Insider Podcast: Pliskova's Big Night
WTA Insider | In the latest Daily Dispatch, Italian journalist Luca Baldissera joins once again to try and make sense of a remarkable evening under the lights.
WTA Insider | In the latest Daily Dispatch, Italian journalist Luca Baldissera joins once again to try and make sense of a remarkable evening under the lights.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – US Open champion Angelique Kerber was back in front of the camera within hours of her second Grand Slam victory. The soon-to-be World No.1 posed for photographer Jen Pottheiser with the trophy in a series of black and white and color photos.
“I’m feeling much for confident now in my skin and how I am,” Kerber told WTA Insider in the latest Champions Corner. “I think it’s because of my experience I know what’s happened, I know how to deal with pressure, how to deal with the things I have to do off court. That’s what gives me the confidence to, you know, dressing up, speaking, working, being how I am.
“Of course it takes a little while to get where I am, and it was really tough but really good.”
Check out the photos below:
All photos courtesy of USTA/Jen Pottheiser.
Serena Williams’ Signature Statement Collection hit the runway at New York Fashion Week, and Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki were in the front row to take it all in.
Play is underway at the Coupe Banque Nationale in Québec City, but before the players took to the court they were challenged to a round of trivia at the player party!
QUÉBEC CITY, Canada – 19-year-old Oceane Dodin capped off a dream week in Québec City by reaching her first WTA-level final at the Coupe Banque Nationale where she’ll face American qualifier Lauren Davis.
“I’m just very, very happy to be in my first final,” the Frenchwoman said. “It’s a pleasure to be here in Québec. It’s like France so it helped me so much!”
Dodin started off the week by winning her first ever WTA match in emphatic style, coming back from a set down to oust the No.5 seed Naomi Broady. She continued her run and romped past Sachia Vickery and Alison Van Uytvanck in straight sets to reach a maiden semifinal, before defeating American Julia Boserup 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 for a spot in her career first WTA-level final.
Her strong serving and aggressive play made the difference against Boserup – Dodin struck 17 aces during the match and won 77 percent of points behind her first serve.
“My dad [coach Frederic Dodin] always tells me that I have to be very aggressive,” Dodin said, explaining how she bounced back after losing the second set. “But sometimes with my nervousness, I’m not. So I look at him and he’s like, ‘Go! Go! Go!’ So it helps me so much and I stay focused.”
Dodin’s opponent in the final, Davis had to survive a two-and-a-half-hour battle against fellow qualifier Tereza Martincova to advance 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-2.
“It was very tough, I feel like we were out there for so long,” Davis said. “And we both already have a lot of matches under our belt, but we competed great.”
With the win Davis is into her second WTA final, having reached the Citi Open final earlier this year.
“I’m really happy with the way I’ve competed this week, I’ve stayed healthy and I’ve really enjoyed myself. That’s the most important thing.”
An interview with Agnieszka Radwanska ahead of her participation in the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
GUANGZHOU, China – 23-year-old Swiss Viktorija Golubic is into the quarterfinals at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open after coming back from a set down to upset top seed Sara Errani, 6-7(7), 6-3 6-4.
Aside from reaching her fourth quarterfinal this year in what has become her breakthrough season, Golubic has also avenged her Bastad loss to Errani, where she lost to the Italian after taking her to a first-set tiebreaker.
“I’m very, very tired, it was such an exhausting match,” Golubic said. “We played each other on clay this year, and that was also very tough so I was prepared for that.”
“But still in the end I had to put all the energy together to come through, and I am very happy.”
Golubic held a 5-3 lead in the first set, as well as five set points in the tiebreak during a tight opening set. Errani fought off Golubic’s chances with her tricky forehand slices and dogged defense, roaring back from 2-6 down in the tiebreak to take the first set. Golubic stayed aggressive, and took advantage of Errani’s vulnerable serve to create more chances, outlasting the Italian after a three-hour marathon to advance to the quarterfinals.
“Sara is a very tricky player – she makes you think and she gives you the balls back, a very tough player,” Golubic said. “I was doing many good points, but I also missed a lot.”
“I tried to find the balance between aggressiveness and consistency, and it was hard work to do.”
Sabine Lisicki is also through to the quarterfinals after a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Chinese wildcard Peng Shuai.
Despite the match being a mostly one-sided affair during the hour-and-six-minute encounter, Lisicki admitted it was difficult to take on her good friend.
“It’s always so tough to play a friend,” Lisicki said in post-match press. “Shuai and I have played doubles together a few times, so we know each other quite well.”
“I thought I played very well. I knew that I had to play well and strong to beat her. I’m very happy with my game, but also wish her the best in her comeback.”
Joining Golubic and Lisicki in the quarterfinals at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open is No.3 seed Ana Konjuh, who weathered a late challenge from Georgian qualifier Sofia Shapatava to advance 6-1, 7-6(2).
“I’ve never played her before but I know her from Fed Cup, so I’ve seen her playing,” Konjuh said of her opponent. “I just had a tactic and just focused on myself more.
“In the second set she came back and fought for every point, so it was a bit harder.”
No.2 seed Jelena Jankovic also advanced in Guangzhou after Rebecca Peterson was forced to retire with a right thigh injury after trailing 6-1, 1-0.
SEOUL, South Korea – Could we see an all-Romanian final at the Korea Open? Patricia Maria Tig kept hopes of that possibility alive with a 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-3 win over Sara Sorribes Tormo, while No.5 seed Monica Niculescu avenged the loss of defending champion, top seed, and countrywoman Irina-Camelia Begu by defeating conqueror Jana Cepelova, 6-4, 6-2.
Sorribes Tormo was coming off a big upset over No.4 seed Kristina Mladenovic, and though she was able level the match after losing a tight opening set, Tig held her nerve to reach her first WTA semifinal of the season. The young Romanian had made her Premier Mandatory breakthrough earlier in the year when she reached the last eight of the Mutua Madrid Open as a qualifier.
Up next for the 22-year-old is Lara Arruabarrena, who knocked out No.2 seed Johanna Larsson, 6-4, 6-0.
On the other half of the draw stands Niculescu, who is playing her first event since reaching the third round of the US Open. Deprived of an all-Romanian semifinal with Cepelova defeating Begu in the second round, Niculescu exacted revenge on the Slovak to advance in straight sets.
Awaiting Niculescu in the semifinals is No.3 seed Zhang Shuai; the Australian Open quarterfinalist ended the run of unseeded Camila Giorgi, 6-2, 6-4.
Naomi Osaka takes on Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
Highlights from the semifinal round at the Toray Pan Pacific Open.