Tennis News

DOHA, Qatar – No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska moved safely into the third round of the Qatar Total Open on Tuesday with a straight set win over qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko.

Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

On a blustery afternoon, Radwanska had to withstand a spirited display from the World No.75, before eventually coming through, 6-4, 6-4.

As one of the game’s elite, Radwanska has played much of her tennis down the years at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex during the prime-time evening slot. It is an arrangement that has suited her well, the Pole reaching the semifinals on four occasions.

However, she began her latest title tilt in conditions not ideally suited to her eye-pleasing repertoire of strokes. “I think we all have to get used to different conditions. It was also windy. So it wasn’t the easiest time to play and maybe it wasn’t the prettiest match, but the most important thing is that I won and I’m very happy about that.”

It has been a fine start to 2016 for Radwanska, who has built on the momentum of her victory at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global by winning in Shenzhen and then reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open.

“I had a great start to the year, obviously, and I had a good rest after Australia. But I’ve been working hard since so I can play the same tennis here and do as well as in other years.”

Despite her lack of recent competitive action – she sat out Poland’s Fed Cup tie and withdrew from Dubai because of a leg injury – Radwanska delivered a typically tidy display – decorated by the odd touch of brilliance – hitting 17 winners and the same number of unforced errors.

Radwanska will next face either Monica Niculescu or former World No.1 Jelena Jankovic.

“They’re both very good, very solid opponents and it’s going to be another great challenge for me,” Radwanska said. “I’m going to watch the match, have some rest and be ready for tomorrow.”

Also coming through a tough second round assignment was Petra Kvitova, who defeated in-form compatriot Barbora Strycova, 7-6(2), 6-4.

Last week in Dubai, Strycova made it all the way to the final and she delivered another reputation-enhancing showing. Kvitova was an early casualty in Dubai, and must have feared the worst when Strycova served for the opening set. But the No.5 seed dug deep – fending off a couple of set points – to pinch it on a tie-break.

Despite an improved showing in the second set, Kvitova’s 18 winners were still offset by 30 unforced errors, leaving her with room to improve in the next round. “It was pretty close in the first set – she had a couple of set points – but I was just trying to take it point by point,” Kvitova said.

The result extends Kvitova’s unbeaten run against fellow Czech’s to 18 matches, her last defeat coming against Lucie Hradecka in Madrid nearly four years ago.

“It was a really important win for me today. Not just for the tournament but also the season – I hope this match will help me.”

DOHA, Qatar – No.9 seed Roberta Vinci was in the midst of a tense opening set against Turkish wildcard Cagla Buyakakcay when a wild cat appeared.

On serve in the 12th game, the 2015 US Open finalist had just earned a set point, but play was interrupted by the sauntering feline, who had to be chased down by ballkids and on-court attendents before the beast was finally subdued.

In the end, the cat cameo may have helped the Italian over the finish line; Vinci only lost one more game to defeat Buyakakcay 7-5, 6-1 and reach the quarterfinals of the Qatar Total Open.

“I won the set, so it’s ok!”

Cat on the loose! ? ? pic.twitter.com/teFmr8CNJM

— WTA (@WTA) February 24, 2016

DOHA, Qatar – World No.3 Agnieszka Radwanska recovered from a double break down to see off Monica Niculescu, 7-5, 6-1.

“I think she has the best hands on tour, very tricky player and very uncomfortable to play against,” Radwanska said of her opponent during her on-court interview. “I knew it was going to be tough and a long one. What can I say? She really made me play my best tennis, so I’m very happy to win that match in two sets.”

Grabbing the opening set, Radwanska played impeccable tennis throughout, striking 31 winners to just 15 unforced; Niculescu wasn’t too far behind with 24 winners and 32 errors.

“I think when you play someone like Monica, you know there will be a lot of weird shots all around the court, and every shot is going to be different.

“She had a lot of highlights herself!”

In her six appearances at the Qatar Total Open, Radwanska has reached the quarterfinals or better five times, but is still looking for her first final in Doha.

Asked about the increasing parity that the WTA has seen in 2016, the reigning BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global champion theorized that the upsets are part of what makes her tour so fun to watch.

“I think this is women’s tennis; you never know what’s going to happen! Every day, we’re playing different, but it makes us interesting. We’re always fun to watch, a lot of different scores, a lot of surprises on the way to the final.

“That’s the way we play!”

Up next for Radwanska is the winner of the third round between No.9 seed Roberta Vinci and wildcard Cagla Buyakakcay, who upset defending champion Lucie Safarova in her opening match.

“Women's tennis is full of surprises. You never know what's going to happen!” ? -@ARadwanska #WTA https://t.co/7raBSZChE6

— WTA (@WTA) February 24, 2016

DOHA, Qatar – Second season syndrome is an ailment familiar to most sports fans. As the name suggests, it afflicts those sports men, women and teams that struggle to follow up a breakthrough season or notable triumph.

In the opening weeks of the season there were whispers in tennis circles that Garbiñe Muguruza could be the syndrome’s latest high-profile victim.

Last year, 41 wins (nine of them against Top 10 opponents), one title and a runner-up finish at Wimbledon saw Muguruza catapult herself from gifted prospect to one of the game’s elite.

But, having climbed to the very top of the game, how would she respond to the spotlight focused on its summit? How would her athletic game stand up to the rigors of another 60-match campaign? And how would she handle the prospect of defending all those ranking points accrued last time around?

The Spaniard made an inauspicious start, aggravated a long-standing foot injury during her first match, against Varvara Lepchenko at the Brisbane International. With that troublesome foot still bothering her, Muguruza managed to go a few rounds at the Australian Open, but looked a shadow of her magnificent best.

“I think it was an amazing year, an amazing end. I think the level was really high,” Muguruza said. “Obviously to keep that level all the time, every year, is going to be hard, especially when you did it once, and next year you’re like, ‘Hey, should I be doing the same? It’s hard to know what’s going to happen.”

At this week’s Qatar Total Open, however, the 22-year-old has finally began to find some form, blowing away Nao Hibino in her opening match, before defusing the big-serving Timea Babos on Wednesday evening.

And after seeing off Babos, she penned a message – ‘Muga’s back’ – to her WTA rivals on the lens of a nearby television camera. 

#MuguIsBack pic.twitter.com/2kBcFof5Dh

— WTA (@WTA) February 24, 2016

“I wrote this because I had a lot of physical problems at the beginning of the year and I’m trying to practice and work really hard to get my level back again,” Muguruza said. “And I think playing and competing here is helping me go through this process.”

The next stage of her rehabilitation will come against Andrea Petkovic, a player she has never beaten: “It’s true it’s a big challenge for me; I think I’m like 2-0 down. So I think I’m going to speak with my team and find a way and a tactic to beat her.”

Having appeared in one major final already, Muguruza is viewed by many astute observers as the leader of the WTA’s new vanguard. Despite the soaring expectation levels, the World No.5 is setting no timeframe on the next breakthough.

“I don’t think there’s an age to reach the top. I think it’s great when you’re like playing good. But being young and also having success, it can be very good and it can be very bad,” she said.

“We’ve seen some cases you’re young and you’re like, ‘I’m playing good, I’m doing a lot of things.’ But it’s also hard because you’re not as mature. Angelique Kerber said in Australia, she can maybe handle more at her age or she’s used to it more. It’s a very thin line there keeping that balance. Just with time, you can deal better with that.”

DOHA, Qatar – No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska survived an onslaught from Italy’s Roberta Vinci as the two put together a veritable highlight reel from start to finish in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Total Open. It was the reigning WTA Finals champion, however, who ultimately emerged victorious, beating the No.9 seed, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“She’s a very tricky player with great hands, so you always expect tricky points from her,” she said during her on-court interview. “I was just trying to be better this time, so I hope you guys enjoyed it and I think it was a great match.”

Coming off a win over another wily veteran in Monica Niculescu in the previous round, Radwanska outdid herself with some throwback tennis on Thursday; she and Vinci came to net a combined 101 times, while the Pole hit 40 winners to just 27 unforced errors. Vinci was not too far behind with 36 winners and 20 unforced.

With more than couple of candidates for Shot Of The Year in one match, Radwanska admitted she sometimes surprised herself against Vinci: “I’m like, ‘Oh my god, that was in?’ But that’s the way I play, and against Roberta, it’s a lot of rallies and tricky shots and different points. Our games are very entertaining.

“I’m just very happy to play those shots. Winning shot of the year makes me so happy. I always appreciate those votes; I’m also happy to hear that my tennis is very enjoyable and entertaining.”

Up next for Radwanska is No.8 seed Carla Suárez Navarro, who confirmed her return to the Top 10 with a straight-sets win over qualifier Elena Vesnina earlier in the day.

“Carla is a great player, very solid from the back. We just played a few weeks ago in Melbourne. I won that one, but it’s never easy against her. It’ll be a nice challenge for me against Carla, and I’ll try my best.”

Radwanska and Vinci certainly broke the internet with their stellar shot-making; check out some of the best points and what some of their fellow players had to say below:

Nice touch, @ARadwanska! ? #WTA https://t.co/8DHWurztuF

— WTA (@WTA) February 25, 2016

Loving this match between @roberta_vinci & @ARadwanska! So much variety tennis & both literally ending every single points at the net?#doha

— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) February 25, 2016

Behind the back! ?

No big deal for @ARadwanska. #WTA https://t.co/IFwtkRDplA

— WTA (@WTA) February 25, 2016

Ok ladies this is sick tennis.

— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) February 25, 2016

You've GOT to be kidding me @ARadwanska! ? #WTA https://t.co/StrJrLd5pE

— WTA (@WTA) February 25, 2016

Same. ? pic.twitter.com/I0UZuSE8wj

— WTA (@WTA) February 25, 2016

@WTA @ARadwanska Sick!!!???

— Elena Vesnina (@EVesnina001) February 25, 2016

@WTA @ARadwanska that's just ridiculous!!!?????

— Jarmila Wolfe (@tennis_jarkag) February 25, 2016

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Sloane Stephens needed just 54 minutes to cruise to her second WTA final of the year after an uncomplicated victory over No.8 seed Yanina Wickmayer at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, 6-2, 6-0.

Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

The pair had faced off only once before, with Stephens coming out the victor of a straight forward 6-1, 6-3 match at the Miami Open. This encounter would prove to be no more difficult for the 22-year-old American.

“Obviously playing in the semifinals of any tournament is going to be tough,” Stephens said of her commanding victory. “Fortunately today I played some really solid tennis and played really well. It was a good day for me.”

Stephens set the pace early on, breaking and holding at love to give herself some breathing room at 4-1. The Belgian wasn’t displaying any of the form that saw her come back from two points away from defeat in the first round or upset Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the quarterfinals. Wickmayer was spraying errors off both wings, finally shooting a forehand long to give Stephens set point, which she seal with a powerful forehand.

Stephens played a near perfect second set, overpowering the increasingly frustrated Wickmayer in a 6-0 shutout, not facing a single break point and winning every one of her first serve points.

“I’m feeling good and I’m excited to be back in another final,” Stephens said. “I’m playing well so I’m excited to get back on court tomorrow and compete.”

At this time last year, Stephens was facing a disappointing string of first and second round losses – including one in the first round here in Acapulco. Now in 2016, she’s already got a title under her belt and is into her second final of the year. What’s changed for the 22-year-old?

“I’m just in a different place,” Sloane said. “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.”

Stephens is set to play against 2014 Acapulco winner Dominika Cibulkova in tomorrow’s final. Their head to head is tied at 1-1, with Cibulkova coming away the winner of their most recent encounter at Toronto last year.

After two months of unexpected results, what does it all mean as the tour prepares for the grueling high-stakes tournaments in tennis’ version of March Madness at the BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open?

On this episode, WTA Insider Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen and Web Editor David Kane reconvene to discuss the action at the Qatar Total Open in Doha, where Carla Suárez Navarro emerged from the beaten and battered draw to win the biggest title of her career. They also talk about the impressive week from 18-year-old Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, who tore through the Doha draw to make her second WTA final, and have mixed emotions surrounding Agnieszka Radwanska, Garbiñe Muguruza and Andrea Petkovic’s recent results.

Courtney and David also discuss the action at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, where Sloane Stephens and Dominika Cibulkova played one of the best matches of the year in the final, which saw Sloane edge it out to become the first woman to two titles this year.

Kane on Suárez Navarro: “It’s very impressive but I still think there are a lot of questions about what this means for Suarez Navarro in terms of where she goes from here. She ended up having the best week of the top-ranked players but still, when she is in really high pressure situations against the biggest names in tennis, how will she stand up? I think mentally we’ve seen her answer a lot of those questions so far this year alone. Setting goals to be in the Top 10? Check. Top 5? Really close. Of all the players to make New Year’s Resolutions, I think you want to model your New Year’s Resolution game after Suárez Navarro. She’s one of the few big names getting things done in 2016.”

Nguyen on Radwanska: “I’m curious to see what she does in Indian Wells and Miami. Was this just a bad day at the office, a tough turnaround of 24-hours to play that match, or is it more of a sign? Obviously she’s great on hardcourts and is a former champion in Miami. If she can rebound there, then she’s all right. She’s still one of the best players at the start of the season. So maybe it was just a bad day. We’ll see.”

Nguyen on ‘Winning Ugly’: “On some level you wonder if this is a generational thing. If you are younger and you’ve grown up in this era of parity, in this era of everyone’s on upset alert at all times, everyone can pull up an upset at all times, and you’re just used to it, maybe you don’t panic as much because it’s the new normal. It is just what you are to expect in a tennis match.”

Kane on Stephens: “This is the best I’ve seen Sloane Stephens play a match from start to finish. For all the hype and all the prognosticating about the future and the potential of Sloane Stephens we really saw everything from her in this final. We saw the power, we saw the athleticism, most impressively we saw the defense, and more impressively, we saw she did not get down on herself.”

MONTERREY, Mexico – Heather Watson grabbed her spot in the finals of the Abierto Monterrey Afirme after dispatching an ailing Caroline Garcia 6-1, 6-2.

Watch live action from Monterrey & Kuala Lumpur this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Watson came roaring out of the gates, finding her zone right away and quickly putting Garcia in a familiar bind. The Frenchwoman was down 4-1 in the first set just as she’d been in yesterday’s quarterfinal against Pauline Parmentier, but this time she wasn’t able to bounce back, her usually agile movements hampered by a lower back injury.

“I was very happy with how I played today but obviously Caroline was hurting today,” Watson said after their match. “I hope she gets better soon, hope it’s nothing too serious.”

After the Brit grabbed the first set in a dominant 27 minutes, Garcia took an emotional medical time out before starting the next set. Despite Garcia returning to the court with a bit more bounce in her step, Watson remained completely in control, coming up with an answer to every aspect of Garcia’s all-court game.

Awaiting Watson in the final is Kirsten Flipkens, a player she’s never won against in either of their previous two encounters.

“It won’t be easy,” Watson said of tomorrow’s match. “I’ve played Kirsten a few times and she’s very experienced. It definitely won’t be easy – I’ll have to bring my A-game tomorrow.”

Flipkens had to draw from every bit of her 13 years of experience to emerge victorious against Anett Kontaveit in their seesaw semifinal, 7-6(6), 6-4.

Kontaveit had her under pressure in the first set and Flipkens found herself having to dig out of a 3-5 hole to force a tiebreak.

“I think all week I was mentally very strong, but I think first set was a really tight one,” Flipkens said. “I came back very strong and the tiebreak was so close – it was like heads or tails.”

Flipkens looked to be totally in command in the second set, rushing ahead to a 5-1 lead as Kontaveit allowed the errors to pile up. But with her back against the wall, the young Estonian seemed to get her rhythm back and won three straight games to threaten a comeback. Flipkens stayed steady to reach her first final since 2013 ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

“It’s going to be a good match and I’m looking forward to it,” Flipkens said. “It’s been my first final in a long time in WTA so I’m gonna enjoy 100 percent.”