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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MIAMI, FL, USA – World No.1 Angelique Kerber steamrolled past Japanese qualifier Risa Ozaki in barely an hour to move into the Miami Open quarterfinals for the third time in her career.

Kerber broke the Ozaki serve six times and hit 17 winners to Ozaki’s seven on her way to the 6-2, 6-2 victory.

“I think that she’s played a good tournament,” Kerber praised her opponent in post-match press. “She came through the qualies, she beat good players. I was ready for it.

“I talked with my team and I know that she’s moving good and bringing a lot of balls back. I was trying to play my game and be aggressive.”

After a tentative start, with both players feeling each other out in their first encounter, it all went the German’s way as her powerful game started to click together. She dictated with the forehand, breaking Ozaki twice for a 4-1 lead. The 22-year-old Japanese earned one of the breaks back, but it wasn’t enough to halt Kerber’s momentum as she steamrolled to the opening set.

The same pattern emerged in the final set; Kerber rolled ahead to a 5-0, triple break lead, but faltered for a moment against Ozaki’s slices and the Japanese grabbed one of the breaks back. Kerber stayed solid, though, and wrapped up the match moments later.

Despite the result, 22-year-old Ozaki will still have reason to celebrate. After reaching the main draw in her Miami Open debut, Ozaki is set to rise to a career-high ranking on Monday, projected to land inside the Top 75.

For Kerber, the challenge continues in the next round as she’ll face the winner between WTA veterans Venus Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova for a spot in the semifinals.

“I think it doesn’t matter against who because they are both amazing players,” Kerber said. “Playing against Venus, I’m looking forward [to it] if it’s Venus. But as well if it’s Sveta, she’s played great tennis in the last few weeks. She reached the final in Indian Wells. She’s on fire, but also Venus, she played amazing this year so far.

“I’m looking forward to playing against them. We’ll see tonight.”

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MIAMI, FL, USA – Former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki kept up her searing 2017 form, surging past an unseeded but dangerous Lucie Safarova, 6-4, 6-3, to join Karolina Pliskova in the Miami Open semifinals.

“I love playing out there,” she said of the electric crowd environment in her press conference. “The first night match is unbelievable; I think it’s the best slot of the day. I love being out there, competing, and just playing good tennis.”

Safarova has been ranked as high as No.5, but the former French Open finalist struggled to recover from various illnesses and injuries in 2016, causing her to start this season ranked outside the Top 60.

Finding vintage form in spurts coming into Miami, Safarova caught fire in South Florida, upsetting No.4 seed Dominika Cibulkova in straights to reach her first Premier Mandatory quarterfinal since the Mutua Madrid Open in 2015.

Wozniacki suffered similar setbacks last year, but has been on a roll since reaching the semifinals of the US Open, and ultimately dispatched Safarova in two sets after a slow start.

“She’s been playing really well, and came out firing. Her lefty serve is also tricky, but I just kept staying in there.

“I felt like I moved really well today, and thought we played some really great points out there.”

Safarova was close to a double break lead on the onset of the match, but Wozniacki held on, mixing up the pace and forcing the uber-aggressive Safarova into uncomfortable positions as she moved the ball about the court.

Still, things stayed close until the end of each set, when the Doha and Dubai runner-up pulled ahead, breaking in the first and serving out the second.

Up next for Wozniacki is No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova. The pair last played in the finals of the Qatar Total Open, where the Czech powerhouse won in straight sets.

“She beat me last time we play, so she’s clearly in good shape. I’m looking forward to getting another try, to see if I can beat her this time.

“I know her game, what her strengths and weaknesses are. I’ll have my team take a look at our last match and let me know; I’ve played so many matches in a row that they won’t want me to overthink it.”

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Wozniacki Ends Linette's Tokyo Run, Books Radwanska SF Showdown

Wozniacki Ends Linette's Tokyo Run, Books Radwanska SF Showdown

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

TOKYO, Japan – Former champion Caroline Wozniacki ended qualifier Magda Linette’s run at the Toray Pan Pacific Open with a straight-set win in Friday’s quarterfinal.

Watch live action from Tokyo this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Continuing the form that took her to the US Open semifinals and past No.4 seed Carla Suárez Navarro in the previous round, Wozniacki overcame a spirited showing from Linette to run out a 6-4, 6-3 winner in an hour and 22 minutes.

World No.109 Linette needed nearly three hours to get past Yulia Putintseva on Thursday and despite having chances in both sets was unable to upset her more celebrated hitting partner.

“She’s been playing really well lately, had a lot of matches. She’s a good friend of mine and we practice a lot so we know each other’s game,” Wozniacki said. “I was just happy that I stayed tough and managed to serve it out in the end.”

The Dane drew on all her experience to take an evenly contested opening set, breaking in the final game when Linette netted with a tired forehand. Making a mockery of her lowly ranking, Linette continued to pose questions in the second set, attacking the net with relish. Ultimately, though, Wozniacki had too many answers, taking the final four games to reach a fifth semifinal in the Japanese capital.

In 2010 Wozniacki ended up going all the way and she continues her bid to reclaim the title against another Pole, No.2 seed Agnieszka Radwanska.

“We’ve played many times before, and again she’s a close friend. It’s going to be another tough one because she’s been playing well this week, but I’m just happy to be in the semifinals again.”

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MIAMI, FL, USA – One lucky tennis fan got their hands on one of Caroline Wozniacki’s Stella McCartney-designed Adidas tennis dresses after the Dane marched into the semifinals of the Miami Open on Tuesday.

Wozniacki had just defeated Lucie Safarova 6-4, 6-3 and was clearly in the mood to make someone’s day after her impressive display.

“Any girls that play tennis want this skirt?” offered Wozniacki, before handing one of her red dresses to a very grateful fan.

Victory for Wozniacki means that she now faces Karolina Pliskova for a place in the final, having previously defeated Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets.

Wozniacki enjoys a 3-1 head-to-head against Pliskova, but it was the Czech who won the last encounter, having defeated her in the finals of the Qatar Total Open.

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Wuhan Player Party: WTA Stars Halep & Pliskova Headline The Red Carpet

Wuhan Player Party: WTA Stars Halep & Pliskova Headline The Red Carpet

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

WUHAN, China – Before main draw action got underway at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, the WTA stars set to take the court took to the red carpet for the Player’s Party. No.4 seed Simona Halep and No.5 seed Karolina Pliskova each struck a pose for the cameras, along with some of the biggest names in women’s tennis.

Check out the best photos courtesy of Getty Images:

Simona Halep (ROU)

Simona Halep

Karolina Pliskova (CZE)

Karolina Pliskova

Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

Svetlana Kuznetsova

Lucie Safarova (CZE)

Lucie Safarova

Belinda Bencic (SUI)

Belinda Bencic

Caroline Garcia (FRA)

Caroline Garcia

Petra Kvitova (CZE)

Petra Kvitova

Madison Keys (USA)

Madison Keys

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)

Carla Suarez Navarro

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