Tennis News

DALIAN, China – Aleksandra Krunic suffered a tough first round loss after qualifying for the US Open, but the Serb is back in action at the Dalian Women’s Tennis Open, knocking out local wildcard Lu Jia-Jing, 6-1, 6-2.

Krunic reached the fourth round in Flushing back in 2014, and needed just 61 minutes to dismiss Lu in straight sets, booking a possible second round meeting with No.2 seed Duan Ying-Ying. Duan reached the second round of the US Open before falling to Japan’s Naomi Osaka.

Russia’s Anastasia Pivovarova also advanced on Tuesday with a 7-6(6), 6-2 win over Hiroko Kuwata, and could play No.7 seed Misa Eguchi in the second round. A former World No.93, Pivovarova made her major breakthrough back in 2010 when she reached the third round of the French Open, but has been snakebitten by various injuries throughout her career. Playing her first US Open in six years, Pivovarova lost in qualifying to American Jennifer Brady in a third set tie-break.

In that moment of life, when all I need is a hug… ? #USopen #tennis photo by @spiritbuffalo pic.twitter.com/STvBXfRyCQ

— Anastasia Pivovarova (@A_Pivovarova) September 2, 2016

China’s Wang Qiang is the top seed in Dalian after upsetting No.23 seed Daria Kasatkina to reach the second round of the US Open, and will open her tournament against Nigina Abduraimova.

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Fresh off qualifying for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic recovered from an early deficit to defeat World No.1 Sania Mirza and new partner Barbora Strycova, 7-6(3), 6-1, and reach the semifinals of the US Open.

The French duo and Roland Garros winners became the second team to qualify for the WTA Finals this morning after then-Co-No.1s Mirza and Martina Hingis, who announced their split earlier this summer. Mirza held onto the top spot by defeating Hingis and new partner CoCo Vandeweghe in the final of the Western & Southern Open; she and Strycova appeared on course for a similarly impressive win over Garcia and Mladenovic when they raced out to a 5-2 first set lead.

But the top seeds wouldn’t be denied, saving two set points at 5-3 and going on to win 11 of the final 13 games of the match on Grandstand to reach their second major semifinal of the season.

“We’re obviously very excited to go back to Singapore for the second year in a row, and this time with my countrywoman and teammate,” Mladenovic told WTA Insider in a forthcoming interview for the WTA Insider Podcast. “It’s a nice story that we qualified together after being with different partners last year. It was one of our main goal this year when we joined forces.

“It’s such a privilege to qualify because only the best of the best get to go.”

Garcia and Mladenovic could play the other half of the team formerly known as Santina, as the last quarterfinal yet to be played is between No.6 seeded Hingis and Vandeweghe and rising Czech stars Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova, who ended Hingis and Mirza’s hopes of a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam back at the French Open.

“I think when we spoke about playing together this year, we felt it was a good moment because individually we were good doubles players,” Garcia said. “We were in Singapore last year, so that means we’re ok! When we started the year and made the final in Sydney, it was good for our confidence for our first week playing together. We didn’t win right away, but we were still working on our timing and things got better and better.”

Joining the Frenchwomen in the semifinals were No.5 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, who won a 13th straight match by taking out No.13 seeds and Slovenians Andreja Klepac and Katarina Srebotnik in straight sets, and No.12 seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova; last year’s Australian and French Open winners ended the miracle run of American wildcards Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend, 6-1, 6-2.

#teambucie winning selfie! Into the semifinals of #usopen2016! @matteksands ?????? pic.twitter.com/J10bVfqx6U

— lucie safarova (@luciesafarova) September 6, 2016

NEW YORK, NY, USA – Top seed Serena Williams reached her sixth straight US Open semifinal with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over No.5 seed Simona Halep.

“I feel great. I’m glad I got tested,” she told press after the match. “I think her level really picked up in the second, but I had some opportunities that I didn’t take.

“So what I gather from that is I really could have played better in that second set and maybe had an opportunity to win in straights.

“I think if anything, that’s the biggest silver lining I take.”

Playing the last of the ladies quarterfinals, Serena enjoyed a strong start against Halep, racing out to a 3-0 lead and edging out a long sixth game to take the opening set in just over a half hour. Halep, however, has been playing some of her best tennis this summer with a win at the Rogers Cup and a semifinal showing at the Western & Southern Open, and saved a stunning 12 break points in the second set to level the match on her fifth set point.

Serena began the decider saving a pair of break points of her own, converting the comeback into a 4-1 lead and didn’t look back as she served out her spot in the semifinal in 134 minutes.

“I think there is a huge enjoyment in the three-set matches, but I just feel like you don’t get that appreciation until later. Obviously in the moment you want to win fast and you want to win easy and win in straights. You really feel that appreciation much later.”

In all, the American hit 50 winners to 43 unforced errors, and the serve proved particularly potent on Wednesday night with 18 aces. For her part, Halep kept a positive differential of her own with 20 winners to 17 unforced errors, but was only able to break serve twice in three sets.

“I think it was a good match,” Halep told press. “I played well. I could play better in those moments when I had chances. But I think the level was pretty high.

“I’m ok with the way that I was fighting till the end. It’s something normal now for me, so it’s a good thing. She played really well. She is the best player, so her serve was huge today.

“It was tough. I’m a little bit sad, but I have just to take the positives, because I have a lot going ahead.”

Up next for the World No.1 is No.10 seed and Cincinnati champ Karolina Pliskova, who is playing her first Grand Slam semifinal, in the first match of Thursday’s night session.

“I haven’t even gotten that far yet, actually,” Serena admitted. “I’m still trying to just get over this match. I’m sure Venus will tell me something, but I’ll be there. I’ll be ready tomorrow.”

After over 2 hours of tennis, 18 aces and 50 winners @serenawilliams beats #Halep to move on. #usopen https://t.co/58PNxuxl7t

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2016