Tennis News

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Hours after Karolina Pliskova reached the singles semifinal at the BNP Paribas Open, the Czech powerhouse went one round better in doubles as she and fellow Australian Open semifinalist Julia Goerges eased past former No.1 Sara Errani and Oksana Kalashnikova, 6-4, 6-3.

“I think we played a pretty solid match, and they are both pretty good players,” Goerges said after the match. “Sara has been No.1 in the world for a reason in doubles. We just tried to go with our strengths with the serves, being aggressive, hitting big from the baseline and trying to get some volleys catching our way.

“I think we did a pretty good job overall.”

Pliskova and Goerges are playing just their fourth-ever event together, starting the season with a run to the semifinals in Melbourne, but still have big goals despite an intentionally limited schedule.

“We played two tournaments last year in China and we got along pretty good, and we said we want to play the big ones next year but want to focus mainly on singles.

“That’s why we’re only playing a few tournaments, but we’re trying to do as well as we can to go to Singapore. So far we’re doing a pretty good job.”

Up next for the Czech/German pair are two Americans in Bethanie Mattek-Sands and CoCo Vandeweghe; the former survived an ankle turn at the start of the match tie-break to help her partner advance over No.3 seeds Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova, 2-6, 6-4, 10-4.

Mattek-Sands and Vandeweghe first paired up during a dead-rubber doubles match in Fed Cup, but have showed excellent potential as an Olympic pair this week in Indian Wells, dropping just one set en route to the final and taking out two mono-country teams who played at last year’s BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global in No.2 seeds Chan Yung-Jan and Chan Hao-Ching and No.8 seeds, fellow Americans Raquel Atawo and Abigail Spears.

Goerges and Pliskova began their tournament with an upset over No.7 seeds Carla Suárez Navarro and Garbiñe Muguruza, going on to score quality wins against the only two teams to take out Co-No.1s Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza since August of last year in Daria Kasatkina and Elena Vesnina and Vania King and Alla Kudryavtseva. Goerges hopes this kind of momentum can see them qualify for Singapore come season’s end.

“I think it doesn’t have to be Singapore; it’s the WTA Finals in general. Of course, we only heard really good things about Singapore, that it’s a big city and they always do a really good job with everything. They do everything big! It’s one of our goals, it doesn’t matter where it is city-wise, but it’s a big goal for every player to achieve the masters at the end of the year.”

Winning feels this good ??? ??@CoCoVandey @BMATTEK #BNPPO16 pic.twitter.com/shpW5XXzKn

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 18, 2016

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – 2012 champion Victoria Azarenka needed just 67 minutes to overcome an ailing Magdalena Rybarikova in a complete shutout to advance to the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!

Ahead of day’s last quarterfinal, Azarenka delivered a  warning message to her opponents at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

“I don’t think I am close to fulfilling my potential,” she said in last round’s post-match press conference. “Just to see what I can do on practice court and physically what I can improve, I’m far from that. That’s what I’m looking forward to improve.”

If that’s really the case, her opponents will have much to worry about after Azarenka’s 6-0, 6-0 win over Magdalena Rybarikova.

Rybarikova, who at No.97 is the lowest-ranked player to reach the quarterfinals at Indian Wells since 2012, found herself struggling with her serve early on. Only 41 percent of her first serves found their mark in the opening set, giving Azarenka many opportunities to come up into the court and attack Rybarkiova’s weaker second serve. The Belarusian threw everything at her opponent – even attempting a tweener – and Rybarikova couldn’t come up with a reply, quickly dropping the first set after only 34 minutes.

The Slovak’s troubles would only get worse from there; she called the trainer during the changeover to treat an injury to her right leg.

Azarenka continued to steamroll in the second set as Rybarikova’s movement became increasingly hampered. Despite struggling a bit with her serve – Azarenka served two double faults in one game to give Rybarikova break point at 2-0, and again at 4-0 to give her three more break chances – she stayed perfect until the end, blasting her third ace of the match to secure the victory and her spot in the semifinals.

“I think the key today was the start,” Azarenka said after the win. “I really started aggressive, taking opportunities and I felt like I was in full control.”

“I think in the second set she wasn’t feeling really well, but it was important for me to stay in the moment and keep dictating. It’s easy to lose focus and pay too much attention to your opponent.”

Azarenka opponent in the semifinals will be the big-hitting Czech Karolina Pliskova, who ended Daria Kasatkina’s breakthrough run in Indian Wells with a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

SAN ANTONIO, TX, USA – Anna-Lena Friedsam closed in on the second WTA 125K Series title of her career with a hard-fought victory over Alison Riske at the San Antonio Open on Friday.

After breezing through the first set and opening up an early lead in the second, Friedsam briefly looked like she might let Riske back into the semifinal before regrouping to close out a 6-3, 7-6(4) victory.

Friedsam saved a set point while serving to stay in the second set and credited Riske for bringing out her best tennis.

“I’m really happy with my game today. I played a really good set – really aggressive and consistent,” Friedsam said. “The second was not so good. She had a little more confidence, she pushed me from corner to corner and it was a little bit harder for me to put pressure on her.”

Eighteen months ago, Friedsam won the WTA 125K Series tournament in Suzhou, an achievement she has used as a springboard in her bid to reach the Top 50. Standing between her and a second title at this level will be Misaki Doi, a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 winner over Tsvetana Pironkova in the day’s second semifinal.

In the doubles final, there was a popular winner as America’s Nicole Melichar teamed up with Anna-Lena Groenefeld to defeat Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Anastasia Rodionova, 6-1, 6-3.

First @SanAntonioOpen doubles championship goes to Groenefeld/Melichar! A hometown champ!! #SAOpen #tennis pic.twitter.com/RtBnGOHggJ

— HY Lai (@HY_Lai) March 18, 2016

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Serena Williams withstood a spirited challenge from Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the final of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday evening.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!

In stark contrast to their meeting at the same stage of this January’s Australian Open, Williams found herself In a real dogfight, responding magnificently by rattling off 11 of the final 12 points to complete a 6-4, 7-6(1) victory.

“I love tie-breakers and my whole aim is just to win the first seven points – if you do that you can’t lose,” Serena told Andrew Krasny immediately after the match.

No player has ever won three titles in Indian Wells, and 15 years after picking up her second Williams will go in search of the hat-trick when she takes on Victoria Azarenka in the final.

“What a career. I never expected to be here again in Indian Wells, let alone the final. It’s really unbelievable,” she added.

Perhaps inspired by her imminent rise to No.2 in the rankings, Radwanska committed to attacking Williams from the outset. The decision made for an entertaining spectacle and it was immediately apparent that there would be no repeat of the Melbourne whitewash, a smart backhand winner helping the Pole to a break in the opening game.

Radwanska continued to pile on the pressure as the set wore on, only for Williams to bail herself out of trouble with a series of pin-point serves. The failure to secure the insurance of a second break proved costly, as Williams’ own return game belatedly spluttered into life.

A vicious backhand proved the catalyst as the American converted her first break point to draw level at 4-4 before completing the turnaround a few games later some more ferocious returning.

At the start of the second set, Radwanska looked in danger of getting blown away, Williams moving through the gears to open up a 3-0 lead. To her credit, Radwanska did not let her head drop, pulling back the break and even threatening to force a decider. However, there was to be no comeback, the World No.1’s grandstand finish sending her would-be rival back the drawing board.