Tennis News

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Elena Vesnina has the potential to make it into the singles Top 10, says Svetlana Kuznetsova – the woman she beat in an epic final at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday.

“Why not? Of course, I mean, she did semis in Wimbledon last year. She won here now. She has to be much more consistent to be in the top 10, but she can make it, for sure,” said the defeated Russian of her compatriot.

.@SvetlanaK27 is moving up a gear! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/QO5bthevKE

— WTA (@WTA) March 19, 2017

Kuznetsova admitted that she had struggled with the daytime conditions, and felt rather frustrated that she had not played as well as she could.

“I didn’t feel comfortable at all today on the court,” said the 31-year-old. “I was trying to do the best I could, you know, but this is the type of day when you don’t play your best tennis and you’ve got to still give your best effort.

“I tried my best and she won because she was more aggressive than I did. I was too passive. That’s it. Too much behind and didn’t serve well, I think it was key points.”

Kuznetsova now moves on to Miami – and is confident that she can recover quickly from the loss to her countrywoman.

“I feel great,” she assured reporters in her post-match press conference. “I didn’t overwork. I think what really is difficult to handle, like, lots of stress. It’s, like, kind of waste you physically a little bit. But the rest matches didn’t get me so much tired. I feel great physically.

“I’m looking forward to have couple days off and hopefully get a good start in Miami.”

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.18 seed Karolina Pliskova needed less than an hour to take her place in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open, producing a dominant display to swat aside former champion Ana Ivanovic.

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

After an even start, Pliskova’s game clicked into gear in spectacular fashion, a sequence of 10 uninterrupted games helping her to a 6-2, 6-0 victory.

Ivanovic, who lifted the Indian Wells title eight years ago, came into the contest nursing a knee injury that hampered her movement throughout. A string of uncharacteristic errors saw her broken to love in the opening game and while she drew level soon after, it was clear that her game lacked its usual zip.

Pliskova, on the other hand, was having no difficulty getting the ball through the court, forging ahead and wrapping up the set with a fierce backhand drive. The winners continued to flow in the second, the Czech eventually finishing with 18 as she romped to the finishing line.

Pliskova had won all three of her previous encounters with Ivanovic, including earlier this year in Sydney. “We’ve played a few times already and I’ve always won. But I think I played really good tennis today and I’m happy that I made [the next round] so fast,” Pliskova said.

The one-sided scoreline was all the more surprising given the players’ respective form heading into the tournament; Ivanovic had made the semi and quarterfinals in St. Petersburg and Dubai, while Pliskova had suffered a couple of early exits in the Middle East.

“Last year I didn’t lose any first rounds. Now I’d lost twice in a row so I’m just happy to have some matches and looking forward to the next one,” Pliskova added.

That next outing will come against Johanna Konta, a 6-4, 6-1 winner over No.2 seed Angelique Kerber’s conqueror, Denisa Allertova.

Also emerging triumphant from Monday’s afternoon session were Roberta Vinci and Magdalena Rybarikova. Vinci continued her fine start to the year by outclassing Elina Svitolina, 6-1, 6-3, while Rybarikova caused the tournament’s latest shock, dumping out No.7 seed Belinda Bencic, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

WUHAN, China – If Angelique Kerber thought reaching the top of the rankings would make life any easier at the WTA’s flagship events, she was given a rude awakening at Friday’s draw for the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.

Indeed, Kerber’s first event since lifting the US Open and usurping Serena Williams as World No.1 will be far from straightforward after a number of potential banana skins were placed in her path at the Premier 5 event.

As one of the leading eight seeds, Kerber is the recipient of a first-round bye, meeting either Kristina Mladenovic or CoCo Vandeweghe in her opening match.

The German, a quarter and semifinalist in Wuhan’s first two years on the calendar, is projected to face No.14 seed and 2014 champion Petra Kvitova in the third round, with possible showdowns versus Carla Suárez Navarro and Simona Halep lurking further down the line.

In the bottom half of the draw, defending champion Venus Williams faces a slightly less threatening start. Her opening opponent will be either Anastasija Sevastova or Yulia Putintseva, while Svetlana Kuznetsova and Agnieszka Radwanska are likely to lie in wait in should she clear the early hurdles.

Serena Williams’ late withdrawal promoted Garbiñe Muguruza, last year’s runner-up, to No.2 seed, and she will begin against either Daria Gavrilova or former World No.1 Jelena Jankovic. This was not the only eye-catching first round match-up of a draw which also threw together No.16 seed Samantha Stosur and the resurgent Caroline Wozniacki.

The official draw for the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open 2016….you saw it here first. Some top matches coming your way! #wuhanopen pic.twitter.com/xOILshaqzE

— Wuhan Open (@wuhanopentennis) September 23, 2016

MIAMI, FL, USA – It was a personal milestone for Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella on Tuesday, as the 31-year-old won her first-ever main draw match at a Premier Mandatory event, defeating Kristyna Pliskova, 7-6(4), 5-7, 7-5 in the first round at the Miami Open.

“I knew it was going to be a tough match,” she told WTA Insider after the match. “I’ve played her once or twice before, and I knew she serves really well. She goes for her shots, and I struggled to return her first serve. It was a tough match and big battle. I’m really happy I won it in the end.”

Playing in her first-ever main draw in Miami in her fourth career appearance, Minella showed few signs of nerves in the early going. The World No.74 broke Pliskova at her first opportunity in the second game, taking a 3-0 lead at the first change of ends, later extending her lead to 5-2 with a pair of holds without allowing Pliskova a break point chance.

Outrageous way to save match point from @KrisPliskova! ? #MiamiOPen pic.twitter.com/I5Lk2RtPzX

— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017

However, the Czech staged a late comeback, breaking Minella as she served for the set and delivering an emphatic love hold to knot the set at 5-5. She held to love once more to force a first-set tiebreak, but Minella proved more effective on return as the tiebreak wore on. Neutralizing the left-hander’s delivery and winning four points on Pliskova’s serve in the tiebreak, Minella secured the 59-minute opener as one final Pliskova backhand went long.

“I’ve been really good physically lately. I’m in good shape and can last for long matches. That’s a good point in my favor. I struggled a little bit today because it was quite hot and there was a lot of running. The balls are quite heavy, so that means there’ll be a lot of rallies. It was definitely tough out there today.”

After managing to win just two points on Minella’s serve to begin the second set, Pliskova secured the break in a sixth game which saw her dig in at deuce to move ahead 4-2. However, Minella hit right back in the next, passing Pliskova twice at the net en route to an emphatic break that got the set back on serve. Neither player had a look at a break point again until the final game of the set, in which Pliskova took advantage of a trio of Minella double faults to square the match at one set all.

.@MandyMinella battles past Kristyna Pliskova 7-6(4), 5-7, 7-5!

Sets @MiamiOpen Second round vs @SvetlanaK27! pic.twitter.com/AQpf69rGBM

— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017

Playing a deciding set for the first time in three meetings, the duo traded breaks twice in the final set before Minella secured her third game off the Pliskova serve to put her in position to serve for the match. As the contest hit the two-hour, 30-minute mark, Minella brought up three match points on serve, only to see the Czech storm back and win the next five to level the match at 5-5, courtesy of some brilliant shot-making.

However, Minella kept her cool in the midday sun, breaking for a fourth time in the set and sealing the match on her fourth match point, closing out the two-hour, 38-minute victory as Pliskova’s final backhand return found the net.

“It’s good to start the season in this positive way; it gives you confidence for upcoming tournaments. I think I’m still on a roll, enjoying my tennis. I’m enjoying my matches and the traveling. I think that’s the reason I’ve been playing good, and because I love my sport.”

Minella, who improves to 3-0 lifetime against the left-handed Pliskova, advances to the second round where she’ll face No. 7 seed and BNP Paribas Open runner-up, Svetlana Kuznetsova.

“I think it’ll be really hard because she’s in great shape. She was in the Indian Wells final last week, and so I think she’s going to be ready. I’ll try my best to play as good as I can; I will fight, and will just try to do my best.”

The veteran has enjoyed a strong start to her season, reaching the semifinals of the Taiwan Open, but credits a career turn around by winning her first WTA 125K title in Bol, Croatia.

“Bol was where everything changed for me. I’d had some really miserable results up to that point, and I was about to stop my career at Wimbledon. I think I just relaxed and enjoyed being there. The city was fantastic; they had a nice hotel with a spa, and the sea was quiet. I really enjoyed it there, and it helped me play good enough to win my first title over there. It’ll always be in my memories for a long time.”

MIAMI, FL, USA – Down match point in the decider, Yaroslava Shvedova produced some of her best tennis to defeat 2008 runner-up Jelena Jankovic in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3).

“It was an amazing match, a battle there on-court,” Shvedova told WTA Insider after the match. “Jelena is a great opponent, a tough opponent, and I’m happy I could manage to play well, relax and enjoy it, which I was missing a little bit for the beginning of the year.”

Snapping a seven-match skid that dated back to the quarterfinals of the China Open in Beijing last fall, Shvedova scored a victory in the matchup for the second time, and now both of her career victories against Jankovic have come in final set tiebreaks; the lone win for Shvedova in the pair’s previous five matches came 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(6) in the second round of the 2009 US Open.

Great return! @Jelena_Jankovic sneaks the first set 6-4! #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/FQDmN1Bimq

— WTA (@WTA) March 22, 2017

In addition, the Kazakh handed the Serb her fourth straight defeat in the first round after Jankovic reached the semifinals in 2013. While the two hadn’t played since 2012 prior to Wednesday’s match, a tough battle was to be expected — the match was the fifth three-set affair between the two players as well.

“She’s a fighter and it’s always been tough to play against her,” Shvedova said. “I was talking with my coach after the match and he reminded me [of their three-setters]. Somehow, our games match-up and it’s not easy to finish quickly!”

In an opening set that went with serve for the first nine games, each player only carved out one break point opportunity and proved particularly successful behind their first deliveries — both won over 70 percent of the points played behind them in the set. However, Jankovic’s second break point chance in the set proved to be vital, as she rifled a backhand return winner down the line to seal the opener in 43 minutes.

The second set was nearly identical in both score and minutes played, but the path to pocketing the set proved different for the Kazakh. Shvedova hit back well in the second, winning over 40 percent of points on return and break twice to wrap up the middle set by an identical 6-4 score and send proceedings to a decider.

.@SlavaSays saves a match point to edge Jankovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3)!

Advances to @MiamiOpen Second round! pic.twitter.com/Bx87UD9el7

— WTA (@WTA) March 22, 2017

With Jankovic ahead 3-2 in the final set, the pair rattled off four straight breaks of serve, the last coming as Shvedova broke the Jankovic delivery to 15 as she served for the match. Facing match point at 30-40, Shvedova reeled off the next three and rifled a forehand winner past Jankovic to knot the set at 5-5.

Trailing by a mini-break in the tiebreak, Shvedova rallied to knot the action at 3-3 before winning the next four points to score the come-from-behind win.

Looking to build on her first win of the year in March, Shvedova advances to face No. 17 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round, against whom she is 2-3 overall.

“My preparation was not good because I got injured in the off-season and I couldn’t practice that well,” Shvedova said about her start to 2017. “I couldn’t get my feeling, my game, my confidence, everything — and I was just going to tournaments trying to get it. It was not easy sometimes, unlucky — now I’ve had some time to rest and relax and clear my mind, [and] I can start to go up from the bottom.”