Miami: Halep Interview
An interview with Simona Halep after her second round win at the Miami Open.
An interview with Simona Halep after her second round win at the Miami Open.
The clay season is underway in Bogota, where defending champion Irina Falconi will fight off a determined field led by Kiki Bertens. But for those still not ready to switch surfaces, the inaugural Ladies Open Biel Bienne – staged on indoor hardcourts – kicks off with a world-class field including Barbora Strycova and Carla Suárez Navarro.
Here’s what’s on tap for this week on the WTA:
CURRENT TOURNAMENTS:
Claro Open Colsanitas – Bogota
Tournament Level: International
Prize Money: $226,750
Draw Size: 32 main draw/24 qualifying
Surface: Clay, Outdoors
Qualifying Dates: Saturday, April 8 – Sunday, April 9
First Day of Main Draw: Monday, April 10
Singles Final: Saturday, April 15, NB 1:30 pm COT
Doubles Final: Saturday, April 15, 11:00 am COT
Top-ranked players: Kiki Bertens, Katerina Siniakova, Johanna Larsson, Lara Arruabarrena
Defending Champion: Irina Falconi
TALKING POINTS:
– Reigning Claro Open Colsanitas champion Irina Falconi is back after winning her first WTA singles title here in 2016. She’s joined by two other former Bogota champions: Lara Arruabarrena (2012) and Mariana Duque-Mariño (2010).
– Former Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone, playing her last season on tour, received one of the three main draw wildcards
– One to Watch: Sara Sorribes Tormo is the latest Spaniard to start making waves on tour, winning a handful of main draw matches – including over former Top 10 player Ekaterina Makarova at Indian Wells – and recently breaking into the Top 100 for the first time
Ladies Open Biel Bienne
Tournament Level: International
Prize Money: $226,750
Draw Size: 32 main draw/32 qualifying
Surface: Indoor Hard
Qualifying Dates: Saturday, April 8 – Monday, April 10
First Day of Main Draw: Monday, April 10
Singles Final: Sunday, April 16, NB 3:00 pm CEST
Doubles Final: Sunday, April 16, 12:00 pm CEST
Top-ranked players: Barbora Strycova, Carla Suárez Navarro, Timea Babos, Roberta Vinci, Laura Siegemund
Defending Champion: None, first staging
TALKING POINTS:
– This is the tournament’s inaugural staging, joining Switzerland’s other event, July’s Ladies Championship Gstaad, on the WTA calendar
– Eight players ranked in the Top 50 are competing at the 2017 Ladies Open Biel Bienne – No.18 Barbora Strycova, No. 25 Carla Suárez Navarro, No.30 Timea Babos, No.34 Roberta Vinci, No.37 Laura Siegemund, No.44 Alizé Cornet, No.46 Julia Goerges and No.47 Monica Niculescu
– Swiss No.1 Timea Bacsinszky is not competing in singles but will team up with compatriot and multiple Grand Slam winner Martina Hingis in doubles
-Former Top 10 player Belinda Bencic required a wildcard to play in Biel, having slipped to No.130 following an injury-affected 2016
UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS:
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix – Stuttgart
Premier | $710,900 | Indoor Clay
Monday, April 24 – Sunday, April 30
Top-ranked players: Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova, Simona Halep, Dominika Cibulkova, Agnieszka Radwanska
Defending champion: Angelique Kerber
TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup
International | $226,750 | Clay
Monday, April 24 – Sunday, April 30
Top-ranked players: Elina Svitolina, Timea Babos, Yulia Putintseva, Irina-Camelia Begu, Eugenie Bouchard
Defending champion: Cagla Buyukakcay
Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem – Rabat
International | $226,750 | Clay
Monday, May 1 – Saturday, May 6
Top-ranked players: Timea Bacsinszky, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Caroline Garcia, Timea Babos, Daria Gavrilova
Defending champion: Timea Bacsinszky
J&T Banka Prague Open
International | $226,750 | Clay
Monday, May 1 – Saturday, May 6
Top-ranked players: Karolina Pliskova, Caroline Wozniacki, Samantha Stosur, Barbora Strycova
Defending champion: Lucie Safarova
TOP 20 PLAYERS’ SCHEDULES:
1. Angelique Kerber – Stuttgart
2. Serena Williams
3. Karolina Pliskova – Stuttgart, Prague
4. Dominika Cibulkova – Stuttgart
5. Simona Halep – Stuttgart
6. Garbiñe Muguruza – Stuttgart
7. Johanna Konta
8. Agnieszka Radwanska – Stuttgart
9. Svetlana Kuznetsova – Stuttgart
10. Madison Keys
11. Caroline Wozniacki – Prague
12. Venus Williams
13. Elina Svitolina – Istanbul
14. Petra Kvitova
15. Elena Vesnina – Stuttgart
16. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – Rabat
17. Samantha Stosur – Stuttgart, Prague
18. Barbora Strycova – Biel, Stuttgart, Prague
19. Kristina Mladenovic – Stuttgart
20. Kiki Bertens – Bogota, Stuttgart
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Best wishes to those celebrating birthdays this week:
Risa Ozaki (JPN) – April 10, 1994
Elizaveta Kulichkova (RUS) – April 12, 1996
Richel Hogenkamp (NED) – April 16, 1992
Taylor Townsend (USA) – April 16, 1996
Agnieszka Radwanska takes on Alizé Cornet in the second round of the Miami Open.
Players are taking to social media to show just how much they’re enjoying their stay in Switzerland for the Ladies Open Biel/Bienne.
An interview with Elena Vesnina after her second round win at the Miami Open.
BOGOTA, Colombia — Lara Arruabarrena is back in the semifinals of the Claro Open Colsanitas, after surviving a marathon against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
The 2012 champion has reached at least the quarterfinals in each of her five career appearances in the Colombian capital, and returns to the last four for the second straight season after falling to eventual champion Irina Falconi in 2016.
Playing for the first time, the two players traded early breaks in the opening set before it went with serve for nearly the duration, showing off some classic clay-court tennis in the forecourt and from the baseline.
OUTRAGEOUS way to save break point from @KrunicAlex! #ClaroOpenColombia pic.twitter.com/eXnaZjojyq
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
Superb touch from @LaraArrua on the backhand! ? #ClaroOpenColsanitas pic.twitter.com/xWZCOeaq7W
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
After saving two break points in the ninth game, Arruabarrena carved out her first chances on the Krunic serve since 3-3 in the final game, before the Serb double faulted to hand the No.4 seed a one set lead.
Though Krunic picked up an early break in the second, it was a series of four straight breaks of serve that proved to be the deciding margin in the second set. At 5-5, Krunic claimed a lengthy game on the Arruabarrena serve, winning it on her fourth opportunity, before serving out the set comfortably to send the match to a decider.
Incredible forehand on the slide from @KrunicAlex! #ClaroOpenColsanitas pic.twitter.com/AOzpUgktM4
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
After splitting the first two sets in two hours of play, it was Arruabarrena who was the fresher of the two in the decider as she claimed the first five games en route to the two hour, 37-minute victory.
2012 Champ @LaraArrua is back in the @CopaWTABogota Semifinals!
Edges Krunic 7-5, 5-7, 6-2! pic.twitter.com/49la2GAFLT
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
More to come…
Anett Kontaveit takes on Elise Mertens in the quarterfinals of the Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – Marketa Vondrousova’s fairytale week took her to her first WTA title at the inaugural Ladies Open Biel Bienne; in the battle of first-time finalists, Vondrousova knocked out Anett Kontaveit, 6-4, 7-6(6) in a thrilling championship match.
“It’s the biggest win of my career, because I’d mostly played smaller tournaments, 25Ks and 60Ks,” she said in her post-match press conference. “This was one of my first big tournaments, and I was injured in my left elbow for a lot of last year. I had to do a lot of fitness, which helped me become a better mover.
“Now I’m playing really great!”
What a lob by Vondrousova!
Takes it into a Second set tie-break! #WTABiel pic.twitter.com/9f76GMpLT7
— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017
Playing in just her second WTA main draw, Vondrousova came to Biel/Bienne on a roll from the ITF Circuit, having reached four finals and won two titles on that level to start the season.
“At first, I asked for a qualifying wildcard because I wasn’t sure if I could get in without one Once I got into qualies, I almost lost my first match, but I got better and better from there. I played so great the last few matches, so I’m really happy,” she said, letting out a joyful sigh.
The Czech teenager had to qualify and battle past fellow rising stars Annika Beck and Kristyna Pliskova before earning her first career Top 20 win over top seed Barbora Strycova.
“We had goals to play Grand Slam qualifying because I was around No.220 before this tournament. So now I’ll definitely be in qualies for sure, and I’ll be changing my plans and think about it.”
SHE'S DONE IT!
17 year-old Qualifier Marketa Vondrousova captures her FIRST #WTA Title at @WTABielBienne!
Edges Kontaveit 6-4, 7-6(6)! pic.twitter.com/ABNuafCoOV
— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017
Against Kontaveit, she continued to employ her high-octane game to impressive effect, striking 28 winners to 26 unforced errors and edging past Kontaveit at the end of each set to take home her first title in one hour and 45 minutes.
“I was down 4-6 in the tie-break. I got a bit lucky when she hit the net then, but it helped remind me to play my game, and it worked out from there. Thank God!”
Vondrousova is set to move up over 100 points in the rankings, shattering her previous career-high and putting her in striking distance of a Top 100 debut.
“I won a 15K and that was like a thousand dollars, so I definitely don’t know what I’ll do with the money I won here!” she joked of the over $40,000 prize money. “My mom will have to help me out!”
“It's been an amazing week, thank you to everyone for your support. I hope to be back next year!” -Marketa Vondrousova #WTABiel pic.twitter.com/gPe03ydK1o
— WTA (@WTA) April 16, 2017
Earlier in the day, Hsieh Su-Wei won the battle of former doubles No.1s, pairing Monica Niculescu to outlast Olympic Silver medalists Martina Hingis and Timea Bacsinszky, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.
“It was a fun match because both don’t just hit straight across, but also slice and lob,” Hsieh said after the match. “They do a lot at the net, so it was a fun match to play, and plus Monica helps a lot.”
“Su-Wei always plays like this!” Niculescu added. “If you know, Su-Wei, you know!”
Hingis and Bacsinszky were using the week in Biel/Bienne to prepare for the upcoming Fed Cup semifinal, where Switzerland takes on Belarus; they were also aiming to be the only Swiss women to win their home title, but Hsieh and Niculescu had other ideas, receiving the trophy from another Swiss Olympian, Giulia Steingruber, Bronze medalist on vault.
“It was a tough match,” Niculescu continued. “I think the level was very good, and we playing some good tennis. Su-Wei and I were a good team. It was only our second time playing together, but we played amazing because we had to against Martina and Timea. You know what they did; they won the medal, won matches together, and they play good tennis.
“I’m so happy to play with Su-Wei; hopefully it’s not the last time!”
All photos courtesy of Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
Johanna Konta takes on Zhang Shuai in the quarterfinals of the China Open.
LONDON, United Kingdom – British No.1 Johanna Konta has set her sights on becoming the top player in the world.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed an extraordinary start to 2017, winning the Sydney International ahead of the Australian Open before claiming her first-ever Premier Mandatory title in Miami in March.
She currently sits third in the Road to Singapore, behind only Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Wozniacki, but is aiming for even more.
.@JoKonta91 captures the @MiamiOpen title!
Defeats Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3! pic.twitter.com/GVOF47SOVN
— WTA (@WTA) April 1, 2017
“My dream has always been to be No.1 in the world and to win titles and to really be at the top of the game,” she told the BBC.
“I’m doing everything in my power to make it come true. That’s been a dream of mine since I was a young girl and that continues to be my dream and I think will always be as long as I’m playing the sport.
“I need to keep focusing on my work because I know that will bring the best out of me. I always wanted to be the best version of myself.”
Konta, who currently sits at a career-high ranking of WTA World No.7, returns to WTA action following her Miami triumph in Stuttgart next week.