<p>Tamara Zidansek gave up a future as a snowboarder because she could not stand the cold and after reaching her first Grand Slam fourth round on Friday it looks to have been a wise choice.</p>

<p>The 23-year-old Slovenian, ranked 85th in the world, continued to blossom in the warmer clime of Paris's Bois de Boulogne as she stormed back from a dreadful start to beat Katerina Siniakova 0-6 7-6(5) 6-2.</p>

<p>Having never gone past the second round of a Slam, she now has the chance to reach the quarter-finals here where she will face either Daria Kasatkina or Sorana Cirstea -- both unseeded.</p>

<p>Asked about her Alpine ambitions as a child growing up in mountainous Slovenia, she said: "First I skied. But we lived like 20 minutes away from a ski resort. It was just normal for us to go there every weekend.</p>

<p>"I chose&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;because I was really cold snowboarding. Oh, my God, I don't like the cold weather at all. It was fun to do at first, and then I saw an opportunity to make something out of this. So I just went for it, I guess."</p>

<p>Zidansek, who is studying for a degree in psychology through the WTA's University of Indiana program and lives part of the year in Qatar, says the draw is now wide open with so many big names falling by the wayside in the first six days.</p>

<p>"I guess it opens up the draw a little bit more, but even in these times with women's&nbsp;tennis, I think it's an open draw all the time," she said.</p>

<p>World number 85 Zidansek had never been beyond the second round at a Grand Slam before this year's tournament in Paris but it was 2009 Roland Garros quarter-finalist Cirstea who showed signs of nerves at the start of the second set.</p>

<p>The 23-year-old Zidansek became more aggressive as Cirstea struggled to move freely because of an ankle issue and raced ahead 5-0 before closing out the victory in 86 minutes.</p>

<p>Zidansek will face 2019 runner-up Marketa Vondrousova or Spain's Paula Badosa in the last eight.</p>


Tamara Zidansek gave up a future as a snowboarder because she could not stand the cold and after reaching her first Grand Slam fourth round on Friday it looks to have been a wise choice.

Tamara Zidansek gave up a future as a snowboarder because she could not stand the cold and after reaching her first Grand Slam fourth round on Friday it looks to have been a wise choice. The 23-year-old Slovenian, ranked 85th in the world, continued to blossom in the warmer clime of Paris's Bois de Boulogne as she stormed back from a dreadful start to beat Katerina Siniakova 0-6 7-6(5) 6-2. Having never gone past the second round of a Slam, she now has the chance to reach the quarter-finals here where she will face either Daria Kasatkina or Sorana Cirstea -- both unseeded. Asked about her Alpine ambitions as a child growing up in mountainous Slovenia, she said: "First I skied. But we lived like 20 minutes away from a ski resort. It was just normal for us to go there every weekend. "I chose tennis because I was really cold snowboarding. Oh, my God, I don't like the cold weather at all. It was fun to do at first, and then I saw an opportunity to make something out of this. So I just went for it, I guess." Zidansek, who is studying for a degree in psychology through the WTA's University of Indiana program and lives part of the year in Qatar, says the draw is now wide open with so many big names falling by the wayside in the first six days. "I guess it opens up the draw a little bit more, but even in these times with women's tennis, I think it's an open draw all the time," she said. World number 85 Zidansek had never been beyond the second round at a Grand Slam before this year's tournament in Paris but it was 2009 Roland Garros quarter-finalist Cirstea who showed signs of nerves at the start of the second set. The 23-year-old Zidansek became more aggressive as Cirstea struggled to move freely because of an ankle issue and raced ahead 5-0 before closing out the victory in 86 minutes. Zidansek will face 2019 runner-up Marketa Vondrousova or Spain's Paula Badosa in the last eight.

French Open: Tamara Zidansek warming to the challenge in Paris

<p>Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza made a comeback from maternity leave, she picked up from where she left. Former women's doubles Wimbledon champion enters in the semifinals of the women's doubles of the Hobart International.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The doubles team of <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MirzaSania</a> and Nadiia Kichenok battled their way into the <a href="https://twitter.com/HobartTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HobartTennis</a><br />
semifinals ---&gt; <a href="https://t.co/tfywpZDdzO">https://t.co/tfywpZDdzO</a> <a href="https://t.co/VqeAgpGe3I">pic.twitter.com/VqeAgpGe3I</a></p>
— WTA (@WTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1217688179764953090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>She, along with her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok won against &nbsp;American duo Vania King and Christina Mchale 6-2, 4-6, 10-4. The contest lasted 1 hour and 24 minutes.</p>

<p>Sania and Nadiia will now face Tamara Zidansek and Marie Bouzkova. The Slovenian-Czech pair beat Canada's Sharon Fichman and Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3, 3-6, 10-4 in quarters.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="und">✌️<a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MirzaSania</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HobartTennis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HobartTennis</a> <a href="https://t.co/ohUkV06kYs">pic.twitter.com/ohUkV06kYs</a></p>
— Hobart International (@HobartTennis) <a href="https://twitter.com/HobartTennis/status/1217691895079399424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The 33-year-old Sania is returning to WTA after a break of two years. She battled injuries before taking a break in April 2018 to give birth to her child Izhaan. She is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.</p>

<p>Sania previously was a part of the China Open that was played in October 2017. She has won a total of six Grand Slam titles including Wimbledon women's doubles in 2015. She bid adieu from the singles competition in 2013.</p>

<p>&nbsp;She is India's most successful Indian woman tennis player. She was a former World No 1 in women's doubles and currently ranks at No 5. She attained her career-high of rank number 27 in WTA singles chart.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza made a comeback from maternity leave, she picked up from where she left. Former women's doubles Wimbledon champion enters in the semifinals of the women's doubles of the Hobart International.

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza made a comeback from maternity leave, she picked up from where she left. Former women's doubles Wimbledon champion enters in the semifinals of the women's doubles of the Hobart International. The doubles team of @MirzaSania and Nadiia Kichenok battled their way into the @HobartTennis semifinals ---> https://t.co/tfywpZDdzO pic.twitter.com/VqeAgpGe3I — WTA (@WTA) January 16, 2020 × She, along with her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok won against American duo Vania King and Christina Mchale 6-2, 4-6, 10-4. The contest lasted 1 hour and 24 minutes. Sania and Nadiia will now face Tamara Zidansek and Marie Bouzkova. The Slovenian-Czech pair beat Canada's Sharon Fichman and Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3, 3-6, 10-4 in quarters. ✌️@MirzaSania #HobartTennis pic.twitter.com/ohUkV06kYs — Hobart International (@HobartTennis) January 16, 2020 × The 33-year-old Sania is returning to WTA after a break of two years. She battled injuries before taking a break in April 2018 to give birth to her child Izhaan. She is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. Sania previously was a part of the China Open that was played in October 2017. She has won a total of six Grand Slam titles including Wimbledon women's doubles in 2015. She bid adieu from the singles competition in 2013. She is India's most successful Indian woman tennis player. She was a former World No 1 in women's doubles and currently ranks at No 5. She attained her career-high of rank number 27 in WTA singles chart.

Sania Mirza cruises into women's doubles semifinals in Hobart International

tamara-zidansek

Tamara Zidansek, News on Tamara Zidansek, stories on Tamara Zidansek, articles on Tamara Zidansek, Tamara Zidansek stories at Wion, Tamara Zidansek news, Tamara Zidansek latest news

tamara zidansek

French Open: Tamara Zidansek warming to the challenge in Paris

Sania Mirza cruises into women's doubles semifinals in Hobart International