Tennis News

CHARLESTON, SC, USA – It came down to the wire for top seed Angelique Kerber, but the reigning Australian Open champion outlasted a spirited challenge from unseeded Lara Arruabarrena, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(3) to reach the third round of the Volvo Car Open.

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

Kerber had only dropped five games in her two previous encounters with the Spaniard, and it looked like it would be more of the same for the German, who broke through after some tight opening games to run away with the opening set.

But Arruabarrena drew the World No.2 into more than a few lung-busting rallies and, despite failing to capitalize on an early break in the second set, managed to force a decider against the defending champion who was playing her first match on clay in 2016.

“First of all, the first rounds are always tough and Lara played an unbelievable match,” Kerber told Andrew Krasny after the match. “After the first set, she was fighting. She is a great player and a great clay court player.”

Quality @AngeliqueKerber @laraarrua @VolvoCarOpen. pic.twitter.com/4dMx0pzFAp

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) April 6, 2016

Kerber served for the match at 5-3 in the third but played some tentative play allowed a Arruabarrena to take advanage and draw level, leading to thrilling third set tie-break. Both finished the match with a positive winner/unforced error differential, with the german hitting 49 winners to 46 from Arruabarrena, and 44 errors to 40.

“It was really tough and a tricky match but I’m really happy to be back here. It’s one of my favorite tournaments. After last year to playing tonight on the Center Court; thank you guys for coming and supporting us,” Kerber said, addressing the crowd after converting the win on her second match point. 

“For me, it’s a really special place because last year, I came here and didn’t have the best start to the year. But I came here and won the tournament; from there everything changed. It’s really special to be back and I hope I will play a few more matches here. It’s great to be back!”

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Some impressive play from both @AngeliqueKerber and @LaraArrua! #VCO2016 https://t.co/lOSn4hUzf9

— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2016

Up next for Kerber will be the winner of the second round between qualifier Kristina Kucova – who eased past American Madison Brengle in straight sets Tuesday afternoon – or the resurgent Kateryna Bondarenko, who began the week with an upset victory over No.16 seed Misaki Doi in three sets. Ever the perfectionist, the top seed already had an idea of what she planned to improve for her next encounter with the feisty Spaniard.

“Sometimes I was too defensive and too much trying to wait for the balls and running too much,” she said after the match. “I think next time I play against her, I will try to just go for it and try to step maybe one, two steps in the court and just try to hit the balls and going for it.

“It was a little bit tough because two days ago I was in Miami and it was a little bit different than here tonight. It was actually windy. It was cold, and we started when it was like the sun was still there, and then it’s getting dark. So it was not so easy, but it’s good to have a match like this down already, and I’m looking forward to play the next one.”

Earlier in the day, Mirjana Lucic-Baroni became the first woman to reach the third round in Charleston, surviving a topsy turvy match against No.11 seed Kristina Mladenovic. The Croat had to save four match points while needing seven of her own to close out a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(13) victory. Lucic-Baroni, who will play either No.8 seed and 2015 Charleston finalist Madison Keys or Laura Siegemund next, hit 15 double faults but managed to save 15 of 23 break points faced with her signature fearless play.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands also enjoyed a three-set triumph on Tuesday, recovering from a set down to outfox Brazil’s Teliana Pereira, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. Monica Puig took out last year’s semifinalist Lucie Hradecka, 6-3, 6-2, while Australian Open quarterfinalist Zhang Shuai dropped only three games to defeat qualifier Lesley Kerkhove, 6-1, 6-2.

Starting the day on Billie Jean King Stadium Court, Daria Kasatkina – seeded at a Premier level tournament for the first time in her young career – showed why she will be one to watch on her beloved clay courts as she picked apart China’s Zheng Saisai, 6-2, 6-1 after opening up a 5-0 lead in the second set. The win was the 2014 French Open junior champion’s 100th match win (including Challengers), leading to an entertaining reaction from the Russian teenager.

“100, already? I just started to play pro last year!” a flabbergasted Kasatkina told Andrew Krasny.

2010 champion Samantha Stosur also withstood a tough test from Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic, who led by a break advantage in each set; the No.10 seed advanced into the second round, 6-4, 6-4.

When @AndrewKrasny says you have 100 career wins ?

Congrats, @DKasatkina! ? https://t.co/KCHxYCJqmm

— WTA (@WTA) April 5, 2016

CHARLESTON, SC, USA – Unseeded at the Volvo Car Open, Yulia Putintseva earned one of the biggest wins of her young career – and her second Top 20 win of 2016 – by taking out former No.1 Venus Williams, 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals in Charleston.

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

Putintseva had played the elder of the Williams sisters thrice before in her career – most recently in the semifinals of Kaohsiung – but the two-time junior Grand Slam finalist had never won a set against the five-time Wimbledon winner. Saving some of her best tennis for the first set tie-break, Putintseva broke the duck off of a stunning lob and moved one set to the good.

Williams has been sporting a wrap on her left leg throughout her week in Charleston, but hardly looked hindered in the second set, winning six games in a row to level the match and break serve to start the decider.

“In the second set, Venus really played great tennis and I didn’t think that I had a chance to win or make it close,” Putintseva said after the match. “I had some chances but in the end she was making winners. In the third set, I just told myself, ‘Try not to make any errors, and if you have an opportunity, try to move her from side to side.'”

Ever undaunted, Putintseva survived several long games to break back twice in succession and, despite losing a 4-2 lead of her own, clinched the upset on her first match point, putting her into the last eight in Charleston in what is only her third main draw appearance. Hitting 26 winners and 30 unforced errors, the Kazakh kept her side of the stat sheet far cleaner compared to Williams, who hit 64 unforced errors and 50 winners.

The typically demonstrative youngster was speechless during her on-court interview with Andrew Krasny.

“I don’t know!” she said when asked how she pulled off the win. “Just believing in myself, keep pushing and saying that I can do it.”

“I tried and she always seemed to have an answer,” Venus said after the match, adding, “and you know a lot of shots were just too tough. So what can you do?”

Using her drop shot to good effect on the green clay courts, Putintseva will need all of her guile against Sara Errani, who converted all eight of her break point opportunities to defeat 2010 champion Samantha Stosur, 6-4, 7-6(5).

“It’s another great chance to see how I’m improving and try to make something happen and play my best tennis.”

That winning feeling ? ? ? pic.twitter.com/z9L30jjLgH

— WTA (@WTA) April 7, 2016

Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina backed up her emphatic win over No.2 seed Belinda Bencic on Thursday with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Lourdes Domínguez Lino. The Spanish veteran took out an ailing Eugenie Bouchard in the second round, and though she pushed Vesnina through multiple deuce games in the second set, the 2011 runner-up held her nerve to reach her fifth quarterfinal on green clay – including back-to-back semifinal appearances at the former WTA tournament in Ponta Vedra Beach.

“I love green clay!” she told Nick McCarvel during her on-court interview. “It’s too bad we only play on it once a year.”

Vesnina will next play German veteran Laura Siegemund, who won a battle of unseeded opposition by taking out Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, 7-5, 6-2. Lucic-Baroni had just won a marathon match over No.11 seed Kristina Mladenovic, but still had her opponent on the ropes in the final game, holding four break points before Siegemund closed it out on her second match point.

Qualifier @EVesnina001 takes the win over Dominguez Lino. Her best result here since finals in 2011. #VCO2016 pic.twitter.com/sststF7tZI

— Volvo Car Open (@VolvoCarOpen) April 7, 2016

KATOWICE, Poland – No.5 seed Camila Giorgi and No.8 seed Dominika Cibulkova overcame tough semifinal opponents to set up a clash for the Katowice Open title on Sunday.

Watch live action from Katowice this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Giorgi booked her spot into the final after a win over Qatar Open finalist and No.3 seed Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-3. The two had never played before, but their similar style of big-hitting tennis provided for many tense baseline rallies.

The 18-year-old Latvian kept pace with Giorgi as the two traded four consecutive breaks of serve in the first set.

“I just played my game today,” Giorgi said after the match. “I did not have any special tactics, but I played very well and I am happy to be back in the final.”

Though she’s into the Katowice final for a third straight year, the Italian has yet to win the title – finishing runner-up to Alizé Cornet in 2014 and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in 2015.

“I like the surface very much and the fans make playing in Poland very special for me,” Giorgi added.

“I hope tomorrow I can finally win the trophy.”

Standing across the net from Giorgi on her third attempt for the title will be Cibulkova, who made her way to her second final of the year after overpowering Pauline Parmentier 7-5, 6-0.

Initially up 5-2 in the first set, Cibulkova let her lead slip and allowed the Frenchwoman an edge back into the match. Although she pushed her way back, Cibulkova – a 2014 Australian Open finalist – was able to seal the set after almost an hour. The next set came much quicker for the Slovak, shutting out Parmentier after an hour and twenty five minutes.

“I was mentally strong, even in those tough moments in the first set,” Cibulkova said. “In the second set I was even more aggressive, I was dominating on the court and I didn’t give her any chance.

“That second set was probably one of the best sets ever, for me.”

Cibulkova will need to come up with that same level in the final against Giorgi, an opponent who’s defeated her in their previous two encounters.

“It’s gonna be a tough match. She’s an aggressive player trying to go for, really, everything,” Cibulkova said. “I just hope my coach and I find a good tactic, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA – The WTA announced on Tuesday that the Taiwan Open will move to Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, from 2017. The Taiwan Open will take place starting January 30, 2017 on hard court at the 10,000-seat indoor stadium, the Taipei Arena.

Venus Williams won the inaugural event with Taiwan’s Chan sisters taking the doubles title. Williams’ victory at the inaugural 2016 Taiwan Open tournament in an exciting final against Japan’s Misaki Doi, was her 49th WTA title win. This year’s inaugural event, attended by almost 10,000 fans, let the world focus on Taiwan through global broadcast coverage and is set to become a major drawcard for Taiwan which has developed brilliant professional female tennis players like Su-Wei Hsieh, Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan.

The Taiwan Open attracts the support of the corporate sector, the media and fans, as well as creates an inspirational pathway for talented young national players who aspire to one day compete in world-class professional tennis and play in their homeland at the Taiwan Open.

Mayor of Taipei, Ko Wen-Je, stated, “On behalf of Taipei City Government, I am pleased to announce that Taiwan Open will be held in Taipei next year. We are committed to bringing the best events to our global city and the decision to move the event to Taipei demonstrates the city’s ability to attract the best international sport events. We look forward to working with the WTA and the tournament organisers to make this an event all of Taiwan can be proud of.”

The Taiwan Open offers USD 500,000 in prize money and is committed to attracting the world’s top tennis talent and to making this event one of the most prestigious WTA International tournaments on the women’s tennis global calendar. The move to Taipei will result in increased government and sponsorship investment and make the event accessible to a larger fan base.

“This is an exciting time for APG as we continue to support and expand the footprint of women’s tennis across Asia,” said Stephen Duckitt, Director – Tournaments, APG. “Tennis has grown considerably in this region over the past few years and we are looking forward to stage another world-class tennis event in Taiwan, and are proud to be hosted by the Taipei City Government next year.”

STUTTGART, Germany – Petra Kvitova snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Monica Niculescu on Thursday to secure a quarterfinal spot at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

Watch live action from Stuttgart & Istanbul this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

In the opening round, Kvitova barely broke a sweat, defeating the outgunned Louise Chirico in under an hour. However, against Niculescu she faced a very different test, and for the best part of two sets it was one she was failing.

After seeing a commanding second set lead disappear, Kvitova was forced to fend off three set points at 6-5, saving the first with the help of a net cord, before producing a couple of delightful touches to escape the immediate danger.

She rode this momentum through the subsequent tie-break, leaving Niculescu to rue her missed opportunities. This frustration boiled over in the decider, Kvitova easing into a 3-1 lead as she cantered down the home straight.

Kvitova’s reward is a meeting with No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza on Friday. Also advancing to the last eight was Carla Suarez Navarro, who impressed during a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Anna-Lena Friedsam.

STUTTGART, Germany – No.1 seed Agnieszka Radwanska extended her winning streak against Karolina Pliskova, dispatching the Czech 6-2, 7-6(8) to claim the last semifinal spot of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

Watch live action from Stuttgart & Istanbul this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Despite Pliskova’s powerful weapons and game, crafty Radwanska has claimed all five of their previous encounters in straight sets, allowing the Czech no more than five games a set. Their last clay court encounter ended in a smooth 6-3, 6-4 victory for Radwanska.

After Radwanska took the first set in a quick half an hour, it seemed like their Stuttgart quarterfinal match would go the same way as all their previous ones. Radwanska was unbothered by Pliskova’s famous serve, and so long as she got back a return she found a way to control the rallies and give the Czech the type of low, sliced balls that trouble her the most.

But instead of shrinking away in the second set, Pliskova instead gave Radwanska a taste of her own medicine, catching her with drop shots and beating her at the net. She broke Radwanska’s serve at 2-3, and survived a rollercoaster 11-minute game to consolidate it.

Despite the monumental effort it took for Pliskova to get the lead, it was short-lived Radwanska quickly broke back and leveled the match at 4-4. They kept toe to toe until another marathon game – this time 15 minutes long, as Radwanska tried to hold serve and subdue the resurgent Pliskova who brought up seven break points – sent the match into a tiebreak. Four match points later, Radwanska was through to her fifth semifinal of the year.

Awaiting Radwanska in the final four is German qualifier Laura Siegemund, who extended her own streak of upsets to oust the No.6 seed Roberta Vinci 6-1, 6-4 and reach her first WTA Premier-level semifinals.

The Stuttgart native felt strong support from the German crowd who were out in full force to support their local underdog.

“That was a crazy mood out there,” Siegemund said of the animated Porsche-Arena crowd. “It has so fun. I was very focused during the match and tried to concentrate on my game, but I could hear them in the background – the stadium was shaking.”

With the win she’ll reach a new career-high ranking of No.55, and earn herself a spot in German tennis history, too. With Angelique Kerber also having reached the semifinals earlier in the day, this marks the first time since 1985 that two Germans have reached this stage in Stuttgart.