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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MIAMI, FL, USA – After more than a week of compelling tennis, Johanna Konta and Caroline Wozniacki are the last two standing at the Miami Open, as both women look to raise the trophy for the first time at the WTA Premier Mandatory event.

Here are 10 things to know before Saturday’s championship showdown.

Johanna Konta (GBR #11) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN #14)
Head-to-head: Konta leads, 1-0

1) Maiden (in) Miami.
Both players will break new ground in their careers when they set foot on court on Saturday, as each is competing in her first-ever final at the Miami Open. Playing in Miami for the 10th time, Wozniacki’s best result previously came in 2012, when she reached the semifinals. Konta is playing in Miami for just the second time in her career, and reached the quarterfinals in her 2016 debut.

2) Wozniacki Goes Four for Four.
Wozniacki has reached the final of all four Premier Mandatory events in her career with her success in Miami this week. The former World No.1 first was runner-up at the 2009 Mutua Madrid Open; won the BNP Paribas Open in 2011; and won the China Open in 2010. Konta will contest her second final at Premier Mandatory level out of her last three, finishing runner-up to Agnieszka Radwanska in Beijing last fall.

3) Comebacks – and upsets (on paper).
Over the course of the week, both women have recorded wins over higher-ranked players en route to the final. Konta ousted No.3 seed Simona Halep in a marathon quarterfinal match, 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2, after the Romanian served for the match in the second set, and was two points away from victory. Wozniacki also rallied from a set down to defeat No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova in Thursday’s semifinals.

4) Third Time’s the Charm?
While Miami marks both Wozniacki and Konta’s first Premier Mandatory final of the season, both players have already reached finals this year. Wozniacki will contest her third final of 2017 after Doha and Dubai, the most on tour this season. While the Dane is looking to win her first title of the year, Konta is appearing in her second final after winning the Apia International Sydney.

5) Lucky Number…45.
With this result, Wozniacki becomes just the fourth active player to reach 45 career finals on the WTA Tour; the 26-year-old has reached at least one final every year since the 2008 season.

6) Recent History, Down Under.
The two have only met once before just two months ago at the Australian Open. In the third round match, Konta broke serve four times en route to a 6-3, 6-1 victory in one hour, 17 minutes.

7) Top 10 Implications.
Regardless of Saturday’s result, Konta is assured of returning to the WTA Top 10. With a victory, the Brit will rise to a new career-high of No.7, bettering her previous of No.9 from last fall. For Wozniacki, only a victory in the final will get her back inside the Top 10 for the first time since 2015, with a rise to No.8 in the rankings.

8) The Road to the Final.
Combined, both players have dropped three sets this week. Konta had a battle on her hands in her first match of the week against qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich before her quarterfinal comeback against Halep. By contrast, Wozniacki rolled through her first four matches without losing a set until the semifinals.

9) A Bit of British History.
Konta is looking to become the first British woman to not only win the title in Miami, but also win a WTA Premier Mandatory event.

10) Singapore Shakeup.
A win for Wozniacki would see her rise to No.1 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard, ahead of Karolina Pliskova and Serena Williams, while Konta would sit in fifth.  Should Konta win the title, she will sit behind Pliskova in second, while Wozniacki will rise to third.

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Kvitova Cruises Past Svitolina

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – No.11 seed Petra Kvitova kept up her world-class form in the quarterfinals of the Olympic tennis event, soaring past Elina Svitolina, 6-2, 6-0, to reach the final four in Rio.

Playing in her second Olympics, Kvitova edged closer to a first medal with a strong win over Svitolina, who was fresh off an upset of World No.1 Serena Williams in the third round.

Converting the only two break points of the opening set, the two-time Wimbledon winner raced through the opening set, and didn’t face a break point throughout the 48 minute contest. In all, Kvitova hit 18 winners to just two from the Ukrainian youngster, and hit 11 unforced errors to 16 by match’s end.

Into her first Olympic semifinal, the former World No.2 will face Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig for a spot in the final; Puig was equally emphatic in her quarterfinal demolition of Germany’s Laura Siegemund, 6-1, 6-1.

Kvitova has played her best tennis under the Czech flag, leading her country to four Fed Cup wins in the last five years. Jiri Fencl, coach to Kvitova’s countrywoman Lucie Hradecka, noticed the shift in Kvitova’s mental state after her hard-fought third round win over Ekaterina Makarova.

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Kerber Conquers Keys To Reach Rio Final

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – No.2 seed Angelique Kerber is guranteed to win a medal at the Olympic tennis event; the Australian Open champion clinched her spot in the Gold Medal match with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Madison Keys on Friday in the semifinals.

The highest ranked woman to reach the final four in Rio, Kerber came up against an in-form rival in Madison Keys, who has taken her to three sets in two of their last three encounters – beating her to win the 2014 Aegon International in Eastbourne.

Hoping to become the first German woman to medal at the Olympic tennis event since idol Stefanie Graf, the World No.2 played contained tennis against her more aggressive opponent, hitting just two unforced errors in the first set alone to take the early initiative.

“It means a lot to be in the final right now,” she said after the match. “It wasn’t easy to be the next after Steffi to reach the final at the Olympics means a lot. It’s really special to be here today, and tomorrow in the finals.”

Keys became the first American to make her Top 10 debut since Serena Williams back in 1999 earlier this year, and wasn’t about to go down without a fight. Facing down the barrel of triple match point in the tenth game of the second set, Keys saved all three – a total of four by game’s end – to try and force a deciding set.

“She’s an unbelievably good player and she played really hard today. I was trying to move well, get the balls back and go for it when I had the chance. It wasn’t easy in the second set when I had four match points, but I managed to come back and focus again. It’s really special to be in the final now.”

Kerber saved two break points on her own serve to get back within striking distance of her first Olympic final – having fallen in the quarterfinals back in her London debut four years ago – and finally secured victory on her sixth match point. 

Standing between the German and a gold medal is Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig, another youngster in the midst of a career-best season. Puig became the first woman from her country to win a medal after upsetting No.11 seed Petra Kvitova in the other semifinal, and has knocked out quality opposition all week in Rio, including reigning French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza.

“She’s played very good this week,” Kerber said when asked about her next opponent. “I know it’ll be a tough final, but I’ll try to enjoy it, go out and play my best tennis and, of course, win the next match. But Monica plays good and I’m ready for that.”

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MIAMI, FL, USA – The British media celebrated Johanna Konta’s win at the Miami Open with plenty of print space and air time – and are hoping she’ll rise even further up the rankings than her current career high of No.7.

Konta said in her post-match press conference that she hoped her journey in the tournament would garner lots of attention for the sport.

“If the coverage has been good then it’s great for us,” said the British No.1. “It’s promoting tennis, and hopefully promoting more people to play.”

And so it has proved – starting with a front-page splash in the Sunday Times. 

Comparisons are inevitably being drawn with Virginia Wade, Britain’s last female singles Slam winner – but Konta has played that down, although she admitted she would love to win Wimbledon.

The Daily Mail reported that she said: “It does sound quite monumental but winning Wimbledon is a dream and hopefully one day I will get an opportunity to play for such a title.” 

The Daily Telegraph’s tennis correspondent Simon Briggs assessed Konta’s chances of a Slam title thus: “How much further, then, can this late-blooming champion climb? Two years ago, Konta was ranked around the 150-mark, which did not even earn her a spot in the qualifying tournament here. Now she stands alongside Pliskova and world No 1 Angelique Kerber as one of the women most likely to worry Serena Williams.”

In the Guardian, Kevin Mitchell wrote: “Konta was clearly the better player in this match as well as the one in Melbourne. That was such a clear indicator of how far the British No1 has come in a relatively short time. There would not have been many takers backing Konta to beat Wozniacki even a couple of years ago. Now she has to set her sights higher.”

And of course Konta’s Fed Cup teammates were also thrilled for her – Naomi Broady and Heather Watson were straight on Twitter to publicly congratulate their friend.

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Serena Outsteadies Sharapova

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MELBOURNE, Australia – Top seed Serena Williams withstood a tense first set and a late match charge to take out Maria Sharapova, defeating the No.5 seed for an 18th straight time, 6-4, 6-1.

Sharapova came out firing to start, taking an early 2-0 lead on Australia Day, but Williams worked her way into the match in style, saving break points at 4-4 and winning seven games in a row at one stage.

“It was super intense,” the American told Rennae Stubbs during her on-court interview. “She’s an incredibly intense, focused player who was No.1 and won so many Grand Slams for a reason.

“When you’re playing someone who’s so great, you have to come out with a lot of fire and intensity.”

Looking ill at ease with the doctor on court after the first set, Williams was nonetheless ruthless in the second, getting close to a shutout before Sharapova pulled back, even earning two break points for 5-2 as the top seed served for it.

“I’ve been playing this whole week aggressively, but I didn’t start out playing that way today.

“I just knew after the first set that I wanted to start playing the way I have been, that got me to the quarterfinals, so I was just trying to do that.”

Up next for the World No.1 is No.4 seed and BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global champion, Agnieszka Radwanska.

“She’s a great defender and a great girl. I’m going to do my best, and I have nothing to lose,” she said, then addressing the crowd, “Thank you guys for coming out; I hear you all, and it means a lot to me!”

Looking to tie Steffi Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles, Williams is also after a seventh Australian Open title, her first coming back in 2003 to complete her first Serena Slam.

“I’m here all the time; I have so many friends here. This is one of the few stadiums where I feel so welcome.”

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Cincinnati Comeback Kid Ostapenko Advances

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

CINCINNATI, OH, USA – Jelena Ostapenko produced a stunning comeback to defeat Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in a rollercoaster opening round at the Western & Southern Open.

Watch live action from Cincinnati this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Trailing by a set and double break, it looked for all the world that Ostapenko’s debut at the Lindner Family Tennis Center was going to end in defeat. However, the bleakness of the situation seemed to rouse the Latvian into life, as she rescued the second set before conjuring an even more miraculous escapology act in the third to triumph, 1-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(5).

Ostapenko, a former junior Wimbledon champion, has been ascending the professional ranks fast, establishing herself as the youngest player in the Top 50. Against Schmiedlova the baseline firepower was once again present – she finished with 45 winners. Unfortunately for the teenager, the unforced error count was even higher, and very nearly proved her undoing.

Schmiedlova, meanwhile, was far less flashy, and for the best part of an hour her consistency looked destined to triumph. “I’m sorry about the first set – I couldn’t put a ball in the court – but I’m really happy I saved two match points on her serve and fought to the end and that I could finish the match,” Ostapenko said.

This first set lasted less than 20 minutes, and when Ostapenko slipped 4-1 behind the second appeared certain to be equally swift. Standing on the precipice, Ostapenko produced her best, saving a couple of match points at 5-4 then rallying from 5-2 in the decider to complete an unlikely turnaround.

“I don’t know what was wrong with me today; I was losing but then when I was losing I was playing better. Then in the third set I was 2-0, 40-0 up on her serve. After that I lost five games in a row. I know what happened. But then I started to fight again and I’m glad I could win the match,” she added.

Her reward for the comeback is a second-round meeting with No.15 seed Karolina Pliskova.

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Venus Returns To Indian Wells

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – The field for the 2016 BNP Paribas Open has been announced; the list of big names, which already included World No.1 Serena Williams and defending champion World No.2 Simona Halep, now features former No.1 Venus Williams. The seven-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic Gold medalist returns to Indian Wells for the first time in 15 years.

Other names in the field include World No.3 Garbiñe Muguruza, 2014 finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, 2006 and 2013 champion Maria Sharapova, two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, and Lucie Safarova. 

Buy tickets to the tournament right here.

The BNP Paribas Open is a combined two-week Premier Mandatory event running from March 9-20 held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in sunny Indian Wells, California. 

Venus joins sister Serena, who returned to Indian Wells last year and reached the semifinals before a knee injury ended her shot at the title she won in 1999 and 2001, the last time either sister played at the Premier Mandatory event.

“We are thrilled that Venus Williams, one of the greatest women’s players in the history of the game, is returning to play in the BNP Paribas Open,” said Indian Wells CEO Raymond Moore. “Our fans embraced Serena last year, and we expect nothing less for Venus when she returns to compete at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.”

“The fans will be thrilled to see Venus compete again in Indian Wells at the BNP Paribas Open,” adds WTA CEO and former Indian Wells Tournament Director and COO, Steve Simon. “I’m delighted to see Venus take her place in this year’s stellar line up of WTA and ATP players. This event keeps going from strength to strength and remains a clear fan and player favorite. I’m confident Venus will enjoy playing there again as much as we will enjoy seeing her on court.”

Halep defeated 2010 champion and former No.1 Jelena Jankovic in three gritty sets to win last year’s final, and fell two matches short of the elusive Indian Wells-Miami double when she lost to Serena in the semifinals of the Miami Open.

Muguruza made the round of 16 in her BNP Paribas Open debut back in 2013, qualifying and upsetting Ekaterina Makarova before losing to eventual semifinalist Angelique Kerber in two tight sets.

BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore by SC Global champion Radwanska rounds out the Top 4 and is currently contesting in her second Australian Open semifinal; the Pole had her best Indian Wells finish in 2014, when she took out Jankovic in the quarters and Halep in the semis, losing to future US Open champion Flavia Pennetta in the final.

Chasing the field will be two-time BNP Paribas Open champion Sharapova; the Russian first captured the Indian Wells title in 2006, later going on to win her second Grand Slam title at the US Open that same year. She struck gold again in California three years ago, defeating Caroline Wozniacki in the final.

This year, the BNP Paribas Open has launched a #TennisParadise Sweepstakes; win a VIP trip for two to this year’s tournament by posting an image with the hashtag #TennisParadise on Twitter or Instagram. The contest runs from January 25-February 5. 

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