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Sam Stosur Pre Tournament: Apia International Sydney 2012
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Archive for September, 2011
Sam delivers
30 September 2011
To honour Sam Stosur’s triumphant 2011 US Open win, Australia Post has produced a souvenir stamp sheet in celebration. The souvenir stamp sheet features 10 x 60c Southern Cross stamps with Sam Stosur holding the US Open Cup on the stamp tab. Images of Stosur with her winner’s cup and scenes from the match feature on the border of the stamp sheet. The souvenir stamp sheet will retail for $15.95. If you would like to purchase this limited edition product, please visit Australia Post online. For any orders of 10 sheets or more, receive free postage and handling. The stamp sheet will be on sale from today, 30 September 2011, until stocks last.Sam ousted in Tokyo
28 September 2011
US Open Champion Samantha Stosur was knocked out of the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Tuesday, her first match since claiming her maiden Grand Slam title. The 27-year-old Stosur, playing her first match since her US Open final win over Serena Williams two weeks ago, fell victim to Maria Kirilenko of Russia 6-2 4-6 6-4 in the second round. "I had a very tough match in the US Open [against Stosur]. Especially in the second set, I had to play the longest tiebreak. I knew she is going to be a little bit different," said Kirilenko. "Every time you win a Grand Slam, it's tough to play next tournament and I had a feeling that I have a chance today. I just took this chance." Kirilenko, ranked 28th against Stosur's seventh, moved up a service break in the second set, but failed to keep the lead hitting a double fault on a break point to tie at 4-4 before losing the set. The Russian again lost a service break in the final set to be tied at 4-4, but broke back in the following game to lead 5-4 and made no mistake as the Australian's backhand shot landed in the net on her second match point. "I think I was playing really good today, especially in the first set. I was moving fast today from the beginning of the match to the end. I'm just happy with the way I played," said Kirilenko. Stosur admitted she struggled for consistency. "I think the difference was she stayed mentally very strong from the first point to the last point, while I was kind of up and down," she said.Greetings from Tokyo
27 September 2011
At my favourite sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Mr Mori is fifth generation in his family to own the restaurant. Best tamago ever!Toray Pan Pacific Open, Tokyo
25 September 2011
Date: 25 September-1 October
Venue: Tokyo
Surface: hard (outdoors)
Visit the official website
Follow the live scores
Singles No.10 seed
| Rd | Opponent | Result | W/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1r | Bye | ||
| 2r | M Kirilenko | 6-2 4-6 6-4 | L |
Sam arrives in Tokyo
25 September 2011
US Open champion Samantha Stosur said her win in New York offered no guarantees of success as she gears up to face a high-quality field in Japan's Pan Pacific Open starting on Sunday. The 27-year-old beat Serena Williams earlier this month to become the first Australian woman to win a Grand Slam title since 1980. But Stosur, ranked number seven in the world, faces a stiff challenge in Japan with seven of the world's top 10 players - including the top four - in the draw for the $2.05 million tournament in Tokyo. "This week is a new week. You win a week before and there are no guarantees for the next week," Stosur said. "So I have to get back on the practice court and keep training hard and being fully prepared for the first round," she said. Denmark's world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, who lost to Williams in the US Open semifinals, will be aiming to defend the title she won last year, which helped her reach the top ranking. Crowd favourite Maria Sharapova, who won the title two years ago and was also champion in 2005, returns as the No.2 seed after a fine season where she's reached her highest ranking since returning from shoulder surgery in 2009. The Russian will be keen to banish memories of her disappointing first-round defeat to veteran home favourite and 1995 champion Kimiko Date-Krumm last year. The tournament also features world numbers three and four, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Russia's Vera Zvonareva, as well as Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. It comes just over six months after Japan was hit by an earthquake and tsunami that devastated large areas of the northeast, leaving almost 20,000 dead or missing and sparking the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl. A number of sporting events were cancelled after the triple calamity but Zvonareva said the players were happy to play in Japan. "I think this year is special for everybody. I think everyone had doubts about the tournament happening when the terrible disaster happened," she said. "I think we are all happy that we have been able to come here and play here and actually have this event. Of course, as usual, I will try my best like I always do."Stosur signs up for Charleston
22 September 2011
US Open 2012 champion Sam Stosur has announced that she will play the 2012 Family Circle Cup. The world No.7 is the first player to commit to the 2012 event and will be a part of the tournament's 40th year celebrations. Stosur won her second WTA career title at Charleston in 2010 and was a doubles champion there in 2006 with Lisa Raymond. “I’m very excited to add the Family Circle Cup to my 2012 schedule. I’ve had so much fun there, and winning in Charleston is one of the highlights of my career,” said Stosur. “It will be an honor to compete at this event as this historic tournament celebrates their 40th year in women’s tennis.” This will be Stosur's sixth visit to Charleston, where she has a 7-4 career singles record and has set the event’s mark for the fastest championship victory on record by defeating Vera Zvonareva 6-0 6-3 in just 52 minutes in 2010. Tournament Manager Eleanor Adams said she was thrilled that Stosur has committed to the Family Circle Cup. "We congratulate Sam on her US Open championship, and we’re very excited to welcome her back to Charleston,” said Adams. “She has solidified herself as a top 10 player and a true force in the WTA, so we couldn’t be happier that she will continue to thrill our fans in Charleston.” Stosur's next tournament will be the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, which begins 25 September.Stosur’s happy homecoming
20 September 2011
A huge crowd today welcomed Sam Stosur back home to the Gold Coast as she was awarded the keys to the city following her US Open triumph. Arriving in an off-white 1965 Cadillac, Stosur was swamped by fans offering their congratulations for her breakthrough win. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Gold Coast City Mayor Ron Clarke were on hand to welcome Stosur along with world champion hurdler Sally Pearson. Bligh also revealed to the crowd Stosur would begin her 2012 season at January’s Brisbane International. Stosur was delighted and overwhelmed by the turnout at Broadwater Parklands, spending an hour on-stage, signing autographs, posing for photos and completing media interviews. With her parents Tony & Dianne and brother Daniel amongst the crowd, Stosur said it was a huge thrill to be honoured in her hometown and was already eyeing off further success. “Once you achieve something like this you want to be able to do it repeatedly and, having done it once, that self belief and knowing it is possible to do it is there,” Stosur said. “I know I will have the rest of Australia behind me which is good.” Stosur will spend two more days on the Gold Coast before departing for Tokyo on Wednesday.Sam to start 2012 in Brisbane
19 September 2011
US Open singles champion Sam Stosur confirmed today that she will start her tennis year in her hometown tournament, the Brisbane International. The world No.7, who is currently enjoying a quick post-US Open break at home on the Gold Coast, said she was looking forward to starting her Australian summer campaign in Queensland. “It is a very exciting time for me and it is great to be able to come home and share what has been a huge achievement with my family and friends in Queensland,” Stosur said. “I don’t get the chance to get home often so to have this time is very special. It also seemed to be the perfect time to confirm that I would be back again in January to play at the Brisbane International. “It is my home State and home tournament and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the tennis year. “I have always enjoyed playing at the Brisbane International. It has great facilities, a fantastic atmosphere and a Queensland crowd who really love their sport and support me year round. “I am looking forward to the event and cannot wait to see the new facilities following the floods last year. From what I have heard the facilities will be even better. “Hopefully I can bring my best US Open form to the event and be in with a chance to win my first Brisbane International title in 2012.” Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said: “We are thrilled that Sam has committed to playing the Brisbane International again. As the hometown girl and Australia’s No.1 ranked player, Sam’s commitment is yet another endorsement of the event, which just gets bigger and better each year. “Australians were in awe of Sam’s performance at the US Open last week and we know the people of Queensland will get right behind our latest grand slam champion in January. “Winning a Grand Slam is not easy. We are thrilled that the first two girls to confirm their attendance at the Brisbane International are Grand Slam champions”. Premier Anna Bligh said "today's confirmation that Sam Stosur will be coming to play at Queensland's premier tennis event off the back of her US Grand Slam victory is fantastic news for local fans who will get the chance to see their home grown sporting hero in action.” “The Queensland Government, through Events Queensland, has recently invested in upgrading the women's tournament which will draw the world's best to this year's event. And having a bigger, better tournament just a year after the floods impacted the area says a lot about Queensland's fighting spirit on and off the court." Sport Minister Phil Reeves said the Brisbane International gets bigger and better each year. "It's events like these that are great for jobs, great for tourism, and a smashing success for the economy," Mr Reeves said. "The addition of Sam to the 2012 line up reinforces our reputation as the Champions State and the Events State as well." Stosur is currently ranked No.7 in the world after impressive performances at the US Open, Cincinnati, Toronto, Eastbourne and Rome in 2011. She is the first Australian in t10 years to win the US Open after Lleyton Hewitt’s US title in 2001. She is also the first Australian Grand Slam female champion since Evonne Goolagong Crawley in 1980 and the first female to make it to singles final at Roland Garros since Wendy Turbull in 1979. The Queenslander has defeated top players Serena Williams, Vera Zvonareva, Li Na and Francesca Schiavone in 2011 and reached a career high ranking of No.4 in February. Stosur has claimed singles titles at the 2010 Family Circle Cup, Charleston, USA and 2009 HP Open International, Osaka, Japan and is a former world No.1 in doubles with two grand slam doubles titles at the US Open and Roland Garros and two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. She has represented Australia in tennis at the Olympics in 2004 and 2008 and has been a member of the Australian Fed Cup team since 2003. Stosur will be joined by Maria Sharapova and Bernard Tomic who have already been announced for the 2012 event. The Brisbane International commenced in 2009 with world-class talent including Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Robin Soderling, Kim Clijsters, Ana Ivanovic and Justine Henin competing over the past three years. Prize money for this combined ATP/WTA tour event will increase to USD$1.1million in 2012, a 63 per cent increase, then to USD$1.55 million in 2013. Brisbane International 2012 series packages go on sale on 5 October with single sessions available from 12 October. Brisbane International 2012, presented by Events Queensland, will take place at the Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane, from 1 to 8 January 2012.Sam’s lucky charm
17 September 2011
Months of preparation by her coach helped an out-of-sorts Sam Stosur storm into the US Open final. But Stosur revealed on Saturday a last minute "lucky charm" from mentor David Taylor was the surprise inspiration behind her breakthrough grand slam win in New York. Together for almost four years, Stosur thought she knew everything about Taylor. But the man who had become more of a friend than a coach produced something unexpected on the drive to a daunting US Open final showdown with 13-time grand slam champion Serena Williams. "He spoke about the match but then he gave me a good luck charm which he never, ever does - he gave me a little yellow New York taxi toy car," Stosur said after arriving in Brisbane on Saturday. "He had written something on it - 'I play like I must'. "That's one phrase he always tries to repeat to me. "It means in pressure moments, you have to play like you must, not how you feel. "I took it (toy car) in my bag during the match - I might put it with the replica (US Open) trophy when I finally get it." Taylor always had Stosur's back - but the unexpected gift seemed to ram home the faith he had in a charge who had taken longer than expected to regroup from an upset 2010 French Open final loss to Italy's Francesca Schiavone. Despite becoming the first Australian woman to win a grand slam in 31 years, Stosur was unsure whether she would travel with her new lucky charm even with the Australian Open in sight. "I don't know if I will carry it around with me or leave it for that special day that we had - I will definitely keep it forever," she told AAP. Not that Stosur doesn't have big plans for the 2012 Australian Open. Indeed, as much as Stosur cherished her US Open breakthrough, the Gold Coast product believed an Australian Open triumph would top it all. "Winning a grand slam is unbelievable but, if it was ever to be an Australian Open, that would be something else," she said. "It is probably the most special grand slam I could possibly win so, if that does happen, that would make the top of my career. "Hopefully, I can ride this wave of confidence and belief into January. "The first grand slam for anyone is very special - but to be Australian and win the Australian Open would be massive. That's the next dream." Of the Australian Open expectation, Stosur said: "It is different going into the Aussie Open compared to the others - there has been a bit of expectation in previous years but next year it will be much bigger than it ever has been. "Hopefully, I can handle that - I think all these experiences will allow me to handle it as best I can. "Not too many win a grand slam in their home country - there's probably a reason for that. "But I would love to break that mould." Buzzing from congratulatory texts and emails from Aussie tennis greats Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Margaret Court Smith, Stosur will "have a bit of a party" with family and friends before preparing for this month's Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.Welcome home, Sam!
17 September 2011
Sam Stosur was welcomed home by family and the media following her US Open win. Take a look at her homecoming.[gallery order="DESC" columns="4"]Site Information
- Tennis Australia
- tennis.com.au
- Australian Open
- Australian Open Series
- Brisbane International
- Medibank International
- Hobart International
- Player sites
- Jelena Dokic
- Casey Dellacqua
- Bernard Tomic