Johanna Konta Ends 33-Year Drought
Johanna Konta won an absolute nail-biter against Ekaterina Makarova to become the first British woman in 33 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
Johanna Konta won an absolute nail-biter against Ekaterina Makarova to become the first British woman in 33 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
MELBOURNE, Australia – Co-No.1s Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza played their best match of the Australian Open on Wednesday, dropping just one game to No.13 seeds Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova to win a 35th straight match, and reach a third straight major final – having already captured titles at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Before they take on Silent Hs Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka for their first Australian Open title as a pair – Hingis’ first in women’s doubles since 2002 and fourth overall – they will find themselves under the rare circumstance of being on opposite sides of the net, as each hope to add a mixed doubles crown to their ever-growing trophy collection.
Top seed with partner Ivan Dodig, Mirza will play Hingis and Leander Paes, who are unseeded but defending champions at the Australian Open, in the quarterfinals of the mixed event. The pair have not played against one another since last year’s Apia International Sydney, when the Indian star partnered Bethanie Mattek-Sands to beat Hingis and former partner Flavia Pennetta en route to the title.
Inseparable since pairing up ahead of the BNP Paribas Open last spring, Santina have played 17 tournaments together, winning 11 times. From their initial three-title breakthrough in Indian Wells, Miami, and Charleston, the two capped their near-perfect season with a win at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, and have picked up where they left off in 2016, winning back-to-back titles in Brisbane and Sydney and losing only one set in Melbourne.
Handicapping their chances in mixed, Hingis has won four major titles to Mirza’s three. The Swiss Miss was a French Open title short of a mixed doubles Grand Slam in 2015, partnering Paes – with whom she plays for the Washington Kastles each summer for Mylan World TeamTennis – to win the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles.
Mirza’s most recent mixed doubles victory came in 2014 with Bruno Soares at the US Open, but she is also a former Australian Open mixed champion, pairing Mahesh Bhupati for the title in 2009.
Should Hingis emerge victorious on Thursday afternoon, the 20-time Grand Slam champion would remain in the hunt for non-calendar year Grand Slams in both women’s doubles and mixed, having already earned two legs of the box set at Wimbledon at the US Open.
An interview with Dominika Cibulkova ahead of her participation at the Western & Southern Open.
Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka, Eugenie Bouchard or Svetlana Kuznetsova – who will win January’s WTA Shot Of The Month? It’s up to you – vote now!
An interview with Svetlana Kuznetsova ahead of her participation in the Western & Southern Open.
Donna Vekic had Monday’s shot of the day at the Western & Southern Open.
EILAT, Israel – Even without their new star Johanna Konta, Great Britain had few problems securing a place in this weekend’s Fed Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group I promotion play-offs.
Singles victories for Heather Watson and Katie Swan helped Britain to a 2-1 win over Georgia in their final Group B outing. The result sets up a meeting with Belgium on Saturday to determine which nation will advance to the World Group II play-offs this spring.
In the absence of some of Britain’s more experienced campaigners, most notably Australian Open semifinalist Konta, 16-year-old Swann has stepped up magnificently, easing past Georgian No.2 Ekaterine Gorgodze, 6-3, 6-3, for her second win of the week. Watson then put the tie beyond Georgia’s reach by swatting aside Sofia Shapatava, 6-2, 6-0, in an hour.
“I wouldn’t call it easy at all, I don’t think any match is easy, I only have to focus 100% and be prepared for anything,” Watson said.
Sterner tests lie ahead, in the shape of a talented young Belgium side, which extended their perfect record this week with a 3-0 success over Bulgaria.
Ysaline Bonaventure got the ball rolling with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Elitsa Kostova, before Alison Van Uytvanck and Tsvetana Pironkova put their unbeaten records this week on the line.
In the end it was Van Uytvanck that prevailed, edging a see-saw opening set before cantering through the second, wrapping up an impressive 6-4, 6-2 victory with an ace.
“I think they did a great job. They all have a little bit of experience now in Fed Cup, only one rookie this year,” Belgium captain Ann Devries said. “Everybody wants to go for it, everybody wants to win, and not just the players who are playing but everyone in the team.”
The other play-off at Eilat’s Municipal Tennis Centre will see the Ukraine take on home nation Israel.
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While Great Britain and Belgium are battling it out to climb another rung on the Fed Cup ladder, over in Europe the heavyweights will duke it out for a spot in the World Group semifinals.
In Leipzig, Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber is hoping to inspire Germany to the semifinals for a third straight year when they take on neighbors Switzerland. Friday’s draw paired Kerber with Timea Bacsinszky, while in the opening rubber Andrea Petkovic takes on Swiss No.1 Belinda Bencic.
In Cluj, Romania make their return to the World Group when they meet defending champions Czech Republic. Romania, who last appeared at this stage in 1992, will be lead by Simona Halep, but face an uphill battle against the nine-time champions. Halep postponed nasal surgery to lead the home nation and opens the weekend against Karolina Pliskova. Petra Kvitova and Monica Niculescu will meet in Saturday’s second singles rubber.
The other two ties see 2008 champions Russia host the Netherlands, in Moscow, and Italy travel to Marseille to take on France.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova take on Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
An interview with Garbiñe Muguruza after her round-robin win at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
Who has enjoyed the smoothest passage to the semifinals? What does Dominika Cibulkova require to break new ground in the rankings? And how long has marathon woman Svetlana Kuznetsova spent on court?