Tennis News

WUHAN, China – Lucie Safarova returned to winning ways after edging past Varvara Lepchenko on the opening day of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.

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A difficult summer for Safarova brought just two wins in four outings, and her 7-5, 6-3 triumph will provide some much-needed confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.

In a closely contested opening set, the Czech whipped a brilliant forehand return to claim the decisive break in the penultimate game then held onto the momentum to take her place in the second round, where she will face compatriot and No.5 seed Karolina Pliskova.

Elsewhere, Belinda Bencic’s injury-riddled season continued when she was forced to retire following a nasty tumble against No.9 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Belinda Bencic takes a rough fall on court vs. Kuznetsova. Tripped over her foot and landed on her backside. Worrisome given past injury.

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) 25 September 2016

The Swiss teenager began the year in fine fashion, reaching the second week of the Australian Open and becoming the youngest player in nearly seven years to break into the Top 10.

Since then, though, it has been one injury mishap after another; a back injury stalled her progress in spring – forcing her to miss the French Open – before a wrist problem forced her to retire from Wimbledon then pull out of the Olympics.

“I felt it in exactly the same place where I was injured – I think it’s the coccyx bone. I’m going to get some tests to figure out more, and we will see,” Bencic said.

Def one of the thoughest years for me ever. But every single one of your supporting messages are making me feel better. THANK YOU everyone❤️

— Belinda Bencic (@BelindaBencic) September 25, 2016

Kuznetsova was leading 6-3, 3-4 when the match came to its premature conclusion. In the next round she will meet Heather Watson or Madison Brengle.

And Bencic was not the only big name to suffer misfortune. No.12 seed and 2014 quarterfinalist Timea Bacsinszky retired with a viral illness when trailing 6-3, 4-3 against Louisa Chirico.

Also advancing were No.13 seed Roberta Vinci, who defeated Olympic champion Monica Puig, 6-3, 6-3, and Ekaterina Makarova, a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 winner over wildcard Sabine Lisicki.

BRISBANE, Australia – The unseeded Alizé Cornet is through to the final at the Brisbane International after Garbiñe Muguruza was forced to retire due to injury.

“I was really focused on my match but I could tell [Garbiñe] was not playing like usual,” Cornet said in her post-match interview. “She was not running or hitting the ball as well as usual. But I was just trying to stay focused on what I had to do.”

The No.4 seeded Spaniard looked off from the start, her usually powerful groundstrokes lacking their bite. She struggled to hold serve in the opening game under Cornet’s all-court assault, fending off two break points.

But Muguruza was broken in her very next service game after a string of long rallies which saw her struggle to hit through the ball, and finally retired trailing Cornet 1-4, citing a right thigh injury.

.@GarbiMuguruza retires after being down 1-4.@AlizeCornet moves into the @BrisbaneTennis Final! pic.twitter.com/ydFI8tBXqA

— WTA (@WTA) January 6, 2017

“Of course, it’s not the way I wanted to get to the final but its part of the game,” Cornet explained. “We understand sometimes we have some physical issues. Tennis is more and more tough on the body.

“But well, it’s good for me because I will have a little bit of rest before the big final tomorrow.”

Aside from securing a spot into her second career Premier-level final, the win guarantees Cornet a seed at the Australian Open. The Frenchwoman’s ranking will rise as high as No.31 by virtue of reaching the final, and could go as high as No.26 should she take home the title.

Cornet awaits the winner between No.6 seed Elina Svitolina and No.3 seed Karolina Pliskova.