Halep Headlines Rainy Thursday
WTA Insider | In the latest WTA Insider Live Blog, Simona Halep leads Thursday’s order of play, likely under the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
WTA Insider | In the latest WTA Insider Live Blog, Simona Halep leads Thursday’s order of play, likely under the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Karolina Pliskova talks about her performance at the BNP Paribas Open.
Petra Kvitova has cut a relaxed figure so far at the US Open. So relaxed, in fact, that she is trialing an unconventional approach to practice.
Karolina Pliskova extended her dominance over Garbiñe Muguruza, edging past the Spaniard in straight sets to return to the BNP Paribas Open semifinals for the second straight year.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – Samantha Stosur is widely regarded as one of the most popular players on tour. And it is easy to understand why; magnanimous in defeat, honest to the press and generous with her time for other players, Stosur is not one for airs and graces.
One player who will testify to the above is Zhang Shuai. A regular practice partner of the Australian, Zhang sought her counsel at a particularly low ebb. In fact it was Stosur that talked the Chinese player out of hanging up the racquets for good, during a meal in Beijing last year.
The sisterly pep talk seemed to do the trick as just a few months later Zhang ended her long-running Grand Slam hoodoo by making it all the way through qualifying and into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
The 27-year-old looks capable of replicating this success at the US Open where she is through to the third round following a bittersweet upset of Stosur.
“She helped me a lot last year when I thought about retiring. She told me to keep going and not give up. She tried to help me by playing doubles,” Zhang said.
“It’s a tough feeling playing her and I feel sad for Sam. She always tries her best, she loves the game. I hope that next time we will meet later in the tournament.”
Zhang had lost her only previous meeting with Stosur, at Roland Garros this May, and admitted afterwards that it was a result she believed beyond her: “Before the match I didn’t think I could beat her because she was a champion of the US Open and she has very good serve and very good spinning forehand. It’s very tough to play her. She beat me in the French Open so this gives me a lot of confidence.”
Next up is another fearsome ball-striker, Yaroslava Shvedova, as Zhang attempts to follow in the footsteps of compatriots Peng Shuai and Li Na by reaching the second week in New York.
“I am very excited. I love New York. Now I want to focus on my tennis and not on the fact that I am the last Chinese woman left in the competition.”
Zhang Shuai floored to be in the 3R @usopen. “Usually when other people start the tournament I’m already in China,” referring to 1R history.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) 2 September 2016
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.28 seed Kristina Mladenovic roared back from a set and a break down to defeat 2011 BNP Paribas Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2, to not only reach her first Premier Mandatory semifinal, but also gaurantee a Top 20 debut on next week’s WTA rankings.
“It’s been a lot of matches and, to be honest, it’s like the longest kind of string of winning matches I had so far in my career,” Mladenovic said in her post-match press conference.
“It feels great, but in the same time, every day I go out there on the court or in the gym practicing, it’s for moment like that. So I’m not getting too excited. I’m just super satisfied that I am on that kind of stages right now and trying to use my chances and the my opportunities I have.”
Mladenovic had never beaten Wozniacki in three previous encounters, but their most recent meeting last fall undoubtedly gave the surging Frenchwoman hope of pulling off the upset.
“Caroline is a top player, former World No. 1. She’s also in very great shape; she had a very good start of the season, as well, and won lots of matches.
“That final in Hong Kong at the end of last year was very painful for me, very frustrating. I thought I was playing well that entire week and, in the final, I was just kind of exhausted and injured.
.@KikiMladenovic with a delicate volley! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/gq1Ta8xKYr
— WTA (@WTA) March 16, 2017
“Today I thought, ‘Okay, today I’m feeling good.’ When I woke up, nothing was hurting. I’m not injured. I was happy about that. I wanted to give a fight there and have no regrets.”
The start of the match saw Mladenovic with plenty of opportunities, but after six games, the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy champion was down 1-5 and 0/7 on break point opportunities.
“I wanted to take my revenge, of course. It was not easy. Again, it was a tough battle and tough conditions. We played, yeah, two hours and a half. I didn’t start the match well at all.
“I thought, when you lost three times against a player, it means that something is wrong and that you don’t really like her game.”
Edging closer in the first set, she recovered from an early break in the second to move ahead 5-3 before ultimately leveling the match in a tie-break.
“I felt like I needed adjustments. It’s the first time for me playing on that huge stadium. I just stayed very positive and composed, because I was out there battling with myself first, because I wanted kind of too much.
“I was just fighting mentally to be close with her at the scoreboard, and eventually I got my chances. And I think I played really well the tie-break.”
.@KikiMladenovic is serving for a place in @BNPPARIBASOPEN Semifinals! pic.twitter.com/F6Pm54UTPR
— WTA (@WTA) March 16, 2017
Mladenovic is in the midst of a career-best stretch of form, winning her first WTA title and reaching another final at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, and only got better as the final set wore on, breaking twice to serve out the win in two hours and 33 minutes.
“I went for my game. I went for some variation. I think I played differently at some points, trying to use more the court to make her run, as well, because she was doing that pretty well to me.
“Something new I put today was the serve and volley on such important points. I impressed myself with that! Every time I would serve good on the backhand, she would go very deep and return well. I was, like, ‘Okay, let’s just be creative here.’
“It paid off, and it gave me a chance to fight a third set. I think the third set was the best of today from me.”
Maintaining impressive stats, she struck 42 winners to 39 unforced errors, and won five of six break points in the final two sets.
“At the end of the day I tried my hardest, and that's all I can do.” Wozniacki finding the positives after QF loss to Mladenovic. #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/Stwiag1zHi
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 16, 2017
“I felt pretty much in control there for a while, but sometimes it is what it is,” Wozniacki said in press. “Maybe lost a little bit of concentration, let her back, and then she started playing better. It happens.
“I was trying to be very focused out there and just do my thing. I fought until the end, but it just wasn’t enough today. You can always learn and I can do better.
“But, at the end of the day, I tried my hardest and that’s all I can do.”
Up next for the French No.1 will be No.14 seed Elena Vesnina, who held off an impressive fight from former World No.1 Venus Williams to win in three sets.
.@KikiMladenovic makes first ever @BNPPARIBASOPEN Semifinal!
Edges Wozniacki 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2! pic.twitter.com/unK28QbgEm
— WTA (@WTA) March 16, 2017
“I’m going to enjoy this win and try to recover, because two and half hours on court takes a lot out of me. I’m excited and no matter who I play, I’m sure it’ll be a tough one, hopefully an exciting one with great tennis.
“I’m very happy, and hopefully I can continue.”
? @kikimladenovic headed to the semifinals #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/95J3Yvl6C5
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 16, 2017
WTA Insider | On the first WTA Insider Live Blog of the second week, can World No.2 Angelique Kerber defeat Petra Kvitova to reach the US Open quarterfinal?
As the BNP Paribas Open draws to a conclusion, some players are looking ahead to the weekend whilst others are already busy acclimatising for Miami.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – Sunday saw the identity of the first four quarterfinalists at this year’s US Open revealed. Among their number is the evergreen Roberta Vinci, her victory over Lesia Tsurenko ensuring Italy has a representative at this stage for the ninth year in succession.
Joining the WTA Insider team on the latest podcast is Italian journalist Luca Baldissera to discuss his compatriot’s chances against World No.2 Angelique Kerber in the last eight.
In the latest Daily Dispatch hear from Anastasija Sevastova’s entertaining and insightful press conference, Madison Keys, Petra Kvitova and a preview of the remaining fourth-round clashes:
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No.14 seed Elena Vesnina has booked a spot into her first ever Premier Mandatory final at the BNP Paribas Open after a dominating performance over Kristina Mladenovic.