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10 Things To Know: Kerber Vs Puig

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – History is on the line in Rio on Saturday as Angelique Keber and Monica Puig chase Olympic gold. But before the two face off on Centre Court, here are 10 points to ponder…

 (2) Angelique Kerber (GER #2) vs Monica Puig (PUR #34)
Head-To-Head: Kerber leads Puig, 2-0

1) Kerber holds the head-to-head bragging rights.
The players’ two encounters on tour could not have been more different. Perhaps crucially on a psychological level, though, both have gone the German’s way. The first saw Kerber come within two points of defeat against a very green Puig three years ago in Brisbane, eventually prevailing on a third set tie-break. The second, last summer in Toronto, was rather more one-sided, Kerber dropping just five games against the young Puerto Rican.  

2) On top of their game.
Both Kerber and Puig have enjoyed campaigns to remember. After a slight lull following January’s memorable Australian Open triumph, Kerber has enjoyed a productive summer, reaching the Wimbledon final and winning 15 of her past 17 matches. Puig, meanwhile, has been quietly impressive all year long, reaching the biggest final of her career, in Sydney, the Eastbourne semifinals and posting a career-best 46 match wins.

3) Kerber holds a decided edge in big-match experience.
For all her recent improvement, Puig has still only ever appeared in two finals. Kerber, meanwhile, is becoming an old hand at the business end of tennis’ flagship events, having appeared in two major finals and lifted six Premier titles.

4) History in the making.
Puig has a chance to write her name in the history books as the first athlete in any sport from Puerto Rico to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. As it is, she is already guaranteed to go down as the island’s first female medalist.

5) Kerber was eight months old the last time a German won Olympic gold.
If Kerber wins, she will be the first German woman to win Olympic tennis gold title since Steffi Graf in 1988. Graf returned to the final four years later only to lose out to an inspired Jennifer Capriati in Barcelona.

6) Consistency the Kerber’s key to success.
Kerber has improved as she has progressed in Rio, something born out in her increasingly stingy unforced error count. After hitting 31 in her first-round win over Mariana Duque-Mariño, Kerber’s totals for her subsequent matches were 19, 14, 11 and just eight against Madison Keys in the semifinals.

7) Ready for another upset?
Puig had only registered one win over a member of the Top 10 before arriving in Rio. This came against No.5 Sara Errani at Wimbledon in 2013. She doubled this tally thanks to her magnificent third-round upset of Garbiñe Muguruza. Is she ready to make it three?

8) Olympic outsider.
Puig is the first unseeded singles finalist since tennis’ reintroduction to the Olympics in 1988. The lowest-ranked player to appear in the gold medal match up until now was then-No.17 Elena Dementieva in 2000.

9) Kerber’s unblemished record.
Kerber has not dropped a set on her way to the final. London 2012 gold medalist Serena Williams is the only player to win the competition since without dropping a set since the sport’s reintroduction to the Olympics.

10) The exclusive leftie club.
By defeating Keys, Kerber ensured she will become just the second left-hander to win an Olympic singles medal since tennis’ return. The other was 2000 bronze medalist Monica Seles.

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Kvitova Splits With Coach Kotyza

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Former World No.2 Petra Kvitova announced on Monday morning that she and coach David Kotyza had ended their seven year partnership. Beginning at the start of the 2009 season, Kvitova began her meteoric rise up the rankings with Kotyza at the helm, winning two Wimbledon titles, and a WTA Finals trophy in 2011, the year in which she was one match from finishing at No.1 in the world.

WTA Insider spoke with Kotyza last fall during the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global; check out that interview here – the audio version can be found on the WTA Insider Podcast – and read Kvitova’s statement on Facebook below:

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MIAMI, FL, USA – With the tennis about to get underway in Miami, we take at how the players are preparing for the week ahead as well as relaxing after another successful BNP Paribas Open.

Ana Konjuh sets out on a morning run along one of Miami’s many glorious beach fronts.

Carina Witthoeft is all smiles after taking a dip in the ocean.

Garbiñe Muguruza goes samba style on the pier at Key Biscayne.

Monica Puig takes time out to cuddle her dog after practice.

Tsvetana Pironkova is yet another player to take advantage of the beautiful Miami beachlife.

And Dominika Cibulkova and Christina McHale kept a close eye on the Miami draw ceremony.

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MIAMI, FL, USA – In one of the most intriguing first round matches at the Miami Open, former French Open finalist Sara Errani survived a tough battle with Former World No.7 Belinda Bencic, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, to book a second-round clash with No.30 seed Zhang Shuai.

There was more at stake for the pair than just a spot in the second round, though. Bencic came into the matchup with the Italian with a 2-0 lead in the pair’s head-to-head record, but trying to halt a downward trend that has seen her win just one WTA match all year, and just two since the 2016 US Open.

And her opponent Errani was also trying to jumpstart her season after toppling out of the Top 100 earlier in the season due to injury woes, including an adductor injury that kept her out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where she was the defending champion.

“There was a period that I couldn’t play many tournaments,” Errani, who was out for a month after the Australian Open, recalled. “Of course, when you’re home and there’s good tournaments and you can’t play it’s really tough. It’s worse having an injury than losing matches.”

“I’m just happy to be here and training and improving my fitness and my game, and just having the opportunity to play again.”

Bencic got off to a roaring start under the sun in Miami, pouncing on the Errani serve to break early and build up a 2-0 lead. But once the Italian gained a foothold in the match she came storming back, peppering her tricky game with dropshots to kick the Swiss off guard. After getting the break back, Errani reeled off seven of the next eight games to take the set and open the second with a double break lead.

A strong break to love from the Swiss halted Errani’s momentum and galvanized Bencic into action. The 20-year-old turned the tables on Errani, erasing another break to level the set at 3-3. They wrestled for momentum until Bencic notched another break to love to send the match into a decider.

But despite the strong resistance, Errani got right back on track – Bencic struggled with her serve as Errani broke her four more times, surging to a 5-1 lead. It proved too much to overcome despite Bencic’s attempts at a late comeback, and the Italian fired off a dropshot – backed up by a laser accurate passing shot – to take the match after just over two hours.

“I just tried to play every point and be a bit more aggressive with my serve,” Errani explained to WTA Insider after the match. “And even on the baseline, try to move her. This was my strategy.

“She has good timing on the ball so she took away time for me to play how I want. But I was physically quite good and I’m happy that I moved good today.”

Up next, Errani will take on Zhang for a spot in the third round in Miami.

“She’s a really solid girl, she has improved her game a lot in the past years, so it will be another tough match. But I’m just happy to be able to play it.”

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First Round Of Fed Cup Kicks Off

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

After a rollercoaster first month of WTA play Down Under, players have scattered across the globe to play for their countries in Fed Cup. The international team competition’s World Group and World Group II first-round ties are set to take place on February 6 and 7, and players have been tweeting up a storm as they’ve reunited with their national teammates.

Here’s who is in action for their country this week (all quotes provided by FedCup.com): 

Romania vs Czech Republic

“We are all enjoying the week as we have a great team and the people around us, the doctors, physios and everyone,” said the Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova. “It’s something different a few times in a year.

“So we are always looking forward to this week and I hope it can continue like this and the girls will stay in the team.”

Romania: Simona Halep, Monica Niculescu, Andreea Mitu, Raluca Olaru

Czech Republic: Petra Kvitova, Karolina Pliskova, Barbora Strycova, Denisa Allertova

 

Germany vs Switzerland

“This is obviously very big for us,” said Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic. “For sure we want to do big things now in Fed Cup and I think we can, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Well obviously they have a great team also for many years, they’ve been having great results. Of course it will be very difficult but I think now we also have a very good team and for sure it will be even.”

Germany: Angelique Kerber, Andrea Petkovic, Annika Beck, Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Anna-Lena Friedsam

Switzerland: Belinda Bencic, Timea Bacsinszky, Viktorija Golubic, Martina Hingis

 

Russia vs Netherlands

“It will definitely be a tough match as always,” said Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova. “Team tennis is always different to a normal tournament. Different emotions, different games from the players.

“We normally do everything by ourselves and there, for one week, we are a little bit more close to each other. We all have a good communication.”

Russia: Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ekaterina Makarova, Daria Kasatkina

Netherlands: Kiki Bertens, Richel Hogenkamp, Cindy Burger, Arantxa Rus

 

France vs Italy

“We’re really proud of where we are right now,” France’s Kristina Mladenovic said. “We definitely started to believe in our chances. We’re trying to stay humble, but we also have high expectations and goals for this year.”

France: Kristina Mladenovic, Caroline Garcia, Pauline Parmentier, Oceane Dodin

Italy: Sara Errani, Camila Giorgi, Francesca Schiavone, Martina Caregaro

 

Also in action…

Spain:

Serbia:

Great Britain:

United States:

Puerto Rico:

India:

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News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MIAMI, FL, USA – Simona Halep comes to the Miami Open ready to get back on the treadmill. And that’s not just a metaphor for the tour’s non-stop grind.

“Yesterday was the first day after two months that I was on the treadmill, so I’m really happy,” a spirited Halep told press during All-Access Hour. “I can train hard; I already played two hours today with no pain.

“I’m happy about that and I’m much better than last week.”

The Romanian has struggled with health issues at the start of her last two seasons, and feels the experience will ultimately prove beneficial – especially as the year wears on.

“I’ve learned that I have to protect my body more to prevent injuries, and do certain exercises for that. After having to do them every day, I’m already sick of them, but I have to keep doing them. It’s a routine, and routine is hard to maintain at this level, but if it helps me, I won’t stop.”

The former No.2 is nonetheless eager to get into her Miami routine; the former semifinalist has good memories of the last big hardcourt event before the clay swing starts.

“I don’t remember my first time in Miami, maybe five-six years ago. I like the weather; it’s perfect here. I like to be here; it’s a great tournament. Everyone is here, boys and girls, so it’s good that it’s mixed.

“I enjoy my time, and I’m enjoying it even more because I’m healthy and I can play. I’m just trying my best every moment.”

Simona Halep

Halep is set to rejoin a tour that has already seen some seismic shifts, and has tried to keep up with the latest impact players during her time off.

“I’m watching matches when I’m in the room and have nothing to do, when I’ve finished my work on the courts. I like watching tennis, but I can’t say I get into it too much; I just watch for fun.”

Most striking for the Romanian has been Elena Vesnina’s stunning run to the BNP Paribas Open title, an achievement that has helped her reassess her own opinions on how long she plans to keep playing.

“Elena played really good and she’s a great player. She’s won Grand Slams in doubles, so she’s right there. She’s also over 30, so the players at that age are playing much better than before. So I still have some time, no?

“For the last year, I’ve started to think that I have many years ahead. That makes me feel more relaxed, but I’m trying to take it easy. At the beginning of my career, I’d say 28, last year I said 30. Now I’m thinking more like 32.”

Halep may be putting off a drive into the sunset, but she’s already settled on her vehicle of choice, becoming the new Romanian ambassador for Mercedes Benz

“I have weird passions. I love watches and cars. Maybe that’s a little bit weird, but I love cars, and I’m really happy with this partnership.”

She begins her tournament against Japanese teenager Naomi Osaka; the pair last played at the French Open, where the No.3 seed won in three sets.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

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