Singapore: Cibulkova Interview
An interview with Dominika Cibulkova after her semifinal win at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
An interview with Dominika Cibulkova after her semifinal win at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – For so long one of the game’s perennial bridesmaids, Agnieszka Radwanska is currently looking every inch the serial winner.
Last October, after countless near misses, the Pole finally enjoyed her own big day, defeating Petra Kvitova to lift the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. This victory had been a long time coming; Radwanska and her entertaining brand of imaginative, all-court tennis had been wowing crowds since she arrived onto the scene in the mid-2000s.
Success in Singapore has imbued Radwanska with the confidence to take her game to the next level, winning more matches (17) this year than any other player. Number 17 came over Kvitova in Wednesday’s quarterfinals at the BNP Paribas Open, a result that guaranteed a rise to No.2 in the rankings.
She has been this high before, enjoying a brief stay after reaching the 2012 Wimbledon final, and this time hopes to continue the upward trajectory.
“There is always opportunity [to be No.1], but it’s not about one or two tournaments,” Radwanska said. “To be No.1 you really have to play the whole season very [well], and obviously catch Serena. But she is also playing very good tennis and she will want to play good and be there at No.1.
“It’s always a good feeling to be back in this position. I wasn’t long last time, but I think that was a few years ago. It’s always good to be back in that position.”
Radwanska could make inroads into Serena Williams’ sizeable lead atop the rankings with victory when the two meet on Friday evening. Williams has dominated their previous encounters, winning all nine, dropping just one set in the process. However, the American is taking nothing for granted when she takes on the new and improved Radwanska.
“She knows how to play in big stadiums and big matches, big games,” Williams said. “Obviously she does everything so well, including running, and this is a good surface for her because it’s a slow surface. I think I expect there will be a lot of long rallies.
“Honestly, I will be ready. I really like Aga on and off the court. I think she’s super exciting to watch on the court, and off the court I think she’s really one of the nicest people. Regardless, I think it will be a really good match-up.”
Radwanska has reached the final at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden once before, losing out to Flavia Pennetta in 2014 – an experience that still smarts: “Well, of course I was very disappointed, especially that I was feeling very good whole tournament and I was really playing great tennis.
“Obviously that was one of the worst moments in my career, that I wasn’t healthy in the final, the big event. But just that was past, so hopefully that will never happen again.”
WTA Insider | In the second WTA Insider Live Blog of Semifinal Saturday, World No.1 Angelique Kerber defeated defending WTA Finals champion Agnieszka Radwanska.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – The 10th anniversary reunion of the WTA’s Alumnae & Friends Program was held on the sidelines of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, with more than 130 former players and other members of the tennis family in attendance.
With players-turned-broadcasters Mary Carillo and Pam Shriver presiding as co-emcees, greats in attendance included WTA founder Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Tracy Austin, as well as Rosie Casals and Valerie Ziegenfuss, who were among those who stood with King in 1970 as members of the Original 9 trailblazers of women’s professional tennis.
“It’s really a privilege to be here, to be in this room with all the history and the legends of this game,” said Steve Simon, who was tournament director of the BNP Paribas Open before he became CEO of the WTA late last year. “The WTA needs to embrace and honor and continually remember the history and the legends that are in this room.”
Those reunited, in some cases for the first time in 30 years, included names such as Barbara Jordan, Ilana Kloss, Ceci Martinez, Pam Teeguarden, Pat Bostrom, Ros Fairbank Niedeffer, Anne White, Robin White, Sharon Walsh, Alycia Moulton, Peanut Louie Harper, Mary Lou Piatek, Andrea Leand, Debbie Graham and Marianne Werdel.
Simon added: “Everybody playing today, they need to understand what you did and what you sacrificed for the opportunity they enjoy today. That’s something I hope we never forget.”
Before the formalities got underway, Carillo asked for a moment of silence in honor of the legendary tennis historian and journalist Bud Collins, who passed away on March 4 at the age of 86. “If you don’t mind, while we’re all silent, we’re all smiling, too,” she said.
When Evert took the podium to introduce former WTA CEO Bart McGuire, she too acknowledged all the strong women from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s who had helped build the game.
“I didn’t start any of this – I just followed in the footsteps of Billie Jean – she paved the way for our generation,” said the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion. “But to see everybody here who we’ve all played against, and who worked for tennis and who worked in tennis… it’s overwhelming. It’s powerful.”
McGuire, now the driving force behind the WTA Assistance Program (WTAAP), which provides financial support to members of the women’s professional tennis community facing serious illness, was honored for his longstanding contributions to the sport with a trip to Wimbledon.
“When I became involved in women’s tennis, former colleagues – men – would call me a feminist,” recalled McGuire. “It was probably meant as a joke but I took it seriously. Thank you all for helping me to be a feminist.”
Austin then welcomed Christopher Clouser to the stage, in recognition of his support of women’s tennis during his eight years as chairman of the board of directors of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Having retired in 2015, the much-traveled Clouser was presented with a pair of dark sunglasses so that he could enjoy future visits to tennis tournaments ‘incognito’.
Former ATP World No.4 Todd Martin, who is now the Hall of Fame’s CEO, and Dianne Hayes, the HOF’s VP of International Affairs, also joined in the fun on the night.
Peachy Kellmeyer, the first director of the WTA, was thanked for organizing the reunion with the vital support and assistance of Lisa Grattan and the Women’s Tennis Benefit Association (WTBA) as well as Peggy Michel, a three-time Grand Slam doubles champion who is now Vice President of Sales for the BNP Paribas Open.
“This is spectacular,” said Michel, looking at the assembled group. “What a strong foundation that was started by Billie Jean and Rosie and everybody. It’s like a sorority.”
The first WTA Alumnae & Friends reunion was held at Indian Wells in 2009. Since then, gatherings have been held on three continents, from Melbourne to London to Miami.
From left to right: Chris Evert, Bart McGuire, Mary Carillo, Cindy McGuire, Steve Simon, Tracy Austin, Christopher Clouser, Billie Jean King, Pam Shriver, Lisa Grattan.
WUHAN, China – No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska skillfully defused Ekaterina Makarova on Tuesday to register her first win in three attempts at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.
Watch live action from Wuhan on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
Makarova’s powerful game proved potent early on but was ultimately trumped by Radwanska’s consistency and court craft. The Pole, who ended with just five unforced errors, won eight of the last nine games to close out a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
As the Russian pressed the action, Radwanska seemed content to soak up the pressure and bide her time before striking with typical elan. After snatching the first set with a break in the ninth game, Radwanska took complete control by breaking to love at the start of the second.
How to break serve? Answer from @ARadwanska book 😀 pic.twitter.com/AlhjZosezX
— Aga Radwanska (@ARadwanskaLive) September 27, 2016
Over the past 24 months, Radwanska has been a serial winner in Asia, picking up silverware in Shenzhen, Tianjin, Tokyo and, famously, Singapore. Surprisingly, success in Wuhan has proven harder to come by. In fact her two visits have both ended at the first hurdle. “I just hope I can play some more great tennis in China and I hope I can win the next round,” Radwanska said.
Her opponent there will be Caroline Wozniacki, who last week produced a stunning comeback against the Pole en route to the Tokyo title. “We always play good matches, so I’m not expecting it to be easy. We just played three hours in Tokyo so we could have another battle in front of us,” Radwanska added.
While Makarova’s challenge was coming to an end compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova, was safely making her way into the third round, dispatching Madison Brengle, 6-0, 6-4. Her reward is a clash against defending champion Venus Williams, an equally impressive 6-3, 6-2 victor over Yulia Putintseva.
Victory in Wuhan was a highlight of a brilliant end to 2015 for Williams, culminating in a return to the Top 10. She has hung onto this status ever since and against Putintseva looked a class apart, breaking seven times on her return to Wuhan’s Centre Court.
“I haven’t played in three weeks. When you have a lot of experience, the first match, you never feel like guns ready to go as you might feel in the finals,” Williams said. “At least you know what you’re doing well, what you need to improve. You’re ready to do it.
“I was really aggressive. So that was great. I still want to improve, but I felt like I got out there and it was straightforward. I want to just close those matches out like that.”
New WTA Finals champion Dominika Cibulkova is about to step up into the Top 5 rankings – and for the first time in her career, she genuinely feels she belongs there.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – What makes a rivalry? Is it a close head-to-head record? Is it compelling matches? Is it facing off time after time with big titles on the line? Or can it be as simple as star power vs. star power?
WTA Insider Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen and WTA Web Editor David Kane preview the BNP Paribas Open final in Indian Wells, which will see Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka renew their rivalry for the 21st time. Can we call Vika a proper rival when she’s only won three of their matches? Courtney and David debate.
Kane: “I think the word rivalry is a loaded term because I think over the years – dating back to the days of Chris Evert and Martina Navritilova – we’ve see the definition of a rivalry take shape in the minds of tennis fans. I think what constitutes a rivalry is this idea of two players, ideally of the same generation but not necessarily, who have contrasting styles, who are high profile, who are top ranked and have won many major titles, who meet consistently in the latter rounds of tournaments but also major tournaments, and are players who are contesting for major titles. That gives a rivalry the gravitas because it’s not just two players competing for dominance over each other but it’s also two players competing for dominance on the biggest stages. So when you think of a rivalry you have to tick off as many of those boxes as possible. In some ways Serena and Azarenka do.”
Nguyen: “There is much to be said when you look at the matches, the scorelines, the situations Vika has been able to put herself in – winning positions – against Serena time and time again, that she is the closest of the rest of the field in terms of being someone who can consistently challenge Serena in big matches.”
Kane: “I think the tension could be from the outside, from everybody saying, ‘This is your biggest rival.’ I think that could get in Serena’s head a little bit. If everyone is coming to you saying, ‘This is your big rival,’ it does create a different dynamic for Serena because it’s the only player anyone really feels that way about coming into a match.”
Nguyen: “I absolutely agree with [Azarenka] when she says the big difference between her and the rest of the field is that she has no fear. She is full of belief, which is great. But I think that desire to win, she’s a hyper-competitive person, that can be her kryptonite in tight moments. When she feels it slipping away, when Serena has one of those [comeback] moments, Vika is so familiar with them because it’s happened to her so many times that she can feel it slipping away. You can sense moments of panic and stress because she wants it so badly.”
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Tennis players are a superstitious bunch. And so, too, it turns out are many coaches.
Among their number is Torben Beltz, coach to World No.1 Angelique Kerber. “I think I’m more superstitious than her maybe,” Beltz told CNN’s Open Court after his charge lifted the US Open title earlier this month.
The current ritual, which began during her New York run, leaves Beltz in danger of departing Asia looking even more hirsute than usual: “When she’s winning, I’m not shaving.”
And for this week’s Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, Beltz has upped the stakes, agreeing with the new World No.1 that he would sport a mustache for the remainder of the season should she lift any further silverware during the Asian leg of the tour.
“In the past when I was playing I didn’t shave, and I still keep on doing this as a coach,” Beltz said. “If she keeps on winning for two weeks like here it’s getting really big my beard.”
In the latest edition of Open Court, Kerber and Beltz discussed rising up the ranking, the secret behind their close bond and, of course, shaving habits…
Watch interviews and highlights from Singapore on the WTA Facebook page!
One week on from a painful opening night defeat to Kerber, Cibulkova gained revenge in spectacular fashion, powering to a 6-3, 6-4 victory in an hour and 16 minutes.
“I have no words, coming here for the first time, the biggest tournament of my life. I still don’t know how I won, I put the ball over the net and it went in; it’s the happiest moment of my life,” Cibulkova said in her on-court interview.
Cibulkova dominated from the outset, bossing the baseline exchanges to romp through the first set. There was no let-up in the second, as the Slovak continued to attack anything remotely short with gusto.
At 3-3, the pressure paid off, the German firing wide to slip a break behind. For all the spectacular winners from the back of the court, arguably the most impressive aspect of the World No.8’s performance was her serve; a remarkable 83% first-serve percentage neutralized Kerber’s famed return game.
The only wobble came as she closed in on the biggest title of her career. Three match points came and went before Lady Luck intervened, the ball clipping the tape and dropping dead onto Kerber’s side.
“It wasn’t easy to go on the court after two losses but I was mentally very strong and I knew I played well in the first two matches, I was just a little bit unlucky. Then at the end I was lucky!”
The masterclass – which featured 28 winners and only 14 unforced errors – was a fitting end to a dramatic debut at the WTA Finals.
After falling in three sets to Kerber in her opening round-robin match, she was roundly beaten by Madison Keys to leave her hopes hanging by a thread. However, victory over Simona Halep in her third outing saw her sneak into the semifinals, where she then staged a brilliant comeback against Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Cibulkova is the second player in a row after Agnieszka Radwanska to win the WTA Finals after only one victory in the three round-robin games. She is also the first debutante to lift the title at the season-ending showpiece since Petra Kvitova in 2011, and the achievement will see her climb to a career-high No.5 when the new rankings are released on Monday.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Before capturing the BNP Paribas Open doubles title with fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, native Californian CoCo Vandeweghe took CNN Open Court’s Pat Cash on a tour of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Upsetting No.16 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova to reach the third round in singles, Vandeweghe won a thrilling match tie-break with Mattek-Sands to take out Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova, 4-6, 6-4, 10-6, at a tournament she has been visiting since birth.
“There’s great viewing access for the fans that come out,” the American explains. “So it’s really interesting in this tournament to have all the fans be close-knit and be able to watch you practice and pretty much do everything!”
Check out the full video below: