Tennis News

SYDNEY, Australia – Samantha Stosur held her nerve in a tense finale to edge out Roberta Vinci and reach the second round of the Apia International Sydney.

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

Each January, the question on the lips of everyone involved with Australian tennis is: which Stosur will turn up? The confident, baseline-hogging, Grand Slam winning version, or the nervy, error-strewn one struggling underneath the weight of home expectation.

And as Vinci clawed her way back into the third set, a familiar story looked to be unfolding in front of the Ken Rosewall Arena faithful. But having frittered away a 5-2 lead, a relieved Stosur finally dragged herself over the finishing line when the Italian sent a backhand drifting into the tramlines.

In the off-season, Stosur swapped the gym for a more cardiovascular approach, a decision that paid dividends during a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory, which lasted over two and a half hours under the Sydney sun.

“It was a very long match, a very tough match,” Stosur said. “She knows what she’s doing out there, so you’ve got to know how to combat that. I did that at times, not at others, but I’m glad to get through.”

Since reaching the final over a decade ago, Stosur has failed to make it beyond the second round in Sydney. Blocking her path this time is another of the game’s more experienced heads, Daniela Hantuchova.

“If I could get through that and be in the quarters obviously I would be really pleased and really happy, it’s always nice to progress one round further than you’ve been able to for a long time,” Stosur added.

“That would be a really good confidence boost going into the Aussie Open. If I am in the quarters here, then I’ll try to keep going here as long as possible.”

Elsewhere in the bottom half of the draw, there were wins for Belinda Bencic, Ekaterina Makarova and Monica Puig.

Bencic, who made an early exit last week in Brisbane, got her Australian Open preparations back on track with a 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-4 win over Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Puig was also made to work hard, eventually seeing off Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, while Makarova kept her time on court to a minimum, swatting aside Lucie Hradecka, 6-2, 6-1, in under an hour.

MONTRÉAL, Canada – Following vastly contrasting semifinals, Simona Halep and Madison Keys will renew their burgeoning rivalry at the Stade Uniprix on Sunday afternoon. Here are 10 of SAP’s finest facts ahead of their showdown in Canada.

(5) Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs (10) Madison Keys (USA #12)
Head-To-Head: Halep leads, 2-1

1) An epic rivalry in the making?
Halep and Keys could well be contesting major finals for years to come. However, all three of their previous meetings have occurred with the silverware still some way off. Keys won in straight sets in the first round of Sydney in 2014, before Halep gained revenge at the same stage in Rome the following year. They most recently crossed paths earlier this summer in the last 16 of Wimbledon, where Halep fought back to win in three sets.

2) On top of their game.
Both Halep and Keys can stake a claim to be this summer’s form player. Since a surprise loss to Laura Siegemund in Stuttgart, Halep has won 22 of 25 matches, triumphing in Madrid and Bucharest along the way, Keys, meanwhile, has been every bit as impressive, winning 21 of her past 24, reaching a final in Rome and lifting the title in Birmingham during that time.

3) Halep holds a decided edge in big-match experience.
Keys is becoming an increasingly familiar presence at the business end of tennis’ flagship events. All four of her previous final appearances came at Premier or Premier 5 tournaments, picking up the title at two of these (Eastbourne (2014), and Birmingham (2016)). Halep, however, holds the upper hand in terms of big-match experience, having taken home a couple of Premier Mandatory titles in the past few years, at Madrid and Indian Wells, while also finishing runner-up at Roland Garros and the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global in 2014.

4) Back-to-back finals no longer a regular occurrence in Canada.
Simona Halep is the first player to reach back-to-back Rogers Cup finals since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 and 2002. Interestingly, every final between 1996 and 2002 featured one player that reached the same stage 12 months earlier.

5) Keys is going for the biggest title of her career and first on hard.
Despite being raised on the hardcourts of the Chris Evert Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, this is the first time Keys has reached a WTA final on the surface. Her best showings prior to this week were semifinal runs at the Australian Open (2015), Sydney (2014) and Osaka (2013). 

6) No stranger to big name upsets.
Keys will be facing off against a Top 5 player for the 16th time in her career on Sunday. Three of her previous encounters have ended in victory, against Li Na (2013 Madrid), Petra Kvitova (2015 Australian Open) and Garbiñe Muguruza (2016 Rome)

7) Keys could break new ground.
Earlier this summer Keys became the 118th player to break into the Top 10. She slipped out following Wimbledon but will return by virtue of reaching the final. Should the American lift the title, she will rise to a career best No.7 in the rankings. Halep will climb to No.3 should she leave with the title and No.4 without.

8) Montréal will have a significant impact on the Road To Singapore leaderboard.
Keys, who has never previously qualified for the WTA Finals, came into the Rogers Cup at No.9 on the Road To Singapore leaderboard but – regardless of the result – will leave no lower than No.6. Halep is guaranteed to rise to No.3.

9) Keys serving notice.
Keys’ imperious serve has been flowing this week, firing down 40 aces in five matches. Against Kristina Kucova in the semifinals, it was particularly dominant; she won 33 of 42 service points and did not face a single break point. 

10) Doubles delight?
In a rare doubles outing, Halep has made it all the way to the final alongside compatriot Monica Niculescu. Should she lift both titles she will be the first player to achieve the feat at the Rogers Cup since Martina Hingis in 2000.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Six-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams leads the bottom half of the draw into action on Day Two at Melbourne Park. Dominika Cibulkova and Agnieszka Radwanska are also in action on the last day of Round 1. We preview all the day’s matchups right here at wtatennis.com.

Tuesday, First Round

[2] Serena Williams (USA #2) vs Belinda Bencic (SUI #59)
Head-to-head: Tied at 1-1
Key Stat: 2017 Australian Open marks first Grand Slam where Serena hasn’t been top seed since 2013 Australian Open (No.3)

Belinda Bencic’s reaction to the draw is quite different to how you’d think someone would react when finding out their first-round opponent is six-time champion Serena Williams:

“My first reaction was actually, like, really happy,” Bencic told press ahead of the match. “I’m super-pumped, like excited I get to play on the big court, I guess.

“Yeah, everyone is like, ‘Oh, bad luck with the draw.’ Me, I’m pretty happy and excited about it!”

Bencic has a reason to feel good: back in 2015, she scored the biggest victory of her career over Serena at the Rogers Cup, becoming one of just 3 players to defeat the American that year.

But a lot has changed since in two years, and injury woes have caused the Swiss wunderkind’s ranking to plummet. And Serena – as always – has her eye on making history and reclaiming the No.1 ranking in Melbourne Park.

“All I can do is do my best,” Serena said. “If I can play the way I’ve been practicing, it will be fine. I know she’s been playing well, so it will be good for both of us.”

[3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #3) vs Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL #64)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads 9-3
Key Stat: Pironkova’s last Top 5 win came over Radwanska in 2016 Roland Garros R16

World No.3 Agnieszka Radwanska has many positives to take away from her run to the Apia International Sydney final: before getting thoroughly outclassed in the last match by Johanna Konta, Radwanska hadn’t dropped a set all tournament long and her tricky, deliberate game was flowing freely.

“Of course, losing finals always is disappointing,” Radwanska reflected in pre-tournament press. “But it’s still a good week with great matches against top players.

“I’m very confident. I really hope I can play the same tennis, even the tennis I played in the final. But every tournament is different story, especially in the tough first round.”

After the quick turnaround to Melbourne, Radwanska will bring all of that confidence and preparation against an opponent who has troubled her in the past: Tsvetana Pironkova. The pair have met 12 times previously, with the Bulgarian stunning Radwanska in the fourth round of Roland Garros.

“Pironkova is a very tricky opponent,” she said. “I’m expecting everything from her side. For sure it’s going to be a lot of running. I’m going to really have to work on each point.”

[5] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #6) vs Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP #106)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Sorribes Tormo is playing just the second Grand Slam main draw match of her career

After her dominant performance at the Brisbane International, where she claimed the first title of her season, Karolina Pliskova took two days off before heading straight to Melbourne.

“I’ve been practicing here since Tuesday. Even yesterday,” the Czech said in pre-tournament press. “But I’ve been feeling good so far. I was even ready for Monday start, but will be ready even for Tuesday.

“That’s what I did in New York, as well. So I just did it here. I don’t know if it’s going to work, but I just want to leave everything in this tournament.”

But despite her red-hot start to 2017, Pliskova wouldn’t be drawn into discussing her Australian Open chances – not even on the eve of the tournament after drawing Sara Sorribes Tormo in the opening round.

“I would definitely not take me as a favorite of this tournament. It’s a big draw,” the Czech said in pre-tournament press. “There is a lot of players. I just take it step by step.”

“I just know my opponent from the first round. I want to pass this one. Then we can talk about the next one.”

Her opponent, Sorribes Tormo, is a 20-year-old Spaniard who might be out of her depths against the big-hitting Czech: this will be the just the second Grand Slam main draw match of her career, and her first match against a Top 10 opponent.

Around the grounds…
Reigning WTA Finals champion Dominika Cibulkova will open against No.90-ranked Denisa Allertova on Day 2. The Slovak reached the final here in 2014, and will hope her 2016 momentum will carry her to a maiden Grand Slam title. Britain’s No.1 Johanna Konta will square off against Kirsten Flipkens – Konta leads the head-to-head 2-1.