Tennis News

QUÉBEC CITY, Canada – Alla Kudryavtseva took out top seed and hometown favorite Eugenie Bouchard, 6-2, 6-3, to advance into her second WTA quarterfinal of 2016 at the Coupe Banque Nationale.

“The crowd was amazing; it was a sold out match today, and it was very nice to play singles in a full stadium,” she told WTA Insider after the match. “We started with some good points. I was in trouble in the second game, but I was able to come up with good shots on break points.

“From then on, I kind of rolled – talk about being in the zone! – I was hitting my shots very well, and it was just working. It was just electric and I love how engaged the crowd was – though sadly, they were engaged against me! But it was still nice to have the full house atmosphere, and by the end I really felt like they appreciated the level of tennis I was playing.”

Kudryavtseva has been ranked as high as No.56 in singles, and the doubles star has shown signs of possibly improving upon that career with a run to the quarterfinals at the Internationaux de Strasbourg and a quality week of wins at the Rogers Cup. But it all came together for the Russian as she headlined the night session in Québec City as she saved three early break points to roar out to a set and double break lead, clinching the match two games later – setting up match point with a screaming forehand winner – in just over an hour.

“I don’t get to play indoors as much anymore now that I don’t train as much in Russia. But I put some good hours in, playing two doubles matches, and I think that helped me get used to the surface, the Center Court, and being in the groove of the tournament – not having too much of a break between my first and second round singles matches.

“Things kind of worked, and isn’t it nice when things just work out?”

Up next for the Russian is American nemesis Lauren Davis, a qualifier who has won each of their previous three meetings – a stat about which Kudryavtseva is keenly aware.

“Horrible match-up for me! Horrible! She beats me every time! But every week is different, and every match is different, different surface – although, we have actually played indoors before.

“But I’m just enjoying my time on the singles court right now, coming off a big win. I just hope to bring a good level tomorrow, and I’m sure things will work out if I do that.”

Earlier in the day, France’s Oceane Dodin reached her first WTA quarterfinal with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Sachia Vickery, while Alison Van Uytvanck ended lucky loser Barbora Stefkova’s run in the second round, 6-4, 6-3. Finally, Jessica Pegula completed the quarterfinal line-up by defeating young Canadian hope Francoise Abanda, 7-6(2), 7-5.

Kudryavtseva sort avec le sourire après avoir battu Bouchard 6-2, 6-3 et Abanda rentre sur le terrain. #CoupeBN pic.twitter.com/dxySdHTLlo

— CoupeBanqueNationale (@CoupeBN) September 16, 2016

A week and a half ago tennis crowned a new queen when Angelique Kerber lifted the US Open to mark her ascent to the World No.1 ranking.

Watching on from the stands was Billie Jean King, the woman after whom tournament’s home is named, and who 43 years earlier paved the way for Kerber and company by defeating Bobby Riggs.

Dubbed by promoters as ‘The Battle of the Sexes’, on September 20, 1973 King took on Riggs, an ageing former major champion and shameless misogynist who claimed he could still beat any of the leading women on the fledgling Women’s Tennis Association.

Luckily, she did win. Playing to an audience of 30,472 in the Houston Astrodome – and over 100 million watching around the world on television – King abandoned her serve-and-volley game to defeat Riggs from the back of the court, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

When Riggs hit a high backhand volley into the net on match point, King flung her racket into the air in celebration. “I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn’t win that match,” she said later. “It would ruin the women’s tour and affect all women’s self-esteem.”

For his part, Riggs told reporters that King simply “played too well.” The two eventually became friends, and even spoke a few days before Riggs died of prostate cancer in 1995.

Over four decades on, the match remains a landmark moment in the gender equality movement, one that transcended sport.

43 years ago today I played Bobby Riggs in a match that changed my life & was all about equality. To celebrate let's shine a light on others

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 20, 2016

SAP Tennis Analytics for Coaches powered by SAP HANA provides decisive real-time performance data. This analytical edge arms coaches and players with the insight necessary to implement crucial strategy changes during the course of the match.

“I can go on court and say to the player without any hesitation: ‘Okay, 100% of the time when they’re break point down, they’re serving here. You should look to do this,” said Nicole Pratt, coach of Daria Gavrilova.

“In Toronto, Nicole came out with the tablet and showed me a few different stats. When she showed me how far behind the baseline I was it helped a lot and I started to move back inside the court and be more aggressive. It helped me turn that match around.”

Watch the video above to hear how Angelique Kerber, Daria Gavrilova and their respective coaching teams use SAP Tennis Analytics during their matches.

Speaking to the media for the first time since facing down a knife-wielding intruder in her Prostejov flat, Petra Kvitova delivered a strong address to the tennis world, vowing to look towards a bright future where she returns to the court once again.

“While what has happened to me was very scary, I do not see myself as a victim,” she said in a statement. “I do not feel sorry for myself, and I will not look backwards.”

Kvitova was attacked in her home on Monday, suffering multiple lacerations in her left hand as she fought off the attacker, posing as a gas inspector. Following a surgery that repaired two nerves, Kvitova’s doctor recommended the two-time Wimbledon champion not resume training for at least six months, and can bear no weight in that hand at all for up to three.

“I will use all my energy to focus on my recovery, and will do everything I can to return to the sport I love as soon as possible.”

The former world No.2 finished 2016 on a high note, winning the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai without dropping a set; though she fell out of the Top 10 earlier in the season, she finished the year ranked No.11, and appeared poised to make a strong surge back up the rankings – even as a foot injury attempted to derail her pre-season.

Updating fans on her recovery, Kvitova discussed being able to move the fingers in her left hand for the first time since the attack, describing it as “the greatest Christmas present I could have wished for.”

Check out Kvitova’s full press conference below (in Czech), and click here to read the full transcript of the Czech star’s statement, in English.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Top seed Serena Williams endured a few frustrating moments against a resurgent Kateryna Bondarenko, easing past the qualifier, 6-2, 6-2 at the BNP Paribas Open.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!

Bondarenko came back to tennis just over 18 months ago after giving birth to a daughter, but has been playing some of the best tennis of either of her two careers in 2016, reaching the Australian Open third round as she slowly creeps back to her former career-high of No.29.

“It definitely wasn’t an easy match,” Williams told Andrew Krasny during her on-court interview. “She’s obviously been a good player in the past, and she knows how to play on big courts against big players. So, it was a good match for me.”

In complete control through the first six games, the American lost serve a game from the opening set, and battled through windy conditions and some evident angst through the 72 minute match. In the end, she hit 26 impressive winners to only 22 errors, while Bondarenko hit 13 winners to 21 unforced.

“Regardless of whether it’s windy, not windy, and you just have to be able to adjust. I always think things can be worse!”

Up next for the 21-time Grand Slam champion is No.5 seed and defending BNP Paribas Open champion Simona Halep; Williams triumphed in both of their 2015 encounters – including a tight two-set win in the finals of the Western & Southern Open.

Back at Indian Wells for only the second time since 2001, Williams said she’s feeling the love from fans in the California desert, and hopes to be the crowd favorite come the quarterfinals.

“I want to scream back that I love you too – I’m not sure if that’s appropriate – but I do; I love you guys, and thanks for your support.”

SAN ANTONIO, TX, USA – Daria Gavrilova snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Maria Sakkari on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the San Antonio Open.

After a rocky start to the tournament, top seed Gavrilova continued to live dangerously, coming within two points of defeat against Sakkari before eventually prevailing, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.

This January, Sakkari qualified for and then reached the second round of the Australian Open, where she lost in three sets to current World No.6 Carla Suárez Navarro.

Against Gavrilova, she once again proved herself capable of competing with the WTA’s very best. However, the Greek was unable to capitalize on her opportunities – she twice came within a game of victory and held a 5-3 lead in the second set tie-break – as Gavrilova finished strongly to dash hopes of a maiden Top 50 win.

“I think the match was pretty even and in the beginning I was just missing a few more balls than her and even sometimes I was a bit too passive,” Gavrilova said. “But I was just trying really hard and wanted to prove to myself that I could come back and win that match.

“I was fighting very hard. She’s playing well and probably having the best year of her life so I knew it was going to be pretty tough and I’m happy with the result.”

Up next for Gavrilova is Alison Riske after she overcame an erratic start to knock out No.7 seed Kirsten Flipkens, 7-5, 6-1.

“I got off to a bit of a rough start and I felt like I was spraying balls kind of everywhere,” Riske said. “So I knew when I could settle down a bit and start putting balls in the court, whether that be in the first or second [set], I felt like things could turn around to my advantage. I was very happy with the way I fought and obviously how it turned out!”

In the bottom half of the draw there were wins for Samantha Crawford, Donna Vekic and Misaki Doi.

Crawford followed up her first-round upset of No.2 seed Irina-Camelia Begu with an equally impressive 6-1, 6-3 victory over Carina Witthoeft. No.6 seed Doi was pushed rather harder, edging past Han Xinyun, 7-6(5), 7-6(4), while Vekic defeated Kiki Bertens, 7-6(3), 6-3.