Kristina Mladenovic On Winning Her First Title In St. Petersburg
Kristina Mladenovic talks about winning her maiden WTA title at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
Kristina Mladenovic talks about winning her maiden WTA title at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
Great Britain open their Fed Cup campaign this week in Estonia – and Johanna Konta says they won’t be underestimating anyone as they look to progress from the Europe/Africa zone.
The dust has settled after a breakneck first day of Fed Cup World Group action, with Garbiñe Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova, Kristina Mladenovic and Timea Bacsinszky among the day’s winners.
Here’s how the World Group ties stand after the end of today’s action:
Czech Republic 1 – 1 Spain
Spain faced a huge challenge in their first round match going up against the Czech Republic at home in Ostrava. The defending champions haven’t lost a tie since 2013, and haven’t lost at home in even longer with their last home defeat coming in 2009.
Spain’s No.1 Muguruza set out to break that streak though, defeating Barbora Strycova 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 to silence the home crowd.
“I think I started really, really good, playing a great level,” Muguruza told FedCup.com afterwards. “I think Barbora started a bit slow, but then in the second set she came playing amazing.
“I was expecting a very tough match, I knew the 6-0 was a little bit strange.”
Spain captain Conchita Martinez told press earlier that a win in the opening match was crucial against the imperious Czech team, and Muguruza took the message to heart.
“I definitely felt a lot of pressure in this match. I mean, I’m the one on the team and I just had to go for my matches. That’s what I’m trying, to just give my best to the team.”
Spain’s lead was short-lived as Karolina Pliskova overpowered Lara Arruabarrena 6-4, 7-5 to level the tie.
Switzerland 1 – 1 France
In Geneva, Timea Bacsinszky and Kristina Mladenovic notched a win apiece to leave things between Switzerland and France.
Bacsinszky gritted out a hard-fought win over Alizé Cornet 7-5, 6-4 to put the home side ahead in the tie.
“The whole match was pretty tight and I think we were both just playing amazing tennis,” Bacsinszky told FedCup.com after her victory. “We’re both big fighters so you know you’re going to get some interesting points when we’re playing a match against each other.
“I don’t have such a good win average against Alizé, so I’m really proud of how I managed to be more aggressive.”
In the second rubber, good friends Kristina Mladenovic and Belinda Bencic faced off. The Frenchwoman, fresh off her first WTA singles title at the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy last week, continued with her great form and emerged victorious, 6-3, 6-4 to rescue a point for her side.
Belarus 1 – 1 Netherlands
Last year, it was Victoria Azarenka’s monumental effort in singles that took Belarus into the World Group, but even without the two-time Grand Slam champion they proved they could compete among the big names as they held the Netherlands to one win apiece.
Entering the tie decidedly as the underdogs, the hosts stunned the Dutch team with Aliaksandra Sasnovich defeating Michaela Krajicek 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the opening rubber.
They were one point away from a stunning 2-0 lead, with 18-year-old Aryna Sabalenka holding match point against World No.24 Kiki Bertens, but the Dutch player came back from the brink to win 6=3, 7-6(6), 6-4 and level the tie.
“I remember my first singles [in Fed Cup] and I was like crying before and throwing up because I was so nervous and she was not,” Bertens told FedCup.com afterwards. “For [Sabalenka] it was really good that she could just go out there and swing and go for her shots. If she can play like this again she will make it very difficult for a lot of players.”
USA – Germany (In Progress)
More to follow…
Watch Dominika CIbulkova’s practice session before the start of the Qatar Total Open.
The qualifier Lauren Davis came through her rain-affected first-round match with a surprise 6-2, 6-3 win over Roberta Vinci.
Top seed Angelique Kerber crashed out of the Qatar Total Open, turning in an error-strewn performance and allowing Daria Kasatkina a 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 win.
Karolina Pliskova defeated Zhang Shuai in straight sets to set up a semifinal showdown with Dominika Cibulkova at the Qatar Total Open.
Watch all the best shots from this week at the Qatar Total Open – right here on wtatennis.com!
DUBAI, UAE –
Garbiñe Muguruza has taken quite a climb in the last 12 months, winning her maiden major title at the French Open. The Spaniard climbed even higher before kicking off her campaign at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, scaling the world’s tallest building at the Burj Khalifa.“I’m very excited to see what’s upstairs!” said the No.5 seed before beginning her journey up into the heavens.
Muguruza enjoyed a leisurely ride up the world’s fastest elevator to take in the view from the observation deck on the 148th floor.
“I’ve been told when you’re up this high, you can see the earth starting to curve,” she mused.
Muguruza plays her opening round match on Tuesday against Kateryna Bondarenko; check out the rest of her trip to the Burj Khalifa right here on wtatennis.com!
DUBAI, UAE – Day 2 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships got underway in earnest as Monica Puig and Kristina Mladenovic scored solid wins while former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki put on a decisive display against young Russian Daria Kasatkina.
Catch up on the top stories right here, courtesy of WTA Insider:
.@CaroWozniacki happy to be back at @DDFTennis! pic.twitter.com/YhEYAbveOt
— WTA (@WTA) February 20, 2017
Caroline Wozniacki welcomes Sascha Bajin to the team.
Less than 48 hours after playing the final at the Qatar Total Open, Caroline Wozniacki was back on court in Dubai, scoring a solid 6-2, 7-5 win over Daria Kasatkina in the first round. In her player’s box for the second week in the row was a familiar face, Sascha Bajin, former hitting partner to Serena Williams and coach to Victoria Azarenka. Wozniacki and Bajin are working together until Charleston, when they plan to re-evaluate the set-up, but so far so good. The Dane is now 5-1 since their partnership began last week.
With the experience he brings to the table, Bajin is more than just a traveling hitting partner for Wozniacki. He’s more of a “hitting partner plus”.
“He helps my dad,” Wozniacki said. “He looks at the matches, too. He scouts and they talk a lot what they feel I can improve on and things like that. He comes with inputs and practices. He’s definitely a hitter plus. Assistant coach, I guess.”
Good win today! On to the next one! @DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/FBUwYIlj7L
— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) February 20, 2017
Before joining forces with Bajin, Wozniacki said she ran the arrangement past Serena to get her blessing.
“I definitely talked to Serena about it,” Wozniacki said. “Just wanted to hear. And also how she feels about me working with him. You just want to know that you don’t clash. She said he’s a very hard worker, and she has nothing bad to say about him. She likes him a lot.”
Riske moves to 8-2 on the season (includes Fed Cup). Not easy playing a compatriot, but as she says, Americans have to get used to it. pic.twitter.com/4AZlfM48do
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 20, 2017
The Americans run wild on Day 2.
Alison Riske got the better of her Fed Cup teammate CoCo Vandeweghe, putting in a focused effort to knock out the No.11 seed 6-4, 6-4. Christina McHale beat No.13 seed Kiki Bertens 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, while Catherine Bellis notched the most surprising result of the day, beating Yulia Putintseva 6-1 7-5.
The shortest straw had to go to Riske, who just over a week ago was playing alongside Vandeweghe in Hawaii for her Fed Cup debut. Riske admitted the match-up was awkward, but with the insurgence of Americans in the Top 100, it’s something they’re all going to have to get used to.
“It can be difficult, especially we just had the best week together at Fed Cup. So it was unfortunate that we played each other first round. But at the end of the day you have to focus on you, and there are so many Americans now in the top. We are all friends, or at least I feel like we are,” she said with a laugh.
“We’re going to be [playing] each other week in and week out, and it’s something that we’ve got to get used to. You just have to focus on you and not worry about the other person on the other side of net.”
Bellis on her comeback from 1-5 down in the second set. #DDFtennis pic.twitter.com/2wraveZ16M
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 20, 2017
CiCi Bellis starts her season with an upset.
Catherine Bellis’ start of the season was derailed by hamstring and glute injuries, forcing her to skip January. In her first main draw match of the year, the 17-year-old American conjured a stunning comeback, rallying from 1-5 down in the second set to beat St. Petersburg finalist Yulia Putintseva 6-1, 7-5.
“I got myself in a bit of trouble in the second set, but I’m glad I got out of it,” Bellis said. “I just thought to myself, stick to my game plan, just keep steady, I can come back.
“I can come back against anyone I set my mind to. I’m really glad I got through it.”
The youngest player ranked in the Top 100, Bellis said her two qualifying matches last week in Doha helped her find her match rhythm quickly. “I think it was a little bit nerve-wracking just in certain parts of it, because I’m still getting used to matches again and getting back into the season. But I think it went well. I didn’t feel too rusty.”
.@KikiMladenovic on what has clicked in her game over the last few weeks. #DDFtennis pic.twitter.com/NW3GQ6FcWz
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 20, 2017
Kristina Mladenovic readies for the Pliskova challenge.
The Frenchwoman is on a roll as of late, winning six of her last seven matches, including a strong 6-3, 6-3 win over Katerina Siniakova on Monday. Next up? The hottest player on tour: Karolina Pliskova.
“It’s a big challenge. First of all, we know each other very well. I mean, we are great friends. We always had tough matches, especially the last one.”
Last season, Mladenovic finished her singles season with a 6-3, 4-6, 16-14 loss to Pliskova in the Fed Cup final. It’s a match that still haunts her. “When I think about it, I still have the ‘I don’t want to see you that soon again’ [feeling],” Mladenovic said laughing. “That was a long one that I had in my mind for quite a long time because it was at the end of the season, and it was a tough one, a tough loss for our team.
“But she’s definitely up there, on fire, like full confidence, I have to say. She’s been improving like for the last two or three years like all the time and being now like a serious tough player, like she proved it with lots of titles already. And especially her game, it’s tough. It’s tough to play. You know, you have to be very, very consistent, try to read her serve, especially. That’s her biggest weapon. So I’m expecting a very difficult match.”
Ana Konjuh said she got her Wednesday after Fed Cup, had lots of time to adjust to conditions. It showed. Lost one game to Zhang. #DDFtennis
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 20, 2017
Ana Konjuh drops just one game to Zhang Shuai.
The 19-year-old rolled in her opening match, winning 6-0, 6-1 to score the first main draw win of her career in Dubai. Next she’ll get her first look at No.12 seed Sam Stosur. When asked if there are any specific players she’s looking forward to playing for the first time, the Croatian teenager’s eyes lit up.
“I haven’t played Serena,” she said with bit smile. “And I grew up watching her, and I think it will be a dream come true to share the court. I think, you know, she’s a legend. Hopefully that day is gonna come soon.”