The Perfect Player: WTA Legends
We asked WTA Legends like Li Na, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova to create the perfect players – here’s who they think has the best serve, forehand, mental ability and more!
We asked WTA Legends like Li Na, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova to create the perfect players – here’s who they think has the best serve, forehand, mental ability and more!
CINCINNATI, OH, USA – No.17 Karolina Pliskova swept past Garbiñe Muguruza in a dominating straight sets performance, winning 6-1, 6-3 to secure the first spot in the Western & Southern Open final.
Watch live action from Cincinnati this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
“I know I beat [Muguruza] in the last two matches, so I knew it’s going to be tough for her to beat me if I play well or if I play solid,” Pliskova said afterwards. “I was not thinking about that she’s a French Open champion. This you cannot take on the court.
“I always believe… there is, I would say, 99% of the players, I can beat all of them if I play good tennis.”
Like Simona Halep, Pliskova opted to skip the Olympic tennis event – she’s normally practice-averse but she used the time off to work on her game, and the effort showed in the Czech’s commanding win to reach her third final of 2016.
“That was one of the things what I changed [this year], to don’t play everything possible,” Pliskova explained. “To get ready for some events. I think now, at this time, not always, but it pays off. That’s what I learned.”
Follow live game-by-game analysis from Cincinnati semifinals day on WTA Insider’s Live Blog.
Throughout the match Muguruza looked rattled by Pliskova’s big serving and tricky slices. The Spaniard opened the match with a strong hold of serve, but was shut out of the set she leaked error after error. Pliskova rattled off seven straight games to take the first set and start the second with a strong lead.
Pliskova’s backhand clipped the net to give Muguruza her first break in the second set at 3-2, but she surrendered it immediately as Pliskova broke back to keep them level. Serving down 3-4, Muguruza floated a drop shot just over the net but it was fetched by Pliskova, who replied with a drop shot of her own. The Czech broke once more and, after a pair of Muguruza errors, went on to seal the match with an ace down the tee to become the first Czech to reach the final at the Western & Southern Open.
The Czech’s clear command of the match was reflected in her 17 winners and 17 unforced errors – Muguruza struck just 7 winners and flubbed 23 unforced. Pliskova also served up five aces putting her at 400 aces for the season, a WTA-leading figure.
“You feel the pressure when you have to serve because the other one serves so well,” Muguruza said of facing her opponent’s big weapon. “You kind of have to, ‘Hey, I have to keep my serve. I cannot lose my serve.’
“The whole match was a lot of tension. She plays really fast and goes for shots that are unreal.”
Pliskova’s speedy one-hour victory was timed perfectly, as the skies finally opened up during the Czech’s post-match interview.
“It wasn’t easy today, because the wind was really tricky and it was tough conditions today,” she told the crowd.
“I’m really happy that I made it – and oh, it’s raining now!”
The No.17-ranked Pliskova, who is also the lowest-ranked Cincy finalist since No.92 Nathalie Dechy in 2008, ducked for cover and now awaits the winner of the second semifinal match between Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep.
First #CincyTennis Final for @KaPliskova! ? https://t.co/458dnLa7Gt
— WTA (@WTA) August 20, 2016
SHENZHEN, China – Top seed and defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska came back from the brink to defeat an inspired Duan Ying-Ying in the first round of the Shenzhen Open.
Having romped through the opening set, Radwanska looked on course for a straightforward outing against the World No.103. However, it proved to be anything but, the Pole eventually scraping through, 6-2, 6-7(4), 7-5, after saving three match points.
“It was not my best tennis, but I’m very happy that I got the win, and on the important points I was doing a good job, which was the most important thing today,” Radwanska said.
“The match points were of course big moments, but also the tie-break in the second set. I came from 4-1 down that set but in the tie-break I didn’t play good enough and it slipped away. I was still on court for another hour after that.”
Duan, who required a wildcard into the main draw, grabbed her opportunity with both hands, recovering from the loss of the opening four games to gradually overwhelm the World No.3. In the final set it looked like she would claim a famous victory, breaking in the ninth game to serve for the match.
To the disappointment of the upset-hungry crowd, she could not find the finishing blow, three times coming within a point of victory only to be denied each time.
.@ARadwanska is fighting with all her might and has now saved three match points! pic.twitter.com/kej2g35CZ7
— WTA (@WTA) January 2, 2017
Radwanska made the most of her escape, taking the next two games to book a meeting with Sorana Cirstea.
“It’s always tough to play someone for the first time – I didn’t know what to expect. But she’s a very powerful player and solid from the back,” Radwanska said. “She also served very well and had nothing to lose. It was a very close match, even at the beginning.”
Elsewhere there were contrasting fortunes for her fellow seeds, Timea Babos and Anastasija Sevastova, both of whom slipped to surprise defeats. Babos failed to make the most of a flying start, losing 1-6, 7-5, 6-2, to Nina Stojanovic, while Sevastova fell to Kristyna Pliskova, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(6), despite holding a couple of match points in the tie-break.
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan – Venus Williams booked her spot in the Taiwan Open final without dropping a set all tournament long, but the No.1 seed had to overcome a stiff challenge from Yulia Putintseva to get there.
Watch live action from St. Petersburg & Kaohsiung this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
At the start, it seemed like the match was going to be smooth sailing for the American – Williams broke the No.3 seed early and rushed ahead to a 4-1 lead. But after some words from her coach during the changeover, Putintseva roared to life, winning four out of the next five games to level the score at 5-5.
They stayed toe to toe until a double fault and a mishit forehand from Putintseva gave Williams a break to close out the opening set at 7-5.
Williams and Putintseva started out the second set as evenly matched as they ended the previous one: they traded breaks and holds to keep the score tied at 2-2. But from then the errors began to creep up on Putintseva and Williams closed out the match 7-5, 6-3.
“What a tough opponent today,” Williams said of Putintseva after the match. “She has so much energy.
“It was very difficult to win, but I’m very glad to be in the final tomorrow.”
Awaiting Williams in the final is another opponent who has yet to lose a set: No.2 seeded Misaki Doi. Doi dashed Taiwan’s hopes for a home champion when she brushed aside local favorite Hsieh Su-Wei in commanding fashion, dropping just two games in the 6-0, 6-2 thrashing.
Tomorrow’s final will be the first time Williams and Doi will play each other.
“I’ve never played her before,” Williams said. “I have no idea what to expect.”
“But to be in the final you have to play well, so I’m sure to expect the best tennis from her.”
CINCINNATI, OH, USA – Following a couple of semifinal masterclasses, Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova go into Sunday’s Western & Southern Open final on top of their game. Here are 10 of SAP’s finest facts ahead of their summer showdown…
(2) Angelique Kerber (GER #2) vs Karolina Pliskova (CZE #17)
Head-To-Head: Kerber leads, 4-2
1) Pliskova has historically proven to be a difficult foe for Kerber.
Despite sitting 15 places above Pliskova in the rankings, Kerber has struggled in their previous match-ups. While several of these came prior to Pliskova establishing herself at the top of the game, the recent encounters have invariably been close. This is also the third straight time they have clashed in a final, following three-set victories for the German last year in Birmingham and Stanford.
2) Both players no stranger to the business end of tournaments.
Since those encounters one summer ago, both Kerber and Pliskova have been regular finalists. Pliskova lost out in a high-quality shoot-out with Venus Williams at the season-ending WTA Elite Trophy, then enjoyed mixed fortunes at the grass court events in Nottingham and Eastbourne this June. Kerber, meanwhile has mixed it at a higher level, most memorably beating Serena Williams at the Australian Open to lift her maiden Grand Slam. She followed this up with a title in Stuttgart before going on to contest the finals at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics.
3) The form guide.
After a slight lull following January’s Australian Open triumph, Kerber has enjoyed a productive summer, appearing in the Wimbledon and Olympic finals, winning 19 of her past 22 matches. Pliskova’s campaign, on the other hand, has been more of an up and down affair, standout performances in Nottingham, Eastbourne and Indian Wells (where she ran Victoria Azarenka close in the semifinals) interspersed with several surprise losses and her continued search for a breakthrough at one of the four majors.
4) Flying the flag.
Since its return to the circuit in 2003, players from seven different countries (Belarus, Belgium, China, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland and the USA) have been crowned Cincinnati champion. The closest a Czech or German came during this time was Kerber’s loss to Li Na in the 2012 final, so the number is guaranteed to rise to eight.
5) Outsider for the title.
World No.17 Pliskova is bidding to become the first player ranked outside the Top 10 to triumph at the Lindner Family Tennis center since No.21 Nadia Petrova in 2008.
6) Change in Cincinnati fortunes.
Aside from her visits to the final this year and in 2012, Kerber has struggled to make an impression in Cincinnati, winning a combined total of four matches from her other four visits. Pliskova’s resume was even barer, losing her second match in 2015 after falling in qualifying the previous three years.
7) Cincinnati will have a significant impact on the WTA rankings.
Victory for Kerber on Sunday will see her end Serena Williams’ 183-week reign atop the rankings. She will be the 22nd woman to reach World No.1 and first German since the legendary Steffi Graf. Pliskova’s run, meanwhile, guarantees she will rise to at least No.15, and No.11 should she lift the title.
8) Path to the final.
After edging past Barbora Strycova in two closely contested sets, Kerber’s No.1 hopes looked to be fizzling out when she trailed quarterfinal opponent Carla Suárez Navarro by a set and a break. Somehow she escaped before ending Simona Halep’s 13-match winning streak in the semifinals. Pliskova has also dropped just the one set, against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals, on an otherwise serene journey to the final.
9) Hard to beat.
Bother finalists have enjoyed some of the sweetest – as well as heartbreaking – moments of their career on hardcourts. This will be Kerber’s 15th final on hard (she was victorious in five of the previous 14), while nine of Pliskova’s 15 finals have come on the surface, winning three of them.
10) Pliskova serving notice.
Pliskova progress has been helped by some particularly potent serving. In four matches she has fired 40 aces and been broken just four times. Kerber, by contrast, has hit seven aces and lost her serve 10 times.
WTA Insider | In the first WTA Insider Live Blog of 2017, 22-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams defeats Pauline Parmentier in the first round of the ASB Classic.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – Belinda Bencic has been checking off a number of career firsts at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy this week: first time playing a WTA event in Saint Petersburg, Russia; first time being the No.1 seed at a WTA event and, as of Monday’s WTA Rankings, first time ever in the WTA Top 10.
By reaching the final at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy, Bencic is guaranteed to break into the Top 10 ranking – she moved to No.9 by reaching the final and could climb as high as No.7 if she wins the title.
“This is a very big day for me,” Bencic said in an interview after defeating Daria Kasatkina in the semifinal (highlights here). “As a small kid, everyone is dreaming to one day become Top 10. And now I realize that all the hard work paid off. Until now, I didn’t know if I would make it.
“But this is an amazing moment for me and just… my dream. My goal is reached.”
This time last year, the Swiss prodigy was ranked No.37 and already on an upward trajectory, currently sitting at No.11. A flourishing 2015 saw her win a title in Eastbourne – defeating Agnieszka Radwanska in the final – and in Toronto – notching wins over Serena Williams and Simona Halep along the way – as well as reach two finals.
She might have just accomplished her dream of a Top 10 debut, but there are still plenty more milestones for Bencic to reach – after all, at 18 years old she’s just getting started.
“So yeah, now my next goals are just to keep climbing up, to keep winning matches and still to enjoy it.”
“This is a huge moment for me. To be in the Top 10 was always a dream!” -@BelindaBencic #WTA https://t.co/3jCn4gZr4I
— WTA (@WTA) February 13, 2016
THE WINNERS
No.15 seed Karolina Pliskova stunned World No.2 Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 6-1, to win the biggest tournament of her career at the Western & Southern Open, and temporarily halt the German’s bid at becoming No.1 in the world.
Kerber came into the final looking to end Serena Williams’ 183 consecutive week stretch atop the WTA rankings, but will now have to wait until New York to have another shot at the top.
“Angie’s had an amazing week and has done a great job all year,” Pliskova said in her acceptance speech. “I know she was playing for World No.1; I think you deserve to be No.1, but maybe next time!”
Click here for match recap and highlights. | WTA Insider As It Happened: Game-by-game analysis.
In the doubles draw, World Co-No.1s Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis reached the Western & Southern Open final, but found themselves on opposite sides of the net as Mirza and new partner Barbora Strycova recovered from 5-1 in the opening set to beat Hingis and CoCo Vandeweghe, 7-5, 6-4.
“I’m not going to lie,” Mirza said after the match. “It’s a very difficult situation. It’s not easy because, A, because we are still good friends, so it’s never easy. The first we tournament we split and we come and we have to play each other. Of course there is no better match to play than the final, so was difficult, I think. for both of us.
“But having said that we are professional tennis players. We have to come out and we have to give our best and we have to try and win. That’s all we can do.”
Click here for match recap. | WTA Insider As It Happened: Game-by-game analysis.
RANKING MOVERS:
Notable singles ranking movers for the week of August 22, 2016.
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL), +1 (No.5 to 4): The Pole’s run to the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open earns Radwanska a small ranking jump that could have big implications when the US Open seeds are announced.
Karolina Pliskova (CZE), +6 (No.17 to 11): Pliskova pulled off a big upset in the final in Cincy, and as a result she jumps up six spots to No.11, putting her within striking distance of the Top 10 once more.
Alizé Cornet (FRA), +11 (No.58 to 47): Once ranked No.11, the Frenchwoman saw her ranking drop after an injury-plagued season. But she’s now finding her way back as her run to the second round of Cincy after qualifying puts her inside the Top 50.
UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS
Connecticut Open
New Haven, USA
Premier | $695,900 | Hard, Outdoor
Sunday, August 21 – Saturday, August 27
US Open
New York, USA
Grand Slam | $ TBA | Hard, Outdoor
Monday, August 29 – Sunday, September 11
Dalian Women’s Tennis Open
Dalian, China
125K | $115,000 | Hard, Outdoor
Tuesday, September 6 – Sunday, September 11
TOP 20 PLAYER SCHEDULES
1. Serena Williams -US Open
2. Angelique Kerber – US Open
3. Garbiñe Muguruza – US Open
4. Agnieszka Radwanska – New Haven, US Open
5. Simona Halep – US Open
6. Venus Williams – US Open
7. Victoria Azarenka
8. Roberta Vinci – New Haven, US Open
9. Madison Keys – US Open
10. Svetlana Kuznetsova – US Open
11. Karolina Pliskova – US Open
12. Carla Suárez Navarro – US Open
13. Dominika Cibulkova – US Open
14. Johanna Konta – US Open
15. Petra Kvitova – New Haven, US Open
16. Timea Bacsinszky – New Haven, US Open
17. Samantha Stosur – US Open
18. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – US Open
19. Barbora Strycova – US Open
20. Elena Vesnina – New Haven, US Open
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:
Olga Govortsova (BLR) – August 23, 1988
Maryna Zanevska (UKR) – August 24, 1993
Ons Jabeur (TUN) – August 28, 1994
Svetlana Kuznetsova scored her 600th match win yesterday at the Brisbane International – here’s how she celebrated the milestone!
Angelique Kerber had Sunday’s shot of the day at the Western & Southern Open.