Tennis News

MONTERREY, Mexico – Heather Watson roared back from a set down to dispatch Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, to win her third career title at the Abierto Monterrey Afirme in just under two hours.

“I don’t know where to start,” the Brit said in her post-match interview. “I’m extremely happy today. I was nervous coming into the match, and I’ve never beaten Kirsten before – she’s a great player who really makes you work for it.

From losing the opening set, Watson looked well in control as she leveled the match and earned a 3-0 lead in the decider, but Flipkens fought back to level and set the stage for a tense ending. 

“I thought Kirsten was pretty flawless in the first set, and I was getting frustrated with myself. I just had to stay calm and try my best. I never looked past the next point.”

Watson served out the title and was at a loss for words after capping off a banner week for the Brits; with Johanna Konta also reaching the quarterfinals in Monterrey and Naomi Broady matching the effort in Kuala Lumpur, it was the largest contingents of British women in a WTA quarterfinal in one week since 1978 (Eastbourne).

“Mexico, thank you; te amo! I’m a big fan of Mexico; when I was six years old, we used to come to Mexico for Christmas for six years. I’m just so glad to be able to win a title here. I need to learn some more Spanish.”

Earlier in the day, top seeds Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra Santonja won their second straight title and completed a Mexico sweep – having also earned the trophy at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel – with a tight win over Petra Martic and Maria Sanchez, 4-6, 7-5, 10-7.

Happy Mother's Day Heather's Mum! https://t.co/1NpU140Vk7

— WTA (@WTA) March 6, 2016

Petra Kvitova cut a troubled figure for much of 2016, searching in vain for the form that took her to two Wimbledon victories.

A quietly impressive summer on the North American cement suggested a corner had been turned, but even then few could have forecasted just how brilliant the Czech would be during the home stretch.

The catalyst came at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, where Kvitova inflicted the first defeat of Angelique Kerber reign as World No.1 in an absorbing third-round encounter.

Under the roof at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center, Kvitova set the tone in the first set, recovering from an early break to move 4-2 ahead. However, Kerber refused to wilt in the face of this baseline assault, fending off a set point with a trademark crouched backhand before pinching the tie-break when Kvitova sent a wild forehand long.

WOW! ?

41 shot rally!! #WuhanOpenTennis pic.twitter.com/T9Kzy9LERc

— WTA (@WTA) September 28, 2016

This ebb and flow continued into the second, the Czech edging her way ahead only to be reeled back in on each occasion. Eventually her persistence paid off, as she bludgeoned herself level before unleashing a fizzing backhand as she broke to love at the start of the decider.

It was an advantage she hung onto doggedly when Kerber staged an inevitable fightback. Somehow she held on, fending off 10 break back points – including seven in one game – as she dragged her weary body towards the finishing line. The drama continued until the very end, Kvitova spurning six match points until she managed to summon a forehand that even Kerber could not track down.

By the time Kvitova belatedly closed out her 6-7(10), 7-5, 6-4 victory, she had been on court for three hours and 20 minutes – the fourth longest match of the season.

Numbery numbers. #WuhanOpen #Kvitova pic.twitter.com/gxjAIFXTC8

— TennisTV (@TennisTV) September 28, 2016

“I won after playing a long time. I feel happy. But as well I feel tired, and the tournament is still going, so I don’t feel that satisfied. I think it was a great match from both of us,” Kvitova said in her post-match press conference.

“I really gave everything today. I think same as her. I think it was really about the few points. It was a great battle. So hopefully the fans enjoyed it as well. I did, for sure. I will feel it tomorrow definitely.”

If this epic ordeal had taken anything out of Kvitova, she hid it well. Over the following three days, Kvitova dismissed Johanna Konta, Simona Halep and then Dominika Cibulkova with increasing degrees of ease to capture the 18th title of her career.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Friday at the BNP Paribas Open sees the seeds enter the fold, with Simona Halep commencing her title defense against the in-form Vania King.

Friday, Second Round

Stadium 1
[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. Vania King (USA #202)
Head-to-head: King leads 1-0
One hundred ninety-seven spots separate Simona Halep and Vania King in the rankings, but if recent form is anything to go by their second-round encounter could be a closely contested affair. While Halep has been struggling for form and fitness in the opening months of 2016, King has been quietly racking up the wins.

After missing much of last year with back problems, King arrives in Indian Wells fresh from a couple of deep runs on the ITF Circuit. Halep on the other hand, has won just three of her eight matches this campaign, most recently losing to another player on the comeback trail, Elena Vesnina, in Doha. Despite her recent travails, Halep cut a relaxed figure during Wednesday’s All Access Hour, and with a clean bill of health is relishing the start of her title defense.

Stadium 3
[3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #3) vs. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #57)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads 6-3
Agnieszka Radwanska may have the edge in her rivalry with Dominika Cibulkova, but tasted a chastening defeat in their most high-profile encounter. Two years ago, the mercurial Cibulkova triumphed in the most one-sided of Australian Open semifinals to leave Radwanska’s major dreams in tatters once more.

Since then both players have had their ups and downs; Cibulkova spending lengthy periods on the treatment table, while Radwanska recovered from a slide down the rankings to record her greatest triumph. The Pole has carried this form into 2016, reaching the semifinals or better on all three of her outings thus far. Cibulkova, meanwhile, has blown hot and cold since her return from a serious Achilles injury, but in arguably the most open section of the draw will relish the opportunity to showcase her abilities on the big stage. 

Around the grounds…
Serena Williams begins her attempt to win a third Indian Wells title when she takes on Laura Sigemund. Preceding Serena on court is Venus Williams, who in her first match at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in 15 years faces Kurumi Nara. Petra Kvitova, Madison Keys and 2010 champion Jelena Jankovic also get their challenges underway.

Serena Williams has penned a powerful open letter encouraging female athletes to “continue to dream big” and break barriers to equality.

Her letter, which is part of Porter Magazine’s ‘Incredible Women of 2016’ issue, addressed “all incredible women who strive for excellence” and shared her childhood dreams of being the best tennis player in the world – “not just the best ‘female’ tennis player.”

Serena wrote:

I was fortunate to have a family that supported my dream and encouraged me to follow it. I learned not to be afraid. I learned how important it is to fight for a dream and, most importantly, to dream big. My fight began when I was three and I haven’t taken a break since.

But as we know, too often women are not supported enough or are discouraged from choosing their path. I hope together we can change that. For me, it was a question of resilience. What others marked as flaws or disadvantages about myself – my race, my gender – I embraced as fuel for my success. I never let anything or anyone define me or my potential. I controlled my future.

So when the subject of equal pay comes up, it frustrates me because I know firsthand that I, like you, have done the same work and made the same sacrifices as our male counterparts. I would never want my daughter to be paid less than my son for the same work. Nor would you.

As we know, women have to break down many barriers on the road to success. One of those barriers is the way we are constantly reminded we are not men, as if it is a flaw. People call me one of the “world’s greatest female athletes”. Do they say LeBron is one of the world’s best male athletes? Is Tiger? Federer? Why not? They are certainly not female. We should never let this go unchallenged. We should always be judged by our achievements, not by our gender.

For everything I’ve achieved in my life, I am profoundly grateful to have experienced the highs and lows that come with success. It is my hope that my story, and yours, will inspire all young women out there to push for greatness and follow their dreams with steadfast resilience. We must continue to dream big, and in doing so, we empower the next generation of women to be just as bold in their pursuits.

Serena’s letter is one of four letters published in Porter Magazine’s ‘Incredible Women of 2016’ issue, which hits newsstands on Friday, December 2. Read the full piece reprinted at the Guardian right here.