Brisbane: Karolina Pliskova vs Alizé Cornet
Karolina Pliskova takes on Alizé Cornet in the final of the Brisbane International.
Karolina Pliskova takes on Alizé Cornet in the final of the Brisbane International.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands has become the World No.1 after clinching the title with the Brisbane International with Sania Mirza, ending her partner’s 91-week streak at the top.
ROME, Italy – 2015 Internazionali BNL d’Italia semifinalist Daria Gavrilova edged past former Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki, 6-1, 7-6(3), to set up a second round meeting with Mutua Madrid Open champion Simona Halep in the second round.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Rome right here on wtatennis.com!
“It was a tough match,” she said following her win. “I played really well in the first set and then in the second set I had chances to break her in the second game, but then I got broken in the next game. Then I was a break down until 4-2, so it could have gone either way – we were both making a lot of mistakes.
“I’m happy that I could manage my nerves in the tie-break and play a pretty clean tie-break.”
Gavrilova raced through the opening set, but Lisicki, who has only won back-to-back matches once in 2016, was on course to turn things around early into the second by taking a 4-1 lead of her own.
With some help from an on-court coaching session with Nicole Pratt, Gavrilova roared back to serve for the match after winning four games in a row, but Lisicki had one more momentum swing in store, getting to within one game of a decisive set.
First set ? @Daria_Gav
Races through the opening set vs Lisicki 6-1! #ibi16 https://t.co/6mZf6qt9kT
— WTA (@WTA) May 10, 2016
Holding serve to force a second set tie-break, the youngster bounded onward and upward to clinch the match in 82 minutes. Though both she and the German each hit 18 winners, Lisicki was ultimately undone by 26 unforced errors to only 17 from Gavrilova.
“I love it [being back in Rome]. I was very surprised we played on the Grandstand; when I saw the schedule, I was like, ‘Woah, this is so cool.’ And you know the fans here are like really into it, so it means a lot to the players.
Up next for the Aussie is No.6 seed Simona Halep, who is coming off of her second career Premier Mandatory title at the Mutua Madrid Open.
“I know I have Halep next because she had a bye. I know that’s going to be a tough match, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
Earlier in the day, No.9 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova eased through her first round match with Caroline Garcia. Though the Frenchwoman has been playing some of her best tennis in doubles with partner Kristina Mladenovic, that success has yet to translate in singles, as Garcia fell, 7-5, 6-2.
“I had a tough one against her in Miami, 7-6 in the third,” Kuznetsova said after the match. “I’m really happy I was able to get it done in two sets today. I don’t think I played my best game, but I feel better playing on clay, for sure.”
Mladenovic also had trouble in her first round with Jelena Ostapenko, as the young Latvian took out the World No.28, 6-3, 6-1.
Mladenovic qualified for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global last fall alongside Timea Babos, who is in the midst of a career-best season in singles; the Hungarian powerhouse blasted past qualifier Kiki Bertens, 6-1, 6-4.
Samantha Stosur saved a match point against Alison Riske in their first round before Gavrilova’s countrywoman pulled through, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-1. Lesia Tsurenko similarly recovered from a set and a break down to defeat qualifier Julia Goerges, 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.
No.11 seed Timea Bacsinszky had no problems against Yanina Wickmayer, setting up a second round match with Tsurenko, 6-2, 6-2.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova takes on Samantha Stosur in the first round of the Apia International Sydney.
ROME, Italy – Christina McHale celebrated her 24th birthday by scoring another good win over a quality opponent, beating Ana Ivanovic, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the Round of 16 at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Currently ranked No.56, McHale has quietly put together a strong four months that has seen her notch wins over Garbiñe Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova, Samantha Stosur, and Caroline Garcia.
Once ranked as high as No.24 in 2012, McHale finally seems to have put her injury and illness woes behind her.
“I think I’m physically stronger now,” McHale told WTA Insider. “I worked a lot on my fitness and I think that’s been a key for me, is to get stronger. In terms of my game I think my game is the same. You definitely try to make improvements to your game but the base of my game hasn’t changed. I try to look for forehands and rely on my movement a lot.
“But in the past couple of months in particular I’ve been healthy, which is key for me. I had the mono a few years back and I had a shoulder injury last season. Knock on wood I’ve been healthy. If you can train for matches, anything can happen.”
Her win over Muguruza at the BNP Paribas Open was her first over a Top 10 player since she beating Caroline Wozniacki at the Aegon International in 2012. Later that fall, McHale was diagnosed with mononucleosis and she was unable to back up her results in 2013, falling to as low as No.114 in the rankings. As she fought to get back into the Top 50, a shoulder injury stalled her entire 2014 off-season.
“I had a small SLAP tear,” McHale said. “I felt it on my serve. I didn’t serve once the entire off-season. Then I went to Australia and tried to play through that and it just wasn’t getting any better. After Australia I had to take a whole month off and do a bunch of rehab or therapy on it. “
Given her rise through the rankings four years ago it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking the New Jersey native is still one of the young guns on the tour. But at 24-years-old, McHale even admits she’s much more wary about the wear and tear on her body these days. Gone were the days she could just walk on court with minimal warm-up and play a three-set match. She’s had to become much more professional in how she treats and protects her body.
“I notice I have to take a lot more care of my body now,” McHale said with a laugh. “I have a whole routine I do for my shoulder, just to keep it good. All the stretching and stuff that I didn’t do in the beginning of my career.”
But her resilience has paid off. Last month she scored a key win for the United States Fed Cup team in sealing a win over Australia, beating Stosur in a tough three sets. Of all the wins she’s racked up this season, this was the sweetest.
“It was just so special to have a win that meant so much for the team and playing Fed Cup is such an honor,” she said. “I think it had been four years since I had a Fed Cup win so it was really exciting for me.”
Next up for McHale is the ultimate test in tennis: Serena Williams. The two Americans will face off for the second time in two months. McHale took Serena to three sets at the Miami Open in April, only to lose 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
“It was the first time I had played her in a match,” McHale said. “It’s really good that I’ve had that experience, but she’s the type of player that when she’s on there’s really not much you can do. But I’m going to compete really hard and try and impose my game like I did in Miami.”
Asked whether there were rumblings in the locker room about the possibility of some signs of vulnerability from Serena this season, McHale beamed a knowing smile. Come on, you guys. This is Serena.
“In my opinion, you can never count her out,” she said. “She’s done everything she’s done for a reason. You have to be ready. No matter what the circumstances are she’s super tough.”
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
Highlights from all the first-round action on Day 2 of the Apia International Sydney.
An interview with Eugenie Bouchard after her win in the second round of the Apia International Sydney.
How have Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber and the rest of the Roland Garros contenders fared in their past visits to the French capital?
NÜRNBERG, Germany – No.3 seed Annika Beck concluded a wild day at the NÜRNBERGER VERSICHERUNGSCUP, taking out countrywoman and No.7 seed Anna-Lena Friedsam, 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-2, to reach her first WTA semifinal of 2016.
A long rain delay interrupted quarterfinals day in Nürnberg, and a left thigh injury forced No.4 seed Lesia Tsurenko to withdraw from her hotly anticipated rematch with Julia Goerges, who advanced to her second semifinal of the season following her run to the ASB Classic final in January.
Qualifier Kiki Bertens continued her solid clay court season by taking the first set 6-1 over Bogota champion Irina Falconi before the American had to end her match prematurely due to a right ankle sprain.
With the Nürnberg crowd looking for a classic encounter, they got one between the two hometown favorites, as Beck battled Friedsam for over two hours on Center Court.
Narrowly taking the opening set in a tense tie-break, Friedsam fought back to level the match at a set apiece, only for Beck to right the ship in the decider, setting up a semifinal against either Varvara Lepchenko or Mariana Duque-Mariño, whose match was postponed due to darkness.
STRASBOURG, France – Caroline Garcia advanced to the final of the Internationaux de Strasbourg after coming through an epic encounter with fellow Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano.
Watch live action from Strasbourg this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
Leading 5-3 in the final set Garcia looked on course to close out the match in relative comfort. However, lucky loser Razzano ensured a dramatic finish by breaking back in the next game before eventually succumbing, 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-5.
“It feels great. I’ve watched Virginie for as long as I can remember,” Garcia said. “She’s a great player and a bit of an idol, so to not only play her but beat her was an amazing experience.
“It’s important for my confidence to get wins like this and in finals, especially ahead of Roland Garros next week. It was a fighting performance. Losing that first set was tough but I came back and got through.”
Later on, hopes of an all-French final were dashed in spectacular fashion as qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni dismantled No.4 seed Kristina Mladenovic, 6-1, 6-1, in exactly an hour.
In 1997, a teenage Lucic-Baroni lost to Steffi Graf in the final, and despite her long week she is quietly confident of making it second time lucky.
“Nineteen years in between the finals. It’s amazing. It’s like coming home now for me in Strasbourg,” she said. “Will I become French after this? No! If I would change it would be to Italian. My husband is Italian.”
Garcia has won all three of her previous meetings with Lucic-Baroni, including earlier this year in Miami. “Against Garcia, I’ve always posted negative results,” she added. “But hopefully that will change tomorrow! I’m playing some great tennis and haven’t been on court very long, despite coming through qualies.
“I’ve just got to keep this going, keep on playing strong, and hopefully I can get the title.”