Indian Wells: Bencic Interview
An interview with Belinda Bencic before the start of the BNP Paribas Open.
An interview with Belinda Bencic before the start of the BNP Paribas Open.
TOKYO/GUANGZHOU/SEOUL – The Asian Swing made its official debut last week but begins in earnest with a trio of tournaments in Tokyo, Guangzhou, and Seoul. What are the biggest storylines heading into the Toray Pan Pacific Open, Guangzhou International Women’s Open, and Korea Open? Find out right here on wtatennis.com…
1) Garbiñe Muguruza leads stacked Tokyo draw.
French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza headlines the Toray Pan Pacific Open field. The Spaniard could see a US Open rematch against Anastasija Sevastova, who knocked her out in the second round. The draw doesn’t get any easier with No.8 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova as her projected quarterfinal opponent and a potential semifinal with either No.3 seed and US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova or No.6 seed Dominika Cibulkova. Can Muguruza replicate her stellar form from last fall to win her first Tokyo title?
2) Two-time Tokyo champ Radwanska seeded second.
Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska aims for title No.20 in Tokyo. Hoping to shake off a fourth round defeat to Ana Konjuh in Flushing, Radwanska could face a tough row of opponents including Barbora Strycova, No.7 seed Petra Kvitova, and either No.4 seed Carla Suárez Navarro or No.5 seed Madison Keys to reach the final.
3) Pliskova has Singapore in her sights.
Karolina Pliskova’s phenomenal run to the US Open final saw her shoot up to No.4 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard. She can’t guarantee qualification in Tokyo, but the No.3 seed could boost her chances 2015 winner Radwanska and 2015 semifinalist Muguruza not far behind at No.5 and No.6, respectively. Pliskova plays her first match against either a qualifier or Yanina Wickmayer.
4) Mirza looking for a second Singapore berth?
Sania Mirza was one half of the first team to qualify for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global alongside Martina Hingis, but could be making a push for a second spot with new partner Barbora Strycova. Mirza and Strycova won the Western & Southern Open in their first tournament together, and the US Open quarterfinalists are seeded second in Tokyo.
5) Osaka the wildcard in Tokyo.
Naomi Osaka received a main draw wildcard after her US Open heroics, where she narrowly lost to Madison Keys in the third round. The personable Japanese star kicked off the Asian Swing by joining Twitter, and will play countrywoman Misaki Doi in the first round.
6) Tough draw for Errani, top seed in Guangzhou.
Sara Errani leads the field at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open, but could face 2015 finalist Denisa Allertova in the second round. Unseeded in Guangzhou, Allertova beat former No.1 Ana Ivanovic in straight sets at the US Open.
7) Jankovic hoping to rebound from injury woes.
Jelena Jankovic took home the title in Guangzhou last year, and hopes for a repeat as the former No.1 tries to turn around a tough season. “I haven’t competed much this year because of two ruptures in my shoulder,” she said at the US Open. “So, I’m a little rusty, I think that shows. I have to stay healthy and hang in there because you have to be ready for every point.” The Serb will be playing doubles with Hingis and opens against qualifier You Xiaodi in singles.
8) Begu adds some Seoul to the mix.
Irina-Camelia Begu is the No.1 seed at the Korea Open and the defending champion after winning the event last year. The Romanian opens against local wildcard Jang Su Jeong and could play countrywoman Monica Niculescu in the quarterfinals.
9) Larsson looks to build on strong summer.
Seeded No.2 in Seoul, Larsson reached the semifinals of the Connecticut Open as a lucky loser, upsetting Timea Bacsinszky and Roberta Vinci en route. The Swede followed that up by reaching the third round of the US Open for the second time in three years. Cutting her ranking in half since a July low of No.82, Larsson hopes to keep going against American Grace Min in the first round, with another American Louisa Chirico looming in the last eight.
10) Find out where you can watch the action from Asia here!
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Japanese qualifier Kurumi Nara ended Venus Williams’ fairytale comeback to Indian Wells, where she was playing in her first match back in 15 years.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!
Walking out on court to the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” Williams was given a hero’s welcome to the BNP Paribas Open. The packed Stadium 1 crowd roared as she waved and gave them a big smile, touching her hand to her heart.
The stage was set for a triumphant return, but Nara didn’t read the script.
Undaunted by neither the occasion nor the crowd – who cheered every service hold and point won by Williams – the Japanese kept her head down and proved why she was once ranked as high as No.32, keeping her game clean and tidy as Williams’ frustration – and unforced error count – began to grow.
With the wind swirling and clouds threatening overhead, both players came out solid, trading service holds until the rain finally broke through and halted play at 3-3.
Williams drew first blood when play resumed after the 35-minute delay, breaking Nara for her first lead of the match. It would turn out to be her only one, as Nara quickly leveled the score and grabbed the next three games to close out the opening set.
She rode the momentum and continued her ruthlessly methodical game, forcing error after error off of Williams’ racquet. The American broke Nara twice, powered on by the boisterous crowd, but each time the 24-year-old held on. She remained steady until the end, calmly serving out the biggest match of her career to win 6-4, 6-3.
For Nara, who had to fight through qualifying to book her encounter against Williams and had only defeated one Top 20 player in her previous 16 attempts, this is a moment she won’t soon forget.
“Yes, I’m very happy, this is the biggest win of my career,” Nara enthused after the match.
Despite the experience ending in a defeat, Williams will take only positives from her return to the Indian Wells desert.
“It was enough of a fairy tale to come here and play,” she said in her post-match press conference. “A win would have been nice, but that means I have to come back and play next year.”
“I would definitely love to come back.”
Welcome back! ? ? ?@VenusesWilliams returns to the @BNPParibasOpen after 15 years! #WTA https://t.co/wr7FU9gZ9X
— WTA (@WTA) March 12, 2016
TOKYO, Japan – Japan is a special place for longtime friends and rivals Caroline Wozniacki and Dominika Cibulkova. The two played their first junior match against one another in this very country all the way back in 2004.
Both have become mega-stars on the WTA tour since, but both have found time to give back on days like Monday, when the pair participated in a kid’s clinic at the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
Wozniacki and Cibulkova hit with a lucky group of children before posing for a group photo.
Cibulkova is the No.6 seed in Tokyo and plays her first match against Lucie Safarova; former No.1 Wozniacki opens against 2015 Tokyo finalist Belinda Bencic. Both play on Center Court on Tuesday.
All photos courtesy of the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Eugenie Bouchard stayed calm and kept her Indian Wells campaign alive, battling past No.21 seed Sloane Stephens to book a third round clash with Timea Bacsinszky at the BNP Paribas Open.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!
Both players came into the second-round clash riding the wave of a personal renaissance in their tennis – Stephens has already won two titles so far this year and owns an impressive 11-1 record, while Bouchard has reached the finals at two events after a well-documented 2015 drought.
Bouchard faced her first big mental test in the form of Japanese qualifier Risa Ozaki – at one stage being five points away from defeat in the last round – and she knew the clash with Stephens would be no easier. Stephens edged their head-to-head 2-1, with both of their last two matches ending in tough, three set battles.
Stephens quickly climbed to a break up twice in the first set – both times with help from a couple of Bouchard’s double faults – and each time the Canadian recovered to get the breaks back. It was one of the many signs of Bouchard’s newfound calmness and maturity; she was able to put those setbacks behind her instead of dwelling on what could have been. Bouchard blasted a huge forehand return down the line just out of Stephens’ reach to put away the first set.
But Stephens didn’t go away quietly in the second set. Instead, she erased a 2-0 lead from Bouchard to level the score and fight her way into the match.
The American broke Bouchard’s serve once again – again with help from a Bouchard double fault – to serve for the set at 5-4. Bouchard fought her way back from 0-40 down, erasing three set points by forcing a forehand long from Stephens’ racquet. A lucky net cord gave Bouchard a break point as the two were deadlocked, going from break point to set point and back and forth again. Bouchard saved a fifth set point and took the game as well as the wind out of Stephens’ sails.
She quickly grabbed the next two games to take the match 7-5, 7-5 after a hard-fought hour and forty-one minutes.
“It was very very close. I got lucky with a netcord,” Bouchard said after the match. “I just kept trying to fight and kept trying to step in a bit and dictate the point. That works well for me – I try to do that a lot.
“I just had so much fun playing tonight. Sloane played a great match.”
“The Great One” @OfficialGretzky in the house supporting fellow Canadian @GenieBouchard! ?? #WTA https://t.co/QPXdQmamp3
— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2016
TAMPA, FL, USA – Venus Williams might be gearing up for the 2017 WTA season, but the former No.1 is already outfitted through 2018.
Venus – who is set to start the year in Auckland – took some time off from her busy off-season preparations to debut the latest collection of Eleven By Venus, called Casablanca, as well as reveal some long-term career plans.
“I design all of my collections in advance, so while we’re just debuting this season’s collection I’ve actually got everything planned through 2018,” Venus said, speaking at an EleVen event in Tampa where she was showcasing the new collection.
“We’ve got all our designs ready for next year and the year after.”
Her meticulous planning and commitment to EleVen has definitely showed, with her Prism collection that debuted at the US Open being named one of the Top 8 women’s tennis fashion moments of 2016.
“Last season’s collection, Prism, was inspired by a prism of light. Our inspiration was all the different colors in there, we covered the full spectrum – literally! And so Casablanca is what’s left over: the black and the white.”
“It’s just really classic motifs of black and white. When you think of the movie Casablanca, it’s a classic love story, it’s black and white. That’s really what we brought to this line, a real classic feeling. Black, white, and a little bit of red.”
While her off-court entrepreneurial spirit keeps her always busy, on the court the seven-time Grand Slam champion still has just one mission.
“To win every match! Hello!” Venus laughed, adding:
“I’ve been working hard in the gym and getting back on the court. I just love the game, I really do. I love the challenge. It’s been such a part of my life that it’s hard to imagine life without it.
“I’m just gearing up for 2017 like I’m sure everybody else is.”
Gearing up for 2017 and already outfitted for 2018 – Venus is halfway to her biggest goal: the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
All photos courtesy of EleVen By Venus
– Zhang Shuai knocks out Caroline Wozniacki in thriller: It took three hours and 24 minutes, but Zhang Shuai pulled off yet another upset in her splendid season, beating Caroline Wozniacki 4-6, 7-6(8), 7-5 to make the third round. Zhang told WTA Insider that she planned her post-Australian Open around the BNP Paribas Open, which she says is her favorite tournament.
“Last year in Tokyo my target was I wanted to come to Indian Wells and Miami because this tournament is my favorite,” Zhang told WTA Insider. “I like to see the mountains, so beautiful. At the courts, and everyone is like family. But the last two years I had really bad luck. I could not come. I had injuries or something.
“So this year I did not go to Dubai, Doha, or Kuala Lumpur or Taiwan because I want to come here. I want to be 100% ready for this tournament. Very happy and thanks to Mr. Raymond Moore for giving me the wildcard. At the Australian Open we contact him. He was very fast to reply the email but we didn’t tell everybody. That’s why we go to [the $50K ITF in] Rancho Santa Fe to prepare for this tournament.
“If I stay in China or if I go to Dubai or Doha I have a long trip and big time change. I need some time to keep relaxed, not always in the tour, to not play too much. I almost [retired], so I want to be happy in the tour, not to play every week. A few years ago, at the big tournaments I was so tired or with injury. Now I want to focus on the big tournaments.”
Zhang says she’ll play the Miami Open and Volvo Cars Open in Charleston before returning to China to rest for the clay season.
“I really like Charleston,” she said. “Nice town, really nice everything. After Charleston I need a rest like after the Australian Open. I’m not young anymore. [I need to] keep healthy. I want high quality every tournament, not many tournaments but low quality, no points. And also I want more time to stay home with family and enjoy the life.”
Talk about enjoying life: Zhang told me she’s been powered by legendary California burger chain In & Out all week. I saw her at a nearby In & Out around midnight after her hard-earned win. Much deserved.
– Christina McHale’s burgeoning confidence: Since the Australian Open, McHale is now 11-3 at all levels after upsetting No.4 Garbiñe Muguruza 7-5, 6-1. It was McHale’s first win over a Top 5 player in four years. Her last win came over Petra Kvitova right here in Indian Wells in 2012.
“I thought I had a really good offseason,” McHale said after being asked about her form in 2016. “I put in a lot of work both in the gym and off the court. Unfortunately in Australia, I had a tough draw there, but I really wanted to get matches. So then I went after the second week and played a [ITF $50K] in Hawaii and got some matches there. That really helped.
“I just have played a bunch the last few weeks. I think that’s given me confidence. Playing matches is what I needed, and being healthy this year. I had a shoulder injury at the start of last year. Just being able to play a lot I think has helped.”
McHale reached a career-high No.24 in 2012 but has been out of the Top 50 for much of the last three years. “I definitely feel like there were a lot of matches where I was really close to maybe having some big wins and they kind of, yeah, just didn’t get that win,” McHale said when asked about her dip in results.
“But I feel like I have been working extremely hard all these years. I think it’s a combination of being healthy and just getting a lot of matches in and kind of getting into a groove.
“It wasn’t like I felt like I was playing poorly these past couple years, though. I think I just had a few tight matches that didn’t go my way that maybe could have changed some things.”
Safety First: Here’s why @ChristinaMcHale plays in long sleeves as much as she can: pic.twitter.com/UN5HSozoUP
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 13, 2016
– Eugenie Bouchard rolls back the clock: The Canadian continued her resurgent form, earning her first Top 25 win since the 2014 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open by beating No.22 Sloane Stephens 7-5, 7-5. With Wayne Gretzky cheering from her player’s box, Bouchard notched her tour-leading 15th win of the season. She had 12 wins in the entirety of 2015.
“It’s important to me because it’s kind of on my comeback as I have kind of called this year,” Bouchard said. “It gives me confidence looking forward. You know, I don’t want to look back or don’t want to think about 2014 or 2015 really, so this one is important. It’s kind of a step forward, and I just want to keep going.”
– 16 of 32 seeds fall in the second round: The unpredictability continued in Indian Wells after another day of upsets. No.2 Angelique Kerber bowed out to Denisa Allertova, as other notable seeds – Garbiñe Muguruza, Caroline Wozniacki, and Carla Suárez Navarro (withdrew with an ankle injury) suffered an early exit.
– German Exodus: Nine German women were in the draw. They went winless.
– Sloane Stephens rues her missed opportunities: Stephens had multiple chances to close out the second set to force a third against Bouchard, none better than a short forehand at the net that flew wildly long. The tour leader in titles just couldn’t find her best when she needed it.
“There are always things to work on, obviously,” she said. “I played pretty good this year so far. Today was just unfortunate. Like I said, I played to protect. When you get out there you have to play to win. It was unfortunate, but this whole tennis thing it’s definitely a learning process. So I know that I have things to work on, and hopefully going into next week I can get myself together and have a good week next week.”
– Victoria Azarenka hits the tape: Azarenka won her opening match, 6-3, 6-2 over Zarina Diyas. She’s says she’s able to play pain free after withdrawing from Acapulco with a wrist injury.
I asked Azarenka whether she’s been able to put her Australian Open quarterfinal loss behind her. “Yeah, it wasn’t pleasant, that’s for sure,” she said. “I think the most difficult was to rewatch that match.” So what did she see on the rewatch?
“That it was my match to win, and that’s painful to see sometimes.”
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – World No.3 Agnieszka Radwanska was nearly out of the BNP Paribas Open less that 48 hours ago, but the Pole rebounded in spectacular style on Sunday, dismissing Monica Niculescu, 6-2, 6-1, behind a barrage of her signature trick shots.
Down a match point to Dominika Cibulkova in the second round, Radwanska faced an opponent almost as wily as herself in Niculescu, splitting their last two encounters in the last year.
“I played her just two weeks ago in Doha, so that also helped,” Radwanska told the media in her post-match press conference. “I really know what to expect there. Of course she’s little bit different player than the others. Never easy. Always tricky opponent.
“I knew I would have to be patient. I think that’s the most important thing in that kind of matches. And really try to play my game. She can be really tough. Just very happy to win that match actually in those two quick sets.”
As quickly as the 87 minute match went, Radwanska still had time for some impressive play, leaving fans, media, and even Belinda Bencic begging for more:
“It’s just pretty much the reaction and things that I do on court. I think is the way I play,” the Pole said of her trick shots.
“I definitely have a couple of favorite ones. Also a couple of ones I play against Vinci in Doha; couple of ones as well from Singapore.
“Everything is just happening so fast and I always have like couple of them each tournament, so I am even forgetting what happen in last few months,” she said with a smile. “That would be good to have actually those highlights on internet that I can watch again and see what I did.”
Ask, believe, receive: check out some of those hot shots below:
Got it! ✋ #WTA https://t.co/BG7LdnR0Ra
— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2016
Oh you know, just a typical day at the office for @ARadwanska. What a shot! ? #WTA https://t.co/600w9Wz7BR
— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2016
#SCTop10 anyone? @ARadwanska was on FIRE! ? https://t.co/ctucReiGbc
— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2016
Why dont we just give @ARadwanska the “Hotshot Award” already?? #ridicilous
— Belinda Bencic (@BelindaBencic) March 13, 2016
Check out more of Radwanska’s shots here and here.
A first time gold medalist, a new US Open winner, and – after three years – a brand new WTA World No.1. It’s been a hectic summer of tennis and CNN’s Pat Cash will catch up with the authors of the season’s biggest storylines: Angelique Kerber and Monica Puig.
Tune in on September 22 to catch the newest episode of CNN Open Court!
Victoria Azarenka was the story of 2016’s first quarter. The two-time major champion and former World No.1 rocketed back up the rankings after several seasons of injuries and inconsistencies, winning three titles and becoming the first woman in over a decade to capture the elusive Indian Wells-Miami “Sunshine” Double.
By spring, however, the Belarusian was gone from the game, announcing that she would end her season due to a pregnancy. Azarenka has since been busy preparing for the birth of her first child, but nonetheless granted an interview with Tennis Channel to update fans on her life today.
“My pregnancy’s been a completely different experience from anything I’ve done before,” she says. “In theory, you know the process, but to actually go through it, you truly start to deeply understand the magic of it. It’s been quite a ride, I have to say.
“Tennis is my career, but there’s a different part of life. This was a blessing, a gift from God. I believe I still have a great opportunity to do what I love, as long as I love playing tennis. I do, and this is an opportunity to realize how much I love what I do.”
Azarenka has dedicated her time off to her studies, but has still found time to exercise, playing tennis up to the last six weeks of her pregnancy.
“I’m doing a lot of activities I didn’t have time to do before; being at home and sleeping in my own bed is really a luxury for a traveling athlete.
“I miss the fans. I miss that moment when you go on the court and it’s a go time. As a competitor, I have to find that edge in life. I’ve been able to translate that into my studies for now, but that competitive edge is definitely something I’m missing.”
Addressing the question of a comeback, she gave fans reason to be optimistic that she’ll be back on the court sooner, rather than later.
“I don’t feel I’m missing out on someting I won’t be able to do again. For me, it’s about getting to where I want to be and be back there again. That’s my ultimate goal.
“I don’t put any time frame on myself. I would love to make it as soon as possible, but give myself a reasonable time to fully recover and be ready. I’m not going to rush anything, and it’s hard to tell before the birth actually happens. So, we’ll see, but I’m confident that I’ll be able to play tennis again pretty soon.”
Check out the whole video courtesy of Tennis Channel below: