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Henin To Help Rising Svitolina

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

21-year-old Elina Svitolina announced that seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin would join her coaching team on her website.

Svitolina has enjoyed a rapid rise up the rankings in the last two seasons, earning four Top 10 wins – two over reigning Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber – and making her Top 20 debut last spring, following a run to the quarterfinals of the French Open. Looking to make the next step in her career ascent, Svitolina has been after Henin’s expertise since the off-season.

Neither Svitolina nor Henin are the tallest to ever play the game – Svitolina stands at 5’9″ to Henin’s 5’5″ – but the Belgian unleashed a barrage of unbridled aggression combined with an unflappable competitive spirit to finish as the Year-End No.1 three times, win a hat-trick of French Open titles from 2005-2007 (four in total), along with an Olympic Gold Medal in 2004 – recovering from 1-5 in the final set of her semifinal against Anastasia Myskina to dispatch Amélie Mauresmo in the final.

Retiring in 2008, Henin returned to tennis two years later, reaching the Australian Open final in the first major appearance of her comeback, falling to World No.1 Serena Williams in three thrilling sets.

Svitolina already has strong competitive instincts, winning a majority of her three-set matches in 2015, but could certainly benefit from a dose of Henin’s aggressive tactics that may encourage her to step into the court and dictate play more often.

Whatever happens, Henin’s addition to the coaching community has certainly left the tennis world intrigued:

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Halep Too Strong For Radwanska

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

CINCINNATI, OH, USA – Simona Halep recovered from a slow start to defeat Agnieszka Radwanska in Friday evening’s rain-affected quarterfinal of the Western & Southern Open.

Watch live action from Cincinnati this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

The latest intervention from the Cincinnati weather pushed the start of the match back by almost one hour, and when they did make it on court Halep appeared to have left her best tennis in the changing room. Radwanska could barely believe her luck as a string of errors enabled her to spring into a 4-0 lead.

But as the contest wore on Halep quickly began to resemble the player that has so impressed for much of this summer, outplaying the WTA’s master craftswoman to complete a 7-5, 6-1 victory.

“You have to change the rhythm. I didn’t hit as strong as I did first four games and I didn’t miss as I did at the beginning,” Halep said. “She was playing really well at the beginning, those four games, but then I had just to change, to play more angles, and then I came back and I think I was the one that was dominating match.”

Halep has now won 13 straight matches on tour, and her confidence was clear for all to see under the lights of the Lindner Family Tennis Center. By the end of the first set she was even coming out on top in the games of tactical cat and mouse, drawing Radwanska into the net then spearing a winning passing shot to edge 6-5 ahead. She continued to impress both tactically and mentally the following game, recovering from 0-30 down to earn a set point, completing the turnaround with the type of cerebral touch her opponent would have been proud of.

This appeared to break the Pole’s will, Halep reeling off the final five games of the match to extend an unbeaten sequence stretching back to the Wimbledon quarterfinals. On that day it was Angelique Kerber that toppled the Romanian and the pair – who also locked horns in Montréal – will resume their rivalry in Saturday’s semifinals.

According to Halep, the outcome of the contest will hinge on the mental side of her game as much as the physical: “I have to slow down my emotions, because with her you feel that you can go for the balls, like to be aggressive, but it’s not that easy.

“So I have to be patient. I have to play my game like I did today. I think it’s pretty similar with the match, today’s match. I have to fight. I know that I can win. I have this confidence. I know that she’s a great player. I have nothing to lose. I’m going just to do my job and to try to win.”

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The Perfect Player: WTA Legends

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

We asked WTA Legends like Li Na, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova to create the perfect players – here’s who they think has the best serve, forehand, mental ability and more!

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Pliskova Storms Past Muguruza In Cincy

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

CINCINNATI, OH, USA – No.17 Karolina Pliskova swept past Garbiñe Muguruza in a dominating straight sets performance, winning 6-1, 6-3 to secure the first spot in the Western & Southern Open final.

Watch live action from Cincinnati this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“I know I beat [Muguruza] in the last two matches, so I knew it’s going to be tough for her to beat me if I play well or if I play solid,” Pliskova said afterwards. “I was not thinking about that she’s a French Open champion. This you cannot take on the court.

“I always believe… there is, I would say, 99% of the players, I can beat all of them if I play good tennis.”

Like Simona Halep, Pliskova opted to skip the Olympic tennis event – she’s normally practice-averse but she used the time off to work on her game, and the effort showed in the Czech’s commanding win to reach her third final of 2016.

“That was one of the things what I changed [this year], to don’t play everything possible,” Pliskova explained. “To get ready for some events. I think now, at this time, not always, but it pays off. That’s what I learned.”

Follow live game-by-game analysis from Cincinnati semifinals day on WTA Insider’s Live Blog.

Throughout the match Muguruza looked rattled by Pliskova’s big serving and tricky slices. The Spaniard opened the match with a strong hold of serve, but was shut out of the set she leaked error after error. Pliskova rattled off seven straight games to take the first set and start the second with a strong lead.

Pliskova’s backhand clipped the net to give Muguruza her first break in the second set at 3-2, but she surrendered it immediately as Pliskova broke back to keep them level. Serving down 3-4, Muguruza floated a drop shot just over the net but it was fetched by Pliskova, who replied with a drop shot of her own. The Czech broke once more and, after a pair of Muguruza errors, went on to seal the match with an ace down the tee to become the first Czech to reach the final at the Western & Southern Open.

The Czech’s clear command of the match was reflected in her 17 winners and 17 unforced errors – Muguruza struck just 7 winners and flubbed 23 unforced. Pliskova also served up five aces putting her at 400 aces for the season, a WTA-leading figure.

“You feel the pressure when you have to serve because the other one serves so well,” Muguruza said of facing her opponent’s big weapon. “You kind of have to, ‘Hey, I have to keep my serve. I cannot lose my serve.’

“The whole match was a lot of tension. She plays really fast and goes for shots that are unreal.”

Pliskova’s speedy one-hour victory was timed perfectly, as the skies finally opened up during the Czech’s post-match interview.

“It wasn’t easy today, because the wind was really tricky and it was tough conditions today,” she told the crowd.

“I’m really happy that I made it – and oh, it’s raining now!”

The No.17-ranked Pliskova, who is also the lowest-ranked Cincy finalist since No.92 Nathalie Dechy in 2008, ducked for cover and now awaits the winner of the second semifinal match between Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep.

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Venus Battles Past Putintseva

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan – Venus Williams booked her spot in the Taiwan Open final without dropping a set all tournament long, but the No.1 seed had to overcome a stiff challenge from Yulia Putintseva to get there.

Watch live action from St. Petersburg & Kaohsiung this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

At the start, it seemed like the match was going to be smooth sailing for the American – Williams broke the No.3 seed early and rushed ahead to a 4-1 lead. But after some words from her coach during the changeover, Putintseva roared to life, winning four out of the next five games to level the score at 5-5.

They stayed toe to toe until a double fault and a mishit forehand from Putintseva gave Williams a break to close out the opening set at 7-5.

Williams and Putintseva started out the second set as evenly matched as they ended the previous one: they traded breaks and holds to keep the score tied at 2-2. But from then the errors began to creep up on Putintseva and Williams closed out the match 7-5, 6-3.

“What a tough opponent today,” Williams said of Putintseva after the match. “She has so much energy.

“It was very difficult to win, but I’m very glad to be in the final tomorrow.”

Awaiting Williams in the final is another opponent who has yet to lose a set: No.2 seeded Misaki Doi. Doi dashed Taiwan’s hopes for a home champion when she brushed aside local favorite Hsieh Su-Wei in commanding fashion, dropping just two games in the 6-0, 6-2 thrashing.

Tomorrow’s final will be the first time Williams and Doi will play each other.

“I’ve never played her before,” Williams said. “I have no idea what to expect.”

“But to be in the final you have to play well, so I’m sure to expect the best tennis from her.”

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10 Things To Know: Kerber Vs Pliskova

10 Things To Know: Kerber Vs Pliskova

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

CINCINNATI, OH, USA – Following a couple of semifinal masterclasses, Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova go into Sunday’s Western & Southern Open final on top of their game. Here are 10 of SAP’s finest facts ahead of their summer showdown…

(2) Angelique Kerber (GER #2) vs Karolina Pliskova (CZE #17)
Head-To-Head: Kerber leads, 4-2

1) Pliskova has historically proven to be a difficult foe for Kerber.
Despite sitting 15 places above Pliskova in the rankings, Kerber has struggled in their previous match-ups. While several of these came prior to Pliskova establishing herself at the top of the game, the recent encounters have invariably been close. This is also the third straight time they have clashed in a final, following three-set victories for the German last year in Birmingham and Stanford.

2) Both players no stranger to the business end of tournaments.
Since those encounters one summer ago, both Kerber and Pliskova have been regular finalists. Pliskova lost out in a high-quality shoot-out with Venus Williams at the season-ending WTA Elite Trophy, then enjoyed mixed fortunes at the grass court events in Nottingham and Eastbourne this June. Kerber, meanwhile has mixed it at a higher level, most memorably beating Serena Williams at the Australian Open to lift her maiden Grand Slam. She followed this up with a title in Stuttgart before going on to contest the finals at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics.

3) The form guide.
After a slight lull following January’s Australian Open triumph, Kerber has enjoyed a productive summer, appearing in the Wimbledon and Olympic finals, winning 19 of her past 22 matches. Pliskova’s campaign, on the other hand, has been more of an up and down affair, standout performances in Nottingham, Eastbourne and Indian Wells (where she ran Victoria Azarenka close in the semifinals) interspersed with several surprise losses and her continued search for a breakthrough at one of the four majors.

4) Flying the flag.
Since its return to the circuit in 2003, players from seven different countries (Belarus, Belgium, China, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland and the USA) have been crowned Cincinnati champion. The closest a Czech or German came during this time was Kerber’s loss to Li Na in the 2012 final, so the number is guaranteed to rise to eight.

5) Outsider for the title.
World No.17 Pliskova is bidding to become the first player ranked outside the Top 10 to triumph at the Lindner Family Tennis center since No.21 Nadia Petrova in 2008.

6) Change in Cincinnati fortunes.
Aside from her visits to the final this year and in 2012, Kerber has struggled to make an impression in Cincinnati, winning a combined total of four matches from her other four visits. Pliskova’s resume was even barer, losing her second match in 2015 after falling in qualifying the previous three years. 

7) Cincinnati will have a significant impact on the WTA rankings.
Victory for Kerber on Sunday will see her end Serena Williams’ 183-week reign atop the rankings. She will be the 22nd woman to reach World No.1 and first German since the legendary Steffi Graf. Pliskova’s run, meanwhile, guarantees she will rise to at least No.15, and No.11 should she lift the title. 

8) Path to the final.
After edging past Barbora Strycova in two closely contested sets, Kerber’s No.1 hopes looked to be fizzling out when she trailed quarterfinal opponent Carla Suárez Navarro by a set and a break. Somehow she escaped before ending Simona Halep’s 13-match winning streak in the semifinals. Pliskova has also dropped just the one set, against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals, on an otherwise serene journey to the final.  

9) Hard to beat.
Bother finalists have enjoyed some of the sweetest – as well as heartbreaking – moments of their career on hardcourts. This will be Kerber’s 15th final on hard (she was victorious in five of the previous 14), while nine of Pliskova’s 15 finals have come on the surface, winning three of them.

10) Pliskova serving notice.
Pliskova progress has been helped by some particularly potent serving. In four matches she has fired 40 aces and been broken just four times. Kerber, by contrast, has hit seven aces and lost her serve 10 times. 

SAP Insights

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Belinda Bencic To Make Top 10 Debut

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – Belinda Bencic has been checking off a number of career firsts at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy this week: first time playing a WTA event in Saint Petersburg, Russia; first time being the No.1 seed at a WTA event and, as of Monday’s WTA Rankings, first time ever in the WTA Top 10.

By reaching the final at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy, Bencic is guaranteed to break into the Top 10 ranking – she moved to No.9 by reaching the final and could climb as high as No.7 if she wins the title.

“This is a very big day for me,” Bencic said in an interview after defeating Daria Kasatkina in the semifinal (highlights here). “As a small kid, everyone is dreaming to one day become Top 10. And now I realize that all the hard work paid off. Until now, I didn’t know if I would make it.

“But this is an amazing moment for me and just… my dream. My goal is reached.”

This time last year, the Swiss prodigy was ranked No.37 and already on an upward trajectory, currently sitting at No.11. A flourishing 2015 saw her win a title in Eastbourne – defeating Agnieszka Radwanska in the final – and in Toronto – notching wins over Serena Williams and Simona Halep along the way – as well as reach two finals.

She might have just accomplished her dream of a Top 10 debut, but there are still plenty more milestones for Bencic to reach – after all, at 18 years old she’s just getting started.

“So yeah, now my next goals are just to keep climbing up, to keep winning matches and still to enjoy it.”

 

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Notes & Netcords: August 22, 2016

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

THE WINNERS

No.15 seed Karolina Pliskova stunned World No.2 Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 6-1, to win the biggest tournament of her career at the Western & Southern Open, and temporarily halt the German’s bid at becoming No.1 in the world.

Kerber came into the final looking to end Serena Williams’ 183 consecutive week stretch atop the WTA rankings, but will now have to wait until New York to have another shot at the top.

“Angie’s had an amazing week and has done a great job all year,” Pliskova said in her acceptance speech. “I know she was playing for World No.1; I think you deserve to be No.1, but maybe next time!”

Click here for match recap and highlights. | WTA Insider As It Happened: Game-by-game analysis.

In the doubles draw, World Co-No.1s Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis reached the Western & Southern Open final, but found themselves on opposite sides of the net as Mirza and new partner Barbora Strycova recovered from 5-1 in the opening set to beat Hingis and CoCo Vandeweghe, 7-5, 6-4.

“I’m not going to lie,” Mirza said after the match. “It’s a very difficult situation. It’s not easy because, A, because we are still good friends, so it’s never easy. The first we tournament we split and we come and we have to play each other. Of course there is no better match to play than the final, so was difficult, I think. for both of us.

“But having said that we are professional tennis players. We have to come out and we have to give our best and we have to try and win. That’s all we can do.”

Click here for match recap. | WTA Insider As It Happened: Game-by-game analysis.

RANKING MOVERS:
Notable singles ranking movers for the week of August 22, 2016.

Agnieszka Radwanska (POL), +1 (No.5 to 4): The Pole’s run to the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open earns Radwanska a small ranking jump that could have big implications when the US Open seeds are announced.

Karolina Pliskova (CZE), +6 (No.17 to 11): Pliskova pulled off a big upset in the final in Cincy, and as a result she jumps up six spots to No.11, putting her within striking distance of the Top 10 once more.

Alizé Cornet (FRA), +11 (No.58 to 47): Once ranked No.11, the Frenchwoman saw her ranking drop after an injury-plagued season. But she’s now finding her way back as her run to the second round of Cincy after qualifying puts her inside the Top 50.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

Connecticut Open
New Haven, USA
Premier | $695,900 | Hard, Outdoor
Sunday, August 21 – Saturday, August 27

US Open
New York, USA
Grand Slam | $ TBA | Hard, Outdoor
Monday, August 29 – Sunday, September 11

Dalian Women’s Tennis Open
Dalian, China
125K | $115,000 | Hard, Outdoor
Tuesday, September 6 – Sunday, September 11

TOP 20 PLAYER SCHEDULES
1. Serena Williams -US Open
2. Angelique Kerber – US Open
3. Garbiñe Muguruza – US Open
4. Agnieszka Radwanska – New Haven, US Open
5. Simona Halep – US Open
6. Venus Williams – US Open
7. Victoria Azarenka
8. Roberta Vinci – New Haven, US Open
9. Madison Keys – US Open
10. Svetlana Kuznetsova – US Open
11. Karolina Pliskova – US Open
12. Carla Suárez Navarro – US Open
13. Dominika Cibulkova – US Open
14. Johanna Konta – US Open
15. Petra Kvitova – New Haven, US Open
16. Timea Bacsinszky – New Haven, US Open
17. Samantha Stosur – US Open
18. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – US Open
19. Barbora Strycova – US Open
20. Elena Vesnina – New Haven, US Open

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:

Olga Govortsova (BLR) – August 23, 1988
Maryna Zanevska (UKR) – August 24, 1993
Ons Jabeur (TUN) – August 28, 1994

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