Tennis News

NEW YORK, NY, USA – World No.2 Angelique Kerber is the first player through to the US Open semifinals after conquering Roberta Vinci in straight sets.

After withstanding a fierce early challenge from the Italian, Kerber found another gear to prevail 7-5, 6-0 and end Vinci’s bid to halt a major US Open subplot for a second time.

“I think I have right now more confidence going out there,” Kerber said in her post-match press conference. “I’m not thinking about quarters, semis, or whatever. I’m just going there to playing a good match and to win.

“I know that I can beat everybody, and this is what gives me also a lot of confidence and motivation for going out there and playing with a lot of emotion.”

Vinci and Kerber set the tone of the match early on; Vinci broke Kerber’s serve in a marathon seven-minute opening game, before the German quickly grabbed the break back. In fact, Kerber trailed Vinci a break three times during the opening set, but each time she showed her mental toughness by never allowing Vinci to hold onto the lead.

The two played a game of cat and mouse throughout the first set, with both players showing off their variety and shot making; Vinci would reach a break point with a set of slices and drop shots, and Kerber would save it with a stinging inside-out forehand.

Kerber finally claimed the decisive break in the final game, winning the set and avoiding a tiebreak when Vinci was called for a foot fault on set point.

Down, not out: @AngeliqueKerber wins three games in a row to take the opener vs. #Vinci, 7-5. #usopen @MBUSA https://t.co/CguQohxazo

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 6, 2016

“I think the key of the match was the first set,” Kerber reflected afterwards. “I mean, it was really close and tough. It’s always difficult to play against Roberta.

“Keeping my mind a little bit relaxed, and staying in the moment – I think that was my key. Also for the first set to, be a little bit more relax and had not too negative, actually.”

Already hobbled by a foot problem, losing the set by so narrow a margin seemed to suck the wind out of Vinci’s sails. She didn’t have much left in the tank against Kerber, who quickly broke three more times to run away with the match and return to the semifinals of the US Open for the first time since 2011.

Kerber struck 33 winners to 25 unforced errors during the match – just three of those errors in came in the second set – while Vinci hit 17 winners to 32 unforced errors. Vinci’s serve was particularly vulnerable, serving at 40 percent first serves and winning just 57 percent of those points.

While the win moves Kerber one step closer to the WTA No.1 ranking, it spells out a different fate for Vinci. The Italian will fall out of the Top 10 come next week, having needed a run to the semifinals to keep up her ranking.

“Of course I’m so sad about today,” Vinci said. “In general I played a great tournament. Now just will go home and take some days off; see what I have for my injury, and then we will see.”

Kerber now awaits the winner of tonight’s match between Caroline Wozniacki and Anastasija Sevastova to play for a spot in the final.

Stat of the Match: 22 of Kerber’s 25 unforced errors came in the first set. https://t.co/LdN4SrDvQn#USOpen pic.twitter.com/aLCsNv3EkL

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) September 6, 2016

NEW YORK, NY, USA – No.10 seed Karolina Pliskova is into her first Grand Slam semifinal after a commanding victory over 18-year-old Ana Konjuh at the US Open.

Both were making their Grand Slam quarterfinal debut – in fact, neither had been past the third round at any Slam before the fortnight – but experience won out for Pliskova, who had little trouble moving past Konjuh in the 57-minute, 6-2, 6-2 romp.

“I was kind of nervous this morning, before the match,” Pliskova said of playing in her first major quarterfinal. “But always when I get on the court I just forget about everything and I’m not nervous anymore.”

“And I’m just trying to play tennis. Maybe I will think about all what I have been playing last few weeks after the tournament, but right now I just don’t want to, you know, put it in too much inside me. I just want to play.”

.@KaPliskova wins 100% of her first serves en route to a first-set victory over #Konjuh. #usopen @Chase https://t.co/o3RAc1pG59

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2016

The victory is especially affirming for the Czech, who’s been a dangerous player at the WTA level for the past two years since her breakthrough, but could never translate that big game onto the big stage.

“To be honest, the Grand Slams before, I wasn’t feeling bad in any of them,” Pliskova said after her third round press conference, the first time ever she’d reached the second week of a Slam. “But just somehow the game on the court wasn’t the way I wanted it to be.

“I was just a little bit tight, I wasn’t playing my tennis, wasn’t aggressive enough. If I’m not playing my game, I cannot beat those players like this. I cannot be the one who is running.”

Pliskova didn’t need to do much running against Konjuh, the lowest-ranked and youngest player in the quarterfinals. The Czech is famous for her huge serve – in fact she’s been the WTA’s ace leader for two years – but Pliskova kept her biggest weapon reigned in. She hit just three aces, much lower than her eight-a-match average, but was still lethal on serve, winning 92 percent of points behind her first serve during the match – 100 percent in the first set.

The 18-year-old Konjuh also wields a powerful serve, which she showed off during her impressive takedown of Agnieszka Radwanska in the last round. But the Croat struggled to hold onto it against the big-hitting Pliskova, who broke her twice at the outset of the match to go up 4-0 in the first set, then twice at the end of the second.

Pliskova closed out the match with back-to-back aces to reach her first Grand Slam semifinals.

Ace the day! @kapliskova dominates #Konjuh 6-2, 6-2 in just 57 minutes to make her first slam semifinal @mbusa https://t.co/mKjBWbbXqo

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2016

Despite the one-sided loss, Konjuh only takes the positives away from her Grand Slam experience.

“You know, I cannot be sad after all of this,” Konjuh reflected in her post-match press conference. “Good luck to her. She’s having great season so far, and, you know, I’m cheering for her.”

“But overall, I’m happy with my results here. When I came here I could only imagine playing the quarters. I think it’s been a great tournament.”

Pliskova awaits the winner in the night match between Serena Williams and Simona Halep to play for a spot in the final.

DALIAN, China – Top seed Wang Qiang won a topsy-turvy encounter on Thursday against Han Na-Lae to reach the quarterfinals of the Dalian Women’s Tennis Open.

Watch live streaming from Dalian all week right here.

Strong performances on the ITF Circuit this year have seen Wang close in on a Top 50 debut, which she could secure with a deep run in Dalian. However, she was given an unexpectedly stern examination against lucky loser Han before finishing strongly to close out a 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 victory.

Grace Min will meet her in the last eight after she upset No.6 seed Jana Cepelova, 6-4, 6-3. This was not the afternoon’s only upset, either; Aleksandra Krunic knocked out No.3 seed Duan Ying-Ying, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, while Wang Yafan defeated Tamira Paszek, the No.4 seed, 6-2, 7-6(2).

Also advancing was last year’s runner-up, Julia Glushko, who fought back to see off qualifier Peangtarn Plipuech, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.