Tennis News

‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands – CoCo Vandeweghe overcame Kristina Mladenovic and the worst of the Dutch weather to recapture the Ricoh Open on Sunday afternoon.

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Despite contending with multiple rain delays, Vandeweghe maintained her composure to break in the penultimate game and wrap up a 7-5, 7-5 victory. Vandeweghe, who also won the title in 2014, follows in the footsteps of Justine Henin and Tamarine Tanasugarn as only the third player in the tournament’s 21-year history to win it on two occasions.

After serving herself out of trouble on more than one occasion, Vandeweghe produced a couple of smart backhand returns to manufacture the decisive break in the penultimate game of the second. A lengthy downpour stalled her momentum, and on the resumption she fell a break behind.

The American reached the final without dropping the set and maintained her flawless record by reeling off the final four games of the match.

“It was actually really difficult – we had three rain delay stops – so it was really difficult to get yourself back into the match and make sure you’re fresh and light and ready to go. Especially the last rain delay in he first set. I was really trying to get myself moving,” Vandeweghe said.

“I got myself in a bit of a pickle in the second set, but I battled my way out of it, and sometimes the name of the game is just battling through adversity and problems you cause for yourself.”

More to follow…

While some stars are still working hard on the tennis court, others are enjoying a well-deserved break…and some amazing gifts.

Defending champion Heather Watson is using her time off at the Abierto GNP Seguros wisely – by sitting in the stands and recording the performance of her friend and Great Britain Fed Cup teammate Naomi Broady.

Ace ace baby ? Thanks to bae @heatherwatson92 for the video

A post shared by(@naomibroady) on Apr 5, 2017 at 8:45pm PDT

Alizé Cornet is having fun in Mexico.

Thanks to those who came out in the heat yesterday to support me ? ! Always a thrill to play in Mexico ! Next match tomorrow vamos ?? pic.twitter.com/8JqNOPLzia

— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) April 5, 2017

Elsewhere, thrillseeker CoCo Vandeweghe is in deep water.

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A post shared by (@cocovandey) on Apr 5, 2017 at 12:51pm PDT

And new World No.7 Johanna Konta is ready for a very special delivery…of her favorite food.

I can't wait for my present!! #anxiouslywaiting https://t.co/nJFwY5PCvt

— Johanna Konta (@JoKonta91) April 6, 2017

CHARLESTON, SC, USA — Caroline Wozniacki won all four sets she played as day turned to night on Thursday in Charleston, as the 2011 champion ousted Anastasia Rodionova, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals for the fifth time at the Volvo Car Open.

“It was tough conditions to play in this wind, a little chilly tonight as well and then playing someone who doesn’t give you any rhythm,” Wozniacki assessed at the close of her second match of the day. “Obviously she plays a lot of doubles, so she was coming in, doing drop shots and hitting the ball hard and then slow. She was definitely trying to break my rhythm up, and it was difficult. But I managed to pull through.”

The No.5 seed defeated Annika Beck in straight sets earlier on Thursday, and showed no ill effects of having to play two matches in the span of a few hours. The Dane has never lost before the quarterfinals in five career appearances in Charleston, and advances to face Jelena Ostapenko in Friday’s quarterfinals.

The former World No.1 won 15 straight points over the first four games of the match to take command before the qualifier got on the board and a foothold in the match. The Australian broke and held serve in a lengthy game, saving five break points in total, to close the deficit to 4-2, but Wozniacki held on from there to take four of the next five games to lead by a set and a break.

.@CaroWozniacki wraps up the first set 6-3! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/Kfr7lvkXQK

— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017

Rodionova saved a trio of break points in the fifth game of the second set, and broke the Wozniacki delivery at love to level the match. Nonetheless, the qualifier who scored upsets against Duan Ying-Ying and Sara Errani to reach the third round was unable to conjure another stunner as the Dane secured the final three games to move safely through to the last eight.

Second Round ✅
Round of 16 ✅
Advances to @VolvoCarOpen Quarterfinals ✅

All in a days work for @CaroWozniacki! ? pic.twitter.com/NZbsHpckpX

— WTA (@WTA) April 7, 2017

Looking ahead to Friday night, Wozniacki lost the only match she’s played against the Latvian teenager at the Connecticut Open last year, as she attempts to reach the semifinals in Charleston for the first time since raising the trophy in 2011.

“I think I’m well-prepared for tomorrow. I got some clay tennis in today and feel like I’m just going to go out there and have fun and do my best and see how it goes,” Wozniacki said. “I’m just playing right now. I had one practice session before the tournament started for me, and that was it. I just kind of run on experience and try and figure it out.”

BOGOTA, Colombia — Lara Arruabarrena is back in the semifinals of the Claro Open Colsanitas, after surviving a marathon against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

The 2012 champion has reached at least the quarterfinals in each of her five career appearances in the Colombian capital, and returns to the last four for the second straight season after falling to eventual champion Irina Falconi in 2016.

Playing for the first time, the two players traded early breaks in the opening set before it went with serve for nearly the duration, showing off some classic clay-court tennis in the forecourt and from the baseline.

OUTRAGEOUS way to save break point from @KrunicAlex! #ClaroOpenColombia pic.twitter.com/eXnaZjojyq

— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017

Superb touch from @LaraArrua on the backhand! ? #ClaroOpenColsanitas pic.twitter.com/xWZCOeaq7W

— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017

After saving two break points in the ninth game, Arruabarrena carved out her first chances on the Krunic serve since 3-3 in the final game, before the Serb double faulted to hand the No.4 seed a one set lead.

Though Krunic picked up an early break in the second, it was a series of four straight breaks of serve that proved to be the deciding margin in the second set. At 5-5, Krunic claimed a lengthy game on the Arruabarrena serve, winning it on her fourth opportunity, before serving out the set comfortably to send the match to a decider.

Incredible forehand on the slide from @KrunicAlex! #ClaroOpenColsanitas pic.twitter.com/AOzpUgktM4

— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017

After splitting the first two sets in two hours of play, it was Arruabarrena who was the fresher of the two in the decider as she claimed the first five games en route to the two hour, 37-minute victory.

2012 Champ @LaraArrua is back in the @CopaWTABogota Semifinals!

Edges Krunic 7-5, 5-7, 6-2! pic.twitter.com/49la2GAFLT

— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017

More to come…