Archive of posts tagged DC

Venus Williams Bows To Bouzas Maneiro in Cincinnati Return

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By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, August 7, 2025
Photo credit: Cincinnati Open Facebook

Racing up to the floating ball at midcourt, Venus Williams whipped a forehand drive volley into the corner. 

The 45-year-old Williams showed flashes of vintage form in her Cincinnati return.

Across the net, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro sustained a higher level throughout toppling Williams 6-4, 6-4 in today’s Cincinnati Open opener.

AGA

The 22-year-old Spaniard delivered a four-game run at the end of the first set and won the final three games of the match in an 87-minute triumph.

It ended with fans—and Bouzas Maneiro herself—sending former No. 1 Williams off with a standing ovation after a solid performance.

Bouzas Maneiro moved on to a second-round clash vs. Washington, DC champion Leylah Fernandez. 

Meanwhile, Williams, who launched her comeback upsetting compatriot Peyton Stearns in Washington, DC, is 1-2 in her comeback and has shown enough quality to earn a US Open wild card if she wants one. 

The seven-time Grand Slam champion, who has a US Open mixed doubles wild card with good friend Reilly Opelka, is living proof tennis is truly a lifetime sport. It would be a fitting way for the USTA to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Williams maiden US Open title with a singles wild card—as well as an opportunity for Flushing Meadows fans to share the love with the four-time Olympic gold-medal champion.

Today, you may have expected Bouzas Maneiro to come out playing crosscourt corner to corner to challenge the veteran’s movement. Through the first six games she didn’t do that—instead opting to try to tie the long-limbed Williams up with deep drives down the middle. That tact helped Bouzas Maneiro fire out to a 4-1 lead as Williams struggled to support her second serve.

Williams won only 8 of 29 second-serve points as Bouzas Maneiro broke six times, but when the five-time Wimbledon winner made her first serve—especially on the deuce court—she was playing first-strike tennis. 

Contesting her 11th Cincinnati Open, Williams showed her strong will and a stinging slider serve staging a three-game rally to level at 4-all. 

All that good work dissipated when Williams sailed a backhand and Bouzas Maneiro earned her third break of the set for a 5-4 lead.

Still, Williams competed with deep desire. When the Spaniard tested the 45-year-old legend’s legs with a drop shot, Williams easily ran it down and swatted a forehand winner down the line for break point in the 10th game.

On the verge of breaking back, Williams’ rust showed. She netted three three forehands in the next four points. On Bouzas Maneiro’s second set point, Williams netted a backhand as the Spaniard sealed the 41-minute opening set. 

Bouzas Maneiro exploited a double fault breaking to start the second set and slid a serve down the T to go up 2-0. 

At that point, it looked like the match could slip away. Williams had other ideas breaking back in the fourth game to level 2-all. 

Though she lacks the fast first step and eye-popping closing speed of her prime, when Williams gets her body weight behind the ball she can still hammer deep drives. She showed that skill smacking a forehand drive down the line then catching a break when the Spaniard tapped an easy smash into net to break for 3-all. A Williams biting body serve helped her go up 4-3.

The Bouzas Maneiro forehand down the line was a weapon when she needed it most. The world No. 51 used that shot to help her hold for 4-all. A clean Bouzas Maneiro forehand return winner down the line sealed the crucial break for 5-4. 

Dropping to her knees, Aga Radwanska style, Bouzas Maneiro warded off a crackling return to open the 10th game. On her second match point, Bouzas Maneiro’s slider serve down the T closed Williams’ Cincinnati return a full 13 years after she reached the semifinals losing to Li Na.

Fourth Gear: Fernandez Crushes Kalinskaya for Fourth Title in Washington, DC

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By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, July 27, 2025
Photo credit: Mubadala Citi DC Open Facebook

Pushed into the doubles alley, Leylah Fernandez fired a forehand strike.

Even when she was operating from defensive positions, Fernandez conjured offensive magic.

In a brilliant performance, Fernandez crushed Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 to roll to her fourth career championship at the Mubadala Citi DC Open final today.

The 22-year-old Fernandez made history as the first Canadian to rule Washington, DC. Unleashing a 69-minute thrashing, Fernandez soared to the biggest title of her career—and first since she won 2023 Hong Kong.

“Wow. First of all I want to congratulate Anna and her team,” Fernandez said after winning her first WTA 500 championship. “You’re a tough opponent to play against so congratulations and hope for the best for the future. 

“Secondly, I want to thank the DC crowd, give yourself a round of applause. Thank you for being there all week. You guys have been amazing for cheering us on all week through the heat, the humidity the rain so thank you for being here all week.”

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Tennis Express player gear

Former world No. 13 Fernandez capped a spectacular week that saw her knock off Aussie talent Maya Joint, top-seeded and 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula, new WTA doubles No. 1 and home hero Taylor Townsend and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a grueling triple tiebreaker test in the height of the DC heat yesterday.

Fernandez posted four Top 50 wins this week in a stirring triumph that thrusts her back into the Top 25 at No. 24 in the Live Rankings.

World No. 48 Kalinskaya swept 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu yesterday, denying DC fans the prospect of a 2021 US Open final rematch.

The Russian, who had not surrendered a set en route to the final, looked overwhelmed playing for her maiden title today.

“I want to congratulate Leylah, an amazing fighter this week,” Kalinskaya said. “You truly deserve it. I’ll see you soon, maybe we’ll play each other next week you never know.”

Though Kalinskaya’s second serve is usually a sturdy shot, Fernandez won 10 of 12 points played on the Russian’s second serve and converted four of six break points today.

The left-handed Canadian cracked 16 winners, which is seven more than Kalinskaya hit.

Despite her draining three hour, 12-minute triumph over WTA ace leader Rybakina in sweltering heat yesterday, Fernandez exuded more energy and urgency from the opening point today.

Deadlocked after two games, Fernandez surged through five games in a row for a one-set lead.

Belting a backhand down the line brought Fernandez a third set point. Sprinting to her right, Fernandez flicked a drop shot winner to snatch a one-set lead.

Striking a rousing running forehand strike helped Fernandez stretch her lead to 6-1, 3-1.

Straddling the baseline, Fernandez attacked and blocked a forehand volley winner for two more break points.

Cracking a clean backhand return winner down the line, Fernandez stamped her fourth break of the match for a 4-1 second set lead.

Kalinskaya made a brief push going up love-30 in the next game, but Fernandez fired through four points in a row. Flashing a serve winner down the T, Fernandez threw a clenched fist to her father in the support box extending to 6-1, 5-1 after just 61 minutes of play.

On her third championship point, Fernandez closed on Kalinskaya’s 24th unforced error.