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Insider Notebook: The Final Four

Insider Notebook: The Final Four

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

– Strong semifinal slate: The BNP Paribas Open semifinals are set for Friday night: No.1 Serena Williams faces No.3 Agnieszka Radwanska, followed by No.13 seed Victoria Azarenka against No.18 seed Karolina Pliskova.

Is Serena playing better ball in 2016 than 2015? It’s a legitimate question to ask. Setting aside the blemish of losing in the Australian Open final, Serena has offered a far more consistent high-quality level to start this season. In her first big test of the tournament she handled an in-form Simona Halep in the quarterfinals, winning 6-4, 6-3. It’s been business as usual for Serena this year in the desert, with the chaos surrounding her return last year subsiding.

“I feel really good,” Serena said. “I’m hoping to be able to perform in the semifinal. I have been feeling pretty good this whole tournament so far. So I hope that I can be able to continue to feel pretty good.”

– Can Agnieszka Radwanska muster the belief? With her run to yet another semifinal, Radwanska will rise to No.2 on Monday behind Serena. That means Friday night’s match will feature the top two players in the world. But can Radwanska make a match of it?

She is 0-9 against Serena and has won just one set, which came in 2012 in the Wimbledon final. As clever a shot-maker and tactician as she is, Radwanska has yet to be able to solve her Serena riddle.

“I just hope I can really play good tennis that I was playing last few days, and that’s it,” Radwanska said. “You know, goal is to win, but it’s not gonna be easy, that’s for sure.”

Match-ups are just as determinative of results as forehands and backahands and this has been a terrible match-up for the crafty Radwanska. Her off-pace returns rarely bother the American and she has struggled to find a way to keep the ball in awkward positions on the court against Serena. And as we saw at the Australian Open, if Serena’s return game is on Radwanska will struggle mightily to hold. In the semifinals of the Australian Open, Serena raced away with a 6-0, 6-4 win.

“I think it was one of my best matches,” Serena said. “I played pretty well the whole week. I just remember being aggressive and going forward and keeping my errors down, even though in the second set she made a great effort to come back and try to push for a third set. But I was able to get back in there and close it out. So it was a good match. Even though the scoreline was one way, it was definitely a good match.”

Agnieszka Radwanska

– Can Victoria Azarenka get revenge? Flash back a year ago to the first round of the Brisbane International. Azarenka and Pliskova, then ranked No.23, slugged it out for over three hours before Pliskova saved match point and won 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4. It was one of the small handful of “Sliding Doors” moments for Azarenka in 2015. How different would each player’s respective season have been if the result was reversed? Pliskova would eventually storm up the rankings and into the Top 10, while Azarenka continued to struggle.

“She played really well,” Azarenka said after her 6-0, 6-0 win over an injured Magdalena Rybarikova. “I think I didn’t play bad, especially after a long break coming back. It was a long match, I remember. I remember I had a lot of opportunities. Hopefully tomorrow when I create those opportunities I can convert them.”

Said Pliskova: “I saw it few times already because I thought it was a really good match. I was down match point so I almost lost this match, but in the end I won. Was a big fight and big match, and especially was the first match of the season.

“So it was a big thing for me, big win, so I will remember this one. I just hope if I play her I play the same level as I played.”

A win for Pliskova would put her into the biggest final of her career so far, while Azarenka is aiming to get back into the final of a Premier Mandatory for the first time since 2012.

Victoria Azarenka

– Azarenka’s confidence is building: The former No.1 has lost just one match in 2016 and tallied her second double-bagel win of the season – she’s also dished out six bagel sets this year. So does Vika have the swagger of a woman who’s had a near-flawless start to the season?

“I feel that the most important thing for me right now is feeling that I’m improving from match to match and feeling healthy that knowing that when I go out there I give myself the best opportunity to win, which wasn’t the case last two years,” Azarenka said.

“If you look at my matches last year I didn’t feel like any matches that I lost I was outplayed. In all the matches I had chances and all the matches I could have won those matches, I think. So I don’t know. I think confidence for me this year comes from being very well prepared and feeling healthy.”

– Kasatkina rising fast: The WTA Insider team has been big on Daria Kasatkina since her US Open run last fall but no one could expect the results she’s tallied over the last six months. The 18-year-old ran out of gas against Pliskova but she’ll make her Top 40 debut on Monday.

Is she surprised by her own success rate? “A little bit, yeah,” she said with a laugh. “Now I’m top 40. Last year I was 340. Yeah, it was pretty fast.”

Daria Kasatkina

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

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Azarenka Defuses Pliskova In Semifinals

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Former champion Victoria Azarenka returned to the final of the BNP Paribas Open after winning an absorbing Friday night shootout with Karolina Pliskova.

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

For two sets, Azarenka was fighting for dear life just to avoid getting overwhelmed by the barrage of winners coming from Pliskova’s racquet, but by the end she had weathered the worst of the storm, finishing strongly to close out a 7-6(1), 1-6, 6-2 victory.

In the final, Azarenka will renew rivalries with World No.1 Serena Wiilliams.

“It’s been a great week, I felt I improved so much. I’ve been working hard and it’s good to see that all that work is paying off,” Azarenka said. “I tried to apply what I’m working on – sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t – but it has put me in a position to play against the best players and these are the most priceless moments for me.”

Pliskova has struggled to make an impression at tennis’ flagship events in recent years, but this week has raised her game to new levels, and for much of the opening sets against Azarenka she was unplayable.

With her serve untouchable and winners flowing off either wing, the Czech cruised to a 5-3 lead. However, Azarenka clung stubbornly to her coattails and when a chance presented itself she grabbed it with both hands, breaking back with a delightful drop shot-volley combination. She completed the smash and grab by taking a one-sided tie-break.

Pliskova responded to the setback magnificently firing down 17 winners to race through a 34-minute second set. By the start of the decider, though, her game had lost some of its zip and Azarenka capitalized ruthlessly to close out victory.

Since lifting the title at Indian Wells four years ago, injuries – of varying severity – to feet, ankles and back have seen Azarenka spending as much time on the treatment table as the court. Now with a clean bill of help, the Belarusian is intent on enjoying the ride.

“For me it’s all fun. It doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, it’s tennis and you’re not always going to be on the up. You have to play good and stay clam – it’s important what you do when you’re down, too. I think through the experience you learn to understand that better.”

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The Gibbs Of Gab: Bottled Brilliance

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

I remember a post-match interview from early 2014 that turned some heads, or at least turned mine. Eugenie Bouchard had just made her first Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open from a ranking of No.31, her first real major breakthrough – pun intended. When asked about her Cinderella run, here is some of what she had to say:

“I’m proud of how I’ve improved as a player throughout the tournament. But I’m never satisfied with losing. I’m always disappointed; I always want to go further and do better. I wouldn’t say I exceeded my expectations, but I’m happy with how I did.”

To me, still fresh on tour, this came off as blatant arrogance. You expect this? How could you possibly expect to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, much less actually say that in press? It had always appeared to me that, no matter how hard you work, no matter how great the coaching you receive, making a Grand Slam semifinal had to involve a little bit of luck. Surely, then, you would be humbled by the experience.

Perhaps my bias toward the involvement of luck in success on the tennis court was imparted to me by my first coach: my father. I remember clearly when, one day, he pulled me aside during a practice in which I was shuffling around listlessly and not giving my full effort. He said, “There are tons of kids out there who work every bit as hard as you, maybe even harder, who will never achieve what you’re setting out to achieve in tennis.”

Kind of brutal, no? But the bottom line stuck with me: you can give everything you have to this game and still fall short of lofty goals like “making it” on tour.

So when Genie said that she expected results like a slam semifinal, I was confused and even a bit put off.

Now, fast forward to my first three months of 2016 – months that have MOST DEFINITELY NOT seen me reach a Grand Slam semifinal – but months that have included some of my best tennis and results to date. Here are some of the questions that have been cropping up, especially after my fourth round appearance this past week at the BNP Paribas Open:

Are you surprised?
What changed?
Can you keep it up?

These questions seem simple, maybe even small talk material, but they’re not.

Am I surprised? Yes, and no. I am surprised to have arrived at a place where wins that used to evade me are feeling comfortable. But I also don’t feel that I’m doing anything unsustainable.

What changed? Everything, and nothing. I’m looking at myself and my potential very differently than I was a year ago, but it’s still me, I’m just accessing a better version.

Can I keep it up? Absolutely, but maybe not. I have every confidence that if my team stays solid, I keep working hard, and I stay healthy I can continue to improve. But nothing is ever promised, and right now I’m just trying to enjoy the process, the day in day out grind.

In other words, this recent improvement in my results has been a long time coming, and all of a sudden.

Lately, I’ve put in the work, committed to the things I’ve needed to improve, and changed my outlook to include a stronger-than-ever sense of self belief. And it’s been coming together quickly in the past few months. Things that didn’t seem attainable six months ago are feeling well within reach. When asked how far I think I can go in tennis, “Top 10” has replaced, “I don’t know, maybe Top 50.”

This is all new for me. But I’ve also wanted to be a pro tennis player since I was 11. Every life decision I’ve made since then has centered around maximizing my tennis, giving myself the best shot. Tens of thousands of hours have been spent sweating out weakness in the gym and pushing through insecurities and frustrations on court. So, in one way, I’m humbled by my recent success, but in another way, I expect this and much more.

Sorry for doubting your outlook, Genie.

To keep up with Gibbsy, you can follow her on Twitter @Gibbsyyyy and Instagram. Nicole Gibbs will feature as a regular columnist for WTA Insider. Click here for her first column, and check back regularly as she files a variety of dispatches from the road to give fans a glimpse of her life on tour.

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Serena Williams ‘Won’t Stay Silent’ On Race Issues

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Serena Williams is a legend on the tennis court and a megastar off it, and with over seven million followers on Twitter she sits near the top of the list of most followed athletes on social media.

Now, Serena has vowed to use that reach to speak up about race relations and police-involved incidents in the United States, particularly on the allegations of increased police violence toward unarmed African Americans.

Serena took to social media to post a heartfelt and powerful message, candidly expressing her fears for the safety of her 18-year-old nephew.

“I had to take a look at me. What about my nephews? What if I have a son and what about my daughters?” Serena said in a lengthy post to her Facebook page. “As Dr. Martin Luther King said, ‘There comes a time when silence is betrayal.’ I Won’t Be Silent.”

It’s not the first time Serena has commented on the issue, previously speaking out about police brutality after her record-tying Wimbledon victory.

“I feel anyone in my color in particular is of concern. I do have nephews that I’m thinking, ‘do I have to call them and tell them, ‘Don’t go outside. If you get in your car, it might be the last time I see you?'” she told reporters back in July.

“I don’t think that the answer is to continue to shoot our young black men in the United States. It’s just unfortunate. No one deserves to lose their life, doesn’t matter what color they are, where they’re from. We’re all human.”

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Insider Debates: Who Will Win In IW

Insider Debates: Who Will Win In IW

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

David Kane, Point: Serena Williams’ 2015 return to the BNP Paribas Open was left incomplete when a knee injury forced her withdrawal from the semifinals of a tournament she hadn’t played in 14 years. But there were no such interruptions in her march towards a record-breaking third Indian Wells title on Friday as she battled past an inspired soon-to-be World No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 7-6(1).

“Definitely didn’t think I would be in another final here ever,” she told press after the match. “Then last year was just really, really bad luck. I felt devastated that I wasn’t in the final or at least even able to play.

“After the last final I had here, I never pictured myself being back. So it’s an interesting feeling.”

It will most definitely be an interesting feeling for Serena as the final – her first at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden since 2001 – gets underway against former No.1 Victoria Azarenka. The two faced off three times in 2015, with all three going the distance, and Azarenka holding triple match point in their meeting at the Mutua Madrid Open. Though the Belarusian has only won three of their 20 matches, all three victories have come in finals – most recently in 2013 at the Western & Southern Open. 

Serena Williams

“Obviously me and Vika have had some incredible finals. We really get along great.”

Their off-court dynamic may contribute to some of the most entertaining matches over the last few years, but even at Azarenka’s best, Williams finds a way over the finish line. 

“I think everyone is a rival, especially against me. They come out with a game I have never seen before. But it’s made me better.”

Take out their three 2015 epics and Azarenka’s 2015 season would truly be one to forget; the two-time Australian Open champion reached just one WTA final in Doha and failed to progress past the quarterfinals in any of the major tournaments – though it must be said that she played Serena in the third round of the French Open and in the last eight at Wimbledon. Her start to this season has been far more promising, but a stunning loss to eventual Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber was an undeniable clunker that may have exposed a tentativeness that has halted her progress as much any injury over the last two years.

The most memorable of Serena’s matches with Azarenka – certainly the last three – can be drawn down the middle: Azarenka begins with a fearlessness that appears to unsettle an American in the midst of a slow start. That is often enough to take her up a set and perhaps even a break in the second, but at crunch time, Serena’s superior mental strength shines through. It may not be a Grand Slam final, but for Serena, it may be something more.

Serena Williams

“Hopefully it will be very different than last final,” she said with a smile. “But my goal is just to be out there, and I think it’s kind of cool that I can really close the door by being in the final again.

“So I think it’s something that really kind of came full circle.”

Courtney Nguyen, Counterpoint: How is it that a player with a 3-17 record against Serena Williams and who has not tallied a win in nearly three years, is considered the World No.1’s most potent rival? Because no one gets as consistently close as Azarenka. Asked what it is she does against Serena that no other player can, Azarenka kept it simple.

“I see a lot of them losing before they step on the court,” Azarenka said. “I’m not afraid of anybody. I want to have those challenges. Some people maybe want to avoid that and I live for those moments.”

Even in a sub-par 2015 season, Azarenka put herself in a winning position three times against Serena, holding match points in Madrid, leading by a set and 4-2 at the French Open, and another set at Wimbledon. She lost all three matches. Her last win over the No.1 came in the 2013 finals of Cincinnati, where Azarenka won 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6).

Victoria Azarenka

“I had a lot of opportunities,” Azarenka said, recalling their three meetings last year. “I think Wimbledon was one of those matches where in the third set she really outplayed me and she was just on every ball, everything was going her way. But I did have opportunities. I won the first set, I had a few close games.

“For me to know there’s always a chance it’s always a good thing but I know I have to go a step more to be the winner in those.”

This is a different Azarenka in 2016, a Vika who is far closer to her 2012 level than her injury-prone 2014. Like Serena, she has lost just one match all season (15-1). Unlike Serena, she has a title under her belt after starting her season with her first title since 2013 at the Brisbane International. But Sunday’s final – which marks the ninth time these two have met in a final – is the biggest final Azarenka has contested since Cincinnati in 2013. A win would make her the first player to beat Serena four times in a final.

Victoria Azarenka

“There’s not going to be too many surprises but definitely need to step it up,” Azarenka said. “It’s going to be exciting for me because we haven’t played since Wimbledon. I feel like I’m in a little bit different position right now. For me it’s just really exciting to play the best player in the world right now. This is what I worked really hard for.”

If Azarenka wins the title she will vault back into the Top 10 for the first time since August 2014, moving to No.8 with a win. Azarenka will need to step up her game in all facets on Sunday. Despite her wins in the desert, her serve has been a liability at times. She has improved the speed and placement, but her accuracy has been fleeting. She’s hit 17 double-faults in her last two matches, seven of which came in her 6-0, 6-0 rout of Magdalena Rybarikova.

Listen to more thoughts from Kane and Nguyen on the BNP Paribas Open final and the nature of rivalries in the latest WTA Insider Podcast:

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

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Radwanska Rolls Past Wozniacki, Reaches Last Eight In Wuhan

Radwanska Rolls Past Wozniacki, Reaches Last Eight In Wuhan

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WUHAN, China – No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska scored an important win as the chase for the final six spots in the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global heats up, ousting friend and former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, 6-4, 6-2, at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.

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

“I’m just very glad to win this match in two sets,” she said during her on-court interview. “Obviously, it’s never easy against Caroline and, well, I was just playing very good tennis tonight and I’m very happy for the win.”

Radwanska and Wozniacki had met 13 times coming into Wednesday night’s encounter, and played a thrilling three-setter just last week at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, which Wozniacki won from a set down en route to the title.

But the Pole made no mistake tonight, skillfully converting on her one-set lead and recovering from a break down to win the final five games of the match. In all, the former World No.2 played flawless tennis, hitting 23 winners to just 12 unforced errors, while Wozniacki, who appeared to be dealing with physical issues in her eighth match in 10 days, hit 18 winners to 24 unforced.

While some of her fellow competitors dealt with lengthy rain delays, Radwanska’s match was only impeded by the late finish of Petra Kvitova’s exciting win over World No.1 Angelique Kerber. 

“It’s great to have a roof here, especially when it’s raining. It was a long match before us, and I’m glad you all stayed with me,” she said, addressing the crowd.

Up next for Radwanska, who could book a return to Singapore with a title run in Wuhan, is another longtime rival in Svetlana Kuznetsova. The Russian knocked out defending champion Venus Williams in straight sets earlier in the day.

“We’ve played so many times against each other, everywhere and on every surface. We’ve known each other so long. It’s another great challenge because she’s in really great form right now, playing good tennis.

“I think I have nothing to lose, and hopefully I can play the same tennis I played today.”

Currently ranked No.4 on the WTA rankings, Radwanska is one win away from securing the No.3 ranking at the end of the week; Simona Halep is also in contention, but would not only have to win Wuhan, but Radwanska would also have to lose on Thursday to Kuznetsova.

WTA Finals: Get Your Tickets!

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Cibulkova, Strycova Complete Wuhan QF Line-Up

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WUHAN, China – Barbora Strycova won the first of two scheduled matches after getting rained out on Wednesday, recovering from a set down to defeat Guangzhou runner-up Jelena Jankovic, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Strycova will play No.10 seed and WTA Finals darkhorse Dominika Cibulkova, who roared past No.5 seed and US Open runner-up Karolina Pliskova, 6-2, 6-2.

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

“It’s great to have the roof because we got to play,” the Czech veteran said in her on-court interview. “I’m very happy to be through to the quarterfinals. It was a very tough match for me, with a lot of ups and downs, but I’m happy to get the win.”

Strycova had reached the round of 16 in her last two Wuhan appearances, but was in trouble early on against Jankovic, a former No.1 overcoming an injury-prone season to reach a final at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open just last week.

“You have to find the motivation all the time if you want to compete and bring a good level. The first set wasn’t really the way I wanted to play. I didn’t move well, so I started to move better, put more balls into the court. That helped me get my rhythm.”

Strycova overcame a few moments of frustration to level the match, but Jankovic made a battle of it in the end, saving a match point in the tenth game of the decider, but ultimately succumed on Strycova’s second match point after two hours and 21 minutes.

“At the end, I was able to win a few more points than her, and that made the difference.”

While Strycova struggled through three grueling sets, Cibulkova charged past Pliskova in an hour and 15 minutes, dropping just four games to keep her hopes of making her debut appearance at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global alive.

“This was my first match on Center Court against such a big-serving player. It was tough to play but I was really focused, mentally ready, and playing my good tennis. I’m really happy to be into the quarterfinals here.”

The roof remained closed in Wuhan, even as the rain abated on the outer courts.

“Last week, I played in Tokyo in similar conditions, and I play at home under a closed stadium. We’re professionals, so we have to be prepared to play in any situation.”

Cibulkova will play Strycova for the first time, as she aims to earn as many points as possible to remain inside the Top 8 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard by week’s end.

“It’s going to be another tough match, a different one. Two matches in one day isn’t easy, but I want to be ready for it.”

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Defending Champ Hibino Plays Pliskova For Tashkent Title

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – Nao Hibino is back into the finals of an event that kickstarted her career; the No.4 seed dispatched Denisa Allertova, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the Tashkent Open final for a second straight year.

“It’s unbelievable,” she said after the match. “I was nervous, and wanted to make the final at any cost. I focused on every point and it helped.”

Hibino cracked the Top 100 for the first time in her career by taking the title in Tashkent a year ago, and the Japanese star has held onto that momentum in 2016, reaching the final once more without dropping a set.

“I started my Top 100 journey in Tashkent,” she recalled. “I realized what I was trying in my game for the last year has started working here this week. I think the Tashkent Open is lucky for me; I like the courts here because they suit my game .

“I feel like this is my second home and would like to stay for longer. If possible, I could take back home the court from here!”

The ensuing transition onto the WTA tour had been a struggle; after winning Tashkent last fall, she went on a five match losing streak in the spring but showed signs of turning things around at the Olympic tennis event, where she upset Irina-Camelia Begu in the first round of Rio after reaching the quarterfinals in Florianopolis.

“I’ve had tough year on the tour,” Hibino said, reflecting of the time since winning her maiden WTA title. “I didn’t do well at all because it was tough playing very good players when I had no experience and didn’t get the results I was expecting.

Awaiting Hibino in the final is Kristyna Pliskova, twin sister to US Open runner-up Karolina. Pliskova came to Tashkent having already won a WTA 125K Challenger event in Dalian to start the month, and will be a favorite against Hibino, by the Japanesewoman’s own admission.

“I have played against Pliskova twice and have lost both times. I will be the challenger tomorrow, but I will be looking forward to break the Tashkent jinx of a player never having won the title for the second time by winning here tomorrow!

“I hope this second year as Top 100 player will be good one for me and I will have some good results.”

Pliskova was the first to make her Top 100 debut of the sisters, but has been on the outside looking in as Karolina rose to a career-high ranking and beat both Williams sisters to reach her first Grand Slam final. But even as Karolina turned heads in Flushing, Kristyna was plugging away in Dalian with the help of a new coach, and is now into her first WTA final.

“It feels great to be in my first ever WTA tour event final,” she said after beating Kateryna Kozlova. “It was a tough first set; she was playing well and didn’t give me many chances. It was also very cold, and so the balls were heavy. I’ve played her before and knew she’d make some mistakes. So, I waited for my chance; I called my coach at 2-5, and he pepped me up and told me to be calm. That helped me a lot. 

“Before I came here didn’t have too many expectations beyond earning enough points so I can play the main draw at the Australian Open, but this result will take me to my highest ranking.”

Indeed, Pliskova is set to crack the Top 80 for the first time in her young career.

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