Tennis News

DOHA, Qatar – Co-No.1 doubles team Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza had not lost a match since last August at the Western & Southern Open, but their 41-match winning streak came to a sudden halt at the hands of Russian duo Elena Vesnina and Daria Kasatkina, 2-6, 6-4, 10-5.

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An accomplished doubles player, Vesnina won her most recent Grand Slam doubles title over Hingis at the 2014 US Open, when the Swiss Miss was still partnered with Flavia Pennetta. That script would flip in dramatic fashion less than a year later at Wimbledon after Hingis paired up with Mirza; the two roared back from a 2-5 final set deficit to beat Vesnina and longtime partner Ekaterina Makarova for their first major title.

“That was an amazing match for us,” Vesnina said after the match. “We played against them just a week ago, and they’re one of the greatest doubles teams we have in women’s tennis. I think everything worked today for us to win, and we’re just so excited about it.

“We changed our tactics a little bit in the second set, and we saw that it started to work. We stuck to this game plan, and were a little bit lucky on some points, but it’s always like this in doubles with deciding points. Dasha played really well on key moments. She just went for her shots and made a lot of good volleys today, so we’re really pleased and proud about this win.”

“It’s unbelievable for me,” Kasatkina added, “something huge because it’s just my third WTA doubles tournament and we beat Sania and Martina. For me, it’s something unbelievable.”

Santina’s historic streak began two months after their Wimbledon triumph at the US Open, which would be the first of nine straight titles as a team, including the China Open, the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, the Apia International Sydney, a third major title at the Australian Open and, most recently, the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy – where they beat Vesnina and Kasatkina in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

“We were surprised that so many people came to watch,” Vesnina said. “The court was packed; most of the people were cheering for Martina and Sania, which is normal. It actually worked well for us; we were enjoying this atmosphere on the court. It felt like we were playing a final.”

“It was a full house!” Kasatkina said with a laugh.

Had they won a 10th title in Doha, Hingis and Mirza would have tied Jana Novotna and Natasha Zvereva for the longest winning streak since 1990 at 44 match wins, but still had a ways to go before catching Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver, who amassed 109 straight matches between 1983 and 1985.

So that's how the cookie crumbled .. just kiddin.Hehe.. We'll be back stronger than before?#SanTina #4⃣1⃣✔️ @mhingis pic.twitter.com/1uKpPT8Wks

— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) February 25, 2016

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Dominika Cibulkova is back into the Abierto Mexicano Telcel final for a second time after a comfortable win over Christina McHale, 6-3, 6-3.

“This is the first time in my career that I’m in the final of a tournament that I’ve won before,” Cibulkova said. “I won this tournament two years ago. And now coming here this year, I’m in the final now. It’s a great feeling.”

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In a rematch of their 2014 final in Acapulco – which saw the Slovak raise the trophy after a fierce battle, 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 – Cibulkova took command early, dictating with her blistering forehand and not facing a break point all first set. She kept the heat on McHale, playing inside the court and returning well to force the first break of the match at 4-2, then breaking her again for the set at 6-3.

Cibulkova took advantage of a pair of McHale double faults to go up yet another break to start out the second set, but the American took it back a few games later, leaving them toe-to-toe at 3-3. After that McHale couldn’t find her way back into the match at all, and Cibulkova took the next three games to close out the match.

She’ll face Sloane Stephens in the next round, which will be her first final since 2014 and a major milestone on her road back from injury. Last year, she was sidelined for over four months due to an Achilles injury.

“It feels like everything is coming together now,” Cibulkova said after the match. “I’ve practiced really hard and I had some tough matches this year. Now I just feel like I’m playing well and finally I get to the final. I’m so happy it’s here in Acapulco again.

“I’m ready. I’m healthy, I’m ready, and I’m playing good tennis. So we’ll see what’s going to happen.”

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