Clinical Cibulkova Storms Past Siegemund In Sydney
World No.5 Dominika Cibulkova was in clinical form against Laura Siegemund, dropping just two games en route to the second round of the Apia International Sydney.
World No.5 Dominika Cibulkova was in clinical form against Laura Siegemund, dropping just two games en route to the second round of the Apia International Sydney.
DOHA, Qatar – Carla Suárez Navarro captured the biggest title of her career at the Qatar Total Open, charging back from a set down against 18-year-old Jelena Ostapenko to triumph, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
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“I started a little bit nervous and she started really good,” she said in her on-court interview. “It’s not easy to play like this, and I lost the first set but I believed, I fought, I run, and finally I won.”
Ostapenko had beaten the Spaniard in their only prior encounter at last year’s Wimbledon Championships, and started in similar form with a nearly flawless first set in her second WTA final, cracking eight forehand winners en route to winning the opening set.
Playing in her 10th career final, Suárez Navarro drew on her wealth of experience and confidence earned from big wins like the one against No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinal, and stayed with the young Latvian as the teenager – already set to join fellow 18-year-olds Belinda Bencic and Daria Kasatkina in the Top 50 – began to leak errors off the backhand (30 from that side alone). In the end, Ostapenko hit 35 winners to only 9 from the No.8 seed, but 47 total unforced errors made the difference from the Spaniard, who only hit 25.
“It was a great week for me, and congrats to Carla for such a great match today,” Ostapenko said during the trophy ceremony. “I was just trying to play how I can and show my best; I hope you enjoyed watching me play.
“It’s great but it’s just the first step,” she said of adding to the largest sum of Top 50 teens since April 2009 (Caroline Wozniacki, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Sorana Cirstea). “My goal is to be even higher, so I hope I can make it.”
For Suárez Navarro, Doha is her second WTA title, one that brings her up to a career-high ranking of No.6, and No.2 on the Road To Singapore standings behind reigning Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber.
“It’s amazing, a dream come true. I was in Top 10 last year but not No.6, so it’s a special number.
“This tournament was really tough. The best players in the world were here, and it’s so special. You have to play every day, and it’s not easy.
“But these wins give me a lot of confidence, the experience that I take from this. I’ve lost a lot of finals, so I’m really happy and excited about this tournament.”
HOBART, Australia – Lucky loser Veronica Cepede Royg needed five match points but eventually prevailed over former World No.9 Andrea Petkovic to reach the quarterfinals of the Hobart International.
The Paraguayan recovered strongly from being blanked out of the second set, completing a 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 comeback to book her place into her first WTA quarterfinal since June.
“Petkovic is a great player, she’s tall and so she has a great serve,” Cepede Royg told press afterward. “It was a tough match, but I’ve had tough matches before and I think I know how to play against the top players.
“I had to do my game, be aggressive and move. And I think I did.”
The No.129-ranked Cepede Royg opened the match with a break, playing confident and aggressive tennis against the former Top 10 German.
But Petkovic found her groove in the second set, cutting down on the unforced errors and dictating play with her backhand. And as the German’s lead grew, the Paraguayan’s confidence seemed to diminish, responding passively and second-guessing herself.
“It’s not easy to see the score at 6-0,” Cepede Royg said. “But my coach came and said to just relax, enjoy this moment, do your game and fight for every point.”
“You have to change your mentality. I was thinking too much in the match, so I focused more in my game.”
With that renewed mindset, the World No.129 turned it around in the decider and broke back to stop Petkovic’s run at 1-1 and keep the German under pressure.
They stayed on serve until a marathon final game, which saw Petkovic save four match points to keep herself alive but couldn’t serve it out. The Paraguayan eventually prevailed on the fifth time of asking, finally breaking the Petkovic serve to take the match and a spot in the quarterfinals.
“Oh man, I was thinking, ‘Oh my god, I’ve had five match points!'” Cepede Royg laughed. “I tried to be more aggressive and not think too much, just put the ball in the court and go for it. It was so difficult but I did it.”
The victory, her first WTA main draw win in almost six months, puts her through to the second quarterfinal of her career since last year’s Mallorca Open. She’ll play the winner between Australia’s Lizette Cabrera and Croatian qualifier Jana Fett for a spot in the semifinals.
Though she walked away with the runner-up trophy at the Qatar Total Open, Jelena Ostapenko’s run to the final of Doha nonetheless cut her ranking in half, moving up from No.88 to earned her a career-high ranking of No.41 – her Top 50 debut.
The Latvian joins fellow 18-year-olds Belinda Bencic (No.8) and Daria Kasatkina (No.46) to become the largest cohort of youngsters since April of 2009 (Caroline Wozniacki, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Sorana Cirstea).
“It’s great but it’s just the first step,” she said during the trophy ceremony – with all the impatience of youth. “But my goal is to be even higher, so I hope I can make it.”
Roaring through an effortless opening set, Ostapenko ultimately fell to Carla Suárez Navarro, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4; the 27-year-old Spaniard earned a second WTA title and rocketed up from No.11 to a career-high ranking of No.6, one away from her 2016 goal of being ranked among the Top 5 in the world.
“It’s amazing, a dream come true. I was in Top 10 last year but not No.6, so it’s a special number.”
Who else made big leaps in the last week?
Elena Vesnina (+29, No.118 to No.89): The 2016 Australian Open mixed doubles champion had struggled in singles for the last two years, but arguably played better than ever in back-to-back upsets over No.2 seed Simona Halep and former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki – a player she had only beaten once in seven previous encounters – to reach the quarterfinals in Qatar and return to the Top 100 for the first time since August 2015.
Zheng Saisai (+10, No.73 to No.63): Fellow Qatar Total Open quarterfinalist Zheng Saisai had a phenomenal day in Doha when she defeated top seed and reigning Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber, and later coming close to ending Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza’s then-40-match-winning streak in doubles. Zheng edges close to a Top 60 debut and returns to No.1 in China, taking the spot back from Melbourne quarterfinalist Zhang Shuai – a potentially crucial development looking ahead to Olympic qualifying.
Donna Vekic (+10, No.104 to No.94): The Croatian youngster also returned to the Top 100 following a solid week in Doha, qualifying for the main draw and pushing Suárez Navarro through two tight sets.
Eugenie Bouchard (+9, No.61 to No.52): Bouchard earned her first wins since the Australian Open; the 2014 Wimbledon finalist saved match points against qualifier Anastasija Sevastova in the opening round as she moves within striking distance of the Top 50.
Dominika Cibulkova (+9, No.66 to No.57): The 2014 Australian Open finalist made her first final in nearly two years at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, playing an epic match against Sloane Stephens that ended in a final set tie-break.
Cagla Buyukakcay (+34, No.162 to No.128): A wildcard in Doha, the 26-year-old took out defending champion Lucie Safarova in the second round, rocketing up the rankings as she aims to make a long-awaited Top 100 debut.
SYDNEY, Australia – Johanna Konta ended home hopes at the Apia International Sydney with a straight set win over Daria Gavrilova.
Following the first-round exits for Samantha Stosur and Arina Rodionova, Gavrilova was the last Australian remaining in the singles draw. However, to the disappointment of a partisan crowd, Konta withstood a late rally to run out a 6-1, 6-3 winner and secure a quarterfinal meeting against Daria Kasatkina.
The No.6 seed made a flying start, breaking in the opening game and dropping only four points during a dominant first set display. Another early break in the second continued this momentum, and while Gavrilova fought gallantly until the end she was unable to prevent Konta closing out victory at the sixth attempt.
.@JoKonta91 advances to @SydneyTennis Quarterfinals!
Beats Gavrilova 6-1, 6-3! pic.twitter.com/zv5xD5EOnF
— WTA (@WTA) January 10, 2017
In the previous match on court, Kasatkina upset World No.1 Angelique Kerber to leave Konta as the only seed remaining in the top half. “I knew going into the match it was going to be an incredibly tough one, she’s one of the best fighters on tour,” Konta said to BT Sport.
“It’s such a strong tournament, such depth, I know going into every single match that it’s going to be a tough one and I’m just going to have to, first and foremost, take care of things my end.”
Twelve months ago, Sydney-born Konta was about to announce herself to the tennis world with a semifinal run at the Australian Open. Now she is perched at No.10 in the world and, having also reached the semifinals in Shenzhen, is enjoying another profitable start to the tennis calendar.
“I’m just happy I have accumulated already a few matches under my belt in the first few weeks of the season. I feel quite pleased about that,” she added.
“I'm right here in Sydney, enjoying my time, trying to enjoy my involvement in the tournament as much as possible” @JoKonta91 #SydneyTennis pic.twitter.com/FIWzCURaBZ
— Apia Intl Sydney (@SydneyTennis) January 10, 2017
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Dozens of children and fans in Kuala Lumpur got their first taste of tennis as the WTA Road To Singapore rolled through Malaysia, where they got to meet and practice against their regional hero Hsieh Su-Wei and hit with World No.10 Roberta Vinci.
“It was great to come out today to play with the children because I think it is important to encourage the next generation,” Hsieh shared after hosting the WTA Future Stars Clinic. “I started playing as a kid myself when I was five years old so I was glad to be able to share my experiences with them.”
Hsieh, Taiwan’s No.1 player, put on a clinic for young fans and also took the chance to share some tips with a group of local competitive players. She was joined on court by Belinda Chai, who represented Malaysia in the WTA Future Stars Tournament in 2014 at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. The tournament brings together players from 17 Asia-Pacific markets to compete against each other at the WTA Finals.
The goal of WTA Future Stars is to promote tennis among children throughout the Asia-Pacific region and encourage them to take the next step in their interest in tennis, as well as to inspire players who are already playing competitively to continue to pursue their passion for tennis through an opportunity to hear from a professional.
Located in Kuala Lumpur, the BMW Malaysian Open is a stop on the Road to Singapore and the closest event geographically to Singapore, the home of the WTA Finals taking place October 23-30, 2016. As a part of the community outreach to promote tennis in the region, No.10-ranked Roberta Vinci and 2015 WTA Future Stars participant Zhu Lin took to the heart of the city to play tennis on a pop-up court at the KLCC Esplanade against the backdrop of the iconic Petronas Towers.
Fans and members of the public got the chance to pick up a racquet and try their hand at playing against the pros. Check out the photos below to see how they did:
DALIAN, China – Kristyna Pliskova took home the biggest trophy in her young career on Sunday, outlasting Misa Eguchi as the Japanesewoman was forced to retire with a left knee injury, 7-5, 4-6, 2-5, ret.
Watch free live streaming from Dalian 125K all week right here!
As Pliskova’s twin sister Karolina fought her way into her first Grand Slam final at the US Open, the big-serving Czech star made a final of her own at the WTA 125K Series event. Up against Eguchi, the No.7 seed, Pliskova was two points from defeat when Eguchi was stricken by a left knee injury.
Eguchi attempted to play on, but was later taken off court in a stretcher a few points later.
For Pliskova, the title is nonetheless a high point as it helps her re-enter the Top 100 with her first WTA singles title of any kind; she and Karolina previously partnered up to win three WTA doubles titles.
More to come…
NEW YORK, NY, USA – No one knows Angelique Kerber’s game as well as Torben Beltz. The 39-year-old has coached the now two-time major champion and new World No.1 since she was 16-years-old, and though they’ve had their breaks apart, the decision to resume their partnership in the Spring of 2015 has paid nothing but dividends.
After reuniting before the BNP Paribas Open last march, Kerber went on to win four Premier titles in Charleston, Stuttgart, Birmingham, and Stanford. By the end of the year, no one had won more matches than Kerber. But after a disappointing season at the Slams and a pressure-soaked loss to Lucie Safarova at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global to end the year, the two set their sights on the majors.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
WTA Insider caught up with Beltz the day after Kerber’s New York triumph, to discuss how Team Kerber got to this point, the keys to their success, and what they’re looking to build on going forward.
Listen to the full interview on the WTA Insider Podcast:
On trying to keep a relaxed atmosphere around Kerber:
I think it’s very important to keep her relaxed, especially here. When she was playing against Caroline Wozniacki, it was clear she was already No.1, but I thought it wasn’t good to make a big deal out of this because she had to play Caroline in the next five minutes. We really tried to keep it relaxed then, which was not so easy to be No.1 and be relaxed!
But we kept it easy, and I told her, ‘You have to focus on the match, because against Caroline, it’s going to be a very tough match.’ You could see there were a lot of long rallies and she had to play her best tennis. But she was focused again, and I think it’s working out very good.
On whether Kerber’s 2016 was a surprise:
We all knew that she was going to be a very good player. I knew that before. But I have to say after this year, it’s for sure surprising to be in three Grand Slam finals. We cannot take that for granted. I knew she could play very good tennis; I knew her when she was young and outstanding in Germany. We all knew she could play very good, but it’s incredible and amazing for me. It’s a good story.
On Kerber’s work ethic:
Success doesn’t come from nothing; you have to work every day. As a player, you have to sacrifice and a lot, and I think she’s earned what she’s getting now. It’s a day-to-day process, as well, like in the off-season, we worked on the serve. We tried to work hard every day, trying to figure out new things, something special so it’s not too boring after eight weeks. But we did a good job, and we’re happy.
On how he came to be Kerber’s coach:
Our first meeting was when she was 12 or 13 in Germany. She was winning U18 Nationals at 15. She was outstanding, but in the beginning, she was such a talented girl, who knew where the ball was coming. She wasn’t working that hard at the time, when she was young. But it really changed, and that’s why she’s playing so well at the top level.
The first time we met, the family and coaches were looking for somebody who would help her take the first steps onto the pro tour. She was ranked around No.300 and finished with school, so they needed someone who was young and liked to travel, and could play decent tennis! So I came in to help her play some 25Ks, some junior tournaments. We started when she was around 16, 17, for one or two years. Then she had a shoulder operation, and we stopped. We came back around 2011, after being on and off for quite a time. It’s fun to work with her; she’s pretty good.
On the challenges of coaching Kerber:
“It’s a big challenge, and never gets boring. We’re always looking at new things, every day. There are always improvements to make, where for me as a coach, the job is never finished. She’s No.1, won Grand Slams, but it’s not finished; there are still things to work on. For me, it’s perfect to see that, and we’re happy to go to the next step. Right now, she’s won a Grand Slam and I can say it’s easy, but when she’s frustrated in practice or losing, it’s not always easy. But we have a good way to talk about things; we solve problems together. Our communication is good.”
On losing a “hairy” bet with Kerber:
I saw two players at a golf tournament, where they had a bet not to shave, and I told Angie that if she won the US Open, I wouldn’t shave my mustache for the five or six weeks of the Asian Swing. So, it’s not going to look that great, but let’s see. It’s worth it for the Slam. We’ll see what happens.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
Over the past month Karolina Pliskova has played a central role in one of the summer’s most fascinating storylines: the battle for No.1.
As she had in Cincinnati, Pliskova’s actions proved decisive at the US Open, a stunning upset of six-time champion Serena Williams confirming that Angelique Kerber would reach top spot for the first time.
Amidst all this, it should not be forgotten that Pliskova is also on the rise, playing the best tennis of her career. And she has the ranking to show for it.
While defeat in the final to Kerber denied the willowy Czech a Top 5 debut, it could not prevent her rising to a career-high No.6 in the rankings. And with several of those above her in the rankings having significant points to defend between now and the end of the season, a productive stay in Asia could well see Pliskova rise further.
Pliskova, though, was not the only one eagerly awaiting the release of the new rankings…
Carla Suárez Navarro (+4, No.12 to No.8): After cruising to the last 16, Suárez Navarro produced an unusually subdued showing in defeat against Simona Halep at Flushing Meadows, a setback that will be comforted somewhat by her return to the Top 10.
Caroline Garcia (+11, No.33 to No.24): For the second time in three majors, Garcia’s challenge was ended by the wiles of Agnieszka Radwanska, however, hard-fought wins in her first two matches were enough to reach a career-high No.24.
Timea Babos (+8, No.34 to No.26): Also performing well in New York was Babos, whose first third-round appearance at an event of this stature was rewarded with a career-high ranking.
Caroline Wozniacki (+25, No.74 to No.29): After a campaign hampered by injury, Wozniacki provided a timely reminder of her considerable talents, counterpunching masterclasses against Svetlana Kuznetsova and Madison Keys taking her back to the Flushing Meadows semifinals and the Top 30.
Anastasija Sevastova (+16, No.48 to No.32): Sevastova made a lot of friends in New York with her fearless performances on the court and candid words in the press room. Victories over Garbiñe Muguruza and Johanna Konta caught the eye as she reached a maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal
Ana Konjuh (+40, No.92 to No.52): Three years after lifting the junior US Open trophy, Konjuh made waves in the senior event, upsetting Radwanska to reach the quarterfinals. The result catapulted her back up the rankings and within touching distance of a Top 50 debut.
Naomi Osaka (+12, No.81 to No.69): Tempering the disappointment of a painful third-round exit to Madison Keys at Flushing Meadows was a career-high ranking as Osaka continues to close in on the Top 50.
Duan Ying-Ying (+11, No.103 to No.92): Although Duan’s homecoming at the WTA125K in Dalian ended earlier than expected, a run through qualifying to the second round in New York was enough to bring a Top 100 debut.
While in doubles…
The failure of Martina Hingis, one half of last year’s US Open winning team, to reach the final alongside new partner CoCo Vandeweghe ensured the other half, Sania Mirza, hung onto the doubles No.1 ranking. The US Open fortnight were her 71st and 72nd week on top – only Gigi Fernandez (80 weeks), Paola Suarez (87), Sara Errani (87), Roberta Vinci (110), Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario (111), Natasha Zvereva (124), Lisa Raymond (137), Cara Black (163), Liezel Huber (199) and Martina Navratilova (237) have been World No.1 for longer.
A little lower down the pecking order, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova victory in New York saw them rise to No.6 and No.16, respectively.
This summer, former WTA No.1 Justine Henin will be inducted to the International Hall of Fame. Ahead of the big day, wtatennis.com and SAP took a look at the numbers behind the Belgian legend’s wonderful career.
1. Henin is one of seven players to hold the WTA No.1 ranking for more than 100 weeks
Henin held the No.1 ranking for a total of 117 weeks, one of only seven players in WTA history with more than 100 weeks to her name. She ascended the rankings summit on four separate occasions, and held the top spot by 1,709 ranking points when she announced her first retirement in 2008. (Note: At the time of her retirement, a Grand Slam title was 1,000 points).
2. Henin has the 12th most singles titles in WTA history
With 43 career singles titles, Henin is tied with Martina Hingis for 12th on the career titles leaderboard. In 143 tournaments, Henin reached the final 42.7 percent of the time winning 43 titles with 18 runner-up finishes. She won 23 titles on hardcourt, 13 on clay, four on grass and three on carpet.
3. Career Slam near miss
Henin won seven Grand Slam singles titles with four coming at Roland Garros (2003, 2005-07). Her other Grand Slam titles came at the Australian Open (2004) and twice at the US Open (2003, 2007). Wimbledon is the only Slam that eludes her resume, although she was a two-time runner-up (2001, 2006) – she is one of seven players to come within one major short of the Career Grand Slam.
4. Dubai dominance
In addition to Roland Garros, Henin enjoyed her most success at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winning 17 of 18 matches in Dubai with four titles (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) in five appearances. Her sole defeat came on her last visit, against Francesca Schiavone.
5. A record-setting season in 2007 vaulted Henin to No.1
Henin’s annus mirabilis came in 2007, winning 10 of 14 events with a 63-4 (.940) win-loss record. As a result, she became the first woman to surpass the $5 million prize money mark in a season.
6. Henin vs. Clijsters Rivalry
Henin and fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters met 25 times on tour with Clijsters edging the rivalry by the narrowest of margins, 13-12. However, in their 10 meetings in tour-level finals, Henin held the advantage, 6-4, including winning all three Grand Slam finals (2003 Roland Garros, 2003 US Open, 2004 Australian Open).
7. Gold medalist at 2004 Olympics
In her one and only appearance at the Olympic Games, at Athens in 2004, Henin struck gold, defeating France’s Amélie Mauresmo in the singles final.
8. A two-time champion at the WTA Finals
A two-time champion at the WTA Finals, Henin competed in the year-end event five times posting a 13-5 record, winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Henin defeated Maria Sharapova 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 for the 2007 title – a three hour, 24 minute battle that still holds the record for the longest final in the event’s history (three hours, 24 minutes).
9. Comeback
After retiring in 2008, Henin returned to the WTA at Brisbane in 2010, advancing to the final in her first event back. Henin won 34 of her 43 matches on her return, adding two titles to her career total – in Stuttgart and ‘s-Hertogenbosch – reaching the Australian Open final and climbing as high as No.12 in the rankings before walking away from the sport for good at the start of 2011.
10. Henin is one of 13 players in WTA history to surpass the $20-million mark in prize money
Throughout her career, Henin earned $20,863,335 in prize money, a mark that sees her occupy 11th place on the all-time pecking order.
