Cincinnati: Muguruza Interview
An interview with Karolina Pliskova after her win in the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open.
An interview with Karolina Pliskova after her win in the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open.
Caroline Garcia, Kristina Mladenovic, Alizé Cornet and Pauline Parmentier look to take advantage of another home tie and lead France to its first Fed Cup since 2003.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – It was a photo finish in the second round of the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy, but Dominika Cibulkova had an extra gear against former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, dispatching her rival, 6-4, 7-5.
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The Slovak unleashed her signature aggressive style for most of the match, hitting 36 winners to 26 errors throughout the nearly two-hour match, but Wozniacki wasn’t far behind with 19 winners to 21 errors, working her way back into the second set from 3-5 down and saving three match points before Cibulkova was able to close it out on serve.
“I think it was a really great match,” the 2014 Australian Open finalist told former WTA star turned on-court interviewer Ksenia Pervak. “It’s always tough to play Caroline. Today, I played really well; I was really aggressive even though I made some mistakes, I was really confident. I knew it was the only way I could beat her.
“In the end, I started having a problem with my arm, but it turned out really well, so I’m proud of how I stayed really tough mentally.”
The two have played since their junior days, with Wozniacki coming into the match with a 9-3 head-to-head advantage in WTA matches, but three out of their last four matches had gone the distance, including Cibulkova’s win over then-No.1 Wozniacki in the fourth round of Wimbledon back in 2011.
“The tactic was always the same against Caroline: be as aggressive as I can and go for my shots. She gets back so many balls and is waiting for your mistake; if you play shorter, she’s going for it. I had to be aggressive every single point, no matter the score.
“That’s what I did and that’s why I won.”
Up next for the former World No.10 is rising Russian Daria Kasatkina; the teenager reached another WTA quarterfinal when she eliminated lucky loser Laura Siegemund, 6-3, 6-4.
“I never saw her play, so it’s going to be another tough round. I’m just going to be focused and ready, and I’m just going to hope for another match like this.”
Earlier in the day, Timea Babos upset No.9 seed Monica Niculescu, recovering from a set down to win, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, while qualifier Kateryna Kozlova continued her dream run into the quarterfinals with another three-set win over wildcard Elena Vesnina, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The final match of the day was centered around home favorite and No.5 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, survived a tough second set to beat German youngster Carina Witthoeft, 6-1, 7-5.
Garbiñe Muguruza takes on Timea Babos in the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open.
The stage is set in Strasbourg as the French headline their first Fed Cup final since 2005, when Amélie Mauresmo narrowly missed out on a hat trick of titles to team Russia. Mauresmo is back at the helm over a decade later, captaining a next generation squad that includes Roland Garros doubles winners Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic.
“I’m lucky it brings out their best tennis,” the 2016 International Tennis Hall of Fame Inductee told WTA Insider in July. “They feel so good playing on the team, and are able to express their best during this competition, I’m very fortunate with that. It’s not only Caroline and Kiki, but also Alizé Cornet and Pauline Parmentier; I hope they can all rise to the occasion in November.”
That occasion puts them head-to-head against defending champions in the Czech Republic, who have taken home the trophy in four of the last five years and took out the French in last April’s semifinal.
“We have a very difficult team ahead of us. There’s nothing to lose, being the underdogs. We’ll give it a good fight.”
Garcia will be ready for a good fight against the likes of Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova. The French No.1 won in Strasbourg earlier in the season, taking home the first of two titles in 2016.
“I’m really looking forward to it, but I’d rather be facing a team other than the Czechs!” she joked at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai. “They have so many great players, that they could even make two teams from all the players they have in the Top 50.
“But we’ve done well this year; not long ago, we were almost out of World Group, and we were fighting just to stay in World Group II. Everything’s come very fast for us. We are a very young team, and have nothing to lose; we will be in France, and we will give everything we have like we always do.”
Mladenovic echoed her partner’s sentiments after winning the Mutua Madrid Open doubles crown.
“We are all aware how tough it is to give all of yourself in Fed Cup every single year. Personally, I give a lot. You try to do your best, find a balance, and just be positive, work hard and keep going.”
She and Garcia duo rode a 15-match winning streak through the start of the clay court season, ultimately becoming the first all-French duo to triumph on the terre battue since 1971. Mauresmo took over coaching duties back in 2012, and admitted a need to adapt her strategies to a new set of national stars.
“It’s another learning experience for me, how to adjust to people, how to adjust to different personalities, different structures as well. They don’t operate the same way I did at all. You have to find different words, and it’s a challenge each time. But I love it. I love to adjust, listen to people, and decide from there what is the best course of action.”
Born in the same city as the two-time Grand Slam champion, Garcia earned the Fed Cup Heart Award following a heroic effort in the semifinals, where she and Mladenovic won a decisive doubles rubber to advance into the championship tie.
“I think it’s been a great opportunity to work with her. She really likes this competition. She gives a lot of herself, a lot of energy on the court. She’s had a lot of experience from her career in Fed Cup. She was No.1, won Grand Slams.
“She knows how tennis works, obviously. She trusts us and us on the court, that we can give everything. She wants us to win this Fed Cup; it was one of our goals, and now we’re so close!”
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
The stars of the WTA are about to descend on the luxurious, modern city of Dubai for the 2016 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Dubai has been a favorite tour stop since it became a joint event in 2001 and this year’s event will feature World No.1 Serena Williams along with defending champion Simona Halep, 2013 champion Petra Kvitova and our guest contributor, Ana Ivanovic. The WTA Travel Guide is here to tell you everything you need to know about visiting the City of Gold.
WATCH THE MATCHES
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Centre is host to the two-time winner of the WTA Premier Tournament of the Year award, with the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium serving as center stage for the matchups of some of the WTA’s best. Tickets are available here. Main draw begins February 15 and runs through February 20, with qualifying taking place February 13 and February 14.
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Official Homepage
WHERE TO STAY
If you’re looking for a place to stay while in Dubai, it doesn’t get more convenient than the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, which is located adjacent to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Centre and minutes away from the Dubai International Airport. A 5-star resort, with 292 rooms, the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel features two outdoor pools, fitness facilities, two restaurants, two bars, a lounge and a healthy café. You’ll also be able to unwind at the Akuru Spa, or if you were inspired by watching the WTA matches, head to one of the four tennis courts to work on your game.
Jumeirah Hotels
WHERE TO EAT
For a good meal after taking in a day of matches, head over to the Century Village for a beautiful al fresco dining experience and 10 different world cuisines to sample from including Lebanese, Italian, Portuguese, French and more. Also within walking distance from the courts is Irish Village, offering a true Irish experience in the heart of Dubai.
Restaurants in Jumeirah Creekside Hotel
ANA IVANOVIC’S FAVORITE SPOTS
“I always look forward to coming back to Dubai. Not only is the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships one of my favorite events on tour, but also the city itself has so much to offer. Here are my favorite spots:
Dubai Miracle Gardens is perfect for an afternoon stroll amongst the beautiful flower arrangements. Take a drive down Sheikh Zayed Road for the quintessential Dubai drive and a chance to see all of the iconic architecture along the way.
Luckily for me, one of my favorite restaurants in the world is located in Dubai. Head to Nobu for incredible Japanese food (like this sushi I had last time I was there)! Other favorite restaurants of mine include La Serre, Cle and Armani Italian. And, no trip to Dubai would be complete without some world-class shopping at the Dubai Mall.”
Visit Dubai
Dubai Duty Free
Highlights from quarterfinal action at the Western & Southern Open.
The race is on! There are only eight spots available at the WTA Finals and every match, every game, every point, matters. Follow the 2016 Road To Singapore right here!
Karolina Pliskova takes on Garbiñe Muguruza in the semifinal of the Western & Southern Open.