Serena Sees Off Kuznetsova Challenge
Defending champion Serena Williams kept her quest for a seventh title alive at Wimbledon after she roared to a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Defending champion Serena Williams kept her quest for a seventh title alive at Wimbledon after she roared to a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova.
And then there were eight! It’s quarterfinal time at the BNP Paribas Open and the top half of the draw will get things started. We preview all of today’s action right here at wtatennis.com.
Wednesday, Quarterfinals
[3] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #3) vs. [7] Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP #7)
Head-to-head: Pliskova leads, 5-1
Key Stat: Muguruza ended Elina Svitolina’s 15-match winning streak with a three-set victory over the Ukrainian on Tuesday.
It was a typically hot sunny day in the California desert two years ago when Garbiñe Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova met in the third round at the BNP Paribas Open. There was an air of what could be surrounding the two rising talents as they slugged serves and pounded groundstrokes while a relatively small crowd looked on. Two years on, both players are stars that are firmly entrenched in the Top 10. Muguruza is a Grand Slam champion and has played in two major finals and Pliskova was last year’s US Open runner-up. Everything we thought these fantastic young ball strikers could be, they are becoming, and they will go toe-to-toe on Wednesday in a match that is sure to be very important for both. But likely more so for Muguruza, who lost to Pliskova on that day in 2015 and has lost to the Czech five times consecutively, and in total. They have had a few close battles, and Pliskova has dominated the Spaniard a few times, but Pliskova does seem to be inside Muguruza’s head a bit at this point in time.
That said, Muguruza is eager for the challenge, knowing that Pliskova has become one of the game’s premier power brokers and understanding what a win against her could mean for her confidence. “I think it’s one of the toughest matches I can have now,” she said. “I think she’s playing very good. She has been very consistent, and, yeah, I have been watching her.”
Can the Spaniard finally shake free of the player that has become her nemesis and make a strong statement about her form in 2017? Or will it be Pliskova who again hands Muguruza another disappointing loss on a grand stage?
Pick: Pliskova in three
[19] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS #21) vs. [8] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #8)
Head-to-head: Kuznetsova leads, 5-3
Key Stat: Pavlyuchenkova already has three Top 10 wins in 2017, two more than she had all of last season.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is hoping for the hat trick when she squares off with her compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova for the third time in three months on Wednesday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The 25-year-old took the first two meetings in straight sets, reversing run of dominance for Kuznetsova that saw her beat Pavlyuchenkova four times in their first five encounters. But the Pavlyuchenkova we see today is not the same player we have seen in previous years. The talent, yes it’s similar, but there is more seriousness about her craft, and this is what she believes has made the difference for her this week. “I’m 25. I’ll be 26 in July,” she told reporters after her three-set victory over No.5 seed Dominika Cibulkova on Tuesday. “The time is going quick, you know. Tennis life is kind of short. I feel like if it’s not now, then after it’s too late… I just am going to take my chances, try my best, work hard consistently, and see where it can bring me.”
But will Pavlyuchenkova’s newfound sense of purpose be enough to propel her past Kuznetsova for a third consecutive time? Kuznetsova too is a vastly improved player from where she was a few seasons ago. Last year she returned to the Top 10 for the first time in six years and thus far in 2017 she has shown no signs of slowing down. Expect Kuznetsova to come out determined to take the power back from Pavlyuchenkova.
Pick: Pavlyuchenkova in three
By the Numbers:
2009 – Pavlyuchenkova reached the semifinals at Indian Wells on her debut in 2009. This is her first trip back to the quarterfinals since.
2008 – After reaching back-to-back Indian Wells finals in 2007 and 2008, Kuznetsova had not returned to the quarterfinals until this season.
26 – Number of wins that Kuznetsova has earned at Indian Wells, against 13 losses.
152 – Karolina Pliskova’s ace total for 2017. She leads the tour and has 11 in three matches thus far at Indian Wells.
Two-time BNP Paribas Open finalist Svetlana Kuznetsova ended an impressive run from countrywoman Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach her first semifinal in nearly a decade.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Each year, WTA players vote for their favorite tournament in six different categories, and the BNP Paribas Open earned the disctinction of Premier Mandatory Tournament of the Year for the third successive season.
New Tournament Director and former ATP No.2 Tommy Haas accepted the award last week from WTA CEO Steve Simon, who was joined by Britain’s top-ranked talent, Johanna Konta.
Click here to check out the full list of winners.
Haas has been making the rounds in his new role at this year’s tournament, posting several photos on his official Instagram:
From Malaysia and Mexico, players have jetted into the States for the start of three US swing events.
And after the rain delays elsewhere, they have been basking in the Sunshine State. Indian Wells boasts stunning mountain views as well as wonderful weather – so it’s no wonder that WTA stars love their time in California.
Right in the heart of the state’s Desert Resort communities, Indian Wells is the ideal place for rest and relaxation as well as fun and frolics. It’s home to fabulous spas, perfect for a spot of indulgence, and excellent shopping, with everything from boutiques to busy malls – and if you’re lucky you may bump into Karolina Pliskova, who’s looking forward to grabbing some retail therapy.
“When I am playing, I try to stay focused on the tennis,” she says. “But after the tournament, I will make sure to go to the Cabazon Outlets.”
And when they’re not on court, players can also enjoy dining at one of the city’s award-winning restaurants – such as Nobu, one of Svetlana Kuznetsova’s favourites.
“My friend staying with me is a great chef, so he is cooking healthy meals,” says the Russian. “But when I want to splurge, the Nobu overlooking Stadium 2 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is amazing.”
There’s plenty more on offer too – take a tip from California girl CoCo Vandeweghe and try cruising around the desert in a four-wheeler.
“I go four-wheeling pretty much every year I come out to Indian Wells,” she reveals. “I play tennis for a living, but try to do something else fun and adventurous wherever I go.”
If you want to join your favourite tennis stars and explore Indian Wells, make sure you note Cambridge Global Payments’ Travel Tip: When booking a flight to your favorite tennis tournament, try to book on a Tuesday afternoon. Research shows that is when fares are typically the most favorable!
LONDON, Great Britain – Six months after Angelique Kerber’s stunning win over World No.1 Serena Williams at the Australian Open, the two face off once more in a major final, as the rivals each captured emphatic semifinal victories to compete for the Venus Rosewater Dish on Saturday.
Combined, the two women have dropped just one set throughout the wet and wild fortnight at the All England Club, but the stakes are as high as ever for Serena, who is aiming to capture her record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title. For Kerber, a second major title would not only solidify her status among the game’s highest echelons, but would also prevent the American from tying countrywoman Stefanie Graf’s record, a role she deftly played in Melbourne
WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen is joined by wtatennis.com contributor Chris Oddo as the two preview what promises to be an exciting ladies’ final and the fruition of a burgeoning rivalry between Williams and Kerber:
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No.8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova edged past Karolina Pliskova in two tiebreak sets to reach her third final at the BNP Paribas Open, where Elena Vesnina awaits.
In today’s SAP Stat Of The Day, Svetlana Kuznetsova notches a big milestone and reaches her 40th career WTA final.
See how Svetlana Kuznetsova reached the final of the BNP Paribas Open.
Hear from Elena Vesnina, the new champion of the BNP Paribas Open.