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20 Days Out: Road To Singapore Heads Into Final Stretch At China Open

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

BEIJING, China – The BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global is just under three weeks away, and with just three of the Top 8 players have already been determined in singles – while four teams have qualified in doubles – the China Open will be a crucial battleground for those aiming to earn enough points to book their ticket to Singapore.

The conclusion of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open saw Simona Halep become the third woman to qualify for Singapore after her run to the semifinals. For the Romanian, it marks the third straight year she has qualified for Singapore, having reached the final on her 2014 debut.

In doubles, darkhorses Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova flipped the script in Wuhan by clinching their spot at the WTA Finals by winning the doubles event over a surging Sania Mirza and Barbora Strycova. Mirza and Strycova remain outside the Top 8 since forming at the Western & Southern Open, and will need a strong result in Beijing to have a hope of crashing a party the World No.1 herself is already set to attend with former partner, Martina Hingis.

As the China Open enters its third round, defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska is a win away from returning to Singapore and making her eighth WTA Finals appearance in the last nine years after knocking out Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets. Currently into the second round in Beijing, Karolina Pliskova could also make her WTA Finals debut by reaching the last eight.

2015 semifinalist Garbiñe Muguruza is very much in the hunt for a return to Singapore of her own, and could book her spot by reaching the final.

Click here to check out a full list of senarios, here for the updated Road to Singapore leaderboard and here to buy tickets for the WTA Finals!

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Beijing: Kerber Interview

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

An interview with Angelique Kerber after her first round match at the China Open.

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Halep & Kvitova Light Up The Beijing Player Party

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

The big names in women’s tennis – like Simona Halep – came out for a star-studded red carpet gala in Beijing for the China Open player party.

Katerina Siniakova was also at the player’s party, which served as the kickoff to the Song Qingling’s Foundation.

Caroline Wozniacki is continuing her Asian Swing resurgence in Beijing.

The party took place at Beijing’s iconic Birds’s Nest Stadium, which in 2008 played host to the Olympics Opening Ceremony.

The always colorful Jelena Jankovic was the star of the night…

… and she took the stage with ATP star Andy Murray.

2014 finalist Petra Kvitova is back in Beijing looking to do one better in 2016…

…but Lucie Safarova and Bethanie Mattek-Sands can breathe easy – they’ve already qualified for the WTA Finals!

Since the China Open player party is known for fashion, there was a fashion show in the Bird’s Nest.

Karolina Pliskova walked the red carpet with one of the models…

…as did Elina Svitolina!

China Open officials – along with WTA CEO Steve Simon, far right – applauded the show and the kickoff of the tournament’s new charity.

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Ranking Watch: Cibulkova On The Climb

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Dominika Cibulkova’s journey back from last year’s Achilles surgery has been far from straightforward. However, over the past six months the Slovak has completed the rehabilitation with a sequence of results that have returned her to the Top 10.

In Katowice this March she returned to the winner’s circle, which she followed up by reaching a maiden Premier Mandatory final, in Madrid, and then further silverware, this time on the Eastbourne grass. Her latest run, to the final of last week’s Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open took Cibulkova’s 2016 win tally now stands at 44 – a number only bettered by World No.1 Angelique Kerber.

Strangely, given her assured play all week, Cibulkova had never previously won a match in Wuhan. But roused by an engaged crowd, the 27-year-old reeled off five in six days to come within touching distance of her first Premier 5 title and break new ground in the rankings.

The brilliance of her final opponent, Petra Kvitova – whose revival took her up to No.11 – ensured there was no silverware at the end of the week, but she was unable to stop Cibulkova from reaching a career-high No.8.

And she is not the only player on the rise:

Svetlana Kuznetsova (+3, No.10 to No.7): Cibulkova’s semifinal victim Kuznetsova continued her resurgence to consolidate her Top 10 status and reach her loftiest perch since June 2010.

Louisa Chirico (+11, No.74 to No.63): Although Chirico was handily beaten by contemporary Daria Kasatkina in the Wuhan second round, by coming through qualifying she begins the week at her highest ranking to date.

Kristyna Pliskova (+34, No.100 to No.66): Last week’s other title winner, Pliskova, did it the hard way coming through an opening test against Sara Sorribes Tormo, then winning a rollercoaster final with Nao Hibino. This ended a wait to join sister Karolina as a WTA title winner and also brought a new career-high ranking.

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Beijing: Peng Interview

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

An interview with Peng Shuai after her win in the second round of the China Open.

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Beijing Monday: Top Trio Kerber, Muguruza, Radwanska Take Center Stage

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Four of the Top 5 seeds will be in action on a busy Monday at the China Open. We preview the must-see matchups right here, courtesy of wtatennis.com contributor Chris Oddo.

Monday

First and Second Rounds

[1] Angelique Kerber (GER #1) vs. Katerina Siniakova (CZE #56)
Head-to-head: Kerber leads, 1-0
Key Stat: Kerber has reached the quarterfinals in three of the last four years at Beijing, but has never reached the semis.

Angelique Kerber is hoping to continue her fantastic season in Beijing with a deep run and that all starts with a first-round matchup with 20 year old Czech Katerina Siniakova. It’s been a good summer and fall for Siniakova. She has reached her first two WTA finals and is playing just a sliver shy of her career-high ranking of No.53. Last week she qualified for Wuhan and upset Timea Babos before falling to Caroline Wozniacki in the second round. But facing World No.1 Angelique Kerber in this her career year? That’s a different level of challenge for Siniakova, who has only faced two Top 10 opponents in her career to date. Kerber, meanwhile, is just focused on keeping the routine and rhythm that has made her 2016 so successful. “I’m trying to going to each tournament thinking match by match, not thinking too much what’s happen around, just playing my best, practicing good during the tournaments, have good recovery,” she said. “Yeah, just go and play good matches.”

Pick: Kerber in two

[8] Madison Keys (USA #9) vs. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA #54)
Head-to-head: Keys leads, 2-1
Key Stat: Keys won her 40th match of the season on Sunday in Beijing.

Madison Keys is looking to cash in on a golden opportunity to put some distance between herself and the rest of the pack when it comes to qualification for this year’s BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Yaroslava Shvedova’s upset of Carla Suárez Navarro in first-round action at Beijing means that Keys can stretch her lead over the Spaniard – currently ranked No.9 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard – with each victory she earns this week. On Monday, Keys will face Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic in a rematch of last year’s first-round battle in Beijing. Keys won that one in straight sets and also defeated Mladenovic at the Olympics in Rio this year, where she won the final four points of a third set tie-break to prevail. Mladenovic, who defeated Jelena Jankovic in three sets on Sunday, has seen her ranking drop outside of the Top 50 for the first time since last spring and has dropped five of her last six against the Top 10.

Pick: Keys in three

[2] Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP #3) vs. Yulia Putintseva (KAZ #36)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Muguruza owns a 6-0 lifetime record at Beijing.

Defending champion Garbiñe Muguruza is looking for a late-season push to lock up her second straight WTA Finals appearance, and the 22 year old Spaniard is happy to be back in Beijing, the site of one of her biggest titles to date. “I think it’s very, very satisfying when you go to a tournament where you know you played well, you feel welcome,” she said on Saturday after defeating Irina-Camelia Begu in three sets. “But honestly, this was last year. Nobody really is thinking about who won last year. It’s all about who is going to win this year, who is winning. I’m not really thinking. I’m just going for my match, just concentrating on the next one.” The next one for Muguruza will come against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva. The fiery 21 year old notched her first Top 10 win of the season two weeks ago in Tokyo and she’ll look to claim another big scalp when she meets Muguruza for the first time on Monday. Muguruza has lost more matches against players ranked outside of the Top 20 than any other player in the Top 5, so she’ll have to be dialed in from the get-go to book her spot in the sweet sixteen.

Pick: Muguruza in three

[3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #4) vs. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS #37)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads, 5-2
Key Stat: Radwanska will qualify for Singapore if Keys fails to win today.

Agnieszka Radwanska has always been a threat to win the title in Beijing, and 2016 is no exception. The Pole owns a 21-7 lifetime record at the China Open and has been to at least the semifinals in four of the last seven years. “I’m just feeling very well here,” Radwanska said after dispatching Chinese wild card Wang Qiang 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday. “I like the courts. I like the conditions. Everything suits me. So just, you know, very happy that I can really play my best tennis here.” Next up for the 2011 Beijing champion will be a meeting with Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova. Radwanska cruised past Makarova in second-round action at Wuhan last week to improve her record against the southpaw to 5-1 on hardcourts. Makarova has put up inconsistent results in 2016, but she has earned nine Top 5 wins in her career and is capable of defeating anybody when she’s at her best.

Pick: Radwanska in three

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Beijing: Muguruza Interview

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

An interview with Garbiñe Muguruza before her first round match at the China Open.

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Pliskova & Radwanska Close To Singapore, Battle Royale Set In Beijing

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Welcome to WTA Finals month. Here are the updated scenarios after 24 hours to digest the Beijing draw for singles and doubles…

ROAD TO SINGAPORE UPDATE – Saturday, October 1st

SINGLES:

While Karolina Pliskova and Agnieszka Radwanska are next in line to qualify for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, Garbiñe Muguruza, Dominika Cibulkova and Madison Keys round out the Top 8 of our live Road to Singapore leaderboard.

Carla Suárez Navarro is next in line followed by Svetlana Kuznetsova, Johanna Konta, and Petra Kvitova. Four of these – Muguruza, Keys, Kuznetsova, and Kvitova are all in the same quarter of the Beijing draw, creating some exciting early round matchups at the China Open.

Petra Kvitova

Potential R16 Match-Ups in Beijing

Interesting to note this round could have a huge say in the final qualification spots if these eight players reach this stage:

Pliskova (#4 RTS) vs Konta (#11 RTS)

Cibulkova (#6 RTS) vs Suárez Navarro (#9 RTS)

Keys(#8 RTS) vs Kuznetsova (#10 RTS)

Kvitova (#12 RTS) v Muguruza (#5 RTS)

Click here for the complete China Open draws.

Qualified: Angelique Kerber, Serena Williams, Simona Halep

Next In Line (Current Top 8)

How can they qualify in Beijing ?

Pliskova – qualifies by reaching 3r OR one of the following

·Keys fails to reach 3r AND Suárez Navarro fails to reach SF

·Keys fails to reach 3r AND Konta nor Kuznetsova reach final nor Kvitova wins title*

·Suárez Navarro fails to reach SF AND Konta nor Kuznetsova reach final nor Kvitova wins title*

*all three are in the same half so only one of these is possible

Radwanska – qualifies by reaching QF OR one of the following

·Keys fails to reach 3r AND Suárez Navarro fails to reach SF

·Keys fails to reach 3r AND Konta nor Kuznetsova reach final nor Kvitova wins title*

·Suárez Navarro fails to reach SF AND Konta nor Kuznetsova reach final nor Kvitova wins title*

*all three are in the same half so only one of these is possible

Muguruza – qualifies by reaching final

Cibulkova – qualifies by winning title

Keys – qualifies by winning title

Svetlana Kuznetsova

Suárez Navarro could qualify by winning title but would also need Keys not to reach QF AND Konta nor Kuznetsova to win title

It is mathematically possible for Kuznetsova or Konta to qualify this week by winning the Beijing title BUT this would have to be accompanied by early defeats for Keys, Cibulkova, Suárez Navarro, and Muguruza.

Currently No.9 to No.13 with points behind current projected cut-off (3137)

DOUBLES

QUALIFIED: Garcia/Mladenovic, Hingis/Mirza, Makarova/Vesnina, Mattek-Sands/Safarova

NEXT IN LINE:

Shvedova/Babos

3975

1r v Savchuk/Wang

Hlavackova/Hradecka

3775

1r vs Arruabarrena/Kalashnikova (Sun)

Chan/Chan

3760

1r bye

Goerges Pliskova

3270

1r vs Aoyama/Ninomiya (Sun)

How do they qualify in Beijing:

Babos/Shvedova qualify unless Mirza/Strycova, Atawo/Spears or Xu/Zheng win the Beijing title OR by reaching the Beijing SF

Hlavcakova/Hradecka qualify unless Mirza/Strycova reach Beijing final, Atawo/Spears or Xu/Zheng win the Beijing title OR by reaching the Beijing SF

Chan/Chan qualify unless Mirza/Strycova or Xu/Zheng reach Beijing final or Atawo/Spears win the Beijing title OR by reaching the Beijing Final

Goerges/Pliskova qualify by advancing to the same round or better than Mirza/Strycova, Atawo/Spears and Xu/Zheng and if Klepac/Srebotnik don’t win Beijing title

Remaining Teams in Possible Contention (points behind current cut-off)

Atawo/Spears	-575	Must reach at least QFs to stay in contention* (same quarter as Xu/Zheng) 1r vs Klepac/Srebotnik (Sun)
Xu/Zheng	-600	Must reach at least QFs to stay in contention* (same quarter as Atawo/Spears) 1r vs King/Nicuescu
Mirza/Strycova	-885	Must reach at least QFs to stay in contention* (same quarter as Goerges/Pliskova) 1r – bye; 2r vs Dabrowski/Martinez Sanchez
Klepac/Srebotnik	-1130	8th at best, must win Beijing to stay in contention and depend on other results 1r vs Atawo/Spears (Sun)

*this will change and require a better result if Goerges/Pliskova advance.

WTA Finals: Get Your Tickets!

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

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Beijing: Pliskova Interview

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

An interview with Karolina Pliskova before her first round match at the China Open.

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Radwanska Steps Closer To Singapore With Beijing Win Over Wang

Posted: Jan 01, 1970

BEIJING, China – 2015 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global champion Agnieszka Radwanska is just two matches from booking a return to Singapore with a first round win at the China Open, defeating wildcard Wang Qiang, 6-2, 6-2.

Watch live action from Beijing on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“First match is always tricky,” said the No.3 seed in her post-match press conference. “I just realized that the court and balls are much slower than the last week. Well, I was just trying to be more aggressive. If I had a chance, I was stepping in and moving to the net.”

Radwanska could have booked her ticket to Singapore last week had she won the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, but fell to former World No.2 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals – despite holding a match point in the second set.

“You are always trying to not think about pressure, especially here, close to Singapore.

“I just hope I can do it here, that’s for sure. But, well, I had the situation last year when I had to win the Tianjin Open to qualify for Singapore, and I did it. Of course, it was last-minute qualifying.

“I will try everything to qualify a bit before that this year. Everything is open. This is a big event. Everybody can do a lot of points here. It’s a little bit more pressure, but I think every year it’s kind of similar situation for everyone, especially a lot of girls this year is really close and the rankings are very tight.”

Easing ahead to a 6-2, 5-1 lead, Radwanska wobbled at the finish line against Wang, a talented player who started the year by taking out Sloane Stephens at the Australian Open, but the Pole rebounded to end the match in one hour and 24 minutes.

“I had a couple of matchpoints. It was still not a tragedy when I was 5-1 up. I was just very happy that I put a couple of good shots in next game and closed that set also very quickly.”

Up next for the World No.3 is Ekaterina Makarova, who dispatched fellow Singapore doubles partner Elena Vesnina, 6-2, 6-1, in their first round encounter on Sunday.