Muguruza's Love-Hate Wimbledon Take
WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen | Fresh off her French Open win, 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbiñe Muguruza brings measured expectations to the All England Club.
WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen | Fresh off her French Open win, 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbiñe Muguruza brings measured expectations to the All England Club.
Introducing the latest WTA challenge for 2017, as Daria Gavrilova sets the bar for how quickly players can race to the net and back – who will win the WTA Net Dash?
LONDON, England – Five-time champion Venus Williams got her Wimbledon challenge underway with a hard-fought win over Donna Vekic on the opening Monday.
In a high-quality encounter, Williams held her nerve at the conclusion of both sets to run out a 7-6(3), 6-4 victory.
“The first round is never easy and she played amazing tennis today,” Williams said. “I expect players to feel free and go for it when they play me. In the first set there were some hairy moments but I guess that’s when experience sets in and I had the chance to win the important points.”
Vekic has endured a season to forget, failing to win a WTA main draw match since February. However, if she was short on confidence it did not show against Williams, trading on even terms with the World No.8 for much of their two hours on court.
She had her chances, too, particularly during an opening set, which she served for at 6-5. Perhaps undermined by memories of her recent run, the Croatian saw two sets points slip before Williams pinched it on the tie-break. The second set was just as closely contested, but once again it was the American that finished stronger, a forehand winner bringing her the solitary break in the ninth game.
Williams, who turned 36 a couple of weeks ago and is seeded No.8, is competing at a Grand Slam for a record-equaling 71st time, but still enjoys pitting herself against the new guard: “You got to enjoy the battle because that’s what it is every time you step on the court. You never know what will happen.”
Age is just a number…@Venuseswilliams kicks off her 19th #Wimbledon with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Donna Vekic ? https://t.co/86VTT9bcSG
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) 27 June 2016
One member of the next generation expected to go far this fortnight is No.9 seed Madison Keys. A champion at both Birmingham and Eastbourne over the past few years, Keys is no stranger to success on grass, and displayed her nous to overpower Laura Siegemund, 6-3, 6-1.
The next challenge will be 2013 semifinalist Kirsten Flipkens, after she brushed aside Nicole Gibbs, 6-3, 6-1. Elsewhere, there were contrasting fortunes for another former semifinalist, Ana Ivanovic, who was bundled out by qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova.
A few days on from squeaking past World No.446 Harriet Dart in the final round of qualifying, Alexandrova elevated her game to another level, surviving a late wobble to triumph, 6-2, 7-5.
The Fed Cup gets underway this week – and the WTA players are enjoying getting together with their compatriots.
Kristina Mladenovic and her France teammates Alizé Cornet and Pauline Parmentier posed alongside captain Yannick Noah after their press conference.
Le #TeamFranceTennis en conférence de presse “pre-draw”.Ensemble! @FedCup @KikiMladenovic @ppauline86 @alizecornet @NoahYannick pic.twitter.com/OMzbDi4R7J
— FFT (@FFTennis) February 8, 2017
Mladenovic, fresh from her win in St. Petersburg last week, lifted the Hopman Cup last month alongside Richard Gasquet.
The France squad were speaking to the media ahead of their tie against Switzerland.
#predraw #pressconference #FRA “It will be an interesting tie against Switzerland” @KikiMladenovic @FedCup pic.twitter.com/ysg95bYz1S
— Swiss Tennis (@swiss_tennis) February 8, 2017
Meanwhile, Anita Husaric tweeted a picture of the Bosnia and Herzegovina players on court as they prepared to take on Croatia.
Ready and excited about our first match tomorrow against Croatia! ???? #fedcup #teambih pic.twitter.com/Kabc0h66oB
— Anita Husaric (@AnitaHusaric) February 7, 2017
And Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty were pleased to know they weren’t expected to take on Ukraine on this particular court.
No, the #FedCup tie Aus v Ukraine is not being held on this tennis court @caseydellacqua & @ashbar96 #snowbunnies pic.twitter.com/1hZceDWym1
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) February 7, 2017
Defending champion Serena Williams leads the charge as the top half of the draw takes to the grass on Day 2. We preview a busy slate at SW19 here on wtatennis.com, courtesy of contributor Chris Oddo.
Tuesday
First Round
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [Q] Amra Sadikovic (SUI #148)
Head-to-head: First Meeting
Key Stat: Williams is the last women to have won Wimbledon after saving a match point (2009).
Having failed to come away with the title in each of the last three majors, Serena Williams has dusted herself off and is ready to pursue Grand Slam glory at one of her favorite stomping grounds. Her first test will be against Swiss qualifier Amra Sadikovic, a 27-year-old who has only played six tour-level matches in her career. After briefly retiring from tennis, the Swiss has recently returned to the tour with a renewed sense of purpose. Williams, on the other hand, is hoping to log more matches than six this Wimbledon fortnight. The six-time champion owns a 79-10 lifetime record at SW19 and despite the fact that she’s bidding for a historical 22nd major title for the fourth time, the 34-year-old refuses to be bothered by externalities. “Honestly, I don’t feel any pressure,” Williams told assembled press on Sunday during her champion’s press conference. “I feel good and confident.” Williams arrived in London on Monday to give herself plenty of time to get reacquainted with the grass that she has prowled so efficiently since she made her first Wimbledon appearance in 1998. Despite having made the trek 17 times now, Williams says it’s always special. “It’s a unique experience,” she said. “You know, it’s just that one time a year you just get to get on this amazing, beautiful surface. It feels really good.”
Pick: Williams in two
[13] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #14) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (Den #45)
Head-to-head: Wozniacki leads 6-5
Key Stat: A three-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist, Kuznetsova has not reached that far at the All England Club since 2007.
Two longtime rivals will meet for the 12th time and the first at Wimbledon on Tuesday when Caroline Wozniacki and Svetlana Kuznetsova lock horns in a highly enticing first-rounder. They are six years apart in age, and 31 spots separate them in the rankings, but in truth there isn’t a whole lot that divides these two, talent-wise. Wozniacki has slipped in the rankings due to an ankle injury that forced her out for two months this spring, but the Dane has put three events under her belt and is feeling much better about her form after a productive three weeks on the grass. “I feel like I’m getting closer to where I want to be,” she told the WTA Insider Podcast at Eastbourne, where she won two matches before falling in a tight three-setter to Monica Puig. Kuznetsova has had her moments in 2016, most notable her upset of world No.1 Serena Williams in Miami, but the Russian has lost her only match on grass to date in 2016.
Pick: Wozniacki in three
[10] Petra Kvitova (CZE #10) vs. Sorana Cirstea (ROU #85)
Head-to-head: Kvitova leads, 4-2
Key Stat: Two-time champion Petra Kvitova is one of three former Wimbledon champions in the draw.
Typically a grass juggernaut, Petra Kvitova encountered some turbulence on her favorite surface this summer when she was knocked out of Birmingham and Eastbourne in the round of 16. But the 2011 and 2014 champion has more than proven herself at Wimbledon, where she owns a 29-6 lifetime record and has produced some of her most electrifying tennis. That means it will take an exceptional effort from Romania’s Sorana Cirstea to challenge the Czech on Tuesday in a place where Kvitova has always been at her menacing best. In their lone Wimbledon meeting Kvitova eased past Cirstea in straight sets, but the world No.85 does own two victories over Kvitova and has undergone a bit of a revival of late, producing her best tennis since her breakout season in 2013 in the last six months.
Pick: Kvitova in two.
[7] Belinda Bencic (SUI #13) vs. Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL #71)
Head-to-head: Bencic leads, 2-0
Key Stat: Pironkova is playing in her 43rd consecutive major at Wimbledon. It is the third-longest active streak behind Ana Ivanovic (47) and Jelena Jankovic (51).
Belinda Bencic loves playing on grass and excels on the surface; Tsvetana Pironkova loves playing on grass and also excels on the surface. What’s not to love about this highly anticipated first-round matchup between two talented players who win with touch and placement rather than power? Bencic defeated Pironkova in the first round at SW19 last year, and she will come in as the favorite on paper, but the Swiss has yet to find her top physical form after missing two months due to a back injury. After a semifinal in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Bencic had to pull out of her first match at Birmingham with an injury before being defeated in her first match at Eastbourne by Elena Vesnina. Pironkova has two deep Wimbledon runs under her belt (semifinals in 2010, quarterfinals in 2011) and will surely be hungry to gain revenge on Bencic on Tuesday.
Pick: Pironkova in three
Around the Grounds: Third seed and 2012 runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska will begin her 11th Wimbledon campaign with a first-round battle with Kateryna Kozlova of the Ukraine, who is making her Wimbledon debut. Great Britain’s Johanna Konta defeated Monica Puig in a third-set tiebreaker last year at Nottingham. They’ll meet again in the first round on Tuesday with Konta looking to win for the first time in four tries at Wimbledon.
By the Numbers:
137 – Svetlana Kuznetsova’s win total at the Grand Slam level, which is fourth-most among active players.
31-5 – Caroline Wozniacki’s record in first round matches at majors. The Dane has not dropped a first-rounder since 2012 Wimbledon.
Fed Cup stalwarts Barbora Strycova and Karolina Pliskova clinched an unassailable 3-1 lead for defending champs Czech Republic over Spain.
Here’s a full run down of the World Group I ties as they unfolded on Day 2:
?? is into the #FedCup semis! It won in front of its fans who always make a huge difference & are the 5th team member! #WeAreCzechRepublic pic.twitter.com/SR3qIncW4K
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
Czech Republic 3-1 Spain
Pliskova kicked off the first reverse singles rubber against Garbiñe Muguruza after both emerged victorious in their opening matches on Saturday.
Playing at home in Ostrava, Pliskova had plenty of reason to feel confident after winning four of her last five matches over the reigning French Open champion.
After an hour on court, the Czech powerhouse put down the hammer on Muguruza, winning almost twice as many points and breaking serve five times for a 6-2, 6-2 win.
“My tennis was much better than it was yesterday so I enjoyed it more today,” said last year’s US Open runner-up. “I think she [Muguruza] doesn’t like a fast game because she likes to dictate.
“I was serving well and you cannot do much about it if someone is serving well.”
#CZEESP @BaraStrycova celebrates after sealing ??'s place in the 2017 #FedCup semifinals pic.twitter.com/nxqluv1spZ
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
Next up was Strycova, who played a critical role in clinching the Czech team’s third straight Fed Cup title over France. Up against Lara Arruabarrena, the veteran smacked a whopping 33 winners to just 21 unforced errors to assure victory with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph.
“This one was very tough for me,” Strycova said after the match. “I was leading 5-2 and two match points; I felt like I wasn’t doing anything wrong, but I couldn’t take the extra step. I tried some different things at the end and it worked!”
“I’m very glad that we got through,” remarked Czech captain Petr Pala. “Even in the first match the score looked quite easy but it was quite tight in the beginning and Karolina put in a great performance and showed she is a great Fed Cup player.
“The second match was tighter. Barbora was using the crowd and the crowd helped us a lot. It wasn’t an easy decision for us to play her today because normally she would play doubles.”
Standing between the Czechs and a fourth straight final will be either the USA or Germany.
BELARUS WINS!!! Aryna #Sabalenka defeats #Krajicek 76(5) 64 and ?? is into the #FedCup semifinals for the first time in its history! pic.twitter.com/kTkFmwOsYq
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
Switzerland 3-1 France
Timea Bacsinszky turned the tables on St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy champion Kristina Mladenovic to help lead Switzerland into a second straight Fed Cup semifinal.
#SUIFRA @TimeaOfficial knows how to handle pressure on-court, but how will she deal with our reporter @eliweinstein's quickfire questions? pic.twitter.com/Vesy4uGoY9
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
Bacsinszky recovered from a tumble to keep Mladenovic from a second straight win over the weekend with an impressive 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-5 win to make the Swiss team anything but neutral.
“I looked really unlucky this week with the medical timeouts, but I fell and injured my knee,” she said after the match. “That took me away from tennis for three months last year and so I needed an extra check. In the moment, it’s tough becuase you care about your health, see the whole year and don’t want to be injured. But I’m ok.
Leading 5-2 in the final set, Mladenovic quickly leveled the decider but the Olympic Silver medalist closed the door in front of her home fans.
“I was just telling myself how privileged I am to play a match like this, and wasn’t focused on who was going to win. I’m just so lucky to be playing tennis in front of my country, carrying the Swiss flag.
“It could have gone either way because she played so well at the end. But we both deserved to win because it was such high quality.”
In the critical fourth rubber, Belinda Bencic dismissed substitute Pauline Parmentier, 6-3, 6-4, to book an encounter against surprise semifinalists, Belarus.
#emotions ?????? pic.twitter.com/1OvyN5q92f
— Swiss Tennis (@swiss_tennis) February 12, 2017
Belarus 4-1 Netherlands
In a battle of underdogs teams, Belarus roared through the final three rubbers of the tie oust the Netherlands for an emphatic win in Minsk.
After Kiki Bertens helped level the tie on Saturday, Aliaksandra Sasnovich stunned the 2016 French Open semifinalist, 6-3, 6-4 to turn the tie on its head.
#BLRNED #Sasnovich takes the opening set 63 against #Bertens! Can she push on and give ?? a 2-1 lead in the tie? pic.twitter.com/oSQirdlgZq
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
Armed with the momentum, Belarus played Aryna Sabalenka, a 19-year-old playing in just her second Fed Cup tie – and only her second singles rubber. Recovering from her loss to Bertens, Sabalenka dispatched Michaella Krajicek, 7-6(5), 6-4 to clinch her country’s first semifinal in Fed Cup history.
BELARUS WINS!!! Aryna #Sabalenka defeats #Krajicek 76(5) 64 and ?? is into the #FedCup semifinals for the first time in its history! pic.twitter.com/kTkFmwOsYq
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 12, 2017
More to come…
Preview the action at the Qatar Total Open in Doha, where 470 ranking points are at stake for the winner.
With two titles and a couple of runner-up finishes to her name, no one can deny that Dominika Cibulkova has a nose for success in 2016. Quite literally in fact.
Tennis players are a superstitious bunch, and Cibulkova is no different. However, her pre-point ritual does not involve ball bouncing, lines or adjusting bottles. No, instead before serving Cibulkova gets a good whiff of the ball she is about to use.
It is a quirk that has not gone unnoticed, and ahead of her third-round meeting with Eugenie Bouchard the BBC’s Rishi Persad investigated just how sophisticated the Slovak’s sense of smell is…
19th seed Dominika Cibulkova has the weirdest superpower ever… https://t.co/l6pR8H96lo
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) 2 July 2016
Wimbledon 2016 is all about elegance, exposing the most sophisticated side of women’s tennis fashion. Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog narrowed down the richness of this year’s whites to the Top 5 styles and now it’s your turn to tell us your thoughts — vote for your favorite outfit in the poll below the article!
When you have that champion’s mentality, you want to excel in everything and Serena Williams has done just that, coming to the tournament as world number one and reigning champion only to also take the unofficial top position when it comes to WTA fashion at the grasscourt Grand Slam.
The NikeCourt Premier Dress impresses with the graceful half turtleneck, a new silhouette in Williams’ attire, while the pleated skirt with two tiers in back brings a flash of flirty vibrancy to the all-white look. The racerback, featuring a bonded zipper, is a tried-and-true design that enables optimal range of motion.
Stella McCartney made sure that last year’s Wimbledon runner-up and newly-crowned French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza looked the part, indulging in laser-cut holes that have been the standout visual characteristic of her clothes in recent months. The Spaniard’s adidas Fall Stella McCartney Skirt is a feminine cut with high-performance Climacool technology, 3D fabric and ventilation channels that ensure ultimate comfort in intense matches and hot weather conditions. The adidas Stella McCartney Core Tank is equipped with Climalite moisture management, while added visual appeal and functionality are provided by the curved mesh panel at upper back.
Venus Williams decided to impress with a less-is-more approach, sporting a simple cap-sleeve EleVen dress from the Club collection. The clean design features discreet contrast binding at waistband, while when it comes to performance it boasts moisture-wicking properties, superior breathability, as well as protection from UVA and UVB rays.
Keeping her outfit subdued, the five-time Wimbledon champion caused a fashion earthquake with her hairstyle — a huge braided bun on top of her head, whose strawberry red highlights play with the tournament’s classic white tradition.
After the French Open zebra clothes that will remain one of the most eye-catching tennis collections ever, adidas stepped on the Wimbledon grass absolutely toned down, not only complying with the tournament’s strict clothing guidelines, but also not experimenting with cuts and silhouettes, opting for a timeless sporty design and clothes that captivate with their technological advancements.
The no-frills Climachill collection instantly seduces all those who want high-performance apparel in the traditional aesthetics package. The ensembles worn by Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep, as well as the dress worn by Ana Ivanovic, are all equipped with innovative fabrics and active cooling technology that lowers the body temperature and provides an instant chilling sensation on contact.
Heather Watson stole the show at the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party presented by Dubai Duty Free, wearing an olive green latex dress designed by Brett Mettler, and the Brit made sure to also look her best in action at the prestigious lawns. The New Balance Spring Tournament Tank features mesh trim at neckline that nicely matches the hem of the skirt from the same collection. Wearing the top tucked in, Watson exposed the skirt’s engineered elastic waistband with cutouts. The tank’s sleek spaghetti straps in the Y formation have been New Balance’s choice pretty much throughout the 2016 season.
Now it’s time for you to tell us who is your Wimbledon fashion favorite!
And then there were eight! It’s quarterfinal day at the All-England Club and we’re previewing each of the four matchups at WTATennis.com, courtesy of contributor Chris Oddo.
Tuesday
Quarterfinals
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [21] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS #23)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 5-0
Key Stat: Pavlyuchenkova has only won one set against Williams in five previous tilts.
It’s a time-honored tradition at Wimbledon. As the second week kicks in Serena Williams lifts her game to another level. The 21-time major champion did just that on Day 8, easing past Svetlana Kuznetsova, 7-5, 6-0 on Centre Court to move a step closer to a seventh Wimbledon title. On Tuesday she’ll face Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for the sixth time. Is Serena emotionally ready for another battle on Day 9? “I wake up since I was three years old to do this,” Williams told reporters after her victory on Monday. “These are the moments that I live for. The passion and the intensity that I have is what makes me Serena. I can’t change, nor would I ever want to be different.” Though she’s defeated Pavlyuchenkova all five times she’s faced her, Williams is not taking anything for granted heading into her 45th career Grand Slam quarterfinal. “I just know that going into that match, I definitely need to be ready,” she said. “I’ve lost to players that have never beaten me in the past in some big situations. I definitely don’t want that to happen.”
Pick: Williams in two
Elena Vesnina (RUS #50) vs. [19] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #18)
Head-to-head: Tied, 3-3
Key Stat: Cibulkova has won nine matches in a row.
The magical ride continued for Dominika Cibulkova at Wimbledon on manic Monday as the Slovakian outlasted Agnieszka Radwanska in a three-set, three-hour thriller that was being tabbed as the best match of the fortnight around the grounds. Cibulkova gave every inch of her being to get past Radwanska and was thankful to get through after saving a match point late in the third set. “Today was the most physically tough, it was the toughest match for me I would say my whole career,” she said. “I felt really, really tired when the match was going on.” On Tuesday she’ll have to dig deep again against surprise quarterfinalist Elena Vesnina if she intends to reach her first career Wimbledon semifinal. Vesnina squeaked by her doubles partner Ekaterina Makarova on Monday, 5-7, 6-1, 9-7, to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in her 42nd appearance at a major.
Pick: Cibulkova in three
[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. [4] Angelique Kerber (GER #4)
Head-to-head: Halep leads, 3-1
Key Stat: Kerber is one of three former Grand Slam champions remaining in the draw, along with Venus and Serena Williams.
Two WTA elites backed up their seeds nicely on Day 8, and on Tuesday Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber will vie for a spot in the semifinals at SW19. Halep holds the edge in the pair’s head-to-head but Kerber can claim the confidence that comes with being crowned a Grand Slam champion earlier this year at the Australian Open. “I was feeling that my tennis is getting better and better every day,” said the German after dispatching Misaki Doi in straight sets on Monday. “This is what counts in the second week of a Grand Slam.” Halep, who edged Madison Keys in a tough round of 16 tussle on Monday, is ready for another big challenge in the quarterfinals. “I know Angelique very well,” Halep said. “I’m confident. I have to be. I am playing well. I am into the tournament already, so I had tough matches before. I’m looking forward to play against her, and I know it’s going to be tough.” Expect this battle of former Wimbledon semifinalists to be epic. Both players are dialing in their best form, and both are hungry to advance.
Pick: Halep in three
[8] Venus Williams (USA #8) vs. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ #96)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Williams has reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time in six years.
A Wimbledon legend, finding her mojo at the scene of her first Grand Slam triumph. That’s the story of 36-year-old Venus Williams, the oldest woman remaining in the draw but also a very legitimate threat to recapture the glory of Wimbledons past here at SW19. Williams was in stellar form on Monday, taking out Carla Suárez Navarro in straight sets to set up a quarterfinal clash with unseeded world No.96 Yaroslava Shvedova. Despite the fact that Williams hasn’t pushed this deep in a Wimbledon draw since 2010, the five-time champion is confident that she’s ready to keep this run going. “Yeah, it’s been a few years,” Williams said. “But I’ve been here before. I’m not, like, a deer in the headlights. So, of course, I want more. That’s what anybody would want in a quarterfinal.”
Pick: Williams in three
By the Numbers:
81 – Combined number of major quarterfinals Venus and Serena Williams have reached in their career. Serena owns a 31-13 record in major quarterfinals; Venus owns a 19-16 record.
36 – Number of three-set matches played in the first four rounds at Wimbledon out of a possible 120.
77– Percentage of first-serve points won by Serena Williams. The American has won the highest percentage of first-serve points among the remaining participants in the draw.
1 – Players to have reached the round of 16 without the loss of a set (Kerber).