Stuttgart: Kvitova Interview
An interview with Petra Kvitova after her win in the quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
An interview with Petra Kvitova after her win in the quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
An interview with Laura Siegemund after her win in the semifinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Highlights from semifinal round action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Angelique Kerber had Sunday’s shot of the day at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia take the Parking Challenge at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
MADRID, Spain – If Agnieszka Radwanska thought the absence of Serena Williams would make her task any easier at the Mutua Madrid Open, Friday’s draw provided an immediate reality check.
Williams’ withdrawal elevated Radwanska to top seed, but her reward is a meeting with one of the draw’s most dangerous of floaters: Dominika Cibulkova.
Last month in Indian Wells, Cibulkova came within a point of victory against Radwanska only to fall agonizingly short in a thrilling second-round clash. The Slovak followed this up with a title in Katowice and the former French Open semifinalist will present a real challenge on Radwanska’s least favorite surface.
And should she pass this opening test, things will not get any easier for the Pole. Awaiting her in the second round will be either Caroline Garcia or Johanna Konta, before a likely third-round date with one of the WTA’s finest clay courters, Sara Errani.
Defending champion Petra Kvitova is also in Radwanska’s half of the draw but has been handed a less formidable opening opponent in the shape of Lara Arruabarrena, while No.4 seed Victoria Azarenka begins against Laura Robson. Azarenka and Kvitova are projected to meet in the last eight.
Like Radwanska, No.2 seed Angelique Kerber has been placed in a tricky section. She starts against the mercurial Barbora Strycova, and also finds Sloane Stephens, Daria Kasatkina and Carla Suárez Navarro in her quarter.
Home hopes will rest chiefly on the shoulders of Suárez Navarro and Garbiñe Muguruza. Suárez Navarro opens up against big-serving Timea Babos, while No.3 seed Muguruza meets Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. Keeping Muguruza company in arguably the most open section of the draw are Simona Halep, Timea Bacsinszky and Karolina Pliskova.
Click here to see the draw in full.
Top half @MutuaMadridOpen. pic.twitter.com/cDLkYnuxPo
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) 29 April 2016
Serena Williams heads into 2017 with one clear goal in mind; after capturing her 22nd Grand Slam title at this year’s Wimbledon Championships, the American is just one major win away from wresting the Open Era record from Stefanie Graf.
“Wimbledon was good for me,” she said in an exclusive interview with BeIN Sports. “Obviously, I was really excited to win that this year. I had a lot of tough matches, but I went in there and played the best I could.
“We went in with a wonderful gameplan,” she added, referring to coach Patrick Mourataglou, who was also present for the interview, “and it worked out.”
With Graf’s record so close, where might Serena ultimately land among the greats of the game? BeIN Sports posited 30 for one already considered by many to be the greatest of all time.
“30 is a lot, but my goal is just to go out there, do the best I can and be happy. The only way for me to do that is to win every single match; that doesn’t always happen and that’s something you have to understand and learn to deal with over the course of your career.
“But there is no number for me; I just want to go out there and win.”
Click here to check out the full interview with Serena.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
Barbora Strycova
2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.42
Year-End Ranking: No.20 (Career-High No.19, 8/22/2016)
Titles Won: 0 (Dubai, Birmingham RU)
Best Major Result: 4R (Australian Open)
The countdown is on! ?
Only 20 Days left until the 2017 #WTA season! ? pic.twitter.com/1dpjHU6fYz
— WTA (@WTA) December 12, 2016
2017 Outlook
Barbora Strycova bounced back from a middling 2015 from the first week of the season, upsetting eventual French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza en route to the second week of the Australian Open. She followed that up with a run to the biggest final of her career, knocking out former No.1 Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Garcia at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
“It’s been the best year of my career because I learned so many things, and also because my ranking improved,” Strycova told WTA Insider at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai. “I was very consistent throughout the whole season, which was, for me, the most important thing.”
The Czech veteran brought her best tennis all all surfaces, pushing Agnieszka Radwanska in a thrilling third round encounter in Roland Garros, and making her second WTA final of the season on grass at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham. Her brightest moments came in national competitions, earning a Bronze medal at the Olympic tennis event with Lucie Safarova, and later leading the Czech Republic to its fifth championship in six years.
“The Olympics was something I dreamed about. When we found out we were playing together, Lucie told me on the flight to the Rogers Cup, ‘Ok, we’re going to get a medal!’ I told her, ‘You’re joking; we’ve played together once, what are you saying?’ But then we did it; it was something incredible.”
Looking ahead of 2017, Strycova plans to prioritize fitness over the off-season so she may continue to balance her heavy schedules in singles and doubles (with new partner, World No.1 Sania Mirza).
Angelique Kerber and the doubles team of Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic were named 2016’s ITF World Champions following Grand Slam-winning seasons.
Venus Williams
2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.7
Year-End Ranking: No.17
Season Highlights: Title at Kaohsiung
Best Major Result: SF (Wimbledon)
17 Days left until the 2017 #WTA season! ? pic.twitter.com/azf4fQh5zW
— WTA (@WTA) December 15, 2016
2017 Outlook
Despite turning 36 last summer, Venus Williams continues to challenge for tennis’ biggest honors. She proved this at Wimbledon, where she saw off several of the game’s brightest young talents to became the oldest Grand Slam semifinalist in 22 years.
It was not the only high point of the campaign either; in Kaohsiung she collected a 49th career title, reaching another final at Stanford before teaming up with Rajeev Ram to win mixed doubles silver at the Rio Olympics – her fifth medal at the Games.
There had been whispers that Brazil could be the curtain call on Williams’ wonderful career. However, the American has quashed such talk, outlining her plans to stay on tour until 2018, and even entertaining the possibility of playing until Tokyo 2020.
“I’ve been working hard in the gym and getting back on the court,” Williams said recently. “I just love the game, I really do. I love the challenge. It’s been such a part of my life that it’s hard to imagine life without it.
“I’m just gearing up for 2017 like I’m sure everybody else is.”
Her season opener will come in Auckland, where she will be joined by sister Serena and another thirtysomething still going strong, Svetlana Kuznetsova. Understandably, Williams, who lifted the title in 2015 and reached the final in 2013, is excited about her upcoming visit to the North Island.
“I am so excited to come back to Auckland, which is one of my favorite stops on the circuit,” Williams said. “It will be nice to have Serena there as well this year. “Being in Auckland will be a fantastic way to start 2017 and I am really looking forward to it!”