Indian Wells: Halep Interview
An interview with Simona Halep after her win in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
An interview with Simona Halep after her win in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Ashleigh Barty continued her impressive progress through the draw at the OEC Taipei WTA Challenger with a straight-set win over fellow qualifier Junri Namigata on Wednesday.
Fifty-four minutes was all it took for Barty to wrap up a 6-2, 6-3 victory and set up a quarterfinal against No.6 seed Evgeniya Rodina.
Despite only turning 20 earlier this year, Barty is embarking on her second ascent of the tennis ladder. After a glittering junior career, she enjoyed instant success in the senior ranks, reaching three major doubles finals alongside fellow Australian Casey Dellacqua.
However, the stresses of life on tour soon took its toll on her teenage mind and body, prompting a 17-month hiatus. She has played sparingly since returning – a bone stress injury disrupted the momentum from an encouraging grass court campaign – but looked in fine form against Namigata, two breaks in the opening three games setting her on course for a comfortable victory.
Rodina overcame a slow start against Dalila Jakupovic, eventually triumphing, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. Also advancing to the last eight in Taiwan were Olga Govortsova and Vitalia Diatchenko. Govortsova saved two match points to defeat Julia Boserup, 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-5, while 2014 champion Diatchenko saw off Miyu Kato, 7-5, 6-4.
An interview with Eugenie Bouchard after her second round win at the BNP Paribas Open.
The SAP Analytics for Coaches App has quickly become an essential tool for coaches and players through all three stages of a tennis match. Before the players even hit the court, the analytic insight gives teams an insider perspective on how to strategize for any given match.
“I look at the SAP app to see how the opponent is serving, how she’s placing the ball, and what she’s doing at crucial times,” said Torben Beltz, coach to World No.1 Angelique Kerber. “We try to focus on that to get Angie ready for the match.”
“We sit down together before the match to discuss the tactics against the next opponent,” Kerber added. “He’s able to explain with the technology where I can have more chances to go for it, and see how my opponents have been playing their matches that week.”
Watch the video above to hear how Kerber, Lucie Safarova, and Daria Gavrilova – in concert with their coaching teams – use SAP Tennis Analytics prepare for a match.
Elina Svitolina has announced a coaching shake-up, parting ways with coach Iain Hughes:
The 22-year-old Ukrainian has also been working with former No.1 Justine Henin since February, bringing the Hall of Famer on as a coaching consultant. Neither have confirmed whether that relationship will continue in 2017.
Svitolina’s announcement comes on the heels of her career-best season, after making the final of the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai to finish the season at her career-high ranking of No.14 and winning a fourth career title in Kuala Lumpur.
This season she became the only woman to beat both reigning No.1s this year, beating Serena Williams at the Olympics and Angelique Kerber at the China Open.
Ana Ivanovic takes on Camila Giorgi in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
An interview with Agnieszka Radwanska after her win in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich takes on Karolina Pliskova in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
The exits of Angelique Kerber and Garbiñe Muguruza have left the bottom half of the Indian Wells draw wide open.
Serena Williams announced today that due to a continuing shoulder injury she will not compete in the upcoming Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open and the China Open in Beijing.
“I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open or the China Open due to continuing issues with my right shoulder,” Williams said in a statement. “I have been practicing and playing but my shoulder is still not fit for tournament play.”
“I wish the tournaments great success and I’m sure the fans will enjoy some great tennis. I am focused on getting ready to compete at the WTA Finals in Singapore.”
Williams recently told CNN’s Ravi Ubha, “I’m tired of playing tournaments unhealthy and taking losses that I would never lose.”
Williams has played eight tournaments this year, the fewest she has played in a season since returning from injury in 2011. She has won two titles (Rome and Wimbledon) and finished as runner-up three times – Australian Open (lost to Angelique Kerber in final), Indian Wells (lost to Victoria Azarenka in final) and Roland Garros (lost to Garbiñe Muguruza in final).
Her coach Patrick Mouratoglu stated in an interview with CNN, “It’s a bad season for her. She has been a lot injured. For Serena any other result that is not a title is a bad result. The final at a Grand Slam is a bad result for her. We cannot be satisfied with one Grand Slam Serena Out Of Wuhan, Beijing – Targets Singapore Return and two finals lost.”
As Williams seeks time to recover from her injury, she will look to return to action in Singapore for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, an event she has competed in nine times and won five titles.
