[Emiel Goelen]

Australian Open - Grand Slam (Australia, outdoor hard)

• Elise Mertens
• Alison Van Uytvanck

Sunderland - W60 (Great Britain, indoor hard)

• Magali Kempen
• Greet Minnen

Andrezieux-Boutheon - W60 (France, indoor hard)

• Yanina Wickmayer (withdrawn)

Orlando - W25 (United States, outdoor hard)

• Marie Benoit

Monastir - W25 (Tunisia, outdoor hard)

• Tilwith Di Girolami

 

[Brαm]

Yanina withdrew from Andrezieux-Boutheon yesterday

 

[Barty_Tennisfan]

Yanina withdrew from Andrezieux-Boutheon yesterday

Oh no, she didn't get injured or something?
Or just want to get some rest after two weeks Tallinn?

 

[Brαm]

I think she may just want to spend some time with her family.

 

[Emiel Goelen]

Australian Open - Grand Slam

R3 (4) Hunter AUS/Mertens BEL vs. Golubic SUI/Niculescu ROU
R3 (11) H. Chan TPE/Yang CHN vs. Kalinina UKR/Van Uytvanck BEL

Monastir - W25

Q1 (10) Tilwith Di Girolami BEL - bye

Q2 Miho Kuramochi JPN vs. (10) Tilwith Di Girolami BEL

 

[Brαm]

Australian Open - Grand Slam

R3 (11)Chan (TPE)/Yang (CHN) beat Kalinina (UKR)/Van Uytvanck (BEL) 6-3 7-5

 

[Emiel Goelen]

Australian Open - Grand Slam

R3 (4) Hunter AUS/Mertens BEL def. Golubic SUI/Niculescu ROU 6-2 6-2

QF (4) Hunter AUS/Mertens BEL vs. Kostyuk UKR/Ruse ROU

Monastir - W25

Q2 (10) Tilwith Di Girolami BEL def. Miho Kuramochi JPN 6-7(5) 7-5 [10-5]

Q3 (2) Lucija Ciric Bagaric CRO vs. (10) Tilwith Di Girolami BEL

R1 Di Girolami BEL/Falei RUS vs. Koller AUT/Weckerle LUX

 

[The Crow]

Wait, Storm Hunter = Storm Sanders? Ok, it all makes sense now

 

[Emiel Goelen]

Sunderland - W60

R1 Maia Lumsden GBR vs. Magali Kempen BEL
R1 Bibiane Schoofs NED vs. Greet Minnen BEL

R1 Kempen BEL/Silva GBR vs. (4) Bassols Ribera ESP/Papamichail GRE

 

[Samwei]

Marie is playing Kalieva again in R1 of Orlando and I just realised this event is on outoor hard. Not sure she will go far there then but let's see..
GL girls

 

[Amaranthe]

Yeah it will be difficult for Marie who is better on clay while Kalieva is definetely better on hard.

 

[Wimanna]

Monastir - W25

Q3 (2) Lucija Ciric Bagaric CRO def. (10) Tilwith Di Girolami BEL 6-2 7-5

 

[Emiel Goelen]

Sunderland - W60

R1 Greet Minnen BEL def. Bibiane Schoofs NED 4-6 6-2 6-4

R2 Greet Minnen BEL vs. (2) Harmony Tan FRA

Monastir - W25

R1 (WC) Koller AUT/Weckerle LUX def. Di Girolami BEL/Falei RUS 7-6(1) 6-4

 

[Samwei]

I wonder if Mertens is focusing on singles this year too or if she couldn't find a permanent partner (maybe waiting for Hsieh ? ) She is playing Abu Dhabi in singles but not the doubles which means AO would be her only tournament in doubles until at least mid February. Let's see about Doha & Dubai..

I think that she has a very nice pairing with Hunter. I hope they can go all the way

 

[Barty_Tennisfan]

I wonder if Mertens is focusing on singles this year too or if she couldn't find a permanent partner (maybe waiting for Hsieh ? ) She is playing Abu Dhabi in singles but not the doubles which means AO would be her only tournament in doubles until at least mid February. Let's see about Doha & Dubai..

I think that she has a very nice pairing with Hunter. I hope they can go all the way

And ... they lost.
She has also not entered Dubai.

Australian Open - Grand Slam

QF Kostyuk UKR/Ruse ROU def. (4) Hunter AUS/Mertens BEL 7-6(6) 2-6 6-4

 

[Brαm]

Oh no Elise

 

[Emiel Goelen]

Sunderland - W60

R1 Magali Kempen BEL def. Maia Lumsden GBR 6-3 3-6 6-1

R2 (3) Despina Papamichail GRE vs. Magali Kempen BEL

 

[Samwei]

Orlando - W25

R1 Marie Benoit BEL def. Elvina Kalieva USA 3-6 6-3 6-4

R2 Marie Benoit BEL vs (6) Peyton Stearns USA

Not the best match from Marie but she was solid enough and Kalieva imploded.
She used to lose this kind of 3 setters on a regular basis so I see improvements
Her game is clearly not made for hardcourd IMO and yet her next tournament is the W25 Bath on Indoor Hardcourt while there was a W25 in Antalya on clay Well, at least she is trying to improve so kudos for that.

Stearns and Papamichail are very dangerous but I want her and Magali in TOP200, let's goooo

Can't we please have some bigger tournaments in Belgium like the mens do ? Statistically, the girls are way better.. Yanina and Marie won a title already.

 

[Amaranthe]

Well she did try to choke that third set. So it's a lucky escape for Marie. Next round will be really hard.

And even if I want to see more higher tournament for women (I want Koksijde to increase its level). I don't agree that they are "better".
Lately the men are having quite good result (Collignon did a huge increase in ranking last year, de Loore has 14 victories this month, Onclin won a title last week, even Bergs did well last year to be close to the top 100). So I think the men are gradually and quietly catching up the women (not to the point of having multiple belgian men in the top 100 though)

 

[Samwei]

Well she did try to choke that third set. So it's a lucky escape for Marie. Next round will be really hard.

And even if I want to see more higher tournament for women (I want Koksijde to increase its level). I don't agree that they are "better".
Lately the men are having quite good result (Collignon did a huge increase in ranking last year, de Loore has 14 victories this month, Onclin won a title last week, even Bergs did well last year to be close to the top 100). So I think the men are gradually and quietly catching up the women (not to the point of having multiple belgian men in the top 100 though)

You are right and I know about the mens, Onclin just beat Humbert at the BW Open, his best victory I believe so that event was a huge advantage for him. Obviously they have Bailly and maybe Blockx now as juniors too ? The thing is, we have a few girls in the TOP100, winning WTA titles for years now, some very decent juniors and ITF girls as well so I think that they deserve some bigger tournaments too and I would hope for a WTA125 at least.

Anyway, let's just enjoy that this year started very well for some of our belgians players so far