Fed Cup Kicks Off: Meet World Group I & II
After a rollercoaster first month of WTA play Down Under, players have scattered across the globe to compete for their countries in Fed Cup. Meet the teams in action right here!
After a rollercoaster first month of WTA play Down Under, players have scattered across the globe to compete for their countries in Fed Cup. Meet the teams in action right here!
WIMBLEDON, Great Britain – At 27 years old, Amra Sadikovic is finally on the main stage. Currently ranked No.148, the Macedonian-born Swiss qualified for her first main draw at a Slam at Wimbledon, and on Tuesday she’ll get a chance to walk on Centre Court against an all-time legend in Serena Williams.
So how did Sadikovic react to seeing her name next to Serena’s in the draw?
“I was happy because to me it’s a dream coming true,” Sadikovic told WTA Insider. “You don’t get these chances every year to play one of the best players ever, and then on Centre Court, and in Wimbledon. What else? To me I’m going to go out there and fight and enjoy every single moment.
“There were a lot of players that told me, bad luck, tough draw. It is a tough draw, definitely. But I don’t look at this negative at all. It’s only positive. I can only win. I don’t feel pressure.”
Sadikovic was nowhere near the All England Club in 2014. In fact, she was nowhere near her professional tennis career. The 27-year-old walked away from her pro career at 25 and was coaching at a tennis club in Basel, Switzerland, when she happened to catch a bit of Wimbledon on the TV during a break between lessons.
On the screen was Eugenie Bouchard, a player Sadikovic had played and beaten before. Bouchard had played her way into the semifinals and eventually the final. It was a wake-up call for Sadikovic.
“I had lessons and I had a break. I saw she was on TV and I was like, ‘What? Really? I remember beating her.’
“I worked with kids, adults, good juniors [at the club]. It was so much fun. It’s something that I really want to do later on again again. But after a while I started missing competition. When you turn on the TV and you see the players playing the Grand Slams and you’ve beaten them, that hurts.”
Seeing women she competed against gain success on tour, Sadikovic began to consider a comeback. She missed the competition and her normal, daily routine began to grow tiresome.
“After 14 months, the last question I asked myself was are you able to get back – because I didn’t practice – body-wise, physical-wise. Then it was Timi (Timea Bacsinszky). She gave me the last kick. She’s done unbelievable. Respect for that.”
Sadikovic made her return at an ITF 20K in Essen, Germany last year in June. She qualified and made the quarterfinals, losing to compatriot Viktorija Golubic. Flash forward a year and she defeated Golubic in straight sets last week en route to qualifying for Wimbledon.
“I really gave up on pro tennis when I was 25,” Sadikovic said. Prior to retiring she reached a career-high ranking of No. 179 in 2012, winning eight ITF titles. “In the end it was because I was on court and I didn’t enjoy it anymore. I really asked myself what am I doing here? I don’t want to be here.
“It was also connected with money. It was not easy to afford all these things. I had the Swiss Federation supporting me but in the end it was not enough. My parents could not afford all this. The last 3-4 months I didn’t enjoy it on court anymore. Once I made the decision I felt relief. I don’t regret it. Thank god it was the best decision I ever made.”
Sadikovic says she’s returned to her “second career” with an entirely new mindset, one that is informed with the perspective she gained after walking away. She suffered from a crisis of confidence in her first career, never fully convinced she was good enough be a Top 100 player. But with the support of her family, that’s all changed.
“I have really the best family that I can have. They supported me at every step. Even my sister and her husband they said if you need money we help you out, just go and do your thing. Because I didn’t reach my potential. And I knew that.
“People told me you have the game, you can be Top 100 easily, but it was me. I didn’t believe. I was not 100% convinced I could make it. Now it’s a completely different story.”
Reflecting on her journey sees Tuesday’s match against Serena as a reward for her faith in herself and brave decision to return to the tour.
“I had problems handling pressure,” Sadikovic said, referring to her younger self. “I was afraid, scared — what happens if I lose? — instead of just enjoying playing because it’s such a privilege.
“Now I’m relaxed really because I know how it is when I worked at a coach. It’s a normal life and you have daily routines. But you get tired of it. It made me realize how nice the life of a tennis player really is. Before it was like I had to play. Now I have to be thankful that I can play against Serena, on Centre Court. So I don’t feel much pressure anymore.”
Quick hits with Amra Sadikovic:
WTA Insider: How do you feel about playing on grass?
Sadikovic: “For me it’s special playing on grass courts. Maybe the surface fits my game because I’m playing a man’s style game. I like to play slice. To me it’s elegant playing on grass. Everything is clean and just nice. It’s hard to explain.”
WTA Insider: For people who have never seen you play before, what should they expect from you on Tuesday against Serena?
Sadikovic: “Definitely say they are going to see variety. I hope my serve is going to work because that is also a weapon. I’m going to go out there and try to play my game and not focus on who is over there. That’s going to be the most important thing to me and then I’ll try to make her work as hard as I can.”
WTA Insider: You were born in Macedonia. How did your family come to live in Switzerland?
Sadikovic: “I was born in Macedonia but I’m not connected to this country. My parents moved during the war to Switzerland but my relatives are in Bosnia. So I’m more connected to Bosnia than Macedonia.”
WTA Insider: How did you pick up tennis?
Sadikovic: “My dad, he used to play basketball. Nobody in my family played tennis. I was watching TV all the time and I just wanted to try it. There was a match between Sampras and Agassi at the US Open and I just wanted to try that. This is how it started, when I was 9.
There was a club close to our house. When I came up with this idea that I wanted to play tennis my parents were happy because they were working a lot. We went to the club, we asked for a practice. I started right away three times a week. A week later I was playing club matches and I won the tournament. It was so cool.
WTA Insider: Did you play any other sports as a kid?
Sadikovic: “I played a lot of soccer with my cousins and basketball with my dad. It was nice but I didn’t want to depend on anyone. If I win, I did this. Nobody else. That’s why I decided to play tennis.”
WTA Insider: You’ve qualified for your first main draw at a Slam. What’s your next goal?
Sadikovic: To crack Top 100 by the end of the year.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
Wildcard Jelena Jankovic continued her winning streak over Tsvetana Pironkova as she came out on top after a marathon at the Qatar Total Open.
Carla Suárez Navarro became the first player to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon after a one-sided victory over Marina Erakovic.
Dozens of WTA stars have been spreading the love on Twitter today – whether it’s for Valentine’s Day or Taco Tuesday. Check out some of their best tweets here!
Roberta Vinci had Tuesday’s shot of the day at the Qatar Total Open.
LONDON, England – No.4 seed Angelique Kerber booked her place in the last 16 of Wimbledon with a straight set victory over Carina WItthoeft on Saturday.
While her title rivals labored, Kerber has quietly gone about her business in the opening week, continuing her unfettered progress with a 7-6(11), 6-1 win over fellow German Witthoeft.
An evenly contested first set looked to be going Kerber’s way when she broke in the 11th game. However, Witthoeft hit straight back, capitalizing on a series on uncharacteristic errors from the No.4 seed. This fighting spirit was evident in the tie-break, too, a series of winners helping her fend off four set points before a relieved Kerber converted at the fifth time of asking.
The second set was a more stop-start affair, Kerber taking a couple of rain delays in her stride to secure a fourth-round meeting with Misaki Doi.
A warm embrace between compatriots Kerber and Witthoeft as the No.4 seed advances to the fourth round#Wimbledon https://t.co/ECgQhRbd1w
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) 2 July 2016
Kerber is through to the second week at the All England Club for just the third time in her career, and despite finding herself in a wide-open section of the draw will not be looking beyond Doi. At this January’s Australian Open, the German came from match point down to defeat Doi en route to the title.
“I am expecting a really close match. She is a lefty, as well. We never played on grass before. I think this is also a little bit different than to Australia,” Kerber said about her rematch with Doi. “But I know that she is a tough opponent. I was match point down in Australia.
“But I will try not to think about who I’m playing. I will go out there trying to play my game like always, and let’s see.”
There were also hard-fought wins for Sloane Stephens and Timea Bacsinszky in a couple of the rain-affected second-round matches. Resuming midway through the final set, No.18 seed Stephens held her nerve to see off Mandy Minella, 3-6, 7-6(6), 8-6.
Meanwhile, Bacsinszky, the No.11 seed, came out all guns blazing against Monica Niculescu, reeling off six straight games to close out a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory.
An interview with Dominika Cibulkova after her second round victory at the Qatar Total Open.
It’s one of the most glorious days of the tennis season: Wimbledon’s manic Monday. All eight fourth-round battles will take place at SW19 and we’re previewing them right here at WTATennis.com, courtesy of contributor Chris Oddo.
Monday
Round of 16
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [13] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #14)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 9-3
Key Stat: Williams earned her 300th Grand Slam win on Sunday, which is second-most in WTA history.
After a tough second round scuffle with Christina McHale, six-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams pushed past Germany’s Annika Beck on Sunday in 51 minutes to set up a heavily anticipated round of 16 battle with Svetlana Kuznetsova. Pleased with Sunday’s form, Williams says the McHale challenge has set her up nicely for the challenges ahead. “I think the McHale match really helped me,” she said. “To be honest, I felt like losing that first set so tight and her playing better than she’s ever played in her life really helped me to realize that I can play better and I can lift my game.” And of her Day 7 walk in the park past Beck? “It gives me a lot of confidence,” she told reporters on Sunday. “I know what it takes to win these tournaments. It’s just about now just doing it.” Kuznetsova’s confidence is also buoyed by her upset of Williams this spring in Miami. “It’s a great thing to play Serena in Wimbledon,” she said of facing the world No.1 on Monday. “I’m really happy about it. She will be the favorite, but I enjoy playing those kind of matches. I will just try to do my best.” Will her best be good enough to shock Centre Court on Day 8, or will Williams move a step closer to an elusive 22nd Grand Slam title on Monday?
Pick: S. Williams in three
[27] CoCo Vandeweghe (USA #30) vs. [21] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS #23)
Head-to-head: Vandeweghe leads, 1-0
Key Stat: Pavlyuchenkova has won three matches consecutively on grass for the first time in her career.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova looked stunning in her straight-sets takedown of Timea Bacsinszky on Sunday; CoCo Vandeweghe was in fine form during her straight-sets victory over Roberta Vinci on Sunday. Which one of these two powerhouses can keep it rolling on Manic Monday? Vandeweghe has had more success on the grass in general. The American has now won 11 of 12 on the surface this summer and has taken all six sets she has played at Wimbledon. A quarterfinalist last year, Vandeweghe will be the favorite heading into this tilt, but if Pavlyuchenkova’s current form holds we could be in for a high-octane scuffle. “It’s going to be a totally different animal,” Vandeweghe said of facing the hard-hitting Russian just 24 hours after facing slice-and-dicey Roberta Vinci. “She beat a tough player in Bacsinszky. We’ll see what happens when I wake up Monday morning.”
Pick: Vandeweghe in three
[3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #3) vs. [19] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #18)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads, 7-5
Key Stat: Cibulkova has won eight matches in a row.
The 13th meeting between Agnieszka Radwanska and Dominika Cibulkova should be a cracker. The pair have played three times in 2016 and all three tilts have gone the distance with Cibulkova winning two including their last meeting at the Aegon Classic just a few weeks ago. That victory has springboarded the Slovakian to some of her greatest success on grass – she took the Birmingham title and has reached the second week at Wimbledon for the first time since 2011. Can Cibulkova keep it going against a former Wimbledon runner-up who has her eyes on another deep run here in London? Or will the crafty Radwanska be the one to finally cool Cibulkova off?
Pick: Radwanska in three
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS #35) vs. Elena Vesnina (RUS #50)
Head-to-head: Makarova leads, 6-1
Key Stat: In her 42nd major, Elena Vesnina will bid to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
Doubles partners and compatriots will battle to end each other’s singles runs on Day 8, as Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina meet for the eighth time. The matchup has favored Makarova, who has had the more distinguished singles career, but both players have shown good form at SW19. Makarova took out two-time champion Petra Kvitova on Day 6 and bounced right back on Sunday to defeat Barbora Strycova. Vesnina, meanwhile, has yet to lose a set at Wimbledon and has won six of seven on grass this season.
Pick: Makarova in two
[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. [9] Madison Keys (USA #9)
Head-to-head: Tied, 1-1
Key Stat: At 21 years of age, Keys is the youngest player remaining in the draw.
Skipping the grass tune-ups may have been the best thing for Simona Halep. Not only did she give herself time to get her Achilles injury ready, she also had ample time to gain comfort at Wimbledon, both with the surroundings and with the surface. She says she wanted to keep playing after pulling out of Birmingham with an injury, but her coach urged her to come to Wimbledon and start preparing for the Championships. “I wanted to play Eastbourne but Darren [Cahill] told me I have to come here to practice,” she told reporters on Saturday. “It’s better to get used to this club. It was a good idea. I came here very early, and I practiced every day, hard practices.” Will that practice pay off when she meets rising American Madison Keys on Monday? Keys proved to be a Wimbledon warrior in week one, twice coming through in three sets to reach the second week for the second consecutive year.
Pick: Halep in three
[4] Angelique Kerber (GER #4) vs. Misaki Doi (JAP #49)
Head-to-head: Kerber leads, 4-0
Key Stat: Doi is the first player from Japan to reach the fourth round at a major since Wimbledon 2006 (Sugiyama).
Misaki Doi is a name that holds a special place in Angelique Kerber’s heart. Kerber had “one leg on the plane” in Melbourne before rallying in the second-set tiebreaker to finish off Doi in three sets at this year’s Australian Open. So much changed for Kerber after that fateful first-round match. She won her first major title two weeks later and has reached as high as No.2 in the rankings. After flaming out of Roland Garros in the first round, Kerber is looking to continue to build on that Melbourne success by pushing further at Wimbledon. Doi, meanwhile has already reached further than she’s ever been before at the Championships. She took out Anna-Lena Friedsam in the third round to reach the second week of a major for the first time. Can the 25-year-old avenge her four career losses to Kerber with one career-defining win on Monday?
Pick: Kerber in three
[8] Venus Williams (USA #8) vs. [12] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP #12)
Head-to-head: Tied, 3-3
Key Stat: Venus Williams is the oldest player to reach the round of 16 at a major since 1994 Wimbledon (Navratilova).
Back in the second week at Wimbledon for the 14th time, 36-year-old Venus Williams will attempt to take the next step of what could be a run for the ages. But standing in her way is an energized Carla Suárez Navarro, a player not known for grass prowess but nonetheless improving on the surface with each passing year. Williams and Suárez Navarro’s seventh meeting promises to be a battle—they’ve split the previous six. Does Williams have enough in the tank to forge ahead despite having to play three sets in each of her last two matches? One thing’s for certain: she’s up for the challenge. “Of course, I want to win,” Williams said. “There are 128 people in this draw who theoretically are here to win. But you have to do the right things at the right time. That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to push myself to be right there.”
Pick: V. Williams in three
[28] Lucie Safarova (CZE #29) vs. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ #96)
Head-to-head: Shvedova leads, 3-0
Key Stat: Safarova is back in the second week of a major for the first time in a year.
Lucie Safarova is finally reclaiming the form that saw her reach her first Grand Slam final and claim a spot in the Top 10 for the first time in 2015, after a long period of illness and injury. Is she ready to take the next stop and reach the last eight at Wimbledon for the second time in the last three years? She’ll have to get past Yaroslava Shvedova to get there. The Kazakh owns an unblemished lifetime record against Safarova, and will be high on confidence after an upset of Sabine Lisicki on Day 6.
Pick: Safarova in three
By the Numbers:
4 – Number of Russian players in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, most at Wimbledon since 2009. There are also four Americans remaining. Eight other countries have a single representative.
11-1 – Coco Vandeweghe’s record on grass this season.
33 – Number of three-set matches played in the first three rounds at Wimbledon out of a possible 112.
123 – Fastest serve of the tournament, produced by Serena Williams during her Day 7 win over Annika Beck.
7 – Players to have reached the round of 16 without the loss of a set (Cibulkova, Doi, Halep, Kerber, Pavlyuchenkova, Vesnina, Vandeweghe).
Dominika Cibulkova has Wednesday’s shot of the day at the Qatar Open.