Serena Outpaces Putintseva
World No.1 Serena Williams overcame a slow start to roar past Yulia Putintseva to reach the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open.
World No.1 Serena Williams overcame a slow start to roar past Yulia Putintseva to reach the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open.
SEOUL, South Korea – Big-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi recovered from a set down to dismiss Mona Barthel in a battle of two former Top 30 players, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the Korea Open.
Barthel began the year ranked at World No.45, but a virus kept her off court between the Australian and French Open; the German had won just two matches since Wimbledon heading into her match against Giorgi. Still, she reminded fans why she’s been ranked as high as No.23 in the world with a stunning opening set, winning 10 of 13 points off the Italian’s second serve and saving all three break points faced.
Giorgi has also seen her ranking slip from the start of the season, but took the experience from beating Barthel less than a month ago at the Connecticut Open and overcame a few frustrating moments to turn the tables on the 26-year-old, wrapping up the topsy-turvy tussle in just under 100 minutes.
The win puts the 24-year-old into her fifth WTA quarterfinal of the 2016 season – all at International level events – and will be looking to reach her second semifinal of the year, her first since finishing runner-up at the Katowice Open.
Up next for the former World No.30 is No.3 seed and Australian Open quarterfinalist Zhang Shuai, who edged past mixed doubles Olympic Gold medalist and US Open women’s doubles champ Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 6-3, 7-5.
New Haven semifinalist and No.2 seed Johanna Larsson followed up Giorgi’s heroics with a three-set thriller of her own, knocking out rising Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
Daria Gavrilova was so keen to get back on court after Monday night’s rain delay that she joined the ball kids attempts to dry the court.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.5 seed and 2015 BNP Paribas Open champion Simona Halep faced stiff opposition in rival and No.30 seed Ekaterina Makarova, but the Romanian laid down another comprehensive victory on a windy Sunday night to reach the fourth round, 6-2, 6-4.
The two began strongly on serve but Halep earned a crucial break in the sixth game and ultimately ran away with the opening set. Makarova had lost five games in a row when the Russian – a former Top 10 player who pushed Halep to three sets in their last meeting at the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships – broke back and continued to apply pressure throughout the second set before Halep broke for the match with her 16th and final winner.
“It was a tough match,” Halep told Andrew Krasny during her on-court interview. the wind was really bothering us, but I’m happy that I could win this match; I played a bit smarter, I think.
“I knew how to adapt for the wind,” she said later. “Just in one part of the court I had to hit a bit stronger, and the other with more topspin. I adjusted really well today and I’m really happy that I did it.”
Closing out the night session, Halep acknowledged the crowd, many of whom brought Romanian flags in support of the former World No.2.
“I want to thank everyone for staying; I know it’s difficult but thank you guys!”
Playing with renewed confidence, Halep has displayed the sort of form that took her to her career-high ranking and into the French Open final back in 2014. Struggling with illness and injury to start this season, Halep has felt fit and healthy since the end of the Middle East Swing and credits coach Darren Cahill with helping her adjust her mindset and firm up her tactics.
“I had tough matches this year where I couldn’t finish the match, so now I call Darren and he really helped me to finish the ball and be strong in the end and to believe that I can win and make a break.
“I’m not thinking about defending the title, but I’m really happy to be back here on Center Court. I really have great memories from last year and I believe that here I can come back with my game and with my confidence.”
Up next for the No.5 seed is Barbora Strycova; the Czech veteran has been one of the most consistent players this season with a run to the finals in Dubai and a second week showing in Melbourne; the two have split their only two previous encounters, but Halep triumphed in their most recent meeting at the 2014 China Open.
GUANGZHOU, China – 23-year-old Swiss Viktorija Golubic is into the quarterfinals at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open after coming back from a set down to upset top seed Sara Errani, 6-7(7), 6-3 6-4.
Aside from reaching her fourth quarterfinal this year in what has become her breakthrough season, Golubic has also avenged her Bastad loss to Errani, where she lost to the Italian after taking her to a first-set tiebreaker.
“I’m very, very tired, it was such an exhausting match,” Golubic said. “We played each other on clay this year, and that was also very tough so I was prepared for that.”
“But still in the end I had to put all the energy together to come through, and I am very happy.”
Golubic held a 5-3 lead in the first set, as well as five set points in the tiebreak during a tight opening set. Errani fought off Golubic’s chances with her tricky forehand slices and dogged defense, roaring back from 2-6 down in the tiebreak to take the first set. Golubic stayed aggressive, and took advantage of Errani’s vulnerable serve to create more chances, outlasting the Italian after a three-hour marathon to advance to the quarterfinals.
“Sara is a very tricky player – she makes you think and she gives you the balls back, a very tough player,” Golubic said. “I was doing many good points, but I also missed a lot.”
“I tried to find the balance between aggressiveness and consistency, and it was hard work to do.”
Sabine Lisicki is also through to the quarterfinals after a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Chinese wildcard Peng Shuai.
Despite the match being a mostly one-sided affair during the hour-and-six-minute encounter, Lisicki admitted it was difficult to take on her good friend.
“It’s always so tough to play a friend,” Lisicki said in post-match press. “Shuai and I have played doubles together a few times, so we know each other quite well.”
“I thought I played very well. I knew that I had to play well and strong to beat her. I’m very happy with my game, but also wish her the best in her comeback.”
Joining Golubic and Lisicki in the quarterfinals at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open is No.3 seed Ana Konjuh, who weathered a late challenge from Georgian qualifier Sofia Shapatava to advance 6-1, 7-6(2).
“I’ve never played her before but I know her from Fed Cup, so I’ve seen her playing,” Konjuh said of her opponent. “I just had a tactic and just focused on myself more.
“In the second set she came back and fought for every point, so it was a bit harder.”
No.2 seed Jelena Jankovic also advanced in Guangzhou after Rebecca Peterson was forced to retire with a right thigh injury after trailing 6-1, 1-0.
Johanna Konta takes on Daria Gavrilova in the second round of the Apia International Sydney.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Whisper it quietly, but Eugenie Bouchard is beginning to resemble the player who took the tennis world by storm two years ago.
While the player herself has been quick to downplay her revival, there is no denying that some of the swagger of old can be seen in the Canadian’s game. On Saturday evening she came out on top in her eagerly anticipated clash with childhood sparring partner Sloane Stephens to reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Remarkably, Stephens is the highest-ranked player Bouchard has beaten since September 2014, and the significance of the result was not lost.
“It’s important to me because it’s kind of on my comeback as I have kind of called this year,” Bouchard said in her post-match press conference. “It gives me confidence looking forward. You know, I don’t want to look back or don’t want to think about 2014 or 2015 really, so this one is important. It’s kind of a step forward, and I just want to keep going.”
Bouchard may not have wanted to dwell on those two campaigns, but the tennis world felt differently, conducting a thorough post-mortem.
With Thomas Hogstedt now in her corner, a refreshed and revitalized Bouchard has gone about proving the naysayers wrong by doing what she does best: winning matches.
In fact, the 22-year-old has already posted more victories in the opening two and a half months of this campaign (13) than in the whole of 2015 (12). And with this success comes the confidence so vital at the game’s summit.
Unfortunately for Bouchard, it also attracts the odd celebrity admirer.
“The Great One” @OfficialGretzky in the house supporting fellow Canadian @GenieBouchard! ?? #WTA https://t.co/QPXdQmamp3
— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2016
“Actually, as soon as I saw him I lost a game and played pretty bad and I was wondering if he would leave or whatever,” Bouchard said when quizzed on the appearance of ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, in her box. “I was thinking, I have to get my game up a little. I know his daughter is an aspiring tennis champion. It’s cool that they are really into it and supportive.”
Should she get past Timea Bacsinszky in the next round, the clamor for a spot in the Canadian’s corner will only intensify. So, having been unnerved by Canadian sporting royalty last time out, whose face could send her over the edge?
“The prime minister? The president? Yeah – that would make me nervous!”
Best support team! Thank you @OfficialGretzky & the future tennis star ?? pic.twitter.com/zBI0RtP4Ja
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) March 13, 2016
Daria Kasatkina earned her first win over a reigning World No.1 on Tuesday, easing past top seed Angelique Kerber at the Apia International Sydney.
Jelena Jankovic takes on CoCo Vandeweghe in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Agnieszka Radwanska takes on Monica Puig in the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open.