Vandeweghe Practices Before Semifinal Clash With Venus
Take a look at CoCo Vandeweghe in practice before her semifinal match at the Australian Open against Venus Williams.
Take a look at CoCo Vandeweghe in practice before her semifinal match at the Australian Open against Venus Williams.
Two Americans face off in the Australian Open semifinal – CoCo Vandeweghe and Venus Williams.
NOTTINGHAM, Great Britain – Karolina Pliskova and Alison Riske emerged victorious after a busy day of quarterfinals and semifinals action to book their spots in the final of the Aegon Open Nottingham.
With rain washing out the day yesterday, players had to complete both rounds on the same day to stay on schedule.
Top seed Pliskova was originally slated to play three matches today – two singles matches and a doubles semifinal with her sister Kristyna Pliskova – but didn’t have enough in the tank after singles.
“This morning I was thinking maybe I can have three matches today, with the doubles, but no, then we had to withdraw,” Pliskova said after her second match.
“It’s been a long time since I played two singles matches, maybe once in years, I don’t remember. But it just happened and you have to be ready for it.”
Up first for the Czech was Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, who was competing at the WTA level for the first time in two years. The Australian didn’t show any rust, and despite the defeat she kept the score line narrow 7-6(2), 7-6(7). In fact, she held set points in both sets before Pliskova edged out the victory.
Barty had only positive takeaways from her first WTA tournament since 2014.
“It’s nice to know that straight off the bat I can come in and compete with the best in the world,” she said. “That’s really good, this week’s been a massive bonus for us [me and my team]. Being able to get so many matches against quality players has been really good.
“It’s been great to be back on court at the WTA level, it’s obviously been a while since I played at this level. It’s just pleasing to know that straightaway I’m able to come back in and mix right in the fold.”
With one match already under her belt, Pliskova flew through her semifinal against No.4 seed Monica Puig in just 54 minutes, 6-2, 6-2. The Puertorrican, who bested Tamira Paszek in the quarterfinals earlier in the day, couldn’t keep up with Pliskova’s powerful serve; she was unable to break in three chances and allowed nine aces to zoom past unanswered.
“It would be nice to end the week with a win,” the Czech said. “So I’m just going to get ready for that. I had a tough day today, so hoping for nice weather tomorrow and even if I don’t get the trophy I still think it was a good week on grass, for a first week.”
Joining Pliskova in the final of the Aegon Open Nottingham is Riske, the unseeded American who notched back to back wins over Anett Kontaveit and Saisai Zheng to reach her second WTA final of the year.
“My first match was quick, because I knew that if I won I would have to play a second one,” Riske said after her semifinal match. “Both players were very tough, I had to be in it to the end. I’m looking forward to the final tomorrow.”
Despite an innocuous-looking score of 6-1, 7-5 against Zheng, the American faced almost let slip away the second set. She was up 5-2 and held match point two times as the Chinese player rattled off three straight games to level the score. Riske finally took her third match point, winning after an hour and 26 minutes.
Pliskova leads the head-to-head record against Riske with two wins to one.
Serena Williams says that playing a Grand Slam final against her sister will just bring them closer together.
Australian Open doubles champions Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova talk about their memorable fortnight Down Under.
MELBOURNE, Australia – Serena Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam title with a 6-4, 6-4 win over sister Venus Williams at the Australian Open, earning an Open Era record in tennis.
Click here to relive Serena’s 23rd Grand Slam title courtesy of the WTA Insider Live Blog.
“It’s such a great feeling to have 23,” she said after the match. “I’ve been chasing it for a really long time. When it got on my radar, I knew I had an opportunity to get there, and I’m here. I’m here.
“It’s a great feeling, and no better place to do it than Melbourne.”
Williams, 35, had equaled Stefanie Graf’s record with her 2016 Wimbledon triumph. The German’s original 22-slam mark had stood since the 1999 French Open.
Serena now has seven Australian Open titles, making it her joint-most successful Grand Slam alongside Wimbledon. She has also won six US Open titles and three at Roland Garros.
SHE’S DONE IT! No. 23@serenawilliams is your #AusOpen 2017 women’s singles champion. ? pic.twitter.com/LC6fpWi3Ik
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017
Venus and Serena mowed throught the draw playing vintage tennis to book their first meeting in Melbourne in 14 years, when Serena took a three-set thriller to capture the first of two Non-Calendar Year “Serena” Slams.
“My first Grand Slam started here, and getting to 23 here, but playing Venus, it’s stuff that legends are made of. I couldn’t have written a better story.
“I just feel like it was the right moment. Everything kind of happened. It hasn’t quite set in yet, but it’s really good.”
The sisters were facing off in the 28th match of their storied rivalry, and their ninth Grand Slam final, but the first since 2009.
“I don’t think I felt at all awkward,” Venus said in her post-match press conference. “I felt ready. I mean, I haven’t played in a final for a number of years, but I don’t think it’s something you forget. I mean, I played a good amount of ’em, so…
“Experience was right there for me.”
Saturday’s match was similarly tense, with both sisters aware of what was on the line; a win for Serena would not only break the Open Era record but also restore her atop the WTA rankings after dropping to No.2 last summer at the US Open.
There was plenty at stake for Serena in the #AusOpen 2017 final. pic.twitter.com/LRx7Fl48uP
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017
Venus and Serena exchanged breaks to start the match, with the No.2 seed settling in sooner to take the opening set behind seven aces and 16 winners.
The crowd did its best to lift Venus in the second set in the hopes of seeing a decider, and the Americans continued performing at a high level throughout the 81 minute match.
“I feel like I had opportunities, for sure,” Venus said. “Just missed some shots. But it’s not like I missed shots that I wasn’t going for. I went for those shots. It’s a matter of inches.
“Some errors here or there can mean the difference between a break of serve or a hold.”
But Serena, who came into the match with a 20-0 record after winning the first set in Grand Slam finals, proved too strong in the end, breaking serve just once in the seventh game to serve out the record-breaking victory, hitting a total of 27 winners to just 23 unforced.
Serena improved her overall head-to-head against Venus to 17-11, and an impressive 7-2 in Grand Slam finals – the only two losses to big sister coming at the 2001 US Open and 2008 Wimbledon Championships, which was, incidentally, the last time the Williams sisters and Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all met in the same major final.
“Thank you Venus for inspiring me to be the best player that I can be.” Well done @serenawilliams on your 23rd Grand Slam title #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/LPtr9G52B0
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017
The win was Serena’s 316th at Grand Slam tournaments, improving on her already-record total, and returns her to No.1 in the world, usurping Angelique Kerber.
As for Venus, the result is still her best at a major tournament in seven years, and brings her back to within 200 points of returning to the Top 10.
In the meantime, she was more than happy to give kudos to her younger sister after her historic achievement.
“[23], it’s a great number,” Venus said. “I know she would like to have a little more. Who wouldn’t? It was a great moment. I’m very happy that she’s been able to, you know, get to No.23 because there’s 22 ahead of that that she also earned, and she earned it.
“It was great to have an opportunity to play for the title. That’s exactly where I want to be standing during these Grand Slams, is on finals day, having an opportunity. That’s the highlight of all this, is to be in that moment.”
TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan – No.6 seed Misaki Doi survived a rollercoaster encounter against her countrywoman Nao Hibino to record the first win of the tournament at the Taiwan Open, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
“It was a very tough match, she was playing really good and very aggressive,” Doi told press after the win. “After the second set, I just tried to believe in myself and that I could do it, and just focused my tennis.”
The No.41-ranked Japanese, who reached the final here last year, started out strong against Hibino, breaking twice to ease through the opening set. But Hibino, ranked No.102, hit back in the second – breaking twice and saving two break chances to restore parity.
“When he came to the court my coach told me to be more aggressive and add more spin, because [Hibino] likes to play with a flat ball,” Doi explained. “I tried to move her around a lot, too.”
In the third set, Doi saw her 2-0 lead erased as Hibino climbed back to level the match at 4-4. The pair wrestled for momentum until Doi finally broke for a third time to close out the two-hour battle and move into the second round.
No.7 seeded American Shelby Rogers had a more straightforward road into round two, breezing past local wildcard Lee Ya-Hsuan in an hour and 15 minutes.
“Playing a local girl like Lee was pretty fun,” Rogers enthused after the match. “She had a lot of fans out there, and she had a really great game. She’s definitely got a lot of potential.
“The first round is never easy, especially with the crowd against you but I’m happy I got through it and being in the second round.”
Lee thrilled the Taiwanese fans when she grabbed the first lead of the match with a well-earned break to the Rogers serve, but it was short-lived as the American broke straight back. From then it was all Rogers, who eased into the second round in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
Also through at the Taiwan Open are No.4 seed Anastasija Sevastova and No.5 seed Katerina Siniakova, who moved past Kato Miyu and Galina Voskoboeva, respectively.
Tunisian qualifier Ons Jabeur knocked out Nicole Gibbs in a three-set battle, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, while Mandy Minella advanced after a 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 win over Jana Cepelova. Romania’s Sorana Cirstea saw herself being forced to retire in her match due to a left wrist injury, sending Risa Ozaki through, 7-6(3), 3-2.
Russia’s No.1 Svetlana Kuznetsova sealed her very first WTA victory in her hometown with a dominating performance over Daria Gavrilova at the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
Watch Venus Williams’ practice session on Day 3 of the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
The Australian Open started and ended with Serena Williams, who not only won her seventh Australian Open title and returned to World No.1, but also won her 23rd Grand Slam title – breaking the Open Era record she’d heretofore shared with Stefanie Graf.
“It’s such a great feeling to have 23,” she said after defeating sister Venus Williams in the final. “It really feels great. I’ve been chasing it for a really long time. It feels like a really long time. When it got on my radar, I knew I had an opportunity to get there, and I’m here. I’m here.
“It’s a great feeling. No better place to do it than Melbourne.”
After tying Graf at Wimbledon, No.23 certainly got on her radar and was in imperious form Down Under, winning the title without losing a set through seven matches.
“My first Grand Slam started here, and getting to 23 here, but playing Venus, it’s stuff that legends are made of. I couldn’t have written a better story.
“I just feel like it was the right moment. Everything kind of happened. It hasn’t quite set in yet, but it’s really good.”
The legend lives on for Serena, and it certainly helped her earn her the mantle of January’s WTA Player of the Month!
Final Results for January’s WTA Player Of The Month
1. Serena Williams (46%)
2. Venus Williams (42%)
3. Johanna Konta (8%)
4. Karolina Pliskova (4%)
2016 WTA Player of the Month Winners
January: Angelique Kerber
February: Carla Suárez Navarro
March: Victoria Azarenka
April: Angelique Kerber
May: Garbiñe Muguruza
June: Serena Williams
July: Simona Halep
August: Monica Puig
September: Petra Kvitova
October: Dominika Cibulkova
How it works:
Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com