Rome: Kerber Interview
An interview with Angelique Kerber before her opening round match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
An interview with Angelique Kerber before her opening round match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
An interview with Simona Halep before her opening round match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
An interview with Johanna Konta after her win in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
Serena Williams is expecting her first child with fiancé Alexis Ohanian, her representatives confirmed.
After a since-deleted photo was posted early this morning on her Snapchat captioned “20 weeks”, Serena’s representatives have now confirmed the news that the 23-time Grand Slam champion is pregnant.
“I’m happy to confirm Serena is expecting a baby this Fall,” her publicist confirmed to the WTA, adding that Serena will not play again in 2017 but aims to be back in action in 2018.
Last December, Serena announced her engagement to Reddit co-founder Ohanian last year in a poem posted to the platform.
STUTTGART, Germany — Defending champion Angelique Kerber is the top seed this week as the WTA’s elite slide into the red clay at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. A two-time winner in her home country, Kerber is joined in the top 8 seeds by fellow former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, as eight of the WTA top 10 are competing in Stuttgart.
Check out the Stuttgart stories of the top 8 seeds and others who’ll be unseeded and looming in the German city this week:
1. Angelique Kerber (GER)
6th appearance (13-3)
Best result: CHAMPION (2015, 2016)
2. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
2nd appearance (2-1)
Best result: QF (2016)
3. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
5th appearance (0-4)
Best result: R32 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)
4. Simona Halep (ROU)
4th appearance (2-3)
Best result: SF (2015)
5. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP)
3rd appearance (2-2)
Best result: QF (2016)
6/WC. Johanna Konta (GBR)
3rd appearance (0-2)
Best result: R32 (2014, 2016)
7. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
10th appearance (13-9)
Best result: SF (2011, 2012, 2016)
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
8th appearance (14-6)
Best result: CHAMPION (2009)
More…
Samantha Stosur (AUS)
6th appearance (9-5)
Best result: F (2010)
Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)
6th appearance (7-5)
Best result: QF (2014, 2015, 2016)
Maria Sharapova (RUS)
5th appearance (13-1)
Best result: CHAMPION (2012, 2013, 2014)
Top seed Serena Williams and a pair of top Spaniards lead the top half of the draw as the field begins fighting for spots in the quarterfinals. Who will advance first into the final eight?
ROME, Italy – Madison Keys gritted through a tough opening set to battle past Timea Babos, 7-6(2), 6-3, to achieve a career-best result at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Rome right here on wtatennis.com!
There was little between the two in the opening set, as the Hungarian forced a tie-break to conclude a run of 12 straight service holds.
“The first set was definitely back and forth, just big serving,” Keys said in her post-match press conference. “Neither one of us could kind of get a read on where the other person was serving. But there was a couple of points in the tiebreaker where I really kind of put the point together a little bit better.”
But Keys took the initiative from there, racing out to a 5-1 lead in the sudden death and didn’t look back, taking the match in 82 minutes behind 26 winners to 22 unforced errors.
“Then after that, I just got a little bit more rhythm and confidence, and then from there I was able to break early in the second. That definitely helped the momentum kind of go more towards my side.”
Great hands, @TimeaBabos! #ibi16 https://t.co/J3SnXQ15sM
— WTA (@WTA) May 12, 2016
Both had earned upsets during Wednesday’s night session, but Babos’ nearly three hour win over former No.1 Venus Williams seemed to take its toll in the second set, as the Hungarian could only muster 16 winners and 26 unforced errors, only engineering one break point opportunity in two sets.
“I usually don’t do great here,” Keys continued. “And so, you know, putting a couple wins together felt really good. I’m not going to jinx it,” she said, knocking on wood.
“It feels like I’m kind of figuring it out just a little bit better. From there, you know, I’m putting more points together and kind of putting it all together a little bit better than before.
Awaiting Keys in her first Premier 5 clay court quarterfinal is Barbora Strycova, who played a perfect match to dismantle Eugenie Bouchard, 6-1, 6-0.
“It’s easy to get ahead of yourself and overthink things and put yourself in a round before you’ve actually even played,” Keys said. “I think it happens to everyone at times.
“So just really being focused on each match and doing what you need to do in that match has been a big thing for me.”
Bouchard was coming off of her first Top 5 win since 2014, having upset World No.2 and reigning Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber in three sets. But Strycova, who won their most recent encounter at last year’s Mutua Madrid Open, played flawless tennis from start to finish, hitting 18 winners to only 15 unforced errors and breaking serve six times to take the match in just over an hour.
“I saw the ball like a football! I enjoyed the court; it was very nice, and the spectators stayed. It was a good evening,” an elated Strycova said after the match.
“I was playing my game very well; I was pretty confident on court, hitting the ball. It was pretty cold, so I had to get my body moving at the beginning.”
Going from strength to strength as the match wore on, Strycova’s confidence was evident with every winner she hit, several on the run and from defensive positions. Into her second Premier 5 quarterfinal of 2016, Strycova will look to avenge last week’s Madrid loss to Keys, who defeated her in straight sets.
“Clay isn’t my favorite surface, until now!” she said with a laugh. “I’m trying to like it; I was working hard before Prague. I’m enjoying myself, enjoying Rome.
“[Keys] is such a big hitter, and I’m so small, so I have to be ready to try to return her serves. I’ll have to run and catch some fast balls!”
.@BaraStrycova races through the opening set vs Bouchard 6-1! #ibi16 https://t.co/fWi0V9114i
— WTA (@WTA) May 12, 2016
A strong serving performance led Serena Williams to a 6-2 6-0 victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Rome quarterfinals. According to SAP Tennis Analytics for Coaches, Williams exceeded her season averages in every serving category in her 51 minute victory Friday.
Six weeks ago, Kuznetsova defeated the World No.1 as Williams struggled with her service in Miami. In Rome, the Williams serve was vastly improved.
Williams put 78% of her first serves in play Friday, up considerably from her season average of 60%. The SAP Coaches View analytics also show that percentage was just 63% in the Miami match, which included a combined 56% in the final two sets, which Williams lost.
At 74%, Williams leads the WTA in first serve points won. On Friday, she did even better, winning 81% of first serve points. That is also a significant improvement over the Miami match in which she won only 60% of first serve points, and that dipped to 53% in her two losing sets.
She was also improved on second serves, winning 56 percent of those points, compared to her season percentage of 50%. In the Miami loss, Williams won only 39% of those points in total, and just 28% in the final two sets.
The SAP Coaches View combines scoring information direct from the chair umpire with tracking data from HawkEye to allow for an in depth look at five different aspects of a match. Each tracking option can be filtered to narrow the focus to specific situations within a match, such as break points. This information is available directly to coaches in real-time during a match on their SAP tablet and also available to them online after matches.
“Service” tracking shows the landing point for all serves. The display differentiates between first serves, second serves and aces. Additional data on the screen shows the percentage of overall service points won as well as looking specifically at first and second serves.
For Serena Williams on Friday, there were many positives to take from this data.
Teenager Dayana Yastremska scored her first WTA victory from a set down over Andrea Petkovic on the first day of play at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup.
ROME, Italy – Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza moved confidently into their third consecutive clay court final with a straight set win over Irina-Camelia Begu and Monica Niculescu on Saturday evening.
For the first time since teaming up, Hingis and Mirza have found their status as the most talked about team on tour under threat in recent weeks. Defeats to emerging rivals Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic in Stuttgart and Madrid saw the World No.1s arrive in Rome with a point to prove.
At the Foro Italico, though, Hingis and Mirza have been faultless, negotiating a tricky draw with consummate ease. Against Begu and Niculescu they raced into a 4-0 lead, and while this level proved unsustainable the top seeds still ran out comfortable 6-3, 6-4 winners.
Standing between them and a fifth title of 2016 will be No.7 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
Form and fitness problems have seen the Russians slip down the rankings, but judging by performances this week they are rounding into form at just the right time. Against No.4 seeds Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka they were particularly impressive, withstanding a late charge to run out 6-2, 7-5 winners.
Let's rewatch @mhingis and @MirzaSania's match point! They are going straight to the #ibi16 doubles final! #WTA pic.twitter.com/1Pg7ATVZZ7
— Internazionali Bnl (@InteBNLdItalia) May 14, 2016