"Yanina Wickmayer"

Yanina Wickmayer (born 20 October 1989 in Lier, Belgium) is a Belgian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world no. 23. She reached her career-high ranking of world no. 12 on 19 April 2010. She is also known for reaching the semifinals at the 2009 US Open. She won the award for "WTA Most Improved Player" in 2009.

Wickmayer has achieved career victories over Kim Clijsters, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Petra Kvitova, Na Li, Sam Stosur (at ITF level), Francesca Schiavone, Dinara Safina and Agnieszka Radwanska. In June 2011, Time Magazine named her one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future".

Wickmayer started the year with first-round losses in both Brisbane and the Australian Open. She won her first tour match of the year at Indian Wells, defeating Magdaléna Rybáriková, 6–3, 6–2. She lost to Daniela Hantuchová in the second round, despite holding two match points. She then lost her first-round matches in Miami and Charleston.

Wickmayer won her first WTA Tour singles title in Estoril. She beat third seed Sorana Cîrstea, 6–4, 1–6, 6–4, en route to the final, where she defeated Ekaterina Makarova, 7–5, 6–2. At the 2009 French Open, she was beaten by Samantha Stosur in the second round, 3–6, 6–4, 4–6.

Wickmayer lost to a newly returned Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals at the 2009 AEGON Classic in Birmingham, 1–6, 6–2, 3–6. At the 2009 Ordina Open, Wickmayer reached both the singles final and the doubles final, losing to Tamarine Tanasugarn in the singles final. The doubles final was a close contest, in which she lost in three sets to an Italian pairing. At Wimbledon, she lost in the first round to Elena Vesnina.

During the summer hard-court season, Wickmayer reached the third round in Los Angeles, losing to Vera Zvonareva. She was defeated in the early rounds of her three other summer tournaments.

At the 2009 U.S. Open, Wickmayer defeated Virginie Razzano in the first round. In the second round, she recovered from a set down to beat Shuai Peng in three sets. In the third round, Wickmayer dispatched Italian Sara Errani, 6–3, 6–4. In the fourth round Wickmayer defeated Petra Kvitová, 4–6, 6–4, 7–5, to reach the quarterfinals, where she beat Kateryna Bondarenko, 7–5, 6–4. In the semifinals, she lost to Caroline Wozniacki, 3–6, 3–6.

Wickmayer fell in the first round in Beijing to Alisa Kleybanova. She qualified for the year-end championships in Bali. Her next tournament was in Linz. She won through to the semifinals, where she upset top seed Flavia Pennetta for her biggest career win. She beat Petra Kvitová in the final, 6–3, 6–4, and as a result made it into the top 20 for the first time. One week later at the 2009 BGL Luxembourg Open she won through to the semifinals, where she was edged by Timea Bacsinszky, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7.

Her last tournament of the year was at the year-end championships in Bali. Drawn into Group C, she defeated Kimiko Date-Krumm in her first match in straight sets, 7–6, 6–3. She was supposed to face Anabel Medina Garrigues next, but was disqualified from the tournament due to doping allegations. This was her last tournament of 2009.

On 1 October 2009, it was announced that Wickmayer and fellow Belgian tennis professional Xavier Malisse were to defend themselves before the Flemish anti-doping tribunal for failing to properly fill out their whereabouts. Wickmayer replied in a press release that the failure to follow procedure was due to her not being able to log on to the relevant website, not being able to contact the right people when needed, and not being in the country when written admonitions arrived by mail. At the tribunal on 22 October 2009, the prosecution did not ask for a ban, but rather for a "principal restraint" of the facts that they were being accused of, and as such it was expected that this would not cause any problems for either athlete.

However, on 5 November 2009, the decision of the tribunal was announced, an effective one-year ban for both players. Wickmayer, as well as Malisse, appealed the final decision, and her ban was lifted on 16 December 2009, after the appeal was granted.


Yanina accepted a wildcard into the first tournament of the year, the ASB Classic in Auckland. Seeded third, she defeated first seed Flavia Pennetta in the final, winning the tournament without dropping a set. This title was her first title of the year and third of her career.

Due to her suspension's being lifted after the deadline for the Australian Open, Yanina was forced to enter the qualifying draw. After a nervous first-round qualifying, she easily won through to the main draw. Being a dangerous floater, she drew Alexandra Dulgheru in the first round. In a match that included numerous rain delays, she prevailed, 1–6 7–5 10–8. Yanina defeated two Italian players, 12th seed, Flavia Pennetta and Sara Errani in the second and third round respectively, but lost in three sets to Justine Henin in the fourth round. Despite the loss she moved up to a career-high of no. 15.


Wickmayer was selected to represent Belgium at the World Group II Fed Cup tie against Poland. Wickmayer won both her rubbers against Marta Domachowska and Agnieszka Radwańska, thus allowing Kirsten Flipkens to secure the tie for Belgium with a win against Domachowska, to advance to the World Group playoff.

In her next two tournaments, the Open GDF Suez tournament in Paris and the 2010 Dubai Tennis Championships in Dubai, Wickmayer lost in first-round matches, in Paris to Petra Martić; and in Dubai to Shahar Pe'er.

She fared better in the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where she won two matches, before losing in the round of 16 to María José Martínez Sánchez of Spain, who had upset sixth seed Victoria Azarenka in the previous round. She then travelled to Miami for the Premier Mandatory Sony Ericsson Open. Seeded 12th, in the fourth round she thrashed Timea Bacsinszky, 6–0, 6–1. Despite losing 4–6, 5–7 to Marion Bartoli in a close quarterfinal match, her strong performance brought her to a new career-high ranking of world no. 13, moving to 12 without playing the next week.

She was again selected to represent Belgium at the Fed Cup World Group playoff tie against Estonia. When Kim Clijsters and Yanina won their singles rubbers on Saturday, Belgium was in a comfortable lead. However, Clijsters had injured her foot and had to be replaced by Justine Henin, who herself had been injured earlier that week. Henin lost her rubber, so it fell on Yanina to bring home the tie during the fourth, which she did in three sets, 2–6, 6–1, 6–1. At the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix held in Stuttgart, Yanina moved to the second round, before falling for the second consecutive time to fellow Belgian and former world no. 1 Justine Henin, 3–6, 5–7. Her next tournament was the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, where she was seeded 11th. She defeated Karolina Šprem and Aravane Rezaï in the first two rounds, before losing to seventh seeded Jelena Janković in the third round, 2–6, 0–6. As she was defending the points for her 2009 Estoril win during this week, but lost too early in the tournament, this week marked the first in a long time in which she lost ranking points.

She pulled out of her next tournament, citing a right elbow injury, and underwent surgery. Though Roland Garros was only two weeks later, she managed to be fit in time and played there as 16th seed. She defeated Sandra Záhlavová in the first round, 6–1, 6–1 and Sybille Bammer, 7–6, 1–6, 7–5, before falling to Daniela Hantuchová, 5–7, 3–6. Despite her recent injury, this was her best French Open performance to date.

Yanina reached the quarterfinals in Birmingham, where she lost to qualifier Alison Riske. The next week, she had 200 ranking points to defend from her 2009 's-Hertogenbosch final. She decided to play in Eastbourne, however, where she was not seeded due to the strong players field. She lost to fifth seed Kim Clijsters, 1–6, 1–6. Yanina defeated Riske in a tough first-round match at the Wimbledon Championships, her first Wimbledon main draw win. She reached the third round, after defeating compatriot Kirsten Flipkens, but lost to 21st seed Vera Zvonareva. The day before their second round match, Flipkens and Yanina played doubles together, which they lost. Yanina also lost her first mixed doubles match with Dick Norman. After Wimbledon, she rose to no. 16 once again, the third Belgian after Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.

At the 2010 Bank of the West Classic, Wickmayer fell to top seed Sam Stosur in the quarterfinals.

She was seeded 8th at the 2010 Mercury Insurance Open, but fell to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round.

Wickmayer was seeded 15th at the 2010 US Open, with semifinal ranking points to defend. She advanced to the fourth round, before falling in three sets to 31st seed Kaia Kanepi.


Wickmayer returned to Auckland to defend her 2010 championship. Seeded second, she lost in the final to Gréta Arn, 3–6, 3–6.

Wickmayer was seeded 21st at the 2011 Australian Open. She lost in the second round to Lativan Anastasija Sevastova, 4–6, 2–6, citing illness.

Wickmayer reached the quarterfinals of the 2011 Open GDF Suez, where she lost to Petra Kvitová in a tight three-sets match, 7–5, 3–6, 6–7.

At the 2011 Dubai Tennis Championships, she defeated wildcard Bojana Jovanovski in the first round, 7–5, 3–6, 6–2. Next up for Wickmayer was Australian Open finalist Li Na. Li, the fifth seed, held four match points in the second set tie-break, but Yanina saved all of them and won, 6–7, 7–6, 6–2. With that win, Wickmayer got her second top-10 win over no. 7-ranked Li, having beaten no. 9-ranked Agnieszka Radwańska in Fed Cup the previous season. She lost to ninth seed Shahar Peer, 6–3, 4–6, 1–6, in the third round.

Wickmayer's next event was the 2011 BNP Paribas Open, where she competed as the 23rd seed. She lost in the semifinal to 15th seed Marion Bartoli, 1–6, 3–6. This was her first semifinal ever in Indian Wells.

At the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open, Yanina was the 23rd seed. After a first-round bye, she was defeated by Russian Elena Vesnina, 2–6, 7–5, 4–6.

Wickmayer was seeded 21st at the 2011 French Open and beat both Monica Niculescu and Japan's Ayumi Morita in straight sets, before losing to 12th seed Agnieszka Radwańska, 4–6, 4–6 in the third round, matching her 2010 performance.

As the third seed, Wickmayer reached the quarterfinals of the 2011 UNICEF Open, falling to eventual champion Roberta Vinci.

Wickmayer was the 19th seed at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships. She beat Varvara Lepchenko, Anna Tatishvili, and 12th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova to reach the fourth round for the first time, where she lost to eighth seed and eventual winner Petra Kvitová.

During the summer, Wickmayer took part in the 2011 Rogers Cup, where she lost to Roberta Vinci in the first round. She then played 2011 Western & Southern Open and lost in the second round. At the Virginia Slims of Dallas, she retired in the first round against Sofia Arvidsson with a back injury. At the 2011 US Open, after having won her first match 6–1, 7–5 against Sorana Cirstea, she withdrew in the second round against Alla Kudryavtseva due to the same back injury. She then sat out the fall Asian tour.


Wickmayer began her 2012 season as top-seeded at Hobart tournament. She defeated Marina Erakovic in the first round, followed by an easy win against Casey Dellacqua 6–1, 6–1. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Simona Halep 6–4, 6–0. She then moved into the final with a 7–6, 6–3 win over sixth-seeded Shahar Peer in the semis. She eventually lost 6–1, 6–2 to qualifier Mona Barthel.

At the Australian Open, first major of the season, she lost in the first round against Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboeva.

Her next tournament was in Paris, at the 2012 Open GDF Suez. In the first round she faced lucky loser Jill Craybas. Yanina won the first set 6–1, after witch the American withdrew with a back injury, and was forced to retire. In the second round, she faced another American, Christina McHale, and she won 6–2, 7–5. In the quarterfinals, Yanina got past Mona Barthel 6–4, 6–7, 6–3, to reach the semifinals, where she lost to eventual champion Angelique Kerber 7–6, 3–6, 4–6.

She then went on to play in Doha where she reached the quarter finals after defeating 7th seed Francesca Schiavone 7–6(4), 6–4 in the second round. She lost to World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka in straight sets 6–0, 6–4. She then went into 2012 BNP Paribas Open with a lot of points to defend, after reaching the semi finals the year before. She lost in the second round to Jarmila Gajdosova in three sets 2–6, 6–2, 6–4. She plummeted from No. 24 to No.33 the week after. At the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open she reached the round of 16 after defeating Kim Clijsters in the 3rd 6–4, 7–6(5). She lost to Caroline Wozniacki 7–6(6), 6–0. She then had a dismal clay court season that included a 3 win 6 loss ratio. This included a first round loss at the 2012 French Open to Tsvetana Pironkova.

She then played in Bad Gastein, a clay court international event. She didn't drop a set en route to the final, but lost to Alize Cornet 7–5, 7–6(1) in the final. This was her second WTA final of 2012. She then played at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, where she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round 6–2, 6–3. This was her second win against the Russian. She lost in the 3rd round to Tamira Paszek 2–6, 7–6(4), 7–5.

In Stanford Classic Yanina Wickmayer defeated Heather Watson of Britain (5–7, 6–1, 6–4). On 13 July 2012,Yanina Wickmayer knocked out Marion Bartoli in the quarters of Stanford Classic. She lost to American Coco Vandeweghe, in the semi-finals, 2–6 6–3 2–6.


Wickmayer's mother, Daniella Dannevoye, died at an early age. Her father, Marc, is of Austrian origin. Her name 'Yanina' is inspired by the name of Maradona's youngest daughter. Wickmayer fluently speaks Dutch, English and French. Since mid 2011 reports have emerged that she is in a relationship with former Lierse S.K. footballer Jérôme Vanderzijl.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org