Biel/Bienne: Marketa Vondrousova v Barbora Strycova
Highlights from the semifinal at the Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
Highlights from the semifinal at the Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
Caroline Garcia has Wednesday’s shot of the day at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
ZHENGZHOU, China – Seventh seed Han Xinyun crashed out of the Biyuan Cup Women’s Tennis Open, falling in straight sets to Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas, 6-2, 6-0.
The other seeds had a much easier time of it, though, with fifth seed Zheng Saisai beating Lu Jia-Jing, 6-2, 6-2, and sixth seed Kurumi Nara of Japan defeating Zhu Lin, 6-4, 7-5.
Arina Rodionova and Liu Chang had a titanic tussle, with both sets going to tiebreaks – and the Australian finishing on top in both, eventually triumphing 7-6(2), 7-6(4).
Elsewhere, Uzbekistan’s Sabina Sharipova beat Kang Jiaqi 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, and in an all-Japanese clash Shiho Akita beat Mayo Hibi 6-2, 6-4.
Caroline Garcia takes on Andrea Petkovic in the quarterfinals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
STUTTGART, Germany — Defending champion Angelique Kerber is the top seed this week as the WTA’s elite slide into the red clay at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. A two-time winner in her home country, Kerber is joined in the top 8 seeds by fellow former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, as eight of the WTA top 10 are competing in Stuttgart.
Check out the Stuttgart stories of the top 8 seeds and others who’ll be unseeded and looming in the German city this week:
1. Angelique Kerber (GER)
6th appearance (13-3)
Best result: CHAMPION (2015, 2016)
2. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
2nd appearance (2-1)
Best result: QF (2016)
3. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
5th appearance (0-4)
Best result: R32 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)
4. Simona Halep (ROU)
4th appearance (2-3)
Best result: SF (2015)
5. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP)
3rd appearance (2-2)
Best result: QF (2016)
6/WC. Johanna Konta (GBR)
3rd appearance (0-2)
Best result: R32 (2014, 2016)
7. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
10th appearance (13-9)
Best result: SF (2011, 2012, 2016)
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
8th appearance (14-6)
Best result: CHAMPION (2009)
More…
Samantha Stosur (AUS)
6th appearance (9-5)
Best result: F (2010)
Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)
6th appearance (7-5)
Best result: QF (2014, 2015, 2016)
Maria Sharapova (RUS)
5th appearance (13-1)
Best result: CHAMPION (2012, 2013, 2014)
Sara Errani has Saturday’s shot of the day at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
An interview with Garbine Muguruza before the start of the Qatar Total Open.
Elena Vesnina has Tuesday’s shot of the day at the Qatar Total Open.
Kiki Bertens, Paula Goncalves and Lara Arruabarrena participated in a very special activity in Acapulco – they helped release sea turtle hatchlings into the ocean.
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.