Singapore: Kerber Vs Radwanska
Angelique Kerber takes on Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
Angelique Kerber takes on Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
DUBAI, UAE – Sara Errani crowned her return to form with a dominant victory over Barbora Strycova in the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Watch live action from Dubai & Rio de Janeiro this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
A former Top 10 fixture and French Open finalist, Errani’s greater big-match experience shone through as she romped to a 6-0, 6-2 victory after little more than an hour on court.
“I have no words. I’m sorry for Barbora – she’s an amazing player, but I’m really happy to win this tournament. It’s been a tough week for me, and I’m really happy for me, my team and my family and friends,” Errani told Annabel Croft in her on-court interview.
The Italian looked in pensive mood when she stepped out on court, but hit the ground running. Perhaps sensing her opponent’s own nerves, Errani won the toss and elected to receive, a decision that was rewarded by a string of unforced errors and a break to love.
With the occasion seemingly getting the better of her opponent, Errani showed no mercy, rattling through the next couple of games in the blink of an eye. When Strycova belatedly found her range, Errani was her equal, showcasing her extraordinary defensive capabilities to prevail in a 26-shot exchange and move 4-0 ahead.
After 29 one-sided minutes, Strycova surrendered the set after a couple more wild swings, and her mood darkened further when she frittered away a 30-0 lead to drop serve in the next game.
Much to the Czech’s relief, she finally got on the scoreboard a few games, punching away a double-fisted volley to end the prospect of a first whitewash in a WTA final since 2014.
But whatever questions Strycova posed, Errani had an answer for, ploughing relentlessly towards the finishing line.
“She can do everything – coming to the net, drop shots – so I just had to be focused every point and be ready for what could happen,” Errani added.
The only wobble for Errani, who coughed up a meager 11 unforced errors, came with the finishing line looming. A face saving last stand from Strycova saw her uncork a couple of rasping drives to save four match points, before finally finding the net to hand Errani the ninth, and biggest, title of her career.
“No, not really! I was trying to sing a bit, not to think too much,” Errani said when quizzed about her calm demeanor down the home stretch. “Of course, it’s tough [to win] those last points. I had match point at 5-1 and then I closed it on maybe the fifth match point. There were a lot of nerves.”
At times, Strycova was the architect of her own downfall, offsetting 15 winners with 43 unforced errors. Nevertheless, she heads off to Doha for next week’s Qatar Total Open, back inside the Top 40 and with wins over a couple of in-form rivals – Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Garcia – under her belt.
“For sure, well done to Sara,” Strycova said. “I’m sorry for keeping it so short. I tried everything, but nothing was working.
“It was a great week and I’m happy to make the final.”
In the doubles final, Chuang Chia-Jung and Darija Jurak upset No.2 seeds Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic, 6-4, 6-4.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – Ready? Set? Go! The final major of 2016 is about to get underway, and Chris Oddo has your US Open Day One preview right here at wtatennis.com.
Monday, First Round
Arthur Ashe Stadium
[2] Angelique Kerber (GER #2) vs. Polona Hercog (SLO #120)
Head-to-head: Kerber leads, 3-2
Key Stat: Kerber will ascend to the No.1 ranking if Serena Williams does not reach the semifinals in New York.
Angelique Kerber has won her last 13 matches against players ranked outside of the Top 100 at majors, and one would think that the German would be able to take care of business against Slovenia’s Polona Hercog without too much fuss on Monday. The 28-year-old southpaw has been having a banner year, and she’s the tour’s win leader as well as its hardcourt win leader. And that’s not all. Kerber was a match away from claiming the WTA’s No.1 ranking in Cincinnati, but she fell in the final to Karolina Pliskova and remains No.2 this week at Flushing Meadows. Will being the hunter rather than the hunted work in Kerber’s favor in New York? Or will she be bothered by the fact that she came so close in Cincinnati but fell short? Carrying the No.1 ranking into New York could have been a tricky proposition for Kerber, and maybe starting out in New York without it will help her relax. Kerber has been one of the tour’s steadiest players all season, winning 47 matches and claiming her maiden Grand Slam title in Australia. Unless Hercog, who has not won a hardcourt match since February, comes up with a performance for the ages, Kerber should cruise.
Pick: Kerber in two
[8] Madison Keys (USA #9) vs. Alison Riske (USA #60)
Head-to-head: Keys leads, 4-1
Key Stat: Keys owns a 15-6 hardcourt record this season, with a runner-up finish in Montréal.
She was one of the hottest players on tour until she got cooled off at the Olympic tennis event. Madison Keys stormed to the Olympic semifinals on a 25-4 tear before dropping back-to-back matches to Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova in both medal rounds. Will the painful experience of coming so close then being deprived of an Olympic medal fuel Keys to higher highs or will it leave her shaken as the year’s final major begins? Keys will look to exorcise a few demons in her first-round matchup with fellow American Alison Riske, but she’ll have her hands full with her feisty compatriot. Riske has lost in the first round in New York in each of the last two years but in 2013 she made a surprise run to the second week, proving that she can both embrace and perform on the big stage in the Big Apple.
Pick: Keys in two
Louis Armstrong Stadium
[9] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #10) vs. Francesca Schiavone (ITA #97)
Head-to-head: Kuznetsova leads, 9-6
Key Stat: Schiavone and Kuznetsova are two of the nine active Grand Slam champions in this year’s US Open main draw.
This pair of former Grand Slam champions played the longest match in Grand Slam history at the Australian Open in 2011, and at Roland Garros in 2015 they played the fifth-longest match in Grand Slam history. Both epics were won by Schiavone in marathon third sets, but anybody who witnessed these incredible encounters knows that tennis fans were the real winner. So, what will these two legends of the game bestow upon their legions of fans on Monday in New York? Kuznetsova has had the far better year, and she holds the edge in the pair’s head-to-head, but something about the Russian seems to bring out the very best in Schiavone. Though the Italian is ranked just inside the Top 100 we fully expect her to summon her Top 10 form and take Kuznetsova and fans on another turbulent, emotional ride.
Pick: Kuznetsova in three
Grandstand
[13] Johanna Konta (GBR #14) vs. Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA #109)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Konta has not been past the second round of her last two major appearances.
Johanna Konta’s impressive rise continues with nary a dip in form in 2016. The British No.1, who owns a 24-10 record on hardcourts this season, backed up her first career title in Stanford by notching back-to-back quarterfinals at Montréal and the Olympics. She fell in three sets in the third round at Cincinnati to Agnieszka Radwanska, and though it was a difficult loss it gave her plenty of time to come to New York and prepare for the year’s final major. Just last year Konta had to qualify for the US Open before she produced a stunning run to the second week that included a takedown of Garbiñe Muguruza in the second round. A year later the 25-year-old is just a touch shy of reaching the Top 10. It’s great news for Konta, but it comes with some added pressure and a target on her back. And 31-year-old Bethanie Mattek-Sands has always been one to shoot boldly for a target. The American pushed Serena Williams to three sets in the third-round last year at the Open, but she’ll need to find her form quickly if she is to surprise Konta – Mattek-Sands has gone winless on hardcourts this season, losing all six matches.
Pick: Konta in three
Around the grounds…
No.11 seed Petra Kvitova will seek her first career win against 19-year-old Latvian Jelena Ostapenko. Ostapenko has defeated Kvitova twice already in 2016. Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig will make her return to action against China’s Zheng Saisai in a first-time meeting on old Grandstand court. The youngest player in the draw, 16-year-old American Kayla Day, will make her Grand Slam debut against compatriot Madison Brengle.
By the Numbers…
19 – Number of players who are 30 or older in this year’s draw. 36-year-old Venus Williams is the oldest.
7 – Number of teenagers in this year’s draw. 16-year-old American Kayla Day is the youngest.
2014 – The last time four different players held major titles. That could happen again this year if someone other than Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza or Serena Williams wins the title. It has only happened 11 times in the Open Era.
9 – Number of former Grand Slam champions in this year’s draw, of which four (Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Kuznetsova, Samantha Stosur) are former US Open champions.
An interview with Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina after their final win at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – Six-time US Open champion Serena Williams leads the top half of the draw into action on Day Two at Flushing Meadows. Chris Oddo previews the action right here at wtatennis.com.
Tuesday, First Round
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS #29)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 4-1
Key Stat: Williams has to reach the semifinals in New York in order to have a chance at retaining the No.1 ranking.
Serena Williams holds a remarkable 63-1 record in the first round of majors but on Tuesday she’ll be facing a player that she’d surely rather see later in the draw – if at all. In fact, the last time Williams and Ekaterina Makarova squared off it was in the semifinals of the 2014 US Open in a match that Williams won easily en route to her sixth career US Open title. Williams was dominant in that tilt, as she has been so often in a Grand Slam career that has netted her 304 wins, but her current injury status has many wondering if she can be her old dominant self in New York this year. That’s the burning question ahead of this highly anticipated tussle, and we won’t have our answer until Williams and Makarova duke it out to open Tuesday’s night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium. What we do know is that Makarova owns a win against Williams on the Grand Slam stage. The Russian defeated Williams at the 2012 Australian Open and though she’s lost the last three matches and last six sets to Williams, that victory could come in handy when it comes to Makarova’s belief. As for Williams, belief won’t be the issue. For the legendary American it will be more about getting off to a quick start and proving that she’s fit enough to go on another magical run in New York.
Pick: Williams in three
[16] Samantha Stosur (AUS #17) vs. Camila Giorgi (ITA #67)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: 2011 US Open champion Stosur has made the second week in New York four times, including last season.
A former champion will meet up with a dangerous floater on Tuesday when Aussie Sam Stosur and Italy’s Camila Giorgi lock horns for the first time on Day 2. Giorgi can be wildly inconsistent and tends to play a somewhat one-dimensional game, but the 24-year-old can be lethal on a hardcourt if she is in the zone. She reached the round of 16 at the US Open in 2013 when she won a memorable night match against Caroline Wozniacki, and the victory proved that Giorgi has what it takes to succeed beneath the bright lights of New York. Stosur will look to serve big and hope to force a lot of Giorgi errors by using her world-class topspin to move the ball above the Italian’s strike zone. It’s the veteran Aussie’s match to lose and if she remains focused, keeps Giorgi on the run and off balance, Stosur should be able to lock down the win.
Pick: Stosur in two
[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL #56)
Head-to-head: Halep leads, 4-0
Key Stat: Halep has won all eight sets contested against Flipkens.
Something about this match-up works decidedly in Simona Halep’s favor. The Romanian has waltzed past Kirsten Flipkens in all four of the pair’s meetings, and she has only once dropped more than four games to Flipkens in a set. But they have not met since 2014, and Flipkens comes in with pretty good form, having just knocked off Belinda Bencic and Caroline Garcia at New Haven. Speaking of good form, Halep has won 17 of her last 19 dating back to the start of Wimbledon. The World No.5 has repeatedly stated that she is feeling fit as a fiddle and is ready to make her mark in New York. “I feel that I play good tennis,” Halep said when asked to assess her performance at Montréal and Cincinnati this year. “I’m strong on my legs. Mentally I’m very good. I think it is the best period that I had this year so far.” Concerning New York, Halep says she doesn’t need to change a thing to have success. “I’m going there just to play my best, to do my best, to win matches, and to treat the tournament like I treated [Montréal and Cincinnati].”
Pick: Halep in two
Eugenie Bouchard (CAN #39) vs. Katerina Siniakova (CZE #72)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Siniakova is bidding for her first US Open main draw win.
Eugenie Bouchard is back at the sight of her best and darkest days of 2015. Things were going swimmingly for Bouchard in Queens last year when she reached the round of 16 with an emotional victory over Dominika Cibulkova. It was the high point of an otherwise disappointing season for the Canadian but before she had a chance to build on her success she was out of the tournament, forced to withdraw after she suffered a concussion in a freak locker room fall. Bouchard has put together a much stronger season in 2016, but she hasn’t made the second week at any of the season’s first three majors. Can the Canadian purge her New York demons and begin another run on Tuesday? To do so she’ll have to get by 20-year-old Katerina Siniakova, a talented Czech who reached the third round of a major for the first time this summer at Wimbledon. Siniakova owns a 3-8 record at majors and she’s yet to win in Queens, which is all the more reason for her to leave it all on the court against Bouchard.
Pick: Bouchard in three
Around the Grounds…
Cincinnati champion Karolina Pliskova will square off with American wild card Sofia Kenin on Day 2. The No.10-seeded Czech has yet to reach the second round of a major in 17 previous appearances. Great Britain’s Laura Robson will look to snap a six-match losing streak at majors when she faces compatriot Naomi Broady.
By the Numbers…
72 – Number of Grand Slam main draws that Venus Williams has played in. The 36-year-old will break the all-time record, passing Amy Frazier, when she takes the court against Kateryna Kozlova of the Ukraine on Day 2.
7 – Number of finals that Serena Williams has reached in her last eight Grand Slams. The American has gone 5-2 in those finals.
4 – The number of players that entered the tournament with a shot of emerging with No.1 ranking at the end of the US Open fortnight (Serena Williams, Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza and Agnieszka Radwanska).
304 – Serena Williams current total of Grand Slam victories are just two shy of the all-time record of 306 which is held by Martina Navratilova.
Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina take on Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova in the final of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – The 2016 US Open is well underway after Madison Keys took Day 1 all the way into the latest finish for a women’s match in tournament history.
But before Keys thrilled the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, there was plenty of tennis on the menu. No.2 seed Angelique Kerber and No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza each played first round matches that fell on opposite ends of the difficulty spectrum, while a reflective No.9 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova booked a second round clash with former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki for what will be their 13th meeting in a tense head-to-head.
2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic is also on the line to discuss her tough season, and her hopes for what’s to come. It’s all here on the first Daily Dispatch from Flushing Meadows; check it out below!
Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or on any podcast app of your choice to ensure you never miss an episode when they go live. Reviews are always helpful, so if you like what you’ve heard so far, leave us one. You can also get new episode alerts by following us on Twitter @WTA_Insider.
Follow @WTA_Insider
Petra Kvitova, Johanna Konta, Carla Suárez Navarro, and more stepped out for the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai’s official player party – see all the best photos right here!
The 2016 US Open draw features seven former finalists, including Svetlana Kuznetsova, the first Russian to take home the trophy in Flushing. Kuznetsova’s countrywoman and fellow former World No.2 Vera Zvonareva reached the final back in 2010; absent from the Open since 2012, Zvonareva will be part of the action for the first time in four years, if only from a distance.
“I’ll be commentating for Eurosport Russia for a few matches,” she told WTA Insider by phone on Wednesday. “It’ll be a huge opportunity for me. I like to watch tennis and different matches, so it will be exciting.
“I don’t know if I’ll be good at it or not, but it’ll be something good to try. I’ve only ever been in the radio booth, but not on TV. It’ll be a new experience for me, but I’m ready for the challenge.”
The gig comes as just the latest in a series of fun and exciting challenges for the Beijing Bronze medalist, who announced her marriage and newborn daughter Evelyn (Evelina in Russian) in a lengthy post on Instagram.
“I’ve had so many injuries over the last few years. I tried to come back a couple of times, first after my shoulder surgery, and then I had an Achilles injury. I needed to take a break and my physio told me I’d need six months to get back on court again.
“During that period of time, I thought maybe it’d be great to have a family, because I couldn’t do what I love to do; I couldn’t do any sports. It happened really fast, and then I became a mom this summer.
“It’s all different, being away from tennis and being a mom, but it’s great as well.”
Zvonareva’s injury struggles began not long after she and Kuznetsova won the women’s doubles title at the 2012 Australian Open. Two truncated comeback attempts – the most recent ending last spring – sent her back towards more pursuable passions like academics and athletics, the latter of which she shares with husband Alexander.
“I met my husband about four or five years ago; we met during a run. I love running, and I had been taking part in different competitions in Moscow, but for fun, not professionally, just different five or 10K runs. I was doing those and he loves running as well, so that’s how we met.
“He came with me to a couple of tournaments, but then I couldn’t continue. He would love to see me play more because he loves tennis and to watch me play, but I got injured.”
She discovered she was expecting while studying for her Master’s degree in Political Science, applying her typically studious approach to the news as her due date drew nearer.
“During the pregnancy, I tried to juggle studying and being pregnant. I took birthing courses for four months, because I’d never had sisters or brothers; my family was quite small. For me, it’s something new, so my husband and I took the courses together.
“My close friends knew, of course, but I never made it public because I prefer to keep my personal life to myself.”
Following fellow WTA stars Ana Ivanovic, Dominika Cibulkova, and Tsvetana Pironkova down the aisle, Zvonareva is able to rely on a network of compatriots who’ve began families before her.
“I heard Victoria’s news, and of course it’s great to hear she’s expecting. I’ve been in touch with some friends from the tour, especially the Russian girls and former players like Elena Dementieva, Alina Jidkova, Tatiana Panova. They all have babies by now and it’s great. We have a big community of tennis moms!”
Whether she can emulate rival and former No.1 Kim Clijsters, who won three major titles after starting a family of her own, depends on how her body responds to its return to the gym.
“I’m going to start trying to get back into shape because sport is part of my life and I want to get back in shape. I don’t know if I’ll be back on the tour or not; it’s tough to say at the moment, but for myself, I want to back into the shape I was in before and play tennis again – even if it’s just for fun.
“I want to start going to the gym three times a week, and I’ll probably start in about a week. Hopefully by October, I can start running a little bit. My first goal will be to participate in some of those five or 10K runs, because I like those a lot. From there, we’ll see, but definitely being an athlete for all of my life, I want to get back in athletic shape. I don’t know if I’ll ever come back to tennis, but I want to be in a good shape, no matter what!”
No matter what, Zvonareva has already had a career to remember, reaching a pair of Grand Slam singles finals in 2010 and winning four majors in women’s and mixed doubles. But her greatest memory remains rounding out an all-Russian podium at the 2008 Summer Games.
“For all the girls in Russia, the Olympics gives a lot of motivation. When I was younger, I watched Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Elena Dementieva when they were playing in Sydney. Yevgeny got the gold medal and Elena got the silver; it inspired all of us to continue doing what we like and to continue dreaming. It was an exciting moment for Russian tennis.
“We saw how many Russians came on tour afterwards; there was a time when we had five players inside the Top 10. It was great.”
Watching a new wave of Russians rise in her absence, she has high hopes for another strong showing at the Summer Games, especially after 2016’s gold medal in women’s doubles, won by Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
“I think Russian tennis has a great future. We have names like Daria Kasatkina and Margarita Gasparyan; they’re already inside the Top 100, and Daria’s been doing really well this year. I never played against her – because she was still a junior when I was playing! – but I’ve seen a couple of matches on TV, and I think she’s been doing great.
“There are also junior girls winning Wimbledon like Anastasia Potapova, so maybe we’ll yet have another Golden Era of Russian tennis.
“I’ll be happy to see a new generation of Russian players on tour, and I’ll be happy to see if they can produce the same results and maybe win gold, silver, or bronze medals in tennis as well.”
She’ll continue to enjoy the game from afar for now, and though Zvonareva admitted that little could compare with the emotions of being on court herself, the memories will always remain close to her heart – however this next chapter ends.
“I got the chance to travel around the world, and meet different people and athletes the world over. It’s not easy being a professional athlete, but tennis taught me a lot and gave me a lot. It taught me discipline, how to fight, and all different things that help me in life.
“I miss the feeling of being on the Centre Courts and the big crowds. That’s something that’s very difficult to get in life, those feelings of when you walk onto a big court at a Grand Slam to play a big match, get through tough challenges to win in the end. That’s a feeling I miss a lot, but they will always be inside me. I can always remember them, and they make me smile, and proud of my career.”
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
ZHUHAI, China – Azalea Group action begins in earnest on Wednesday at the Huajin Securities Elite Trophy Zhuhai. Top seed Johanna Konta is fresh from her stint as first alternate at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, and the Brit admitted that Zhuhai already feels more like home.
“What can I say? I like China!” she joked with WTA Insider. “We get treated very well here; every hotel is always really beautiful, as is every venue. They really put a lot of effort into the immediate things that surround us as tennis players, the things we experience at every event.
“They definitely make us feel quite comfortable.”
Konta had a chance to get comfortable on the first day of round robin play in Zhuhai, fielding questions in All-Access hour that ranged from tennis to fashion – one in particularly about the dress she sported at Singapore’s draw ceremony.
“I was not expecting that question!” she told reporters. “I’m very flattered. I do enjoy fashion. I do get some help though, so it’s not all me. Thank you for noticing.”
All eyes have been on the Brit as she blew the roof off her 2016 season with stellar performances, including one just three weeks ago at the China Open, where she reached the final.
“I still feel very much in this season, and I’m really happy and looking forward to playing my last event here in Zhuhai. I’m looking forward to stepping out on the court, competing finally.
“I like to be at events that I’m competing in, mainly!”
She’ll certainly have to compete in her first match as she takes on No.8 seed and former US Open champion Samantha Stosur. The Aussie arrived a day earlier than Konta, allowing her more of a chance to explore the city.
“We’ve gone out for some great meals every single night. I have an opportunity – by not playing tonight – to go out and see something else.
“Then, I’ll probably just be busy with the tournament. But we’ve been very well looked after and it’s been a very enjoyable week.”
It’s been a stabilizing week for the former World No.4, who recently announced Josh Eagle as her full-time coach; the ex-ATP professional was with Stosur during the Emirates Airline US Open Series, and are together in Zhuhai for the first time since Flushing.
“I’m looking forward to starting the year with him, and hopefully getting a level of consistency with the people around me. That will help my game as well. There’s never been a bad relationship with anyone I’ve had this year, but when you’re chopping and changing all the time, it makes it difficult.
“If that’s all in the past, then I’ll be very happy next year!”
Stosur parted with longtime coach David Taylor after this year’s French Open, where she earned her best Grand Slam result in four years by reaching the semifinals, and is looking forward to having a new voice to help her adapt to an ever-changing game.
.@bambamsam30 meets the press @wtaelitetrophy to discuss her season and look ahead to her Azalea Group draw pic.twitter.com/Ki8InCaj6x
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) November 1, 2016
“You can’t say the one way you’ve done it for so long is the only way to do it. I think you have to be a little bit open to change or even just hearing new ideas.
“That’s just different; I wouldn’t say it’s good or bad, but you have to get used to it when you’ve gotten set in your routines, the way you communicate with someone and how they might tell you to do something.”
The up-ended routines have helped her in practice – Stosur says she’s hitting as good as ever – and she hopes to use the week in Zhuhai to begin translating that onto the match court.
“Sometimes it only takes one or two matches and then you feel really good about things, and then, all of the sudden, you can get on a little bit of a roll. Who knows? I feel like I’m in a decent spot now; this is kind of a bonus extra tournament for all of us to be at, and given the Asian Swing that I had, it’s probably a good thing to win a couple before I finish the year.”
With one week left to the season, both women will be keen to end the season on a high note, which ought to inspire some scintillating tennis as they go head-to-head in second on Zhuhai’s Stadium court.
All photos courtesy of the WTA Elite Trophy.