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Falconi, Soler-Espinosa Battle In Bogota

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

BOGOTA, Colombia – Irina Falconi and Sílvia Soler-Espinosa will meet for the first time as they face off on Sunday in the final of the Claro Open Colsanitas, after advancing past tough semifinal matchups in three-set battles.

The Ecuadorian-born American Falconi overcame a mid-match wobble to move past the on-fire Lara Arruabarrena, who had only dropped five games in the three matches leading up the semifinals. But the Spaniard couldn’t find any answers for Falconi’s dictating play or her short-angled inside out forehands in the day’s first semifinal match.

Arruabarrena quickly found herself down a set and 2-4, but she was able to bring herself back from the brink of defeat as Falconi’s groundstrokes misfired. The American held steady in the third set though, breaking early to get a lead ahead at 3-1, and hanging on to win the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 after almost two hours.

Falconi, who is into her first WTA final at the Claro Open Colsanitas, is set to face Soler-Espinosa for the title, who overcame a tough challenge from Brazil’s No.2, Paula Cristina Goncalves.

The 25-year-old from Sao Paolo has found great success on the South American red clay: she made her WTA main draw debut in Rio de Janeiro, where she made the quarterfinals and her semifinal appearance here in Bogota is her career best. By contrast, Soler-Espinosa came to Bogota having only won one match all year. She found her game on the red clay, and in the last round she ended Amra Sadikovic’s fairytale comeback – the Swiss retired in 2014 and reached the quarterfinals in her WTA return this week.

Goncalves found her usually reliable serves under fire early on. She lead the pack having hit 22 aces in three matches, but against Soler-Espinosa she was broken in the fifth game of the match, giving the Spaniard just enough of an edge to take the opening set. They stayed in touching distance during the second set, with Goncalves recovering from 2-4 down to force a tiebreak and send the match into a deciding set. But the tide turned as the Brazilian lost her serve in the longest game of the match to go down 2-4 again in the final set. Soler-Espinosa didn’t let her escape a second time, though, and booked her spot in the final 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2.

More to come…

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Radwanska Reflects On Singapore Success Ahead Of WTA Finals Return

Radwanska Reflects On Singapore Success Ahead Of WTA Finals Return

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – No.2 seed Agnieszka Radwanska is rested and ready to to mount a strong title defense at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Currently ranked No.3 and in good form after winning the China Open two weeks ago, Radwanska says her career-best run to the title in Singapore last fall still feels like yesterday.

“Of course, it’s always great to be back in the place that you have a lot of good memories,” Radwanska told reporters during All-Access Hour on Saturday. “As you know, time flies, so I really feel like it was a week ago. It’s always great to come back, especially [as]I really hope that I can still play my best tennis here and try to do the same [as last year].”

While much of the focus on Radwanska’s recent surge has been on her success through Asia, her initial improvements began over the summer on North American hardcourts. She is 21-4 since the Olympic break, winning two titles at the Connecticut Open and Beijing. She comes into Singapore on an eight-match win streak.

“I think I had really great couple of weeks in Asia, so I’m feeling good. I’m pretty confident,” she said. “I just hope I can keep it up and really play the same good tennis that I was playing especially in the China Open.

“There is always a little bit more pressure when you really have to defend a big title, a lot of points. But on the other hand, when you’re Top 5, Top 10, you’re pretty much defending every week, more or less. So just trying not to really think about it and of course just try to repeat what I did last year.”

Radwanska will begin her campaign on Monday when the White Group gets underway, but as of Saturday morning she did not know who she would be playing. Radwanska is set to play the No.8 qualifier, which will be either Johanna Konta or Svetlana Kuznetsova. The Russian can knock Konta out of the eighth qualifying spot if she wins the Kremlin Cup on Saturday. The uncertainty shouldn’t bother the Pole. Tennis players regularly get less than 24 hours’ notice of their opponent during regular tournament weeks.

In addition to either Konta or Kuznetsova, Radwanska will also face Roland Garros champion Garbiñe Muguruza and US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova in round-robin play.

“I think it’s always very interesting because pretty much every match is 50/50 and you’re really going to see good tennis,” Radwanska said.

And will there be any more trick shots on tap in Singapore for the WTA’s Hot Shots leader? Radwanska explained the technique behind her signature style.

“Well, I think sometimes when you have this half a second to think what you going to do with the shot, I think most of the players maybe will hit as strong as possible,” she said. “I’m the one maybe just to want to do something else, because I can’t really hit as strong as the others. So that’s why I was always trying to do something else. Just use my hands.”

Official WTA Finals Mobile App, Created by SAP

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Halep Hurries Past Keys, Draws First Blood In WTA Finals Red Group

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – No.3 seed Simona Halep made an impressive start as round-robin play got underway on Sunday. Making her third BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global appearance, Halep dismissed No.6 seed Madison Keys, 6-2, 6-4, to move into first place in the Red Group.

Watch live action from Singapore this week at WTA Live Powered By TennisTV!

“I felt very well on court today,” she said after the match. “It was better that I knew her. I played [her a] few times this year. I won every time, so I had an advantage.

“But still I played good tennis. I think I played exactly what I had to play against her. I was focused, everything went as I wanted, so I’m happy with the way that I played.”

Emerging onto Centre Court following the opening ceremonies, Halep converted her fourth break point in a long third game to grab the early momentum from Keys, herself a WTA Finals debutante.

“I played in Montréal against her and the court there was faster, the game. I felt really a lot [of] her power.

“[The court] here was less. I could maneuverate [sic] the game as I wanted. The ball is staying low here, so I think [it] fits me. It’s good that I can be strong on my legs.”

Falling behind a set and a break to the confident Romanian, Keys took a coaching timeout with Thomas Hogstedt that helped her break serve for the first time all match, but was ultimately undone by 41 unforced errors to only 16 winners.

“I just think having a match under my belt there is a little bit less nerves going out next time and I can go and play with nothing to lose,” Keys noted in her post-match press conference.

“But I think I the biggest thing is just being excited that I am getting to go out and play another match here.”

Hitting five winners to 12 errors of her own, Halep kept her cool and her consistency to break straight back on a sensational backhand pass. On her third opportunity, she served out the win in one hour and eight minutes.

The former World No.2 moves into the lead in the Red Group, while Keys will need strong performances in her next two matches to have a chance of making the semifinals.

“The atmosphere is like I’m home every time I play, so it’s really nice,” Halep said. “I saw many flags in the crowd, so [that] makes it special.”

Click here to catch up with the match courtesy of the WTA Insider Live Blog, as well as an exclusive Insider Reaction.

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Hibino Battles Through In Istanbul

Hibino Battles Through In Istanbul

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

ISTANBUL, Turkey – No.6 seed Nao Hibino overcame a slow start to defeat wildcard Dayana Yastremska and book her place in the second round of the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup.

Watch live action from Stuttgart & Istanbul this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Having played just a handful of clay court tournaments during her time on the ITF Circuit, Hibino’s unfamiliarity with the surface was betrayed by a number of tumbles. And by the start of the second set she looked to be slipping out of the tournament as World No.509 Yastremska threatened to move a double break ahead.

However, the Japanese player hung on, drawing herself level before breaking decisively in the final game of the set when Yastremska erred on the forehand wing. With confidence now coursing through her veins, Hibino reeled off 12 of the next 14 points to take a stranglehold of the match. It was a grip she would not relinquish, wrapping up a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 with a crosscourt backhand winner.

“I didn´t know how she played. I struggled in the first set, but I found a way to win as the match went on,” Hibino said. “This is the first proper clay court season of my career. I practiced very hard in Japan. It was tough but I got used to the clay and hope to feel better on it in my next match.”

In the only other main draw match, No.5 seed Danka Kovinic recorded a straightforward 6-3, 6-3 victory over Kurumi Nara. Meanwhile, in the final round of qualifying there were wins for Maria Sakkari, Kristina Kucova and Sorana Cirstea.

Nao Hibino

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Kuznetsova On Her Fight For Singapore Spot

Kuznetsova On Her Fight For Singapore Spot

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Svetlana Kuznetsova clenched the final spot for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global after a straightforward victory against Daria Gavrilova in the Kremlin Cup.

The Russian powerhouse’s last WTA Finals appearance was seven seasons ago (2009), but this time around she’s feeling the energy. “I’m playing my best tennis for like five seasons, and it shows because now I’m in Singapore,” she said after her win in Moscow. “I’m really pleased with the win and making it to the Finals again after such a long time.”

Kuznetsova will be the first to admit that her journey has not been easy. When asked how she defended her title, she responded, “I don’t know. I fought in every match. I tried to win. I had very tough matches because I didn’t [feel] comfortable with the tennis I played.” She added, “But I understood I could win even with bad tennis. I leveled up my tennis.”

This level up didn’t come in physical form either. The 31-year-old defending champ improved her psychological state. She’s thinking more, playing more stable. She said, “I used to think: What do I have to do to achieve this or that…And I understand that ‘that’ level is already in the past. Every day I am working to get on a different level.”

The next level starts in Singapore and the 17-time title winner finds peace with herself for making it this far. “I didn’t even think I’d get there. I just wanted to play my tennis.” she says “And whatever happens. It’s a bonus.”

Kuznetsova plays her first match in Singapore against Agnieszka Radwańska at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. “It will be a tough match” Kuznetsova says. “I don’t expect anything else.”

Official WTA Finals Mobile App, Created by SAP

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Garcia & Mladenovic Soar Into Singapore Semifinals, Upend Goerges & Pliskova

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – Top seed Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic were imperious in a 6-4, 6-2 victory over No.8 seeds Karolina Pliskova and Julia Goerges to advance into the semifinals at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

Watch interviews and highlights from Singapore on the WTA Facebook page!

The reigning Roland Garros champions came to Singapore with a chance to unseat World No.1 Sania Mirza atop the WTA doubles rankings, but first had to overcome a team they’d lost to at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Playing in their second WTA Finals – their first as a pair – the French youngsters played clutch tennis throughout the 85-minute encounter, saving all 11 break points faced and winning 75% of first serve points.

“Every game was tight; we saved so many break points,” Garcia said during the team’s on-court interview. “We knew things could change at any time, but we stayed very aggressive and played a very good match.”

Where last year’s championships was a round robin format and no-ad scoring, this year’s competition brought back the single-elimination knock-out from 2014, but took away no-ad, leading to some marathon games between the two teams.

“You don’t have space for mistakes, but the stats prove it; we saved 11 break points. I think it was a very close match; the girls are playing strong with big serves. It was tough to break each other, but I’m just enjoying my time with my partner; we’re so happy and lucky to be back here.”

To end the season as Co-No.1s, the French team will have to have a better result than Mirza, who plays her quarterfinal match on Friday with fellow No.2 seed Martina Hingis, and could next come up against Bethanie Mattek-Sands, the only other player in contention for No.1.

Seeded No.3 with Lucie Safarova, Mattek-Sands will have to win the title to nab the top spot, but the American will first have to take on No.7 seeds Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova on Thursday night; the winners play Garcia and Mladenovic on Saturday.

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