Madrid: Chirico Interview
An interview with Louisa Chirico after her win in the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open.
An interview with Louisa Chirico after her win in the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open.
SINGAPORE – Agnieszka Radwanska’s strong return of serve was key to her win over Karolina Pliskova 7-5 6-3 in the final round robin match of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. The victory earned Radwanska a spot in the event’s semifinals.
One of the best returners in the game, Radwanska was facing one of the best servers in the game in Friday’s match.
Through this season, Radwanska is among the Top 3 on the WTA for return points won (49%), return games won (49%) and break points converted (54%).
She was facing an opponent in Pliskova who led the WTA in aces (530) and was second for first serve points won (74%) in 2016.
The SAP Coaches View shows that it was Pliskova’s second serve that was vulnerable to Radwanska’s return, with the Pole winning 61% of those points.
The “Return of Serve” tracking with Coaches View shows that a key to Radwanska’s success was her aggressive approach in taking those Pliskova second serves. Radwanska returned 78% of Pliskova’s second serves from inside the baseline.
During the first two round robin matches of the tournament, Pliskova won 47% of second serve points, compared to 36% against Radwanska. Neither of her first two opponents, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Garbiñe Muguruza, were as aggressive as Radwanska in taking the ball early. Kuznetsova returned 57% of Pliskova’s second serves inside the baseline, while Muguruza did so just 10% of the time.
The SAP Coaches View combines scoring information direct from the chair umpire with tracking data from HawkEye to allow for an in depth look at five different aspects of a match. Each tracking option can be filtered to narrow the focus to specific situations within a match, such as break points.This information is available directly to coaches in real-time during a match on their SAP tablet and also available to them online after matches.
“Return of serve” tracking shows where each service return was struck, differentiating between first and second serves, with an emphasis on how many serves are returned from inside the baseline. This data can be filtered by a particular score.
Radwanska broke Pliskova five times in 10 games during Friday’s match, giving the defending champion a berth in the semifinals as she aims for a second straight WTA Finals title.
Louisa Chirico takes on Daria Gavrilova in the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open.
SINGAPORE – Garbiñe Muguruza ended her breakout season with one last win at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, ousting an on-fire Svetlana Kuznetsova and blitzing the Russian in the final two sets of a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory.
Read how the match unfolded in the WTA Insider Live Blog.
– Muguruza wanted this win.
For a player who won their first Grand Slam and ascended to a career-high ranking of No.2 just four months ago, few eyes were on Muguruza heading into Singapore.
“I suffered a lot in the last month,” she said in her post-match press conference. “I was wondering if I’m going to qualify, if I’m not going to qualify. I really wanted to qualify.
“I had the opportunity to go to Linz to play, and then I twisted my ankle and it was drama for me.”
The drama continued at the WTA Finals; down a set to Karolina Pliskova in her first round robin match, the Spaniard roared back and got perilously close to victory, only to lose the last five games.
“It was a very tough tournament. I had a match point in my first match; then the second match [against Agnieszka Radwanska] was tough.”
Mathematically out of contention to advance into the semifinals, there was little more pressure on Muguruza than the amount she put on herself.
“I have to be honest. Going into this match, it was extremely hard for me. Minutes before I was like, ‘This is going to be is difficult one for me.’
“At the end it was about my desire of wanting to be here and competing against the best. It became a challenge for me today, to see how I was going to react.”
Losing a decisive first set to Kuznetsova, who already qualified first in their round robin group, the reigning Roland Garros winner reacted well, dropping just one more game and hitting 31 winners to end her week with a 1-2 record.
“For sure a victory like today’s is going to keep me a little bit happier. I felt I took my opportunities in this one. Well, it was too late, but I still did it!”
A season of ups and downs put extra emphasis on an ostensibly low-stakes match; from her emotional reaction on court and in press, it was clear how much the win meant to her.
A relieved @GarbiMuguruza gets a win at 2016 @WTAFinalsSG. And nice words from @AndrewKrasny. #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/zJYNXmfJwE
— WTA (@WTA) October 28, 2016
– Fatigue finally caught up with Kuznetsova.
The Russian had already advanced into the semifinals. For the first time in two weeks, she didn’t need to win a match to keep her season alive. Kuznetsova pointed to that inherent lack of intensity as being crucial to the loss on Friday.
“I’ve done the most important job in the past matches,” she said after the match. “You definitely don’t want to lose a match. You try to fight.
“Sometimes the lack of energy just won’t let you do that.”
Still, she noted her superb level of tennis in the first set, and how it only took a few tight games in the second set to turn things towards the Spaniard.
“I want to give credit to Garbine because I think she played way better in the second and third set.
“I don’t feel exhausted like that or something. But of course, to push yourself to the limit, you got to really go hard. I just want to do it tomorrow, try to do my best.”
She’ll have her opportunity tomorrow in the semifinal, where she takes on another surprise semifinalist in Dominika Cibulkova. Trailing 3-5 in their head-to-head, Kuznetsova’s lost her last five matches with the Slovak, including a three-set thriller at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.
“I do remember quite a bit of that match. I know I will try to make the changes on what I think didn’t work for me in that match.
“Of course, obviously, I’m not going to tell it now,” she added with a smile.
Garbine on the scene. @GarbiMuguruza takes a near 13 minute game. 2-0 in set 3 #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/llIXns86bZ
— WTA (@WTA) October 28, 2016
– Muguruza is looking towards 2017.
It may be too soon for any player to sum up their season right after their last match, but Muguruza had a clear picture of what went right and wrong in 2016.
“I started the year thinking, ‘Okay, this is an important year for me. I finished well last year. Let’s try to keep doing well.’
“But the results weren’t there at the beginning, so I was like struggling. I was like, ‘Man, I’m practicing and doing everything and I am not winning matches.’ So it created a lot of frustration.
A top drop shot from @GarbiMuguruza. #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/nxuEqkuomr
— WTA (@WTA) October 28, 2016
“I calmed down and then finally had the results, but then everything changed. All these responsibilities, all these emotions. It was hard for me to deal with this for the next tournaments. But I wouldn’t change anything, obviously.”
She’ll have to spend the off-season adjusting to what she cannot change, but after a heavily scheduled season, the former World No.2 will be looking to relax over the next few weeks.
“I didn’t really plan things because I didn’t know when I was going to finish here. Right now I’m just going to see how many days I have, see where can I go, who’s available.”
What she hopes will emerge will be the “dangerous opponent” she believes herself to be.
“I don’t really care who’s in front of me. Obviously the situation and the tournament, these can affect me, but I always think I have a chance to win.”
An interview with Simona Halep after her win in the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open.
Highlights from round-robin action at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
MADRID, Spain – Following a couple of semifinal masterclasses, Simona Halep and Dominika Cibulkova go into Saturday’s Mutua Madrid Open final on top of their game. Here are 10 of SAP’s finest facts ahead of their showdown in the Spanish capital.
(6) Simona Halep (ROU #7) vs Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #38)
Head-To-Head: Cibulkova leads, 3-1
1) Cibulkova has historically proven to be a difficult foe for Halep.
Despite sitting over 30 places above Cibulkova in the rankings, Halep has struggled in their previous match-ups. While most of these came prior to Halep establishing herself at the top of the game, the mental scars from their most recent encounter – an emphatic Cibulkova victory in the 2014 Australian Open quarterfinals – could still linger. Comfort comes in the shape of Halep’s sole victory, which came a year previously in Brussels – their only meeting on clay.
2) Both players are Grand Slam finalists.
Cibulkova followed up that victory by reaching the final at Melbourne Park, where her dreams of Grand Slam glory were finally ended by an inspired Li Na. Halep is also no stranger to the business end of majors, losing a thrilling 2014 French Open final to Maria Sharapova.
3) But at Premier Mandatory level, Halep holds a decided edge.
For all her career accomplishments, Cibulkova is through to her very first Premier Mandatory final. Away from the Slams, her most significant final came at the Premier 5 Rogers Cup way back in 2008, where she lost to Dinara Safina. Halep, on the other hand, is appearing in her third Premier Mandatory final; she has a mixed record in the previous two, losing to Sharapova in Madrid two years ago and winning Indian Wells in 2015.
4) Halep and the Magnificent Seven.
Should Halep lift the trophy she will become the seventh active player to hold multiple Premier Mandatory titles. The others are Victoria Azarenka (six), Serena Williams (six), Maria Sharapova (three), Agnieszka Radwanska (two), Caroline Wozniacki (two) and Petra Kvitova (two).
5) World No.38 Cibulkova breaking Premier Mandatory records.
Since the introduction of Premier Mandatory status as part of the 2009 WTA Roadmap, Cibulkova is the first player outside the Top 30 to reach a final at a tournament of this stature. The lowest-ranked finalist (No.29 Svetlana Kuznetsova – 2015) and champion (No.24 Aravane Rezaï – 2010) at a Premier Mandatory event have both came in Madrid.
6) Madrid will have a significant impact on the Road To Singapore leaderboard.
Cibulkova, who has never previously qualified for the WTA Finals, came into Madrid at No.17 on the Road To Singapore leaderboard but – regardless of the result – will leave sitting in a qualifying spot. Halep will also crack the Top 8.
7) Cibulkova the marathon woman.
Despite skittling over semifinal foe Louisa Chirico in under an hour, Cibulkova has still spent plenty of time on court. She was taken to three sets in her previous four matches, taking her total time on court en route to the final to nine hours and 40 minutes. Halep meanwhile has dropped just the one set, spending five hours and 38 minutes on court.
8) Halep boom or bust in Madrid.
Aside from her two runs to the final, Halep has never won a main draw match in Madrid, falling at the first hurdle in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015.
9) Cibulkova will be close to the Top 20 again after this.
The former No.10 is projected to rise from No.38 to No.26 by reaching the final and No.22 by winning the title. In February she was ranked as low as No.66.
10) Halep serving notice.
Halep’s progress has been helped by some particularly potent serving. In five matches she has fired 15 aces and won a mightily impressive 90.2% of her service games – her 2016 average going into the tournament was 70.5%.
SINGAPORE – Dominika Cibulkova staged a thrilling fightback to defeat Svetlana Kuznetsova and take her place in the final of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
Watch interviews and highlights from Singapore on the WTA Facebook page!
In a week chock-full of dramatic moments, Cibulkova’s grandstand finish on Saturday evening will take some beating, as she hauled herself back from the brink to triumph, 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-4.
“At the end I was lying on the court and now I’m so excited. It’s my first time here playing Finals and for me it’s one of my dreams come true – it’s just incredible,” Cibulkova told Andrew Krasny during her on-court interview.
“I just played my tennis. First set, she was really, really aggressive. I knew I had to change things because I needed to play my aggressive tennis. In the end I won because I was the more positive.”
Having been blown away in the first set, Cibulkova displayed typical resolve to haul herself back into the contest. As the Russian’s level dipped slightly, Cibulkova upped the intensity, earning her first break when Kuznetsova sent a routine volley long. While Cibulkova was unable to hang onto the advantage, the momentum had swung.
The set was decided on a tie-break, Cibulkova taking charge in a series of brutal rallies. A thumping drive volley brought up set point, which she converted by guiding a backhand past her forlorn opponent.
So focused on the next point, @Cibulkova asks Kader Nouni in between games, “What's the score?” #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/1VAr3FnGfV
— WTA (@WTA) October 29, 2016
Kuznetsova was not done, though, and when she produced a sublime lob to move 4-2 ahead in the third set the match appeared hers for the taking. Somehow Cibulkova roused herself for one final push, reeling off the next three games amidst a stream of winners.
Three more brought her to match point. Kuznetsova looked to have escaped when she dragged her opponent to the outer limits of the arena, only to be bamboozled when the reply flicked off the tape and beyond her reach.
Cibulkova, who is making her debut at the year-end Finals and only won one of her three round-robin matches, will now face World No.1 Angelique Kerber or defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska for the title.
MADRID, Spain – The No.5 seeded team of Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic struck once again in their burgeoning rivalry with World No.1 doubles team Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis. The Frenchwomen defeated Hingis and Mirza 6-4, 6-4 to claim the doubles title at the Mutua Madrid Open.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Madrid right here on wtatennis.com!
Despite the French team being seeded No.5 in Madrid, they’ve emerged as a force to be reckoned with in 2016, reaching five finals in the eight tournaments they’ve played together. They’re also developing a fierce rivalry with Hingis and Mirza: the pairs have met twice before – both times in finals – and split their head to head record.
“It’s definitely great period for us,” Garcia said in the post-match press conference. “Three finals, three titles, and two times against No.1 in the world, Martina and Sania, and once against Bethanie and Lucie. So it’s only great matches every single time.
“Very, very happy with what we produced on the court today.”
Playing in their third final against each other, both teams came to the Caja Magica looking primed and ready, winning every match en route to the final in straight sets.
Hingis and Mirza found themselves down a double break straight out of the gate as the Frenchwomen surged ahead 3-0. The world’s leading pair – who own the third-best unbeaten run in WTA history at 41 matches – found a way to stem the tide and level the score at 3-3. But another late break from the French team put them ahead again and they took the set 6-4.
Another early break put Hingis and Mirza in trouble once again in the second set. Despite creating five chances to break the French team and get back on even ground, Garcia and Mladenovic saved every one. They took the second set 6-4 and claimed their third title of their doubles partnership.
Any plans for a celebration were cut short by the realities of a tennis player’s hectic schedule:
“We basically have 12 more minutes before catching our car to get to the airport,” Mladenovic said.
But still, they were able to treat themselves before heading off to Rome.
“The biggest reward was the first dessert of the week,” she added. “Here at buffet it’s amazing, and we are very proud – [we didn’t] touch any sweet things, which is very, very good.”
“But we did now,” Garcia grinned.
She’s held the No.1 spot for 81 consecutive weeks, and now it’s official – Sania Mirza has secured the 2016 WTA Year-End World No.1 Doubles Ranking, presented by Dubai Duty Free.