Tennis News

THE WINNERS

Angelique Kerber capped off her rise to WTA World No.1 by winning her first US Open title, edging past No.10 seed Karolina Pliskova, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

“It’s just amazing. I won my second Grand Slam of the year and it’s the best year of my career,” Kerber said after the match.

“For me everything started here in 2011,” she added, referring to when she made the semifinals ranked No.92. “And now here, five years later I’m standing here with the trophy. All the dreams came true this year.”

Read the match recap | WTA Insider Live Blog: Game-by-game analysis

Former Australian Open and French Open champions Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova added the third part of the Career Grand Slam by coming back from the brink against top seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic, edging past the Frenchwomen, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.

“It was a little bit of a slow start, but I’ve gotta give credit to our opponents,” Mattek-Sands said after the match. “They came out playing big, serving big, making all their rolls, ripping returns.

“I think one of the things that we do really well is we don’t get too down no matter what the score is. We’re really positive.”

Read the match recap

Less than a fortnight after meeting one another, Laura Siegemund and Mate Pavic hoisted aloft their first Grand Slam trophy on tennis’ grandest stage after winning the US Open mixed doubles title.

In front of an unashamedly partisan Arthur Ashe crowd, Siegemund and Pavic spoiled the party by upsetting No.7 seeds CoCo Vandeweghe and Rajeev Ram, 6-4, 6-4.

“I’m just stunned a little bit at this point. I’m very happy. I think we played a great match today, Siegemund said. “We did play a great tournament. All the other matches were, yeah, very solid also in the important situations, although we never played together.

RANKING MOVERS:
Notable singles ranking movers for the week of September 12, 2016.

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), +45 (No.74 to 29): Two-time US Open finalist Wozniacki owns this week’s biggest ranking jump. Her run to the US Open semifinal reversed a downward trend after a season derailed by injuries.

Ana Konjuh (CRO), +40 (No.92 to 52): 18-year-old Konjuh avenged her Wimbledon loss to Agnieszka Radwanska by upsetting the No.4 seed on her way to the US Open quarterfinals, earning herself a huge ranking move in the process.

Anastasija Sevastova (LAT), +16 (48 to 32): Another US Open Cinderella story, Sevastova moves up 16 spots to No.32 after reaching her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Karolina Pliskova (CZE), +5 (No.11 to 6): Pliskova rose to a career-high of No.6 after a run to the US Open final. It was her best result in a Grand Slam, never passing the third round in any previous appearance.

Angelique Kerber (GER), +1 (No.2 to 1): By virtue of winning the US Open and Serena Williams falling in the semifinals, Angelique Kerber rose to World No.1. She becomes the first German to reach the top spot since Steffi Graf and, at 28-years-old, she’s the oldest player to become No.1.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

Coupe Banque Nationale
Quebec City, Canada
International | $226,750 | Carpet
Monday, September 12 – Sunday, September 18

Japan Women’s Open Tennis
Tokyo, Japan
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 12 – Sunday, September 18

Toray Pan Pacific Open
Tokyo, Japan
Premier | $885,500 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Sunday, September 25

Guangzhou International Women’s Open
Guangzhou, China
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Saturday, September 24

Korea Open Tennis
International | $226,750 | Hard
Monday, September 19 – Sunday, September 25

TOP 20 PLAYER SCHEDULES
1. Angelique Kerber
2. Serena Williams
3. Garbiñe Muguruza – Tokyo (PPO)
4. Agnieszka Radwanska – Tokyo (PPO)
5. Simona Halep – Tokyo (PPO)
6. Karolina Pliskova – Tokyo (PPO)
7. Venus Williams
8. Carla Suárez Navarro – Tokyo (PPO)
9. Madison Keys
10. Svetlana Kuznetsova
11. Victoria Azarenka
12. Dominika Cibulkova – Tokyo (PPO)
13. Johanna Konta
14. Timea Bacsinszky
15. Roberta Vinci – Guangzhou
16. Petra Kvitova
17. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – Tokyo (PPO)
18. Samantha Stosur – Tokyo (PPO)
19. Elena Vesnina
20. Elina Svitolina – Tokyo (PPO)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:

Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) – September 12, 1987
Elina Svitolina (UKR) – September 12, 1994
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) – September 13, 1987
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) – September 13, 1994

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Heather Watson weathered an early storm to defeat Galina Voskoboeva in Wednesday’s first round at the BNP Paribas Open.

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

Fresh from winning the third title of her career last weekend, Watson struggled to find her best tennis before eventually prevailing, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1.

“It was very tough today. Galina’s coming back from injury and I thought she played very well today and really made me work for it but when it was important I was able to bring out my best tennis and I was very happy with it today,” Watson told Andrew Krasny in her on-court interview.

“I was very happy with my win in Monterrey,” she added. “I think today I was a little slow getting used to the court – it was very different, but I got through and I’m into the next round.”

Watson will face No.32 seed Monica Niculescu in the second round.

More to follow…

BRISBANE, Australia – Dominika Cibulkova starts the 2017 season at a career-high ranking following her year-end triumph at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Still, the Slovak found time to assist the efforts of the newly formed WTA Charities before kicking off her campaign at the Brisbane International.

Partnering with the Ronald McDonald House South East Queensland and the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, Cibulkova met a group of sick children who came prepared to ask the World No.5 questions about her life and career in Brisbane.

“They were really nice kids, asking good questions,” Cibulkova said after the event. “It was nice to meet them and I’m happy I can do this kind of thing.”

Asked what other sports she played, the former Australian Open finalist talked about the gymnastics she did as a child, but now enjoys skiing when she’s not on the tennis court. She also issued a challenge to Andre Agassi when asked which player she’d like to play.

“It’s cool that kids can get to know us a bit more, and I think they’ll follow tennis more intensely now, because when you know one of the players, you get more involved and more emotional. I think that’s really nice.”

Launched at the start of 2017, the mission of WTA Charities is to be a social responsibility vehicle built on the WTA’s values to empower and provide for a better future. WTA Charities is dedicated to combining, strengthening and enhancing the community and charitable efforts of the WTA through its members (players, alumnae and tournaments), along with its partners.

Cibulkova is the No.2 seed in Brisbane and will play her opening round match against Zhang Shuai.

Thanks to @Cibulkova for taking time out to meet these special kids from @RMHSEQ and Lady Cilento Children's Hospital ? #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/S68SoVCv9j

— #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis) January 1, 2017

KEY INFORMATION:
Tournament Level: Premier
Prize Money: $1,000,000
Draw Size: 28 main draw (4 byes)/32 qualifying
Main Draw Ceremony: Saturday, September 17, 2pm JST
Qualifying Dates: Saturday, September 17 – Monday, September 19 
First Day of Main Draw: Monday, September 19
Singles Final: Sunday, September 25, 12pm JST
Doubles Final: Saturday, September 24, third match

MUST FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
@WTA
@WTA_Insider – WTA Insider, Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen
@TorayPPO – official tournament handle
Get involved in conversations with the official hashtag, #WTA.

TOURNAMENT NOTES:
· No.2 seed Agnieszka Radwanska bids to win a third Tokyo title in six years. She is the only player in the last decade to win multiple times at the event.
· Radwanska is not the only returning champion in the field this year; 2013 champion Petra Kvitova accepted a late wildcard, while 2010 winner Caroline Wozniacki and 2015 runner-up Belinda Bencic is also in the draw. 
· Also in attendance are Top 10-ranked players Garbiñe Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova, Carla Suárez Navarro and Madison Keys.
· For the full draw click here.

WILDCARDS:
Petra Kvitova (CZE), Madison Keys (USA), Naomi Osaka (JPN), Olesya Pervushina (Russia)

WITHDRAWALS:
Simona Halep (left hamstring), Samantha Stosur (right arm), Sloane Stephens (right foot), Daria Gavrilova (right Achilles)

BRISBANE, Australia – For the second time in as many days, Garbiñe Muguruza came back from the brink to keep her hopes alive at the Brisbane International.

Muguruza entertained a record crowd at the Queensland Tennis Centre on Tuesday night, coming from match point down for to defeat the courageous Daria Kasatkina, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7), in one minute shy of three hours.

“What a match! It was terrible, I was suffering until last moment, but I think we were both playing amazing,” Muguruza said in her on-court interview. “The tie break is just a few points where it will be decided. I don’t know how I won but I’m glad I did it.

Another huge moment!@DKasatkina breaks back after this phenomenal challenge! pic.twitter.com/wWC8Oa8tNG

— WTA (@WTA) January 3, 2017

In a match that ebbed and flowed until the last, Kasatkina came roaring back from 4-1 down in the deciding set only to stumble when she was then presented with the opportunity to serve for it. Muguruza, somehow maintained her composure in the subsequent tie-break, wiping out a match point at 6-7 with a pin-point forehand before eventually making her weary limbs across the finishing line.

The previous evening, the Spaniard had been involved in an equally dramatic contest against home favorite Samantha Stosur. By her own admission, it is an atmosphere she revels in.

“I love to play in this type of court when the crowd is so into the match. I like to make them enjoy and suffer like me!”

This match?? @BrisbaneTennis

— Elena Vesnina (@EVesnina001) January 3, 2017

In the quarterfinals, Muguruza will face either Svetlana Kuznetsova or Destanee Aiava.

Another seed put through the ringer was Elina Svitolina, who eventually saw off Shelby Rogers, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5.