Doha: Shot Of The Match (Radwanska)
Agnieszka Radwanska had a second shot of the match in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Total Open.
Agnieszka Radwanska had a second shot of the match in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Total Open.
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
From the best cook to the selfie queen, how well do the stars of the Volvo Car Open know each other off the court?
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
CHARLESTON, SC, USA – Good friends and doubles partners Daria Kasatkina and No.9 seed Daria Gavrilova did battle for well over two hours at the Volvo Car Open, with Kasatkina emerging victorious, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 to reach her second straight quarterfinal in Charleston.
“Today was very tough to play,” she said in her post-match press conference. “You go on court, you are tossing the ball for the serve and it goes in the tribune, you know. It was very difficult, and I was playing against my very good friend, so it was like double portion of toughness, but it was I think a good match, so I’m happy that I won.”
The pair’s last singles match came at the 2015 US Open, which Kasatkina won as a lucky loser in her Grand Slam main draw debut. Since then, the two have become fast friends and nearly upset Sania Mirza and Andrea Hlavackova earlier this week in doubles.
“Every tournament we are talking like, ‘Ah, imagine we play against each other.’ When the draws come out, we’re like, ‘For sure we play against each other first round,; and it never happens. And today we’ll go for dinner.”
.@DKasatkina kisses the line with the backhand! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/Q4nf2iqEna
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017
On the singles court, it was the Russian who made the better start on a windy Thursday on stadium court, taking the opening set and breaking serve at the start of the second.
.@Daria_Gav makes the smash through the wind! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/WJHgMcOwf9
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017
Gavrilova is three spots shy of the career-high ranking she first earned last fall, and battled through the blustery conditions to win four straight games to put the match nearly on level terms.
We're going all the way!@Daria_Gav takes the second 6-4! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/RPig9zJmv1
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017
Kasatkina regained her rhythm from there, breaking the Aussie as she served for a decider, and engaged Gavrilova in a lengthy tenth game on her own serve before the No.9 seed took it on her fifth set point.
Still, the unseeded Russian took momentum into the third, breaking serve in the opening game and raced to a 5-0 lead, winning one last epic battle and converting the two hour, 17 minute victory of a service winner.
“In the second set my coach came on the court. He told me I was start to play quite soft, and I stopped moving. He was right, because in the third set I pushed myself to play more aggressive, to start to move with the legs, and I did the job.”
.@DKasatkina is flying through the final set! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/ZPV1PZzXjC
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2017
There were no hard feelings at net for the two combatants, showing off a choereographed handshake after a tough match.
“She was like, ‘Okay, let’s do the weird handshake. And I said, ‘Let’s go like fake handshake!’ So we just were trying to make some fun.”
“I had a few tough months. I couldn’t win a match,” she added, discussing a tough season that nonetheless saw her earn two wins over World No.1 Angelique Kerber. “So I came here with not a lot of expectations for sure. I was just happy that I came back on the clay so I can play my favorite tennis, and I’m happy that I’m moving on and I’m in the quarters here.”
Up next for Kasatkina is No.10 seed Irina-Camelia Begu, another 2016 quarterfinalist who stunned 2010 champion Samantha Stosur to start the day in Charleston.
“She will be very motivated because she lost our last two matches. For sure she will try to do her best, and she’s better on the clay for sure. All her best results are on the clay. And I lose our only clay court match in Rome last year. “So for sure I have to prepare well to show my best tennis tomorrow.”
When it’s over and you’re still buds. @DKasatkina @Daria_gav @VolvoCarOpen. pic.twitter.com/tWByGIzw1a
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) April 6, 2017
WTA Insider | In the latest WTA Insider Live Blog, The semifinalists fight for the final at the US Open; will there be a third major final between Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber?
Injury kept Risa Ozaki from making her Miami Open debut in 2016, but the Japanese youngster made it count this spring, earning her career-best result at a Premier Mandatory tournament.
Qualifying for the main draw with a win over Julia Boserup, her tournament began with a win over Mutua Madrid Open semifinalist Louisa Chirico, and took a dramatic turn in a second round thriller against No.16 seed Kiki Bertens.
Playing well into the night thanks to rain delays, Ozaki outlasted Bertens in three tough sets to reach the third round. Keeping up that momentum, she pulled off one last upset against Julia Goerges, this time in straight sets.
Those wins earned her the right to battle World No.1 Angelique Kerber in the round of 16, where she ultimately fell in two.
Still, it was a banner week for the the 23-year-old, and looking to build on her new career-high ranking of No.72, Ozaki is your Breakthrough Player of the Month!
Final Results for March’s WTA Breakthrough Performance Of The Month
1. Risa Ozaki (55%)
2. Kayla Day (45%)
2017 Breakthrough Performance Of The Month Winners
January: CoCo Vandeweghe
February: Kristina Mladenovic
How it works:
Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com
Watch all of the best shots of the Qatar Total Open – right here!
WTA Insider | In the latest Daily Dispatch, Italian journalist Luca Baldissera joins once again to try and make sense of a remarkable evening under the lights.
MONTERREY, Mexico – World No.1 Angelique Kerber needed an hour and twenty-three minutes to see off the defending champion Heather Watson in straight sets and book her spot into the semifinals of the Abierto BNP Seguros, 6-4, 6-4.
“I think it was a good match, especially at the end,” Kerber assessed in her post-match press conference.
“We both struggled a little bit but I’m happy to be in the semis right now.
“I tried to play my game aggressive, and it’s always tough to play against Heather, especially because she was the defending champion here. But I’m happy I’m through it.”
First set ? @AngeliqueKerber!
Leads 6-4 in the opening set vs Watson! pic.twitter.com/zVWJO5D4YN
— WTA (@WTA) 8 de abril de 2017
Although Kerber, a runner up here in 2013, drew first blood early on by grabbing an early break, Watson kept pace with the World No.1 for much of the opening exchanges. The Brit’s backhand was on song throughout the match, despite being the constant target of Kerber’s booming forehand.
Watson kept Kerber under constant pressure – she brought up five break chances to try to erase the German’s lead, but Kerber held on to her serve after a mammoth struggle.
She opened the second set with another comfortable break of the Watson serve, but the defending champion kept herself within touching distance, needing a nearly 10-minute game to hold serve and avoid going down a double break.
World No.1 @AngeliqueKerber knocks out defending champ Watson 6-4, 6-4!
Makes @Abierto_GNP Semifinals! pic.twitter.com/9snfVzUS52
— WTA (@WTA) 8 de abril de 2017
But despite being able to hang with the World No.1 in the baseline exchanges, Watson was never able to break down the Kerber serve. She went 0/8 on break opportunities – two of these chances coming while Kerber served for the match.
Carla Suárez Navarro lies in wait in the next round for Kerber – the No.4 seed ousted Alizé Cornet in straight sets, dropping just two games in the 6-1, 6-1, 57-minute demolition.
“I’ve played against Carla a lot of times before, and we always have tough battles. I think it will be another good match tomorrow, I know I will have to play good tennis.
“But the goal is just to try to enjoy the semis and try, of course, to win the next match.”