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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

CHARLESTON, SC, USA – Good friends and doubles partners Daria Kasatkina and No.9 seed Daria Gavrilova did battle for well over two hours at the Volvo Car Open, with Kasatkina emerging victorious, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 to reach her second straight quarterfinal in Charleston.

“Today was very tough to play,” she said in her post-match press conference. “You go on court, you are tossing the ball for the serve and it goes in the tribune, you know. It was very difficult, and I was playing against my very good friend, so it was like double portion of toughness, but it was I think a good match, so I’m happy that I won.”

The pair’s last singles match came at the 2015 US Open, which Kasatkina won as a lucky loser in her Grand Slam main draw debut. Since then, the two have become fast friends and nearly upset Sania Mirza and Andrea Hlavackova earlier this week in doubles.

“Every tournament we are talking like, ‘Ah, imagine we play against each other.’ When the draws come out, we’re like, ‘For sure we play against each other first round,; and it never happens. And today we’ll go for dinner.”

On the singles court, it was the Russian who made the better start on a windy Thursday on stadium court, taking the opening set and breaking serve at the start of the second.

Gavrilova is three spots shy of the career-high ranking she first earned last fall, and battled through the blustery conditions to win four straight games to put the match nearly on level terms.

Kasatkina regained her rhythm from there, breaking the Aussie as she served for a decider, and engaged Gavrilova in a lengthy tenth game on her own serve before the No.9 seed took it on her fifth set point.

Still, the unseeded Russian took momentum into the third, breaking serve in the opening game and raced to a 5-0 lead, winning one last epic battle and converting the two hour, 17 minute victory of a service winner.

“In the second set my coach came on the court. He told me I was start to play quite soft, and I stopped moving. He was right, because in the third set I pushed myself to play more aggressive, to start to move with the legs, and I did the job.”

There were no hard feelings at net for the two combatants, showing off a choereographed handshake after a tough match.

“She was like, ‘Okay, let’s do the weird handshake. And I said, ‘Let’s go like fake handshake!’ So we just were trying to make some fun.”

“I had a few tough months. I couldn’t win a match,” she added, discussing a tough season that nonetheless saw her earn two wins over World No.1 Angelique Kerber. “So I came here with not a lot of expectations for sure. I was just happy that I came back on the clay so I can play my favorite tennis, and I’m happy that I’m moving on and I’m in the quarters here.”

Up next for Kasatkina is No.10 seed Irina-Camelia Begu, another 2016 quarterfinalist who stunned 2010 champion Samantha Stosur to start the day in Charleston.

“She will be very motivated because she lost our last two matches. For sure she will try to do her best, and she’s better on the clay for sure. All her best results are on the clay. And I lose our only clay court match in Rome last year. “So for sure I have to prepare well to show my best tennis tomorrow.”

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Angelique Kerber Clinches WTA Year-End No.1 Ranking

Angelique Kerber Clinches WTA Year-End No.1 Ranking

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – Angelique Kerber will cap off the best season of her career with yet another accolade after clinching the 2016 WTA Year-End World No.1 Singles Ranking, presented by Dubai Duty Free.

For only the 12th time since the computer rankings were introduced in November 1975, the WTA will have a new name finishing the year at the top. Kerber joins Steffi Graf as the only other German to finish the year at No.1; Graf held the year-end No.1 ranking a WTA-record eight times, most recently in 1996.

“It is a great honor and achievement to finish the year as the No.1 player in the world,” Kerber said. “This is one of the things I’ve always been dreaming of – to become No.1. I have worked extremely hard to become the best player I can be and this is a reflection of that effort and the wonderful year I have had.”

WTA Year-End World No.1

This accomplishment is the latest in what has been a breakout year for Kerber, who began the season by defeating Serena Williams to win her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, and followed up by advancing to the Wimbledon final, capturing a silver medal in singles at the Rio Olympics, and winning the US Open. Kerber also leads the WTA for most main draw match wins this season, at 59-16.

The German’s rise to WTA World No.1 snapped Williams’ record-tying streak of 186 consecutive weeks at the top when Kerber took over the ranking on September 12, 2016 after winning the US Open.

“Being No.1, of course now everybody will try to beat me and have nothing to lose,” Kerber said after her victory in New York. “I will try to take this challenge, because it will be a little bit new situation for me. But at the end, I was always practicing and working hard to be No.1. Now I can also take the next step and try to stay as long as I can there.”

The Year-End No.1 trophy will be presented to Kerber by a representative of Dubai Duty Free at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, where the German will be the No.1 seed in her fourth appearance at the year-end finale.

Here’s the full list of players to have held the WTA Year-End No.1 Ranking:
8 – Steffi Graf (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996)
7 – Martina Navratilova (1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986)
5 – Chris Evert (1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981)
5 – Serena Williams (2002, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015)
4 – Lindsay Davenport (1998, 2001, 2004, 2005)
3 – Justine Henin (2003, 2006, 2007)
3 – Martina Hingis (1997, 1999, 2000)
2 – Monica Seles (1991, 1992)
2 – Caroline Wozniacki (2010, 2011)
1 – Angelique Kerber (2016)
1 – Victoria Azarenka (2012)
1 – Jelena Jankovic (2008)

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News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Injury kept Risa Ozaki from making her Miami Open debut in 2016, but the Japanese youngster made it count this spring, earning her career-best result at a Premier Mandatory tournament.

Qualifying for the main draw with a win over Julia Boserup, her tournament began with a win over Mutua Madrid Open semifinalist Louisa Chirico, and took a dramatic turn in a second round thriller against No.16 seed Kiki Bertens.

Playing well into the night thanks to rain delays, Ozaki outlasted Bertens in three tough sets to reach the third round. Keeping up that momentum, she pulled off one last upset against Julia Goerges, this time in straight sets.

Those wins earned her the right to battle World No.1 Angelique Kerber in the round of 16, where she ultimately fell in two.

Still, it was a banner week for the the 23-year-old, and looking to build on her new career-high ranking of No.72, Ozaki is your Breakthrough Player of the Month!

Risa Ozaki

Final Results for March’s WTA Breakthrough Performance Of The Month

1. Risa Ozaki (55%)
2. Kayla Day (45%)

2017 Breakthrough Performance Of The Month Winners

January: CoCo Vandeweghe
February: Kristina Mladenovic

How it works:

Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MONTERREY, Mexico – World No.1 Angelique Kerber needed an hour and twenty-three minutes to see off the defending champion Heather Watson in straight sets and book her spot into the semifinals of the Abierto BNP Seguros, 6-4, 6-4.

“I think it was a good match, especially at the end,” Kerber assessed in her post-match press conference.
“We both struggled a little bit but I’m happy to be in the semis right now.

“I tried to play my game aggressive, and it’s always tough to play against Heather, especially because she was the defending champion here. But I’m happy I’m through it.”

Although Kerber, a runner up here in 2013, drew first blood early on by grabbing an early break, Watson kept pace with the World No.1 for much of the opening exchanges. The Brit’s backhand was on song throughout the match, despite being the constant target of Kerber’s booming forehand.

Watson kept Kerber under constant pressure – she brought up five break chances to try to erase the German’s lead, but Kerber held on to her serve after a mammoth struggle.

She opened the second set with another comfortable break of the Watson serve, but the defending champion kept herself within touching distance, needing a nearly 10-minute game to hold serve and avoid going down a double break.

But despite being able to hang with the World No.1 in the baseline exchanges, Watson was never able to break down the Kerber serve. She went 0/8 on break opportunities – two of these chances coming while Kerber served for the match.

Carla Suárez Navarro lies in wait in the next round for Kerber – the No.4 seed ousted Alizé Cornet in straight sets, dropping just two games in the 6-1, 6-1, 57-minute demolition.

“I’ve played against Carla a lot of times before, and we always have tough battles. I think it will be another good match tomorrow, I know I will have to play good tennis.

“But the goal is just to try to enjoy the semis and try, of course, to win the next match.”

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – The inaugural Ladies Open Biel Bienne will commence on Monday at the Swiss Tennis Center in Roger Federer Allee, Biel, Switzerland.

While the new indoor hardcourt event is attracting many of the top players- Carla Suárez Navarro, Roberta Vinci, Karolína Pliskova are all confirmed, among others, it is the Swiss who are particularly excited.

At the Biel draw, Belinda Bencic explained that it has always been her dream to play in Switzerland. As a youngster, she would watch Martina Hingis play at the Zurich Open, before it shut down ten years ago. Now, she is being given the opportunity to play in front of a home crowd, herself.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be here’, Bencic said. “I’m glad to have a tournament in Switzerland where I can finally play at home and it’s absolutely amazing. The new stadium looks amazing. I will definitely enjoy my first match. I’m familiar with the conditions and I think it’s definitely an advantage for us home players’.

“I was so sad when it [the Zurich Open] stopped being there because it was my dream to play in Switzerland. I used to watch Martina Hingis from as long as I can remember so I’m very thrilled that there is now a tournament in Switzerland.”

Rebeka Masarova is a rising Swiss start with a history of playing well in her home country, having made an impressive tour debut at the Ladies Championship Gstaad last year, making the semifinals at just 16 years old and as the World No.797. Masarova was also excited to be playing at home again and hopes Biel will bring her similar success.

Viktorija Golubic knocked countrywoman Masarova out of the Gstaad semifinal last summer en route to the title, said that it means a lot to her to have two tournaments in Switzerland and that she enjoys the pressure of playing at home.

Bencic will play Carina Witthoeft in the first round, Masarova will face Annika Beck and Golubic has drawn against Laura Siegemund. The full draw can be found here. The tournament will run from 10-16th April.

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Pliskova Primed For Singapore Debut Following US Summer Surge

Pliskova Primed For Singapore Debut Following US Summer Surge

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – Karolina Pliskova is set to make her tournament debut on Monday, when she faces Roland Garros champion Garbiñe Muguruza in her opening match at the at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Pliskova will be pulling double duty in Singapore, having qualified in both singles, where she’s been drawn into the White Group, and doubles with her partner Julia Goerges.

While playing both events in the past may have been physically taxing, Pliskova is less concerned this year. The doubles competition has moved from a round-robin event to a single elimination draw which begins on Thursday.

“I’m used to playing singles and doubles so I’m not really worried about this,” the No.4 seed told reporters at All-Access Hour on Saturday. “I just take it match by match. I am starting singles on Monday, and this year it’s a little bit different than last year, so there is a draw of the doubles, not a group. It can be different – can be potentially be only one match in doubles. It’s starting on Thursday, so I have those few first days only singles. So I think it’s definitely better.

“But I’m ready for anything. I’m ready to play two matches in a day.”

The US Open finalist secured her spot in Singapore at the China Open and comes into Singapore well-rested.

“I was tired a little bit in Asia because when I came back from [the] States I didn’t have much time to practice and rest and prepare for the tournaments as I did for the ones in States,” she said. “Now I just took a few days off. I skipped those tournaments in Linz and Moscow, so I prepared for this last few weeks of tennis. There is Fed Cup for me after, and now I feel ready. I’m able to do anything to play [my] best tennis. I know it’s [the] last two or three weeks of tennis in this season for me, so I will try to do my best.”

Pliskova’s late season surge on the US hardcourts set up her Singapore debut, having won the title at the Western & Southern Open and making her first major final at the US Open, beating both Venus and Serena Williams en route. Prior to New York the 24-year-old had never progressed past the third round of a Slam and it was her second-round loss to Misaki Doi that seemed to light a fire under her.

“At Wimbledon, I was really feeling well. I think I had a pretty good draw as well to make it even far and just didn’t make it,” Pliskova said when asked to recall her toughest loss of the season. “I didn’t play good tennis there. Yeah, lost in second round with the opponent I beat the week before. I think [that] was the worst week for me.

“I don’t feel any pressure [in Singapore]. I would say there is pressure during all the year on all the players, but this is the best tournament that you can play, so I don’t feel pressure. There are other girls which are in front of me, so I would say I’m not the favorite for winning this one. I will just do my best [tp] win every match and do anything what I can to go out of the group.

“I have a very tough group: Aga, defending champion, so it’s not going to be easy. I’m just going to enjoy. It’s not happening every year that you’re going to get here. [I’m] just going to enjoy the chance that I have to play here.”

Looking ahead to her showdown with Muguruza, Pliskova has reasons to be confident. She leads the head-to-head 3-1 and has won their last three matches, all on hard courts (Muguruza’s sole win came at the French Open in 2013).

“She’s a player [whose game I like]. She has a similar game as me. It’s possible to lose to her, and to win as well if you play good tennis. I’m really confident about the match and just on the positive from the last meeting what we had in Cincinnati. I was playing really good tennis there. For me it’s still the same. I have to serve well and play fast so she doesn’t have time to dictate the game. She has to be the one who’s running and not me.”

Official WTA Finals Mobile App, Created by SAP

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Fed Cup Semifinals All Squared

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Day one of Fed Cup World Group semifinals action ended with a stalemate, leaving Switzerland, Czech Republic, France and Netherlands all drawing even at 1-1.

Barbora Strycova kicked off the action with a win for the Czech Republic in their semifinal against Switzerland. Strycova faced off against Timea Bacsinszky – an opponent who she’s defeated in straight sets in all three of their previous encounters. She didn’t deviate from the script in today’s Fed Cup encounter, either, putting Bacsinszky away in a near shut out 6-0, 6-2 to put the Czech visitors ahead.

With the Swiss No.1 Belinda Bencic having withdrawn from the tie due to a lower back injury, it was up to Fed Cup debutante Victorija Golubic to produce the tennis of her life against the Czech Karolina Pliskova. The world No.129 dealt Pliskova the upset of the day, coming back from a set and a break down to secure a point for the home side, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Proceedings played out similarly in France’s semifinal against the Netherlands. In front of a home crowd at the Arena Loire, France’s No.2 Caroline Garcia came up short against an on-fire Kiki Bertens, who has won all of her singles ties for the Netherlands in 2016. She powered past the Frenchwoman 6-4, 6-2 in just over an hour.

“There was a lot of tension in this match and a lot of expectation from outside,” Garcia said after the match. “She played a great match and served very well.”

France’s No.1 Kristina Mladenovic took to the court to right the ship for the home side against Richel Hogenkamp, defeating her comfortably 6-2, 6-4 to save a point for France, leaving the tie a draw at 1-1.

“I think this is the first time I’ve stepped out onto the court after a 0-1,” Mladenovic said. “Every tie is different and this time we are in front of a home crowd in a semifinal.

“It’s never easy to come on the court when you see your teammate in tears in the locker room, but I’m happy with the way I managed to win this match.”

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