Tennis News

CINCINNATI, OH, USA – Angelique Kerber is gunning for the No.1 ranking in Cincinnati, but the German isn’t the only one with designs on the Western and Southern Open title. Chris Oddo previews Saturday’s semifinals right here at wtatennis.com.

Saturday, Semifinals

Center Court
[4] Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP #3) vs. [15] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #17)
Head-to-head: Pliskova leads, 2-1

Key Stat: Pliskova leads all players in the ace category in 2016 with 394 through her first three rounds in Cincinnati.
Karolina Pliskova had the upper hand on Garbiñe Muguruza when they met head-to-head in 2015, defeating her in Dubai and then again a month later at Indian Wells, but it is Muguruza who has proven to be more comfortable on the big stage since the pair last met. The Spaniard is a Grand Slam winner and a Top 5 player now, while Pliskova has still to reach the second week of a major. But don’t be fooled by the Czech’s lack of Slam success. The 24-year-old is progressing steadily and it’s just a matter of time before she has her day in the sun. Will it be Saturday? Pliskova will need to serve effectively to win for the third consecutive time against Muguruza, and she knows she’ll have to make more first serves than she did on Friday in her quarterfinal win over Svetlana Kuznetsova. She only managed a 44% first-serve percentage in her three-set win over the Russian, but was pleased to earn her second Top 10 win of the year nonetheless. “I can serve big in the important moments which is good, but I have to get high with the percentage,” Pliskova said. “Still happy with the serve. I think it’s still winning the matches for me, so still the biggest weapon.” Speaking of weapons, the powerful Muguruza is not lacking in that department. She knows she’ll have to use her full arsenal to change her fortunes against the dangerous Pliskova. “She’s playing well,” Muguruza said on Friday after defeating Timea Babos in the quarterfinals. “I think this surface helps her a little bit with her style of game.” Muguruza has been focused and in the zone all week, and it has shown on the scoreboard. She’ll take a confident air with her on the court and let the chips fall where they may. “I’m satisfied the way I’m fighting and my spirit and energy on the court, so hopefully I can keep this until the US Open,” she said.

Pick: Muguruza in two

[2] Angelique Kerber (GER #2) vs. [3] Simona Halep (ROU #4)
Head-to-head: Halep leads, 4-2

Key Stat: Kerber could ascend to the No. 1 ranking for the first time with the title in Cincinnati.
Two steps from a career-changing milestone, Angelique Kerber continues to wear the blinders and deflect all pressure about climbing to the top of the WTA rankings. “I’m not feeling more pressure, to be honest,” she said after coming back from a set down to defeat Carla Suárez Navarro in the sweltering Cincinnati heat on Friday. “I learned a lot from last tournaments and last matches about pressure, and when I put the pressure too much on myself, I mean, that’s not the way I would like to play my tennis.” Though Kerber struggled early against the Spaniard, she drew upon a reservoir of confidence and found her second wind to win on Friday. It’s been a recurring theme for the German, and as the wins pile up, the confidence grows. “I knew I’m really fit and I worked a lot in the last few months and years to go out and try to play matches like that,” she said. “Of course when you win the matches you have much more confidence and you can do it and turn around matches and go for three sets after you lose the first one. That gives me for sure more confidence also for the next challenges.” The challenge will be a big one on Saturday, as Kerber will square off with the scorching-hot Simona Halep. The Romanian notched her 13th consecutive win on Friday night, taking down Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets, and she is playing her best tennis of the season at the moment. Like Kerber, Halep fell behind early but stormed to the finish, taking 13 of the final 15 games from Radwanska. Will Halep be able to continue her run and rain on Kerber’s parade in Cincinnati, or will the German edge ever closer to a colossal milestone?

Pick: Halep in three

By the numbers…
1 – Number of singles semifinalists still alive in the doubles draw (Pliskova and partner Julia Goerges face Martina Hingis and CoCo Vandeweghe).
20-2 – Halep’s record since the start of Roland Garros this year.
46 – Kerber’s 2016 win total – more than any other player on tour.
183 – Number of consecutive weeks that Serena Williams has held the No. 1 ranking, which is second-most all time behind Graf (186).

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will bring up an all-Russian quarterfinal battle against Svetlana Kuznetsova after downing Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets at the BNP Paribas Open.

She needed just over two hours to tamp down a Cibulkova comeback bid and win 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, making her way into the Indian Wells quarterfinals for the first time since 2009.

“I always like to get revenges. Feels amazing, especially we just recently played in Doha and also three-set match,” Pavlyuchenkova explained in her post-match press conference. “I was [also] really disappointed, though, even though it was really good level from the first till the last point.

“I thought I just didn’t convert my chances, and so really happy with the way I finished.”

Unbelievable pass from @Cibulkova! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/eYfgB0F8df

— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017

Pavlyuchenkova finished with 35 winners to 23 unforced errors, keeping Cibulkova’s normally aggressive game stifled at just 15 and 14, respectively. She had Cibulkova’s serve under pressure throughout, pouncing on the vulnerable second serve and causing her problems on the return.

The Russian edged ahead in the opening set after trading breaks to start. Cibulkova was playing her high-octane aggressive game but leaking too many unforced errors that left her unable to capitalize on a break opportunity. Instead Pavlyuchenkova soared ahead, beating her with pace and narrowly taking the opening set.

Cibulkova didn’t stay down too long, though, and regrouped in the second to mount another of her famous comebacks. She raised her level and started to dictate the points, flipping the momentum against an increasingly frustrated Pavlyuchenkova. The Slovak earned a decisive break late in the set to level the score and force a decider.

Pavlyuchenkova did well to put her disappointment behind her in the final set; she broke straightaway and built up a 3-0 lead. Despite Cibulkova keeping herself fighting for every point, Pavlyuchenkova was just too solid, and the Russian tamped down a late upset bid to take the match after two hours and seven minutes.

.@NastiaPav downs Cibulkova 6-4, 3-6, 6-2!

Sets All-?? @BNPParibasOpen Quarterfinal vs @SvetlanaK27! pic.twitter.com/KzIzF83x1r

— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017

“The key was to, of course, be aggressive, which is my game, but at the same time, find the balance between being aggressive and not giving her a lot of easy shots,” Pavlyuchenkova said. “Because she’s great fighter, and she’s always there.

“I know when she’s down in the score, she’s going for the shots.” 

With the victory Pavlyuchenkova brings up a quarterfinal matchup with her countrywoman Kuznetsova. She’ll head into the match trailing 3-5 in the pair’s head-to-head record, but bolstered by the fact that she’s won both of their most recent encounters at Sydney and Melbourne earlier this year.

“Yeah, I know her pretty well, and I think these conditions suit her well,” she said. “She’s playing kind of this mix up a little bit of Spanish tennis, which I think is pretty good on these courts.

“I kind of feel very good, as well.Yeah, let’s see.” 

CINCINNATI, OH, USA – At the beginning of January few would have pegged Angelique Kerber as the player most likely to overthrow Serena Williams atop the rankings. This number would have dwindled further when she stood match point down against Misaki Doi in the opening round of the Australian Open.

What happened next will go down in tennis folklore, Kerber somehow negotiating her way out of this cul-de-sac and going on to lift her maiden Grand Slam trophy. A wonderfully consistent summer has built on this career momentum, establishing Kerber as a rival to long-time World No.1 Williams at the game’s summit.

Victory over Karolina Pliskova in Sunday’s final of the Western & Southern Open will not only give her more silverware but also the No.1 ranking. Should she do so, it will end one of the most dominant reigns in WTA history. So to mark the potential changing of the guard, wtatennis.com has picked out some notable numbers…

38,473,935 – Williams’ sixth and current spell at the top of the rankings began on February 18, 2013. Since then she has amassed $38,473,935 in prize money – nearly half her career total of $80,899,060.

4,880,887 – Not including her earnings this week, Kerber has already accumulated a career-best $4,880,887 this season.

6,355 – At the start of 2016, then No.10 Kerber trailed Williams by 6,355 points in the rankings.

306 – Williams is currently enjoying her 306th career week at No.1 (third-most weeks at No.1 in WTA history after Steffi Graf’s 377 and Martina Navratilova’s 332).

183 – Of the above total, 183 have come in her latest reign. Williams is spending her 183rd straight week at No.1 (the second-longest streak at No.1 in WTA history after Graf’s 186). Her previous longest streak was 57 (between July 8, 2002 and August 10, 2003).

47 – Kerber has already notched up 47 wins this season, a record not matched by any other player on tour. Williams has posted 33.

34 – Thirty-four-year-old Williams is the oldest No.1 in WTA history, a record she first set when returning to No.1 on February 18, 2013

28 – At 28, Kerber would be the oldest first-time No.1. Her closest competition is Jennifer Capriati, who was 25 years and seven months old.

22 – Kerber is bidding to become the 22nd woman to reach the summit of the rankings.

18 – Williams’ win-loss record in this latest stint at the summit is a staggering 204-18.

12 – When a 20-year-old Williams reached No.1 for a first time in July 2002 she was the 12th different woman to scale the top of the rankings.

2 – Kerber is hoping to become the second German, after Graf, to be ranked No.1. Other nations to have multiple No.1s are the United States (Chris Evert, Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, Capriati, Venus Williams, Serena), Serbia/Yugoslavia* (Seles, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic), Belgium (Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin) and Russia (Maria Sharapova, Dinara Safina).

* Before her change of citizenship Seles, who was born in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, represented Yugoslavia

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – It’s hard to believe eight years have passed since a 17-year-old Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova blasted her way into the semifinals of the 2009 BNP Paribas Open in her tournament debut.

Ranked No.42 at the time, the teenage prodigy beat No.1 Jelena Jankovic and No.10 Agnieszka Radwanska before losing to Ana Ivanovic. It was the breakout tournament for the former junior No.1, who was the last woman to win three junior Slam titles, having won the 2006 Australian Open, US Open, and 2007 Australian Open. Her talent was prodigious and obvious, but since 2009 Pavlyuchenkova has never made it past the third round in Indian Wells, a fact that she can only laugh about now.

“I’m making fun of this, really,” Pavlyuchenkova told WTA Insider. “After this, I was like a tourist. I had a bye and I was going straight to the prize money office to get my prize money for the second or third round.

“I maybe regret that in the past I wasn’t fit enough and wasn’t doing the right things. I was 17 and everything was new. I wasn’t in good shape. I couldn’t handle the pressure after. When you’re 17 and you’re Top 30… I just think 17 is too early to take all that pressure. It was tough. So I was struggling for a couple of years because I was expecting so much from myself. Let’s face it, it was one tournament, right? It can happen.

“Nowadays when you’re 17 it’s impossible to do this. Tennis is different. Everything changed a lot.”

Hi Indian Wells?? pic.twitter.com/izCosDjBOK

— A. Pavlyuchenkova (@NastiaPav) March 6, 2017

Over the last eight years, Pavlyuchenkova has consistently held a Top 30 position, but her results have been erratic. Spurts of fantastic play would be followed by a string of early losses. To her credit, the candid 25-year-old puts the blame at her own feet. A lack of fitness and wavering work ethic over the last few years left her wanting on court. Asked whether her innate talent – she’s one of the best ball-strikers in the game – contributed to her work ethic, Pavlyuchenkova said no.

“I never really think of myself as a talented player,” she said. “Really, I’m totally cool with this. A lot of coaches before, they told me, ‘Yeah, you’re talented. That’s why you think you don’t need to work.’ I never thought I was super-talented or something. I just like to enjoy life, as well.

“I’m a moody person, and I hate routines. I think that was the main issue I had. Let’s say, for two, three weeks [practice is the same]. I’m like, seriously? Same exercise? Can you mix it up? The coach is like, ‘You have to do it.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m so tired of playing cross-court drills. Can we do something else? It gets annoying. Let’s warm up again. Can we do something else or can we go and change?’

“I was always moody and there was no consistency in anything before.”

Now Pavlyuchenkova is committed to change that. She’s put in the hard work over the last 12 months and the results have become much more steady.

Girlssss?? pic.twitter.com/rp8kjJm1EC

— A. Pavlyuchenkova (@NastiaPav) March 8, 2017

“I just decided, for once, can you just start doing the hard work? Or can you finally start practicing and be serious with this? “

Of course, consistency of hard work [is important] as well, because in the past I could have done good work for a couple of weeks or months, but then it was like that all the time (indicating up and down) a lot of changes. I was going through a lot of changes with coaches, the training base, the cities, everything. I think now I’m more consistent and more serious with that, as well.

“I’m 25. I’ll be 26 in July. The time is going quick. Tennis life is kind of short. I feel like if it’s not now, then after it’s too late. I have an older brother who was really good, and I would say much more talented than me, who regrets a lot now, because he was doing a lot of bad choices and stuff. So that also shows me that I don’t want to end up like that.

“I’m just gonna take my chances, try my best, work hard consistently, and see where it can bring me. You never know. Maybe I will never achieve something good, or maybe I will achieve really good things.”

After the Miami Open last year, Pavlyuchenkova began working with Dieter Kindlmann, who had served as Maria Sharapova’s hitting partner. It was the first step towards recommitting to her career and the physical work they put in paid off when she made the Wimbledon quarterfinal over the summer.

??@simivey pic.twitter.com/4FBQZPv4Zj

— A. Pavlyuchenkova (@NastiaPav) March 4, 2017

This year Pavlyuchenkova is working with Simon Goffin, and she has now made three quarterfinals in five tournaments. In Indian Wells she knocked out No.5 Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals, where she faces Svetlana Kuznetsova. It was her first Top 5 win since beating Agnieszka Radwanska last year at the Rogers Cup.

“Probably last year or couple years ago, I would definitely lose this match,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters after the match. “Maybe not two sets but three sets, for sure. I wouldn’t be able to hold this level in two, three sets under this heat. “Before, I would probably tire. After one set, I would be so tired even if I won the set. I think today it shows that I have improved and I feel much fitter, so the third set kind of was consistent for me.

.@NastiaPav downs Cibulkova 6-4, 3-6, 6-2!

Sets All-?? @BNPParibasOpen Quarterfinal vs @SvetlanaK27! pic.twitter.com/KzIzF83x1r

— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017

“I’ve been working really hard. After Dubai, I went straight to France to the academy, and since the first practice I was full on. But again, you don’t know when it’s going to pay off. You can get unlucky, you can lose the first match. And you can think, ‘Oh gosh, I was working so hard. Why? Where is it?’ But it can come later.

“I’m just trying to play match by match. Everyone is tough. I’m trying hard to go deeper and be consistent, and balance between wanting to go deep and having perspective.”

Pavlyuchenkova was asked whether her change in attitude was triggered by a desire to play the rest of her career without any regrets. The thoughtful Russian dismissed that idea. This was more about taking control.

“I don’t want to [have regrets], but I will have it, anyways,” she said. “I think that’s impossible. Either it’s tennis or life, you always look back and you go, ‘Oh, I could have done this better.’ I think it’s how life is.

“But I just feel like if I can change it, I should change it. Like, okay, maybe I have regrets, let’s say, [the loss to Venus Williams at the Australian Open]. Next time I play her, let’s change it. Don’t at least repeat the same thing. I think that’s what’s important.”

KEY INFORMATION:
Tournament Level: Premier
Prize Money: $2,000,000
Draw Size: 28 main draw (4 byes)/32 qualifying
Qualifying Dates: Saturday, February 13 – Monday, February 15
First Day of Main Draw: Monday, February 15
Singles Final: Saturday, February 20, NB 7.00pm GST
Doubles Final: Saturday, February 20, 5pm GST (before singles final)

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

TOURNAMENT NOTES:
· Simona Halep has accepted a wildcard to defend her Dubai title.
· There have been five different champions in the past five years in Dubai. There are two returning champions in the field this year – Halep (2015), Petra Kvitova (2013).
· For the complete draw click here.

WILDCARDS:
Simona Halep (ROU), Petra Kvitova (CZE), Karolina Pliskova (CZE)

WITHDRAWALS:
Angelique Kerber (right thigh injury), Agnieszka Radwanska (left leg), Lucie Safarova (bacterial infection), Serena Williams (illness), Caroline Wozniacki (left knee injury)

CINCINNATI, OH, USA – No.2 seed Angelique Kerber has looked better and better throughout a tough week at the Western & Southern Open, and stands just one win away from not only clinching her first Cincinnati title, but also the No.1 ranking.

Hear from Kerber and fellow finalist Karolina Pliskova, along with vanquished semifinalists Simona Halep and Garbiñe Muguruza, on their throughts from a wet and windy day in Cincinnati, and whether Kerber’s felt the burden of potentially becoming the oldest woman to ever debut atop the WTA Rankings:

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The last two semifinal spots at the 2017 BNP Paribas Open are on offer today at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. We preview both mouthwatering quarterfinal matchups right here at wtatennis.com.

Thursday

Quarterfinals

[14] Elena Vesnina (RUS #15) vs. [12] Venus Williams (USA #13)
Head-to-head: Vesnina leads, 3-2
Key Stat: Venus Williams has a career record of 111-46 in WTA quarterfinals.

Though she is a tried-and-true veteran, 36-year-old Venus Williams is somewhat of a newbie at this stage of the BNP Paribas Open. Last year Williams dropped her first match in her return from a 14-year absence at Indian Wells, but this year Williams has marched into the quarterfinals, and has her sights set on her first trip to the semifinals at Indian Wells since 2001. Standing in her way will be a Russian on the rise who knows a thing or two about her legendary quarterfinal opponent. “I have so much respect for Venus and Serena; they’re great champions,” Elena Vesnina said after waltzing past Angelique Kerber for the first Top 2 win of her career on Tuesday. “I hope it’s going to be a great match because it’s always an honor to play against her.”

Vesnina owns a 3-2 lifetime edge over Williams, and even owns a win over the American at Wimbledon. But she knows that a big battle lies ahead, regardless of how well she plays. “We’ve had some great battles in the past; she’s won, I’ve won. But it’s a totally different story; it’s Indian Wells and I’m really enjoying my time here.” Will surging Vesnina enjoy another big win or will it be the crowd favorite Williams who keeps her latest dream run alive with a trip to the last four?

Pick: Vesnina in three

[28] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA #26) vs. [13] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN #14)
Head-to-head: Wozniacki leads, 3-0
Key Stat: Mladenovic is the first French player to reach the last eight at Indian Wells since Marion Bartoli in 2012.

By winning the title at Indian Wells, Caroline Wozniacki would return to the Top 10 for the first time since 2015, but she’ll have her hands full just reaching the semis because she is facing a Frenchwoman who is blossoming into a premier singles player. And 23-year-old Kristina Mladenovic has a rankings reward to chase as well this week—if she defeats Wozniacki on Thursday she’ll make her Top 20 debut on Monday. The Saint-Pol-sur-Mer native, who knocked off No.4-seeded Simona Halep in the third round and has not dropped a set all tournament, says she feels like a different player this year because of her improved movement. “I’m more powerful, which means that maybe my groundstrokes are kind of heavier, faster,” she told reporters after easing past Lauren Davis on Tuesday. But Mladenovic knows that 2011 BNP Paribas Open champion Wozniacki will make her work for every ball. “She’s a former World No. 1,” Mladenovic said of the Dane. “She’s coming back in great shape. She has won lots of matches lately. She has great confidence, I’m sure.”

Wozniacki, who moved into third on the all-time BNP Paribas Open win list with her victory over Madison Keys on Tuesday night, is aware of Mladenovic’s rise. “It’s not going to be an easy one-I played a tough one against her in Hong Kong, in the final,” said Wozniacki at the prospect of facing Mladenovic. “I’m expecting another tricky one, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Pick: Wozniacki in three

By the Numbers:

30-9 – Wozniacki’s lifetime record at Indian Wells. Only Lindsay Davenport (47) and Maria Sharapova (38) have more wins than the Dane.

3 – Number of players that reached their first Indian Wells quarterfinal this year at Indian Wells (Muguruza, Vesnina, Mladenovic).

3 – Number of quarterfinalists that have earned double-digit WTA titles. Williams has 49, Wozniacki 25 and Svetlana Kuznetsova 17.

2 – Number of players that have yet to drop a set at Indian Wells (Wozniacki, Mladenovic).