Tennis News

CHARLESTON, SC, USA – No.15 seed Sabine Lisicki returned to the the Volvo Car Open – the site of her first career breakthrough – on Monday; the 2009 champion faced few problems against American Irina Falconi, winning, 6-4, 6-3, to reach the second round.

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

Facing off for the first time since 2011, Lisicki and Falconi took the court on the first day of main draw play at the newly-renamed Volvo Car Open; Lisicki had burst onto the WTA scene on this very court six years ago with three big wins over Venus Williams, Marion Bartoli, and Caroline Wozniacki for her first career title. Against Falconi, she hit seven double faults but nonetheless managed to win 70% of her first serve points and convert all four of her break point chances to reach the second round.

Up next for the former Wimbledon finalist is the winner of the first round between Kurumi Nara and Yulia Putintseva.

Joining Lisicki in the second round is No.11 seed Kristina Mladenovic, who snapped a four-match losing streak with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Tatjana Maria. Mladenovic booked what promises to be a big-hitting second round against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, who defeated Peng Shuai, 6-2, 6-1. Peng was playing just her third WTA singles tournament since a back injury ended her 2015 season at the French Open.

Mladenovic’s doubles partner, Caroline Garcia, didn’t have the same luck in Charleston; splitting sets with Irina-Camelia Begu, Garcia traded 12 straight service holds before ultimately falling in a third set tie-break, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(3).

Lara Arruabarrena will be top seed Angelique Kerber’s second round opponent; the Spaniard needed three sets to dispatch American wildcard and Rio Open runner-up Shelby Rogers, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Kateryna Bondarenko recovered from a set down to upset No.16 seed Misaki Doi, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. No.12 seed Daria Gavrilova suffered a second set let down against Zarina Diyas, but the Aussie overcame the Kazakh, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3. Danka Kovinic set up a second round encounter with No.7 seed Sloane Stephens when she took out qualifier Cagla Buyukakacay, 6-1, 6-3. Qualifier Elena Vesnina continued her solid start to 2016 with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Cindy Burger; Vesnina will next play No.2 seed Belinda Bencic in the second round.

Roberta Vinci

2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.15
Year-End Ranking: No.18 (Career-High No.7, 5/9/2016)
Season Highlights: Title at St. Petersburg
Best Major Result: QF (US Open)

2017 Outlook

To the delight of her ever-growing fan base, Roberta Vinci recently backtracked on her previously stated decision to call it quits at the end of 2016.

Vinci began reconsidering her options as early as February, when she won the her most prestigious title yet, the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy. The feat also saw her become the oldest woman in WTA history to make her Top 10 debut.

Solid showings in Doha and Indian Wells enabled Vinci continue this rise into the spring, peaking at a career-best No.7. While the summer – on either side of the Atlantic proved a mixed bag – the US Open once again coaxed the best tennis from the 33-year-old, who carved through the first four rounds before falling to eventual champion Angelique Kerber.

Having mulled over her options, the evergreen Italian feels she still has plenty to offer, announcing her decision to Sports Illustrated last month. A refreshed Vinci will bring her anachronistic game to Australia, beginning in Brisbane, and despite turning 34 in February few would bet against one last hurrah.

”I still feel like I have the desire and enthusiasm to try and do something in what is perhaps the thing I’m best at, playing tennis,” she said.

“Now don’t start asking me if this will be my last year!!! See you in Australia.”

KATOWICE, POLAND – Kristyna Pliskova and No.9 seed Kirsten Flipkens kicked off their Katowice Open campaigns and battled into the second round of the International event on Monday.

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

Pliskova was the first of the pair to advance in Katowice, the last hardcourt tournament before the tour completes the shift to the clay and grass seasons. She faced a stern first-round test in the form of 23-year-old Brit Heather Watson, who’s been on the rise having already won a title in Monterrey earlier this year.

“It was a really tough first round for me today,” Pliskova said afterwards.

“The surface is very different – quite slow – so it took me some time to get used to it.”

The No.88 Czech put pressure on Watson right away, unleashing her powerful lefty serve and letting lose a couple of her record-holding aces. She went up 4-1, break serve twice and grabbing the first set off Watson. But before Pliskova could run away with it, Watson turned things around to take the second set.

Into a deciding set, Pliskova ran ahead to a 3-0 lead, breaking Watson’s serve twice – Watson saved four break points in the third game alone but gave up the fourth on a mishit backhand. Watson grabbed a break back, but Pliskova’s lead was too great to surmount and the Czech took the match 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

“I played well and Heather also played well too,” Pliskova said. “So I was pleased to come through a tough third set.”

The No.9 seed Kirsten Flipkens had a much more straightforward road into the second round at Katowice, beating Donna Vekic in an emphatic straight sets, 6-1, 6-4. She only faced one break point all match, and wrapped up the encounter in less than an hour.

Stefanie Voegele, Andreea Mitu, and Elizaveta Kulichkova also advanced.

On Tuesday, 2014 champion Alize Cornet and two-time finalist Camila Giorgi are set to make their Katowice debut.

MIAMI, FL, USA – Former No.1 Victoria Azarenka boasted a good luck charm en route her third Miami Open title, and his name was Manny.

A popular French bulldog, Manny took time away from being a full-time Twitter celebrity to hobnob with the tennis elite as the Sunshine Swing came to its dramatic conclusion.

Congrats to my new friend @vika7 for her win today! pic.twitter.com/zlKoWwD5k7

— Manny The Frenchie (@FrenchieManny) March 28, 2016

Not to be outdone, Timea Bacsinszky and Svetlana Kuznetsova showed off some impressive footwork as they won their way into an exciting semifinal encounter in Key Biscayne; be sure to check it all out in Episode 2 of Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises!