Indian Wells: Karolina Pliskova Vs Garbiñe Muguruza
Karolina Pliskova faced Garbiñe Muguruza in the quarterfinal of the BNP Paribas Open.
Karolina Pliskova faced Garbiñe Muguruza in the quarterfinal of the BNP Paribas Open.
Karolina Pliskova talks about her performance at the BNP Paribas Open.
Svetlana Kuznetsova reflects on her career after beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the BNP Paribas Open.
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.
Karolina Pliskova reflects at the BNP Paribas Open.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.14 seed Elena Vesnina earned the first Top 3 win of her career on Tuesday night, shocking No.2 seed and next week’s World No.1 Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 6-3, to reach her first quarterfinal at the BNP Paribas Open.
“I think I played a really good match,” she said in her on-court interview. “Angie will be No.1 again next week, so congrats to her; she’s an amazing player who has had an amazing season. She’s such a great competitor and fighter.”
“I felt quite good today on the court, from the beginning of the match,” she added to WTA Insider. “I felt my shots, I felt my serve. Angelique brings a lot of balls back and is one of the best defenders on tour. Going into this match, I knew she hasn’t had the best season, but you have to take the match from a top player because they’re never going to give it to you. I tried to be aggressive, with enough pace to move her around.
“Everything worked well today.”
Both women had to battle just to make it into the fourth round; Kerber was a game from defeat against Pauline Parmentier while Vesnina fought off dizziness and an in-form Timea Babos from a break down in the final set.
.@EVesnina001 in control of the rally! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/pibliRwQue
— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017
Swiftly breaking to start the match, Vesnina never trailed her higher-ranked opposition, holding off a late surge from Kerber when she took a set and double break lead.
“There were a few big games on my serve that I knew I couldn’t lose, because she’s a fighter and can regroup well enough to take control. I was trying to dictate and stay one step ahead of her. It wasn’t easy; I had a couple of tight moments.”
In all, the Russian struck an impressive 28 winners to 21 unforced errors, and broke hte Kerber serve five times in the match; as the two-time Indian Wells semifinalist threatened a comeback, Vesnina held to love to reclaim the momentum the break for the biggest win in her career after one hour and 24 minutes on court.
“I was a little nervous at the end of the match,” she said of Kerber winning eight of nine points to close the gap from 4-1 to 4-3, “but my dad came out on court and told me some simple things, reminded me to stick to the game plan I had before. I had a good first serve percentage in key moments, and I think my net game helped as well; it allowed me to put pressure on her by coming in.”
“It was actually not my day,” Kerber said in her post-match press conference. “I was doing a lot of mistakes. I was not moving good. But it happens. She played good tennis from the beginning until the end, and she was aggressive. She took the game in her hands.
“I’ll take the positive things from this tournament; I will sit down later with my team and my coach, and we will discuss about the positives and the plan going forward.”
Great work at the net from @EVesnina001! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/wIBvAJcSBP
— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017
Up next for the Wimbledon semifinalist is No.12 seed and five-time Wimbledon winner Venus Williams, who recovered from a set down to escape against a surging Peng Shuai earlier in the day.
“I have so much respect for Venus and Serena; they’re great champions. I hope it’s going to be a great match because it’s always an honor to play against her.”
Vesnina leads their head-to-head 3-2, and won their most recent match at last year’s Miami Open, which she won in three sets.
“We’ve had some great battles in the past; she’s won, I’ve won. But it’s a totally different story; it’s Indian Wells and I’m really enjoying my time here.”
Upset complete! @EVesnina001 knocks out Kerber 6-3, 6-3 to set up @BNPPARIBASOPEN Quarterfinal match with @VenusesWilliams pic.twitter.com/B8xbKPAEL2
— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017
Karolina Pliskova talks about her serve at the BNP Paribas Open.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will bring up an all-Russian quarterfinal battle against Svetlana Kuznetsova after downing Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets at the BNP Paribas Open.
She needed just over two hours to tamp down a Cibulkova comeback bid and win 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, making her way into the Indian Wells quarterfinals for the first time since 2009.
“I always like to get revenges. Feels amazing, especially we just recently played in Doha and also three-set match,” Pavlyuchenkova explained in her post-match press conference. “I was [also] really disappointed, though, even though it was really good level from the first till the last point.
“I thought I just didn’t convert my chances, and so really happy with the way I finished.”
Unbelievable pass from @Cibulkova! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/eYfgB0F8df
— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017
Pavlyuchenkova finished with 35 winners to 23 unforced errors, keeping Cibulkova’s normally aggressive game stifled at just 15 and 14, respectively. She had Cibulkova’s serve under pressure throughout, pouncing on the vulnerable second serve and causing her problems on the return.
The Russian edged ahead in the opening set after trading breaks to start. Cibulkova was playing her high-octane aggressive game but leaking too many unforced errors that left her unable to capitalize on a break opportunity. Instead Pavlyuchenkova soared ahead, beating her with pace and narrowly taking the opening set.
Cibulkova didn’t stay down too long, though, and regrouped in the second to mount another of her famous comebacks. She raised her level and started to dictate the points, flipping the momentum against an increasingly frustrated Pavlyuchenkova. The Slovak earned a decisive break late in the set to level the score and force a decider.
Pavlyuchenkova did well to put her disappointment behind her in the final set; she broke straightaway and built up a 3-0 lead. Despite Cibulkova keeping herself fighting for every point, Pavlyuchenkova was just too solid, and the Russian tamped down a late upset bid to take the match after two hours and seven minutes.
.@NastiaPav downs Cibulkova 6-4, 3-6, 6-2!
Sets All-?? @BNPParibasOpen Quarterfinal vs @SvetlanaK27! pic.twitter.com/KzIzF83x1r
— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017
“The key was to, of course, be aggressive, which is my game, but at the same time, find the balance between being aggressive and not giving her a lot of easy shots,” Pavlyuchenkova said. “Because she’s great fighter, and she’s always there.
“I know when she’s down in the score, she’s going for the shots.”
With the victory Pavlyuchenkova brings up a quarterfinal matchup with her countrywoman Kuznetsova. She’ll head into the match trailing 3-5 in the pair’s head-to-head record, but bolstered by the fact that she’s won both of their most recent encounters at Sydney and Melbourne earlier this year.
“Yeah, I know her pretty well, and I think these conditions suit her well,” she said. “She’s playing kind of this mix up a little bit of Spanish tennis, which I think is pretty good on these courts.
“I kind of feel very good, as well.Yeah, let’s see.”
Catch up with all the action from Day 7 of the BNP Paribas Open.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Venus Williams had to come back from a set down to oust Chinese qualifier Peng Shuai and make her way into the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
After battling back from match point down earlier in the week against Jelena Jankovic, Venus was able to pull off another turnaround against Peng, advancing 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
“There were some up-and-downs and errors. It was so frustrating,” Venus admitted in her post-match press conference. “But I feel like I got my focus more in that second set and towards the end of the third, because — I don’t know. I’m just a competitor.
“So if things get closer, then I think my better tennis is going to come. But obviously I don’t want things to get close. I want to try to run away with it.”
.@VenusesWilliams bossing the second set! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/YOLZzAR5wt
— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017
It was one-way traffic for the Chinese player in the opening set, though, as Venus found herself down an early break almost as soon as she took to the court. Peng bossed the rallies with her tricky two-handed groundstrokes off both wings, and she quickly took the opening set with another solid break.
But it was a completely different story as the seven-time Grand Slam champion roared to life in the second. Venus found her rhythm to break Peng four times – the Chinese player avoided a shutout by grabbing one of the breaks back, but couldn’t stem the tide as the former World No.1 sent the match to a decider.
Comeback complete ✅@VenusesWilliams advances to @BNPParibasOpen Quarterfinals with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 win over Peng! pic.twitter.com/Du4ECgViqw
— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017
With the momentum – and the vocal southern California crowd – firmly behind her, Venus powered through the final set. She traded breaks early on, but got her second opening when a Peng double fault gifted her the chance to serve out the match.
Venus took her spot in the final eight with ease, moving into the Indian Wells quarterfinals after just under two hours.
She’ll play the winner of No.2 seed Angelique Kerber and Elena Vesnina for a spot in the semifinals.