WTA Mag Show: Changing Seasons, Changing Surfaces
A look at the different surfaces the WTA tournaments have to offer, starting the the Plexicushion during the Australian summer hardcourts.
A look at the different surfaces the WTA tournaments have to offer, starting the the Plexicushion during the Australian summer hardcourts.
An interview with Daria Kasatkina after her victory in the second round of the Qatar Total Open.
DOHA, Qatar – No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova put together a dominating performance over Caroline Wozniacki to take home her eighth career title – and her second of 2017 – at the Qatar Total Open.
The Dane went into their final matchup with a 3-0 lead in the pair’s head-to-head record, but Pliskova didn’t read the script and overpowered the former World No.1, 6-3, 6-4.
“I think I’m having a great start to the year, which is always important,” Pliskova said after the match.
“To beat players like Cibulkova and Wozniacki is something amazing. I’ve never beat them before, but I was trying really hard this week so I’m really happy with my wins here.”
Unbelievable tennis from @KaPliskova! ?? pic.twitter.com/S7zVMZ9F3W
— WTA (@WTA) February 18, 2017
The Czech was in charge from the start, not showing any signs of fatigue after playing two matches on the same day on Friday, where she set a personal record for most aces in a single match. She continued her momentum against Wozniacki, employing her trademark controlled aggression to surge ahead a double break and take a 4-0 lead.
Wozniacki changed up her strategy to get on board and halt her opponent’s momentum, stepping into the court and running Pliskova from side to side to target the Czech’s biggest weakness: her court movement. But after dropping three straight games, Pliskova got right back on track to reel off the final two and pocket the opening set.
The pair stayed on par in a tightly drawn final set, Pliskova brushing aside Wozniacki’s lone break chance to stay on course. The Czech finally got her chance in the final game, flicking over a short, low-floating forehand which Wozniacki buried into the net to give Pliskova the match.
.@KaPliskova captures @QatarTennis title!
Beats Wozniacki 6-3, 6-4! pic.twitter.com/28rO130GKX
— WTA (@WTA) February 18, 2017
Pliskova’s dominating performance is reflected in the numbers: despite Wozniacki hitting a meager five unforced errors during the entire match, she was only to hit nine winners – just a third of Pliskova’s 27. The Czech’s serve was in full swing too, winning 69% of first serve points and hitting four aces.
“It’s been a great week, despite the tough conditions for all of us,” Wozniacki reflected at the trophy ceremony. “To be here in the final is something to be really proud of, the way I’ve been playing this week.
“I’m very disappointed with the loss but Karolina was playing really well. She deserved this one, but I’m going to try to get my revenge next time.”
With the victory, Pliskova will jump to No.2 on the Road To Singapore Leaderboard, leapfrogging Australian Open finalist Venus Williams.
An interview with Samantha Stosur after her win in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Learn more about top-ranked Tunisian Ons Jabeur at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Watch Garbiñe Muguruza hit the practice court ahead of the start of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
DUBAI, UAE – Lauren Davis secured a quarterfinal spot in her debut appearance at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, staging an impressive comeback to beat Ekaterina Makarova 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
“I love playing here – it’s my first time here in an amazing city…just the atmosphere here is so great,” the delighted American said in her on-court interview.
“I’m really happy with my persistence, resilience and how I handled myself despite losing a few games in a row.”
Comeback queen! ?@LaurenDavis93 comes from a set behind to beat Makarova 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 and reach @DDFTennis Quarterfinals! pic.twitter.com/EpCGOYoSFb
— WTA (@WTA) February 22, 2017
It was an inconsistent display from both players. Makarova made the initial breakthrough in a seesaw first set, but Davis was resurgent in the second, combining exquisite use of the forehand with grit to get herself back on level terms, as her opponent’s game utterly collapsed.
The Russian took an eight-minute bathroom break before the decider, but it did not help her regroup; she remained lackadaisical when it came to capitalising on break points in the final set.
The 23-year-old American took advantage, wrapping up the match in one hour and 57 minutes. Her reward will be a last-eight clash with either Christina McHale or Elina Svitolina.
Caroline Wozniacki talks through her win in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Caroline Wozniacki discovered what’s behind the WTA’s weather woes in her press conference at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
BUDAPEST, Hungary – No.1 seed Timea Babos has seen her best tennis flourish in front of her home crowd in Budapest at the Hungarian Ladies Open, and during her semifinal clash against Julia Goerges there was a special guest sitting front row to take it all in – former World No.1 Monica Seles.
“It was a really big moment for me and I was very honored,” Babos told wtatennis.com after the match.
“It’s amazing, you know we don’t have very many huge Hungarian tennis players, and Monica has a Hungarian background – for her to be here today, on the Hungarian National Day of Tennis, watching us, it was really great.”
Seles, who won nine Grand Slam titles during her storied career, liked what she saw from the 23-year-old Hungarian No.1.
“I think ‘Timi’ has got a bright future ahead of her,” she said. “She played very well under very tough conditions today, there’s so much pressure on her and so many expectations.
“She hasn’t played well coming into this tournament, so for her to break through and really play the best tennis so far of the year here in her hometown of Budapest, is just really huge.”
It’s been four years since a WTA tournament was contested in Hungary, and this year’s edition will see the No.1 seed Babos take on the No.2 seed Lucie Safarova in the final.
“This is really a dream final for the tournament, and for it to happen in its first year just shows how much strength the WTA has,” Seles said. “I always enjoy coming back here [to Hungary] and I’m very excited there’s a WTA event now here. And that we have Timi in the final, it’s great for the first year of the tournament.”
“I hope the crowds can keep coming here to support her even more and make tennis very popular here so the tournament can keep growing.”
– Photos courtesy of Hungarian Ladies Open