Tennis News

KEY INFORMATION:
Tournament Level: Premier 5
Prize Money: $2,735,939
Draw Size: 56 main draw (8 byes)/32 qualifying
Qualifying Dates: Saturday, May 7 – Sunday, May 8
First Day of Main Draw: Monday, May 9
Singles Final: Sunday, May 15, 1:30 PM
Doubles Final: Sunday, May 15 (after singles final)

MUST FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
@WTA
@WTA_Insider – WTA Insider, Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen
@InteBNLdItalia – official tournament handle
Get involved in conversations with the official hashtags, #ibi16 and #WTA.

TOURNAMENT NOTES:
· Three-time champion Serena Williams makes her 2016 clay court debut, and is playing just her fourth tournament of the season (Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami).
· Mutua Madrid Open winner Simona Halep is seeded to play Williams in the quarterfinals after winning her second career Premier Mandatory title.
· No.4 seed Victoria Azarenka could face Williams in the semifinals, and is playing her first event since pulling out of Madrid last week with a lower back injury.
· For the complete draw click here.

WILDCARDS:
Francesca Schiavone (ITA), Karin Knapp (ITA), Claudia Giovine (ITA)

WITHDRAWALS:
Belinda Bencic, Sloane Stephens, Caroline Wozniacki, Camila Giorgi

ROME, Italy – Defending Olympic gold medal team Serena Williams and Venus Williams took a wildcard into the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and rekindled their doubles partnership for the first time since 2014.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Rome right here on wtatennis.com!

Even though their first doubles venture in almost two years ended in a straight sets loss to the all-Slovenian team of Andreja Klepac and Katarina Srebotnik 6-1, 7-5, the Williams sisters showed flashes of the prowess that saw them win 21 titles together, including back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

Venus, who had played her opening singles match a few hours before, admitted that fatigue could have played a factor in her doubles loss.

“I haven’t done that in a long time,” Venus said in her post match press conference. “But I knew what was going to happen going into it. Even if you get tired, you have to try to ignore it. I felt okay.

“I guess I don’t have to worry about it anymore this week. Hopefully I’ll have that problem for two weeks in the French Open.That would be an awesome problem to have.”

The packed crowed on Court 1 was witness to lots of flubbed errors and mistiming from Venus and Serena – who are both also competing in singles here in Rome – as they looked to shake off the rust and narrowly avoid a shut out in the first set. They showed their grit in the second, mounting a comeback from 4-2 down, but the Slovenians closed them out to book a second-round clash against the No.2 seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova.

Despite the disappointing result, the Williams sisters have their eye on the future, including competing in Roland Garros and trying for a fourth gold medal at the Sumer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“We haven’t played doubles in a while,” Serena said in her press conference yesterday. “Obviously we would love to play in the Olympics.

“I love playing with Venus. She’s the best partner, and hopefully she feels the same about me. We make a great team.”

As the Olympic race takes shape, lots of same-country doubles teams looking to get as much doubles action in as possible. Serena and Venus are the defending gold medal team, and will likely use their combined singles rankings to gain direct entry into the 32-team draw, as explained by WTA Insider.

MADRID, Spain – Simona Halep capped off a tremendous week for Romanian tennis by winning her first title of the season at the Mutua Madrid Open, beating Dominika Cibulkova, 6-2, 6-4 in Saturday’s final. The win was Halep’s first title since the BNP Paribas Open last year and it moves her back in the Top 5. She also rose 23 places to No.6 in the Road to Singapore.

In short, Simona Halep is back in the conversation. With the French Open around the corner, the 2014 finalist is relieved to finally be playing some of her best tennis.

WTA Insider sat down with Halep after her Madrid win.

Q: I sat down with you before the tournament and you were very hesitant to talk about your chances this week.
A: Yeah it’s amazing that I could win this tournament. I feel that I had everything in my hands, every match. I felt that I played my best tennis in every match and kind of deserving the title because I won it. I didn’t receive presents during the matches. Day by day I believed more that I had a chance to win it.

At the beginning of the tournament it’s normal to feel that you hesitate a little bit because it’s just the start and you don’t know actually what’s going to happen in the first round because the first round is always the toughest in the tournament. And after my months before coming here, it was tough to believe I could win it.

Caption this… pic.twitter.com/MeJo5zW5QP

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) April 29, 2016

Q: You said throughout the week that you were under the radar, people didn’t care about you anymore, your ranking was slipping. Then you put together a run with all the scorelines very much on your side.
A: That’s why I say I feel like I won the tournament. I played amazing tennis every day and day-by-day I played better tennis. In the final I played very well, she played as well good tennis. It wasn’t easy, but it looked like it was easy.

Q: You made it look easy.
A: I made it easy. Now I don’t feel tired so that means I was relaxed. I was just with my mind to play tennis, not about the result or something else. Just enjoying and just showing what I have practiced.

Q: Before the tournament you said your only goal this week was to get matches, that it was not about the trophy. Did that mentality change at some point this week?
A: No. It was permanent in my mind, in my heart, in my hands, in my body. I felt that I just want to go on court to win the match. Nothing else. Today actually was different because I played for the trophy. I had emotions before but I knew how to manage them. I had the experience playing here the finals. That final in 2014 made today easier.

Q: What do you mean? How did that final against Maria Sharapova prepare you for today?
A: I felt that I can lose it, because I lost it once. Nothing happened after.

Q: The sun came up? The world kept going?
A: Yeah. Now I said I have to be different from that day. That day I couldn’t be relaxed because I was with a lot of pressure that I have to win it. Now I said that the match is open and I have just to go and play my best, which I did. I think I did it pretty well and I did it pretty relaxed.

Q: The word “relaxed” comes up often with you. You play your best tennis when you’re relaxed. Have you discovered the key to keeping yourself relaxed?
A: No, it’s not about the key. It’s about how I see things. I was not thinking about the result at all. Even if I played the final today I didn’t care if I win or lose. I just wanted to go on court and win the match, specifically the match, not the fact that it was a final.

Q: Not the title.
A: Just the match.

Where's Waldo? A rowdy thank you with @MutuaMadridOpen volunteers. pic.twitter.com/UcgJM5mJ1i

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) May 7, 2016

Q: You and coach Darren Cahill arrived in Madrid fairly early. That’s not always a luxury before big tournaments. Lots of times tournaments are back-to-back and you’re arriving late. I’m thinking of Indian Wells to Miami, or going from Fed Cup to Stuttgart. How did that impact your week?
A: We arrived on Tuesday. I had many days training with Darren. I wanted that. I asked him actually when he made the schedule in January that I wanted this week to prepare with him here in Madrid. So I knew what I want to do.

It’s much better to come a few days earlier. You feel the courts, you feel the atmosphere of the tournament, and you feel like you are into it already when the tournament starts. It made the things easier. It made me feel like I was already here from a long time ago. So that’s why I felt very well straight away in the first match.

Q: You’ve now won Indian Wells and Madrid, your two biggest titles. Both tournaments are known for having difficult conditions, where the ball can fly. Do you see a connection there or are those just two tournaments you happened to win.
A: I don’t know.

Q: Do you like those conditions?
A: I do. I like it.

Q: A lot of people have problems controlling the ball.
A: No, doesn’t bother me. I like these conditions. I felt well. Everything went well.

Q: How aware are you of how big of a story this week was back home in Romania, with you winning the title and three other women – Irina-Camelia Begu, Sorana Cirstea, and Patricia Maria Tig – making the quarterfinals?
A: I don’t know, I didn’t read anything since a long time ago and I’m not going to start to read again. I heard a tough story about my joke about “the Easter present” about the second set [bagel against Begu]. They make everything negative so I’m not going to read.

But in my opinion it’s a big thing that many Romanians are playing in the last matches here in this tournament – also men’s doubles – so it’s a good point point for our country and maybe it will help our juniors.

Q: How do you plan to celebrate?
A: I don’t know. I have no idea.

Halep hands out beers to the press corp. Joked yesterday she'd buy everyone a round in honor of 4 Romanians in QF. pic.twitter.com/MQobAzoxkp

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) May 6, 2016

Q: Are you going to take back one of those beers you gave us?
A: I don’t like beer. Maybe I will drink something else but I don’t know what [laughs]. First I need to calm down a little bit because I’m really excited and then maybe we’ll go into the city somewhere to celebrate.

Q: Much deserved. Congratulations. See you in Rome.
A: See you in Rome!

Listen to more of Halep’s thoughts in the latest episode of the WTA Insider Podcast:

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Elena Vesnina has the potential to make it into the singles Top 10, says Svetlana Kuznetsova – the woman she beat in an epic final at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday.

“Why not? Of course, I mean, she did semis in Wimbledon last year. She won here now. She has to be much more consistent to be in the top 10, but she can make it, for sure,” said the defeated Russian of her compatriot.

.@SvetlanaK27 is moving up a gear! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/QO5bthevKE

— WTA (@WTA) March 19, 2017

Kuznetsova admitted that she had struggled with the daytime conditions, and felt rather frustrated that she had not played as well as she could.

“I didn’t feel comfortable at all today on the court,” said the 31-year-old. “I was trying to do the best I could, you know, but this is the type of day when you don’t play your best tennis and you’ve got to still give your best effort.

“I tried my best and she won because she was more aggressive than I did. I was too passive. That’s it. Too much behind and didn’t serve well, I think it was key points.”

Kuznetsova now moves on to Miami – and is confident that she can recover quickly from the loss to her countrywoman.

“I feel great,” she assured reporters in her post-match press conference. “I didn’t overwork. I think what really is difficult to handle, like, lots of stress. It’s, like, kind of waste you physically a little bit. But the rest matches didn’t get me so much tired. I feel great physically.

“I’m looking forward to have couple days off and hopefully get a good start in Miami.”

MIAMI, FL, USA – It was a personal milestone for Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella on Tuesday, as the 31-year-old won her first-ever main draw match at a Premier Mandatory event, defeating Kristyna Pliskova, 7-6(4), 5-7, 7-5 in the first round at the Miami Open.

“I knew it was going to be a tough match,” she told WTA Insider after the match. “I’ve played her once or twice before, and I knew she serves really well. She goes for her shots, and I struggled to return her first serve. It was a tough match and big battle. I’m really happy I won it in the end.”

Playing in her first-ever main draw in Miami in her fourth career appearance, Minella showed few signs of nerves in the early going. The World No.74 broke Pliskova at her first opportunity in the second game, taking a 3-0 lead at the first change of ends, later extending her lead to 5-2 with a pair of holds without allowing Pliskova a break point chance.

Outrageous way to save match point from @KrisPliskova! ? #MiamiOPen pic.twitter.com/I5Lk2RtPzX

— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017

However, the Czech staged a late comeback, breaking Minella as she served for the set and delivering an emphatic love hold to knot the set at 5-5. She held to love once more to force a first-set tiebreak, but Minella proved more effective on return as the tiebreak wore on. Neutralizing the left-hander’s delivery and winning four points on Pliskova’s serve in the tiebreak, Minella secured the 59-minute opener as one final Pliskova backhand went long.

“I’ve been really good physically lately. I’m in good shape and can last for long matches. That’s a good point in my favor. I struggled a little bit today because it was quite hot and there was a lot of running. The balls are quite heavy, so that means there’ll be a lot of rallies. It was definitely tough out there today.”

After managing to win just two points on Minella’s serve to begin the second set, Pliskova secured the break in a sixth game which saw her dig in at deuce to move ahead 4-2. However, Minella hit right back in the next, passing Pliskova twice at the net en route to an emphatic break that got the set back on serve. Neither player had a look at a break point again until the final game of the set, in which Pliskova took advantage of a trio of Minella double faults to square the match at one set all.

.@MandyMinella battles past Kristyna Pliskova 7-6(4), 5-7, 7-5!

Sets @MiamiOpen Second round vs @SvetlanaK27! pic.twitter.com/AQpf69rGBM

— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017

Playing a deciding set for the first time in three meetings, the duo traded breaks twice in the final set before Minella secured her third game off the Pliskova serve to put her in position to serve for the match. As the contest hit the two-hour, 30-minute mark, Minella brought up three match points on serve, only to see the Czech storm back and win the next five to level the match at 5-5, courtesy of some brilliant shot-making.

However, Minella kept her cool in the midday sun, breaking for a fourth time in the set and sealing the match on her fourth match point, closing out the two-hour, 38-minute victory as Pliskova’s final backhand return found the net.

“It’s good to start the season in this positive way; it gives you confidence for upcoming tournaments. I think I’m still on a roll, enjoying my tennis. I’m enjoying my matches and the traveling. I think that’s the reason I’ve been playing good, and because I love my sport.”

Minella, who improves to 3-0 lifetime against the left-handed Pliskova, advances to the second round where she’ll face No. 7 seed and BNP Paribas Open runner-up, Svetlana Kuznetsova.

“I think it’ll be really hard because she’s in great shape. She was in the Indian Wells final last week, and so I think she’s going to be ready. I’ll try my best to play as good as I can; I will fight, and will just try to do my best.”

The veteran has enjoyed a strong start to her season, reaching the semifinals of the Taiwan Open, but credits a career turn around by winning her first WTA 125K title in Bol, Croatia.

“Bol was where everything changed for me. I’d had some really miserable results up to that point, and I was about to stop my career at Wimbledon. I think I just relaxed and enjoyed being there. The city was fantastic; they had a nice hotel with a spa, and the sea was quiet. I really enjoyed it there, and it helped me play good enough to win my first title over there. It’ll always be in my memories for a long time.”