Radwanska Completes Great Escape
Agnieszka Radwanska made a dramatic start to her BNP Paribas Open challenge, staging an improbable comeback to overcome Dominika Cibulkova.
Agnieszka Radwanska made a dramatic start to her BNP Paribas Open challenge, staging an improbable comeback to overcome Dominika Cibulkova.
THE WINNERS
Christina McHale produced a stirring comeback to defeat Katerina Siniakova in the final of the Japan Women’s Open Tennis and lift her maiden WTA title.
A semifinalist 12 months ago, McHale looked in store for another near-miss when she trailed Siniakova by a set and a break. However, a timely rain delay and a run of eight straight games turned the match on its head as the American closed out a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
“I don’t even want to put my trophy down – I just want to hold it all the time,” McHale said during the trophy presentation. “I’ve been coming to this tournament for a few years now and I really love it here.”
Read the match recap here.
French teenager Oceane Dodin thrilled the Coupe Banque Nationale crowd by capturing her first WTA title with a 6-4, 6-3 win over American Lauren Davis in the final.
“It’s very special for me. This is a very nice tournament; I feel like I’m in France because the people are very friendly and supportive of me! Everyone was with me today and that helps so much when it’s a tough score.”
Dodin twice reached the second round of major tournaments in 2015, but coming into this week in Québec, the fearless Frenchwoman had never won a main draw match outside the Grand Slams – though she did reach the semifinals of a WTA 125K Series event in Limoges.
Read the match recap here.
RANKING MOVERS:
Notable singles ranking movers for the week of September 19, 2016.
Oceane Dodin (FRA), +39 (No.132 to 93): Following her maiden WTA title at the Coupe Banque Nationale, Dodin made her Top 100 debut and sits at a career-high of No.93..
Lauren Davis (USA), +21 (No.104 to 83): Québec City finalist also made a big leap, jumping up 21 spots to return to inside the Top100.
Katerina Siniakova (CZE), +12 (No.65 to 53): Despite coming up just short in the final at the Tokyo International, Siniakova earned a 12-spot ranking jump to reach her career highest ranking.
Christina McHale (USA), +11 (No.53 to 42): McHale claimed her maiden WTA title in Tokyo, and along with it she earned a spot back inside the Top 50.
Shuai Zhang (CHN), +9 (No.49 to 40): Zhang’s run to the semifinals in Tokyo puts her new ranking at No.40, inching closer to her career-high of No.30 back in 2014
UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS
Toray Pan Pacific Open
Tokyo, Japan
Premier | $885,500 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Sunday, September 25
Defending champion: Agnieszka Radwanska
Guangzhou International Women’s Open
Guangzhou, China
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Saturday, September 24
Defending champion: Jelena Jankovic
Korea Open Tennis
Seoul, Korea
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Sunday, September 25
Defending champion: Irina-Camelia Begu
2016 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open
Wuhan, China
Premier | $2,288,250 | Hard
Sunday, September 25 – Saturday, October 1
Defending champion: Venus Williams
Tashkent Open
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 26 – Saturday, October 1
Defending champion: Nao Hibino
TOP 20 PLAYER SCHEDULES
1. Angelique Kerber – Wuhan
2. Serena Williams – Wuhan
3. Garbiñe Muguruza – Tokyo, Wuhan
4. Agnieszka Radwanska – Tokyo, Wuhan
5. Simona Halep– Wuhan
6. Karolina Pliskova – Tokyo, Wuhan
7. Venus Williams – Wuhan
8. Carla Suárez Navarro – Tokyo, Wuhan
9. Madison Keys – Tokyo, Wuhan
10. Svetlana Kuznetsova – Wuhan
11. Victoria Azarenka
12. Dominika Cibulkova – Tokyo, Wuhan
13. Johanna Konta – Wuhan
14. Timea Bacsinszky – Wuhan
15. Roberta Vinci – Guangzhou, Wuhan
16. Petra Kvitova – Tokyo, Wuhan
17. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – Tokyo, Wuhan
18. Samantha Stosur – Tokyo, Wuhan
19. Elena Vesnina
20. Elina Svitolina – Tokyo, Wuhan
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:
Chan Hao-Ching (TPE) – September 19, 1993
Sabine Lisicki (GER) – September 22, 1989
Andreea Mitu (ROU) – September 22, 1991
Klaudia Jans-Ignacik (POL) – September 24, 1984
Monica Niculescu (ROU) – September 25, 1987
Romanian captain Ille Nastase will play no further part in this weekend’s Fed Cup action as two days worth of controversy surrounding him came to a head during the team’s World Group II Play-off against Great Britain on Saturday.
In the second set of the rubber between Johanna Konta and Sorana Cirstea, Nastase verbally abused both Konta and Great Britain’s captain Anne Keothavong, before launching into a tirade against both the umpire and referee as a result of being warned for his conduct.
He was then removed from the court, and later the arena, entering in a row with the assembled press corps as he departed. After being suspended for 25 minutes, the match was later resumed, with Monica Niculescu acting as Romania’s captain.
“Romanian Captain Ille Nastase was removed from the court during the second rubber of the Fed Cup tie between Romania and Great Britain in Constanta,” the ITF said in a statement. “Mr. Nastase was asked to leave the court by ITF Referee Andreas Egli for unsportsmanlike conduct, having already received two official warnings. Mr. Nastase was also removed from the grounds due to his serious misconduct. His accreditation was removed and he will play no further part in this tie. The ITF has launched an investigation into this matter as well as previous comments made by Mr. Nastase throughout the week.”
On Friday, Nastase was reported as having made a racist remark about the recent announcement of Serena Williams’ pregnancy, and also made suggestive comments towards Keothavong while involving himself in a dispute with a member of the press.
ITF president Dave Haggerty added Saturday: ‘This is unacceptable behavior by a Fed Cup captain. No player, official, member of the media or fan should have to endure any kind of abuse, and Mr. Nastase will rightly play no further part in this tie. A formal investigation is already underway and any decision or sanction will be made by the ITF’s Adjudication Panel. We are unable to comment further on an ongoing investigation.”
After play resumed, Konta won the last five games to defeat Cirstea, 6-2, 6-3 and square the tie at 1-1. Simona Halep defeated Heather Watson, 6-4, 6-1 in Saturday’s first match.
Elsewhere in the World Group II Play-offs after Saturday’s play, Italy leads Australia and Australia leads Serbia, 2-0, while the tie between Kazakhstan and Canada is also level at 1-1.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Zhang Shuai came out on top after being a set and 4-2 down against No.20 seed Caroline Wozniacki, winning a marathon three-hour-and-twenty-four minute match to advance to the third round at the BNP Paribas Open.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!
The surging Zhang, who ended last season ranked No.186 and has risen over 100 spots since, announced her presence to the tennis world at one of its biggest stages when she defeated the then-World-No.2 Simona Halep at the Australian Open on her way to the quarterfinals. She’s been skyrocketing since and owns a 15-2 win-loss record across all levels this year.
Coming out against the heavy favorite and 2011 champion Wozniacki, Zhang knew she’d have to come up with the best tennis of her career to get the upset, and that seemed like a tall order after the Dane calmly grabbed the first set 6-4.
The players traded five consecutive breaks of serve to start out what would become a rollercoaster second set. Wozniacki finally held first, getting a 4-2 lead and looking for all intents and purposes like she would eventually close out the match in straight sets. But Zhang, who was making every game into a battle, had other ideas. She broke once again and sent the set into a tiebreaker. They stayed toe-to-toe until Wozniacki finally blinked, Zhang converting her seventh set point to close out the hour-and-twenty-seven-minute-long game.
Wozniacki grabbed another big lead in the third set, breaking twice to get ahead 4-1 and get within striking distance of the third round. So long and late into the night, the crowd at Stadium 4 played their own part in the match, an enthusiastically vocal Chinese contingent chanting against Wozniacki’s loud legion of supporters. They powered Zhang to get herself back in it, though, as clawed her way back game by game until she hit her first ace to level the match at 4-4.
The Danish player just wouldn’t let go, hitting her first ace in reply to grab the next game. But even three hours into the match, Zhang was still able to find another gear. Despite Wozniacki saving three match points, Zhang emerged victorious in the marathon match, winning 4-6, 7-6(8), 7-5.
“So excited, so tough match,” Zhang said after the match. “Any time everybody play against her, always tough to win because she’s very strong mentally and very good at defense.
“She was a big challenge to me because I was not really aggressive, not really stronger. But I have to be stronger if I want to win.”
Next up for Zhang is Victoria Azarenka, who dropped just five games against Zarina Diyas on her way to the third round, 6-3, 6-2.
ZHENGZHOU, China – No.2 seed Wang Qiang earned her first WTA 125K Series title at the Biyuan Cup Zhengzhou Women’s Tennis Open at top seed Peng Shuai was forced to retire in the deciding set with the match standing at 3-6, 7-6(3), 1-1.
“I entered this tournament as the second seed, so there was an opportunity for me to win the title,” Wang said post-match. “I almost got knocked out in the second round. At that time, I didn’t feel as confident as I am today. I’m not quite sure what happened in the second set, but I tried to stay focused and play my game, not making too many mistakes. I knew that she would go for it whenever she had the chance.”
Peng led the match 6-3, 3-0 and served for the match, but surrendered the deciding tiebreak and could no longer play on after two hours, 15 minutes. Wang’s victory levels the head-to-head between the pair to 1-1.
It was a Chinese sweep for the home crowd as in the doubles final, Han Xinyun and Lin Zhu claimed the crown over Jacqueline Cako and Julia Glushko, 7-5, 6-1.
“We didn’t play each other before, so the only thing we could do was stick to the plan,” the pair said post-match. “The second set became easier as we found our rhythm. We were more powerful than our opponents from the baseline, and we had a better serve.”
All photos courtesy of the Biyuan Cup Zhengzhou Women’s Tennis Open.
World No.1 Serena Williams overcame a slow start to roar past Yulia Putintseva to reach the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open.
SEOUL, South Korea – Big-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi recovered from a set down to dismiss Mona Barthel in a battle of two former Top 30 players, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the Korea Open.
Barthel began the year ranked at World No.45, but a virus kept her off court between the Australian and French Open; the German had won just two matches since Wimbledon heading into her match against Giorgi. Still, she reminded fans why she’s been ranked as high as No.23 in the world with a stunning opening set, winning 10 of 13 points off the Italian’s second serve and saving all three break points faced.
Giorgi has also seen her ranking slip from the start of the season, but took the experience from beating Barthel less than a month ago at the Connecticut Open and overcame a few frustrating moments to turn the tables on the 26-year-old, wrapping up the topsy-turvy tussle in just under 100 minutes.
The win puts the 24-year-old into her fifth WTA quarterfinal of the 2016 season – all at International level events – and will be looking to reach her second semifinal of the year, her first since finishing runner-up at the Katowice Open.
Up next for the former World No.30 is No.3 seed and Australian Open quarterfinalist Zhang Shuai, who edged past mixed doubles Olympic Gold medalist and US Open women’s doubles champ Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 6-3, 7-5.
New Haven semifinalist and No.2 seed Johanna Larsson followed up Giorgi’s heroics with a three-set thriller of her own, knocking out rising Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.5 seed and 2015 BNP Paribas Open champion Simona Halep faced stiff opposition in rival and No.30 seed Ekaterina Makarova, but the Romanian laid down another comprehensive victory on a windy Sunday night to reach the fourth round, 6-2, 6-4.
The two began strongly on serve but Halep earned a crucial break in the sixth game and ultimately ran away with the opening set. Makarova had lost five games in a row when the Russian – a former Top 10 player who pushed Halep to three sets in their last meeting at the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships – broke back and continued to apply pressure throughout the second set before Halep broke for the match with her 16th and final winner.
“It was a tough match,” Halep told Andrew Krasny during her on-court interview. the wind was really bothering us, but I’m happy that I could win this match; I played a bit smarter, I think.
“I knew how to adapt for the wind,” she said later. “Just in one part of the court I had to hit a bit stronger, and the other with more topspin. I adjusted really well today and I’m really happy that I did it.”
Closing out the night session, Halep acknowledged the crowd, many of whom brought Romanian flags in support of the former World No.2.
“I want to thank everyone for staying; I know it’s difficult but thank you guys!”
Playing with renewed confidence, Halep has displayed the sort of form that took her to her career-high ranking and into the French Open final back in 2014. Struggling with illness and injury to start this season, Halep has felt fit and healthy since the end of the Middle East Swing and credits coach Darren Cahill with helping her adjust her mindset and firm up her tactics.
“I had tough matches this year where I couldn’t finish the match, so now I call Darren and he really helped me to finish the ball and be strong in the end and to believe that I can win and make a break.
“I’m not thinking about defending the title, but I’m really happy to be back here on Center Court. I really have great memories from last year and I believe that here I can come back with my game and with my confidence.”
Up next for the No.5 seed is Barbora Strycova; the Czech veteran has been one of the most consistent players this season with a run to the finals in Dubai and a second week showing in Melbourne; the two have split their only two previous encounters, but Halep triumphed in their most recent meeting at the 2014 China Open.
GUANGZHOU, China – 23-year-old Swiss Viktorija Golubic is into the quarterfinals at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open after coming back from a set down to upset top seed Sara Errani, 6-7(7), 6-3 6-4.
Aside from reaching her fourth quarterfinal this year in what has become her breakthrough season, Golubic has also avenged her Bastad loss to Errani, where she lost to the Italian after taking her to a first-set tiebreaker.
“I’m very, very tired, it was such an exhausting match,” Golubic said. “We played each other on clay this year, and that was also very tough so I was prepared for that.”
“But still in the end I had to put all the energy together to come through, and I am very happy.”
Golubic held a 5-3 lead in the first set, as well as five set points in the tiebreak during a tight opening set. Errani fought off Golubic’s chances with her tricky forehand slices and dogged defense, roaring back from 2-6 down in the tiebreak to take the first set. Golubic stayed aggressive, and took advantage of Errani’s vulnerable serve to create more chances, outlasting the Italian after a three-hour marathon to advance to the quarterfinals.
“Sara is a very tricky player – she makes you think and she gives you the balls back, a very tough player,” Golubic said. “I was doing many good points, but I also missed a lot.”
“I tried to find the balance between aggressiveness and consistency, and it was hard work to do.”
Sabine Lisicki is also through to the quarterfinals after a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Chinese wildcard Peng Shuai.
Despite the match being a mostly one-sided affair during the hour-and-six-minute encounter, Lisicki admitted it was difficult to take on her good friend.
“It’s always so tough to play a friend,” Lisicki said in post-match press. “Shuai and I have played doubles together a few times, so we know each other quite well.”
“I thought I played very well. I knew that I had to play well and strong to beat her. I’m very happy with my game, but also wish her the best in her comeback.”
Joining Golubic and Lisicki in the quarterfinals at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open is No.3 seed Ana Konjuh, who weathered a late challenge from Georgian qualifier Sofia Shapatava to advance 6-1, 7-6(2).
“I’ve never played her before but I know her from Fed Cup, so I’ve seen her playing,” Konjuh said of her opponent. “I just had a tactic and just focused on myself more.
“In the second set she came back and fought for every point, so it was a bit harder.”
No.2 seed Jelena Jankovic also advanced in Guangzhou after Rebecca Peterson was forced to retire with a right thigh injury after trailing 6-1, 1-0.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Whisper it quietly, but Eugenie Bouchard is beginning to resemble the player who took the tennis world by storm two years ago.
While the player herself has been quick to downplay her revival, there is no denying that some of the swagger of old can be seen in the Canadian’s game. On Saturday evening she came out on top in her eagerly anticipated clash with childhood sparring partner Sloane Stephens to reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Remarkably, Stephens is the highest-ranked player Bouchard has beaten since September 2014, and the significance of the result was not lost.
“It’s important to me because it’s kind of on my comeback as I have kind of called this year,” Bouchard said in her post-match press conference. “It gives me confidence looking forward. You know, I don’t want to look back or don’t want to think about 2014 or 2015 really, so this one is important. It’s kind of a step forward, and I just want to keep going.”
Bouchard may not have wanted to dwell on those two campaigns, but the tennis world felt differently, conducting a thorough post-mortem.
With Thomas Hogstedt now in her corner, a refreshed and revitalized Bouchard has gone about proving the naysayers wrong by doing what she does best: winning matches.
In fact, the 22-year-old has already posted more victories in the opening two and a half months of this campaign (13) than in the whole of 2015 (12). And with this success comes the confidence so vital at the game’s summit.
Unfortunately for Bouchard, it also attracts the odd celebrity admirer.
“The Great One” @OfficialGretzky in the house supporting fellow Canadian @GenieBouchard! ?? #WTA https://t.co/QPXdQmamp3
— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2016
“Actually, as soon as I saw him I lost a game and played pretty bad and I was wondering if he would leave or whatever,” Bouchard said when quizzed on the appearance of ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, in her box. “I was thinking, I have to get my game up a little. I know his daughter is an aspiring tennis champion. It’s cool that they are really into it and supportive.”
Should she get past Timea Bacsinszky in the next round, the clamor for a spot in the Canadian’s corner will only intensify. So, having been unnerved by Canadian sporting royalty last time out, whose face could send her over the edge?
“The prime minister? The president? Yeah – that would make me nervous!”
Best support team! Thank you @OfficialGretzky & the future tennis star ?? pic.twitter.com/zBI0RtP4Ja
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) March 13, 2016