Tennis News

From Malaysia and Mexico, players have jetted into the States for the start of three US swing events.

And after the rain delays elsewhere, they have been basking in the Sunshine State. Indian Wells boasts stunning mountain views as well as wonderful weather – so it’s no wonder that WTA stars love their time in California.

Right in the heart of the state’s Desert Resort communities, Indian Wells is the ideal place for rest and relaxation as well as fun and frolics. It’s home to fabulous spas, perfect for a spot of indulgence, and excellent shopping, with everything from boutiques to busy malls – and if you’re lucky you may bump into Karolina Pliskova, who’s looking forward to grabbing some retail therapy.

“When I am playing, I try to stay focused on the tennis,” she says. “But after the tournament, I will make sure to go to the Cabazon Outlets.”

And when they’re not on court, players can also enjoy dining at one of the city’s award-winning restaurants – such as Nobu, one of Svetlana Kuznetsova’s favourites.

“My friend staying with me is a great chef, so he is cooking healthy meals,” says the Russian. “But when I want to splurge, the Nobu overlooking Stadium 2 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is amazing.”

There’s plenty more on offer too – take a tip from California girl CoCo Vandeweghe and try cruising around the desert in a four-wheeler.

“I go four-wheeling pretty much every year I come out to Indian Wells,” she reveals. “I play tennis for a living, but try to do something else fun and adventurous wherever I go.”

If you want to join your favourite tennis stars and explore Indian Wells, make sure you note Cambridge Global Payments’ Travel Tip: When booking a flight to your favorite tennis tournament, try to book on a Tuesday afternoon. Research shows that is when fares are typically the most favorable!

BEIJING, China – Madison Keys held her nerve to win a dramatic quarterfinal encounter with Petra Kvitova at the China Open on Friday.

Watch live action from Beijing on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Leading by a set and a break, Keys looked to be easing into the semifinals. However, a spirited Kvitova comeback ensured the match went down to the wire, Keys eventually closing out a 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(5) victory after two hours and 41 minutes.

“I think I played a pretty solid first set today, then she raised her level. I just think at the end it became a couple of points here or there. I think I got my serve back on track a little bit,” Keys said. “I mean, really, it could have gone either way. It was really close.”

Madison Keys' record in 3 set matches:

2014: 6-10
2015: 7-8
2016: 17-5

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 7, 2016

Keys’ victory was all the more impressive given Kvitova’s recent form. In Wuhan, she dismantled a series of higher-ranked opponents to win her first title in 13 months, before seeing off Wang Yafan and Garbiñe Muguruza this week to extend her winning run.

In Keys, though, she found an opponent capable of matching her firepower. After the first seven games went with serve, the American carved out the first break point by whipping a forehand return onto the line. Kvitova double faulted to surrender the break and ultimately the set.

Kvitova came roaring back in the second set, recovering from 4-2 down to level the match on a tie-break. The decider followed a similar pattern, Keys making the early running only to be pegged back when the Czech won the latest baseline slugfest. This time, however, Keys refused to be overwhelmed, surviving a series of arduous service games to reach the sanctuary of a tie-break. Locked at 5-5, she finally found the knockout blow, hammering a backhand down the line before serving her way into a maiden Premier Mandatory semifinal.

“I definitely think I got frustrated. You know, it’s always tough when you’re serving for a set and you have a bad game,” Keys said. “Doing that a couple of times in a match is frustrating.

“But, you know, I think I did a really good job at staying focused and just trying to regroup and worry about the next point. You know, she made it really tough today. I’m just really happy that at the end I was able to get my serve back on track and get myself ahead in the tiebreaker.”

Keys moves on to face Johanna Konta in the semifinals, knowing that a run to the title would secure her a debut at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

“Jo is playing really well. I mean, at this point everyone’s trying to qualify, everyone’s trying to play their good tennis at the end of the year,” Keys added. “Pretty much whoever you play is going to be a tough match.”