Indian Wells: Bouchard vs. Ozaki
Eugenie Bouchard takes on Risa Ozaki in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Eugenie Bouchard takes on Risa Ozaki in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open.
No.3 seed Ana Konjuh continued her blistering form into the Asia swing, cruising over Tatjana Maria at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open.
Karolina Pliskova talks through her performance after her second round victory at the BNP Paribas Open.
An interview with Kurumi Nara after her win in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Watch Dominika Cibulkova hit the practice courts at the BNP Paribas Open.
An interview with Belinda Bencic after her second round win at the BNP Paribas Open.
TOKYO, Japan – No.2 seed and defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska was one game from elimination against the always-dangerous Barbora Strycova, but the Pole turned things around to advance into the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
Watch live action from Tokyo this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
“The first match is always tricky, especially at a really strong tournament like here,” Radwanska said in her on-court interview. “You’re playing someone in the Top 20, Top 30, so it’s never easy. I’m just very happy with that match; it wasn’t easy, but I was just better in a couple of points.”
First set ? @ARadwanska!
Leads Strycova 6-3! #TorayPPO pic.twitter.com/fxiEB3MGyS
— WTA (@WTA) September 21, 2016
Radwanska last played Strycova at the French Open, where the former World No.2 survived a three-setter on the terre battue, and it quickly became clear it would be a similar struggle on Wednesday as the Czech veteran raced out to a 5-1 lead in the second set despite dropping the first.
“I’ve known her for a long time, so I know she’s a great player with great hands. She can do everything on court, with great touch and is very often at the net. She made some incredible shots, so I’m very glad the last point was mine!”
3rd Set!@BaraStrycova rallies to force a decider vs Radwanska 3-6, 6-3! #TorayPPO pic.twitter.com/86nj44xbIm
— WTA (@WTA) September 21, 2016
Strycova is in the midst of a career-best season after reaching the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and came into Tokyo just two spots shy of her career-high ranking of No.19 – earned in late August. Thrice up a break in the decider, she served for the match at 5-4, but Radwanska gamely broke back and saved break points of her own in the next game to engineer victory in two hours and 16 minutes.
“I know it’s late but thank you for staying. Hopefully I will see even more of you the day after tomorrow!”
It is sure to be quite a quarterfinal match-up come Friday as the No.2 seed is set to take on Olympic tennis event champion Monica Puig; the Puerto Rican knocked out former Tokyo champion Petra Kvitova in three sets to earn her best result since becoming her country’s first-ever Olympic Gold medalist. Former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki also looms as a possible semifinal opponent, making the fight for the Toray Pan Pacific Open trophy likely a photo finish.
.@ARadwanska with the drop shot and lob! #TorayPPO pic.twitter.com/PmjW1E7MD6
— WTA (@WTA) September 21, 2016
Angelique Kerber talks through her second round win at the BNP Paribas Open.
Christina McHale takes on Garbiñe Muguruza in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Svetlana Kuznetsova reflects on her progress at the BNP Paribas Open.