Australian Open: Kristyna Pliskova vs Irina-Camelia Begu
Kristyna Pliskova takes on Irina-Camelia Begu in the second round of the Australian Open.
Kristyna Pliskova takes on Irina-Camelia Begu in the second round of the Australian Open.
An interview with Angelique Kerber after her win in the third round of the Volvo Car Open.
MOSCOW, Russia – Five-time BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global winner Serena Williams was forced to withdraw due to a right shoulder injury; having already qualified for the WTA Finals back in August, the former No.1’s absence means one more woman can join the Elite Eight.
“The race now intensifies this week as players fight for the remaining berth,” says WTA CEO Steve Simon.
The stage is set for a battle royale at Moscow’s Kremlin Cup, the final Premier-level tournament of the 2016 season. Johanna Konta currently sits at No.9 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard – No.8 without Serena – but should either Carla Suárez Navarro or Svetlana Kuznetsova – who won the title last year – take home the trophy by week’s end, they will leapfrog the Brit and complete the field in Singapore.
All three women have enjoyed solid fall swings, as Konta finished runner-up at the China Open, her best result at a Premier Mandatory tournament in what has already been a breakthrough year for the first British woman to crack the Top 10 since Jo Durie in 1984. Kuznetsova saved a match point to defeat 2015 WTA Finals champion Agnieszka Radwanska en route to the semifinals of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, while Suárez Navarro is coming off a semifinal finish at the Generali Ladies Linz.
Kuznetsova is the top seed in Moscow, and begins her title defense against either Alizé Cornet or Shelby Rogers after receiving a first round bye. Suárez Navarro also has a bye into the round of 16, and will begin her tournament as the No.3 seed against either Lucie Safarova or Daria Gavrilova.
“Fans can expect an exciting WTA Finals this year,” continued Simon, “with reigning champion, Agnieszka Radwanska, defending her title and our World No.1 Angelique Kerber, seeking to consolidate her outstanding season with a victory in Singapore.”
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
Life is a rollercoaster for Svetlana Kuznetsova, and while in Melbourne she stopped by Luna Park to take a ride on one in real life. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)
Before the action, Sveta made sure to grab some popcorn and cotton candy, standard amusement park treats! (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)
Luna Park is a very historic amusement park – it opened in 1912! (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)
Sveta eased into the amusement park spirit with a ride on the Magical Carousel. (Getty Images)
Next up, Sveta took her whole team onto the Scenic Railway rollercoaster. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)
Sveta looks like she’s having fun! Coach Carlos Martínez? Not so much… (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)
Opened in December 1912, the Scenic Railway is the oldest continually operating roller coaster in the world! (Getty Images)
“I was a little bit nervous before getting on, but it was not too big!” Sveta said after the ride. (Getty Images)
Scenic Railway is one of only three roller coasters in the world that require a brakeman to stand in the middle of the train – he looks pretty calm! (Getty Images)
“I don’t remember the last time I’ve been to a park like this! Visiting somewhere other than the tennis club, it’s already very good,” she added. (Fiona Hamilton, Tennis Australia)
Daria Gavrilova gave it her all in the WTA Frame Challenge… Find out whether or not she was able to take the lead!
World No.2 Serena Williams will not take part at BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global after receiving medical advice regarding a troublesome shoulder injury.
The 35-year-old 22-time Grand Slam champion made the announcement late on Sunday after missing all of the Asian Swing due to that same issue; shoulder problems also kept her out of the Rogers Cup and Western & Southern Open earlier in the summer.
“I was looking forward to competing in Singapore this year and playing against the best players in the world,” said Williams.
“However, I have received disappointing news from my doctor that I must undergo a series of medical treatments for my shoulder, and will be off the court for the next several weeks.
“I will miss coming to Singapore for the year-end Finals and playing in front of my fans but truly hope to be back soon.”
Williams has participated in eight tournaments this season, winning two titles at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and Wimbledon, where she tied Stefanie Graf for the Open Era record of Grand Slam titles. She also reached the finals of the Australian Open and French Open, and tied Graf for the all-time record of most consecutive weeks at World No.1, at 186 straight weeks.
“We’re as disappointed as the fans not to see Serena finish her season in Singapore,” says WTA CEO Steve Simon. “We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back competing, fit and healthy.”
Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep, Agnieszka Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova and Garbiñe Muguruza, Madison Keys and Dominika Cibulkova have already qualified for the tournament, which starts on October 23 and ends on October 30.
Six-time champion Serena Williams came through her first significant test at this year’s Australian Open, defeating Lucie Safarova in two high-quality sets.
MELBOURNE, Australia – Mirjana Lucic-Baroni caused the biggest upset of this year’s Australian Open by knocking out No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round.
In little over an hour on Margaret Court Arena, Lucic-Baroni struck 33 winners to complete a 6-3, 6-2 victory and set up a third-round meeting with another unseeded player, Maria Sakkari.
Lucic-Baroni will turn 35 in March and last progressed beyond the first round at Melbourne Park in 1998. However, even after dropping serve at the start of the second set, she refused to be derailed, reeling off the next six games to seal victory, and hand Radwanska her earliest loss at Melbourne Park in eight years.
Mirjana #LucicBaroni has that winning #AusOpen feeling in 2R pic.twitter.com/i3WQOQLBTS
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2017
A one-time teenage prodigy, Lucic-Baroni has returned to the limelight in recent years, winning a third career title at Québec City in 2014, and upsetting Simona Halep at the French and US Opens. These performances have imbued the Croat with the confidence that on her day she can compete with the game’s best.
“That was my first big win in a while and it was a shock,” Lucic-Baroni said when asked about her win over Halep at the 2014 US Open. “I know I have some good tennis in me still, that’s the reason I’m still out here playing at 34 – I’m no spring chicken – to get these moments and these feelings. It was really fun tonight.
“I know that I have the game to win a big match. I didn’t go in there to see a big court, I went in with a gameplan. I’ve been around too long to just gain experience.”
Like Halep, Radwanska proved powerless in the face of a barrage of winners, responding with just eight of her own.
“There’s not a lot I could do; she’s playing without pressure, full power. It’s hard to comment because it all went so fast,” Radwanska said in her press conference. “It’s always disappointing when you lose in the first week of a Grand Slam. I need to come back next year and do better.”
Lucic-Baroni now faces Sakkari, another player appearing at this stage of the tournament for the first time.
“I don’t feel like I’m that old. I’ve missed a few years on tour, but this time around I don’t have anything to prove, I’m just enjoying myself, playing for myself. I’m enjoying it, enjoying the moments and just trying to go as far as I can,” Lucic-Baroni added.
Catch up with all of the third-round results from Day 5 of the Australian Open.