Tennis News

SAN ANTONIO, TX, USA – Anna-Lena Friedsam closed in on the second WTA 125K Series title of her career with a hard-fought victory over Alison Riske at the San Antonio Open on Friday.

After breezing through the first set and opening up an early lead in the second, Friedsam briefly looked like she might let Riske back into the semifinal before regrouping to close out a 6-3, 7-6(4) victory.

Friedsam saved a set point while serving to stay in the second set and credited Riske for bringing out her best tennis.

“I’m really happy with my game today. I played a really good set – really aggressive and consistent,” Friedsam said. “The second was not so good. She had a little more confidence, she pushed me from corner to corner and it was a little bit harder for me to put pressure on her.”

Eighteen months ago, Friedsam won the WTA 125K Series tournament in Suzhou, an achievement she has used as a springboard in her bid to reach the Top 50. Standing between her and a second title at this level will be Misaki Doi, a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 winner over Tsvetana Pironkova in the day’s second semifinal.

In the doubles final, there was a popular winner as America’s Nicole Melichar teamed up with Anna-Lena Groenefeld to defeat Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Anastasia Rodionova, 6-1, 6-3.

First @SanAntonioOpen doubles championship goes to Groenefeld/Melichar! A hometown champ!! #SAOpen #tennis pic.twitter.com/RtBnGOHggJ

— HY Lai (@HY_Lai) March 18, 2016

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Serena Williams withstood a spirited challenge from Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the final of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday evening.

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

In stark contrast to their meeting at the same stage of this January’s Australian Open, Williams found herself In a real dogfight, responding magnificently by rattling off 11 of the final 12 points to complete a 6-4, 7-6(1) victory.

“I love tie-breakers and my whole aim is just to win the first seven points – if you do that you can’t lose,” Serena told Andrew Krasny immediately after the match.

No player has ever won three titles in Indian Wells, and 15 years after picking up her second Williams will go in search of the hat-trick when she takes on Victoria Azarenka in the final.

“What a career. I never expected to be here again in Indian Wells, let alone the final. It’s really unbelievable,” she added.

Perhaps inspired by her imminent rise to No.2 in the rankings, Radwanska committed to attacking Williams from the outset. The decision made for an entertaining spectacle and it was immediately apparent that there would be no repeat of the Melbourne whitewash, a smart backhand winner helping the Pole to a break in the opening game.

Radwanska continued to pile on the pressure as the set wore on, only for Williams to bail herself out of trouble with a series of pin-point serves. The failure to secure the insurance of a second break proved costly, as Williams’ own return game belatedly spluttered into life.

A vicious backhand proved the catalyst as the American converted her first break point to draw level at 4-4 before completing the turnaround a few games later some more ferocious returning.

At the start of the second set, Radwanska looked in danger of getting blown away, Williams moving through the gears to open up a 3-0 lead. To her credit, Radwanska did not let her head drop, pulling back the break and even threatening to force a decider. However, there was to be no comeback, the World No.1’s grandstand finish sending her would-be rival back the drawing board.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Bethanie Mattek-Sands and CoCo Vandeweghe couldn’t have asked for a more perfect WTA debut to their newly-minted doubles partnership – the Americans rallied back from a set down to defeat Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova and claim the doubles title at the BNP Paribas Open.

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

“It’s pretty special for me. It’s my first doubles title, and to win it on home soil with an American is very special,” Vandeweghe said during the trophy ceremony. The title vaults the native Californian to No.25 in doubles, while Mattek-Sands will return to her career high ranking of No.3.

Both teams in the final were unseeded, the first time since 2009 that two unseeded teams faced off for the BNP Paribas Open doubles trophy.

Doubles debutantes Mattek-Sands and Vandeweghe, who are bidding for an Olympic spot later in the year, were up against another relatively new team in Goerges-Pliskova. Though the 2016 BNP Paribas Open marks their fourth outing as a team, the Czech-German partnership has been quite successful. They’ve always reached at least the quarterfinal stage in all the events they’ve played together.

Goerges and Pliskova drew first blood against the Americans, breaking Vandeweghe’s serve to start the match. The big-hitting Vandeweghe’s serves can rarely be called vulnerable – in fact she’s known for having one of the strongest serves on tour – but Goerges’ backhands were deadly, beating her for pace and breaking her twice in the first set.

With Goerges serving for the set at 5-3, the German thought she’d hit an ace to take the set. But after a half-hearted challenge from the Americans revealed it was out, a Mattek-Sand’s swing volley wove up the middle of Goerges-Pliskova and gave them the game. With the momentum behind the Americans, Vandeweghe was able to hold serve for the first time to keep them in the set, but Pliskova’s powerful groundstrokes erased any ideas of a comeback and the Czech-German duo took the first set.

With the Indian Wells crowd firmly cheering for the locals, the Americans kept toe-to-toe with their opponents throughout the next set and keep the pressure on. Eventually it was Goerges and Pliskova who blinked first, a Pliskova forehand sailing long bringing up 2 set points for the Americans and a double fault from Goerges giving them the second set.

Mattek-Sands and Vandeweghe grabbed an early mini-break in the final tiebreak, and though Pliskova and Goerges through everything they had at the Americans but they didn’t give up their lead. When it came time for her to serve for the match, Vandeweghe’s serve didn’t falter and a punishing smash from Mattek-Sands sealed the victory and the pair’s first doubles title.

Afterwards, the Americans gave a lot of credit to the crowd for keeping them in the match.

“All week long we’ve had great fan support, which is so cool,” Mattek-Sands said afterwards. “As two Americans together, the support was awesome.

“It’s always special coming back here to Indian Wells, it’s kind of like our home tournament. We’ll be back next year for sure.”

Your 2016 womens doubles champions! ?????? @BMATTEK @CoCoVandey #BNPPO16 pic.twitter.com/OqebaFap7O

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 20, 2016

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – Success is running in the Pliskova family these days as Karolina’s twin sister Kristyna took out No.5 seed Kurumi Nara, 6-2, 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals of the Tashkent Open.

“I expected a tough match,” she said after the match. “I served very well, and my ground stokes found the right angles. I was playing confidently today.”

The same week Karolina Pliskova made her major breakthrough at the US Open, Kristyna won a title of her own at the WTA 125K Challenger event in Dalian. The big-serving Czech has continued her solid form in Tashkent, dropping just four games to Nara to reach her first WTA quarterfinal of the season.

“I’m happy to break my jinx and move into the quarterfinals. This win here today will help me defend major points. I will have easy start to the year next year and also probably make it to my best ranking.”

She and sister Karolina had a solid result in doubles earlier in the year – reaching the semifinals in Nottingham, which Karolina won in singles – but Kristyna cites a coaching switch with helping her return to the Top 100.

“I have a new coach since Dalian and he has been very positive and changed my thinking. That has helped me. I have played good singles this year, and am currently I’m playing solid tennis.”

Karolina may be the ace leader for 2016, but Kristyna has a formidable delivery of her own, hitting a record 31 aces in a three-setter against Olympic Gold medalist Monica Puig at the Australian Open.

“I’m very confident about my service it’s my favorite shot. I like to serve hard and normally get speeds up to 180km/hr outdoors and 200km/hr indoors.”

Up next for Pliskova is a fellow former junior prodigy in Irina Khromacheva, who knocked out No.8 seed Naomi Broady, 6-2, 6-4; the extended stay in Tashkent has given her a chance to enjoy the city.

“I lost in the first round last year and didn’t have time to go around. But now that I’m here for four days, I have been moving around more. I feel it’s a great city to be in, and I will surely take back good memories of the city.”

Completing the quarterfinal line-up is No.2 seed Kirsten Flipkens, who edged past young Greek star Maria Sakkari, 7-6(0), 3-6, 7-6(4).

“It was great being out there,” Flipkens said in her post-match press conference. “It was tough to stay for nearly three hours and quite hot too, but I had good starts in the tie-breaks, which made the difference.

“Sakkari played very well. It was good match for both of us, and I’m very happy with the way I played.”

Every week wtatennis.com brings you 10 Things To Know about the week – who is playing, where and much more. This week the Road To Singapore heads to the Miami Open in Miami, Florida…

1) Serena Williams aims for a ninth Miami Open title.
Despite narrowly losing the BNP Paribas Open final to rival Victoria Azarenka, Williams still heads to one of her favorite tournaments as the top seed and in search of a historic ninth victory in Miami. The American will play one of Misaki Doi or Christina McHale in her opening round match, with No.31 seed Daria Gavrilova, No.15 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, No.8 seed Petra Kvitova, and No.3 seed Angieszka Radwanska her projected opponents en route to the final.

2) Victoria Azarenka two weeks away from a rare Sunshine Double.
Former No.1 Victoria Azarenka clinched her return to the Top 10 by beating Williams in straight sets on Sunday and is eligible for the elusive Indian Wells-Miami double for the first time in her career. Her career breakthrough came in Miami back in 2009, when she defeated Williams in the final. All four of her career victories over the 21-time Grand Slam champion have come in finals, and being in the opposite half of the draw, can’t play Williams before that stage.

3) Angelique Kerber on course for a post-Aussie rebound?
Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber is the No.2 seed in Miami despite dropping to No.3 in the WTA rankings following Radwanska’s run to the semifinals in Miami. The German hasn’t won a WTA match since Melbourne, where she defeated both Azarenka and Williams en route to the title. Kerber will pen against either Anna-Lena Friedsam – who reached the final of the inaugrual WTA 125K Series tournament in San Antonio – or Barbora Strycova, who is in the midst of a career-best season, but was forced out of Indian Wells due to an upper respiratory illness.

4) Redemption for Radwanska or Halep?
Agnieszka Radwanska played one of her most competitive matches against Serena Williams in the semifinals of Indian Wells, but still fell in straight sets. The Pole is slated for another semifinal rematch with the American in Miami, but may first have to surpass No.5 seed Simona Halep, who played her best tennis since last summer before she, too, bowed out to the World No.1 in the quarters. Halep has a potential second round against rising Russian Daria Kasatkina, who also reached the quarterfinals in her California desert debut.

5) Full circle for Spain?
Garbiñe Muguruza first captured international attention in Miami, reaching the fourth round as a wildcard back in 2012. Carla Suárez Navarro went even farther in 2015, reaching the final before falling to Williams. As Muguruza’s shown steady improvement, Suárez Navarro had been one of the most consistent forces of the 2016 season, but a right ankle injury took her out of Indian Wells before her opening match. She will open against a qualifier or Indian Wells doubles champion CoCo Vandeweghe, while Muguruza will play either Dominika Cibulkova or Johanna Larsson – with Azarenka, still seeded No.12, looming in the fourth round.

6) Venus Williams and Johanna Konta on-course for a rematch.
Venus Williams’ return to Indian Wells ended earlier than expected with a second round loss to Kurumi Nara, but has the chance to go deeper in Miami; as the No.10 seed, she is set to play the winner of a pair of qualifiers. Seeded in her section is No.24 Johanna Konta, who will become the highest ranked Brit since 1987 (Jo Durie). Her year began with a big win over Venus in Australia, taking her all the way to a maiden Grand Slam semifinal. The elder Williams sister has vastly improved since then with an efficient title run in Taiwan; what can be expected of a potential rematch?

7) More momentum for Karolina Pliskova?
The right-handed half of the Pliskova twins struggled through the Middle East swing, citing a sudden on-set of exhaustion following the Australian Summer. Pliskova returned to her training base in Monaco for a brief rest and looked refreshed en route to the semifinals in Indian Wells, where she narrowly lost to eventual champion Azarenka in three sets. She could face Kerber by the fourth round, but not before a projected third round encounter with No.14 seed and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winner Sara Errani.

8) Youth is served.
The WTA’s veterans largely held court in Indian Wells, but might we see a reversal in Miami? No.12 seed Elina Svitolina is projected to face former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, seeded No.23 and coming off a heartbreaking loss to Zhang Shuai in the Calirfornia desert. No.20 seed Sloane Stephens could play wildcard Heather Watson in the second round, with No.11 seed Lucie Safarova still looking to find her form following multiple bouts with illness and injury. Then there is No.7 seed Belinda Bencic, who admitted to feeling uncomfortable on the Indian Wells courts and might prefer the change of pace offered in Miami – though No.9 seed Roberta Vinci looms in the fourth round.

9) Santina in the Sunshine.
Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza saw their 41-match winning streak end at the Qatar Total Open, and a second early loss at Indian Wells leaves them reeling heading into Miami, which they won last year to capture the Sunshine Double. The Co-No.1s will be top seeds in the doubles draw, but will undoubtedly face a further embolded field, one that has only gotten stronger with the Olympics only a few months away.