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Insider Q&A: Louisa Chirico

Insider Q&A: Louisa Chirico

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MADRID, Spain – When Louisa Chirico’s plane landed in Madrid on Thursday, she and a slew of fellow players on her flight fired up their phones and waited for their roaming cell phone data plans to kick in. Just a few hours earlier Chirico hopped on a plane in Prague, where she lost in qualifying at the J&T Banka Prague Open a few days earlier, and flew to Madrid hoping that by the time she landed she would hear she whether she had actually got into the Mutua Madrid Open.

“I wasn’t originally inside the cut,” Chirico told WTA Insider. “We found out the day before I came here. I was entered in another tournament just in case and then switched our flight. I was three out of qualifying and then I moved in at the last minute. So very happy and lucky but trying to do my best to use the opportunity.”

Chirico was originally entered in another ITF tournament for this week, but as more withdrawals came in Madrid she soon saw herself very close to making the cut. After losing in the final round of qualifying in Prague, she and coach stayed there to practice and wait until it was time to head to their next tournament.

“I wasn’t planning on playing a match until Monday at the other tournament and then found out we might be in here and I had to play the next day on Friday,” Chirico said. “Obviously I want to play here, it’s the biggest tournament right now. That wasn’t a question. But the travel and everything, planning the weeks ahead can be difficult. Everyone has to go through it. You just have to make the adjustments and make the best of it.”

Louisa Chirico

Chirico did make the best of it. Ranked No.133, the 19-year-old American beat Irina Falconi and Mariana Duque-Mariño without losing a set to qualify for her first Premier Mandatory event. Her successful qualifying campaign in Madrid continues what has been a strong run of form for the New York native.

Since the tour has turned to clay she made good on a wildcard into the Volvo Car Open to make the Round of 16, beating Lucie Safarova and Naomi Osaka en route. Then came a strong qualifying run in Stuttgart, where she qualified for the main draw with wins over Barbora Krejcikova, Daniela Hantuchova, and Camila Giorgi – again, without losing a set. Last year she won the USTA French Open wildcard play-off to earn her first Grand Slam main draw appearance.

Chirico’s comfort on clay stems from growing up playing on green clay. It’s not often you hear an American player say they wished the clay season was longer.

“Extending the clay season as much as possible? I’m all about it.”

“For me it’s always been natural to move [on clay] because I grew up playing most of the summers on green clay,” Chirico said. “So it didn’t even come into my mind until I came out here and noticed people didn’t really like playing on clay. I guess that gives me an advantage going in. I think it suits my game pretty well. Hopefully I can stay on the clay as long as possible, play as many matches on it as possible.

Get to know the 19-year-old from Westchester, New York. Just don’t call her Lil Weezy.

Louisa Chirico

Q: So let’s back up. How did you first start playing tennis?
A: Actually I played a lot of sports when I was younger. I played soccer pretty seriously, I played basketball, a little bit of figure skating, and ice hockey. I was all over the place. I always loved playing sports. I was always running around and staying active.

My mom enrolled me in a clinic one day and from that moment I just loved it and decided to keep playing. I ended up choosing between tennis and soccer. Those were the two sports that I was most serious about.

Q: What position did you play in soccer?
A: Sweeper. Middle defender. I decided around 12 or 13 that I only wanted to play tennis. And the rest of it is history. I loved it right away.

Q: Speaking of those two sports, soccer is obviously a team sport and tennis is completely individual. Why choose tennis over being with a team?
A: I think the cool thing about tennis is that it is individual so it’s you out there. It’s solving the puzzle by yourself. Obviously you have your coach and your team at the side of the court but when you’re out there they can’t help you. It’s a battle against another persona and you’re countering their moves as well. You never know what is going to happen so it’s like boxing. I think that’s a really cool aspect and I enjoy that.

Q: So you chose tennis over soccer. At one point did you think you could actually play tennis for a living?
A: It was once I started playing some of the bigger events in juniors, going against the best juniors around my age at the ITFs or junior Slams. That’s when I realized maybe I can do this as a career and really pursue it. I really wanted to but I had to gauge where I was. I was in regular school so I was only playing in the US or locally so I had no idea. There are so many players in other countries.

So once I started playing at the highest level and I had some success in the lower level Futures and stuff, that opened my eyes a little bit and I thought I could do this as a career.

Q: You’re 19-years-old, traveling the world playing sports for a living. Your friends are probably all in college. When you talk to them, what’s the biggest misconception they have about your life?
A: Geez, I don’t know. I think the funniest thing I get is “So what do you do for food?” I’m like, well…I still eat regular food [laughs]. I guess with the diet and the sleeping everyone thinks we’re robots and on a schedule. Obviously we have to be professional and on a schedule. It’s funny to hear those questions.

All my friends are interested and they’re like have you played Serena or Sharapova yet? They don’t really get the tiers of the tour. So when I tell them I’m playing qualifying for a tournament they’re like, “So you’re playing a tournament to get into another tournament?”

But they’re all really supportive and I’m really lucky to have friends that are that supportive of me. I think it’s really important to have friends outside of tennis so you’re not always consumed with it. Sometimes you just need to relax and get a break. It’s nice to not talk about tennis 24/7. Because when we’re out here I do enjoy talking tennis. I think we all do. It’s what we do. We love it. But it’s nice to have a couple friends who don’t know anything about the game.

Q: So what do you do to get your mind off tennis?
A: I like to read. I like to sketch and draw a little bit. It’s the artistic outlet, I guess. I love music. You’ll always see me with my headphones in. I like to hang out with my friends. I like to keep it social.

Q: So what are you listening to these days? What’s on repeat?
A: I’m pretty into house music so I was really excited coming to Europe. I always leave Europe and I have a whole new playlist! Currently on repeat is the new Calvin Harris song that came out with Rihanna. It’s really good. I recommend you listen to it.

Q: Alright, I’m going to fire off some quick-hit questions now.
A: Oh boy.

Q: Would you rather have a night out or an evening in?
A: Evening in.

Q: Extroverted or introverted?
A: Extroverted.

Q: TV or book?
A: TV.

Q: TV or movie?
A: Movie.

Q: What’s the last movie you saw?
A: I saw Concussion in the theater. It was really good. Interesting story.

Q: Twitter or Instagram?
A: Instagram.

Q: Would you rather swim in a pool or the ocean?
A: Ocean.

Q: Name three things you would take to a desert island?
A: My phone, a book, and a friend.

Q: If money were no object, what would you do all day?
A: Play tennis.

Q: Did you always want to be a professional tennis player?
A: When I was younger and I played soccer I wanted to be Mia Hamm.

Q: Do you have any nicknames?
A: Lou. My trainer calls me Lil Weezy. He’s the only person who can do that. I wouldn’t really respond to anyone else yelling that.

Q: I have this theory that everyone has an X-Men power. Something you naturally do better than anyone else that is your gift as well as your curse. What’s yours?
A: I always have energy. I don’t drink coffee, I don’t need caffeine. I always have energy and for what we do that’s an advantage. So…Energizer Bunny over here.

Q: What’s your favorite family tradition?
A: Christmas every year. I have a pretty big family. My dad’s side of the family all lives in New York. My mom’s side lives half in Korea and half in California. But my dad’s side is in New York and we all get together every Christmas. It’s the one time of the year everyone is together. It’s really nice. We go around the table and talk about what we’re thankful for. It keeps you grounded. It’s really special to me.

Q: Do you still sit at the kids table?
A: I am now old enough that I no longer have to sit at the kids table.

Q: How many languages do you speak?
A: Fluently? English. I took a little bit of Spanish. I took 3 years of Mandarin in school but I wouldn’t say I’m fluent.

Q: So you’re not Christina McHale (McHale speaks Mandarin)?
A: No, I’m not Christina. I didn’t go to Asia last year but this year hoping to so I’ll brush up on my Chinese.

Q: Do you speak Korean?
A: No, actually. Just hello and stuff.

Q: Do you have a Starbucks name?
A: I’ve given Rihanna. Because I just love her.

Q: She’s your girl?
A: She’s my girl.

Q: If you could have coffee with anyone in the world, who would it be?
A: Ellen Degeneres. I think she’s hilarious and I would love to be on her show.

Q: Well if you make a deep run at the US Open…
A: Exactly. That’s the goal, right? But I’ll settle for coffee with her.

Follow Louisa on Twitter @Louisa_Chirico!

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Muguruza Shines Under Madrid Spotlight

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MADRID, Spain – No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza closed out a decisive 6-2, 7-5 win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, winning her first round match at the Mutua Madrid Open in just over 90 minutes on Court Manolo Santana.

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

“Of course I was a little bit nervous and tense because the first matches are always complicated,” Muguruza told press after the match.

:In Madrid we have this extra pressure because I’m here at home. Perhaps you’re a little bit more nervous because of that. But my first feeling is that I’m satisfied for winning the match, fighting, as I fought a lot.”

Coming off of another successful Fed Cup outing and a run to the quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Muguruza is quite comfortable on clay – despite her breakout Wimbledon fortnight less than a year ago – and used that experience to take the ascendency on Schmiedlova, who has only won one WTA main draw match thus far in 2016.

Hitting 22 winners to the Slovak’s five, Muguruza closed off more than her fair share of points at the net, venturing forward 12 times and converting eight of those advances. Schmiedlova, by contrast, hit 28 unforced errors and seven double faults, though she pushed the former World No.3 to play her best tennis in the second set.

Still in her first full season as a top ranked player, the Spanish youngster admitted she is still navigating the waters of the big leagues, but feels she is acquitting herself well.

“I think it’s difficult. It’s something that requires you to play very well, not only tennistically talking, but in everything you do. You have to put everything in.

“I’m very happy to be up there and very fortunate to be there. I’m discovering how to handle it the best possible way. To feel more confident, comfortable.

“Right now I’m feeling well.”

Up next for the two-time French Open quarterfinalist is Irina-Camelia Begu, who outlasted Eugenie Bouchard, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 late on Sunday evening.

“Every time I go out there and play a game I’m very competitive and I want to win. It doesn’t matter if I defend points or not.”

Around the grounds, Daria Kasatkina fought valiantly through injury concerns and an inspired opponent in qualifier Patricia Maria Tig, but ultimately fell to the Romanian, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. Sabine Lisicki made short work of another qualifier, Monica Puig, as the German emerged in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. On the bubble to qualify for the Rio Olympics, Lisicki saw herself get bumped from her country’s Top 4 when Laura Siegemund reached the final of Stuttgart two weeks ago, and will need to put together some solid results of her own to reassert her presence on the national team. Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova set up a second round encounter with Camila Giorgi when she defeated Lesia Tsurenko, 6-2, 6-1 – Tsurenko herself was playing with a heavily strapped right thigh.

American qualifier Louisa Chirico turned heads with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Monica Niculescu; the Romanian veteran had pushed Petra Kvitova to the brink in Stuttgart, but Chirico had all the answers in the one hour, 35 minute match. Winning 70% of her first serve points and breaking serve six times, the 19-year-old New York native could next play 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic in the second round. Get to know the young American in a new interview from WTA Insider.

Volvo Car Open finalist and qualifier Elena Vesnina began her red clay campaign with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Jelena Ostapenko, who was hoping to build on her run to the semifinals of the Katowice Open after a runner-up finish in Doha. Vesnina will next play defending champion Kvitova, who eased past Lara Arruabarrena, 6-3, 6-2, in just over an hour. A two-time winner in Madrid, Kvitova reached the semifinals of Stuttgart continued looking comfortable on clay on Sunday, striking 29 winners to 27 unforced errors against the Spaniard, who pushed Angelique Kerber to a third set tie-break a few weeks ago in Charleston.

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Champion's Corner: Safarova

Champion's Corner: Safarova

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Lucie Safarova went from famine to feast thanks to some much needed home cooking. The Czech veteran went into the J&T Banka Prague Open without a match win under her belt in 2016, going 0-5 after a delayed start to the season due to complications from a bacterial infection that derailed her career-best season last fall.

But it just takes one week to turn your season around in tennis, and Safarova earned her first win of the year over Mariana Duque-Mariño. With each match her level improved and she saved her best for last, rallying from a set down to beat Samantha Stosur, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to win her first title since the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last spring.

After a rush to the airport to get to Madrid on Saturday night, Safarova went on to beat CoCo Vandeweghe in the first round of the Mutua Madrid Open. It adds up to a much-needed boost of confidence for Safarova, who is hoping to round into form before the French Open, where she the finalist last year.

WTA Insider spoke to Lucie on Saturday after her feel-good week at home playing in front of family and friends.

Lucie Safarova

WTA Insider: Congratulations on an incredible and, I have to believe, a relieving run for you to the title in Prague. How are you feeling right now?
Safarova: I feel amazing. It’s really so nice to win a title at home, in front of the home crowd. The attendance was amazing. They pushed me forward and after being such a long time away with the sickness, it’s a really nice feeling to play such great tennis again. I’m feeling strong.

WTA Insider: When you arrived in Prague, you hadn’t yet won a match this year, and obviously your health concerns played a big part in that. How worried were you about your form when you arrived?
Safarova: Actually, I felt better and better each week. In Stuttgart, we had a really tough match with Kaja [Pliskova], with really close points. My performance was really good again and I felt like my old self.

When I arrived in Prague, I was just positive that sooner or later, it has to come. It’s incredible that after winning the first match, my performance was better each match and then in the final, I played great tennis.

WTA Insider: At what point this season were you able to feel like you were able to practice 100% without being too concerned with fitness issues?
Safarova: I started to practice two weeks before the tournament in Doha. I was doing two days practice, one day recovery. It’s not easy to say which day I managed to play 100%, but even in spaces I got some good practices in. As I say, it just takes time for the body to gain back the fitness.

Lucie Safarova

WTA Insider: Were you able to stay positive throughout that time? Obviously the losses had to be frustrating at times, and I would think it would be difficult to stay positive the whole time.
Safarova: It wasn’t easy, definitely, but I could still see that I was able to last longer in each match I was playing, and the overall performance was better. So, I was trying to be patient and keep a positive approach, which only led to this amazing event.

WTA Insider: Am I right that your coach Rob Steckley is not with you in Prague?
Safarova: He had some health issues and had to go back home. I don’t know how long he’s going to be away, but he’s definitely not coming to Madrid and Rome.

WTA Insider: Have you been in contact this week?
Safarova: We’ve been in contact a little bit.

Lucie Safarova

WTA Insider: Did you have somebody there serving as a coach?
Safarova: I had plenty of people around me, obviously. It’s my home town, and home country for me, so there was plenty of people – family and friends – so I was never alone, definitely!

WTA Insider: We saw the photos and videos in Prague. The stands were full, very lively. You’ve played in Grand Slam finals and other big tournaments. What was it like playing it Prague?
Safarova: It was amazing. It was really cold the first few days, but the people still came to support. It was sold out every day in the club. The atmosphere was just incredible, so it’s really nice how many people love tennis in the Czech Republic, and how they are coming to support us. I really appreciate it. I have such great fans.

WTA Insider: Looking at this past week and the matches you were able to rack up, was there a certain match where you were able to think you were back and all of the struggles were behind you? Was there a singular moment where you felt that way this week?
Safarova: With each match I played, I gained some confidence, and my tennis was better and better. But definitely after the semifinals and finals today, I definitely felt my level was back.

Lucie Safarova

WTA Insider: You have a pretty good record against Sam. Did that factor into your ability to turn today’s match around?
Safarova: I don’t know if I would say so because Sam on clay is playing really well, and she was pressuring me from the beginning. The whole first set I was more defensive; then finally, I was able to turn it around. I really pushed myself to the limit to win that match.

WTA Insider: How did you feel you recovered from match to match?
Safarova: Of course, I’m very exhausted because I had long matches here throughout the week, but so far no injuries and recovering pretty ok. I think that’s the best news after this week, that my health is holding on.

WTA Insider: You’ve won the title in Prague, you’ve got some matches under your belt. You’re on clay, which you obviously love. The French Open is pretty close and a place where you’ve had good results; how do you feel this tournament win sets you up for the rest of the clay court season?
Safarova: I see this as a great start for me. Now I see I’m back; my level is back. I’m just going to keep working, keep building up on my game. Obviously there are two big tournaments ahead in Madrid and Rome, and then I have a week off before Paris. Of course, I will try to peak in Paris, but I would love to continue my streak in the other two tournaments coming up.

All photos courtesy of J&T Banka Prague Open.

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Madrid Tuesday: Hola Halep

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MADRID, Spain –  Simona Halep leads the pack on the last day of second round action at the Mutua Madrid Open.

Tuesday, Second Round

[6] Simona Halep (ROU #7) vs Karin Knapp (ITA #75)
Head-to-head: Halep leads 1-0
Key Stat: Knapp (122 minutes) has spent twice as long on court as Halep (58 minutes) in Madrid

The 2014 Madrid finalist’s season has so far unfolded in fits and starts: Halep posted solid quarterfinal appearances at Indian Wells and Miami, as well as second round exits at Doha and Stuttgart. She’s nonetheless adjusted well to the altitude and conditions in Madrid and dropped just three games in her opening match.

“It was a good match, a good start for me,” Halep said. “I had a good start because I was confident, and practicing very well the last few days here.”

By contrast, Halep’s opponent has spent much of her season dealing with a right knee injury, and has only played three matches so far this year. Though each one ended in a first round loss, Knapp has showed her grit in the last two, taking her opponents to three sets. But Halep is the first Top 20 player Knapp has had to face, and she might be too much for the recovering Italian.

The matchup could ultimately come down to Halep’s health, which has been a source of woe for the Romanian in 2016. Though she’s still recovering from the breathing difficulties and ankle injury that sent her crashing out of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, she showed none of those symptoms during her 58-minute demolition of Misaki Doi in the last round. A repeat performance against Knapp would see her advance comfortably to the round of 16.

Samantha Stosur (AUS #23) vs [11] Lucie Safarova (CZE #13)
Head-to-head: Safarova leads 11-3
Key Stat: Safarova has won all three of their encounters on clay

Lucie Safarova and Samantha Stosur are two players familiar with each other: they’ve played 14 times previously, and their latest encounter is probably still fresh in their memory. They played a few days ago in the final of the J&T Banka Prague Open – Safarova came back from a set down run away with the match and the title, her first on clay since 2005.

Both of them made the change from Prague to Madrid with ease, despite the less than ideal turnaround time: after their Saturday final in Prague, the two shared the same flight to the Spanish capital and played their opening matches at the Mutua Madrid Open on Sunday.

“It’s gonna be a late night tonight, and I know Lucie and I are on the same flight,” Stosur said after their final. “We’ll both be in the same boat but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

“It’s not ideal preparation, but to be in a final – you’d take that any day.”

With both of them fighting fatigue, Stosur is eager to grab a chance at redemption against her Czech nemesis. She had Safarova under pressure in their Prague final, and without the effect of the partisan home crowd she could seal the victory.

Also in action: Laura Siegemund made headlines at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix when she made a run from the qualifying rounds all the way to her career-first Premier-level final. She already looks set to repeat the streak: the German qualifier knocked out No.9 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in her first main draw match. Standing in the way of her next fairytale run is Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Meanwhile, No.8 seed Carla Suárez Navarro – the only Spaniard left in the draw – will have to hold her nerve in front of the home crowd as she takes on Sabine Lisicki on Court Manolo Santana. Ekaterina Makarova and No.10 seed Timea Bacsinszky open the day session at Pista 4.

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The Gibbs Of Gab: Go to College

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Based on feedback I’ve received on Twitter, a lot of you have been wondering what my experience playing college was like and whether I’d recommend it to elite junior players as a pit-stop before professional tennis.

The short answer is yes – always yes – consider college tennis.

College tennis, if used correctly, can be a great tool for player development and preparation for the “next step.” I’m not going to pretend that every facet of college life was well suited to transitioning my level of tennis from junior to professional – see: sleep schedule, academic workload, occasional weekend indiscretions – however, I think that the experience as a whole helped to shape me into a more well-rounded person who was capable of taking on life on tour.

A normal weekday at Stanford for me went as follows:

7:30 AM Alarm. Minimum 2 snoozes before rolling out of bed.
7:58 AM Bike to class as fast as I can. Curse self for snoozing twice.
8:07 – 9:00 AM Lecture.
9:00 – 10:00 AM Break consisting of Jamba Juice and finishing homework for section. I’m known to procrastinate.
10:00 – 11:00 AM Section. This is awkward. Didn’t finish the reading. Must raise hand for questions I know the answer to in order to avoid cold calls.
11:00 AM – 12:15 PM Lecture.
12:15 – 1:00 PM Lunch. Possible power nap.
1:00 – 2:00 PM Section.
2:00 – 2:30 PM Bike to practice. Call boyfriend. Tell him I’m too tired to function, that I can’t possibly make it through the rest of the day. Boyfriend tells me I’ll be fine, that he’s busy. I remind him that I’m more important than anything else he’s doing. He says ‘OK.’ I still hang up angrily.
2:30 – 5:00 PM Team Practice.
5:15 – 6:15 PM Team Workout.
6:15 – 6:30 PM Bike to Training Table. Still alive despite earlier concern.
6:30 – 7:30 PM Training Table. Special athlete food in special athlete section of dining hall – with the team (definite highlight within my day).
7:30 – 7:45 PM Bike to professor’s office hours. Stress that I am late. Know that I am doomed if I can’t finish math problem set during office hours because it is entirely impossible to complete on my own. Curse myself for being lowly athlete instead of math genius.
7:45 – 9:00 PM Office hours.
9:00 – 9:15 PM Bike back to dorm. Call boyfriend. Tell him that I can’t possibly write this essay tonight that’s due in section tomorrow. He suggests I procrastinate less. I suggest he learns how to give empathy rather than advice. He says ‘OK.’I still hang up angrily.
9:15 – 11:30 PM

Alternate between writing essay, browsing Facebook, and telling the football players across the hall that ‘No, I cannot have a beer with them’ despite their pleading with me to honor ‘Thirsty Thursday.’
11:30 PM – 12:30 AM Boyfriend who thinks I’m mad at him but doesn’t understand why comes over. I assure him I am not mad at him: “Long day.” Essay is not done but I am too tired to write any more words. Episode of Friday Night Lights with boyfriend then bed. Set alarm for 6:48AM following day to finish essay before section.

In summary, my life at school was incredibly hectic. For a lot of tennis parents – or junior players themselves – this brings up a big red flag. If my kid is spread so thin, how will they be able to dedicate themselves to tennis? How will they get better?

Speaking completely honestly, there were weeks during which this crazy grind wore me down to the point of no return. My practices were poor, my workouts more lethargic than inspired, and sometimes I got sick. On those weeks, all I could do was survive until the weekend and then catch up on sleep (I only slept five-six hours on weekdays) and reset.

But there are two reasons why I don’t think that that should deter parents from pushing their kids down the college path. First, not every week was like this. I got to be a master-level prioritizer at school, so I almost always found a way to allow my tennis to take center stage when it was most important. This meant more sleep, harder practice, and less academic work in the days and weeks leading up to the NCAA tournament and other big events.

Second and, I think, more importantly, my crazy schedule taught me the balance that is necessary to performing well on tour. As a junior player who suffered from a lot of pre-match anxiety and self-applied pressure, I discovered that the ‘distractions’ that school provided were a welcome change. I learned so much about what it meant to put myself in a position to perform well on the court, and it didn’t always mean subscribing to the crazy tennis-above-everything mindset that I had been taught prior to school. I began to realize that spending the evening before a match with my non-tennis friends or even finishing a problem set the night before a big match (and thus taking my mind entirely off of tennis) was great – even relaxing – preparation.

Beyond balance alone, college offered me camaraderie with teammates – an opportunity not often provided to tennis players – excellent coaching from a tour veteran, Lele Forood and her associate head coach Frankie Brennan, state of the art fitness facilities, training rooms, and staff, the stability of home base eight months out of the year. Last, but not least, it provided the security of a someday-to-be-finished Stanford education in my back pocket. I don’t think that tennis parents and junior players always realize just how important that last facet is: a college education and the network of alumni that comes with it are an incredible safety net.

In response to this argument for choosing college, people always seem to come back with, ‘But doesn’t a safety net make you less desperate to make it on tour? More likely to tap out if things get tough?’ I’m sure every player’s experience is different, but I would venture to guess that most players considering a jump straight to the pros are incredibly intrinsically motivated, special beings. I have never once thought to myself, “This is really hard, I should just go back and finish college so that I can bail out of the grind.”

That being said, I also have somewhere to go if I’m ever fraught with injuries or am no longer enjoying the game. So sue me.

I acknowledge that college is not the path for everyone. Those who are capable of making a considerable living on tour right out of high school and/or lack passion in the classroom are viable candidates for going straight to the pros. However, I do think that every single player should at least consider college, particularly given that the average age in the WTA Top 100 is pushing 26 (28 on the men’s side).

I maintain, unequivocally, that I became a much better player at Stanford under Lele’s tutelage – and with the help of Stanford’s first-class training staff. Beyond that, I believe that I came out of college better equipped for the challenges of professional tennis and the balancing act that is life on tour.

I wouldn’t have rambled on nearly this long if I weren’t really passionate about this, so please, please, please at least consider college with your junior player.

Catch up on Nicole’s past blogs for WTA Insider here, and follow Nicole on Twitter @Gibbsyyyy!

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Madrid Wednesday: Bacsinszky’s Battle

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MADRID, Spain – Revenge is the theme of the day as the round of 16 kicks off with Simona Halep and Petra Kvitova seeking to avenge some painful losses earlier this season and grab a spot in the Mutua Madrid Open quarterfinals. Preview the day’s action right here on wtatennis.com

Wednesday, Round of 16

[6] Simona Halep (ROU #7) vs [10] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI #15)
Head-to-head: Halep leads 2-1
Key Stat: Bacsinszky has spent 4 hours and 55 minutes on court compared to Halep’s 2 hours and 2 minutes

No.10 seed Timea Bacsinszky is feeling the effects of her busy schedule – fresh off of her title in Rabat, she came straight to the Spanish capital and was back at it again.

Despite her resilient effort, the cracks are showing in the Swiss’ game – she’s spent five hours on court in two matches and struggled to close out Ekaterina Makarova in the last round.

“It’s my seventh match in eight days, so if I have a lack of energy sometimes, I think it’s kind of normal,” Bacsinszky explained in press after the match. “I’m really happy that I won, whether it was in two, three sets… Even if it were in five I would be happy as well. I’m just happy that I won my match.”

The Swiss will have to channel all of her energy into her next matchup: she’s set to face No.6 seed Simona Halep on Court Manolo Santana. The on-fire Romanian only dropped two games in her demolition of Karin Knapp.

Halep has won two of their three meetings on tour, although did taste defeat earlier this year in Miami.

“Bacsinszky is revenge!” Halep said. “It’s going to be hard, it’s going to be difficult, a tough match for sure. I just want to go on court relaxed and play my game. It’s a good tournament, good people around me, so I am in a good place mentally and physically.”

Daria Gavrilova (AUS #39) vs [5] Petra Kvitova (CZE #6)
Head-to-head: Tied 1-1
Key Stat: Kvitova has yet to drop a service game in Madrid

Another rematch will be taking place on Court Arantxa Sanchez as Daria Gavrilova takes on the No.5 seed Petra Kvitova in the first match of the day.

Despite their head to head record being tied at 1-1, Kvitova will go into the matchup with revenge on the mind: the last time these two played each other was at this year’s Australian Open where the unseeded Gavrilova upset Kvitova in the second round.

But this time around the Czech is working with a new team and is back to putting together deep runs – she’s reached the quarterfinals or better at two of her last three events.

“I’m happy with my performance right now,” Kvitova said in second-round press conference. “I think I played great matches in Stuttgart, and especially two weeks before the Stuttgart I had a good preparation on the clay.

“I have a new coach. That’s always great to have someone who’s helping you and finding a good way of your game and plan. I feel okay and I hope that this will kind of continue.”

This all spells bad news for the big hitting Gavrilova, who has struggled to back up her fairytale run to the Australian Open round of 16. The Australian’s best result came in the green clay of Charleston, where she reached the round of 16 before falling to eventual champion Sloane Stephens.

Around the grounds: No.8 seed Carla Suárez Navarro closes out the women’s action on Court Manolo Santana against Samantha Stosur. The last remaining Spaniard, Suárez Navarro will face a tough test: she’s up against a well-rested opponent as Stosur received a walkover into the round of 16, and Suárez Navarro is also battling an upper respiratory illness. Meanwhile, No.4 seed Victoria Azarenka continues her steady march through Madrid: she has yet to drop a set and is up against Louisa Chirico, the American qualifier who ousted Ana Ivanovic to reach this stage. Qualifier Patricia Maria Tig – one of four Romanians left in the draw – closes out the night session against Madison Keys.

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Gavrilova Sends Champion Kvitova Packing

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MADRID, Spain – Daria Gavrilova caused the latest upset at the Mutua Madrid Open draw, knocking out defending champion Petra Kvitova in the third round.

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

Kvitova is the 12th seed to bite the Madrid dust in just five days, leaving Simona Halep as the only Top 10 player left standing. Gavrilova, who faces Louisa Chirico in the last eight, impressed throughout, breaking three times en route to a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

While Gavrilova’s game never wavered, Kvitova’s failure to find her range was the source of increasing frustration. In the penultimate game of the opening set, a backhand into the net capped off a string of unforced errors that gift wrapped the decisive break.

It prompted the Czech to fling her hands skywards, and another break at the start of the second did little to lift her mood. Meanwhile, Gavrilova’s neat and tidy approach – she made 18 unforced errors to Kvitova’s 30 – continued to pay dividends, helping her out of couple of close games and safely across the finishing line.

Kvitova went into the tournament with an abdomen strain, an injury that affected not only her serve during the match but also her preparation beforehand.

“I think Daria really played a solid match. I couldn’t put everything together out there – I was still dealing with the pain from Stuttgart” Kvitova said. “I couldn’t really practice for a week. I’m glad that I won two matches and I’m glad that it feels like it’s getting better, so hopefully I can start to do more fitness and tennis practice.”

A run to the semifinals in Rome 12 months ago announced Gavrilova to the tennis world. Standing between her and a repeat performance at one of the spring’s other big events is qualifier Chirico, the beneficiary of Victoria Azarenka’s last-minute injury withdrawal.

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Hingis & Mirza Coast Into Last Four

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MADRID, Spain – Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza continued their serene progress at the Mutua Madrid Open, dispatching quarterfinal foes Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka in little over an hour.

Since seeing their 41-match winning streak ended in Doha, Hingis and Mirza have endured a relative barren patch, going four tournaments without silverware. However, inside the Caja Mágica they are casting a spell over their opponents once again, bewitching No.6 seeds Hlavackova and Hradecka, 6-3, 6-2.

This masterclass set up a semifinal clash with a resurgent Vania King and Alla Kudryavtseva, winners of a far closer encounter in the preceding match on court. Taking on No.4 seeds Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan, King and Kudryavtseva recovered from a slow start to prevail, 2-6, 6-4, 11-9.

On the other side of the draw, Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic continued their fine clay court campaign with victory over No.3 seeds Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova.

Garcia and Mladenovic arrived in the Spanish capital having won their opening two clay court events, Charleston and Stuttgart, and a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Babos and Shvedova extends their unbeaten streak on the surface to 11 matches.

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina are the next team tasked with ending this run. French Open champions in 2013, Makarova and Vesnina advanced without striking a ball after Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova withdrew when the latter failed to recover sufficiently from a thigh strain.

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