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Biggest Upsets Of 2016: Sevastova vs Muguruza

Biggest Upsets Of 2016: Sevastova vs Muguruza

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

In 2015, Anastasija Sevastova came out of retirement. A year later, she scored the biggest win of her career – and one of the biggest upsets of 2016 – over No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza at the US Open.

Sevastova was a rising star back in 2011, reaching a career-high ranking of No.36 at 20 years old. But injuries soon sapped the desire away from the young Latvian, who hung up her racquets two years later, and was off the tour for two years more. After a few stints in coaching and studying, she decided to give tennis another go.

What brought her back to the sport?

Anastasija Sevastova

“This one, this stage,” she said, gesturing to the enormous Arthur Ashe Stadium after her second round stunner. “I mean, look at that. It cannot get bigger.”

It doesn’t get much bigger than Arthur Ashe, and they don’t get much bigger than French Open champion Muguruza.

Sevastova, who started out the year ranked No.110, played well above her ranking and took a tight opening set at 7-5 before racing out to a 5-1 lead in the second.

With the finish line in sight, she faced a bit of a mental wobble as Muguruza clawed her way back up to 5-4 with the Spaniard serving to even the score.

“I stopped thinking. I was thinking too much at 5-2, 5-3. Then I said, ‘Okay, I have one more chance at 5-4. She’s serving. I broke her before enough times, so I will try this one more time,'” Sevastova explained.

“And still, even then it’s only 5-5. It’s still an open match like the first set.”

That positivity took the Latvian over the finish line, breaking serve to love to clinch the biggest upset of the US Open thus far – and the biggest win of her career – winning 7-5, 6-4.

Anastasija Sevastova, Garbiñe Muguruza

But after the match, Sevastova was the first to keep her feet firmly on the ground.

“It still hasn’t settled in,” she said in her post-match press conference. “I mean, I’m tired mentally and it’s late. Normally I go to sleep at this time.

“It feels great, but it’s still not like I won the tournament. It’s only second round.” 

Sevastova would go on to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal – knocking out No.14 Johanna Konta along the way – but her colossal second round victory over the reigning Roland Garros champion clocks in as the No.5 biggest upset of 2016.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

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Kvitova Adds Charleston Debut To 2017 Schedule

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

CHARLESTON, SC, USA – Petra Kvitova will take to the green clay of Charleston for the first time as the Volvo Car Open announced that she’s adding the tournament to her 2017 schedule.

“I’m very excited to play in the Volvo Car Open for the first time,” Kvitova said. “I’ve heard what a wonderful city Charleston is and the Volvo Car Open is a great tournament, so of course I’m looking forward to April.”

“We have been pursuing Petra to enter Charleston for more than four years,” said Eleanor Adams, Tournament Manager. “To say we are excited is an understatement! Petra’s left-handed game and serve are perfectly suited for our courts. The fans will be amazed by her talent, fierceness and gracious personality – we can hardly wait!”

The two-time Wimbledon champion will be in good company on the green clay, joining Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, Madison Keys, Johanna Konta, Sloane Stephens, Monica Puig and Elena Vesnina at the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America.

Click here to visit the tournament’s official website for more information and tickets options.

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Dinara Safina: “I Want To Help Others Get To Where I Was”

Dinara Safina: “I Want To Help Others Get To Where I Was”

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Dinara Safina walked away from tennis in 2011 after a persistent back injury forced her to retire, but not she racked up 12 WTA titles, reached three Grand Slam finals and rose to WTA World No.1 during her eleven years on tour.

Now, the Russian is putting all of her expertise to work as she takes up coaching at New York City’s MatchPoint NYC in Coney Island.

“I moved to New York for [the coaching], but also because I love it here, I wanted to move here,” Dinara told ESPNW’s Nick McCarvel.

“I’ve always had a feeling for New York. I just said to myself, ‘If I have something inside that wants to try New York, I should do it.’ Nothing is stopping me.”

matchpoint

After getting her law degree in Russia, doing temporary stints as player relations in Madrid and in Moscow, and even working at an IT firm, Dinara revealed that she has plans to continue working with young rising talent.

“I want to be back on tour as a coach, but there is no second life. We have one life. I gave it 100 percent when I was playing and I got injured. For me, it was a sign to have another part of my life. And now I want to help others get to where I was.”

Click here to read ESPNW’s full interview with Dinara, where she opens up more on her New York City life and coaching gig, her decision to walk away from the sport, and on the rising star who reminds her of herself.

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Bouchard Resolves To Schedule Smarter In 2017

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

BRISBANE, Australia – Eugenie Bouchard came into her first match of the 2017 season having played just two matches since September. After taking a 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 loss to Shelby Rogers in the first round of the Brisbane International, the candid Canadian admitted to feeling a bit undercooked coming into the new season.

“I definitely feel kind of rusty, out of it,” Bouchard said. “I haven’t played in a match in a while. I haven’t won a match in a while. All those thoughts kind of go into your head a little bit when you’re on the court.”

Currently ranked No.46, Bouchard struggled with her rhythm early against Rogers, falling behind 0-4 in the first set as the American did well to hold her position on the baseline and match power for power off the ground. After losing the first set 6-2, Bouchard fired herself, played with more intensity in the second set, and her power game began to click.

After pocketing the second set 6-2, Bouchard invoked the 10-minute heat rule and both players went off court to cool down.

“I always find those breaks kind of weird. I did ask for it and I did want it, just to take a bit more time to try to cool down. I thought it was the smarter move. But it’s always weird kind of sitting in the locker room for like five minutes and then going back out.”

Bouchard came out flat in the final set and Rogers steadied her game to earn her second straight win over the Canadian. It was a strong, powerful performance from Rogers and it left Bouchard back at the drawing board.

“I felt definitely not completely ready coming here. I felt I wanted maybe a bit more time before the season started, but everything always comes by so quick.

“So we were kind of coming in maybe knowing that a little bit, but it’s still time to go, and sometimes it’s also good for you to kind of just put yourself out there, throw yourself to the wolves and see what happens, and improve that way, learn that way instead of just another training week. So that was the choice. That was why we chose to come here.

“But, yeah, there is just lots of work to be done. It’s kind of getting used to playing a tennis match again, in a way. I know everyone feels like that at the beginning of the season, but the lack of matches I have played after the US Open makes it more. I just feel it more for my situation.”

Bouchard’s 2016 season started well, as she looked well on her way towards putting a disappointing 2015 season behind her. She made two finals in the first two months of the season. But after a heavy schedule over the summer, which saw her play seven tournaments between Wimbledon and the Coupe Banque Nationale, she felt burnt out and needed a break.

“Even though I wasn’t going far in each one, I was still, the mentality of going from tournament to tournament and always that stress of a tournament week after week after week. Especially after the Quebec City tournament, obviously which is at home and a lot more emotional and really tough to play in, I felt so burnt out. I didn’t even want to play the rest of the season.”

Bouchard skipped the Asian swing and returned to play Luxembourg and Linz, where she lost in the opening rounds to end her season. She says the experience taught her the importance of scheduling her season properly to keep her as fresh as possible.

“The thought process was because I was kind of losing earlier in tournaments, go try and play another one, go try and play another one, you always have that hope at least to plan to go play a match instead of practice, but I think after a point it actually becomes detrimental.

“Definitely going to be smarter with scheduling this year. We also had the Olympics, which is also very taxing physically, emotionally. A lot of things, obviously that’s how it happens. It’s a perfect storm of events, but, yeah, I definitely took a longer break at the end of this year than usual, and I really needed it, but I feel like it helped because I’m super motivated. I just need to get back into it.”

Bouchard is scheduled to play the Apia International Sydney next week.

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Halep Edges Jankovic In Shenzhen Thriller

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SHENZHEN, China – No.2 seed Simona Halep unveiled an aggressive gameplan that helped her emerge victorious in a three set tussle with former World No.1 Jelena Jankovic, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, to advance into the second round of the Shenzhen Open.

Halep spent the off-season training in Australia with coach Darren Cahill, and appeared to be employing some of those improvements early on against Jankovic, launching into her forehand and looking to terminate rallies early and often.

Jankovic struggled through most of the 2016 season with various injuries, but has played some of her best tennis in China over the last few years, reaching a second straight final in Guangzhou last fall. The Serb took a 4-1 lead in the second set and didn’t look back, leveling the match at one set apiece.

The pair exchanged breaks in the decider, and as Halep steadied she served out the match in just under two hours. Up next for the Romanian is either hometown favorite Peng Shuai or Katerina Siniakova.

More to come…

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Burgers & Cake Key To Petkovic Revival

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

PERTH, Australia – Eager to bounce back from a difficult 2016, Andrea Petkovic made some tough decisions during the off-season. And judging by her dominant victory over Kristina Mladenovic at the Hopman Cup on Monday, she is already reaping the rewards.

“Big applause to Kristina, she’s such a talented girl. I was really in full focus today,” Petkovic said during her on-match interview. “I worked really hard. I started earlier than normal. I normally love to spend Christmas at home with my family but this time I thought, ‘Andrea, it’s time to make a sacrifice.’ So I spent it in Melbourne watching Seinfeld and eating burgers in the hotel room. But apparently it paid off!”

Unsurprisingly, Petkovic has been the life and soul of this year’s competition, charming the crowds and fellow competitors alike. Indeed, at the Hopman Cup ball Petkovic was first to pull shapes, ushering in the New Year alongside Roger Federer and company.

“Well everybody has a thing and my thing is to open up dance floors,” she added. “So the first song the band played I was out there with my fitness and physio coach. Later we danced and Roger came on and I said, ‘Roger remember this time.” And he was like, ‘What? Why?’ I’m like, ‘Remember the time you and me danced with a bunch of teenagers.'”

While the German has mixed up her pre-season preparations, that is as far as her 2017 resolutions go: “I don’t do resolutions because I once tried a detox diet and at 3pm in the afternoon I was eating cake, so that’s how my resolutions go.”

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