My Performance: Simona Halep
Simona Halep reflects on her performance at the Miami Open.
Simona Halep reflects on her performance at the Miami Open.
Roberta Vinci continued her love affair with the US Open by brushing aside Lesia Tsurenko to reach the quarterfinals once again.
MIAMI, FL, USA – World No.1 Angelique Kerber steamrolled past Japanese qualifier Risa Ozaki in barely an hour to move into the Miami Open quarterfinals for the third time in her career.
Kerber broke the Ozaki serve six times and hit 17 winners to Ozaki’s seven on her way to the 6-2, 6-2 victory.
“I think that she’s played a good tournament,” Kerber praised her opponent in post-match press. “She came through the qualies, she beat good players. I was ready for it.
“I talked with my team and I know that she’s moving good and bringing a lot of balls back. I was trying to play my game and be aggressive.”
.@AngeliqueKerber wraps up the set 6-2! #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/UOBifNUCYj
— WTA (@WTA) 27 de marzo de 2017
After a tentative start, with both players feeling each other out in their first encounter, it all went the German’s way as her powerful game started to click together. She dictated with the forehand, breaking Ozaki twice for a 4-1 lead. The 22-year-old Japanese earned one of the breaks back, but it wasn’t enough to halt Kerber’s momentum as she steamrolled to the opening set.
The same pattern emerged in the final set; Kerber rolled ahead to a 5-0, triple break lead, but faltered for a moment against Ozaki’s slices and the Japanese grabbed one of the breaks back. Kerber stayed solid, though, and wrapped up the match moments later.
Despite the result, 22-year-old Ozaki will still have reason to celebrate. After reaching the main draw in her Miami Open debut, Ozaki is set to rise to a career-high ranking on Monday, projected to land inside the Top 75.
Moving on!@AngeliqueKerber books a spot in @MiamiOpen Quarterfinals! Cruises past Ozaki 6-2, 6-2! pic.twitter.com/bIMObErLu7
— WTA (@WTA) 27 de marzo de 2017
For Kerber, the challenge continues in the next round as she’ll face the winner between WTA veterans Venus Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova for a spot in the semifinals.
“I think it doesn’t matter against who because they are both amazing players,” Kerber said. “Playing against Venus, I’m looking forward [to it] if it’s Venus. But as well if it’s Sveta, she’s played great tennis in the last few weeks. She reached the final in Indian Wells. She’s on fire, but also Venus, she played amazing this year so far.
“I’m looking forward to playing against them. We’ll see tonight.”
Karolina Pliskova came from match point down to win a dramatic fourth-round shoot-out against two-time champion Venus Williams at the US Open on Monday.
MIAMI, FL, USA – Former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki kept up her searing 2017 form, surging past an unseeded but dangerous Lucie Safarova, 6-4, 6-3, to join Karolina Pliskova in the Miami Open semifinals.
“I love playing out there,” she said of the electric crowd environment in her press conference. “The first night match is unbelievable; I think it’s the best slot of the day. I love being out there, competing, and just playing good tennis.”
Safarova has been ranked as high as No.5, but the former French Open finalist struggled to recover from various illnesses and injuries in 2016, causing her to start this season ranked outside the Top 60.
Finding vintage form in spurts coming into Miami, Safarova caught fire in South Florida, upsetting No.4 seed Dominika Cibulkova in straights to reach her first Premier Mandatory quarterfinal since the Mutua Madrid Open in 2015.
.@CaroWozniacki chases down the drop shot! ??? #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/RQZPNslfP8
— WTA (@WTA) March 29, 2017
Wozniacki suffered similar setbacks last year, but has been on a roll since reaching the semifinals of the US Open, and ultimately dispatched Safarova in two sets after a slow start.
“She’s been playing really well, and came out firing. Her lefty serve is also tricky, but I just kept staying in there.
“I felt like I moved really well today, and thought we played some really great points out there.”
Safarova was close to a double break lead on the onset of the match, but Wozniacki held on, mixing up the pace and forcing the uber-aggressive Safarova into uncomfortable positions as she moved the ball about the court.
.@CaroWozniacki downs Safarova 6-4, 6-3!
Sets @MiamiOpen Semifinal vs @KaPliskova! pic.twitter.com/s65Ef0EWVf
— WTA (@WTA) March 29, 2017
Still, things stayed close until the end of each set, when the Doha and Dubai runner-up pulled ahead, breaking in the first and serving out the second.
Up next for Wozniacki is No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova. The pair last played in the finals of the Qatar Total Open, where the Czech powerhouse won in straight sets.
“She beat me last time we play, so she’s clearly in good shape. I’m looking forward to getting another try, to see if I can beat her this time.
“I know her game, what her strengths and weaknesses are. I’ll have my team take a look at our last match and let me know; I’ve played so many matches in a row that they won’t want me to overthink it.”
See ya in the @MiamiOpen Semifinals @CaroWozniacki ? pic.twitter.com/QM7r1jaXts
— WTA (@WTA) March 29, 2017
WTA Insider | Hear from both sides of the classic encounter between Karolina Pliskova and Venus Williams in the latest Daily Dispatch.
MIAMI, FL, USA – One lucky tennis fan got their hands on one of Caroline Wozniacki’s Stella McCartney-designed Adidas tennis dresses after the Dane marched into the semifinals of the Miami Open on Tuesday.
Wozniacki had just defeated Lucie Safarova 6-4, 6-3 and was clearly in the mood to make someone’s day after her impressive display.
“Any girls that play tennis want this skirt?” offered Wozniacki, before handing one of her red dresses to a very grateful fan.
Nice one @CaroWozniacki. Offers up her @StellaMcCartney @adidastennis kit to a fan @miamiopen. pic.twitter.com/UOcAUa1QGg
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 29, 2017
Victory for Wozniacki means that she now faces Karolina Pliskova for a place in the final, having previously defeated Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets.
Wozniacki enjoys a 3-1 head-to-head against Pliskova, but it was the Czech who won the last encounter, having defeated her in the finals of the Qatar Total Open.
Serena Williams will continue her quest for Grand Slam glory on Wednesday as the top half contests its quarterfinals. Chris Oddo previews the matchups at wtatennis.com.
Day 10
Quarterfinal
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [5] Simona Halep (ROU #5)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 7-1
Key Stat: Williams struck a 126 mph serve in her round of 16 match with Yaroslava Shvedova. It is the fastest recorded serve at this year’s US Open.
Serena Williams has answered all the questions and then some about her health and form during her first four matches in New York. She has dropped just 20 games and not had her serve broken a single time. After passing Martina Navratilova and Roger Federer on the all-time Grand Slam wins list the 22-time major champion will set her sights upon major title No.23 as the business end of the tournament begins. It starts with a battle with No.5-seeded Simona Halep on Day 10. Halep has won 21 of her last 23 matches and has navigated a very tricky draw to reach the quarterfinals at the US Open for the second consecutive season. Now she must find a way to challenge one of the most daunting, indomitable players to ever step on the Grand Slam stage. Halep says she won’t be nervous to face Serena Williams—she has nothing to lose. “I don’t have to be afraid or to have emotions because I have nothing to lose,” she said on Sunday after defeating Carla Suárez Navarro in straight sets. “It’s just a huge challenge for me. Just playing my game; I will try to do that.” Williams knows that she’ll be up for her stiffest challenge of the fortnight when she faces Halep. The Romanian owns a win against her, which came at the 2014 WTA Finals, but since then Williams has taken three in a row against Halep. Williams says she’s just taking it day by day and hoping she can improve with every round. “I just feel like I’m going out there doing what I need to do,” she said after cruising past Yaroslava Shvedova, 6-2, 6-3, on Day 8. “I’m not overplaying, I’m not underplaying. I’m just trying to play my way into this tournament.”
Pick: Williams in two
Ana Konjuh (POL #92) vs. [10] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #11)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Both players are contesting their first career Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Surprise, surprise! A pair of first-time quarterfinalists are set to square off for a spot in the US Open semifinals, as No.10-seeded Karolina Pliskova will meet 18-year-old Ana Konjuh for the first time on Wednesday. For Pliskova, this opportunity has been a long time coming. The hard-serving Czech and her easy power have made waves on the circuit for two years, but she has been thwarted at the Grand Slam level and failed to reach the second week of a major in her first 17 appearances. That has changed in the last few days. Pliskova pummeled Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach the round of 16 on Saturday and on Monday the 24-year-old Czech produced one of the most magical moments of the tournament when she saved a match point to defeat Venus Williams in a third-set tiebreaker. She’s just three matches from a Grand Slam title, but Pliskova is not thinking about anything but her next battle. “I know it’s still far,” she said. “It’s closer than it was yesterday, but it’s still far.” Her opponent is the lowest-ranked and youngest player remaining in the draw, but she’s also one of the most dangerous. Anyone who witnesses Ana Konjuh’s breathtaking victory over No.4-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska on Monday night can see why she’s being touted as a future star. Regularly approaching 120 MPH on serve, and striking with wicked pace from both wings, Konjuh had Radwanska on her back foot all night. Can the Croatian back up her stunning upset with another Top 10 win? Konjuh isn’t putting too much pressure on herself. “I’m still young,” she said. “I still need to experience things. I’m just trying to focus on each player for the day for the match and just give my best.”
Pick: Pliskova in two
By the Numbers:
34 – The age of Serena Williams, who is the oldest player remaining in the draw.
3 – Returning quarterfinalists from 2015 (Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Roberta Vinci).
436 – Pliskova leads the Tour with 436 aces in 53 matches this year.
9 – Of the nine teenagers that started in this year’s US Open main draw, Konjuh is the only one remaining.
1993 – The last time that an American woman has failed to reach the U.S Open quarterfinals.
A look at some of the best outfits on display this week at the Miami Open.
An interview with Jelena Ostapenko after her win in the semifinals of the Qatar Total Open.