Tennis News

NEW YORK, NY, USA – There is little doubt that in New York Caroline Wozniacki has found a home away from home.

Born in Denmark to Polish parents, like all players, Wozniacki’s professional calling has left little time for setting down roots. However, there is something about the Big Apple that the former World No.1 has found very much to her liking.

Professionally, the city has provided plenty of moments to cherish – most notably runs to the US Open final in 2009 and 2014 – while off the court the Dane moves to a New York beat, attending fashion shows, sports events and even running the marathon.

It is no surprise then that this fortnight on the tennis calendar has coincided with Wozniacki’s return to form.

After a campaign hampered by a nagging ankle injury, Wozniacki has provided a timely reminder of her considerable talents; indeed, counterpunching masterclasses against first Svetlana Kuznetsova and then Madison Keys were as impressive as anything produced during her pomp.

Owner of an apartment in downtown Manhattan, Wozniacki, enjoys home comforts not available to most during the tour’s fortnightly visit to Flushing Meadows.

“I just can cook – or I don’t cook, actually; my mom has been cooking,” Wozniacki told the press after a fourth round upset of No.8 seed Madison Keys. “She does my laundry, as well.”

While many of her rivals jet off to sunnier climes to practice between tournaments, Wozniacki is eager to spend as much time in her adopted home as possible – even if it takes her a little off the beaten track.

“We travel so much, so I don’t get to spend as much time here as I want. But when I’m here lately I have been training at the McEnroe Academy on Randall’s Island. Sometimes I go to the Westside Highway; it’s public courts. They usually let me in and let me in and train for as long as I want. I kind of like being there, because I feel like a proper New Yorker.

“I actually haven’t ever waited [for a court] because people have been so sweet that they’ve let me in. But if I had to wait, I would. What can I do? I have to follow the rules, right?”

Her past accomplishments and ties to the city ensure Wozniacki is never left wanting for support. In fact, aided by the sizeable Polish expatriate community, even against American No.3 Keys, Wozniacki was a popular winner. “Well, there are a lot of Polish people living here. Obviously there is a big fan base from Poland here.

“I was born in Denmark and feel Danish, but I have some Polish blood in me. It’s nice I can take the best of both worlds. Also I have a big part of the New York crowd with me. It’s a great combination here.”

A segment of these same fans will be torn, though, when she steps on court for her next match, a semifinal against World No.2 Angelique Kerber. Like Wozniacki, Kerber, whose father is Polish, has close links to the motherland, where she trains and owns a house.

Down the years, the two have engaged in several titanic struggles – Kerber edges the head-to-head, 7-5 – and Wozniacki is expecting more of the same on Thursday. “We are similar in that we are both hard working. I think that, you know, hard work pays off. She’s obviously very passionate. She loves what she’s doing and it shows.

“Obviously I have had tough matches against her in the past. She’s a great competitor. She looks fit, so it’s going to be a tough one.”

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – No.3 seed Sabine Lisicki overcame energy-sapping conditions and a stubborn opponent to secure a place in the second round of the BMW Malaysian Open.

Watch live action from Monterrey & Kuala Lumpur this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Twelve months ago, Lisicki fell at the first hurdle in the Malaysian capital, but despite never quite finding her best tennis she dug in to defeat Magda Linette, 6-4, 7-6(5), on Monday.

In a match of contrasting styles, Linette’s resolute defense tested both Lisicki’s patience and fitness. The first of these seemed to be wearing thin during a dramatic conclusion to the second set, the German’s radar malfunctioning to gift Linette a 5-2 lead in the tie-break.

But with temperatures threatening the 100ºF mark, Lisicki was in no mood for a third set, rattling through the final five points to set up a second-round meeting with qualifier Barbora Krejcikova.

“She’s a tough opponent, especially for the first round, because she gets a lot of balls back,” Lisicki said. “She started pretty well and I think I needed to get my rhythm. Very tough conditions – very hot and humid – so I’m happy to be through in straight sets.”

Lisicki, who arrived in Malaysia with only two wins to her name in 2016, hopes the extra time on court will help shake off any lingering rustiness.

“You always have some ups and downs and I was very happy that I was able to play well from 2-5 in the tie-break,” she added. “I missed quite a few easy balls [earlier] but the most important thing is that I kept my concentration and got five points in a row – which is not the usual thing!

“I usually get used to the heat pretty quickly and I like it when it’s hot and humid – but here it’s a little bit extreme. It’s good preparation and I’ll try and get as many matches as possible and see how far I can go.”

Also advancing in Lisicki’s section of the draw was Kurumi Nara, who won an early evening marathon with Daniela Hantuchova, 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(10). The match, in which both players saved multiple match points, lasted three hours and 20 minutes, making it the longest on tour this season.

Elsewhere, Hsieh Su-Wei improved her fine record at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jana Cepelova. “I think the weather is better for the Asian players, so to play at two o’clock was good for me,” Hsieh said. “It’s very hot and we are used to this more.”

Four years ago, Hsieh came through qualifying to lift her first WTA title and has since reached another quarter and semifinal. Seeded No.7 this time, she will meet Kristina Kucova next.

On Thursday evening, Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova produced some of the finest tennis of their respective careers to move within touching distance of US Open glory.

Around the same time they were adding the finishing touches to impressive victories over Flushing Meadows favorites Caroline Wozniacki and Serena Williams, one of the tournament’s most popular champions received her nomination to join the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

At the dawn of the millennium Kim Clijsters battled it out with Amélie Mauresmo, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati, Justine Henin and the Williams sisters for domination of a golden era in women’s tennis.

After years of playing the role of bridesmaid, on September 10, 2005, Clijsters finally enjoyed her own big day, defeating Mary Pierce in the US Open final to lift her maiden Grand Slam title.

Despite being just 22 at the time, this victory had been a long time coming; Clijsters, and her entertaining brand of athletic, all-court tennis had been entertaining crowds since she slid onto the scene as bubbly teenager in the late 1990s.

The Belgian’s big breakthrough came a few years later, in 2001, where she reached the final in both Indian Wells and the French Open. Unfortunately for Clijsters, both occasions ended in runner-up speeches, a scenario that would become all too familiar over the coming years as she lost out in four further major finals.

Once she had rid this monkey from her back in 2005, though, there was no looking back. Clijsters won three further Slams – all of which came after the birth of her first child – and a whole host of other silverware to prove once and for all that nice girls can indeed finish first.

“I’m very honored to be on the ballot for International Tennis Hall of Fame induction,” Clijsters said. “The women who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame are great champions who I have always admired. It’s an honor to be considered to be part of that incredible group of athletes, and I’m grateful for this acknowledgement of my career.”

Tennis journalists and authors will cast their votes in the ballot over the coming months, culminating with an announcement early next year of the International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2017. The Class of 2017 Enshrinement Ceremony will be hosted on Saturday, July 22, 2017 during the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

THE WINNERS

Angelique Kerber capped off her rise to WTA World No.1 by winning her first US Open title, edging past No.10 seed Karolina Pliskova, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

“It’s just amazing. I won my second Grand Slam of the year and it’s the best year of my career,” Kerber said after the match.

“For me everything started here in 2011,” she added, referring to when she made the semifinals ranked No.92. “And now here, five years later I’m standing here with the trophy. All the dreams came true this year.”

Read the match recap | WTA Insider Live Blog: Game-by-game analysis

Former Australian Open and French Open champions Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova added the third part of the Career Grand Slam by coming back from the brink against top seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic, edging past the Frenchwomen, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.

“It was a little bit of a slow start, but I’ve gotta give credit to our opponents,” Mattek-Sands said after the match. “They came out playing big, serving big, making all their rolls, ripping returns.

“I think one of the things that we do really well is we don’t get too down no matter what the score is. We’re really positive.”

Read the match recap

Less than a fortnight after meeting one another, Laura Siegemund and Mate Pavic hoisted aloft their first Grand Slam trophy on tennis’ grandest stage after winning the US Open mixed doubles title.

In front of an unashamedly partisan Arthur Ashe crowd, Siegemund and Pavic spoiled the party by upsetting No.7 seeds CoCo Vandeweghe and Rajeev Ram, 6-4, 6-4.

“I’m just stunned a little bit at this point. I’m very happy. I think we played a great match today, Siegemund said. “We did play a great tournament. All the other matches were, yeah, very solid also in the important situations, although we never played together.

RANKING MOVERS:
Notable singles ranking movers for the week of September 12, 2016.

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), +45 (No.74 to 29): Two-time US Open finalist Wozniacki owns this week’s biggest ranking jump. Her run to the US Open semifinal reversed a downward trend after a season derailed by injuries.

Ana Konjuh (CRO), +40 (No.92 to 52): 18-year-old Konjuh avenged her Wimbledon loss to Agnieszka Radwanska by upsetting the No.4 seed on her way to the US Open quarterfinals, earning herself a huge ranking move in the process.

Anastasija Sevastova (LAT), +16 (48 to 32): Another US Open Cinderella story, Sevastova moves up 16 spots to No.32 after reaching her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Karolina Pliskova (CZE), +5 (No.11 to 6): Pliskova rose to a career-high of No.6 after a run to the US Open final. It was her best result in a Grand Slam, never passing the third round in any previous appearance.

Angelique Kerber (GER), +1 (No.2 to 1): By virtue of winning the US Open and Serena Williams falling in the semifinals, Angelique Kerber rose to World No.1. She becomes the first German to reach the top spot since Steffi Graf and, at 28-years-old, she’s the oldest player to become No.1.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

Coupe Banque Nationale
Quebec City, Canada
International | $226,750 | Carpet
Monday, September 12 – Sunday, September 18

Japan Women’s Open Tennis
Tokyo, Japan
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 12 – Sunday, September 18

Toray Pan Pacific Open
Tokyo, Japan
Premier | $885,500 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Sunday, September 25

Guangzhou International Women’s Open
Guangzhou, China
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Saturday, September 24

Korea Open Tennis
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Sunday, September 25

TOP 20 PLAYER SCHEDULES
1. Angelique Kerber
2. Serena Williams
3. Garbiñe Muguruza – Tokyo (PPO)
4. Agnieszka Radwanska – Tokyo (PPO)
5. Simona Halep – Tokyo (PPO)
6. Karolina Pliskova – Tokyo (PPO)
7. Venus Williams
8. Carla Suárez Navarro – Tokyo (PPO)
9. Madison Keys
10. Svetlana Kuznetsova
11. Victoria Azarenka
12. Dominika Cibulkova – Tokyo (PPO)
13. Johanna Konta
14. Timea Bacsinszky
15. Roberta Vinci – Guangzhou
16. Petra Kvitova
17. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – Tokyo (PPO)
18. Samantha Stosur – Tokyo (PPO)
19. Elena Vesnina
20. Elina Svitolina – Tokyo (PPO)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:

Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) – September 12, 1987
Elina Svitolina (UKR) – September 12, 1994
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) – September 13, 1987
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) – September 13, 1994

BRISBANE, Australia – Dominika Cibulkova survived a scare against Zhang Shuai in her first match of 2017, but the World No.5 advanced to the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International after being pushed to three sets, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

“I was prepared for a battle,” Cibulkova said after the match. “The first matches are always really tricky, and so was this one today. It wasn’t easy to play the first match, but I’m happy that I won.”

As the tournament’s No.2 seed, Cibulkova received a bye into the second round that allowed her an extra few days to acclimate and reflect on her incredible journey; at this time last year Cibulkova was ranked. No.38 and just made the main draw cutoff. Now, she’s the second-highest at the tournament.

“I was last in here last year and now I am the second seed!”

-@Cibulkova excited to get 2017 season underway #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/R23yvh4CdN

— WTA (@WTA) January 2, 2017

Cibulkova’s opponent also has a comeback story: a year ago Zhang was ranked No.139 and was considering retirement before her Grand Slam breakthrough came at the Australian Open. She finished the year at No.23 and was keen to keep her form, not breaking for off season but instead opting to play ITF events after the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.

Her match-fitness showed in her performance against the World No.5; despite Cibulkova’s perfect 4-0 head-to-head record against Zhang, she was pushed to the brink in their two hour and nineteen minute battle at Brisbane.

The Slovak got off to a slow start, giving Zhang plenty of room to pounce and play her clean, solid game, outpacing Cibulkova. Zhang broke twice late in the opening set; Cibulkova fought off five set points but finally blinked as she buried a backhand into the net to surrender the set 6-2.

.@ZhangShuai121 hitting all the right angles! #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/7kjFUhJEb3

— WTA (@WTA) January 4, 2017

Despite the lopsided score line, Cibulkova kept herself within touching distance and kept Zhang under pressure even as the Chinese climbed ahead 2-0 in the second. Seeing her chances slip out of reach time and time again served to galvanize the WTA Finals champion, who brought out her arsenal of punchy groundstrokes and aggressiveness, breaking back emphatically and halting Zhang’s run.

The momentum swung Cibulkova’s way as Zhang seemed to lose her rhythm, and everything went the Slovak’s way as she took the second set, playing more aggressive tennis with renewed confidence.

“[In the second set] I started to be much more aggressive,” Cibulkova explained. “It was the first match of the season and I had a bit of a slow start, but I just pumped myself up more and started playing more aggressive, going for more shots. I didn’t let her play her game.”

Comeback complete!@Cibulkova defeats Zhang 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 and moves into @BrisbaneTennis Quarterfinals! pic.twitter.com/v77QycjXjK

— WTA (@WTA) January 4, 2017

Cibulkova stayed on course and built up a 4-0 to close in on the quarterfinals, but the match had a final twist as Zhang, who refused to fade away throughout the match, clawed her way back to level the score.

But the World No.5 was locked in, and Zhang allowed a couple of loose forehands drift wide as she dropped serve and gifted Cibulkova the chance to serve it out, booking her spot into the next round.

Awaiting Cibulkova in the quarterfinals is Alizé Cornet, who eased past Christina McHale 6-2, 6-1.