Tennis News

LONDON, Great Britain – Six months after Angelique Kerber’s stunning win over World No.1 Serena Williams at the Australian Open, the two face off once more in a major final, as the rivals each captured emphatic semifinal victories to compete for the Venus Rosewater Dish on Saturday.

Combined, the two women have dropped just one set throughout the wet and wild fortnight at the All England Club, but the stakes are as high as ever for Serena, who is aiming to capture her record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title. For Kerber, a second major title would not only solidify her status among the game’s highest echelons, but would also prevent the American from tying countrywoman Stefanie Graf’s record, a role she deftly played in Melbourne

WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen is joined by wtatennis.com contributor Chris Oddo as the two preview what promises to be an exciting ladies’ final and the fruition of a burgeoning rivalry between Williams and Kerber:

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MELBOURNE, Australia – 2003 finalist Venus Williams is back into the Australian Open final for the first time in 14 years after coming back from a set down to dispatch fellow American CoCo Vandeweghe.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion celebrated Australia Day in the best way possible, notching a 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4 victory to reach her second final in Melbourne Park.

“It means so much to me, mostly because she played so well,” an emotional Venus addressed the crowd at Rod Laver Arena. “She played so unbelievable and I had to play defense the whole time, it feels like.

“There was never a moment of relaxation ever, so to be able to get to the final through a match like this… I’m excited about American tennis!”

“I would love more than anything to see her across the net from me on Saturday.” #Venus on possibly facing #Serena in the final #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/LBgBcTPqBq

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 26 de enero de 2017

Vandeweghe, whose power game suited perfectly to the faster court speeds of this year’s event, was enjoying her maiden Grand Slam semifinal appearance after a commanding run, which included a straight-sets stunner against World No.1 Angelique Kerber.

But she was out of her depth against the 36-year-old Venus, who relied on her veteran experience to allow Vandeweghe to take advantage of just one of her 13 break point chances.

“I don’t think I was totally freaking out or anything close to that when I came out there,” Vandeweghe reflected later in press. “I was pretty set on competing and working hard. I think it showed in kind of the tougher points and tougher moments.

“As far as not playing as well as I could have, it goes along with tennis. You’re going to have good days and bad days. You just have to adjust as best you can.”

Thank you #Vandeweghe for your wonderful performance at this year's #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/xxuSL3OQj2

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 26 de enero de 2017

The younger American’s lone break of serve came in the very first game of the match, where she had Venus under pressure from the start. But the lead didn’t last very long, with Venus jumping on some second serves and a double fault – the first of 11 for Vandeweghe – to wrench back the advantage.

The pair stayed on par to take the set into the tiebreak, where Vandeweghe found her dictating form once again and Venus, while not making too many missteps, was left to react. Vandeweghe crushed a Venus second serve with a backhand down the line and took the tiebreak, the first set Venus had dropped in the entire tournament.

Venus was right back on track in the second set, though, switching gears to target the vulnerable Vandeweghe backhand and reel off five straight games for a 5-1 lead. The younger American didn’t cede an inch, bringing up four break points in the marathon, seven-minute seventh game, but Venus stayed in front.

The 36-year-old stayed the course in the third, breaking twice and, after two hours and thirty minutes on court, advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal since 2009 Wimbledon.

.@Venuseswilliams is through to the women's final #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/3Jdo8Zlag9

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 26 de enero de 2017

With the win Venus becomes the oldest Grand Slam finalist since Martina Navratilova at 1994 Wimbledon, and the 14 years between this and her last Australian Open final appearance sets a new Open Era record.

Awaiting in the final is younger sister Serena Williams, who blew past Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in straight sets to book the first all-Williams final Down Under since their 2003 meeting.

“When I’m playing on the court with her, I think I’m playing the best competitor in the game,” Venus said in her post-match press conference. “I don’t think I’m chump change either, you know. I can compete against any odds. No matter what, I get out there and I compete.

“[It] won’t be an easy match. I know that it won’t be easy. You have to control yourself, then you also have to hopefully put your opponent in a box. This opponent is your sister, and she’s super awesome.”

All at once, World No.1 Serena Williams was the hunter and the hunted, in search of a 22nd Grand Slam title – which would tie Stefanie Graf’s Open Era record – while trying to fend off a rising opposition from challengers like Angelique Kerber and Garbiñe Muguruza, who each defeated her at the Australian Open and French Open finals.

“I have definitely had some sleepless nights, if I’m just honest, with a lot of stuff,” Serena said in the latest WTA Insider Champions Corner. “Coming so close. Feeling it, not being able to quite get there.”

Turning around a tense three-setter against fellow American Christina McHale, the top seed shook off the disappointment of the last six months and roared to her seventh Wimbledon crown, not dropping another set and avenging her Melbourne loss to Kerber in the championship match.

“One day I woke and I felt different. I felt I can do better. I can do this. Not only can I do this but I’m going to do this and there’s nothing in this world that’s going to stop me.”

The win tied her with Graf and put her in pole position to break the record at the upcoming US Open, the site of her first major triumph in 1999 and where she began her second Serena Slam in 2014.

“I definitely feel like when I lose I don’t feel as good about myself. But then I have to remind myself that you are Serena Williams. Do you know what you’ve done, who you are, what you continue to do not only in tennis, off the court? You’re awesome. I think that shows the human side of me, that I’m not a robot. I only expect perfection.”

If it’s not perfection from the 22-time Grand Slam champion, it’s pretty close – and more than enough to earn her the mantle of June’s WTA Player of the Month!

Final Results for June’s WTA Player Of The Month

1. Serena Williams (62%)
2. Dominika Cibulkova (21%)
3. Angelique Kerber (14%)
4. Madison Keys (3%)

2016 WTA Player of the Month Winners

January: Angelique Kerber
February: Carla Suárez Navarro
March: Victoria Azarenka
April: Angelique Kerber
May: Garbiñe Muguruza

How it works:

Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com 

GSTAAD, Switzerland – Top seed Timea Bacsinszky finally won her much-delayed second-round encounter against Mandy Minella at the Ladies Championship Gstaad.

After three days spent waiting for the rain to abate, Bacsinszky was clearly intent on making up for lost time, sweeping past qualifier Minella, 6-2, 6-2, in just 55 minutes. In the quarterfinals, the Swiss No.2 will face Johanna Larsson.

“We’ve been quite used to this for the past couple of months in Switzerland. You just have to be patient and you just have to have a good playlist and books with you,” Bacsinszky said. “And I’m also lucky to have a great team with me to help me pass the time quicker, so I don’t feel that I’m waiting so much.

“I’m happy that I was on court today and that I was able to catch the win. For sure it was a really good match for me and I’m looking forward to being on court again tomorrow.”

With the sun finally shining, Bacsinszky made the brightest of starts, a break in the opening game helping her to ease through the opening set.

“I started to be quite aggressive from the beginning on and I showed her that she would have to move me all around the court if she was to get some short balls. I was really focused on that and kept telling myself that if I kept the intensity up things would probably be okay!”

A lot of bang for the buck for the Swiss fans today! #WTAGstaad #SupportTheSwiss @TimeaOfficial pic.twitter.com/8MoHMil4LF

— Ladies Open Gstaad (@WTA_Gstaad) 15 July 2016

There was also plenty of home cheer elsewhere as Bacsinszky’s compatriots Viktorija Golubic and Rebeka Masarova both registered victories. Golubic overcame a slow start to defeat Evgeniya Rodina, 7-5, 6-1, while wildcard Masarova also finished strongly to defeat Anett Kontaveit, 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-2.

“It’s a great privilege to be one of those three players, and also to play the first tournament in 33 years here in Gstaad. Who knows, hopefully we will all go further in the tournament,” Bacsinszky added.

There were busy days for Bacsinszky’s fellow seeds, Kiki Bertens and Annika Beck, both of whom were on court early to complete protracted first-round assignments before returning later on to book their place in the last eight.

No.3 seed Bertens defeated Claire Feuerstein, 7-6(9), 6-1, while Beck, the No.5 seed, eased past Katerina Siniakova, 6-2, 6-1.