Tennis News

STRASBOURG, France – No.3 seed Samantha Stosur clinched a second set tie-break to sweep aside Hsieh Su-Wei, 6-3, 7-6(3), to join Alla Kudryavtseva in the quarterfinals of the Internationaux de Strasbourg.

Stosur recovered from an early break in the opening set, and the disappointment of missing the opportunity to end the match in the tenth game of the second.

“I served for it at 5-4 then lost serve,” she told wtatennis.com after the match. “You just need to knuckle down and keep focused, think about what had been working in the match and get back to those things.

“It would have been hard having been serving for the match then playing a third set, and I lost serve again at 6-5.  Then it was all about a good start in the tie-break.”

Stosur had never dropped a set in her two previous matches against the former doubles No.1; the pattern held in the ensuing tie-break, which the 2011 US Open champion won to clinch the match in an hour and 37 minutes.

“I don’t remember the other encounters with Su-Wei. Just the scores. They were in different conditions. My coach had a look but two years is a pretty long time in tennis.

“It was another good match against a tricky opponent. It was closer than the score looked.”

Up next for the Aussie is No.10 seed Caroline Garcia, who eased past Jil Teichmann, 7-6(5), 6-3.

Kudryavtseva was the first into the final eight with a thrilling 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) win over Zarina Diyas. The Russian hadn’t reached a WTA quarterfinal since her run at last year’s Brisbane International as a lucky loser, and had to recover from a 5-3 final set deficit to defeat Diyas, and set up a match with either Alison Riske or No.4 seed Kristina Mladenovic, whose match was postponed due to darkness.

Elena Vesnina and Sloane Stephens were the last into the second round in Strasbourg on Tuesday; Vesnina was victorious in the fifth longest match of 2016, taking out Zheng Saisai, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(5), while Stephens captured a one-set shoot-out with Donna Vekic, completing a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win.

Le soleil revient aux #IS2016 ! pic.twitter.com/SqFj1kB9Ig

— WTA Strasbourg (@WTA_Strasbourg) May 17, 2016

PARIS, France – Garbiñe Muguruza played the best tennis of her career to stun defending champion Serena Williams and claim her maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.

In a rematch of last year’s Wimbledon final, 22-year-old Muguruza once again came into the match as the underdog: Williams has won three out of their four previous meetings – all at Grand Slam level.

This time, the on-form Muguruza was not cowed by the occasion or by her World No.1 opponent, who was going for a record-equaling twenty-second major title.

“I think we both were very nervous,” Muguruza told NBC’s Mary Carillo after the match. “I was really going for the match so I was not really thinking of who I have in front or where I’m playing.

“I was just like, ‘Come on, go for the match.’ I just said [to myself], ‘Garbiñe be calm, don’t get nervous.’ I practiced all my life for this so you know, that’s the moment.”

Muguruza stayed poised throughout the match’s dramatic twists and turns, tamping down the nerves that have so often gotten the best of her in big moments. She earned the first break of the match for a 3-2 lead, then put a pair of double faults behind her to escape a 0-30 deficit and consolidate it. Williams broke back to level the score, but Muguruza stayed steady to earn a second break and serve out the first set 7-5.

The pair traded breaks to start off the second set, but Muguruza once again stayed composed and got her nose in front and built up a 3-1 lead. Williams fended off four of Muguruza’s championship points on her serve at 5-3, putting up a monumental effort to hold her ground and win a 16-point game to force the Spaniard to serve for the match. And the No.4 seeded Muguruza did: she served it out at love and claimed the match on a backhand lob winner to close out Williams, 7-5, 6-4.

Game. Set. Match MUGURUZA! Say hello to our newest #RolandGarros champion. ? https://t.co/X8PfeZ7S8V

— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 4, 2016

With the win Muguruza not only claims her first Grand Slam title, she also adds her name to Spain’s storied history at Roland Garros: she’s the first Spanish woman to win the title since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario accomplished the feat in 1998.

Muguruza also climbs two spots in the rankings to World No.2, matching another one of Sanchez-Vicario’s feats by becoming the first Spaniard to hold that ranking since 1996. She sits behind Williams, who retains her No.1 ranking.

Both players were understandably emotional during the awarding of the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, presented by WTA founder Billie Jean King and French Tennis Federation president Jean Gachassin. Williams fought back tears as she delighted the Chatrier crowd by delivering her runner-up speech in perfect French, while Muguruza had only praise for Williams, a player she grew up admiring.

“I can’t explain with words how this day means to me. You work all your life to get here,” she said.

“I want to really congratulate Serena because she’s one of the best players.”

For Muguruza, a 22-year-old Venezuelan-born Spaniard of Basque heritage, the victory is not just for Spain but for every part of her multicultural background:

“I’ve grown up playing on clay so for Spain and for me this is just amazing,” she said. “I know [tennis] is very traditional in Spain, but Venezuela is in my heart also, I also play for them.”

? ? pic.twitter.com/oQz7Hyf4xl

— WTA (@WTA) June 4, 2016

The ITF has issued a ruling in the case of Maria Sharapova. An independent tribunal has found that Sharapova has committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation, and has therefore been imposed a period of ineligibility of two years, commencing on January 26, 2016.

“It is important at all times for players to be aware of the rules and to follow them,” says WTA CEO Steve Simon. “In this case, Maria has taken responsibility for her mistake from the outset. The WTA supports the process that the ITF and Maria have followed. The ITF has made its ruling and, under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program, the decision may be appealed to the Court Arbitration for Sport. The WTA will continue to follow this closely and we hope it will be resolved as soon as possible.”

Sharapova released the following statement on her official Facebook page:

For more information, click here.

MIAMI, FL, USA – After more than a week of compelling tennis, Johanna Konta and Caroline Wozniacki are the last two standing at the Miami Open, as both women look to raise the trophy for the first time at the WTA Premier Mandatory event.

Here are 10 things to know before Saturday’s championship showdown.

Johanna Konta (GBR #11) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN #14)
Head-to-head: Konta leads, 1-0

1) Maiden (in) Miami.
Both players will break new ground in their careers when they set foot on court on Saturday, as each is competing in her first-ever final at the Miami Open. Playing in Miami for the 10th time, Wozniacki’s best result previously came in 2012, when she reached the semifinals. Konta is playing in Miami for just the second time in her career, and reached the quarterfinals in her 2016 debut.

2) Wozniacki Goes Four for Four.
Wozniacki has reached the final of all four Premier Mandatory events in her career with her success in Miami this week. The former World No.1 first was runner-up at the 2009 Mutua Madrid Open; won the BNP Paribas Open in 2011; and won the China Open in 2010. Konta will contest her second final at Premier Mandatory level out of her last three, finishing runner-up to Agnieszka Radwanska in Beijing last fall.

Caroline Wozniacki has now made the final of all 4 Premier Mandatories, 6 in all.

More: https://t.co/vkUOl0CPfY pic.twitter.com/LUgZPYo3Q8

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 30, 2017

3) Comebacks – and upsets (on paper).
Over the course of the week, both women have recorded wins over higher-ranked players en route to the final. Konta ousted No.3 seed Simona Halep in a marathon quarterfinal match, 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2, after the Romanian served for the match in the second set, and was two points away from victory. Wozniacki also rallied from a set down to defeat No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova in Thursday’s semifinals.

.@JoKonta91 advances to @MiamiOpen Semifinals!

Battles past Halep 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2! pic.twitter.com/nm3n99u6s8

— WTA (@WTA) March 29, 2017

4) Third Time’s the Charm?
While Miami marks both Wozniacki and Konta’s first Premier Mandatory final of the season, both players have already reached finals this year. Wozniacki will contest her third final of 2017 after Doha and Dubai, the most on tour this season. While the Dane is looking to win her first title of the year, Konta is appearing in her second final after winning the Apia International Sydney.

5) Lucky Number…45.
With this result, Wozniacki becomes just the fourth active player to reach 45 career finals on the WTA Tour; the 26-year-old has reached at least one final every year since the 2008 season.

#SAPStatOfTheDay: @CaroWozniacki reaches 45th career #WTA Final! #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/cLjFZidk2X

— WTA (@WTA) March 31, 2017

6) Recent History, Down Under.
The two have only met once before just two months ago at the Australian Open. In the third round match, Konta broke serve four times en route to a 6-3, 6-1 victory in one hour, 17 minutes.

7) Top 10 Implications.
Regardless of Saturday’s result, Konta is assured of returning to the WTA Top 10. With a victory, the Brit will rise to a new career-high of No.7, bettering her previous of No.9 from last fall. For Wozniacki, only a victory in the final will get her back inside the Top 10 for the first time since 2015, with a rise to No.8 in the rankings.

By advancing to @MiamiOpen final, @JoKonta91 will re-enter the Top 10 on Monday. Venus also moves into Top 10 UNLESS Woz wins the title.

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 31, 2017

8) The Road to the Final.
Combined, both players have dropped three sets this week. Konta had a battle on her hands in her first match of the week against qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich before her quarterfinal comeback against Halep. By contrast, Wozniacki rolled through her first four matches without losing a set until the semifinals.

9) A Bit of British History.
Konta is looking to become the first British woman to not only win the title in Miami, but also win a WTA Premier Mandatory event.

.@JoKonta91 is the first ?? to make a @MiamiOpen Final! pic.twitter.com/6hSG38HiaI

— WTA (@WTA) March 31, 2017

10) Singapore Shakeup.
A win for Wozniacki would see her rise to No.1 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard, ahead of Karolina Pliskova and Serena Williams, while Konta would sit in fifth.  Should Konta win the title, she will sit behind Pliskova in second, while Wozniacki will rise to third.