Tennis News

RABAT, Morocco – Britain’s Laura Robson is back to her winning ways after a long injury layoff plagued with false starts – the former No.27 scored her first WTA main draw win since 2013 at the GP SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, advancing past Ghita Benhadi 6-1, 6-1.

Watch live action from Rabat & Prague this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Robson, who capped her promising juniors career by winning the Wimbledon Junior Girls Championship at 14 years old, found her professional career derailed by a left wrist injury and subsequent surgery that kept her sidelined for 17 months. She currently sits at No.426, but her ranking is expected to rise inside the Top 300 after the victory at Rabat.

The Brit’s performance against 18-year-old Moroccan wildcard Benhadi showed signs of Robson’s pre-injury form: she broke Benhadi’s serve six times and won 67% of her own first and second serve points.

Speaking earlier this year at Indian Wells, Robson said playing matches pain-free for the first time in two years has helped build her confidence.

“I’m not scared to hit [my serve] any more,” she said. “I am getting a couple of miles per hour on serve and the forehand, even if it doesn’t go in. It’s that nice feeling of not being scared to go for it anymore.”

Robson, who is making her Rabat debut this week, also expressed plans to take full advantage of her protected ranking that’s set to expire at Eastbourne, one week before Wimbledon.

“As much as I’d like to get more matches in at qualifying level and things like that, it would be a waste not to use [my protected ranking],” Robson said.

“I plan to play virtually all the clay-court season and the French Open and I think I’ll still have one left for the first week of the grass.”

Yay! ?? #happyandhealthy

— Laura Robson (@laurarobson5) April 16, 2016

Also through to the round of 16 is the top seed Timea Bacsinszky, who had little trouble cruising past Russian wildcard Anna Blinkova, 6-4, 6-2.

Lucky losers Richel Hogenkamp and Sara Sorribes Tormo made good on their second chances; Hogenkamp knocked out No.4 seed Irina-Camelia Begu, 6-3, 6-4, and Sorribes Tormo dominated the Tunisian wildcard, 6-0, 6-2.

Meanwhile No. 8 seed Yulia Putintseva and No.7 seed Lesia Tsurenko also advanced, along with Kateryna Kozlova, Tatjana Maria, and qualifiers Marina Erakovic and Aleksandra Krunic.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova was made to work hard for her place in the quarterfinals of the J&T Banka Prague Open, eventually subduing a dogged Madison Brengle in three sets.

Watch live action from Prague & Rabat this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

On another bitterly cold afternoon in the Czech capital, Kuznetsova took some time to warm to the challenge, running out a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 winner after just over two hours on court.

“Yesterday was really hard and today as well,” Kuznetsova said. “It looks like it’s warmer, but it’s not – thankfully it wasn’t snowing! Today I put the heat cream on, and almost all the clothes I have with me.”

The conditions affected the Russian’s game as well much as her wardrobe choices, and it was not until the latter stages that she began to resemble the player that impressed so much en route to the Miami final earlier this month.

“It’s difficult, especially on the clay, because I like when the ball bounces high, and here it doesn’t bounce at all,” she added. “It was a little bit ugly, but sometimes you need to win ugly matches, especially for me.

“In the first set I didn’t really play my game. I was struggling to move and when I don’t move my game is a little bit off.”

Earlier in the day, Lucie Safarova continued her progress when Lucie Hradecka retired from their all-Czech clash with a neck injury. Safarova, who led 6-4, 2-0 at the time of the retirement, is now through to the last eight of a WTA event for the first time since last August, and there she will face Hsieh Su-Wei.

“Obviously it’s not the best feeling after the match to win like that, but I think I played really well in the first set, served really well – there was a key moment at 5-4 when I was down 40-0 and aced her three times,” Safarova said. “Overall I’m happy with my game and ready for the next one.”

Also advancing with minimum fuss was No.3 seed Karolina Pliskova, who defeated Katerina Siniakova, 6-2, 6-4. Next up will be another hard-hitter, Camila Giorgi, after she overcame a late wobble to defeat qualifier Virginie Razzano, 6-1, 7-5.

WTA Insider Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen recaps the emotional weekends in Stuttgart and Istanbul, which saw Angelique Kerber successfully defend her title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, beating surprise finalist Laura Siegemund in the first All-German final ever in Stuttgart. Over in Istanbul it was Cagla Buyukakcay who lifted the trophy at the Istanbul Cup to become the first woman from Turkey to win a WTA Title.

Hear from Kerber and Siegemund as they discuss their successful weeks in Stuttgart and what they expect for the rest of the clay season.

Kerber on transitioning to clay courts: Yes that’s for sure. A few years ago clay was not my favorite surface. But right now I had a great clay court season last year and now, I played well in Charleston and here to win on clay, it gives me confidence that my game is also good for the clay court. That’s why I’m looking forward to Madrid, Rome and of course Paris, where I can play good tennis and play well there.

On adjusting to the increased media attention: I’m trying to enjoy it. It’s nice to do something different. To get to know new people, to see something different, not always my day is practice. I can change a little bit my day plan. So I try to enjoy it. So it’s both of it. I enjoy it but I’m also getting used to it.

Siegemund on what she’s changed to her preparation: I always say it’s not one thing that I can name; it would be too easy to say that. I’ve changed a lot of things over the last years. You probably know I took my time off at the end of 2012 and through 2013; I was studying and really done with tennis, and I never thought I’d be back at this point. It just helped me gain a new perspective on professional sports in general. That was one thing that was important for me. I also earned a coaching license and I learned things there that I used for my own training. I changed things in my physical training, my nutrition. When I decided to stop, I felt the freedom to try new things, and I found things that really work for me and I think the combination of changes is what’s bringing the success now.

Siegemund on enjoying her victories: We took the time to celebrate each success I’ve had this year. It’s one of the things I really want to take time for, because that’s what you work for. If you have success, you should take a moment, enjoy it and then move on to the next task. For me, it’s maybe not as surprising as it is for other people, but things are starting to come together for me.

Siegemund on her new perspective: It’s not that I press a button and everything’s fine; you can never have that. So, there are moments when I really get tight and really want to win. But I manage much better now than before the break to play freely and to just enjoy the moment – whatever it brings, win or lose – and enjoy the game.

Siegemund on being the No.4 German and the Olympics: I wasn’t seeing myself on that list; I was always hoping for doubles, that I’d have a chance. But the criteria is so high, and the German criteria made it as if there was no way for me unless I won four Grand Slams in half a year – which is not possible! I have to admit that the Olympic Games would be a huge dream; I would feel very honored. I played the student’s Olympics during my time off in 2013; it was such an amazing experience, and so knowing the student’s Olympics, I would love to go to the Rio Olympics. I really have to have some more good results and really try to focus on that and keep the way I play up to really make it.  

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MADRID, Spain – Former Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova finally got the big win she was looking for in 2016, surviving a second set hiccup to unseat top seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3, to reach the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open.

Watch live action from Madrid this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Cibulkova has had the game’s best on the ropes in the early rounds throughout the season – holding match points against Radwanska at the BNP Paribas Open and leading Garbiñe Muguruza at the Miami Open – but the 2009 French Open semifinalist refused to relinquish this chance against the Pole in the final match of the day on Court Manolo Santana.

Battling the crafty World No.2 for two hours and 37 minutes, each woman hit 43 winners in a high-quality affair that saw stunning power from the Slovak to edge ahead by a set and a break and serve for a spot in the second round.

On her least favorite surface, Radwanska wouldn’t back down so easily and broke back to level the set, and though she would prove unable to serve out the set herself, she snuck away with the ensuing tie-break and took a 2-0 lead in the decider.

Poised for a third straight loss to a Top 4 player at a Premier Mandatory, Cibulkova dug deep to win six of the last seven games of the match, converting all four break point opportunities in the final set and clinching victory with a thudding forehand winner.

The former World No.10 is coming off a win at the Katowice Open – having already reached a final earlier in the year in Acapulco – and a deep run in Madrid could be crucial as she aims to get back into the seeded position at major tournaments. Standing between her and the third round is Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, who advanced earlier in the day when Johanna Konta was forced to retire with an upper respiratory illness.

Over on Court 6, Timea Bacsinszky completed an impressive turnaround from winning the GP SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Rabat 24 hours earlier to edge past 2014 French Open semifinalist Andrea Petkovic, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.

“I was aware that I would have a low in my match,” Bacsinszky said of the understandable fatigue that caused her to fall behind 5-0 in the second set.

“I needed to adapt, know I’d have my chances, and just get into it. At the beginning, it was really going well for me. But after the the end of the first set, you could see I didn’t have the tension to be committed on important points. I was angry at myself, but thinking longterm, that it would be a long match. I tried to kick my butt in the beginning of the third, and the level went up.

“I didn’t want to be brilliant, just efficient.”

Also through late on Sunday was Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu; suffering from foot blisters in the second and third sets, Begu fought off a late charge from the Canadian youngster to survive the topsy turvy encounter, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

More to come…

MADRID, Spain – No.4 seed Victoria Azarenka won her 16th straight match in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open, taking out rival Alizé Cornet, 6-3, 6-2.

Watch live action from Madrid this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“I had two completely different type of players this week, and I’m adjusting pretty well,” Azarenka said after the match. “It’s just day by day progress, trying to get the game together.”

Though the Belarusian had never lost to Cornet in four previous encounters, three of those meetings went the distance, and with the two hitting 19 and 17 winners respectively, it was clear both women came to play. Azarenka raced ahead by a double break to start the match, and though Cornet would claw one back, she ultimately bowed to the pressure of the former No.1’s powerful returns, converting on her fourth set point.

“I feel that this year is going to be all about making progress and trying to improve, making errors but still improving.”

The second set came down to more missed opportunities for the Frenchwoman, who won but one of her eight break point chances in the match, while Azarenka took five or nine to advance into the third round in one hour and 23 minutes.

“She’s a good player; she’s always going to be a tricky opponent because she’s a great fighter and has a lot of variety. But I was trying to focus more on myself and that’s what helped me to get through today.”

Up next for the two-time Australian Open champion is qualifier Louisa Chirico, who is making the most of her main draw debut in Madrid  with a stunning 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 win over 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic.

Earlier in the day, Christina McHale continued her solid spring swing with a 7-6(3), 6-4 upset over No.13 seed Karolina Pliskova; McHale was part of the American Fed Cup team that upset Australia, defeating former French Open finalist Samantha Stosur in a crucial singles rubber.

MADRID, Spain – No.6 seed Simona Halep is the highest ranked player left in Madrid, and the former World No.2 lived up to her billing in emphatic style on Wednesday, dispatching rival Timea Bacsinszky, 6-2, 6-3, to reach her second Mutua Madrid Open quarterfinal in the last three years.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Madrid right here on wtatennis.com!

Runner-up at the Premier Mandatory event back in 2014, Halep has had a up and down season thus far, but has largely been on an upward trend since reaching back-to-back quarterfinals in Indian Wells and Miami. Bacsinszky beat her in the last eight of the latter, going on to reach the semifinals of the Miami Open and capture her first title of 2016 at the GP SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem last week. Dealing with a 24-hour turnaround from winning in Rabat, the Swiss star increased her winning streak to seven by reaching the third round of Madrid, but Halep proved too strong in the end, running away with the win in just over an hour.

“I like more to play on clay,” Halep said after the match when asked how she earned her revenge. “I changed tactics. I played less power today and I just tried to mix up the game, to be more creative on court, and to open the court better, to play more on her forehand.

“So I did a good job, and I think I adjusted my game very well to hers.”

The Romanian enjoyed another clean victory, hitting 19 winners to 18 unforced errors, and was the aggressor throughout – coming to net a whopping 19 times and winning 15 of those forays. Bacsinszky wasn’t able to step into the court in the same way that she has for much of the spring, but fatigue was largely a factor in what was her eighth match in nine days.

“I played the best I could today, but obviously against such a good player, it’s not enough,” Bacsinszky said after the match. “For sure, in these kinds of tournaments, you’re hoping not to play a player as fierce as Simona. She’s a great sportswoman and physically she’s always ready.

“Last time we met, I was doing really well physically and hadn’t played as many matches as I have here. Energy-wise, I was really on a high level in Miami and I had a lack of that today. Sadly, it’s tough to admit sometimes that you’re not better on the day; it was quite even at the beginning of the match. On the key points, you need to be fresh in your mind to make good decisions on the court, because it goes so quickly. Even if I’ve gained confidence from winning all those matches, when you have a lack of energy, it could make a huge gap between you and your opponent.”

Halep’s win guaranteed a Romanian woman in the semifinals as compatriot Irina-Camelia Begu backed up her stunning upset of Garbiñe Muguruza with yet another three-set thriller, this time recovering from a set down to defeat Christina McHale, 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-4.

“You know, I like playing for at least two hours!” Begu said with a laugh, having won her third three-setter in a row to reach the quarterfinals.

“It was a tough match; I started a little bit slower at the beginning. I had some chances, but I was too slow and she was trying to hit the ball a little bit faster. But even like this, I had a set point. I was a little disappointed after losing that set but I was trying to fight, but I’m in the quarterfinals again!”

With Romanian and former ATP player Ion Tiriac the owner of the tournament, Madrid has always been a special place for Halep, who credits the wildcard Tiriac offered her in 2013 with kickstarting her career.

“It’s a Romanian tournament, I can say,” she said with a smile. “I feel like home here. I feel good always. I have great memories from 2014. I just try to make it best tournament for myself. I try just to enjoy it, because I like it very much.

“Of course many Romanians are on the draw and they keep winning. It’s a good thing for our country.”

.@Simona_Halep making it look easy! ? #MMOPEN https://t.co/KQZ2lRWu40

— WTA (@WTA) May 4, 2016

MADRID, Spain – Samantha Stosur became the last woman into the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open on Wednesday night, ending a spirited challenge from qualifier Patricia Maria Tig, taking out the Romanian, 6-3, 6-4.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Madrid right here on wtatennis.com!

“I feel like I picked up well from last night,” Stosur said after the match, referring to her big three-set win over Carla Suárez Navarro on Wednesday.

“Obviously it was a different opponent, but I was able to combat that with my tennis.”

At 21 years of age, Tig earned a trio of impressive main draw wins to reach the last eight, defeating Daria Kasatkina, No.16 seed Sloane Stephens, and Madison Keys to set up the meeting with the 2011 US Open champion.

“I’m actually quite impressed with her game; she’s got a really good first serve and really goes after the ball. She moves well, slides, and hits the ball with a lot of pace – even when she’s behind the baseline. So she can be very tricky; all around, she has a really tidy game and aggressive style, so I think she’ll do quite well.”

Though the Romanian would finish the match with a positive winners to unforced error differential, the Aussie’s experience shone throught when it mattered, hitting 22 winners of her own and saving all six break points faced in the match – including three in a row at 0-40 in the final game.

“I don’t think I played really terribly for those three points to get myself in that deficit; nevertheless, it’s not the ideal start to trying to serve out a match. But I made a lot of first serves in that last game, and ended up getting through it.”

Stosur and Halep have split their six meetings. Halep has won the last three but haven’t played since 2013. pic.twitter.com/AkSSlUYQFr

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) May 5, 2016

Into to the semifinals of Madrid for the first time in her career, Stosur booked an encounter with No.6 seed and 2014 finalist Simona Halep, who is the highest ranked player in the draw. Stosur and Halep have an even head-to-head, but the top ranked Romanian has won their last three matches – all three coming in 2013.

“We haven’t played for a long time, but when we did, we went through a span of playing each other a lot and had some really close three-setters. I’ve got to expect a tough one; she’s going to make me play and make me work. I don’t think there’ll be too many easy points out there, so when I’m able to win the point, I’ll have to win it. It’ll have to be a balance of being aggressive and being patient. Winning, but not losing on my own racquet!”

One of the most consistent clay courters of the last six years, Stosur’s singles breakout first came at the French Open in 2009, when she reached the semifinals; the veteran backed up that run the very next year by reaching the final, going through a murderer’s row of Justine Henin, Serena Williams, and Jelena Jankovic along the way.

“If I can bring my best tennis, or close to my best tennis, I do feel like I’ve got a good shot against anyone. Over the course of my career, I’ve proved that, and that’s a really good thing to know. But you’ve got to be at your best level consistently to be at the top of the game. That’s where I was a few years ago; obviously I’ve dropped back a little bit now, so I’m really working towards trying to get back there now.

“These first couple of weeks on the red clay have been really good, and I’m happy with where things are going, so I’m hoping there’s still a little bit of room for improvement.”

ROME, Italy – World No.1 Serena Williams will have to run the gauntlet if she is to recapture the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, after Friday’s draw placed her in the same section as several title rivals.

After her last-minute withdrawal from Madrid because of flu, Williams will begin her clay court campaign at the Foro Italico, a venue that holds many fond memories; three times the American has been crowned champion in the Eternal City (2002, 2013 and 2014), and on the first two occasions she followed it up with French Open glory.

As one of the top eight seeds, Williams receives a first-round bye, before taking on either Anna Karolina Schmiedlova or Anna-Lena Friedsam in her clay court opener. Should she clear this opening hurdle, Williams is projected to meet Ana Ivanovic in the third round, Simona Halep in the quarterfinals, then Victoria Azarenka in the last four.

No.4 seed Azarenka is still nursing the back injury that forced her out of Madrid and will begin with the winner of Margarita Gasparyan and Irina-Camelia Begu. Also keeping her company in arguably the most open section of the draw are Roberta Vinci, Karolina Pliskova and Lucie Safarova.

Like Williams, No.2 seed Angelique Kerber has been placed in a tricky quarter. Awaiting her in the second round will be either Jelena Jankovic or Eugenie Bouchard, before a likely third-round date with one of the WTA’s finest clay courters, Sara Errani. Should she negotiate the treacherous path to the last eight, Petra Kvitova or Venus Williams could lie in wait.

Looking to bounce back from her Madrid disappointment, No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza will need to watch out for another banana skin; Ekaterina Makarova, Kristina Mladenovic and Elina Svitolina are all capable of scuppering her all-Spanish quarterfinal against Carla Suárez Navarro in the quarterfinals.

Click here to see the draw in full.

Notable 1Rs @InteBNLdItalia:

Keys-Petkovic (winner plays Kvitova)
Pliskova-Kasatkina
Venus-Vandeweghe
Jankovic-Bouchard
Gavrilova-Lisicki

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) 6 May 2016