Tennis News

NÜRNBERG, Germany –  No.3 seed Annika Beck concluded a wild day at the NÜRNBERGER VERSICHERUNGSCUP, taking out countrywoman and No.7 seed Anna-Lena Friedsam, 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-2, to reach her first WTA semifinal of 2016.

A long rain delay interrupted quarterfinals day in Nürnberg, and a left thigh injury forced No.4 seed Lesia Tsurenko to withdraw from her hotly anticipated rematch with Julia Goerges, who advanced to her second semifinal of the season following her run to the ASB Classic final in January.

Qualifier Kiki Bertens continued her solid clay court season by taking the first set 6-1 over Bogota champion Irina Falconi before the American had to end her match prematurely due to a right ankle sprain.

With the Nürnberg crowd looking for a classic encounter, they got one between the two hometown favorites, as Beck battled Friedsam for over two hours on Center Court.

Narrowly taking the opening set in a tense tie-break, Friedsam fought back to level the match at a set apiece, only for Beck to right the ship in the decider, setting up a semifinal against either Varvara Lepchenko or Mariana Duque-Mariño, whose match was postponed due to darkness.

STRASBOURG, France – Caroline Garcia advanced to the final of the Internationaux de Strasbourg after coming through an epic encounter with fellow Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano.

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

Leading 5-3 in the final set Garcia looked on course to close out the match in relative comfort. However, lucky loser Razzano ensured a dramatic finish by breaking back in the next game before eventually succumbing, 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-5.

“It feels great. I’ve watched Virginie for as long as I can remember,” Garcia said. “She’s a great player and a bit of an idol, so to not only play her but beat her was an amazing experience.

“It’s important for my confidence to get wins like this and in finals, especially ahead of Roland Garros next week. It was a fighting performance. Losing that first set was tough but I came back and got through.”

Later on, hopes of an all-French final were dashed in spectacular fashion as qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni dismantled No.4 seed Kristina Mladenovic, 6-1, 6-1, in exactly an hour.

In 1997, a teenage Lucic-Baroni lost to Steffi Graf in the final, and despite her long week she is quietly confident of making it second time lucky. 

“Nineteen years in between the finals. It’s amazing. It’s like coming home now for me in Strasbourg,” she said. “Will I become French after this? No! If I would change it would be to Italian. My husband is Italian.”

Garcia has won all three of her previous meetings with Lucic-Baroni, including earlier this year in Miami. “Against Garcia, I’ve always posted negative results,” she added. “But hopefully that will change tomorrow! I’m playing some great tennis and haven’t been on court very long, despite coming through qualies.

“I’ve just got to keep this going, keep on playing strong, and hopefully I can get the title.”

Serena Williams’ march towards history turns to Paris, as the World No. 1 and defending champion looks to win her fourth French Open title and 22nd overall major title to tie Steffi Graf’s Open Era record.

With the tournament set to begin on Sunday, WTA Insider Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen and Web Editor David Kane analyze the top-heavy draw, which sees Serena surrounded by some big names in the top half of the draw, but contrary to popular opinion, her path to the title may not be as rough as people think. Out of the bottom half of the draw, can Garbiñe Muguruza and Simona Halep make good on their favorable draws? Or is this the year World No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska finally solves the terre battue?

You’ll also hear from the top seeds themselves as we take you inside the Roland Garros press room, as the likes of Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska, Victoria Azarenka, Simona Halep, Garbiñe Muguruza, and Angelique Kerber give you some insight into their mindset as they head into the second major of the season. Who sounds confident? Who sounds unsure of themselves? We’ll let you be the judge.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on any podcast app of your choice and reviews are always helpful, so if you like what you’ve heard so far, leave us one. You can also get new episode alerts by following us on Twitter @WTA_Insider.

PARIS, France – Co-No.1s Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza are just five matches away from a Non-Calendar Year “Santina” Slam, and the top seeds opened with a statement first round win at the French Open, defeating Daria Kasatkina and Alexandra Panova, 7-6(4), 6-2.

Kasatkina was one half of the team who ended Santina’s 41-match winning streak at the Qatar Total Open, edging past the reigning Wimbledon, US Open, and Australian Open champions alongside Elena Vesnina in a match tie-break, but fresh off of their first career red clay court title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Hingis and Mirza were all business to start, racing out to a 5-0 lead in the opening set.

The Russians clawed their way back to level and saved two set points in the 12th game to force a tie-break. On serve through the first six points, Santina broke away from there, winning four of the last five points to all but extinguish any hope of an upset.

Clinching victory in just over 90 minutes, Hingis and Mirza booked a second round meeting with either Karin Knapp and Mandy Minella, or Japanese duo Nao Hibino and Eri Hozumi.

A 35 ans Martina Hingis se fait plaisir sur le court associée en double à Samia Mirza ?? #RG16 pic.twitter.com/eTGyM1gBfI

— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 25, 2016

Later in the day, unseeded but looming 13-time Grand Slam champions Venus and Serena Williams played their second doubles match of the season, turning around a disappointing defeat in Rome to dispatch Jelena Ostapenko and Yulia Putintseva, 6-2, 6-2.

The last team to capture a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam at the 2010 French Open, the Williamses were down an early break to start, but came through several tense games to ease past the fiery youngsters in just under 90 minutes. Drawn into the same section of the draw as No.2 seeds and defending champions Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova, the pair next play either No.14 seeds Irina-Camelia Begu and Monica Niculescu, or Vitalia Diatchenko and Galina Voskoboeva.

American Madison Brengle and Tatjana Maria earned the biggest upset thus far when they took out Spanish pair and No.13 seeds Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra Santonja, 6-2, 6-3. No.4 seeds Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova avoided a similar fate at the hands of sister act Anastasia and Arina Rodionova, recovering from a set down to win, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. No.9 seeds and Australian Open semifinalists Xu Yu-Fan and Zheng Saisai continued their solid season with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Han Xinyun and Varvara Lepchenko, while No.10 seeds Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova overcame an experienced team in Anna-Lena Groenefeld and former doubles No.1 Kveta Peschke, 6-4, 6-1.

Les sœurs Williams, sur le court numéro 2, remportent le premier set de leur premier tour de double, 6-2. #RG16 pic.twitter.com/lgyNEZuLhX

— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 25, 2016

An all-Russian affair and a tussle between two former Roland Garros finalists highlights the action on Day 6. We preview the key third-round matchups at WTATennis.com.

Friday, Third Round

Samantha Stosur (AUS #24) vs. [11] Lucie Safarova (CZE #13)
Head-to-head: Safarova leads, 11-3
Key Stat: Stosur owns 2-6 record vs. Top 20 players in 2016.

Two former finalists that sauntered into Roland Garros with low expectations and fitness issues suddenly find themselves with a golden opportunity to reach the round of 16. Lucie Safarova’s bacterial infection and reactive arthritis issues have been well-documented, but the Czech has steadily improved her health in the last few months and is now starting to resemble her peak form here in Paris. Last year’s runner-up has dropped just six games in two rounds and says she’s feeling better each day. “I’m taking it step by step, really just enjoying the moment and of course trying to reach the best result,” she said on Wednesday after storming past Viktorija Golubic. Stosur came to Paris with a serious left wrist injury but the Aussie has acquitted herself quite well without full use of her two-handed backhand. Health issues aside, the matchup is not a favorable one for Stosur. Her eleven losses to the Czech have left her shaking her head numerous times in the past. “It’s a tough match-up,” Stosur said. “She’s probably the person I’ve played the most in my career and she’s never easy to beat. I know that.”

Pick: Safarova in three

[2] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #2) vs. [30] Barbora Strycova (CZE #33)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads, 4-0
Key Stat: Strycova has a 2-12 lifetime record against Top 10 players at Grand Slams.

So far, so good for Agnieszka Radwanska at Roland Garros. The World No.2 made the unconventional decision to skip Rome in order to practice on the clay at home and the decision is paying dividends. Having won all four sets she’s contested, Radwanska will next face a player that she’s owned in the past for a spot in the second week. But that player, the ever crafty and pugnacious Barbora Strycova, is not one to be taken lightly. The 30-year-old has produced 22 wins this season, including a giant upset of Garbiñe Muguruza at the Australian Open. “She’s playing great tennis, especially on clay,” Radwanska said of the Czech. “For sure another tough match. I’m healthy, in one piece, and I’m just ready for the next one.”

Pick: Radwanska in three

[13] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #15) vs. [24] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS #27)
Head-to-head: Kuznetsova leads, 4-1
Key Stat: Kuznetsova is contesting the third round at a major for the first time since the 2014 French Open.

Suddenly surging Svetlana Kuznetsova has labelled herself a “black horse” (think dark horse, but a little more menacing) at this year’s French Open. Will the pedigreed Russian gallop into the second week? To do it she’ll have to get by compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who is playing in the third round at a major for the first time in over three years. Kuznetsova holds the significant edge in the pair’s head-to-head, and she possesses the far more impressive clay pedigree, having won Roland Garros and reached the quarterfinals or better seven times, so it’s a very tall order for the World No.27. But Pavlyuchenkova is a world-class ball striker and a former Roland Garros quarterfinalist who is no doubt eager for the chance to demonstrate that she has what it takes to make another deep run at a major.

Pick: Kuznetsova in three

[6] Simona Halep (ROU #6) vs. Naomi Osaka (JPN #101)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Halep has lost four times to players ranked outside of the Top 100 at majors, including this year’s Australian Open.

Simona Halep just wants to put her head down and march through her matches one point at a time. It’s a constant theme in her pressers, and a constant challenge for her on court. Can she deflect the pressure of being a former finalist in Paris so that she may focus on dismantling the game of a talented yet unproven Naomi Osaka in round three? “I just want to do my job here,” Halep said after her second round victory over Zarina Diyas. “I had two good matches here already. I’m looking forward to play the third one.” Halep struggled at times with consistency in defeating Diyas, and this year’s Madrid champion knows that she’ll have to be at her best to take down the dangerous 18-year-old from Japan. “I expect a tough one,” she said. “She’s a young player and she has nothing to lose. It’s going to be good match, and hopefully I will win it. I’m here to win.”

Pick: Halep in two

Around the Grounds: Alizé Cornet and Tatjana Maria had heated words after their three-set thriller on Day 5. On Day 6 they’ll stand across from one another on the doubles court as Cornet and Magda Linette take on Maria and Madison Brengle on Court 4. Popcorn will be essential. American Sloane Stephens will bid to reach the second week at Roland Garros for the fifth consecutive year when she meets Tsvetana Pironkova on Court 1. No.4 seed Garbiñe Muguruza (vs. Wickmayer) and No.10 seed Petra Kvitova (vs. Rogers) will also be looking to reach the second week.

By the Numbers:

5-1 – Garbiñe Muguruza’s record in third-round matches at majors, but the Spaniard lost her last one in Australia to Barbora Strycova.

6 – Number of former Grand Slam champions to reach the third round at Roland Garros this year (Kvitova, Ivanovic, Kuznetsova, Stosur, Serena Williams and Venus Williams).

-Chris Oddo, wtatennis.com contributor

The Williams sisters lead the top half of the draw into the third round on Saturday in Paris. We preview all the action here at WTATennis.com.

Saturday, Third Round

[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [26] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA #30)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Williams has played the most matches (67), and has the highest match winning percentage (56-11, .836) at Roland Garros among active players with at least 20 matches.

Serena Williams has dropped just five games in her first two matches in Paris, but the 21-time major champion should face more resistance from France’s No.1, Kristina Mladenovic, in the third round. Many players are defeated in their minds before stepping on the court with Williams, but Mladenovic is determined not to let that happen as she faces the game’s greatest for the first time on Saturday. “Why should I be frightened?” Mladenovic said on Thursday. “No, I want this challenge.” Mladenovic is no stranger to big wins at Roland Garros, having knocked out No.2 seed Li Na in 2014 and No.6 seed Eugenie Bouchard last season. “I grew up watching Serena play,” Mladenovic said. “Then I’m going to play against her. I will try and get ready as best I can for this match, and then I’ll have to make no mistakes if I want to do something against her.”

Pick: Williams in three

[9] Venus Williams (USA #11) vs. Alizé Cornet (FRA #50)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 5-0
Key Stat: Williams is the oldest woman remaining in the draw.

In the true Parisian spirit, Venus Williams is living fully in the present at Roland Garros. When asked on Thursday if there was a moment in her career that gave her particular satisfaction, the seven-time major champion did not hesitate. “This one right now,” she said. “I definitely stay in the moment. I’m just grateful I think with every year that passes and every moment that I play, I’m grateful for this experience and blessed. What else could I ask for, really?” Williams will face France’s Alizé Cornet on Court Suzanne Lenglen on Saturday, hoping to stretch her winning streak to six matches against the Nice native. Cornet has lost all ten sets she’s played against the 35-year-old, but the Frenchwoman has the heart of a lion when she plays on her home soil. Factor in the support of the French crowd and Cornet might have a chance to threaten Williams for the first time. Could this be the day Cornet finally solves the mystery of the American legend, or will Venus push forward in Paris?

Pick: Williams in three

[14] Ana Ivanovic (SRB #16) vs. [18] Elina Svitolina (UKR #20)
Head-to-head: Ivanovic leads, 7-0
Key Stat: Svitolina became the first Ukrainian woman to reach the quarterfinals of Roland Garros last year.

Ana Ivanovic has held sway over Elina Svitolina ever since the first time they met at the 2012 US Open. Even here in Paris where Svitolina has played her best tennis, Ivanovic has dealt the rising Ukrainian losses in back-to-back years. But that doesn’t mean the 2008 champion doesn’t have a healthy amount of respect for Svitolina. “I played Svitolina last year here in the quarterfinal,” she said “We always have tough matches. She’s a good player, young player. I think in the future we’re going to see a lot of her.” Svitolina hasn’t yet solved the Ivanovic puzzle, but the 21-year-old has clearly come into her own as a player over the last year. A tireless worker, Svitolina is hoping that adding seven-time Roland Garros champion Justine Henin to her coaching team will help her in exactly these kinds of matches. She’ll have to come out of her defense-first shell and play aggressively against Ivanovic in order to have a chance.

Pick: Ivanovic in three

[12] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP #14) vs. [22] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #25)
Head-to-head: Cibulkova leads, 3-1
Key Stat: Suárez Navarro has lost her last three encounters against Top 25 opposition on clay.

A pair of Roland Garros stalwarts are set to do battle in what promises to be an intriguing contest between polar opposite personalities and tacticians on Saturday. Cibulkova, boisterous and dynamic, likes to roll the dice and shoot to kill. Suárez Navarro, pragmatic and poised, prefers a patient game based on movement, margin and angles. Cibulkova owns the 3-1 edge in the pair’s head-to-head but Suárez Navarro took their last meeting at Moscow last autumn. “Cibulkova is a tough opponent,” the Spaniard said after defeating China’s Qiang Wang on Thursday. “It will be a tough match. Physically I’m okay. Tomorrow I will be able to rest, so I will be in form on Saturday.”

Pick: Cibulkova in three

Around the Grounds: Daria Kasatkina has played three Grand Slams and reached the round of 32 each time. Can the Russian take it one step further on Saturday? She’ll meet Kiki Bertens, who is currently on a nine-match winning streak, on Court 1. Madison Keys and Monica Puig are also looking to reach the second week here in Paris for the first time. They’ll battle on Court Suzanne Lenglen for a coveted Round of 16 slot.

By The Numbers

3 – Number of former Grand Slam champions in action on Day 5 (Serena and Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic).

133 – Combined number of Grand Slam appearances by the Williams sisters. Serena (70) and Venus (63) are No.1 and No.2 on the active list.

4 – Number of former Roland Garros Girls’ Singles champions in action today (Mladenovic, Cornet, Svitolina and Kasatkina).

-Chris Oddo, wtatennis.com contributor

PARIS, France – Samantha Stosur dodged the rain and rolled back the years to dash Simona Halep’s French Open hopes on Tuesday.

Resuming at 5-3 down in the first set, Stosur powered through the heavy conditions and Halep’s defenses to triumph, 7-6(0), 6-3.

Halep was very much in ascendency when the match was originally stopped on Sunday evening. However, on their return 2010 runner-up Stosur was a different proposition entirely, winning the first seven points. A netted backhand ended the streak but did not halt the momentum, an inside-out forehand winner drawing her level at 5-5.

This vintage form continued into the tie-break, Stosur steamrolling Halep to complete the turnaround. The only thing that threatened the Australian’s dominance was the rain, which duly arrived at 3-2 in the second set.

This merely delayed the celebrations, though, Stosur returning to complete the job when Halep sent a drive volley sailing long.

Stosur arrived in Paris carrying a wrist injury, which forced her to withdraw from her final tune-up event.

“I didn’t know what kind of result or performance I was going to have regardless of the wrist injury, but I said after my first round I did exactly what I needed to do for that and sort it out and came here early.

“It was unfortunate I had to pull out of Strasbourg, but I needed those days to recover. Thankfully, touch wood, it’s been okay so far. I’m not struggling with it at all. I’m not even thinking about it now. I still have it taped, but it’s not bothering me and I’m able to play some of my best tennis.”