My Performance: Dominika Cibulkova
Dominika Cibulkova talks through her win over Elena Vesnina at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
Dominika Cibulkova talks through her win over Elena Vesnina at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
Simplicity suits Sloane Stephens. The 23-year-old American is up to No.21 in the world after capturing her third title of the season and the biggest one of her career this weekend at the Volvo Car Open. Her run to the title, which included wins over Angelique Kerber (by retirement), Daria Kasatkina, and Daria Gavrilova, was her first at a Premier level event. But the milestone seemed inevitable given Stephens’ recent turnaround. Since snapping an 0-6 record in semifinals last year, Stephens is now 4-0 in finals.
If you ask Stephens for an explanation for the turnaround, you’ll get no precise answer. The change and improvements in her game have been gradual and are clearly tied to confidence. She won her first title last year at the Citi Open under then-coach Nick Saviano. After teaming up with Kamau Murray in the off-season, Stephens has improved in her focus, fight, and execution. When she was behind the eight-ball in Charleston, such as being down match point to Kasatkina in the quarterfinals, Stephens didn’t shirk. She played bolder and more confidently, and pulled the match back on her terms. She did the same in the final, where she nearly let a 5-2 lead slip away in the first set before running away with the tiebreaker to win 7-6(4), 6-2 over Elena Vesnina.
WTA Insider spoke to Stephens via phone after her big win in Charleston.
WTA Insider: Now that the first quarter of the season is over and we’re about transition to red clay, can you look back and assess your first three-four months? You must be happy with how well you’ve started the year.
Stephens: Yeah definitely. Obviously with three titles it’s been good. Going into the clay court season I’m looking forward to it because I love clay. Yeah, it’s been a good start to the year, good start to the clay court season, so I’m excited to get over to Europe.
WTA Insider: What’s the difference between how you’re playing right now as opposed to a year ago?
Stephens: I’m playing better, just competing and fighting and enjoying being out on the court. It’s definitely a long journey. Just taking it step by step, day by day, but learning a lot of about myself and my game, just looking to improve on court which has been the most important.
WTA Insider: When you say you’ve learned a lot about yourself and your game, can you be more specific? What have you learned?
Stephens: Just general things. What I like to do on the court, what makes me comfortable, what works for me basically. I’ve found a way to make things happen for myself and I think that’s the most important.
WTA Insider: Have any of the things you’ve learned about yourself surprised you?
Stephens: Not really. Just a matter of execution and knowing what you have to do on the court. I think at some times there were question marks in my head about what I wanted to do and just to be able to execute and focus on what I need to do is the probably the best thing.
WTA Insider: When I watch you play I’m sometimes reminded of Svetlana Kuznetsova, insofar as you’re both incredible athletes who have the ability to play different gamestyles and hit a variety of shots. Sometimes that variety can make the game complicated. You have so many options that a player can be paralyzed when it comes to decision-making. Does any of that ring true to you?
Stephens: I don’t know, I can hit a lot of shots and adjust well to other players game styles. So I guess…yeah? But being able to hit a lot of different shots and be able to adjust to how my opponents play has been a strong aspect of my game.
In the moment I don’t think you’re thinking about do I hit this shot or that shot. You do what’s natural. You don’t overthink it.
WTA Insider: What is working so well with Kamau Murray?
Stephens: We work well together. He’s a good coach. I’ve had good results. I mean anything that a good coach should have, good chemistry, things are going well, I’m winning tournaments. I couldn’t ask for much more.
WTA Insider: Is he saying things that other coaches have always told you, just in a voice and manner that strikes a chord in you? Or is he bringing something new and different to your game?
Stephens: No, I just think we have good chemistry, we work well together. At this point when I’m No.25 in the world there’s not much in my game that he could change that would make me a different player. There are things that when you click better with a certain coach or understand a different coach better, there are things that work better with certain people. And I think we have a good chemistry so, I don’t know, we make things happen.
WTA Insider: What aspect of your season are you most proud about?
Stephens: Just competing. Just being able to stay in the moment on the court and in the matches. All three of my finals have been tough this year. So it’s been nice to be able to edge those out and stay focused on court. I think that’s been really good.
WTA Insider: You’re not playing Fed Cup and you’re not in action until the Madrid Open. Can you talk through your mindset in how you put together your clay schedule? Why skip Stuttgart?
Stephens: I’ve just always played that schedule. I like Madrid, I like Rome, I like red clay. So it’s easy. I think being an American playing Indian Wells and Miami is tough because there’s a lot going on. So I think for me, Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, it’s been a lot. So it’ll be nice to take a break and then go back to Europe because we’re going to be there for a month, maybe longer. I think it’s just planning so as to not overwork yourself before you get to clay season.
WTA Insider: So I understand you’re headed straight home to LA tonight. What are you looking forward to the most about LA?
Stephens: My bed. Definitely.
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It was an emotionally challenging week for Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia but it was one that ended in smiles rather than tears. The French duo picked up their first title as a team by beating the streaking Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova 6-2 7-5. After making two finals already this season, it was the perfect result for the pair, who will undoubtedly feature prominently in France’s bid to win the Fed Cup as well as their desire to medal at the Olympics.
WTA Insider caught up with Garcia and Mladenovic after their big win.
WTA Insider: You paired up this year and already made two finals. Now you finally get the title. What does it mean to you?
Mladenovic: It definitely means a lot. Third time’s the charm. We’re both so excited, proud, and relieved we got this one under our belt and the first team trophy for us.
Garcia: We both lost 7-6 in the third in singles. You know that for me it’s been a difficult beginning of the week. [Note: Garcia was the subject of unfounded allegations by the media in her match against Irina Camelia Begu. The WTA conducted a full investigation and found no evidence of misconduct.] A lot of things have been hurting me personally and very deep. I was taking a lot of pleasure in doubles and making me think of something else. Also it made me learn things outside of the court and it helped me play better inside the court.
WTA Insider: You’re both primarily singles players. How do you balance the two disciplines? In Charleston you both lost early in singles.
Mladenovic: It’s not an easy balance. Honestly, doubles is the best practice I can have for my singles. For example, now this is the first week on clay, we can get a lot of matches under our belt. I’m also this week working on a few things in my game. Just to be able to have an opportunity to work on these things on court and competing — an official doubles match can replace practices.
To get trophies and titles like this is very meaningful. It definitely helps my singles game. I feel like today I’m a lot more confident and it for sure helps for the singles game. You just try and push yourself. ‘Ok, I lost in singles but I’m going to try and do great in doubles and to work on things.’
WTA Insider: Does playing doubles make you a better pressure player?
Mladnenovic: Yeah, definitely. I remember for example, I was privileged to win mixed doubles titles with Daniel Nestor in Wimbledon and the Australian Open, and also I remember in the juniors when I won the French Open. All those experiences, with big pressure, big moments, history, all of these little details, this pressure, you practice to feel it so you believe it will be routine.
When I go out there, I have so many examples of matches at home, all these matches — maybe that’s why I’m doing well so far at the French Open — when I get on the big courts I have this feeling inside of me — I’ve been there before, it’s familiar to me. So I know how to handle the nerves and pressure. When you play tennis you want to be a champion. You’re looking every day for this pressure. It’s a feeling I personally live for because I know in the normal life I know i would never find this adrenaline.
Garcia: Maybe it helps you a little bit to manage the stress at the important points. But it’s also different. You are not alone on court, you can talk to the other one, and the other one can talk to you, to encourage you to stay positive. Of course you have to take care of yourself on court.
WTA Insider: Was the motivation any different for you two in Charleston? You had a big Fed Cup tie coming up, plus you lost early in the tournament. Was it difficult to stay committed?
Mladenovic: Before the tournament our Fed Cup Captain Amelie Mauresmo was not really 100% for us playing here because she wanted us to be back in Europe early for the jet lag and everything for the Fed Cup semifinals next week. We decided to play because we needed it for the confidence. We have common goals and when we play we play 100%.
Garcia: We always thought our goal was to win the title but we just take it match by match. But we didn’t care about next week. We were just enjoying our time in Charleston. It’s a great tournament, there are a lot of people who come to watch you. You can’t just pull out and say it doesn’t matter. that is not the point of view of Kristina and I and our teams. So when we enter, we play until the end.
It’s such a good feeling to finish the week like this. That’s the beauty of it. At the end of the week we are the doubles champions of a great event. It’s a lot of confidence and I’m sure it will help us do great next week. That’s the feeling we’re having now. We’re excited to fly and join the rest of the team to try and make the final.
All photos courtesy of Volvo Car Open.
Yulia Putintseva talks through her performance after her semifinal victory at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
ZUG, Switzerland – Octagon and InfrontRingier Sports & Entertainment Switzerland are bringing the WTA tour to Biel/Bienne, with a new indoor tournament to be staged in April each year starting in 2017.
The International event will take place at a new indoor arena – to be completed in February 2017 – following the conclusion of the Sunshine Swing in Indian Wells and Miami. Its draw will feature 32 players for the singles competition and a draw of 16 for doubles.
“Swiss tennis is enjoying an exceptional era and we’re delighted the beautiful town of Biel will be part of the WTA calendar in 2017,” says WTA CEO Steve Simon. “We invite our fans to be part of the excitement and enjoy outstanding world-class tennis in Biel.”
Octagon, the global sports and entertainment marketing and talent management powerhouse, has extensive women’s tennis experience in Switzerland. In addition to having staged a premier WTA tournament for 25 years in Zurich, and other WTA competitions in Lucerne and Geneva, Octagon also represents Martina Hingis and Belinda Bencic.
“We are very pleased that such a broad group of exceptional interests have aligned to create this new tournament,” announced Philip D. M. de Picciotto, the Founder and President of Octagon. “The marketing and media excellence of InfrontRingier, the esteemed status of Swiss Tennis, the world class talent of the Swiss players and the WTA’s global leadership position in professional sport for women have enabled a mere idea to become a reality.”
“I am really looking forward to having a WTA tournament back in Switzerland,” says Hingis, the reigning doubles co-No.1. “I have fond memories of my first WTA tournament in Zurich and I am excited that Octagon has been able to work with Swiss Tennis and InfrontRingier to bring an International event to Biel. Switzerland has a great tennis history and having such an event in my home country will help to build on that. Being able to play in front of your home fans is a special experience and I plan to be involved as much as possible to help make the tournament a success for the Swiss tennis fans.”
Bencic added: “It is a unique experience and great honor for me to be part of the WTA Tour’s return to Switzerland. Having a tournament in my home country gives me the opportunity to give something back to the tennis fans in Switzerland. I know from my own experience that being able to watch the world’s best players in person can be inspiring. I really look forward to playing in front of the Swiss audience and will hopefully be able to contribute to the growth of the sport there.”
Lukas Troxler, Deputy Managing Director of InfrontRingier and designated Tournament Director, commented: “We are more than proud to partner with Octagon to bring the WTA Tour to the country, especially at this time, as Swiss women’s tennis is experiencing tremendous international success and a huge upward trend. Tennis fans in Switzerland are eager and enthusiastic to support their players and it is exciting for the country to once again become a world stage for tennis. We would like to extend our thanks also to Swiss Tennis for its support and look forward to continuing our successful collaboration.”
Highlights from all of Saturday’s semifinals action at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
Elina Svitolina takes on Peng Shuai in the final of the Taiwan Open.
Daria Gavrilova makes her first attempt at the WTA Net Dash. Check out her personal best right here.
The Fed Cup World Group semifinals came to their thrilling conclusion on Sunday, as the Czech Republic and France each swept the decisive doubles rubber to advance to the 2016 Fed Cup final in November.
Both ties were tied at the end of Day 1, and the Swiss team still appeared poised for a massive upset over the Czechs – who had won four titles in the last five years – but Karolina Pliskova earned a crucial victory in revese singles over Timea Bacsinszky, recovering from her surprising loss to World No.129 Viktorija Golubic, 6-4, 6-2.
Golubic was far from finished, however; playing in front of her home crowd in Lucerne, the 23-year-old pulled off another stunning comeback on Sunday – this time against Barbora Strycova, 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-1. With the tie coming down to the decisive doubles, the momentum looked to be back on the Swiss side – especially with co-No.1 Martina Hingis taking the doubles court with Golubic. But Pliskova had a talented partner of her own in Lucie Hradecka, and the pair managed to put away the Swiss once and for all, 6-2, 6-2.
“Obviously yesterday was a tough match and tough day for me because I didn’t expect to lose this one,” Pliskova said after the 3-2 victory over Swizerland. “Even physically I was a little bit down. I just had a good dinner, went to sleep and woke up on a new day with new energy and just tried to do my best.”
“I am happy with how we played,” Hradecka added. “Maybe I expected a closer match but I know if we play fast and we don’t give them a lot of time, it would be an advantage for us. It was great and I really enjoyed it.”
Here is the moment Czech Republic reached the #FedCupFinal for the 5th time in 6 years! #CzechFedCupTeamhttps://t.co/Ysv2kWQi8r
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) April 17, 2016
Over in Trélazé, the Dutch team didn’t want their miracle run to end at the hands of the French, pushing the vaunted team to the brink after tying the contest on Saturday. Kiki Bertens went 2-0 in singles when she earned a 7-5, 6-4 win over Kristina Mladenovic, but Caroline Garcia recovered from her Day 1 loss to defeat Richel Hogenkamp, 6-3, 6-4 – forcing the decisive doubles rubber.
Garcia and Mladenovic had just won their first title of 2016 together at the Volvo Car Open, but Bertens and Hogenkamp put up one last resistence as they edged to within six points of victory after taking the second set. The French ultimately proved too strong in the end, taking the rubber and the 3-2 tie, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Led by coach and former Fed Cup stalwart Amélie Mauresmo, France is now into its first Fed Cup final since 2005, the last of three consecutive years where they reached the championship stage (winning in 2003). The Czechs will be looking to win their fifth title in six years, and with Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova possible additions to the team come November, would appear to be the favorites for another Fed Cup trophy.
Relive the moment France reached the 2016 #FedCupFinal! @KikiMladenovic @CaroGarcia #TeamFranceTennishttps://t.co/gsNwQfCTIZ
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) April 17, 2016
Elina Svitolina closed out a competitive Aussie squad while Fed Cup debutantes Natalia Vikhlyantseva and Rebecca Sramkova sealed impressive World Group II wins over Chinese Taipei and Italy, respectively.
Catch up on how Day 2 went down:
UKRAINE WINS!!! @ElinaSvitolina defeats #Gavrilova 63 62 and ?? will advance to the World Group play-offs in April! pic.twitter.com/ysCalK39Gl
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
Ukraine 3-1 Australia
Svitolina started off Day 1 with a comeback win over Ashleigh Barty, and picked up where she left off against Daria Gavrilova, taking a 6-3, 6-2 win to lead Ukraine back into World Group I Play-Offs.
Not content to leave Kharkiv empty-handed, Australia pulled off a thrilling three-set win in the doubles rubber, with former Grand Slam finalists Barty and Casey Dellacqua beating Nadiia Kichenok and Olga Savchuk, 6-2, 2-6, 10-8.
Thanks THE TEAM???!!!! @FedCup #fedcup #goukraine pic.twitter.com/unhytgkovG
— Lesia Tsurenko (@LTsurenko) February 12, 2017
Russia 3-1 Chinese Taipei
Coming into Day 2 on level terms, it was up to the experienced Ekaterina Makarova to keep her young teammates ahead in Moscow. Her opponent has had success against big-time Russians in the past, having knocked out then-World No.1 Dinara Safina back in 2009 at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, and was eager for another upset on Sunday.
#RUSTPE @katemakarova1 defeats Chang #KaiChen 64 75 to give Russia a 2-1 lead over Chinese Taipei! pic.twitter.com/Rc1nsh34po
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
Twice recovering from deficits against the former World No.85, Makarova edged over the finish line, 6-4, 7-5, opening the door for rising teen sensation Natalia Vikhlyantseva to clinch the tie.
Fresh off a run to the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy semifinal, Vikhlyantseva put down a decisive, 6-1, 6-2 win over Lee Ya-Hsuan.
The ?? team celebrates its victory in the #FedCup World Group II first round pic.twitter.com/1xUBxHWUCk
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
The win earned praise froum countrywoman and reigning Olympic Gold medalist Elena Vesnina, who thought the youngster handled the situation like an old pro:
Ура!!!Девчонки молодцы!???А Наташа Вихлянцева без нервов,как-будто на опыте,всегда решающие одиночки играет?Браво!#fedcup #ShowYourColours
— Elena Vesnina (@EVesnina001) February 12, 2017
Slovakia 3-2 Italy
Italy won their fourth Fed Cup title in 2013, but could be on the verge of relegation into Zonal play after a shocking loss to Slovakia.
Level after Day 1, former World No.5 Daniela Hantuchova earned her first Top 50 win since 2015 to defeat Sara Errani, 6-2, 6-0, setting the stage for a tense fourth rubber between Rebecca Sramkova and Francesca Schiavone.
#ITASVK Daniela #Hantuchova wins the first set against #Errani, taking it 62! Can she put ?? 2-1 up in the tie? pic.twitter.com/5nsOYkMQZY
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
The 2010 French Open champion declared 2017 would be her last, but couldn’t tap into that inspiration against an on-fire Sramkova, who hit through the Italian veteran in her Fed Cup debut.
Clinching the tie, 6-2, 6-4, Slovakia moved onto the World Group I Play-Offs, while Italy faces a must-win tie to prevent descending into the Euro-Africa Zone for the first time since 1997.
SLOVAKIA WINS!!! @RebeccaSramkova defeats #Schiavone 62 64 to send ?? into April's #FedCup World Group play-offs! pic.twitter.com/FWfKN9PI1Z
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
Belgium 3-1 Romania
Belgium pulled off an dramatic win over Romania, with Elise Mertens taking a 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over Irina-Camelia Begu.
Mertens started the year debuting in the Top 100 with a title run at the Hobart International, and held her nerve to see off Begu and clinch the tie for Belgium.
Romania roared into World Group back in 2015 with the help of former World No.2 Simona Halep, but with Halep nursing an injured knee, the 2014 French Open finalist could only watch from the sidelines as her team falls to within one match of returning to Euro-Africa Zone I.
Great team = great victory. Congrats @yaninawickmaye8, @FlipperKF, @zanevskamaryna & @elise_mertens! #FedCup #ROUBEL pic.twitter.com/Gsff53iu6b
— BelgianFedCupTeam (@FedCupBelgium) February 12, 2017