Commentator Q&A: In The Booth With WTA World Feed Analyst Mikey Perera
WTA Insider David Kane | Taking in the 2016 season from all angles, WTA World Feed commentator Mikey Perera weighs in on a year that has been full of surprises.
WTA Insider David Kane | Taking in the 2016 season from all angles, WTA World Feed commentator Mikey Perera weighs in on a year that has been full of surprises.
Timea Bacsinszky had the shot of the match in the third round at the Qatar Total Open.
Women’s tennis is in full bloom in Zhuhai, China for the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai!
Elina Svitolina was ready to get going! She arrived first in Zhuhai, where she reached the semifinals last year.
She’s already got a huge fan club in Zhuhai too!
Also popular with the Chinese fans, Petra Kvitova and Zhang Shuai were on hand for the official draw ceremony.
Following the flowers theme, Kvitova and Zhang drew the players into four groups: Rose, Camellia, Peony and Azalea.
The court is ready at custom-designed and state-of-the-art Zhuhai Hengqin International Tennis Centre!
Timea Bacsinszky took the court against Zhang for the first match of the tournament!
Despite her best effort, Bacsinszky suffered a straights sets drubbing against China’s No.1.
Meanwhile, Svitolina had to mount an epic comeback, but after two Rose Group victories she’s through to the semifinals.
It wasn’t a good day in the office for singles alternate Timea Babos though. She bowed out after two straight sets losses.
Zhang delighted Chinese fans as she booked the first semifinal spot, winning the Camellia Group with a pair of dominating performances.
Despite falling in the group stage, Bacsinszky gave us the most memorable press conference moment when she donned a Chinese opera mask she received as a gift.
Will we see more of Roberta Vinci in 2017? The Italian veteran left her future up in the air after leaving Zhuhai with two group stage losses.
But the tournament continues, and there are still two semifinal spots up for grabs! The Azalea Group spot could go to Johanna Konta…
…unless her opponent Caroline Garcia defeats her and snatches it away.
In the Peony Group, Barbora Strycova hits the court looking for a semifinal berth…
…but she faces stiff competition from Kvitova, whose tennis has flourished in recent weeks during the Asian Swing.
DOHA, Qatar – Co-No.1 doubles team Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza had not lost a match since last August at the Western & Southern Open, but their 41-match winning streak came to a sudden halt at the hands of Russian duo Elena Vesnina and Daria Kasatkina, 2-6, 6-4, 10-5.
Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
An accomplished doubles player, Vesnina won her most recent Grand Slam doubles title over Hingis at the 2014 US Open, when the Swiss Miss was still partnered with Flavia Pennetta. That script would flip in dramatic fashion less than a year later at Wimbledon after Hingis paired up with Mirza; the two roared back from a 2-5 final set deficit to beat Vesnina and longtime partner Ekaterina Makarova for their first major title.
“That was an amazing match for us,” Vesnina said after the match. “We played against them just a week ago, and they’re one of the greatest doubles teams we have in women’s tennis. I think everything worked today for us to win, and we’re just so excited about it.
“We changed our tactics a little bit in the second set, and we saw that it started to work. We stuck to this game plan, and were a little bit lucky on some points, but it’s always like this in doubles with deciding points. Dasha played really well on key moments. She just went for her shots and made a lot of good volleys today, so we’re really pleased and proud about this win.”
“It’s unbelievable for me,” Kasatkina added, “something huge because it’s just my third WTA doubles tournament and we beat Sania and Martina. For me, it’s something unbelievable.”
Santina’s historic streak began two months after their Wimbledon triumph at the US Open, which would be the first of nine straight titles as a team, including the China Open, the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, the Apia International Sydney, a third major title at the Australian Open and, most recently, the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy – where they beat Vesnina and Kasatkina in straight sets in the quarterfinals.
“We were surprised that so many people came to watch,” Vesnina said. “The court was packed; most of the people were cheering for Martina and Sania, which is normal. It actually worked well for us; we were enjoying this atmosphere on the court. It felt like we were playing a final.”
“It was a full house!” Kasatkina said with a laugh.
Had they won a 10th title in Doha, Hingis and Mirza would have tied Jana Novotna and Natasha Zvereva for the longest winning streak since 1990 at 44 match wins, but still had a ways to go before catching Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver, who amassed 109 straight matches between 1983 and 1985.
So that's how the cookie crumbled .. just kiddin.Hehe.. We'll be back stronger than before?#SanTina #4⃣1⃣✔️ @mhingis pic.twitter.com/1uKpPT8Wks
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) February 25, 2016
ZHUHAI, China – Johanna Konta guaranteed that she will end the year ranked inside the Top 10 following Wednesday’s victory over Samantha Stosur at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
Four weeks ago, Konta became the fourth Briton in WTA history to reach the Top 10 when she finished runner-up at the China Open, in Beijing. By winning her opening round-robin match in Zhuhai, she will remain among the elite until the year’s end, becoming the first British player to do so for 33 years.
Jo Durie was the last to achieve the feat, when she finished 1983 ranked No.6, following in the footsteps of Grand Slam champions Virginia Wade (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979) and Sue Barker (1976, 1977, 1979).
Impressive! ??? https://t.co/aFXNFWKQd3
— Jo Durie (@Jodurie) November 2, 2016
For Konta, it is the latest accomplishment of a memorable campaign that has already seen her lift a maiden WTA title, in Stanford, and reach the semifinals of the Australian Open.
Last summer, a 16-match winning run, which began at a lowly ITF Circuit event in Granby, Canada, and ended in the second week of the US Open, sent Konta skyrocketing up the rankings and, more importantly, imbued her with a sense of belonging. Since then she has been a regular at the business end of tennis’ showpiece events, runs at Stanford, Beijing, Montréal, Eastbourne, Miami and the Australian and US Opens cementing her place at the WTA’s top table.
The 25-year-old has a work ethic rivalled by few on tour and unsurprisingly is now concentrating on taking the next step.
“I think [being in the Top 3] is what I dreamt of as a little girl. I dreamt of being No.1 in the world, being the best player out there,” Konta said after her win over Stosur. “I think you got to put also dreams aside a little bit separate just because you got to focus on the work and you got to focus on things that you can control. That’s the effort and attitude that I approach my job, what I do.”
ACAPULCO, Mexico – Dominika Cibulkova is back into the Abierto Mexicano Telcel final for a second time after a comfortable win over Christina McHale, 6-3, 6-3.
“This is the first time in my career that I’m in the final of a tournament that I’ve won before,” Cibulkova said. “I won this tournament two years ago. And now coming here this year, I’m in the final now. It’s a great feeling.”
Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
In a rematch of their 2014 final in Acapulco – which saw the Slovak raise the trophy after a fierce battle, 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 – Cibulkova took command early, dictating with her blistering forehand and not facing a break point all first set. She kept the heat on McHale, playing inside the court and returning well to force the first break of the match at 4-2, then breaking her again for the set at 6-3.
Cibulkova took advantage of a pair of McHale double faults to go up yet another break to start out the second set, but the American took it back a few games later, leaving them toe-to-toe at 3-3. After that McHale couldn’t find her way back into the match at all, and Cibulkova took the next three games to close out the match.
She’ll face Sloane Stephens in the next round, which will be her first final since 2014 and a major milestone on her road back from injury. Last year, she was sidelined for over four months due to an Achilles injury.
“It feels like everything is coming together now,” Cibulkova said after the match. “I’ve practiced really hard and I had some tough matches this year. Now I just feel like I’m playing well and finally I get to the final. I’m so happy it’s here in Acapulco again.
“I’m ready. I’m healthy, I’m ready, and I’m playing good tennis. So we’ll see what’s going to happen.”
As we’re approaching the end of the season, tennis apparel launches are few and far between. Still, in the month of October we did have some tennis fashion releases, while some older designs reminded us just how good they are. Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog will give us an overview of the best clothes that graced the courts during the month highlighted by the $7,000,000 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
It’s been a while since Lacoste has launched a truly different design, but Dominika Cibulkova’s powerful and inspiring title run at the WTA Finals helped us better notice just how good the blue dress with orange built-in racerback sports bra suits the courageous Slovak. Every inch of the Lacoste Fall Racer Dress fits Cibulkova just right, so much that I thoroughly enjoyed watching the determined 27-year-old work the design that we’ve been seeing around the courts, in one form or another, through most of the year.
The sporty mini skirt and thick straps complemented Cibulkova’s 5’3″ frame perfectly, the peeking mango tree bra and 3D Lacoste script at mid-back reflect her drive and energy, while the mesh racerback overlay and white zipper create an absolutely winning look. What’s more, Cibulkova paired the dress with a classic white head tie, for an overall perfect blend of sporty, modern, retro and functional.
Before being stopped by inspired Cibulkova, Angelique Kerber confidently marched through the WTA Finals, wearing winter colors (white and light green), brightened by the vibrant coral contrast. The World No.1 opted for the white version of the adidas Fall Pro Tank, whose flash red racerback provides just the right amount of warm contrast, and the adidas Fall Pro Skirt, whose print is one of the best prints this season, and you know how tough the competition is.
The impression wouldn’t have been complete without the beautiful Adizero Ubersonic 2 shoes that offer confidence and stability even in ultra fast on-court movements.
Karolina Pliskova made her first appearance at the WTA Finals in style, wearing classic black and white hues from Fila’s Court Couture line characterized by feminine ruching, fashion-forward draping, and elegant, gold finishing touches. The Czech No.1 showcased the Court Couture Halter Tank, featuring a built-in bra and 30+ UV protection for the perfect melding of fashion and function, and the Court Couture Skirt, another timeless piece with classic contrasting colors.
Another player rocking the classic black and whites this October was Venus Williams, but the queen of prints used them to create a busy floral pattern, pairing it with solid colorblocks.
During her short campaign at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, Williams presented the EleVen Casablanca Glide Back Tank, a sleek black top featuring printed contrast elastic binding that enhances a feminine silhouette, and the EleVen Casablanca Triple Threat Skirt, equipped with EleVen Pro-Dri for moisture-wicking performance and superior breathability.
World No. 87 Carina Witthoeft lost in the first round of the Generali Ladies Linz as a qualifier, but in the fashion battle the German would have progressed much further at the tournament. Her purple Nike outfit consisted of the NikeCourt Maria Tank in color plum fog and the NikeCourt Maria Skort. The tank is made of stretch mesh fabric that provides stylish and breathable coverage. Carina decided to tuck the top in, not exposing split hems that offer a different, yet just as stylish look.
DOHA, Qatar – Carla Suárez Navarro produced 62 minutes of immaculate tennis to swat aside No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska and take her place in the final of the Qatar Total Open.
Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
In one of the best performances of her career, Suárez Navarro outthought and outplayed the WTA’s resident magician to run out a surprisingly comfortable 6-2, 6-0 winner.
After an even start, Suárez Navarro laid down a marker in the fifth game, flashing winners off either wing to get her nose in front. A few games later she had the insurance break before calmly serving out the set.
A nasty tumble in the first game of the second set briefly halted the Spaniard’s charge. But after dusting herself down, normal service was immediately resumed: a whipped cross-court forehand and then a wonderful instinctive volley handing her the break.
In stark contrast, Radwanska cut a forlorn figure, the brilliance that decorated her three-set victory over Roberta Vinci the previous evening conspicuous by its absence. The Pole’s mood darkened in the following game when she netted a routine forehand to spurn a rare break opportunity.
With Suárez Navarro’s groundstrokes now in full flow, Radwanska was soon put out of her misery, the final four games flying by in a flurry of winners.
“Today I feel really, really good,” Suárez Navarro, who hit 20 winners and just eight unforced errors, said. “I think also she was a little tired from yesterday.”
Suárez Navarro is also hoping to reach the doubles final with partner Sara Errani, and was quick to dismiss any suggestion that her visit from the trainer would jeopardize their chances. “I’m running a lot, I fight a lot, and sometime I finish like that,” she said when asked about the after effects of her second set slip. “But now I feel good and I have doubles – I’m feeling better!”
By reaching the semifinals Suárez Navarro guaranteed a return to the Top 10 and her latest win will see her rise to a career-high No.6 in the new rankings.
“You work for a long time for this. And to be in the Top 10 is obviously good. I feel good, I feel happy and I think I’m ready for tomorrow.”
Two semifinal spots are left at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai – will Petra Kvitova and Johanna Konta make it through? Preview all of Friday’s action right here!
Carla Suárez Navarro captured the biggest title of her career at the Qatar Total Open, charging back from a set down against 18-year-old Jelena Ostapenko to triumph, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. By reaching the semifinals Suárez Navarro was guaranteed a return to the Top 10 and her win in the final sees her rise to a career-high No.6 in the new rankings.
“It’s amazing, a dream come true. I was in Top 10 last year but not No.6, so it’s a special number,” Suárez Navarro said after the win.
“This tournament was really tough. The best players in the world were here, and it’s so special. You have to play every day, and it’s not easy. But these wins give me a lot of confidence, the experience that I take from this. I’ve lost a lot of finals, so I’m really happy and excited about this tournament.”
In Acapulco, No.2 seed Sloane Stephens needed a final set tie-break against unseeded former Australian Open finalist and 2014 Abierto Mexicano Telcel champion Dominika Cibulkova, but the American finally got the job done against the Slovak, winning, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5). Having started the year with a title at the ASB Classic, Stephens now has three career WTA titles.
“I’m just in a different place,” Stephens said of her winning start to 2016. “I’ve played a lot of matches this year already and got some of the confidence going, built up some momentum. I’m just trying to keep that going here in Acapulco.”
Read the match recap here.
GAME, SET MATCH: WTA Insider
Game: Carla Suárez Navarro hits a new high.
Win the biggest title of your career, move up to a career-high No.6, and take over the No.2 ranking on the Road To Singapore standings. That’s a good week of work from the 28-year-old Spaniard, who came into the Qatar Total Open final having lost her last three finals. She has struggled to summon her best tennis in the big moments – and it looked like the trend would continue after losing a 26-minute first set – but this is a new Carla. After Jelena Ostapenko swatted her off court in that first set, Suárez Navarro kept her wits about her. She never panicked, instead she grew bolder, altered her tactics to drive the ball into the middle of the court and away from the teenager’s forehand, and increased the pressure. In the end, her experience in the big moments paid off.
Suárez Navarro said at the start of the year that her goal was to get back in the Top 10, hopefully the Top 5, and win a title. It’s March and she’s nearly ticked off all three boxes. Now to see if she can translate that success into two of the biggest tournaments of the season in Indian Wells and Miami, where she was a finalist last year.
WTA Insider Champion’s Corner: Suárez Navarro.
Set: Sloane Stephens outbattles, outcompetes Dominika Cibulkova.
Talk about a turnaround. Stephens was 0-6 in semifinals before winning her first title last summer at the Citi Open in Washington DC. She’s now won three titles in the last seven months, going 3-0 in finals during that span, and she has won every tournament at which she’s hit the semifinal stage. In Acapulco, Stephens nearly blew a set and break lead in the final against Cibulkova. But losing the second set simply set things up for a wild and tense third set, which saw both women save break points time and time again in front of a rowdy crowd. But in the end it was Stephens, who used her defense to hang close in the final frame before taking a handful of courageous cuts to win 6-4, 4-6 7-6(5) to become the first woman to two titles this season. It was a big statement win from a player who had to endure such criticism over her inability to get things done at the business end of tournaments.
Match: Teenage romp.
Another week, another teenager makes a run. February was all about the WTA trio of eighteen year-olds, who are putting their stamp on the tour. Three weeks ago it was Belinda Bencic and Daria Kasatkina making the St. Petersburg semifinals. Last week it was 18-year-old Jelena Ostapenko, who arrived in Doha thinking she would have to play the qualification tournament. Two withdrawals later, Ostapenko was into the main draw and she didn’t waste her chance. She ousted No.5 seed Petra Kvitova and came within a few games of winning her first title. She fell short but her performance throughout the week was notable. Ostapenko’s power and timing, particularly on the forehand, was impressive, as was her feisty competitiveness.
Ostapenko jumps from No.88 to No.41 on Monday, joining Bencic and Kasatkina in the Top 50. It’s the first time three 18-year-olds occupied the Top 50 since April of 2009, when Caroline Wozniacki, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and Sorana Cirstea matched the feat.
We kinda made it?✌?️☺️ @anakonjuh @DKasatkina @LizaKulichkova @jelenaostapenko https://t.co/jQNm2u67UY
— Belinda Bencic (@BelindaBencic) February 28, 2016
RANKING MOVERS
Notable singles ranking movers for the week of February 29, 2016.
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT), +47 (No.88 to 41): The 18-year-old Latvian made the biggest ranking jump of the week, and with good reason! She headed into the Qatar Total Open having won just one first main draw match all year and ended the week reaching her career first Premier-level final. With that result she jumped to a career high of No.41, joining fellow 18-year-olds Belinda Bencic and Daria Kasatkina in the Top 50. That makes this the first time since the week of April 6, 2009 that there are three players 18 or younger inside the Top 50.
Elena Vesnina (RUS), +29 (No.118 to 89): Elena Vesnina jumps 29 spots after her run to the Qatar Total Open quarterfinals, earning a spot back in the Top 100.
Zheng Saisai (CHN), +10 (No.73 to 63): Jumping up 10 spots to No.63, Zheng Saisai climbed to Chinese No.1, overtaking Zhang Shuai and improving her Olympic qualification bid.
Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP), +5 (No.11 to 6): After winning the biggest title of the week – and of her career – Carla Suárez Navarro is ranked a career-high No.6, putting her within striking distance of her 2016 goal.
UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS
Abierto Monterrey Afirme
Monterrey, Mexico
International | $226,750 | Hard, Outdoors
Monday, February 29 – Sunday, March 6
BMW Malaysian Open
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
International | $226,750 | Hard, Outdoors
Monday, February 29 – Sunday, March 6
BNP Paribas Open
Indian Wells, USA
Premier | $6,134,605 | Hard, Outdoors
Wednesday, March 9 – Sunday March 20
Miami Open
Miami, USA
Premier | $6,134,605 | Hard, Outdoors
Tuesday, March 22 – Sunday, April 3
TOP 2O PLAYER SCHEDULES
1. Serena Williams – Indian Wells, Miami
2. Angelique Kerber -Indian Wells, Miami
3. Agnieszka Radwanska – Indian Wells, Miami
4. Garbiñe Muguruza – Indian Wells, Miami
5. Simona Halep – Indian Wells, Miami
6. Carla Suárez Navarro – Indian Wells, Miami
7. Maria Sharapova – Indian Wells, Miami
8. Belinda Bencic – Indian Wells, Miami
9. Petra Kvitova – Indian Wells, Miami
10. Roberta Vinci – Kuala Lumpur, Indian Wells, Miami
11. Flavia Pennetta – (retired)
12. Venus Williams – Indian Wells, Miami
13. Lucie Safarova – Indian Wells, Miami
14. Timea Bacsinszky – Indian Wells, Miami
15. Victoria Azarenka – Indian Wells, Miami
16. Ana Ivanovic – Indian Wells, Miami
17. Sara Errani – Monterrey, Indian Wells, Miami
18. Svetlana Kuznetsova – Indian Wells, Miami
19. Elina Svitolina – Kuala Lumpur, Indian Wells, Miami
20. Karolina Pliskova – Indian Wells, Miami
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:
Alexandra Panova (RUS) – March 2, 1989
Nicole Gibbs (USA) – March 3, 1993
Laura Siegemund (GER) – March 4, 1988
Daria Gavrilova (AUS) – March 5, 1994
Marina Erakovic (NZL) – March 6, 1988
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) – March 6, 1989