Dubai: Tuesday Highlights
Highlights from the first round action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Highlights from the first round action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – Marketa Vondrousova’s fairytale week took her to her first WTA title at the inaugural Ladies Open Biel Bienne; in the battle of first-time finalists, Vondrousova knocked out Anett Kontaveit, 6-4, 7-6(6) in a thrilling championship match.
“It’s the biggest win of my career, because I’d mostly played smaller tournaments, 25Ks and 60Ks,” she said in her post-match press conference. “This was one of my first big tournaments, and I was injured in my left elbow for a lot of last year. I had to do a lot of fitness, which helped me become a better mover.
“Now I’m playing really great!”
What a lob by Vondrousova!
Takes it into a Second set tie-break! #WTABiel pic.twitter.com/9f76GMpLT7
— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017
Playing in just her second WTA main draw, Vondrousova came to Biel/Bienne on a roll from the ITF Circuit, having reached four finals and won two titles on that level to start the season.
“At first, I asked for a qualifying wildcard because I wasn’t sure if I could get in without one Once I got into qualies, I almost lost my first match, but I got better and better from there. I played so great the last few matches, so I’m really happy,” she said, letting out a joyful sigh.
The Czech teenager had to qualify and battle past fellow rising stars Annika Beck and Kristyna Pliskova before earning her first career Top 20 win over top seed Barbora Strycova.
“We had goals to play Grand Slam qualifying because I was around No.220 before this tournament. So now I’ll definitely be in qualies for sure, and I’ll be changing my plans and think about it.”
SHE'S DONE IT!
17 year-old Qualifier Marketa Vondrousova captures her FIRST #WTA Title at @WTABielBienne!
Edges Kontaveit 6-4, 7-6(6)! pic.twitter.com/ABNuafCoOV
— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017
Against Kontaveit, she continued to employ her high-octane game to impressive effect, striking 28 winners to 26 unforced errors and edging past Kontaveit at the end of each set to take home her first title in one hour and 45 minutes.
“I was down 4-6 in the tie-break. I got a bit lucky when she hit the net then, but it helped remind me to play my game, and it worked out from there. Thank God!”
Vondrousova is set to move up over 100 points in the rankings, shattering her previous career-high and putting her in striking distance of a Top 100 debut.
“I won a 15K and that was like a thousand dollars, so I definitely don’t know what I’ll do with the money I won here!” she joked of the over $40,000 prize money. “My mom will have to help me out!”
“It's been an amazing week, thank you to everyone for your support. I hope to be back next year!” -Marketa Vondrousova #WTABiel pic.twitter.com/gPe03ydK1o
— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017
Earlier in the day, Hsieh Su-Wei won the battle of former doubles No.1s, pairing Monica Niculescu to outlast Olympic Silver medalists Martina Hingis and Timea Bacsinszky, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.
“It was a fun match because both don’t just hit straight across, but also slice and lob,” Hsieh said after the match. “They do a lot at the net, so it was a fun match to play, and plus Monica helps a lot.”
“Su-Wei always plays like this!” Niculescu added. “If you know, Su-Wei, you know!”
Hingis and Bacsinszky were using the week in Biel/Bienne to prepare for the upcoming Fed Cup semifinal, where Switzerland takes on Belarus; they were also aiming to be the only Swiss women to win their home title, but Hsieh and Niculescu had other ideas, receiving the trophy from another Swiss Olympian, Giulia Steingruber, Bronze medalist on vault.
“It was a tough match,” Niculescu continued. “I think the level was very good, and we playing some good tennis. Su-Wei and I were a good team. It was only our second time playing together, but we played amazing because we had to against Martina and Timea. You know what they did; they won the medal, won matches together, and they play good tennis.
“I’m so happy to play with Su-Wei; hopefully it’s not the last time!”
All photos courtesy of Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Sorana Cirstea survived a rainy quarterfinals afternoon, continuing her road back from injury with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over No.3 seed Danka Kovinic and earning a spot into her first WTA semifinal since 2013.
The win is a big milestone for Cirstea, who is playing in her first WTA main draw matches since last summer in Bucharest.
“I´ve been injured for one year and a half, so to come back and play three matches and be fit and healthy is the most important for me,” Cirstea said after the win. “After you come back from an injury you start realizing how lucky you are when you are pain-free and you enjoy more tennis.”
Up next for the Romanian is the resurgent Shelby Rogers, who dashed Brazil’s hopes of a home champion when she ousted qualifier Paula Goncalves 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
“It´s going to be the first time I face Shelby, unfortunately I don´t know her very much,” Cirstea said of the semifinal matchup. “We haven´t even practiced together. It´s going to be a tough match and I´m going to try to focus on my side of the court.”
On the other side of the draw, Francesca Schiavone emerged victorious after a two-and-a-half-hour encounter against Cindy Burger 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-3. The Dutch qualifier was the author of an upset in the first round when she sent American Christina McHale packing in a three set thriller.
“It was a difficult match and the conditions were not easy today,” Schiavone said. “The ball kicks a lot on this courts here, so it´s quite challenging. The heat is also extreme, but I like to play on this conditions and I prepared well for that.”
Awaiting the Italian veteran in the semifinal is Petra Martic, who defeated Lara Arruabarrena 6-4, 5-7, 7-5.
“It´s going to be a very tough match because Martic plays really well, especially on surfaces where the ball kicks a lot, like it happens here in Rio,” Schiavone said of the dangerous Croatian who stunned No.1 seed Teliana Pereira in the first round. “She is also tall and is definitely going to use that. It´s going to be a challenge, but I think I´m ready
“Of course we have to take into account the fact that at the semifinals we are all ready. We all have 25% chance of getting the title.”
Sloane Stephens is on the comeback trail following surgery on her left foot – and her latest social media update shows her recovery is going well.
She tweeted: “Day 1 walking…EXCITED!” and accompanied that with a short video clip showing her smiling and taking a few tentative steps.
Day 1 walking… EXCITED!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/47PReC1EGT
— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) April 18, 2017
The American picked up the injury last summer, and although she had hoped rest would help her to recover from it, she announced at the start of 2017 that it would require an operation.
She plans to return to the tour this summer.
Highlights from the quarterfinal round action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Both Fed Cup semifinals are locked at 1-1 after the first day of singles play on Saturday – find out how it happened.
Highlights from final round action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
ACAPULCO, Mexico – Playing her first WTA match since her incredible Australia campaign, Victoria Azarenka shook off the rust and withstood a tough challenge from Polona Hercog, coming back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.
“I don’t really come with too many expectations to any tournament, and this is not an exception,” Azarenka told press after the match. “I’m here trying to work on my game.
“My first match, it was a little bit uncomfortable at first. But I need to do that in matches to improve my game.”
Azarenka, who was making her Acapulco main draw debut, was up against the World No.82 Hercog, who was a finalist here in 2010. She struggled in the first set and showed signs of frustration – Azarenka was broken three times and her powerful groundstrokes were misfiring, racking up unforced errors. The Belarusian got one break back and fought off a set point, but gave up the first set 6-4.
Dropping the opening set seemed to be just the motivation that Azarenka needed, though, and once her game clicked, there was no looking back. She broke Hercog for 4-2 and went on to grab the next two of three games, winning the set 6-3. Azarenka was nearly unstoppable in the third – after Hercog held serve to get on board, Azarenka won the next six games to close out the match in commanding fashion, 6-1.
“I had way too many unforced errors in the beginning, but it wasn’t really a big deal,” Azarenka said of her adjustments in the second half of the match. “Just little mistakes there and there – I just cleaned it up.
“I just tried to stay a little bit more consistent and really take my opportunities better and execute my game better. “
Though she survived the tough encounter, Azarenka won’t be getting a break in the next match. Awaiting her in the second round is the on fire Dominika Cibulkova, who dominated her clash with Lourdes Dominguez Lino, winning 6-0, 6-0.
“It went pretty well,” the always-understated Cibulkova commented after the 52-minute match. “I was really strong mentally today and that’s why I won.
“I wouldn’t say I was playing really, really good. I was playing OK, I played the way I needed to play.”
She didn’t face a single break point in the straight sets romp, and didn’t let the blustery conditions affect her. What helped her stay focused?
“I am an experienced player so I know how to not get crazy about the heat, the sun and the shades,” she said, referring to the tough conditions on the grandstand court. “If I’m thinking about everything else but not the game, it would be much more tough.”
Also though to the second round is Shelby Rogers – last week’s Acapulco finalist – who survived a tough opening set to defeat Anna Tatishvili 7-6(6), 6-0. Christina McHale downed Heather Watson 4-6, 6-0, 7-6(1) to advance. No.7 seed Danka Kovinic, qualifier Julia Glushko and Olga Govortosova are through as well.
DOHA, Qatar – No.4 seed Garbiñe Muguruza played some of her best tennis of the year to dispatch Hungary’s Timea Babos, 6-2, 7-5, to reach the quarterfinals of the Qatar Total Open.
“I think it was very tough,” she said during her on-court interview. “The second set, we were fighting like crazy. Timea started to play better and by the end of the match we were both very tight.
“But hey, I’m happy to win!”
Babos came into their third round encounter as the tour-leader in aces, but Muguruza stole the show on serve, hitting 10 aces of her own and 31 winners to just 22 unforced errors. Babos kept her side of the stat sheet even – 21 winners and 21 errors – but missed out on an opportunity to force a second set tie-break in the final game of the match, putting Muguruza into the last eight in Doha.
“Timea serves very strong, so I knew I had to be focused on my serve and hers as well. It was definitely one of the keys.”
Playing in Doha for just the second time in her career, Muguruza will play Andrea Petkovic for a spot in the semifinals; Petkovic closed out CoCo Vandeweghe, 6-3, 6-4.
“I think the city is super fine. Doha looks great, and I’m really happy to be here and playing, finally!”
Earlier in the day, Elena Vesnina backed up her win over No.2 seed Simona Halep with a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win over former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki; the win put Vesnina into her first Premier-level quarterfinal in nearly three years (Eastbourne 2013) and was just her second win over the Dane in eight prior encounters.
The last match of the day took place between No.9 seed Roberta Vinci and Turkish wildcard Cagla Buyukakcay; Vinci maintained her focus through a feline interruption to win, 7-5, 6-1.
#MuguIsBack pic.twitter.com/2kBcFof5Dh
— WTA (@WTA) February 24, 2016
Over 300 kids and their families packed the Mextennis Stadium for the 23th edition of the annual AMT Kids’ Day.
Victoria Azarenka was in the middle of all the action, having stayed in Acapulco despite having to bow out of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel due to injury.
She was joined on court by a colorful cast of characters including Spongebob Squarepants’ Patrick…
…as well as Spongebob himself!
Vika was also joined by David Ferrer, meaning the children got the chance to hang out with both the WTA and the ATP top seeds.
Azarenka and Ferrer were recognized as Agents of Change for making a difference by being a positive example to the youth.
The 300 children present came from local tennis schools and several area youth programs.
The players led the kids through drills and exercises, as well as gave them an unforgettable experience with their heroes.