2006 WTA Tour
Details | |
---|---|
Duration | January 2 - November 6 |
Edition | 36th |
Tournaments | 61 |
Categories | Grand Slam (4) WTA Championships WTA Tier I (10) WTA Tier II (15) WTA Tier III (17) WTA Tier IV (14) |
Achievements (singles) | |
Most tournament titles | Justine Henin (6) |
Most tournament finals | Justine Henin (9) |
Prize money leader | Justine Henin (US$4,204,810) |
Points leader | Justine Henin (3,998) |
Awards | |
Player of the year | Amélie Mauresmo |
Doubles Team of the year | Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur |
Most improved player of the year | Jelena Janković |
Newcomer of the year | Agnieszka Radwańska |
Comeback player of the year | Martina Hingis |
← 2005 2007 → |
The 2006 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour was the 36th season since the founding of the Women's Tennis Association. It commenced on January 2, 2006, and concluded on November 12, 2006 after 61 events.
Justine Henin-Hardenne came out as the winner in a historic three-way battle for the No. 1 ranking at the season-ending WTA Tour Championships, beating out Sharapova and Mauresmo. The Belgian successfully defended her French Open title for her fifth Grand Slam title, and became the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1993 to reach the finals of all four Grand Slams and the WTA Tour Championships. Maria Sharapova won her second Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open, to add to her Wimbledon trophy from 2004. Amélie Mauresmo won her maiden Grand Slam at the Australian Open after a controversial retirement from Henin-Hardenne in the final. However, she later backed it up by winning a rematch with Henin-Hardenne in the Wimbledon final. She was the number one player in the world from March until the final event of the season.
Martina Hingis also made a successful return to the Tour, beginning her comeback at the Gold Coast event in January. She finished the season at No. 6 in the world and won the Tier I title at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome.
Summary[]
Shortly before the beginning of the season former No. 1 Martina Hingis announced that she would return full-time to the tour for the start of the 2006 season, having already made an unsuccessful comeback attempt at an event in 2005.
Amélie Mauresmo won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open after years of questions about her nerves and mental strength. However, her victory was marred by Henin-Hardenne's controversial retirement in the final due to stomach cramps. Defending champion Serena Williams lost in the third round to Daniela Hantuchová, with some commenting on the "extra weight" that she was carrying.[1] The loss was the beginning of a season of injury struggles for the American, which saw her at one point drop out of the top 100. In the doubles tournament, Yan Zi and Zheng Jie produced a historic win for Chinese tennis by becoming the first players to win a Grand Slam of any kind for the nation.[2] Martina Hingis won her first mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi.
Following the Australian Open Kim Clijsters ascended to the No. 1 position after Lindsay Davenport lost her finalist points. She held it until March when she lost her Indian Wells champion points, allowing Mauresmo to return to the position. The Frenchwoman held it until the final event of the season. Mauresmo had continued her strong start to the season with titles in Paris and Antwerp. Elena Dementieva won her biggest career title to that point in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Henin-Hardenne and Nadia Petrova won the Middle Eastern events in Dubai and Doha.
Maria Sharapova picked up her first title of the season in Indian Wells, beating Dementieva in the final. Svetlana Kuznetsova then won in Miami, her first Tier I title and second biggest overall, after a difficult 2005 season where she failed to back up her breakthrough in 2004 and dropped out the top 10.
The clay court season saw Hingis win in Rome for the biggest title of her comeback, but overall the period was dominated by Nadia Petrova, who went on an impressive 15-match winning streak, leading to titles in Amelia Island, Charleston and Berlin, beating Henin-Hardenne in the final of the latter. Her streak led to her being considered the favourite for the French Open title,[3] but she suffered an injury and thus bowed out in the first round. Henin-Hardenne eventually defended her title and won her fifth Grand Slam by beating Kuznetsova in the final. Czech teenager Nicole Vaidišová made headlines by reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal with victories over Amélie Mauresmo and Venus Williams. The doubles event was won by Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur, while Katarina Srebotnik took home the mixed doubles trophy with Nenad Zimonjić.
The third Grand Slam of the year at Wimbledon saw all top four seeds reach the semifinals for only the fifth time in 25 years.[4] Mauresmo and Henin advanced to the final, a rematch of their Australian Open final earlier in the season, with Mauresmo triumphant once more, becoming the first Frenchwoman in 81 years to win Wimbledon.[5] Defending champion Venus Williams fell to Jelena Janković, making this year the first since 1999 neither Williams sister featured in the Wimbledon women's singles final. Williams did however make the mixed doubles final, losing to Vera Zvonareva who won her second Grand Slam in mixed doubles, partnering Bob Bryan. Yan Zi and Zheng Jie also won their second Grand Slam titles in the women's doubles event.
Serena Williams, Mary Pierce, Lindsay Davenport and Nadia Petrova all returned from injuries during the summer hardcourt season. Clijsters won her fourth Stanford title, before losing to Sharapova in the final of San Diego—the Russian's first ever victory over Clijsters.[6] Dementieva won the title in Los Angeles, beating Janković in the final. Janković's compatriot Ana Ivanovic went one further the next week in Montréal, and by winning the event over Hingis she became the U.S. Open Series champion for that year.[7] Sharapova eventually picked up the grand prize, taking the U.S. Open title over Henin-Hardenne in the final. Janković backed up her strong result in Los Angeles with her first Grand Slam semifinal. In the doubles tournament Nathalie Dechy and Vera Zvonareva won the title in only their fourth tournament as a team.[8] Tennis legend Martina Navratilova won the mixed doubles title and then announced her retirement from professional tennis.[9]
Sharapova continued her strong results following her U.S. Open title in the fall season, winning events in Zurich and Linz. Nadia Petrova won her fifth title of the season in Stuttgart, but lost to the Russian teenager Anna Chakvetadze in the Moscow final. Kuznetsova also enjoyed a successful fall, winning titles in Bali and Beijing, beating Mauresmo in the final of the latter.[10] Kim Clijsters returned at the end of the season, having missed her title defence at the U.S. Open,[11] and won the smaller event in Hasselt.
The season climaxed at the WTA Tour Championships with Mauresmo, Sharapova, Henin-Hardenne, Kuznetsova, Petrova, Clijsters, Dementieva and Hingis all qualifying for the event. The tournament saw a three-way battle for the No. 1 position between Mauresmo, Sharapova and Henin-Hardenne,[12] which was eventually decided when Henin-Hardenne beat Sharapova in the semifinal.[13] The Belgian went on to defeat Mauresmo in the final. In the doubles event French Open champions Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur triumphed, consolidating their position as the year-end No. 1 in women's doubles.
Schedule[]
The table below shows the 2006 WTA Tour schedule.[14]
Key[]
Grand Slam events |
Year-end championships |
Tier I events |
Tier II events |
Tier III events |
Tier IV events |
Team events |
January[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 Jan | Hopman Cup Perth, Australia Hopman Cup Hard (i) – 8 teams (RR) |
United States 2–1 |
Netherlands | Round Robin losers (Group A) Serbia and MontenegroSweden Russia |
Round Robin losers (Group B) AustraliaArgentina Germany |
MAW Hardcourts Gold Coast, Australia Tier III event $175,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Lucie Šafářová 6–3, 6–4 |
Flavia Pennetta | Dinara Safina Martina Hingis |
Patty Schnyder Anabel Medina Garrigues Tatiana Golovin Nuria Llagostera Vives | |
Dinara Safina Meghann Shaughnessy 6–2, 6–3 |
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs | ||||
ASB Classic Auckland, New Zealand Tier IV event $145,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Marion Bartoli 6–2, 6–2 |
Vera Zvonareva | Nadia Petrova Daniela Hantuchová |
Kristina Brandi Julia Schruff Maria Kirilenko Tzipora Obziler | |
Elena Likhovtseva Vera Zvonareva 6–3, 6–4 |
Émilie Loit Barbora Strýcová | ||||
9 Jan | Medibank International Sydney, Australia Tier II event $600,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Justine Henin-Hardenne 4–6, 7–5, 7–5 |
Francesca Schiavone | Nicole Vaidišová Svetlana Kuznetsova |
Kim Clijsters Daniela Hantuchová Nadia Petrova Ana Ivanovic |
Corina Morariu Rennae Stubbs 6–3, 5–7, 6–2 |
Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez | ||||
Richard Luton Properties International Canberra, Australia Tier IV event $145,000 - Hard - 32S/30Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Anabel Medina Garrigues 6–4, 0–6, 6–4 |
Cho Yoon-jeong | Shahar Pe'er Catalina Castaño |
Ekaterina Bychkova Aiko Nakamura Julia Schruff Melinda Czink | |
Marta Domachowska Roberta Vinci 7–6(7–5), 6–3 |
Claire Curran Līga Dekmeijere | ||||
Moorilla Hobart International Hobart, Australia Tier IV event $145,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Michaëlla Krajicek 6–2, 6–1 |
Iveta Benešová | Jelena Kostanić Mara Santangelo |
Alona Bondarenko Laura Granville Amy Frazier Jill Craybas | |
Émilie Loit Nicole Pratt 6–2, 6–1 |
Jill Craybas Jelena Kostanić | ||||
16 Jan 23 Jan |
Australian Open Melbourne, Australia Grand Slam $6,137,580 - Hard - 128S/96Q/64D/32X Singles - Doubles - Mixed Doubles |
Amélie Mauresmo 6–1, 2–0 ret. |
Justine Henin-Hardenne | Maria Sharapova Kim Clijsters |
Lindsay Davenport Nadia Petrova Patty Schnyder Martina Hingis |
Yan Zi Zheng Jie 2–6,7–6(9–7), 6–3 |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur | ||||
Mahesh Bhupathi Martina Hingis 6–3, 6–3 |
Daniel Nestor Elena Likhovtseva | ||||
30 Jan | Toray Pan Pacific Open Tokyo, Japan Tier I event $1,340,000 - Carpet (i) - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Elena Dementieva 6–2, 6–0 |
Martina Hingis | Maria Sharapova Anastasia Myskina |
Samantha Stosur Maria Kirilenko Elena Likhovtseva Nicole Vaidišová |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 6–2, 6–1 |
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs |
February[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Feb | Open Gaz de France Paris, France Tier II event $600,000 - Hard (i) - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Amélie Mauresmo 6–1,7–6(7–2) |
Mary Pierce | Tatiana Golovin Patty Schnyder |
Dinara Safina Nadia Petrova Elena Dementieva Émilie Loit |
Émilie Loit Květa Peschke 7–6(7–5), 6–4 |
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs | ||||
Pattaya Women's Open Pattaya, Thailand Tier IV event $170,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Shahar Pe'er 6–3, 6–1 |
Jelena Kostanić | Sybille Bammer Nuria Llagostera Vives |
Melinda Czink Lourdes Domínguez Lino Catalina Castaño Emma Laine | |
Li Ting Sun Tiantian 3–6, 6–1,7–6(7–5) |
Yan Zi Zheng Jie | ||||
13 Feb | Proximus Diamond Games Antwerp, Belgium Tier II event $600,000 - Hard (i) - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Amélie Mauresmo 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
Kim Clijsters | Elena Dementieva Nadia Petrova |
Dinara Safina Eleni Daniilidou Olga Savchuk Patty Schnyder |
Dinara Safina Katarina Srebotnik 6–1, 6–1 |
Stéphanie Foretz Michaëlla Krajicek | ||||
Sony Ericsson Bangalore Open Bangalore, India Tier III event $175,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Mara Santangelo 3–6,7–6(7–5), 6–3 |
Jelena Kostanić | Vania King Melinda Czink |
Camille Pin Yuliana Fedak Alona Bondarenko Maria Elena Camerin | |
Liezel Huber Sania Mirza 6–3, 6–3 |
Anastasia Rodionova Elena Vesnina | ||||
20 Feb | Dubai Duty Free Women's Open Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tier II event $1,000,000 - Hard - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Justine Henin-Hardenne 7–5, 6–2 |
Maria Sharapova | Svetlana Kuznetsova Lindsay Davenport |
Amélie Mauresmo Francesca Schiavone Martina Hingis Maria Kirilenko |
Květa Peschke Francesca Schiavone 3–6,7–6(7–1), 6–3 |
Svetlana Kuznetsova Nadia Petrova | ||||
Cellular South Cup Memphis, United States Tier III event $175,000 - Hard (i) - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Sofia Arvidsson 6–2, 2–6, 6–3 |
Marta Domachowska | Jill Craybas Amy Frazier |
Lilia Osterloh Laura Granville Caroline Wozniacki Shenay Perry | |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 7–6(7–2), 6–3 |
Victoria Azarenka Caroline Wozniacki | ||||
Copa Colsanitas Seguros Bolívar Bogotá, Colombia Tier III event $175,000 - Clay - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Lourdes Domínguez Lino 7–6(7–3), 6–4 |
Flavia Pennetta | María Sánchez Lorenzo Ľudmila Cervanová |
Bethanie Mattek Catalina Castaño Émilie Loit Gisela Dulko | |
Gisela Dulko Flavia Pennetta 7–6(7–1), 6–1 |
Ágnes Szávay Jasmin Wöhr | ||||
27 Feb | Qatar Ladies Open Doha, Qatar Tier II event $600,000 - Hard - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Nadia Petrova 6–3, 7–5 |
Amélie Mauresmo | Martina Hingis Ai Sugiyama |
Roberta Vinci Svetlana Kuznetsova Julia Schruff Li Na |
Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama 6–4, 6–4 |
Li Ting Sun Tiantian | ||||
Abierto Mexicano Telcel Acapulco, Mexico Tier III event $180,000 - Clay - 32S/26Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Anna-Lena Grönefeld 6–1, 4–6, 6–2 |
Flavia Pennetta | Maret Ani Émilie Loit |
María José Martínez Laura Pous Tió Natalia Gussoni Meghann Shaughnessy | |
Anna-Lena Grönefeld Meghann Shaughnessy 6–1, 6–3 |
Shinobu Asagoe Émilie Loit |
March[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Mar 13 Mar |
Pacific Life Open Indian Wells, United States Tier I event $2,100,000 - Hard - 96S/48Q/32D Singles - Doubles |
Maria Sharapova 6–1, 6–2 |
Elena Dementieva | Justine Henin-Hardenne Martina Hingis |
Gisela Dulko Ana Ivanovic Anna-Lena Grönefeld Dinara Safina |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 6–2, 7–5 |
Virginia Ruano Pascual Meghann Shaughnessy | ||||
20 Mar 27 Mar |
NASDAQ-100 Open Key Biscayne, United States Tier I event $3,450,000 - Hard - 96S/48Q/32D Singles - Doubles |
Svetlana Kuznetsova 6–4, 6–3 |
Maria Sharapova | Amélie Mauresmo Tatiana Golovin |
Nadia Petrova Ai Sugiyama Anastasia Myskina Zheng Jie |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 6–4, 7–5 |
Liezel Huber Martina Navratilova |
April[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 Apr | Bausch & Lomb Championships Amelia Island, United States Tier II event $600,000 - Clay (Green) - 56S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Nadia Petrova 6–4, 6–4 |
Francesca Schiavone | Lucie Šafářová Svetlana Kuznetsova |
Virginia Ruano Pascual Jill Craybas Anna-Lena Grönefeld Patty Schnyder |
Shinobu Asagoe Katarina Srebotnik 6–2, 6–4 |
Liezel Huber Sania Mirza | ||||
10 Apr | Family Circle Cup Charleston, United States Tier I event $1,340,000 - Clay (Green) - 56S/32Q/28D Singles - Doubles |
Nadia Petrova 6–3, 4–6, 6–1 |
Patty Schnyder | Justine Henin-Hardenne Anna-Lena Grönefeld |
Dinara Safina Nathalie Dechy Svetlana Kuznetsova Catalina Castaño |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 3–6, 6–1, 6–1 |
Virginia Ruano Pascual Meghann Shaughnessy | ||||
17 Apr | Fed Cup: Quarterfinals Liège, Belgium, Hard (i) Ettenheim, Germany, Clay Valencia, Spain, Clay Nancy, France, Clay (i) |
Quarterfinal winners Belgium 3–2 United States 3–2 Spain 5–0 Italy 4–1 |
Quarterfinal losers Russia Germany Austria France |
May[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 May | J&S Cup Warsaw, Poland Tier II event $600,000 - Clay - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Kim Clijsters 7–5, 6–2 |
Svetlana Kuznetsova | Elena Dementieva Anna Chakvetadze |
Francesca Schiavone Agnieszka Radwańska Venus Williams Ana Ivanovic |
Elena Likhovtseva Anastasia Myskina 6–3, 6–4 |
Anabel Medina Garrigues Katarina Srebotnik | ||||
Estoril Open Oeiras, Portugal Tier IV event $145,000 - Clay - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Zheng Jie 6–7(5–7), 7–5 ret. |
Li Na | Flavia Pennetta Émilie Loit |
Eleni Daniilidou Zuzana Ondrášková Lourdes Domínguez Lino Gisela Dulko | |
Li Ting Sun Tiantian 6–2, 6–2 |
Gisela Dulko María Sánchez Lorenzo | ||||
8 May | Qatar Telecom German Open Berlin, Germany Tier I event $1,340,000 - Clay - 56S/32Q/28D Singles - Doubles |
Nadia Petrova 4–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
Justine Henin-Hardenne | Amélie Mauresmo Li Na |
Martina Hingis Svetlana Kuznetsova Patty Schnyder Dinara Safina |
Yan Zi Zheng Jie 6–2, 6–3 |
Elena Dementieva Flavia Pennetta | ||||
ECM Prague Open Prague, Czech Republic Tier IV event $145,000 - Clay - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Shahar Pe'er 4–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
Samantha Stosur | Kaia Kanepi Peng Shuai |
Maria Elena Camerin Alona Bondarenko Émilie Loit Magdaléna Rybáriková | |
Marion Bartoli Shahar Pe'er 6–4, 6–4 |
Ashley Harkleroad Bethanie Mattek | ||||
15 May | Telecom Italia Masters Rome, Italy Tier I event $1,340,000 - Clay - 56S/32Q/28D Singles - Doubles |
Martina Hingis 6–2, 7–5 |
Dinara Safina | Venus Williams Svetlana Kuznetsova |
Flavia Pennetta Jelena Janković Romina Oprandi Elena Dementieva |
Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama 3–6, 6–3, 6–1 |
Květa Peschke Francesca Schiavone | ||||
GP de SAR La Princess Lalla Meryem Rabat, Morocco Tier IV event $145,000 - Clay - 32S/26Q/14D Singles - Doubles |
Meghann Shaughnessy 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |
Martina Suchá | Yan Zi Alona Bondarenko |
Melinda Czink Émilie Loit Hana Šromová Anne Kremer | |
Yan Zi Zheng Jie 6–1, 6–3 |
Ashley Harkleroad Bethanie Mattek | ||||
22 May | İstanbul Cup Istanbul, Turkey Tier III event $200,000 - Clay - 30S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Shahar Pe'er 1–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–3) |
Anastasia Myskina | Michaëlla Krajicek Anna-Lena Grönefeld |
Catalina Castaño Anastasiya Yakimova Mara Santangelo Karolina Šprem |
Alona Bondarenko Anastasiya Yakimova 6–2, 6–4 |
Sania Mirza Alicia Molik | ||||
Internationaux de Strasbourg Strasbourg, France Tier III event $175,000 - Clay - 30S/30Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Nicole Vaidišová 7–6(9–7), 6–3 |
Peng Shuai | Jelena Janković Anabel Medina Garrigues |
Martina Müller Elena Vesnina Li Na Zheng Jie | |
Liezel Huber Martina Navratilova 6–2,7–6(7–1) |
Martina Müller Andreea Ehritt-Vanc | ||||
29 May 5 Jun |
French Open Paris, France Grand Slam $6,747,626 - Clay - 128S/96Q/64D/32X Singles - Doubles - Mixed Doubles |
Justine Henin-Hardenne 6–4, 6–4 |
Svetlana Kuznetsova | Nicole Vaidišová Kim Clijsters |
Venus Williams Dinara Safina Anna-Lena Grönefeld Martina Hingis |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 6–3, 6–2 |
Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama | ||||
Nenad Zimonjić Katarina Srebotnik 6–3, 6–4 |
Daniel Nestor Elena Likhovtseva |
June[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 Jun | DFS Classic Birmingham, Great Britain Tier III event $200,000 - Grass - 56S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Vera Zvonareva 7–6(14–12), 7–6(7–5) |
Jamea Jackson | Maria Sharapova Meilen Tu |
Mara Santangelo Elena Likhovtseva Marion Bartoli Francesca Schiavone |
Jelena Janković Li Na 6–2, 6–4 |
Jill Craybas Liezel Huber | ||||
19 Jun | Hastings Direct Int'l Championships Eastbourne, Great Britain Tier II event $600,000 - Grass - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Justine Henin-Hardenne 4–6, 6–1, 7–6(7–5) |
Anastasia Myskina | Svetlana Kuznetsova Kim Clijsters |
Nathalie Dechy Anna-Lena Grönefeld Elena Likhovtseva Francesca Schiavone |
Svetlana Kuznetsova Amélie Mauresmo 6–2, 6–4 |
Liezel Huber Martina Navratilova | ||||
Ordina Open 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands Tier III event $175,000 - Grass - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Michaëlla Krajicek 6–3, 6–4 |
Dinara Safina | Elena Dementieva Eleni Daniilidou |
Ana Ivanovic Jelena Janković Paola Suárez Brenda Schultz-McCarthy | |
Yan Zi Zheng Jie 3–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
Ana Ivanovic Maria Kirilenko | ||||
26 Jun 3 Jul |
Wimbledon Championships London, Great Britain Grand Slam $6,743,737 - Grass - 128S/96Q/64D/32X Singles - Doubles - Mixed Doubles |
Amélie Mauresmo 2–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Justine Henin-Hardenne | Maria Sharapova Kim Clijsters |
Anastasia Myskina Elena Dementieva Séverine Brémond Li Na |
Yan Zi Zheng Jie 6–3, 3–6, 6–2 |
Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez | ||||
Andy Ram Vera Zvonareva 6–3, 6–2 |
Bob Bryan Venus Williams |
July[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Jul | Fed Cup: Semifinals Ostend, Belgium, Hard (i) Zaragoza, Spain, Clay |
Semifinal winners Belgium 4–1 Italy 4–0 |
Semifinal losers United States Spain |
||
17 Jul | W&S Financial Group Women's Open Mason, United States Tier III event $175,000 - Hard - 32S/16Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Vera Zvonareva 6–2, 6–4 |
Katarina Srebotnik | Patty Schnyder Serena Williams |
Sania Mirza Marion Bartoli Jelena Janković Amy Frazier |
Maria Elena Camerin Gisela Dulko 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
Marta Domachowska Sania Mirza | ||||
Internazionali Femminili di Palermo Palermo, Italy Tier IV event $145,000 - Clay - 32S/26Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Anabel Medina Garrigues 6–4, 6–4 |
Tathiana Garbin | Roberta Vinci Lucie Šafářová |
Julia Schruff Aravane Rezaï María José Martínez Sánchez Karin Knapp | |
Janette Husárová Michaëlla Krajicek 6–0, 6–0 |
Alice Canepa Giulia Gabba | ||||
24 Jul | Bank of the West Classic Stanford, United States Tier II event $600,000 - Hard - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Kim Clijsters 6–4, 6–2 |
Patty Schnyder | Nicole Vaidišová Tatiana Golovin |
Vera Zvonareva Samantha Stosur Anna-Lena Grönefeld Jill Craybas |
Anna-Lena Grönefeld Shahar Pe'er 6–1, 6–4 |
Maria Elena Camerin Gisela Dulko | ||||
Budapest Grand Prix Budapest, Hungary Tier IV event $145,000 - Clay - 32S/27Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Anna Smashnova 6–1, 6–3 |
Lourdes Domínguez Lino | Martina Müller Michaëlla Krajicek |
Catalina Castaño Eva Birnerová Romina Oprandi Sara Errani | |
Janette Husárová Michaëlla Krajicek 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
Lucie Hradecká Renata Voráčová | ||||
31 Jul | Acura Classic San Diego, United States Tier I event $1,340,000 - Hard - 56S/27Q/28D Singles - Doubles |
Maria Sharapova 7–5, 7–5 |
Kim Clijsters | Nicole Vaidišová Patty Schnyder |
Martina Hingis Anna Chakvetadze Elena Dementieva Mary Pierce |
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs 6–2, 6–2 |
Anna-Lena Grönefeld Meghann Shaughnessy |
August[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 Augt | JPMorgan Chase Open Carson, United States Tier II event $600,000 - Hard - 56S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Elena Dementieva 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
Jelena Janković | Maria Sharapova Serena Williams |
Dinara Safina Bethanie Mattek Ana Ivanovic Meghann Shaughnessy |
Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez 6–3, 6–4 |
Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama | ||||
Nordea Nordic Light Open Stockholm, Sweden Tier IV event $145,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Zheng Jie 6–4, 6–1 |
Anastasia Myskina | Sofia Arvidsson Tsvetana Pironkova |
Martina Suchá Eva Birnerová Caroline Wozniacki Li Na | |
Eva Birnerová Jarmila Gajdošová 0–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
Yan Zi Zheng Jie | ||||
14 Aug | Rogers Cup Montreal, Canada Tier I event $1,340,000 - Hard - 56S/48Q/28D Singles - Doubles |
Ana Ivanovic 6–2, 6–3 |
Martina Hingis | Dinara Safina Anna Chakvetadze |
Katarina Srebotnik Nicole Pratt Svetlana Kuznetsova Shahar Pe'er |
Martina Navratilova Nadia Petrova 6–1, 6–2 |
Cara Black Anna-Lena Grönefeld | ||||
21 Aug | Pilot Pen Tennis New Haven, United States Tier II event $600,000 - Hard - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Justine Henin-Hardenne 6–0, 1–0 ret. |
Lindsay Davenport | Samantha Stosur Svetlana Kuznetsova |
Amélie Mauresmo Marion Bartoli Elena Dementieva Mara Santangelo |
Yan Zi Zheng Jie 6–4, 6–2 |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur | ||||
Forest Hills Tennis Classic Forest Hills, United States Tier IV event $74,800 - Hard - 16S Singles |
Meghann Shaughnessy 1–6, 6–0, 6–4 |
Anna Smashnova | Lourdes Domínguez Lino Maria Elena Camerin |
Elena Vesnina Sania Mirza Martina Suchá Séverine Brémond | |
28 Aug 4 Sep |
U.S. Open New York City, United States Grand Slam $8,332,000 - Hard - 128S/96Q/64D/32X Singles - Doubles - Mixed Doubles |
Maria Sharapova 6–4, 6–4 |
Justine Henin-Hardenne | Amélie Mauresmo Jelena Janković |
Dinara Safina Tatiana Golovin Elena Dementieva Lindsay Davenport |
Nathalie Dechy Vera Zvonareva 7–6(7–5), 7–5 |
Dinara Safina Katarina Srebotnik | ||||
Bob Bryan Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–3 |
Martin Damm Květa Peschke |
September[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 Sep | Fed Cup: Final Charleroi, Belgium, Hard (i) Zaragoza, Spain, Clay |
Italy 3–2 |
Belgium | ||
Wismilak International Bali, Indonesia Tier III event $225,000 - Hard - 30S/11Q/13D Singles - Doubles |
Svetlana Kuznetsova 7–5, 6–2 |
Marion Bartoli | Lindsay Davenport Patty Schnyder |
Séverine Brémond Hana Šromová Olga Poutchkova Melinda Czink | |
Lindsay Davenport Corina Morariu 6–3, 6–4 |
Natalie Grandin Trudi Musgrave | ||||
18 Sep | China Open Beijing, China Tier II event $600,000 - Hard - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Svetlana Kuznetsova 6–4, 6–0 |
Amélie Mauresmo | Jelena Janković Peng Shuai |
Lindsay Davenport Nadia Petrova Ai Sugiyama Li Na |
Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez 6–2, 6–4 |
Anna Chakvetadze Elena Vesnina | ||||
Sunfeast Open Kolkata, India Tier III event $175,000 - Hard (i) - 32S/16Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Martina Hingis 6–0, 6–4 |
Olga Poutchkova | Sania Mirza Iroda Tulyaganova |
Tamarine Tanasugarn Aravane Rezaï Alberta Brianti Alla Kudryavtseva | |
Liezel Huber Sania Mirza 6–4, 6–0 |
Yulia Beygelzimer Yuliana Fedak | ||||
Banka Koper Slovenia Open Portorož, Slovenia Tier IV event $145,000 - Hard (i) - 32S/32Q/16D Singles Draw - Doubles Draw |
Tamira Paszek 7–5, 6–1 |
Maria Elena Camerin | Tathiana Garbin Émilie Loit |
Martina Suchá Martina Müller Andreja Klepač Jarmila Gajdošová | |
Lucie Hradecká Renata Voráčová Walkover |
Eva Birnerová Émilie Loit | ||||
25 Sep | Fortis Championships Luxembourg Kockelscheuer, Luxembourg Tier II event $600,000 - Hard (i) - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Alona Bondarenko 6–3, 6–2 |
Francesca Schiavone | Agnieszka Radwańska Květa Peschke |
Elena Dementieva Patty Schnyder Dinara Safina Nathalie Dechy |
Květa Peschke Francesca Schiavone 2–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
Anna-Lena Grönefeld Liezel Huber | ||||
Guangzhou International Guangzhou, China Tier III event $175,000 - Hard - 32S/16Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Anna Chakvetadze 6–1, 6–4 |
Anabel Medina Garrigues | Jelena Janković Tzipora Obziler |
Alicia Molik Olga Poutchkova Chen Yanchong Li Na | |
Li Na Sun Tiantian 6–4, 2–6, 7–5 |
Vania King Jelena Kostanić | ||||
Hansol Korea Open Tennis Championships Seoul, South Korea Tier IV event $145,000 - Hard - 32S/27Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Eleni Daniilidou 6–3, 2–6, 7–6(7–3) |
Ai Sugiyama | Virginia Ruano Pascual Marion Bartoli |
Sania Mirza Paola Suárez Akiko Morigami Vera Zvonareva | |
Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez 6–2, 6–3 |
Chuang Chia-jung Mariana Díaz Oliva |
October[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 Oct | Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart, Germany Tier II event $650,000 - Hard (i) - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Nadia Petrova 6–3,7–6(7–4) |
Tatiana Golovin | Patty Schnyder Svetlana Kuznetsova |
Michaëlla Krajicek Elena Dementieva Daniela Hantuchová Jelena Janković |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 6–3, 6–4 |
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs | ||||
Japan Open Tennis Championships Tokyo, Japan Tier III event $175,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Marion Bartoli 2–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
Aiko Nakamura | Camille Pin Chan Yung-jan |
Junri Namigata Youlia Fedossova Jamea Jackson Ai Sugiyama | |
Vania King Jelena Kostanić 7–6(7–2), 5–7, 6–2 |
Chan Yung-jan Chuang Chia-jung | ||||
Tashkent Open Tashkent, Uzbekistan Tier IV event $145,000 - Hard - 32S/16Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Sun Tiantian 6–2, 6–4 |
Iroda Tulyaganova | Victoria Azarenka Olga Poutchkova |
Maria Elena Camerin Anastasia Rodionova Sania Mirza Kateryna Bondarenko | |
Victoria Azarenka Tatiana Poutchek Walkover |
Maria Elena Camerin Emmanuelle Gagliardi | ||||
9 Oct | Kremlin Cup Moscow, Russia Tier I event $1,340,000 - Hard (i) - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Anna Chakvetadze 6–4, 6–4 |
Nadia Petrova | Nicole Vaidišová Elena Dementieva |
Amélie Mauresmo Vera Zvonareva Patty Schnyder Maria Sharapova |
Květa Peschke Francesca Schiavone 6–4,6–7(4–7), 6–1 |
Iveta Benešová Galina Voskoboeva | ||||
PTT Bangkok Open Bangkok, Thailand Tier III event $200,000 - Hard - 32S/32Q/16D Singles – Doubles |
Vania King 2–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
Tamarine Tanasugarn | Séverine Brémond Meghann Shaughnessy |
Sybille Bammer Eleni Daniilidou Jelena Kostanić Aiko Nakamura | |
Vania King Jelena Kostanić 7–5, 2–6, 7–5 |
Mariana Díaz Oliva Natalie Grandin | ||||
16 Oct | Zurich Open Zurich, Switzerland Tier I event $1,340,000 - Hard (i) - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Maria Sharapova 6–1, 4–6, 6–3 |
Daniela Hantuchová | Svetlana Kuznetsova Katarina Srebotnik |
Amélie Mauresmo Martina Hingis Maria Kirilenko Timea Bacsinszky |
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs 7–5, 7–5 |
Liezel Huber Katarina Srebotnik | ||||
23 Oct | Generali Ladies Linz Linz, Austria Tier II event $600,000 - Hard (i) - 28S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Maria Sharapova 7–5, 6–2 |
Nadia Petrova | Patty Schnyder Nicole Vaidišová |
Ana Ivanovic Vera Zvonareva Jelena Janković Samantha Stosur |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 6–3, 6–0 |
Corina Morariu Katarina Srebotnik | ||||
30 Oct | Bell Challenge Quebec City, Canada Tier III event $175,000 - Carpet (i) - 32S/32Q/16D Singles - Doubles |
Marion Bartoli 6–0, 6–0 |
Olga Poutchkova | Séverine Brémond Lilia Osterloh |
Jelena Janković Martina Suchá Aleksandra Wozniak Shenay Perry |
Laura Granville Carly Gullickson 6–3, 6–4 |
Jill Craybas Alina Jidkova | ||||
Gaz de France Stars Hasselt, Belgium Tier III event $175,000 - Hard (i) - 32S/32Q/16D Singles Draw - Doubles Draw |
Kim Clijsters 6–3, 3–6, 6–4 |
Kaia Kanepi | Vera Zvonareva Michaëlla Krajicek |
Sandra Klösel Aravane Rezaï Ana Ivanovic Francesca Schiavone | |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 6–2, 6–3 |
Eleni Daniilidou Jasmin Wöhr |
November[]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Nov | WTA Tour Championships Madrid, Spain Year-end Championship $3,000,000 - Hard - 8S (Round Robin)/4D Singles - Doubles |
Justine Henin-Hardenne 6–4, 6–3 |
Amélie Mauresmo | Kim Clijsters Maria Sharapova |
Martina Hingis Nadia Petrova Svetlana Kuznetsova Elena Dementieva |
Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs |
Calendar and other changes[]
- The French Open main draw began play on Sunday rather than the traditional Monday start, making it a 15-day tournament. Prize money between the men and women was also made equal for the first time.[15]
- Two new events were created: the Bangalore Open in Bangalore, India, replacing the previous event held in Hyderabad; and the Anda Open in Tel Aviv, Israel—later cancelled due to the 2006 Lebanon War.[16]
- The Advanta Championships was removed from the calendar.[16]
- The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix was moved from its previous home of Filderstadt to Stuttgart.
- The WTA Tour Championships were held in Madrid, Spain for the first time, having spent several years in Los Angeles. It stayed there for the 2007 season.
- The four Grand Slam tournaments and Miami were made into mandatory events, meaning all players that qualified by ranking had to play them or they received a "zero-pointer" on their ranking.
- Prize money of the standard Tiers was raised slightly: Tier I was now $40,000 higher, Tier II was $15,000 higher, and Tier III and IV both $5,000 higher.[16]
- The previous Tier V category was completely abolished.[16]
- Bonus points, where previously a player could receive extra points in addition to their round points depending on the ranking of the opponent they beat, were also abolished.[17]
- Also in 2006, the WTA began experimenting with on-court coaching, allowing players to call their coach onto the court for advice between sets. It was tested in five events during 2006, and continued in the 2007 season.[18]
- Electronic line calling, or "Hawk-Eye", was premiered during the season. The Sony Ericsson Open was the first event to utilise the new technology.[19] Later that year, the U.S. Open became the first Grand Slam to use it. It has since been used in every Grand Slam tournament except the French Open (the ball leaves a mark on the clay, therefore it is not thought to be necessary.)
Statistics[]
List of players and titles won, last name alphabetically:
- Justine Henin-Hardenne - Sydney, Dubai, French Open, Eastbourne, New Haven and WTA Tour Championships (6)
- Nadia Petrova - Doha, Amelia Island, Charleston, Berlin and Stuttgart (5)
- Maria Sharapova - Indian Wells, San Diego, U.S. Open, Zurich and Linz (5)
- Amélie Mauresmo - Australian Open, Paris, Antwerp and Wimbledon (4)
- Marion Bartoli - Auckland, Tokyo and Quebec City (3)
- Kim Clijsters - Warsaw, Stanford and Hasselt (3)
- Svetlana Kuznetsova - Miami, Bali and Beijing (3)
- Shahar Pe'er - Pattaya City, Prague and Istanbul (3)
- Anna Chakvetadze - Guangzhou and Moscow (2)
- Elena Dementieva - Tokyo and Los Angeles (2)
- Martina Hingis - Rome and Kolkata (2)
- Michaëlla Krajicek - Hobart and 's-Hertogenbosch (2)
- Anabel Medina Garrigues - Canberra and Palermo (2)
- Meghann Shaughnessy - Rabat and Forest Hills (2)
- Zheng Jie - Estoril and Stockholm (2)
- Vera Zvonareva - Birmingham and Cincinnati (2)
- Sofia Arvidsson - Memphis (1)
- Alona Bondarenko - Luxembourg (1)
- Eleni Daniilidou - Seoul (1)
- Lourdes Domínguez Lino - Bogotá (1)
- Anna-Lena Grönefeld - Acapulco (1)
- Ana Ivanovic - Montréal (1)
- Vania King - Bangkok (1)
- Tamira Paszek - Portoroz (1)
- Lucie Šafářová - Gold Coast (1)
- Mara Santangelo - Bangalore (1)
- Anna Smashnova - Budapest (1)
- Sun Tiantian - Tashkent (1)
- Nicole Vaidišová - Strasbourg (1)
The following players won their first title:
- Marion Bartoli - Auckland
- Shahar Pe'er - Pattaya City
- Mara Santangelo - Bangalore
- Sofia Arvidsson - Memphis
- Lourdes Domínguez Lino - Bogotá
- Anna-Lena Grönefeld - Acapulco
- Tamira Paszek - Portoroz
- Alona Bondarenko - Luxembourg
- Anna Chakvetadze - Guangzhou
- Sun Tiantian - Tashkent
- Vania King - Bangkok
Titles won by nation:
- Russia - 18 (Tokyo, Indian Wells, Miami, Amelia Island, Charleston, Berlin, Birmingham, Cincinnati, San Diego, Los Angeles, U.S. Open, Bali, Beijing, Guangzhou, Stuttgart, Moscow, Zurich and Linz)
- Belgium - 9 (Sydney, Dubai, Warsaw, French Open, Eastbourne, Stanford, New Haven, Hasselt and WTA Tour Championships)
- France - 7 (Auckland, Australian Open, Paris, Antwerp, Wimbledon, Tokyo and Quebec City)
- Israel - 4 (Pattaya City, Prague, Istanbul and Budapest)
- China - 3 (Estoril, Stockholm and Tashkent)
- Spain - 3 (Canberra, Bogotá and Palermo)
- United States - 3 (Rabat, Forest Hills and Bangkok)
- Czech Republic - 2 (Gold Coast and Strasbourg)
- Netherlands - 2 (Hobart and 's-Hertogenbosch)
- Switzerland - 2 (Rome and Kolkata)
- Austria - 1 (Portoroz)
- Germany - 1 (Acapulco)
- Greece - 1 (Seoul)
- Italy - 1 (Bangalore)
- Serbia - 1 (Montréal)
- Sweden - 1 (Memphis)
- Ukraine - 1 (Luxembourg)
Rankings[]
Below are the 2006 WTA year-end rankings in both singles and doubles competition:
|
|
Singles number 1 ranking[]
Holder | Date Gained | Date Forfeited |
---|---|---|
Lindsay Davenport (USA) | Year-End 2005 | 29 January 2006 |
Kim Clijsters (BEL) | 30 January 2006 | 19 March 2006 |
Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) | 20 March 2006 | 12 November 2006 |
Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) | 13 November 2006 | Year-End 2006 |
See also[]
- 2006 ATP Tour
- WTA Tour
- List of female tennis players
- List of tennis tournaments
References[]
- ^ Clarey, Christopher (2006-01-20). "Serena Williams Loses at Australian Open". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Zheng Jie, Yan Zi make history for China". 2006-01-27. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ Bierley, Steve (2006-05-24). "Laid-back Petrova has first grand-slam title firmly in her sights". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "The Wimbledon seeding committee got this one just right". 2006-07-05. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "AMELIE THE NEW QUEEN OF SW19". Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Head-to-Head Sharapova vs Clijsters". Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Ana Ivanovic Player Profile". Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Dechy, Zvonareva defy the odds". 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Act II of Navratilova's career ends with a win". 2006-09-11. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Kuznetsova humbles Mauresmo to win China title". 2006-09-25. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Clijsters returning after two months' layoff". 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Mauresmo under threat in Madrid". BBC News. 2006-11-06. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Henin-Hardenne beats Sharapova, clinches No. 1". 2006-11-11. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ 2006 WTA Tour Calendar
- ^ "SUNDAY START FOR FRENCH OPEN". Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ a b c d "2006 WTA Tour".
- ^ "WTA set to introduce electronic line calling system". 2005-05-11. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Courtside help under fire in tennis". USA Today. 2006-08-11. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ "Instant Replay Comes To Tennis". 2006-06-03. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ Schroeder, Liz (2011-11-11). "Sony Ericsson WTA Singles Rankings Rank Date: 18 December 2006" (PDF). WTA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
- ^ Schroeder, Liz (2011-11-11). "Sony Ericsson WTA Doubles Rankings Rank Date: 18 December 2006" (PDF). WTA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
- 2006 WTA Tour
- 2006 in tennis
- WTA Tour seasons