Kerber, Garcia & Mladenovic Named ITF World Champions
Angelique Kerber and the doubles team of Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic were named 2016’s ITF World Champions following Grand Slam-winning seasons.
Angelique Kerber and the doubles team of Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic were named 2016’s ITF World Champions following Grand Slam-winning seasons.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – World No.2 Angelique Kerber is the first player through to the US Open semifinals after conquering Roberta Vinci in straight sets.
After withstanding a fierce early challenge from the Italian, Kerber found another gear to prevail 7-5, 6-0 and end Vinci’s bid to halt a major US Open subplot for a second time.
“I think I have right now more confidence going out there,” Kerber said in her post-match press conference. “I’m not thinking about quarters, semis, or whatever. I’m just going there to playing a good match and to win.
“I know that I can beat everybody, and this is what gives me also a lot of confidence and motivation for going out there and playing with a lot of emotion.”
Vinci and Kerber set the tone of the match early on; Vinci broke Kerber’s serve in a marathon seven-minute opening game, before the German quickly grabbed the break back. In fact, Kerber trailed Vinci a break three times during the opening set, but each time she showed her mental toughness by never allowing Vinci to hold onto the lead.
The two played a game of cat and mouse throughout the first set, with both players showing off their variety and shot making; Vinci would reach a break point with a set of slices and drop shots, and Kerber would save it with a stinging inside-out forehand.
Kerber finally claimed the decisive break in the final game, winning the set and avoiding a tiebreak when Vinci was called for a foot fault on set point.
Down, not out: @AngeliqueKerber wins three games in a row to take the opener vs. #Vinci, 7-5. #usopen @MBUSA https://t.co/CguQohxazo
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 6, 2016
“I think the key of the match was the first set,” Kerber reflected afterwards. “I mean, it was really close and tough. It’s always difficult to play against Roberta.
“Keeping my mind a little bit relaxed, and staying in the moment – I think that was my key. Also for the first set to, be a little bit more relax and had not too negative, actually.”
Already hobbled by a foot problem, losing the set by so narrow a margin seemed to suck the wind out of Vinci’s sails. She didn’t have much left in the tank against Kerber, who quickly broke three more times to run away with the match and return to the semifinals of the US Open for the first time since 2011.
Kerber struck 33 winners to 25 unforced errors during the match – just three of those errors in came in the second set – while Vinci hit 17 winners to 32 unforced errors. Vinci’s serve was particularly vulnerable, serving at 40 percent first serves and winning just 57 percent of those points.
While the win moves Kerber one step closer to the WTA No.1 ranking, it spells out a different fate for Vinci. The Italian will fall out of the Top 10 come next week, having needed a run to the semifinals to keep up her ranking.
“Of course I’m so sad about today,” Vinci said. “In general I played a great tournament. Now just will go home and take some days off; see what I have for my injury, and then we will see.”
Kerber now awaits the winner of tonight’s match between Caroline Wozniacki and Anastasija Sevastova to play for a spot in the final.
Stat of the Match: 22 of Kerber’s 25 unforced errors came in the first set. https://t.co/LdN4SrDvQn#USOpen pic.twitter.com/aLCsNv3EkL
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) September 6, 2016
Venus Williams
2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.7
Year-End Ranking: No.17
Season Highlights: Title at Kaohsiung
Best Major Result: SF (Wimbledon)
17 Days left until the 2017 #WTA season! ? pic.twitter.com/azf4fQh5zW
— WTA (@WTA) December 15, 2016
2017 Outlook
Despite turning 36 last summer, Venus Williams continues to challenge for tennis’ biggest honors. She proved this at Wimbledon, where she saw off several of the game’s brightest young talents to became the oldest Grand Slam semifinalist in 22 years.
It was not the only high point of the campaign either; in Kaohsiung she collected a 49th career title, reaching another final at Stanford before teaming up with Rajeev Ram to win mixed doubles silver at the Rio Olympics – her fifth medal at the Games.
There had been whispers that Brazil could be the curtain call on Williams’ wonderful career. However, the American has quashed such talk, outlining her plans to stay on tour until 2018, and even entertaining the possibility of playing until Tokyo 2020.
“I’ve been working hard in the gym and getting back on the court,” Williams said recently. “I just love the game, I really do. I love the challenge. It’s been such a part of my life that it’s hard to imagine life without it.
“I’m just gearing up for 2017 like I’m sure everybody else is.”
Her season opener will come in Auckland, where she will be joined by sister Serena and another thirtysomething still going strong, Svetlana Kuznetsova. Understandably, Williams, who lifted the title in 2015 and reached the final in 2013, is excited about her upcoming visit to the North Island.
“I am so excited to come back to Auckland, which is one of my favorite stops on the circuit,” Williams said. “It will be nice to have Serena there as well this year. “Being in Auckland will be a fantastic way to start 2017 and I am really looking forward to it!”
ACAPULCO, Mexico – No.2 seed Sloane Stephens needed a final set tie-break against unseeded former Australian Open finalist and 2014 Abierto Mexicano Telcel champion Dominika Cibulkova, but the American finally got the job done against the Slovak, winning, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5).
“I got a little bit better today because of her, and I wouldn’t want to have this memory with anyone else,” Stephens said of Cibulkova during the trophy ceremony.
Stephens led Cibulkova by a set and a break before the 26-year-old, who won their previous encounter at last year’s Rogers Cup, roared back to level the match at a set apiece. In what became the longest final thus far in 2016, the two fought through several long games in the final set before heading to a tie-break. Racing out to a 5-2 lead, Stephens held three match points, converting her third on a Cibulkova forehand error.
“We had a great week and a great start to the year, and I’m looking forward to keeping it going.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played in front of a crowd quite like this. Thank you for letting me experience this in Acapulco because it’s something I’ll remember forever.”
“This is one of my favorite tournaments,” Cibulkova said in her runner-up speech. “It feels like home because of the people who work here and all the fans and sponsors. I’m a little disappointed with the result today, but that’s tennis. I hope to be back here next year and maybe get the trophy again.:
Having started the year with a title at the ASB Classic – where she beat former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki en route – Stephens now has three WTA titles and, most impressively, remains undefeated in finals (winning her first title last year at the Citi Open).
The doubles final took place earlier in the evening, and top seeds Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra Santonja defeated No.2 seeds Kiki Bertens and Johanna Larsson, 6-0, 6-4.
NEW YORK, NY, USA – No.10 seed Karolina Pliskova is into her first Grand Slam semifinal after a commanding victory over 18-year-old Ana Konjuh at the US Open.
Both were making their Grand Slam quarterfinal debut – in fact, neither had been past the third round at any Slam before the fortnight – but experience won out for Pliskova, who had little trouble moving past Konjuh in the 57-minute, 6-2, 6-2 romp.
“I was kind of nervous this morning, before the match,” Pliskova said of playing in her first major quarterfinal. “But always when I get on the court I just forget about everything and I’m not nervous anymore.”
“And I’m just trying to play tennis. Maybe I will think about all what I have been playing last few weeks after the tournament, but right now I just don’t want to, you know, put it in too much inside me. I just want to play.”
.@KaPliskova wins 100% of her first serves en route to a first-set victory over #Konjuh. #usopen @Chase https://t.co/o3RAc1pG59
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2016
The victory is especially affirming for the Czech, who’s been a dangerous player at the WTA level for the past two years since her breakthrough, but could never translate that big game onto the big stage.
“To be honest, the Grand Slams before, I wasn’t feeling bad in any of them,” Pliskova said after her third round press conference, the first time ever she’d reached the second week of a Slam. “But just somehow the game on the court wasn’t the way I wanted it to be.
“I was just a little bit tight, I wasn’t playing my tennis, wasn’t aggressive enough. If I’m not playing my game, I cannot beat those players like this. I cannot be the one who is running.”
Pliskova didn’t need to do much running against Konjuh, the lowest-ranked and youngest player in the quarterfinals. The Czech is famous for her huge serve – in fact she’s been the WTA’s ace leader for two years – but Pliskova kept her biggest weapon reigned in. She hit just three aces, much lower than her eight-a-match average, but was still lethal on serve, winning 92 percent of points behind her first serve during the match – 100 percent in the first set.
The 18-year-old Konjuh also wields a powerful serve, which she showed off during her impressive takedown of Agnieszka Radwanska in the last round. But the Croat struggled to hold onto it against the big-hitting Pliskova, who broke her twice at the outset of the match to go up 4-0 in the first set, then twice at the end of the second.
Pliskova closed out the match with back-to-back aces to reach her first Grand Slam semifinals.
Ace the day! @kapliskova dominates #Konjuh 6-2, 6-2 in just 57 minutes to make her first slam semifinal @mbusa https://t.co/mKjBWbbXqo
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2016
Despite the one-sided loss, Konjuh only takes the positives away from her Grand Slam experience.
“You know, I cannot be sad after all of this,” Konjuh reflected in her post-match press conference. “Good luck to her. She’s having great season so far, and, you know, I’m cheering for her.”
“But overall, I’m happy with my results here. When I came here I could only imagine playing the quarters. I think it’s been a great tournament.”
Pliskova awaits the winner in the night match between Serena Williams and Simona Halep to play for a spot in the final.
DALIAN, China – Top seed Wang Qiang won a topsy-turvy encounter on Thursday against Han Na-Lae to reach the quarterfinals of the Dalian Women’s Tennis Open.
Watch live streaming from Dalian all week right here.
Strong performances on the ITF Circuit this year have seen Wang close in on a Top 50 debut, which she could secure with a deep run in Dalian. However, she was given an unexpectedly stern examination against lucky loser Han before finishing strongly to close out a 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 victory.
Grace Min will meet her in the last eight after she upset No.6 seed Jana Cepelova, 6-4, 6-3. This was not the afternoon’s only upset, either; Aleksandra Krunic knocked out No.3 seed Duan Ying-Ying, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, while Wang Yafan defeated Tamira Paszek, the No.4 seed, 6-2, 7-6(2).
Also advancing was last year’s runner-up, Julia Glushko, who fought back to see off qualifier Peangtarn Plipuech, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina, Jelena Jankovic, Agnieszka Radwanska or Garbiñe Muguruza – who will win February’s WTA Shot Of The Month? Click here to vote now!
Petra Kvitova
2016 Quick Hits
Week 1 Ranking: No.6
Year-End Ranking: No.11
Season Highlights: Wuhan, Zhuhai Champion, Luxembourg RU
Best Major Result: 4R (US Open)
2017 Outlook
Kvitova had plenty of reasons to feel optimistic after a heady finish to 2016, winning the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open and the Huajin Securities Elite Trophy Zhuhai to finish the year just outside the Top 10 at No.11. A difficult first half of the season saw her ranking take a tumble and split with longtime coach, David Kotyza.
An emotional medal-winning performance at the Olympic tennis event – where she won Bronze in Rio de Janeiro – reignited her on-court precision, and helped her reach the second week of a major tournament for the first time all year. Losing a close match to eventual champion Angelique Kerber in Flushing, Kvitova took the momentum to Asia, where she avenged the loss to the World No.1 en route to the title in Wuhan, and roared to the win in Zhuhai without dropping a set.
“I’ve always loved to play tennis, but it can get tough when I’m not feeling confident, and not playing as well as I should,” she told WTA Insider after winning her final match of the season. “These couple of matches that I’ve won in the last couple of weeks have really helped my confidence. I did find myself, and that means I’ve found my game again. I’m not afraid to go for my shots, even if I miss them sometimes. I’m still trying to go for it, serve better, and put pressure on my opponent. That’s something I don’t think I was really doing at the start of the season. Of course, there were other small things also happening in my life, as well.
“But sometimes it’s just important to go through all of these things to find yourself.”
A lingering foot injury looked to derail some of her off-season preparation, but nothing like the shocking events that unfolded on Tuesday. Kvitova fought off a knife-wielding would-be robber in her home in Prostejov, but not without sustaining major injuries to her left and dominant hand.
The two-time Wimbledon winner underwent a nearly four hour surgery to repair lacerations and nerve damage, and is now in a cast for the next six to eight weeks; she won’t be able to bear weight on her left hand for at least three months.
It’s unclear if or when Kvitova will be back on the court, and the start of 2017 won’t be the same without her unique power and competitive spirit.
DALIAN, China – No.7 seed Misa Eguchi outlasted Grace Min in a two-hour and twenty minute marathon match to reach the final at the Dalian Women’s Tennis Open, where she’ll face the unseeded Kristyna Pliskova for a shot at the title.
Watch free live streaming from Dalian 125K all week right here!
After dropping the first set to the Japanese No.7 seed, Min – the author of yesterday’s big upset of top seed Qiang Wang – roared back in the second, edging past Eguchi in the tiebreaker to force a deciding set. After weathering a two-hour rain delay, the Japanese player righted the ship in the final set, powering past Min to book a spot in the final.
Her opponent in the Dalian Women’s Tennis Open final will be the 24-year-old Kristyna Pliskova. Pliskova, ranked No.122, will arrive into the match feeling quite rested as her opponent Han Xinyun was forced to retire just 36 minutes into the match, with Pliskova leading 4-1.
Eguchi leads the head to head against Pliskova, notching a straight sets win over the Czech in their only previous encounter back in 2014. But the pair haven’t played at the WTA-level since, and Eguchi will have to contend with Pliskova’s biggest weapon: her powerful, record-setting serve.
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普通に書いたけど、よく考えたら1回戦プリちゃんだったんだよね。恐るべし大連 シングルス準決勝 https://t.co/0JQ4VPqDVp
— Misa Eguchi / 江口実沙 (@misa_eguchi) September 10, 2016