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Garcia Battles Into Luxembourg Second Round, Allertova Trips Up Bouchard

Garcia Battles Into Luxembourg Second Round, Allertova Trips Up Bouchard

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

LUXEMBOURG – Caroline Garcia battled into the second round of the BGL BNP Paribas Luxembourg Open thanks to a 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-4 victory over Anett Kontaveit.

Watch live action from Luxembourg & Moscow this week at WTA Live Powered By TennisTV!

The World No.25 made a fast start to the match, coming back from 40-15 down to break in the Estonian’s serve thanks to an excellent backhand that just about found the line. However, Garcia soon surrendered her advantage, as Kontaveit found her range, producing a stunning return on break point.

Though Garcia managed to stop Kontaveit’s run of three straight games, a poor service game at 5-5 gave the 20-year-old the chance to take the first set, only to succumb to the pressure. She paid for her error, with Garcia taking a one-sided tie-break.

Kontaveit started the second set well and a wild groundstroke from Garcia gave the youngster a crucial break to go 4-2 up. A second break followed following an error-strewn game from the 23-year-old and the Estonian levelled the match.

Garcia began the decider with renewed vigor, two breaks helping her charge into a 3-0 lead. Kontaveit tried to rally, and managed to claw back half of the deficit but Garcia held firm and made it into the second round after an almighty struggle.

Meanwhile, Monica Niculescu secured her progress in the tournament after a 6-4, 6-2 win against Kirsten Flipkens.

The Romanian had a frustrating start to the match, squandering four break points in the opening game before being broken to love, but she was soon back on level terms finally her converting one of the chances afforded to her on the Flipkens serve. Flipkens moved ahead once more at 4-2, but was soon pegged back, failing to win another game in the first set.

Both players were similarly successful when returning in the second set. Niculescu went a break up immediately but the Belgian levelled the set, only to surrender her serve immediately. A further break at 5-2 cemented the World No.51’s advantage but she was able to serve out the match and book her place in the next round.

Denisa Allertova

In the evening session, there were wins for Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Denisa Allertova. Schmiedlova won a topsy-turvy encounter with Yanina Wickmayer, 6-0, 1-6, 6-3, while Allertova recovered from the disappointment of losing five consecutive games in the first set to upset No.7 seed Bouchard, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

“I just tried to fight for every point and play the best that I can, because I knew she is a great player and that it would be a tough match,” Allertova said. “I think I played good tennis; I tried not to make a lot of mistakes and recovered well from the first set when I was leading and then lost 3-6.

“In these games I didn’t feel so comfortable but then I started to play well at the start of the second set and I managed to come back.”

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Singapore Comes Full Circle For Cibulkova

Singapore Comes Full Circle For Cibulkova

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Earning her spot thanks to a title run at the Generali Ladies Linz – her third of the season – Dominika Cibulkova heads to the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global to finish what she started two seasons ago.

“In 2014 I was very close [to Singapore], and that’s what made me very intense and want it too much,” she told WTA Insider after winning in Eastbourne. “I was over-motivated and it didn’t happen.”

Cibulkova had long been among the toughest outs in tennis when a run to the 2014 Australian Open final – in which she ousted Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska en route – boosted the boisterous veteran into a new stratosphere. She who thrived as a chaser suddenly became the chased.

“Playing in the finals of a Grand Slam is a big thing. I think the other players always respected me, but when you earn a big result play a consistently high level of tennis, you become one of the best in the world.”

Adjusting to Elite Eight levels of expectation proved a slow process, as the specter of a WTA Finals debut weighed the typically fleet of foot Slovak down throughout the second half of that season.

“If you get in your head, I don’t think you can do well,” she mused at the Western & Southern Open’s All-Access Hour in August. “Whenever I really, really want to win, I never do.”

Eager to shake off the letdown, she gamely backed up her Melbourne run to start 2015, dismissing former No.1 Victoria Azarenka in one of the best matches of the year en route to the quarterfinals.

Dominika Cibulkova

All the while, Cibulkova soldiered on with a chronic Achilles injury; initially planning to postpone the surgery until autumn, the Slovak was suddenly off the circuit after Antwerp, returning after a four month stretch that ultimately set her back a year.

“It wasn’t easy to come back. I was around No.60 or No.70 in the world, and facing top players in the first round because you’re not seeded. You really have to play well to get back to where you were before, and I think that’s the hardest part.

“If you can manage that, then I think it shows you’re a good player.”

Cibulkova steadied herself at smaller events, reaching the semifinals in Hobart and the final of Acapulco. But the headline-grabbing upsets for which she’d become famous eluded her through the spring, failing to convert a match point against Agnieszka Radwanska at the BNP Paribas Open, and losing in similar style to Garbiñe Muguruza at the Miami Open.

“I was waiting for something at the big tournaments because at Indian Wells and Miami, I lost really close matches,” she said at the Mutua Madrid Open. “Playing in Katowice helped me quite a lot; I actually didn’t want to go there, but when I lost in the second round of Miami, I sat down with my coach and we said, ‘I’m playing well; I just want to go there and play matches.'”

Five wins and a first title in two years at the Katowice Open was the kickstart Cibulkova craved; she avenged the Indian Wells loss to Radwanska to reach the finals in Madrid, and arrives in Singapore having won her last three matches against the reigning WTA Finals winner, including a Wimbledon thriller that will likely be another match-of-the-year candidate.

“I was able to play well because I could enjoy my tennis without stressing too much,” she said in Stanford, attributing the shift to sessions with a mental coach.

Dominika Cibulkova

“It’s something that’s helped a lot,” she explained to WTA Insider in Eastbourne. “Now I realize everything I’m doing on the court, and I’m doing it with purpose. I don’t lose my emotions so much.

“I’m not saying it’ll be like this all the time because nothing is perfect, but I hope to keep it like this as long as I can.”

Tied with Radwanska at 49 match wins (second behind World No.1 Angelique Kerber), the Slovak newlywed leads the tour in three-set wins and is 5-3 against the Top 10, a group she rejoined for the first time since the her surgery after reaching the final of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.

“I played really well during the whole year on all surfaces,” she noted in press that week. “It’s just something, where maybe I’m more mature and just doing things better. That’s what helps make me be a more consistent player, and that’s what I’ve always wanted to be.”

Up to a career-high of No.8, the sky’s the limit for Cibulkova, who’ll aim to be better than her best in the last tournament of the season.

“I’m not the tallest player on tour. I always say I need to have something extra to beat these players or even be on the same level. Fitness is one of my things. I need to be more than hundred percent. My physical preparation is really, really hard and tough because I need to be ready more than the other girls who can serve aces and things like that.

“Right now, I’m just playing good tennis, and that’s what keeps me going.”

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Kerber, Radwanska Lead Red & White Groups In WTA Finals Round Robin Draw

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – The Elite Eight were placed into a pair of round robin groups at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Top two seeds Angelique Kerber and Agnieszka Radwanska headline the Red and White Groups, named for the colors in the Singapore flag.

Check out all the need-to-know information on where the Top 8 were placed:

Red Group

(1) Angelique Kerber (GER #1)
~ 2016 Titles: 3 (Australian Open, Stuttgart, US Open)
~ 2016 Record: 59-17
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016: Won Australian Open and US Open
~ WTA Finals history: 4th appearance in five years (2-7 record)
~ H2H vs Red Group: 12-9 (4-4 vs Cibulkova, 3-4 vs Halep, 5-1 vs Keys)

(3) Simona Halep (ROU #4)
~ 2016 Titles: 3 (Madrid, Bucharest, Montreal)
~ 2016 Record: 44-16
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016: Quarterfinalist Wimbledon, US Open
~ WTA Finals history: 3rd consecutive appearance (4-4 record – 2014 finalist)
~ H2H vs rest of Red Group: 10-7 (2-3 vs Cibulkova, 4-3 vs Kerber, 4-1 vs Keys)

(6) Madison Keys (USA #7)
~ 2016 Titles: 1 (Birmingham)
~ 2016 Record: 46-15
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016: R16 Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open
~ WTA Finals history: Making debut in 2016
~ H2H vs rest of Red Group: 5-9 (3-0 vs Cibulkova, 1-4 vs Halep, 1-5 vs Kerber)
~ Thoughts on her draw: “Everyone here has been playing really well and has had a great year. So, no matter who you’re playing, it’s going to be a tough match. We’re all looking to end the year on a high note.”

(7) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #8)
~ 2016 Titles: 3 (Katowice, Eastbourne, Linz)
~ 2016 Record: 50-19
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016: QF Wimbledon
~ WTA Finals history: Making debut in 2016
~ H2H vs rest of Red Group: 17-20 (3-2 vs Halep, 4-4 vs Kerber, 0-3 vs Keys)
~ Thoughts on her draw: “It’s a tough group, but both groups are, and so it’s hard to choose one or the other! But it’s my first time here, and so I hope to have a good start, and we’ll see what happens.”

White Group

(2) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #3)
~ 2016 Titles: 3 (Shenzhen, New Haven, Beijing)
~ 2016 Record: 51-16
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016: Semifinalist Australian Open
~ WTA Finals history: 6th consecutive appearance, 8th overall (9-12 record – 2015 champion)
~ H2H vs rest of White Group [with Konta]: 11-4 (2-0 vs Konta, 3-4 vs Muguruza, 6-0 vs Pliskova)
~ H2H vs rest of White Group [with Kuznetsova]: 13-16 (4-12 vs Kuznetsova, 3-4 vs Muguruza, 6-0 vs Pliskova)

(4) Karolina Pliskova (CZE #5)
~ 2016 Titles: 2 (Nottingham, Cincinnati)
~ 2016 Record: 42-20
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016: Finalist US Open
~ WTA Finals history: Making debut in 2016
~ H2H vs rest of White Group [with Konta]: 8-8 (5-1 vs Konta, 3-1 vs Muguruza, 0-6 vs Radwanska)
~ H2H vs rest of White Group [with Kuznetsova]: 4-7 (1-0 vs Kuznetsova, 3-1 vs Muguruza, 0-6 vs Radwanska)

(5) Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP #6)
~ 2016 Titles: 1 (Roland Garros)
~ 2016 Record:34-18
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016:Won Roland Garros
~ WTA Finals history: 2nd consecutive appearance (3-1 record – 2015 semifinalist)
~ H2H vs rest of White Group [with Konta]: 6-8 (1-2 vs Konta, 1-3 vs Pliskova, 4-3 vs Radwanska)
~ H2H vs rest of Greatest Eight [with Kuznetsova]: 6-7 (1-1 vs Kuznetsova, 1-3 vs Pliskova, 4-3 vs Radwanska)
~ Thoughts on her draw: “Basically, I don’t really care who’s in my group, because all matches here are tough and a battle. I’ll just be prepared to fight.”

The eighth and final spot in the White Group will be filled by Johanna Konta or Svetlana Kuznetsova, if the latter wins the Kremlin Cup

——–
(8) Johanna Konta (GBR #9)
~ 2016 Titles: 1 (Stanford)
~ 2016 Record: 44-21
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016: Semifinalist Australian Open
~ WTA Finals history: Making debut in 2016
~ H2H vs rest of White Group: 8-14 (2-1 vs Muguruza, 2-8 vs Pliskova, 4-5 vs Radwanska)

(8) Svetlana Kuznetsova (#9)
~ 2016 Titles: 1 (Sydney)
~ 2016 Record: 41-20 (entering Moscow SF)
~ Best Grand Slam result in 2016: R16 Roland Garros, Wimbledon
~ WTA Finals history: 6th appearance in singles (3-12 record – would be first appearance since 2009)
~ H2H vs rest of White Group: 13-5 (1-1 vs Muguruza, 0-1 vs Pliskova, 12-4 vs Radwanska)

Click here to relive an exiciting draw ceremony, broadcast on Facebook Live:

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Clinical Kerber Defeats Halep, Closes In On Singapore Semifinals

Clinical Kerber Defeats Halep, Closes In On Singapore Semifinals

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – World No.1 Angelique Kerber laid down a marker at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global with an impressive straight-sets win over Simona Halep on Tuesday.

Watch interviews and highlights from Singapore on the WTA Facebook page!

After edging a closely contested opening set, Kerber raced through the second, wrapping up a 6-4, 6-2 victory in an hour and 22 minutes.

“I’m feeling very good here. I’m really enjoying being back here on the center court and playing my best tennis,” Kerber told Andrew Krasny during her on-court interview. “I think we played a great match today.

“I try every time I step on court to give my best. Of course every match here is tough – it’s the best eight players in the world – and I’m just trying to focus on my game.”

Kerber’s concentration wavered only briefly in a high-quality opening set, surrendering an early lead to allow Halep to edge 4-3 ahead. The following game she found herself in further bother, Halep threatening another break only to be denied by a pin-point forehand pass.

This proved to be the turning point, the German breaking the next game before calmly serving out the set. She rammed home her dominance in the second set, breaking twice more and committing just three unforced errors to wrap up victory.

Kerber, who also won her first match, will next face Madison Keys. Should she take at least a set from the American on Thursday, she will be guaranteed a place in the semifinals. Even if Kerber fails to do so, she would still advance unless Halep defeats Cibulkova in straight sets. 

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Insider Reacts: Three Things From Cibulkova's Scintillating Win Over Kuznetsova

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – Down a set in her first-ever BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global semifinal, Dominika Cibulkova shifted into turbo to take out No.8 seed and story of the tournament, Svetlana Kuznetsova, 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-4. The win is guaranteed to take her at least up to a career-high ranking of No.6.

Read how the match unfolded in the WTA Insider Live Blog.

– Cibulkova hit through the occasion, and the pressure.

Familiar to big stages, the Slovak once struggled to maintain an aggressive mindset at the finish line of high-stakes encounters; it was just six months ago that she narrowly lost back-to-back three-setters to Agnieszka Radwanska and Garbiñe Muguruza in Indian Wells and Miami.

But Cibulkova’s mental evolution has been on full display in Singapore, and the No.7 seed resolved to play positive tennis, win or lose.

“I ended the second set really, really well,” she said after the match. “I was hitting full power and everything and I was going for it. I knew there is no other way than to go for it. I managed to put the balls in.”

Winning the last five matches against Kuznetsova made her a heavy favorite, especially considering the amount of matches the Russian had to play just to get to Singapore, let alone the semifinals. But Kuznetsova came roaring out of the gate, hitting nine winners to take the first set in 33 minutes.

“She was putting the pressure after my serve, because my percentage was really low and she was putting so much pressure from the second serve return.

“I knew I had to start serving better, I had to be the one being more aggressive on the court. I had to play my game, to be in on my forehand and to go for my shots.”

Cibulkova had caught the always-aggressive Kuznetsova’s winner total of 27 by match’s end, all the while keeping her unforced error count lower than the No.8 seed (31 to 35). Through a high-quality match, she took control when it mattered most.

“Today I managed to stay in the match, even [when] she was playing really, really good and she was overplaying me in the first set.”

– Kuznetsova let distractions get the best of her.

The Russian made it through two of the tensest weeks in her career to find herself in her first semifinal in Singapore. From a break down in the third, she won four straight games and appeared on course to replicate the form that took her through the first set.

But something wasn’t right. She spoke with umpire Kader Nouni during the changeover after breaking Cibulkova’s serve in the fifth game; Nouni assured her the issue – whatever it was – wasn’t falling afoul of the rules. She proceeded to lose the final four games of the match. 

“Overall I was frustrated for other thing which I thought was a little bit unprofessional,” she said afterwards.

A red-eyed Kuznetsova came to press unwilling to specify the source of her distraction, but seemed to imply she took exception to noises coming from Cibulkova’s camp.

“She was OK,” she said when asked whether player or team caused any problems.

Ultimately, the two-time Grand Slam champion refused to blame the moment for the loss, chalking defeat up to tactical errors in the final stages of the match.

“Dominika played really good. She was really aggressive. I was short on some shots, and in the end I think she just was aggressive, and I was not.”

Still, it was a revelatory season for Sveta, who plans a well-deserved vacation after a hectic schedule through the Asian Swing.

“I’m just thinking about vacation right now and just letting [today’s loss] go. I have to go to bed and sleep, not to think about the matches, not to be nervous all the time. For the last five weeks, it was every single day I was thinking about the next day to play another match.

“So I’m dreaming of being able to relax, relax the nerves, and then I just want to have a good pre-season, and next year just to be consistent. I think I [have] got lots of confidence after finishing the year like this. I think I can do a lot of the things.”

– Cibulkova believes the best is yet to come.

Cibulkova hails from a generation that includes Grand Slam champions and former No.1s like Petra Kvitova, Victoria Azarenka, and Caroline Wozniacki. But it’s taken longer for the Slovakian dynamo to meet the expectations set by her cohort, something she blames on a lack of self-belief.

“I never saw myself as that good, or maybe not as a consistent player. He made me believe it.  He had examples and I started to believe in myself much more.”

Saturday’s win puts her up to a career-high of No.6, but Cibulkova could finish the week inside the Top 5 – a ranking threshold that doesn’t faze the 27-year-old.

“Right now if I’m going to be deeper than Top 10, I’ll really believe I belong there. That’s most important thing: you have to be convinced that you belong there. Then it works.”

She’ll certainly hope it works in Sunday’s final against Angelique Kerber, a match that comes just shy of three years from her first major final at the Australian Open.

“That time I was new, and playing your first Grand Slam final was really tough. I’m happy I have this experience; for me to go on the finals in Australia, I was trying to do my best but I wasn’t convinced I could really win.

“With this experience now I’m a different player. Tomorrow I will go there and just want to win.”

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