Miami: Kerber vs. Strycova
Angelique Kerber takes on Barbora Strycova in the second round of the Miami Open.
Angelique Kerber takes on Barbora Strycova in the second round of the Miami Open.
The Tianjin Open got underway in fine fashion, with the tournament’s stars, including Agnieska Radwanska, Monica Puig and Svetlana Kuznetsova attending a stylish party
Hear from Madison Keys before the start of the tournament.
Johanna Konta had Wednesday’s shot of the day at the Miami Open.
MONTERREY, Mexico – World No.1 Angelique Kerber was taken to three sets by Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone but came away with a hard-fought victory in her opening match at the Abierto GNP Seguros.
A finalist here in 2013, Kerber was back in Monterrey after a three-year absence from the tournament and needed an hour and forty minutes to shake off the rust and move on 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 against the 36-year-old wildcard Schiavone.
“It was not so easy to find the rhythm in the first set, because she played very well from the first ball and I was trying to find my game,” Kerber told press after the victory.
“I was a little bit tight today, but after the second set I was playing my game and moving good. I’m happy that I stayed positive.”
First set goes to @Schiavone_Fra!
Grabs the opening set off Kerber 6-4! pic.twitter.com/B2csuEMq5M
— WTA (@WTA) 5 de abril de 2017
Schiavone, who previously announced that this year would be the end of her nearly two-decade-long career, opened her final Monterrey campaign in commanding fashion against the World No.1. She broke early and raced ahead to a 3-0 lead before Kerber found her footing.
Kerber stayed patient to pounce on her first opportunity as the Italian faltered while serving out the set, striking her first double fault. The German came up with a laser-accurate forehand winner to finally earn the break back, but Schiavone calmly struck back in the next game to take the set.
The World No.1 finally found her range – and her forehands – in emphatic fashion in the second set, breaking Schiavone three times in a row and dropping just three points on her own serve to take the second set in less than 15 minutes and level the match.
World No.1 @AngeliqueKerber survives!
Edges Schiavone 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 in @Abierto_GNP First round! pic.twitter.com/jw662N6zM6
— WTA (@WTA) 5 de abril de 2017
After going down an early break in the third, Schiavone finally stopped the rot of Kerber’s eight games in a row. The Italian refused to fade away and stayed within touching distance, but wasn’t able to pressure the German’s serve the way she did in the first set. Kerber didn’t face any break points and stayed solid to serve out the match and take the hard-fought opening victory.
Kerber will take on Mandy Minella in the next round after the Luxembourger defeated Elitsa Kostova in a tight straight sets earlier in the day, 7-6(3), 6-3.
“I will be looking more on my side of the court,” Kerber said. “I’ll be trying to go out and enjoy the match and try to be aggressive. I think I’ve never played against her, but I think it will be a good match as well.”
WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen | Victoria Azarenka looks to become the third woman to win the Sunshine Double against 2006 Miami champ Svetlana Kuznetsova. Follow it all live right here!
From the best cook to the selfie queen, how well do the stars of the Volvo Car Open know each other off the court?
It’s time to crown March’s WTA Shot Of The Month. There were some incredible shots to choose from this month, and we narrowed it down to the five best – have a look at the nominees in the above video and cast your vote for your favorite shot before voting ends Thursday at 11:59pm ET!
The winner will be announced Friday, April 8.
How it works: five shots are selected by wtatennis.com, and the winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com.
CHARLESTON, SC, USA – Good friends and doubles partners Daria Kasatkina and No.9 seed Daria Gavrilova did battle for well over two hours at the Volvo Car Open, with Kasatkina emerging victorious, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 to reach her second straight quarterfinal in Charleston.
“Today was very tough to play,” she said in her post-match press conference. “You go on court, you are tossing the ball for the serve and it goes in the tribune, you know. It was very difficult, and I was playing against my very good friend, so it was like double portion of toughness, but it was I think a good match, so I’m happy that I won.”
The pair’s last singles match came at the 2015 US Open, which Kasatkina won as a lucky loser in her Grand Slam main draw debut. Since then, the two have become fast friends and nearly upset Sania Mirza and Andrea Hlavackova earlier this week in doubles.
“Every tournament we are talking like, ‘Ah, imagine we play against each other.’ When the draws come out, we’re like, ‘For sure we play against each other first round,; and it never happens. And today we’ll go for dinner.”
.@DKasatkina kisses the line with the backhand! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/Q4nf2iqEna
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017
On the singles court, it was the Russian who made the better start on a windy Thursday on stadium court, taking the opening set and breaking serve at the start of the second.
.@Daria_Gav makes the smash through the wind! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/WJHgMcOwf9
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017
Gavrilova is three spots shy of the career-high ranking she first earned last fall, and battled through the blustery conditions to win four straight games to put the match nearly on level terms.
We're going all the way!@Daria_Gav takes the second 6-4! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/RPig9zJmv1
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017
Kasatkina regained her rhythm from there, breaking the Aussie as she served for a decider, and engaged Gavrilova in a lengthy tenth game on her own serve before the No.9 seed took it on her fifth set point.
Still, the unseeded Russian took momentum into the third, breaking serve in the opening game and raced to a 5-0 lead, winning one last epic battle and converting the two hour, 17 minute victory of a service winner.
“In the second set my coach came on the court. He told me I was start to play quite soft, and I stopped moving. He was right, because in the third set I pushed myself to play more aggressive, to start to move with the legs, and I did the job.”
.@DKasatkina is flying through the final set! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/ZPV1PZzXjC
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017
There were no hard feelings at net for the two combatants, showing off a choereographed handshake after a tough match.
“She was like, ‘Okay, let’s do the weird handshake. And I said, ‘Let’s go like fake handshake!’ So we just were trying to make some fun.”
“I had a few tough months. I couldn’t win a match,” she added, discussing a tough season that nonetheless saw her earn two wins over World No.1 Angelique Kerber. “So I came here with not a lot of expectations for sure. I was just happy that I came back on the clay so I can play my favorite tennis, and I’m happy that I’m moving on and I’m in the quarters here.”
Up next for Kasatkina is No.10 seed Irina-Camelia Begu, another 2016 quarterfinalist who stunned 2010 champion Samantha Stosur to start the day in Charleston.
“She will be very motivated because she lost our last two matches. For sure she will try to do her best, and she’s better on the clay for sure. All her best results are on the clay. And I lose our only clay court match in Rome last year. “So for sure I have to prepare well to show my best tennis tomorrow.”
When it’s over and you’re still buds. @DKasatkina @Daria_gav @VolvoCarOpen. pic.twitter.com/tWByGIzw1a
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) April 6, 2017