Tennis News

DUBAI/BUDAPEST – The Middle East Swing takes the tour into the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the first Premier 5 event of the 2017 season. Meanwhile, tennis returns to Budapest for the inaugural Hungarian Ladies Open. What are the top stories to look out for in what promises to be another wild week on the WTA tour?

Check out 10 things to know right here on wtatennis.com:

Doha?❤? pic.twitter.com/piEpXrFcxK

— Karolina Pliskova (@KaPliskova) February 18, 2017

1. Pliskova closes in on Doha/Dubai double.
Since the Middle East swing was created in 2001, just two women have swept both events: Martina Hingis (2001) and Justine Henin (2007). Karolina Pliskova put on a comprehensive performance at the Qatar Total Open to become the first to win two titles in 2017; the Czech is seeded No.2 in Dubai and opens against either St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy champ Kristina Mladenovic or Shenzhen Open winner Katerina Siniakova.

2. Kerber gets crack at No.1.
Angelique Kerber lost the top spot after Serena Williams won the Australian Open, but the German could take it back should she win Dubai. As the top seed, she’ll play countrywoman and wildcard Mona Barthel, who is working her way back from a disastrous 2016 that saw her sit out several months due to illness. Can the two-time Grand Slam champion turn around a tough start to 2017?

Your #DDFtennis top three seeds, ladies and gentlemen pic.twitter.com/OjwGnHHcoG

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) February 19, 2017

3. Cibulkova in the swing of things.
Dominika Cibulkova admitted to having a slow start to the season when press during All-Access Hour. Two straight semifinals and a 400th career match win have given her a big bump heading into Dubai, where the Slovak is seeded No.3. Her first opponent will nonetheless be tricky, as Ekaterina Makarova won their most recent match in Melbourne.

4. Another Radwanska/Pironkova rematch?
Speaking of Melbourne rematches, No.4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska could play dangerous floater Tsvetana Pironkova in her opening round; the two have split their last two matches at the French Open and Down Under. But the Bulgarian will have to get past Hobart International champion Elise Mertens for a chance at pulling off the upset.

On Top of the World! @GarbiMuguruza enjoys a breathtaking sunset at the ? tallest building, the @BurjKhalifa​! pic.twitter.com/POJrzLwn6M

— WTA (@WTA) February 19, 2017

5. Muguruza’s cultural revolution.
Garbiñe Muguruza has enjoyed a solid start to 2017 and is already enjoying her time in Dubai – taking in the sights like the Burj Khalifa. The No.5 seed opens against either Kateryna Bondarenko or qualifier Aryna Sabalenka, with Radwanska looming in the last eight.

6. Svitolina seeks a big breakthrough.
Elina Svitolina starts 2017 with a win over then-No.1 Kerber and a title run at the Taiwan Open. The Ukrainian youngster heads to Dubai looking for more of both, with a first Premier title firmly in her sights. Seeded in Cibulkova’s quarter, Svitolina opens against qualifier Zhang Saisai, with Naomi Osaka serving as possible third round opposition.

Into the 2nd round ! @DDFTennis #DDFtennis #FlyWithCaro @Nikecourt @yonex_tennis ???????✈️?? pic.twitter.com/jV570InLHI

— Caroline Garcia (@CaroGarcia) February 19, 2017

7. Big teams reunite in doubles.
The first big event since the Australian Open sees several familiar teams pair up in Dubai, led by top seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic, and Olympic Gold medalists Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina. The draw also features the return of Martina Hingis and Chan Yung-Jan, who teamed up for the first time in Doha, reaching the semifinals.

8. Babos does Budapest.
Timea Babos caps a career-best 12 months with a hero’s welcome at home in Hungary. One of three hometown favorites in the draw – leading wildcards Dalma Galfi and Fanny Stollar – Babos plays her first round against wildcard Ipek Soylu, who won the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai in doubles last fall.

First time playing on a court made up of— WOOD! ???#Budapest #WTA pic.twitter.com/nwygHF4C88

— Irina Falconi (@IrinaFalconi) February 18, 2017

9. Safarova shoots for first title in 10 months.
Lucie Safarova last took home a WTA title at home in Prague, having more than a few ups and downs since then. The Czech veteran is seeded second in Budapest, with Magda Linette drawn as her first opponent. Can the former World No.5 breakthrough in Bedapest?

10. Goerges attempts to erase Fed Cup disappointment.
Julia Goerges had a strong start to her season, upsetting Caroline Wozniacki en route to the semifinals of the ASB Classic, but a knee injury sustained at Fed Cup threatend to derail her momentum. Seeded third in Budapest, Goerges opens against a qualifier in what will be likely be an important test for the big-hitting German.

BIRMINGHAM, England – Defending champion Angelique Kerber battled back to defeat Daria Gavrilova and book a belated place in the quarterfinals of the Aegon Classic Birmingham.

Watch live action from Birmingham and Mallorca this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

The match was one of the many to fall victim to Thursday’s biblical thunderstorms, Gavrilova leading 6-5 when the heavens opened. Kerber made a disastrous start to the restart, losing her serve and with it the set. However, as the match wore on the German began to find her rhythm and in the end ran out a comfortable 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 winner.

“It’s good to turn around the match after the rain delay, but it’s always tough to play against her so I’m really happy I played my game from the first point and found my rhythm again and won the match after losing the first set,” Kerber said.

“It was a new day, a new match, trying to just play aggressive tennis and get used to the grass. It was a good preparation for Wimbledon.”

Happy #FistpumpFriday for @AngeliqueKerber as she continues her #AegonClassic defence with a win! pic.twitter.com/5XugiWSbxG

— British Tennis (@BritishTennis) June 17, 2016

Kerber did not take long to get over the disappointment of losing the opening set, outmaneuvering her young opponent to manufacture a couple of break points in the opening game of the second. Only one was required, and with the German now in her groove Gavrilova never looked like wresting back the initiative.

While Kerber’s unforced error count was as miserly as ever – she committed 21 in the match – Gavrilova struggled in vain for consistency. There was no masking the Australian’s frustration as she dropped the second then slipped 5-1 behind in the decider, Kerber closing out the contest in style, crouching down to uncork her 27th winner of the match. 

It will be a busy day for Kerber, who will return later to take on Carla Suárez Navarro in the last eight. Suárez Navarro booked her place with a rollercoaster win over Andrea Petkovic, frittering away a 5-2 final set lead before recomposing herself to complete a 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) victory.

There was disappointment for the home nation, as Heather Watson and Johanna Konta both slipped to defeat. British No.1 Konta made a bright start, breaking in the opening game but was up against it from then on as an impressive Yanina Wickmayer eased to a 6-3, 6-3 win. Watson lost to former finalist Barbora Strycova, 7-5, 6-4. 

BIRMINGHAM, Great Britain – Already assured of becoming the first American to debut in the Top 10 since Serena Williams in April 1999 by reaching the Aegon Classic final, Madison Keys went one better in Birmingham, defeating tour veteran Barbora Strycova, 6-3, 6-4, to win her second WTA title.

Watch live action from Birmingham and Mallorca this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Keys had been made to work through a rainy week in Birmingham, winning a pair of thrilling three-setters against Jelena Ostapenko and Carla Suárez Navarro just to clinch her Top 10 debut. Strycova, by contrast, had dropped just one set en route to her second final of what has been a career-best season for the Czech, who is also set to play the doubles final alongside countrywoman Karolina Pliskova against Vania King and Alla Kudryavtseva.

But it was the 21 year old American who drew first blood on Sunday’s final, racing out to a 3-0 lead and never looking back in a decisive opening set.

“I think I got off to a good start in the first set breaking early,” she said in her post-match press conference. “I think I held onto the that lead pretty well. Then in the second set, she definitely raised her level.”

Strycova indeed kept it close in the second, engineering a break point in the eighth game that would have allowed her to serve for a decider, but Keys kept her cool and won the last three games on the bounce to win her first WTA title since 2014 – also on grass in Eastbourne.

“There was definitely a couple of games, especially when I was serving, that I really had to dig deep and figure it out. Luckily I was able to.”

A quarterfinalist at last year’s Wimbledon Championships, Keys played near-perfect grass court tennis during the 79 minute affair, hitting 27 winners to 16 unforced errors and winning 13 of 18 forays to the net.

“I’m feeling pretty good. I think getting this many matches in a row was a huge opportunity that I think that can definitely help me at Wimbledon.

“I obviously really love the surface, so the more I get to play on it, the happier I am.”

Not only did Madison Keys become the first American to debut in the WTA’s Top 10 since April 1999, but the Aegon Classic champion also dramatically improved her chances for a debut appearance at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

Moving up six spots from No.13, Keys moved into the Top 8 at No.7, just ahead of 2014 finalist Simona Halep. The Top 6 remained unchanged after a week of play in Birmingham and the inaugural Mallorca Open, with Serena Williams, Angelique Kerber, Victoria Azarenka, Garbiñe Muguruza, defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska, and Carla Suárez Navarro all retained their places on the Road to Singapore leaderboard.

Birmingham finalist Barbora Strycova also edged closer to the Top 8, moving up three spots to No.13. Caroline Garcia captured her first-ever title on grass and roared into the Top 16 from No.23.

The final Wimbledon preparations continue this week in Eastbourne, with Radwanska, Belinda Bencic, Timea Bacsinszky, and Petra Kvitova all in action.

RTS Ranking Movers

Madison Keys: No. 13 to No.7 (+6)
Caroline Garcia: No.23 to No.16 (+7)
Barbora Strycova: No.16 to No.13 (+3)
Jelena Ostapenko No.28 to No.26 (+2)

Click here to see the full Road To Singapore leaderboard standings following Birmingham.