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Kerber Keen On Olympic Chances

Kerber Keen On Olympic Chances

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Angelique Kerber kicked off her 2016 season by picking up some silver hardware in Melbourne, winning her first major title at the Australian Open. Last month at Wimbledon she proved to everyone, including herself, that her Melbourne run was no fluke, making the final of yet another major tournament.

So can the German back it all up with some Olympic hardware? Absolutely.

Playing under the German flag has never been a problem for the World No.2. In her first Olympics in 2012 she was a win away from the medal round in London, losing in a tight two sets to top seed Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals. Since 2012, Kerber is 10-4 in Fed Cup, leading the Germans to the final in 2014, and has been Germany’s standard-bearer since her breakout season in 2012.

In Rio, she is aiming to become the first German to win a medal in tennis since Tommy Haas won silver in 2000, and the first German woman to win a tennis medal since Steffi Graf in 1992.

Kerber heads to Rio after a scratchy week at the Rogers Cup in Montréal. It speaks well to her quality and confidence that she was able to make the semifinals without playing anything near her best tennis. But she looked rusty and out of rhythm in Canada.

Angelique Kerber

With the summer schedule accelerated due to the Olympics, Kerber did not get much rest after Wimbledon. She was back on court at the Ericsson Open in Bastad, where she eventually withdrew due to an elbow injury. The injury did not seem to bother her in Montréal, but the rust from being unable to train as hard as she might have liked for the hardcourt summer showed.

“I think the tournament was good for me because I have a lot of tough and close matches during this week,” Kerber said after losing in three sets to eventual champion Simona Halep in Montréal. “It was the first tournament on hardcourt again, so it’s good to have a lot of matches before going to Rio now, having a few matches under my belt.

“I’m actually feeling good. I take the positive things for the next week and looking forward to play the Olympics.”

Kerber was part of a small group of players who had to endure a series of delays and rerouted flights to get down to Rio earlier this week, finally landing on Wednesday. She’ll need to shake off the fatigue quickly and get back to work to improve her form over what we saw in Montréal. That may prove difficult given how hard it has been for players to get extended blocks of practice time on the courts in Rio.

Also looming after the Olympics are the Western & Southern Open and the US Open, both of which offer Kerber an opportunity to overtake Serena Williams for the No.1 ranking. It’s a milestone that is within her reach before Flushing, but for now the focus is on getting a medal for Germany.

“I think for the tennis player, the Grand Slams are, I think, the most important things,” Kerber said in Montréal, when asked how the Olympics stack up to the tour’s biggest tournaments. “Of course you are looking forward, like me, to playing the Olympics because it’s only [every] four years. It’s an honor to play for Germany. Of course, I will give everything to win the medal, doesn’t matter which one.

“It’s tough to compare because it’s a little bit different, but I’m happy that I already have a Slam,” she said with a big smile.

After six months of defying expectations, Kerber has rightfully earned the label of a medal favorite.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

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Ozaki Ends Schiavone Hopes In Nanchang

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

NANCHANG, China – Risa Ozaki overcame a nervous start to shock No.3 seed Francesca Schiavone in Friday’s Jiangxi Open quarterfinals.

Watch live action from Nanchang this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Competing in just the second WTA quarterfinal of her career, the occasion appeared to overwhelm Ozaki at first, Schiavone taking full advantage to rattle off four unanswered games. But as the contest wore on, Ozaki found her rhythm and a foothold.

While it was too late to salvage the first set, Ozaki turned the match on its head at the start of the second, surging into a 4-0 lead as she emphatically leveled the match. The Japanese player carried this momentum into the decider, building an early advantage before withstanding the inevitable Schiavone comeback to close out a 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 victory.

“It’s not easy to play Schiavone. She was a great player who won a Grand Slam before,” Ozaki said. “I was nervous in first set, but refocused at the start of the second. I think I moved very well in the third set but my serve was not ideal. Anyway, I won in the end, which is the most important thing so I’m very happy.”

Meeting Ozaki in her maiden WTA semifinal will be No.6 seed Vania King, who defeated Zhang Kai-Lin, 6-0, 6-4.

In the bottom half of the draw, Duan Ying-Ying continued her terrific week by knocking out No.2 seed Kurumi Nara, 6-1, 7-5. Earlier in the day, Nara had returned to complete her rain-delayed second round with Chang Kai-Chen in two tight sets. Against Duan, these exertions, and the sweltering on court conditions, contributed to a sluggish start from which she never fully recovered.

Duan faces another Japanese player in the semifinals after Misa Eguchi brushed aside Liu Fangzhou, 6-1, 6-2.

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Suárez Navarro Dodges Ivanovic Challenge

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Carla Suárez Navarro got off to a winning start at the 2016 Olympic tennis event in Rio after dodging an early upset bid from Ana Ivanovic to advance 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.

The No.9 seeded Spaniard looked to be in trouble from the start as an on-fire Ivanovic broke her serve in the opening game, then once more for a 4-1 lead. Despite her recurring issues with her serve – namely her ball toss – Ivanovic was able to hold on and grabbed the opening set.

Suárez Navarro found her rhythm in the second and, aided by two Ivanovic double faults in the same game, was able to get her first break of the match and back it up for a 3-0 lead. Three more double faults from the Serbian gave Suárez Navarro the edge again to break to love and even up the scoreboard.

Now down 0-4 in the third, Ivanovic finally snapped Suárez Navarro’s seven-game streak to get herself on the board, but it wasn’t enough to turn around the match. The Spaniard cruised to the second round after an hour and 35 minutes.

Up next for Suárez Navarro is Croatia’s Ana Konjuh. The youngest tennis Olympian competing in the Games this year, 18-year-old Konjuh made her way to the second round by defeating Germany’s Annika Beck 7-6(5), 6-1.

Meanwhile, Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska suffered the biggest upset of the day at the hands of China’s Zheng Saisai. Zheng abruptly ended the No.4 seed’s Olympic campaign after a 6-4, 7-5 win at Barra Olympic Park.

Also through to the second round are Madison Keys, who earlier in the day notched the first win of the Olympic tennis event with her 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Danka Kovinic; Sara Errani, who turned around a first set deficit to battle past Kiki Bertens 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; Barbora Strycova, who defeated Yanina Wickmayer 7-6(6), 6-1; and Kristina Mladenovic, who overcame Aleksandra Krunic 6-1, 6-4.

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Muguruza Moves Past Mitu

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza faced few problems to kick off her singles campaign at the Olympic tennis event, defeating late entrant Andreea Mitu, 6-2, 6-2, to reach the second round.

Muguruza has had a stellar 2016 season, highlighted by a maiden Grand Slam win over World No.1 Serena Williams at the French Open, but the Spaniard had been dogged by injuries, illnesses, and inconsistencies since, losing in the second round of Wimbledon and withdrawing from the opening round of the Rogers Cup.

Playing her first hardcourt match since the Miami Open, Muguruza fell behind 2-0 to Mitu, who entered the draw following the late withdrawal of former No.1 Jelena Jankovic due to a right shoulder injury. The No.3 seed turned the tide from there, however, winning the final six games of the set and never looking back, taking the second set by the identical scoreline and securing victory in one hour and 13 minutes.

Up next for the former World No.2 is Nao Hibino, who won a topsy-turvy three-setter against Irina-Camelia Begu, who defeated Muguruza at the Mutua Madrid Open.

Earlier in the day, No.8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova survived a second set hiccup to decimate China’s Wang Qiang, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0, to book a second round meeting with the always-dangerous Monica Niculescu. Also in No.2 seed Angelique Kerber’s section are No.10 seed Johanna Konta and No.13 seed Samantha Stosur; each won their first round matches on Sunday over Stephanie Vogt and Jelena Ostapenko, respectively. Caroline Garcia ended the hopes of Brazil’s favorite daughter Teliana Pereira with a 6-1, 6-2 win, and will play Konta for a spot in the third round.

No.11 seed Petra Kvitova soared past Timea Babos, who reached the Florianopolis final just last week, 6-1, 6-2, to set up an exciting second round clash with former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki. The Dane dispatched alternate Lucie Hradecka, 6-2, 6-2, and the pair loom as prospective quarterfinal opponents for top seed Serena Williams, who advanced on Sunday morning.

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Kerber Sees Off Bouchard In Rio

Kerber Sees Off Bouchard In Rio

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – No.2 seed Angelique Kerber overcame a slow start and overturned a 1-4 deficit in the first set to see off Eugenie Bouchard and make her way to the third round of the Olympic tennis event in Rio, 6-4, 6-2.

Bouchard was off to a flying start against Kerber, looking to extend her streak against Germany’s No.1 to four wins in a row. After fighting off a pair of break points in both of her service games, the Canadian got the first break of the match and consolidated for a 4-1 lead.

After the initial wobble, Kerber found her rhythm and famous consistency from the baseline to rattle off seven games in a row, erase Bouchard’s lead and grab the opening set and a break in the second. Bouchard saved a trio of match points to hold serve in a lengthy game for 5-2, employing line-to-line defense against the German to hit a forehand winner. But Kerber took the match at her next chance and made her way into the third round after an hour and 22 minutes.

Though both players stayed aggressive throughout, Kerber kept her margins cleaner than Bouchard, striking 24 winners and 19 unforced errors to the Canadian’s 22 and 36. She brought up 12 break points and converted four times, while Bouchard broke just once in five chances.

Kerber will go on to play Australia’s Samantha Stosur for a spot in the quarterfinals. The No.13 seed defeated Japan’s Misaki Doi 6-3, 6-4 to move into the third round.

Madison Keys

Earlier in the day Madison Keys, one of two Americans left in the singles draw, came away the winner in a three-hour marathon against France’s Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), in the longest match of the Olympic tennis event so far.

“I’m obviously really happy with how I was able to compete today,” Keys said in the mixed zone after the win.

There were 11 breaks of serve during the first two sets alone as the momentum shifted back and forth. Keys was three points away from taking the match when she held a 4-1 lead in the second set tiebreak, but Mladenovic rattled off six points on the trot to send the match to a third set. Keys overcame a 3-5 deficit in the final tiebreak to edge past the Frenchwoman.

The American hit 49 total winners during the match to 64 unforced errors against Mladenovic’s 28 winners and 46 unforced errors. Keys’ big serve bailed her out of trouble in the third set, blasting six of her nine aces during the final set.

The American took a medical timeout during the match but later brushed off any lasting injury concerns.

“I felt like one of my ribs maybe moved, which wasn’t very comfortable but I’m feeling a little bit better now, I’m going to go see the trainers after,” Keys explained.

She’s set to play against Spain’s Carla Suárez Navarro next in the next round.

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Venus To Play Olympic Mixed Doubles

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Former World No.1 Venus Williams looked to have wrapped up her Olympic tennis event campaign with tough losses in singles and doubles, but the four-time Olympic gold medalist has one more chance for glory in Rio, pairing with Rajeev Ram in the mixed doubles draw; the pair will play the Netherlands’ Kiki Bertens and Jean-Julian Rojer in the first round. Bethanie Mattek-Sands joins the draw alongside Jack Sock as the second US team.

Often on a mixed doubles court when playing for the Washington Kastles during Mylan World TeamTennis, Venus hasn’t played a full mixed doubles match since 2013 at Hopman Cup alongside John Isner. The five-time Wimbledon winner won the first two legs of a Calendar Year Grand Slam in mixed doubles all the way back in 1996 with Justin Gimelstob; she last played a mixed doubles major in 2006, when she reached the Wimbledon final alongside Bob Bryan.

It will nonetheless be a tall order for Venus to capture a fifth Olympic gold medal in a draw that features top seeds and reigning French Open champions Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic, who have paired with reigning Wimbledon winners Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert, respectively. Mladenovic has won a pair of mixed doubles titles with Daniel Nestor, most recently at the 2014 Australian Open. Garcia and Mahut begin their mixed campaign against Brazil’s Teliana Pereira and Marcelo Melo, while Mladenovic and Herbert open against Italians Roberta Vinci and Fabio Fognini.

Garbiñe Muguruza also joins the mixed doubles fray as the No.3 seed, playing with nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal; their first round opponents are Czechs Lucie Hradecka and Radek Stepanek. Her countrywoman and women’s doubles partner Carla Suárez Navarro will also represent Spain with partner David Ferrer; they will play Romanians Monica Niculescu and Florin Mergea.

Agnieszka Radwanska will try to redeem her disappointing Olympic result in singles by pairing with Lukasz Kubot, while Johanna Konta will play with Jamie Murray on behalf of Great Britain.

Check out the full draw below:

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Gavrilova's Excellent Olympic Adventure

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Daria Gavrilova played her first Olympic tennis event this week in Rio, and took fans along for the ride with the help of some lively commentary on Twitter.

Despite a bumpy start to her Olympic journey, Gavrilova took on the Rio experience with gusto, participating in the Opening Ceremonies alongside Team Australia and taking in as many sports as she could after playing World No.1 Serena Williams tough over two sets.

Check out some of the best tweets from the Aussie’s Olympic Summer Games right here on wtatennis.com:

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Kristina Mladenovic is happy to have found a new doubles partner in the highly experienced Russian grand slam champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova.

It was something of a shock when Mladenovic announced that she and Caroline Garcia were putting an end to their doubles ambitions for the foreseeable future.

Mladenovic and Kuznetsova got their partnership off to the best of starts at the BNP Paribas Open, defeating Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke 6-4, 6-1. They next face Andrea Hlavackova and Peng Shuai in the second round.

The French pairing of Mladenovic and Garcia enjoyed no shortage of doubles success, winning the French Open in 2016 as well as being runners-up at the US Open later in the same year.

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Ivanovic Into Oz Open Third Round

Ivanovic Into Oz Open Third Round

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MELBOURNE, Australia – Former No.1 Ana Ivanovic had to deal with a half hour break when a spectator took a spill on Rod Laver Arena, but the Serb maintained her focus to close out Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, 6-3, 6-3.

Sevastova first made waves in 2011 when she reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open, but a brief retirement took her out of the game for nearly two years before she came back last January. Coming through three rounds of main draw qualifying, the 25-year-old played Ivanovic tough over two sets, but was ultimately undone by unforced errors – 27 to Ivanovic’s 17.

Ivanovic, by contrast, played a much cleaner match, breaking serve four times and winning 83% of her first serves.

“I enjoy playing here so much; this is one of my favorite courts in the world,” Ivanovic said during her on-court interview. “It’s always good to be back.”

The No.20 seed has looked solid through her first two matches, a major improvement over her last appearance in Melbourne, when a broken toe hampered her through an opening round loss.

“I tried to work on my fitness during the off-season; that needed improvements after last season. I hired a new fitness coach, so it’s been really great. We did a lot of prevention work for injuries, and fitness and on-court work.

“It’s a work in progress.”

Up next for Ivanovic is the winner of the second round match between No.15 seed Madison Keys and Yaroslava Shvedova, the latter of whom pushed her to three sets at last year’s French Open.

“Every match is tough and we’ve seen that throughout the week. Every opponent is tough and there have been a lot of tricky first round matches.

“But I’m really thrilled be to be through and you guys are amazing, so excited about your tennis, so keep it up!

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