Tennis News

MONTERREY, Mexico – No.2 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova completed a Russian sweep of WTA titles this week, shocking top seed and World No.1 Angelique Kerber, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 to win her fourth Abierto GNP Seguros title.

I’m really overwhelmed and don’t think I realized that I just won my fourth Monterrey trophy,” she said in her post-victory press conference. “Some people just have four trophies in total, and I have four here! It’s very special and it’s a special place in my heart; it’s where I won my first title and since won three more.

“But a trophy is a trophy; I’m so happy to hold it.”

Gutsy way to save break point from @NastiaPav! ? #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/wlR0CwvYc1

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

Following countrywoman Daria Kasatkina’s title run at the Volvo Car Open, Pavlyuchenkova got out to the early advantage in Sunday’s final, taking the only break of the first set on her third set point.

“Playing the final against the No.1 player in the world is already very special, because everyone wants to compete against the No.1. You don’t get so many chances to do it, so it was one opportunity for me today. Beating here feels amazing, but I’m just enjoying the moment right now.”

Kerber was looking for her first title of the season and aimed to turn the tables on the big-hitting Russian, winning a long third game to break serve and run away with the second set to level the match.

.@NastiaPav firing at the start of the second! #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/ZT9R0oJaVq

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

“Honestly, I didn’t have much energy left in the tank during the second set. First, it was really hot today, and tough conditions. Angelique was making me play every single point, so I felt as though I’d already given a lot in the first set. The first three games in the second were really long and I felt, ‘That’s it. I don’t have anything left.’

“But it’s a final; I said I’d try my best and give everything I had. So I had to find something somewhere, what little energy I did have, and put that into the match. I’m so happy I managed to do that.”

Absolutely genius from @NastiaPav! ? #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/CLLPwvkY9z

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

Pavlyuchenkova is in the midst of a career best start to her year, making quarterfinal finishes at the Australian Open and BNP Paribas Open since hiring new coach Simon Goffin.

With Goffin in her corner, she raced out to a 5-0 lead in the final set, ultimately serving out her ninth career title in just under two hours.

How did @NastiaPav reach this forehand?! ? #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/lv6SvWQZyr

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

Despite – or perhaps because of – her ability to adapt to the conditions, the Monterrey press still ribbed the Russian over her description of the tough conditions, those in which she nonetheless hit 49 winners to 31 unforced errors – compared to 14 winners to just 10 unforced errors from Kerber.

“I like to complain! Let me complain,” she laughed. “I feel sorry for myself sometimes, like it’s so hot and so tough. Let me complain. But it’s not complaining that much because the conditions aren’t easy here in general. Coming from other tournaments, it feels different to play here.”

“Wow! Fourth one, huh?” -@NastiaPav #AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/eOLHmtxjbj

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

Thanks to their strong results in Monterrey, both women are set to make big leaps on the Road to Singapore leaderboard, with Kerber inching just outside the Top 8 at No.10, while Pavlyuchenkova is two spots behind at No.12.

“I’ll probably enjoy this win for a few more days, but in tennis, you’ve got another one in a couple of weeks. I’ll have Fed Cup, playing for my country. But I really hope to bring this form with me throughout the year, improve, and be fitter for the next tournaments.”

Special message from @Abierto_GNP champ @NastiaPav to her fans ? pic.twitter.com/06S3IbOeMO

— WTA (@WTA) April 9, 2017

In the doubles final, top seeds Alicja Rosolska and Nao Hibino recovered from a break down in the second set to defeat Dalila Jakupovic and Nadiia Kichenok, 6-2, 7-6(4).

“Our opponents really stepped up in the second set, played more solid and put a lot of pressure on us. We couldn’t play our game style as freely,” Rosolska said after the match.

“We had to be more focused from the first ball, so we tried putting in more first serves and be more aggressive so we wouldn’t be under as much pressure.

“There was a very important game at 2-4 where we won the deciding point and helped us win the second set.”

The pair previously paired up to win an ITF challenger title, but as the Pole noted, “It’s our WTA first!”

All photos courtesy of Abierto GNP Seguros.

TIANJIN, China – Agnieszka Radwanska made a confident start to her defense of the Tianjin Open, swatting aside Tatjana Maria in two one-sided sets on Wednesday.

Fresh from her victory in Beijing over the weekend, Radwanska needed little more than an hour to wrap up a 6-1, 6-2 victory – her 50th of the season – and set up a second-round meeting against Evgeniya Rodina.

“Firstly, I’m very happy to win my match pretty quickly. It’s good to have the opening round in two sets and be fresh for the next round,” Radwanska said. “I’m very happy that I could keep it up and play at the same level as at the China Open.”

Twelve months ago, Radwanska touched down in Tianjin amidst a desperate late scramble for points to secure a place at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. While the anxiety this time has diminished, her desire to be successful has not: “This year is much better. I already qualified in China Open so of course there is less pressure. But you still want to win the tournament, still want to play your best game, just a little less pressure.”

Naomi Osaka continued her scintillating run of form by brushing qualifier Lucie Hradecka aside, 6-2, 7-6(4), to reach the quarterfinals. The Czech player took the Japanese teenager to a tie-break in the second set but could not hold her off for too long.

Osaka had already beaten eighth seed Yaroslava Shvedova, 6-4, 6-2, in round one. This run in Tianjin comes towards the end of a great year for her in which she reached the third round of three of the four Slams, and made the final of the Toray Pan Pacific Open – an achievement for which she was voted WTA Breakthrough of the Month.

The WTA Newcomer of the Year nominee now faces Svetlana Kuznetsova after she saw off Donna Vekic, 7-5, 6-4.

Elsewhere, Han Xinyun won the first match of the day on Centre Court, beating wildcard Wang Yafan 7-5, 6-3.

The finalists for the 2016 WTA Doubles Team Of The Year have been announced, and we want to hear from you, the fans. The fan vote will count as one of the coveted media votes.

Have a look at the finalists and cast your vote before Sunday, October 16th at 11:59pm ET! The winner will be announced Friday, October 21st.

2016 WTA Doubles Team Of The Year Finalists

Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic: It has been quite the year for Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic on the doubles court. After suffering a couple of near-misses in Sydney and Dubai, they finally got their hands on some silverware in Charleston. This began a glorious stretch on the clay, where they triumphed in Stuttgart, Madrid and, most memorably, Roland Garros. While they struggled to scale these heights in the second half of the season, they returned to form in time for the US Open, losing out to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova in an entertaining final.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands &  Lucie Safarova: There is little doubt that Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova have been the outstanding team in the second half of 2016. Injuries and Olympic commitments meant the duo, winners of two majors in 2015, played sparingly together until the summer months, winning Miami and reaching the final in Charleston from a handful of appearances together. However, since their post-Rio reunion Mattek-Sands and Safarova have been unstoppable, embarking on a 16-match unbeaten run that has brought titles at the US Open, Wuhan and Beijing.

Ekaterina Makarova & Elena Vesnina: Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina may not have resumed their fruitful partnership until the clay court season, but they certainly made the most of this time together. On their first outing in unison, the Mutua Madrid Open, the Russians reached the semifinals, before going a stage further in Rome. One month later at Roland Garros, they continued this upwards trajectory, narrowly missing out on a third Grand Slam title. Any lingering disappointment was banished over the summer months, during which time they captured the trophy in Montréal then Olympic gold in Rio.

Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza: Following 2015’s trophy-laden campaign was always going to be a tough proposition for Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza. And while they did not quite scale the same heights, they remained regulars at the business end of showpiece events. The year started in dominant fashion, victories in their first four events – a run which included the Australian Open – confirming them as the team to beat on tour. They were nearly as impressive on clay, lifting silverware in Rome and reaching the final of both Stuttgart and Madrid, before announcing their surprise split following disappointing showings at Wimbledon and then Montréal.

WTA Doubles Team Of The Year Winners
2015: Martina Hingis / Sania Mirza
2014: Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci
2013: Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci
2012: Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci
2011: Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik
2010: Gisela Dulko/Flavia Pennetta
2009: Serena Williams/Venus Williams
2008: Cara Black/Liezel Huber
2007: Cara Black/Liezel Huber
2006: Lisa Raymond/Sam Stosur
2005: Lisa Raymond/Sam Stosur

How it works:

Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a media vote with a fan vote counting as one media vote

BOGOTA, Colombia – It’s the Claro Open Colsanitas – and here are some of the best photos from the first days of action there.

Kiki Bertens, Johanna Larsson, Sara Errani and Irina Falconi are just four of the players on court in Bogota.

They’ve been battling with changeable conditions, with the rain pouring down – but the crowds have been happy to sit tight and wait for some more top-class tennis.

Check out some of the best sneak peeks here!

TIANJIN, China – Svetlana Kuznetsova kept up her pursuit of a place at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global with a hard-fought 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 victory over Naomi Osaka.

The Russian was able to break the 19-year-old’s serve in the first and fourth games of the opening set but failed to hold serve a single time as the World No.42 raced ahead.

However, the 2009 French Open champion rallied in the second, which was on serve until the seventh game, when Kuznetsova moved up a break. Osaka recovered the deficit in the following game but was broken once more and the Russian held her nerve to level the match.

The deciding set was closely contested, without a single break of serve, although Osaka squandered two break points. In the eventual tie-break, Kuznetsova’s superior experience told and she was able to take two points on the youngster’s serve and win it 7-3 to book her spot in the semifinals.

Kuznetsova will meet Alison Riske in the last four after the American overcame Xinyun Han, 6-3, 6-3. The match was a frantic affair in which both players struggled on serve but Riske got the crucial break to move 4-2 up in the opener and closed it out to get a crucial advantage.

The match moved at much the same pace in the second set, with only three games held overall; two of them were by Riske and it was the 26-year-old who advanced.

Monica Puig’s run in the tournament, meanwhile, came to an abrupt end at the hands of World No.65 Danka Kovinic.

The first set was a tight affair, in which the sole break came when the Puerto Rican squandered a 40-15 advantage when serving at 1-1. The Montenegrin held firm from there, closing out the set without any trouble.

Kovinic stormed into a lead in the second, breaking Puig in the opening game and consolidating her advantage by repeating the trick to go 4-1 ahead. Puig enjoyed a moderate recovery, halving the deficit, but was broken once more and crashed out of the tournament.

Kovinic will play Peng Shuai in the last four after the World No.182 received a bye thanks to Agnieszka Radwanska’s withdrawal.

BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – Marketa Vondrousova’s fairytale week took her to her first WTA title at the inaugural Ladies Open Biel Bienne; in the battle of first-time finalists, Vondrousova knocked out Anett Kontaveit, 6-4, 7-6(6) in a thrilling championship match.

“It’s the biggest win of my career, because I’d mostly played smaller tournaments, 25Ks and 60Ks,” she said in her post-match press conference. “This was one of my first big tournaments, and I was injured in my left elbow for a lot of last year. I had to do a lot of fitness, which helped me become a better mover.

“Now I’m playing really great!”

What a lob by Vondrousova!

Takes it into a Second set tie-break! #WTABiel pic.twitter.com/9f76GMpLT7

— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017

Playing in just her second WTA main draw, Vondrousova came to Biel/Bienne on a roll from the ITF Circuit, having reached four finals and won two titles on that level to start the season.

“At first, I asked for a qualifying wildcard because I wasn’t sure if I could get in without one Once I got into qualies, I almost lost my first match, but I got better and better from there. I played so great the last few matches, so I’m really happy,” she said, letting out a joyful sigh.

The Czech teenager had to qualify and battle past fellow rising stars Annika Beck and Kristyna Pliskova before earning her first career Top 20 win over top seed Barbora Strycova.

“We had goals to play Grand Slam qualifying because I was around No.220 before this tournament. So now I’ll definitely be in qualies for sure, and I’ll be changing my plans and think about it.”

SHE'S DONE IT!

17 year-old Qualifier Marketa Vondrousova captures her FIRST #WTA Title at @WTABielBienne!

Edges Kontaveit 6-4, 7-6(6)! pic.twitter.com/ABNuafCoOV

— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017

Against Kontaveit, she continued to employ her high-octane game to impressive effect, striking 28 winners to 26 unforced errors and edging past Kontaveit at the end of each set to take home her first title in one hour and 45 minutes.

“I was down 4-6 in the tie-break. I got a bit lucky when she hit the net then, but it helped remind me to play my game, and it worked out from there. Thank God!”

Vondrousova is set to move up over 100 points in the rankings, shattering her previous career-high and putting her in striking distance of a Top 100 debut.

“I won a 15K and that was like a thousand dollars, so I definitely don’t know what I’ll do with the money I won here!” she joked of the over $40,000 prize money. “My mom will have to help me out!”

“It's been an amazing week, thank you to everyone for your support. I hope to be back next year!” -Marketa Vondrousova #WTABiel pic.twitter.com/gPe03ydK1o

— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017

Earlier in the day, Hsieh Su-Wei won the battle of former doubles No.1s, pairing Monica Niculescu to outlast Olympic Silver medalists Martina Hingis and Timea Bacsinszky, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.

“It was a fun match because both don’t just hit straight across, but also slice and lob,” Hsieh said after the match. “They do a lot at the net, so it was a fun match to play, and plus Monica helps a lot.”

“Su-Wei always plays like this!” Niculescu added. “If you know, Su-Wei, you know!”

Hingis and Bacsinszky were using the week in Biel/Bienne to prepare for the upcoming Fed Cup semifinal, where Switzerland takes on Belarus; they were also aiming to be the only Swiss women to win their home title, but Hsieh and Niculescu had other ideas, receiving the trophy from another Swiss Olympian, Giulia Steingruber, Bronze medalist on vault.

“It was a tough match,” Niculescu continued. “I think the level was very good, and we playing some good tennis. Su-Wei and I were a good team. It was only our second time playing together, but we played amazing because we had to against Martina and Timea. You know what they did; they won the medal, won matches together, and they play good tennis.

“I’m so happy to play with Su-Wei; hopefully it’s not the last time!”

All photos courtesy of Ladies Open Biel Bienne.