Tennis News

THE WINNERS

Victoria Azarenka continued her near-perfect start to 2016 by showing vintage form against an out of sorts World No.1 Serena Williams to win the BNP Paribas Open final, 6-4, 6-4.

Azarenka is now the only player to defeat the American in more than three championship matches, and she had nothing but praise for her opponent after the match:

“I wanted to first address a personal thank you to Serena,” she said. “I know how emotional it was for you to be back here and you truly inspired so many people out there to see the type of commitment you have to the game. It’s truly inspiring.

“Thank you for that from the bottom of my heart. You are an amazing competitor who changed the game.”

With Sunday’s win, Azarenka will return to the Top 10 for the first time since the summer of 2014, at No.8. Meanwhile, Serena remains atop the WTA rankings heading into the Miami Open, a tournament she has won eight times.

Read the full story and watch highlights here. | As It Happened: Game-by-game analysis.

On the doubles side, Americans Bethanie Mattek-Sands and CoCo Vandeweghe couldn’t have asked for a more perfect WTA debut to their newly-minted partnership – the pair rallied back from a set down to defeat Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova 4-6, 6-4, 10-6, and claim the doubles title at the BNP Paribas Open.

“All week long we’ve had great fan support, which is so cool,” Mattek-Sands said afterwards. “As two Americans together, the support was awesome.

“It’s always special coming back here to Indian Wells, it’s kind of like our home tournament. We’ll be back next year for sure.”

Read the full story here.

GAME, SET, MATCH: WTA Insider

Game: Victoria Azarenka back where she belongs.

This is the start to the season that I hoped Victoria Azarenka would deliver in 2015 after her terrible injury-laden season in 2014. Now 16-1 on the season and beating No.1 Serena Williams to win the BNP Paribas Open – her biggest title since the 2013 Australian Open – Azarenka is not just playing like a top player but she’s back in the Top 10 for the first time since August 2014. Her run to her second title in Indian Wells showcased her fight, battling through three sets to get past Sam Stosur and Karolina Pliskova, and she capped it off by becoming the first woman ever to beat Serena in four tournament finals.

On a quick-hit Dropshot episode of the WTA Insider podcast previewing the final, the Insider team discussed the nature of rivalries and whether Azarenka’s rivalry with Serena, in which she came into Sunday’s final with just three wins in 20 matches, could qualify as such. Her win on Sunday confirmed that when she is near her best – and sometimes when she is not – she remains the most consistent challenger to Serena in head-to-head matches.

Champions’ Corner: Vika Azarenka

Set: Emotions are still raw in the desert.

It was plain to see from the first game. Serena Williams was tight and she was trying to hit through her nerves. I asked Serena after her semifinal win over Agnieszka Radwanska whether the walk out to Stadium Court in Indian Wells still made her nervous, or whether a year after her return she could treat the walk-out like any other walk-out. She said all those emotions were behind her.

So you could understand Serena’s surprise when the nerves came back like a ton of bricks on Sunday, when she took to the court 15 years after her terrible experience 15 years ago. “I was definitely a little nervous,” she said. “I did not expect to be, at all, like zero, and then when I walked out there I was like, Oh, man, I’m really nervous. And really excited. Those emotions I had a little bit last year I was having again. Definitely did not expect that.”

But once again the crowd made her feel the love and for a second year in a row Serena fought back tears, this time during the trophy presentation. Azarenka kicked off her victory speech with a heartfelt, emotional salute to Serena and the two respected rivals laughed and photobombed their way through the ceremony.

After the match they were faced with questions about the derogatory and unacceptable remarks made by tournament CEO Raymond Moore and both Serena and Vika handled them with unmitigated poise and class. The ripple effects of the off-court controversy may continue, but on this Sunday these two fierce competitors were unimpeachable in every way.

Match: Karolina Pliskova finds her legs.

After a breakout 2015 season that saw her soar through the rankings to make her top 10 debut, it was difficult to know what to expect from the 24-year-old Czech this year. On top of playing the heaviest schedule of any top player she played a played through a busy off-season exhibition schedule. How much gas would she have in the tank?

Pliskova told WTA Insider she was mentally fried after Australia and needed to put her racquet down for a few days and get away. She did just that, taking a week off in Monaco, and a rejuvenated Pliskova marched her way to the biggest result of her career, making her first Premier Mandatory semifinal.

RANKING MOVERS
Notable singles ranking movers for the week of March 21, 2016.

Agnieszka Radwanska (POL), +1 (No.3 to 2): Radwanska has been showing a lot of consistency in the past few months – she’s reached the semifinals or better at every event she’s played since October. It’s been paying off, too, and after a semifinal run at Indian Wells, she’s equaled her career-high ranking of No.2 in the world.

Victoria Azarenka (BLR), +7 (No.15 to 8): Azarenka’s roaring start to 2016 continued in the desert at Indian Wells, where she defeated Serena Williams for the BNP Paribas Open title. She’s now ranked No.8, the first time since the summer of 2014 that she’s inside the Top 10.

Misaki Doi (JPN), +11 (No.55 to 44): After bowing out of Indian Wells early, Doi stopped over at the inaugural WTA 125K Series event in San Antonio, Texas. Her title at the San Antonio Open puts her inside Top 50 for first time in her career.

Daria Kasatkina (RUS), +21 (No.48 to 36): 18-year-old Daria Kasatkina turned heads with her impressive run to the Indian Wells quarterfinals, and as a result she earned a career-high ranking of No.36.

Nicole Gibbs (USA), +21 (No.95 to 74): Another dream run belongs to the American Nicole Gibbs, a qualifier at Indian Wells. Her run to the fourth round bumps her up 21 spots to her career-high ranking of No.74.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

Miami Open
Miami, USA
Premier Mandatory | $6,134,605 | Hard, Outdoors
Tuesday, March 22 – Sunday, April 3, 2016

Katowice Open
Katowice, Poland
International | $226,750 | Hard, Indoors
Monday, April 4 – Sunday, April 10, 2016

Volvo Car Open
Charleston, USA
Premier | $687,900 | Clay
Monday, April 4 – Sunday, April 10, 2016

TOP 20 PLAYER SCHEDULES
1. Serena Williams – Miami
2. Agnieszka Radwanska – Miami, Katowice
3. Angelique Kerber – Miami, Charleston
4. Garbiñe Muguruza – Miami
5. Simona Halep – Miami
6. Carla Suárez Navarro – Miami
7. Petra Kvitova – Miami
8. Victoria Azarenka – Miami
9. Roberta Vinci – Miami
10. Belinda Bencic – Miami, Charleston
11. Maria Sharapova
12. Flavia Pennetta – (retired)
13. Venus Williams – Miami, Charleston
14. Karolina Pliskova – Miami
15. Lucie Safarova – Miami, Charleston
16. Elina Svitolina – Miami
17. Ana Ivanovic – Miami
18. Sara Errani – Miami, Charleston
19. Svetlana Kuznetsova – Miami
20. Timea Bacsinszky – Miami

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:

Karolina Pliskova (CZE) – March 21, 1992
Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) – March 21, 1992
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) – March 22, 1994
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) – March 23, 1985
Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) – March 26, 1994

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Victoria Azarenka continued her near-perfect start to 2016 by showing vintage form against an out of sorts World No.1 Serena Williams to win the BNP Paribas Open final, 6-4, 6-4, and return to the Top 10.

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

Playing in her first Indian Wells final since 2001, the top seed hadn’t dropped a set through her first five matches but struggled throughout the nearly 90-minute match, converting just one of 10 break point opportunities and striking 33 unforced errors.

Azarenka, by contrast, won 86% of her first serve points, and held off an impressive fightback from the 21-time Grand Slam champion – who won four games in a row with two chances to level the second set from 1-5 down – to win her second Indian Wells title, and first Premier Mandatory event since the 2012 China Open.

A gracious Serena fought back tears during her runner-up speech.

“It was really hard the last moment I had here wasn’t the greatest, so thank you so much,” she said, addressing the crowd.

“Thank you so much for the cheers; I can’t tell you how much it means to me. I can’t even begin to tell you!

“I’m just so happy to be able to stand here again.”

The Belarusian was equally effusive in her praise for Williams, against whom she has now won four of 21 total matches – becoming the only player to defeat the American in more than three championship matches.

“I wanted to first address a personal thank you to Serena. I know how emotional it was for you to be back here and you truly inspired so many people out there to see the type of committment you have to the game. It’s truly inspiring.

“Thank you for that from the bottom of my heart. You are an amazing competitor who changed the game.

“If it wasn’t for you and how hard you work and seeing you play so well, I wouldn’t be as motivated to come back and work so hard. Thank you on behalf of the sport.”

With Sunday’s win, Azarenka will return to the Top 10 for the first time since the summer of 2014, at No.8. Meanwhile, Serena remains atop the WTA rankings heading into the Miami Open, a tournament she has won eight times.

She does it! ?@Vika7 Azarenka captures @BNPParibasOpen crown & is heading back to the Top 10! #WTA https://t.co/bapdsRCuiu

— WTA (@WTA) March 20, 2016

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Before capturing the BNP Paribas Open doubles title with fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, native Californian CoCo Vandeweghe took CNN Open Court’s Pat Cash on a tour of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Upsetting No.16 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova to reach the third round in singles, Vandeweghe won a thrilling match tie-break with Mattek-Sands to take out Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova, 4-6, 6-4, 10-6, at a tournament she has been visiting since birth.

“There’s great viewing access for the fans that come out,” the American explains. “So it’s really interesting in this tournament to have all the fans be close-knit and be able to watch you practice and pretty much do everything!”

Check out the full video below:

Every week wtatennis.com brings you 10 Things To Know about the week – who is playing, where and much more. This week the Road To Singapore heads to the Miami Open in Miami, Florida…

1) Serena Williams aims for a ninth Miami Open title.
Despite narrowly losing the BNP Paribas Open final to rival Victoria Azarenka, Williams still heads to one of her favorite tournaments as the top seed and in search of a historic ninth victory in Miami. The American will play one of Misaki Doi or Christina McHale in her opening round match, with No.31 seed Daria Gavrilova, No.15 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, No.8 seed Petra Kvitova, and No.3 seed Angieszka Radwanska her projected opponents en route to the final.

2) Victoria Azarenka two weeks away from a rare Sunshine Double.
Former No.1 Victoria Azarenka clinched her return to the Top 10 by beating Williams in straight sets on Sunday and is eligible for the elusive Indian Wells-Miami double for the first time in her career. Her career breakthrough came in Miami back in 2009, when she defeated Williams in the final. All four of her career victories over the 21-time Grand Slam champion have come in finals, and being in the opposite half of the draw, can’t play Williams before that stage.

3) Angelique Kerber on course for a post-Aussie rebound?
Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber is the No.2 seed in Miami despite dropping to No.3 in the WTA rankings following Radwanska’s run to the semifinals in Miami. The German hasn’t won a WTA match since Melbourne, where she defeated both Azarenka and Williams en route to the title. Kerber will pen against either Anna-Lena Friedsam – who reached the final of the inaugrual WTA 125K Series tournament in San Antonio – or Barbora Strycova, who is in the midst of a career-best season, but was forced out of Indian Wells due to an upper respiratory illness.

4) Redemption for Radwanska or Halep?
Agnieszka Radwanska played one of her most competitive matches against Serena Williams in the semifinals of Indian Wells, but still fell in straight sets. The Pole is slated for another semifinal rematch with the American in Miami, but may first have to surpass No.5 seed Simona Halep, who played her best tennis since last summer before she, too, bowed out to the World No.1 in the quarters. Halep has a potential second round against rising Russian Daria Kasatkina, who also reached the quarterfinals in her California desert debut.

5) Full circle for Spain?
Garbiñe Muguruza first captured international attention in Miami, reaching the fourth round as a wildcard back in 2012. Carla Suárez Navarro went even farther in 2015, reaching the final before falling to Williams. As Muguruza’s shown steady improvement, Suárez Navarro had been one of the most consistent forces of the 2016 season, but a right ankle injury took her out of Indian Wells before her opening match. She will open against a qualifier or Indian Wells doubles champion CoCo Vandeweghe, while Muguruza will play either Dominika Cibulkova or Johanna Larsson – with Azarenka, still seeded No.12, looming in the fourth round.

6) Venus Williams and Johanna Konta on-course for a rematch.
Venus Williams’ return to Indian Wells ended earlier than expected with a second round loss to Kurumi Nara, but has the chance to go deeper in Miami; as the No.10 seed, she is set to play the winner of a pair of qualifiers. Seeded in her section is No.24 Johanna Konta, who will become the highest ranked Brit since 1987 (Jo Durie). Her year began with a big win over Venus in Australia, taking her all the way to a maiden Grand Slam semifinal. The elder Williams sister has vastly improved since then with an efficient title run in Taiwan; what can be expected of a potential rematch?

7) More momentum for Karolina Pliskova?
The right-handed half of the Pliskova twins struggled through the Middle East swing, citing a sudden on-set of exhaustion following the Australian Summer. Pliskova returned to her training base in Monaco for a brief rest and looked refreshed en route to the semifinals in Indian Wells, where she narrowly lost to eventual champion Azarenka in three sets. She could face Kerber by the fourth round, but not before a projected third round encounter with No.14 seed and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winner Sara Errani.

8) Youth is served.
The WTA’s veterans largely held court in Indian Wells, but might we see a reversal in Miami? No.12 seed Elina Svitolina is projected to face former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, seeded No.23 and coming off a heartbreaking loss to Zhang Shuai in the Calirfornia desert. No.20 seed Sloane Stephens could play wildcard Heather Watson in the second round, with No.11 seed Lucie Safarova still looking to find her form following multiple bouts with illness and injury. Then there is No.7 seed Belinda Bencic, who admitted to feeling uncomfortable on the Indian Wells courts and might prefer the change of pace offered in Miami – though No.9 seed Roberta Vinci looms in the fourth round.

9) Santina in the Sunshine.
Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza saw their 41-match winning streak end at the Qatar Total Open, and a second early loss at Indian Wells leaves them reeling heading into Miami, which they won last year to capture the Sunshine Double. The Co-No.1s will be top seeds in the doubles draw, but will undoubtedly face a further embolded field, one that has only gotten stronger with the Olympics only a few months away.