Zhuhai: Garcia Interview
An interview with Caroline Garcia after her win in the group stage at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
An interview with Caroline Garcia after her win in the group stage at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
Elena Vesnina has Friday’s shot of the day at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
Wildcard Zhang Shuai became the first to advance into the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy semifinal with a straight-set win over Timea Babos in the Camellia Group.
GUANGZHOU, China – 18-year-old Ana Konjuh romped past Jennifer Brady in straight sets to book a semifinal clash with defending champion Jelena Jankovic at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open.
The Croat opened her quarterfinal match with an emphatic break to love, and served powerfully to hit five aces and win 90 percent of points behind her first serve.
She didn’t face a break point until the final game of the first set, when Brady mounted a late resistance and brought up five chances. But the teen batted away her chances and served out the set. She earned a second break late in the final set to advance to her WTA-level semifinal of the year, 6-4, 7-5.
With the victory, the youngest player left in the tournament will take on the oldest player in the draw, as Konjuh books a semifinal clash with defending champion and WTA veteran Jankovic.
“I know her pretty well and I know she’s a young player who is playing very well in this moment,” Jankovic said. “We player earlier in the year on grass, in Mallorca, and I was able to win that match. But every match is a new match and I just hope I can come out tomorrow and play some good tennis and hopefully I can make it to another final. This is my goal.”
The No.2 seeded Serb faced a tight first set against Sabine Lisicki in her quarterfinal – the German was two points away from taking the first set while Jankovic was serving at 5-4. But Jankovic rallied to take the set in a tiebreak.She took the decisive break late in the second set to advance 7-6(4), 6-4.
“I think it as a good match overall – we were both fighting for every point,” Jankovic said. “That first set was very close, just a few points’ difference. I was able to stay strong and fight hard, and I think that fighting spirit was the difference.”
“I pushed myself a little bit more when the times got really tough out there. I’m very happy I was able to win against Lisicki, because she was playing a very high level tennis.”
Also through to the semifinals are Lesia Tsurenko and Anett Kontaveit. Tsurenko came back from a set done to out the No.5 seed Alison Riske 3-6, 6-4, 6-0, while Kontaveit downed Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
WTA Elite Trophy ambassador Steffi Graf hosted a charity clinic at the Huajin Securites WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
Highlights from the second round and quarterfinals action at the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
ZHUHAI, China – Tennis legend Stefanie Graf, the ambassador for the second edition of the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai, paid a visit to the one of the city’s most impressive landmarks to promote the tournament and the host city, aiming at further connecting Zhuhai with the world.
Click here for a photo gallery of all of Steffi’s activities in Zhuhai!
In her first pubic activity ever in mainland China, Graf visited the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, a Y-shaped bridge which connects Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China, and, when completed, will be the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world.
The former No.1 was joined by Caroline Garcia, one of the 12 single players at the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai, to play tennis at a mini court temporarily established on the landmark bridge.
Check out the best photos from the event right here, courtesy of the WTA Elite Trophy!
Johanna Konta is one of three players left in the Indian Wells draw not ranked inside the Top 100 this time last year. Who are the other two?
Petra Kvitova continued her love affair with China by defeating Elina Svitolina to lift the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Top seed Serena Williams endured a few frustrating moments against a resurgent Kateryna Bondarenko, easing past the qualifier, 6-2, 6-2 at the BNP Paribas Open.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!
Bondarenko came back to tennis just over 18 months ago after giving birth to a daughter, but has been playing some of the best tennis of either of her two careers in 2016, reaching the Australian Open third round as she slowly creeps back to her former career-high of No.29.
“It definitely wasn’t an easy match,” Williams told Andrew Krasny during her on-court interview. “She’s obviously been a good player in the past, and she knows how to play on big courts against big players. So, it was a good match for me.”
In complete control through the first six games, the American lost serve a game from the opening set, and battled through windy conditions and some evident angst through the 72 minute match. In the end, she hit 26 impressive winners to only 22 errors, while Bondarenko hit 13 winners to 21 unforced.
“Regardless of whether it’s windy, not windy, and you just have to be able to adjust. I always think things can be worse!”
Up next for the 21-time Grand Slam champion is No.5 seed and defending BNP Paribas Open champion Simona Halep; Williams triumphed in both of their 2015 encounters – including a tight two-set win in the finals of the Western & Southern Open.
Back at Indian Wells for only the second time since 2001, Williams said she’s feeling the love from fans in the California desert, and hopes to be the crowd favorite come the quarterfinals.
“I want to scream back that I love you too – I’m not sure if that’s appropriate – but I do; I love you guys, and thanks for your support.”