is confident he’s finally making strides in his game on the eve of Basel.

“My main goal is to try and work hard and finish this year with a lot of energy and a …

Roger Federer returns to his home event of Basel this week for a 16th time. As he bids for a 7th time and a 10th straight final there.

Before his first rounder Tuesday against Mikhail Kukushkin, Federer reflected on his history at the tournament.

“I grew up here. I played soccer just behind the stadium,” Federer said. “I came here on my bike as a ball boy. It feels like it was …

The back-from-injury pair of Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep were winners, and US Open champ Flavia Pennetta and Aggie Radwanska losers on day one of the WTA Finals in Singapore.

Halep, who trounced world No. 1 Serena Williams in the round robin portion last year at the season-ending champions, resumed form on Sunday in Singapore, handing the US Open champion Pennetta a 6-0, 6-3 strumming.

It was sweet revenge for Halep after …

SWISS INDOORS BASEL
Basel, Switzerland; Surface: hard

Seeds: Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Richard Gasquet, John Isner, Marin Cilic, David Goffin

Floaters: Borna Coric, Jack Sock, Ernests Gulbis, Lukas Rosol, Ivo Karlovic

Notes: Three Top 10ers in the draw during this the last week of regular-season play…A delightful drawing of potential field-disrupters includes (3) Nadal vs. the upset specialist Rosol, (2) Wawrinka vs. the giant-serving Karlovic, (6) Isner vs. Gulbis who …

Ferrer Remains Perfect in 2015 Finals at Vienna, Gains Ground in ATP Finals Race

He’s not officially in, but David Ferrer took a big step toward qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday when he defeated American Steve Johnson 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 to win the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, Austria.

“It’s been an unbelievable season, winning five titles and it’s great to be playing well,” said the six-time post-season …

Serena Williams decided at the start of the month that her 2015 season was over. Sort of over. By over, Serena meant she wouldn’t be playing in any sanctioned WTA events including the year-end Finals in Singapore which began today.

But she would, body and mind willing, be available to pick up a ton of cash playing the IPTL Asian exo series in December.

And can you blame her?

Sure, the …

David Ferrer won the Vienna title earlier today effectively wrapping up the Race to the London. With only two weeks remaining in the ATP’s regular season, two spots are still to be confirmed for the London finals, and there’s quite a substantial gap for the chasers to close.

Both David Ferrer and Kei Nishikori are tied at 7th by a whopping 1,400 points over 9th place JW Tsonga and 1,410 over …

Roger Federer continues to break new ground, even at the age of 34. In a new Jura commercial, brand ambassador Federer is featured and this time he’s in space! Federer is shown floating in a spaceship looking for a snack. Since nothing looks particularly appetizing, fortunately for him he snaps back to reality and all is well again.

After a disappointing title defense in Shanghai, …

Former No. 1s Justine Henin and Marat Safin were both on the shortlist of potential inductees into the class of 2016 at the Tennis Hall of Fame, it was announced today.

Former Czech great Helena Sukova was also nominated along with past champions Yvon Petra Margaret Scriven.

Notably absent is Safin’s countryman Yevgeny Kafelnikov who was not nominated.

The inductees will be announced early next year. Wisdom is Henin and Safin are …

The groupings for the 2015 WTA Finals in Singapore were announced earlier today and lone former champion in 2004 Maria Sharapova landed in the Red Group along with top seed Simona Halep, former Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska and US Open champion Flavia Pennetta, the only reigning Grand Slam winner in the event.

The White Group features Wimbledon runner-up Garbine Muguruza who has had an excellent fall. The Spaniard is joined …

Despite three surgeries on his left wrist, Juan Martin del Potro is still working hard to get back on the tour. With lingering doubts of his future in tennis, the 2009 US Open champion posted pictures on Facebook of a recent low intensity practice in Miami.

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With two more big paydays still to come Novak Djokovic has already set the record for most prize money won in singles during a season, men or women.

Year to date, Djokovic has won a record $15.98M in singles and combined with doubles (another 54K) he’s the first player to pass to the $16M mark for a single season.

For comparison, Djokovic will win more money this year on the tour than …

Lucie Safarova clinched the last spot in next week’s WTA Finals in Singapore. The French Open finalist earned her first berth in the singles when Carla Suarez Navarro lost in Moscow to rising star Daria Kasatina, ensuring the Spaniard would not reach the finals and overtake Safarova.

“I am really excited to qualify for the WTA Finals for the first time,” said Safarova. “It has been a dream year and to …