New Haven: Svitolina vs Vesnina
Elina Svitolina takes on Elena Vesnina in the quarterfinals of the Connecticut Open.
Elina Svitolina takes on Elena Vesnina in the quarterfinals of the Connecticut Open.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – Garbiñe Muguruza has had a season already defined by a breakthrough victory at the French Open, but inconsistencies elsewhere make the No.3 seed seem like something of an enigmatic factor – especially at the US Open, where she has won just one main draw match.
But the Spaniard cheerfully preached optimism at her pre-tournament press conference, emphasizing the importance of leaving last week’s disappointments behind her as she heads into the final Grand Slam of the season.
“Last year was a little bit tougher,” she said of her second round loss to future Top 10 contender Johanna Konta, “but I’m always positive when I go to a tournament. I always have, like, a new mindset. I’ve a new opportunity, and it’s a Grand Slam. I’m excited here. I love Grand Slams. I love New York. I’m looking forward to start and see what happens.”
It’s a mantra Muguruza has developed over time as she’s matured from the upstart youngster who stunned Serena Williams in the second round of Roland Garros to the seasoned champion two years later.
“More and more, it becomes clear that the Grand Slams are the tournaments where you have to kind of perform your best – or at least try. So when a Grand Slam is coming, you feel that you have to be more prepared. That’s the tournament.
“When you are younger, all the tournaments are like more equal or you’re more happy. Sometimes you really don’t know where you’re playing.
“Now over the years you realize, Hey, that’s the tournament I’ve got to be ready and hopefully win.”
Her two major finals have come on clay and grass, but the World No.3 is more than capable on hardcourts, taking impressive results from the Asian swing into a thunderous debut at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. The next step for the Spaniard is to avoid the sort of lull in form seen at Wimbledon, where she fell in the second round to Jana Cepelova.
“When I went to play that match I felt, like, exhausted. Like I woke up that day like, ‘I have to play a match today. I feel tired.’ I think I learned more how to recover and concentrate my energy.
“Those matches are important ones, you know? Maybe I trained too much before or didn’t rest enough, or, I don’t know, there is something not balanced there that week.”
Balance will be key in dealing with the City That Never Sleeps, and the unrelenting traffic experienced by the players who opt to stay in the heart of the Big Apple.
“There is always traffic. There is always noise, people. I don’t know. Everything takes a lot of energy. It’s so crazy and they’ll say, ‘No, this is two blocks only!’
“I have to concentrate on time to rest, time for this, time for that – just schedule everything well. Priority is always to be rested so when you take a racquet, you know, you have energy to perform.”
The US Open is the most fashion-forward Grand Slam, as its host city inspires tennis apparel companies to experiment with vibrant colors and prints. References to NYC’s bright lights and architecture can be recognized in this season’s aesthetic, while advanced temperature-regulating technologies are there to help WTA players perform their best. Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog will give us a closer look at the styles we’ll see at Flushing Meadows.
Simona Halep, Ana Ivanovic and Angelique Kerber will sport the adidas adizero collection whose striking, triangular print is inspired by the landscape and environment of New York. The lightweight collection, built for speed, comes in a variety of bold color combinations.
The flash red version of the adidas Fall Pro Tank, as seen here on Halep, stands out with its stylish tech steel contrast racerback and keyholes. The eye-catching pattern of the adidas Fall Pro Skirt harnesses the good vibes of Big Apple, energizing players to perform their best.
Besides the recognizable geometric sublimated print at straps and bottom, Ivanovic’s adidas Fall Pro Dress features stylish V-shaped mesh color-block at back, which has a ventilating purpose.
The entire collection is focused on keeping athletes dry through Climacool moisture management.
Nike’s collection for the 2016 US Open is inspired by chromatic shift of the lights in New York City, reflecting it through pops of vibrant colors, while comfort in humid summer days is ensured by engineered knit construction.
Serena Williams will go for the NikeCourt Power Dress, which promises to be one of the best outfits of the tournament with its mock neck, that the world number one altered for the promo photo shoot, mesh back ventilation and energizing pleats on the woven skirt. The item comes in black and in white with hyper pink.
Madison Keys will rock a striking black and volt combination in the NikeCourt Dry Slam Tank and NikeCourt Flex Victory Skirt.
Garbiñe Muguruza and Caroline Wozniacki will showcase key looks from the adidas by Stella McCartney Barricade Fall/Winter 2016 apparel made of advanced Climalite fabric that keeps players cool. The collection includes innovative shoe designs intended for the fast and hard surface at the US Open.
The Spaniard’s Adidas Stella Barricade New York Tank and the Adidas Stella Barricade New York Skirt play with white, oyster grey and flash red through color-blocking and marble print.
Clean lines and side color-blocks of Wozniacki’s Adidas Stella Barricade New York Dress have a figure-slimming effect, while bonded no-sew seams at arm holes and hem provide a modern feel.
Muguruza’s Barricade shoe (left) is engineered for maneuverability, while supreme ventilation is ensured by its full mesh knit upper. Wozniacki’s Barricade BOOST footwear (right) and its BOOST™ energy-returning cushioning give players an extra edge on abrasive hard surfaces.
As Venus Williams herself said, the EleVen Prism collection takes colors and prints to a whole new level. Besides the appealing print, the American’s EleVen Prism Chela Dress features lightweight color-blocking mesh at back and a nice wrap design. Moisture-wicking properties, superior breathability and EleVen Ozone for UVA and UVB protection are performance features of this stylish dress.
Agnieszka Radwanska will play in a rose neon version of the Lotto Nixia Dress, unique for its dramatic use of mesh at back and drop-waisted skirt with several pleats.
Heather Watson will sport the lightweight and breathable New Balance Fall Yarra Tank, whose burnout stretch mesh along the back, together with a poly/Spandex knit with NB DRY, will help the Brit feel comfortable. The tank’s match is the 40 Degree Skort which includes laser perforations, engineered waistband, as well as NB DRY and NB FRESH for breathability.
Fila-sponsored stars will wear the Heritage collection, a fusion of Fila’s time-honored silhouettes with contemporary elements. The clothes combine red, white and black, either in color-blocks or modern blurred stripes.
Karolina Pliskova is pictured wearing the Fila Heritage Stripe Dress, while Jelena Jankovic‘s promo image showcases the Fila Heritage Racerback Dress.
Tennis fashion fans can definitely look forward to the 2016 US Open!
NEW YORK, NY, USA – Naomi Osaka scored a huge win on her US Open main draw debut, and she was powered to victory by a little bit of Lemonade.
Up against the No.28 seed CoCo Vandeweghe in a match dubbed by the WTA Insider team as a must-see opening round contest, Osaka had to recover quickly after dropping the first set in a tie-breaker. She rallied for a 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3 upset over the big-hitting American.
“You wouldn’t want to know what I was thinking,” Osaka said, when asked what was going through her head after losing the first set in a tiebreak to Vandeweghe. “I shouldn’t really repeat what I was thinking. But basically just try to focus more because I had moments in the tiebreaker and I hit some very bad shots.”
Osaka finished 2015 ranked No.203, and her consistency has skyrocketed her up the rankings to enter the US Open with a career high of No.81. She’s been boosted by strong Grand Slam results, too, reaching the third round at her Australian Open and French Open debuts this year.
So what was the key to last night’s comeback victory?
“I don’t know,” she laughed. “I just relaxed and started singing Beyoncé in my head. It’s the [song] where she’s very upset. It’s the one where she’s wearing the Yeezy clothes and cursing into the camera. That one.”
“You just gotta let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be baby.”
With the win, Osaka advances to the second round where she will face a qualifier Duan Ying-Ying of China.
And while Osaka was singing Beyoncé en route to victory, she wasn’t the only one feeling inspired by the pop icon.
This past weekend, World No.1 Serena Williams took to the stage at the MTV VMAs to present none other than Beyoncé herself.
Serena, who was featured in the singer’s visual album Lemonade, introduced her good friend and fellow tennis fan before the pop star tore up the stage in what was arguably the performance of the night.
When you see your girl at the @vmas killing it and looking ?? @serenawilliams pic.twitter.com/Ugw9OdmLnQ
— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) August 29, 2016
??? queen Serene!!
— Nicole Gibbs (@Gibbsyyyy) August 29, 2016
You should be focused on the US Open! Oh no wait, you're Serena ? #VMAs pic.twitter.com/B0jIZhKWHb
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) August 29, 2016
#shhhh Beyoncé and Serena are on ?? https://t.co/Y3yVPV7ShS
— CoCo Vandeweghe (@CoCoVandey) August 29, 2016
And then the next day, Osaka – big fan of Serena and Beyoncé – sang the same songs on her way to the US Open second round.
Sometimes things really do come full circle.
.@WTA New kid on the block Naomi Osaka takes a quick selfie with @serenawilliams @BOTWClassic #wta pic.twitter.com/DfriomFvDy
— Kevin Fischer (@Kfish_WTA) July 30, 2014
NEW YORK, NY, USA – With 186 straight weeks at the top, World No.1 Serena Williams is sure to have a few recovery tricks up her long Nike sleeves. In her post-match press conference after her straight sets win over Ekaterina Makarova, Williams revealed that she’s a believer in cupping therapy.
Cupping, an ancient therapeutic modality used to promote healing and recovery, came into the spotlight recently during the Rio Olympics after American swimmer Michael Phelps was seen winning gold medals with dark red circles across his shoulders and back.
According to WTA Sports Science & Medicine team member Kathy Queen: “In cupping, a cup is placed on the skin and a vacuum is created, using a flame or mechanical device, that lifts the skin and immediate layers underneath, including fascia. This allows for an increased flow of fresh blood and fluid in the area and, if moved along the body’s surface (called “sliding”), helps break up fascial adhesions. The temporary bruising created from the vacuum effect also plays an anti-inflammatory role.
“Athletes often feel immediate relief after treatment and increased range of motion and flexibility.”
But while Phelps used the therapeutic suction as a method for recovery, Williams has been using it for relaxation.
“I’ve always done that. I didn’t know it was something for recovery,” Williams said. “If I go to my lady in Palm Beach, it’s part of acupuncture.
“I love getting it, it makes me relax. I was like, Wow, you can do that for recovery?”
So what exactly does cupping feel like?
“It feels like a suction. It feels like an octopus, although I don’t know what an octopus feels like,” Williams tried to explain to press. “I think I snapped once a while back. It looks weird, the cupping. Yeah, I always do it, but I just did it for fun, so…
“But, yeah, so it just feels like it’s suctioning and it just feels good.”
NEW YORK, NY, USA – No.5 seed Simona Halep moved safely into the third round of the US Open with a straight set win over Lucie Safarova .
In the first ever women’s match under Arthur Ashe’s new roof, Halep recovered from a break down in the second set to complete a 6-3, 6-4 victory.
“It was not an easy match. It was difficult. At one point I lost the rhythm a little bit because she’s left handed, not easy to play against,” Halep said. “I knew that she’s very tough. She’s fighting till the end.
“I played many times against her, and all the matches were very close. So I expected that. I’m not the happiest with my game today, but I’m really – you know, I have the good mood that I could win the match in two sets and I could finish in the important moments.”
Since the start of the summer, Halep has lost only to Angelique Kerber, winning 19 matches and two titles during this period. Her latest triumph was by no means a formality, however, Safarova’s inability to convert the odd purple patch into scoreboard dominance ultimately proved costly.
Halep overcame the frustration of surrendering an early lead by reeling off three games on the trot, pocketing a see-saw opening set with a brilliant backhand winner. Her joy did not last long, the Romanian soon finding herself in something of a hole in the second set.
Yet with Safarova looking well placed to force a deciding set her hitherto secure groundstrokes went walkabout, a trio of unforced errors handing back the break in the sixth game. This swung the momentum irretrievably away from the Czech, who erred again when serving to stay in the match, her fifth double fault of the afternoon sending Halep through.
While Halep was unable to replicate her flawless first-round display against Kirsten Flipkens, offsetting her nine winners with 20 unforced errors, she will be pleased to have dodged a potential banana skin on her journey through the Flushing Meadows draw. A semifinalist 12 months ago, Halep will continue her bid for a maiden Grand Slam title against Timea Babos after she saw off Richel Hogenkamp, 6-2, 6-4.
A W for @Simona_Halep ✔️ First Women's match under the roof ✔️ #usopen @MBUSA https://t.co/rvZoLYkmyN
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 1, 2016
NEW YORK, NY, USA – After her colossal win over No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza, few appeared less impressed than Anastasija Sevastova herself.
“It feels great, but it’s still not like I won the tournament,” she told press after the match. “It’s only the second round.”
The Latvian had reached a career-high ranking of No.36 back in 2011 before a series of injuries led her into early retirement in 2013.
“Again?” a smirking Sevastova asked when encouraged to retell her inspiring origin story. “I stopped playing in 2013. I had many injuries, and I wasn’t happy with my tennis or where I stood on the tennis court. Something different was hurting all the time: back, arm, and legs. Then I decided to go out and retire.
“I did some studying. I coached some kids, but nothing serious. Just lessons, and lived a normal life. I studied management. It was strange,” she trailed off as a wry grin returned to her face. “I didn’t find it that difficult to study, but maybe it made me go back to tennis.”
For one playing the smallest of ITF Challenger tournaments just under two years ago, the gravity of the moment seems largely lost on Sevastova, at least until the perspective retirement gave her shines through.
“I’ve seen that there’s life after tennis, that if you lose a match, it’s not the end of the world. The world does not collapse.”
And yet it so often does for players who’ve pulled off massive upsets; the pressure to prove their win wasn’t a fluke can leave them frozen in place. From the night match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Sevastova was sent out to Court 17 in broad daylight to take on Kateryna Bondarenko, a 2009 quarterfinalist who’d won all three of their previous matches in straight sets.
“It was different conditions, and a completely different match – the first match on,” she said in Friday’s post-match press conference, wearing a New York Yankees cap. “In the beginning, I didn’t manage it that well. The court was a bit faster, and it wasn’t night match, so it was different.
“In the warm-up, I felt good, but in the first games, I wasn’t putting anything in. Maybe it was the expectations, but I kept fighting, stayed positive, and made it through the tough games at 4-3 and 5-4. It was important to win the first set, for sure.”
Sevastova recovered from an early break to win 12 of the final 14 games to book a spot in the fourth round, her first anywhere since her 2011 breakthrough at the Australian Open, and her first in Flushing Meadows.
“They always say it’s tough after a big win to back it up. But I don’t know what happened in the beginning. I was a little too nervous. But it was strange.”
Strange, but not impossible as she prepares to play No.13 seed Johanna Konta for a spot in the quarterfinals.
“In women’s tennis, it’s possible; anyone can beat anyone on a good day. On a bad day, you can lose to anyone! But I think Jo has had a good year, very stable. She’s one of the best players, Top 15. She serves well and has no weaknesses.
“It’s not an easy match, but then, it’s the round of 16 at the US Open,” she clarified as a smile returned to her face. “It’s not the 10K in Sharm El-Sheikh.”
Far from where she kickstarted her career, Sevastova remains unfazed by fame, even as her star rises here and at home.
“There was one headline, where they posted something like, ‘Look Into Anastasija Sevastova’s Private Life,’ and they posted Instagram pictures. It’s funny. Maybe they don’t have anything else to write about in Latvia, but they need some positive news!
“Sometimes people know me in my hometown, but if I go to Riga, I don’t think they’ll know me. I’m probably D-list,” she deadpanned.
Just shy of matching that initial career-high rank, Sevastova will likely leave New York somewhere in between Kathy Griffin and Nicole Kidman, but with plenty of room to grow with the help of that mature mindset.
“Tomorrow is a new day. There are other matches. Nobody thinks about the previous match. You have to think forward. But tonight, I can enjoy.”
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – As the US Open enters its second week, three runners remain standing in the race for the WTA’s No.1 ranking.
Angelique Kerber is already through to the quarterfinals following her impressive victory over Petra Kvitova. Will Angelique Kerber and reigning No.1 Serena Williams follow her, or will the subplot to the year’s final major take a decisive twist?
Wtatennis.com breaks down the potential scenarios…
Can Kerber Secure No.1 Ranking On Monday?
Angelique Kerber can secure the No.1 ranking on Monday if both Serena Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska lose their fourth-round matches against Yaroslava Shvedova and Ana Konjuh, respectively. If either (or both) advance the race goes on.
Kerber’s next challenge comes in the shape of last year’s finalist, Roberta Vinci, whom she faces in Tuesday’s quarterfinals. If the German clears this hurdle and goes on to reach the final (Caroline Wozniacki and Anastasija Sevastova contest the other bottom half quarterfinal), it would end Radwanska’s hopes of reaching No.1 after the US Open.
Serena Williams has held the No.1 spot for 186 consecutive weeks (since February 13, 2013) but will now need to reach the final in order extend her streak. A potential final with No.2 seed Kerber will not only be for the US Open title, but the No.1 ranking as well. Serena has won all four of her previous encounters with fourth-round opponent Shvedova.
Agnieszka Radwanska still has an outside shot at claiming top spot, but will need to win the title at the US Open to do so. She has a tough path to what would be her first Grand Slam title, facing Konjuh in the last 16, before potential showdowns with first Venus and then Serena Williams to reach the final. As previously mentioned, even if she does successfully run this gauntlet, her chances for becoming No.1 could be dashed if Kerber reaches the final on the other side of the draw.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – Fresh off qualifying for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic recovered from an early deficit to defeat World No.1 Sania Mirza and new partner Barbora Strycova, 7-6(3), 6-1, and reach the semifinals of the US Open.
The French duo and Roland Garros winners became the second team to qualify for the WTA Finals this morning after then-Co-No.1s Mirza and Martina Hingis, who announced their split earlier this summer. Mirza held onto the top spot by defeating Hingis and new partner CoCo Vandeweghe in the final of the Western & Southern Open; she and Strycova appeared on course for a similarly impressive win over Garcia and Mladenovic when they raced out to a 5-2 first set lead.
But the top seeds wouldn’t be denied, saving two set points at 5-3 and going on to win 11 of the final 13 games of the match on Grandstand to reach their second major semifinal of the season.
“We’re obviously very excited to go back to Singapore for the second year in a row, and this time with my countrywoman and teammate,” Mladenovic told WTA Insider in a forthcoming interview for the WTA Insider Podcast. “It’s a nice story that we qualified together after being with different partners last year. It was one of our main goal this year when we joined forces.
“It’s such a privilege to qualify because only the best of the best get to go.”
Garcia and Mladenovic could play the other half of the team formerly known as Santina, as the last quarterfinal yet to be played is between No.6 seeded Hingis and Vandeweghe and rising Czech stars Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova, who ended Hingis and Mirza’s hopes of a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam back at the French Open.
“I think when we spoke about playing together this year, we felt it was a good moment because individually we were good doubles players,” Garcia said. “We were in Singapore last year, so that means we’re ok! When we started the year and made the final in Sydney, it was good for our confidence for our first week playing together. We didn’t win right away, but we were still working on our timing and things got better and better.”
Joining the Frenchwomen in the semifinals were No.5 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, who won a 13th straight match by taking out No.13 seeds and Slovenians Andreja Klepac and Katarina Srebotnik in straight sets, and No.12 seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova; last year’s Australian and French Open winners ended the miracle run of American wildcards Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend, 6-1, 6-2.
#teambucie winning selfie! Into the semifinals of #usopen2016! @matteksands ?????? pic.twitter.com/J10bVfqx6U
— lucie safarova (@luciesafarova) September 6, 2016
WTA Insider | In the latest WTA Insider Live Blog, The semifinalists fight for the final at the US Open; will there be a third major final between Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber?