Behind The Tour: Communications Team
On this episode of Behind The Tour, see how the WTA communications team keeps players’ press conferences, media commitments, and ACES activities all in order.
On this episode of Behind The Tour, see how the WTA communications team keeps players’ press conferences, media commitments, and ACES activities all in order.
TIANJIN, China – Svetlana Kuznetsova kept up her pursuit of a place at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global by beating Donna Vekic, 7-5, 6-4, in the second round of the Tianjin Open.
The Russian currently sits at No.11 in the Road to Singapore and has an outside chance of qualifying the tournament for the sixth time in her career, and the first time since 2009.
The match began in frenetic fashion, with Vekic, who had won the pair’s only previous encounter, breaking Kuznetsova to love in the second game, only to surrender her advantage immediately.
Kuznetsova went on a four-game winning streak and though she was later broken when serving for the set, she recovered her advantage to take a decisive lead.
Vekic failed to hold her serve in the opening game of the second set, and though she got back on level terms, she was broken once more in the penultimate game of the match, with the 31-year-old serving out the match to secure a hard-fought win.
“I’m really happy to win the match, I think that Donna played very well,” Kuznetsova said after her victory.
“It was a very good match and I’m happy with the result. I was broken in the second game of the first set but, as I said, Donna played very well, she went for her shots and it took me time to figure out the tactics to play against her. It was a really competitive match.”
Kuznetsova, seeded second in Tianjin, will meet Naomi Osaka, who overcame Lucie Hradecka, 6-2, 7-6, in the next round.
TIANJIN, China – Agnieszka Radwanska stunned Tianjin when she withdrew from the tournament with a right thigh injury – shortly after showing just why she was the top seed.
The defending champion had taken Evgeniya Rodina apart, 6-1, 6-1, to progress to the quarterfinals, where she was to face Peng Shuai.
The Chinese wildcard had earlier beaten qualifier Chang Kai-Chen of Taipei 6-3, 6-2.
Radwanska is also the defending champion at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. “It’s the end of the season – I guess everyone is struggling with something,” she said afterwards.
She added that the injury had worsened over time and that she had decided to withdraw in order to give herself the best chance of recovering in time for Singapore.
“I’m very sorry I had to withdraw…I just hope I can see my fans [here] next year — it was a pleasure to come here again,” she said.
Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig had a straightforward time of it, beating Lara Arruabarrena of Spain, 6-4, 6-2.
Alison Riske also progressed in straight sets – but Poland’s Magda Linette did her utmost to take it to a decider, eventually losing out on a tie-break, 6-3, 7-6(2).
LINZ, Austria – Madison Keys made short work of Océane Dodin to sprint through to the semifinals of the Generali Ladies Linz.
She beat Dodin, 6-3, 6-3, in just under an hour – and will now face Garbiñe Muguruza.
“I’m not feeling great, but I’m happy I got the win today,” admitted Keys. “[Dodin] is a tough player, she can hit some really, really good shots.”
Earlier, Carla Suárez Navarro fought through against Denisa Allertova, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
In a match that lasted just under two hours, the Spaniard had moments when she looked a little nervy – and that led to her losing the second set as her opponent hit back. But she regrouped to take the decider to secure herself a match with Dominika Cibulkova.
“I think I played really good at the end of the match,” reflected Suárez Navarro afterwards. “I like the court – I like everything of the tournament.”
CHARLESTON, SC – Eugenie Bouchard and Madison Keys hit the center court at the Family Circle Tennis Center for the second installment of Workout With USANA.
Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur hosted the first installment of the Workout With USANA series at Indian Wells, where they showed fans their best resistance and flexibility exercises. This time, USANA brand ambassadors Genie and Madison grabbed a pair of young fans from the crowd and walked them through their go-to shots.
“It was my first experience coaching so I was trying to explain my favorite shot, which is my backhand cross court,” said Genie.
“It was super fun, I hope the kids learned something!”
For Madison, her go-to shot was her booming serve, and she gave fans a step-by-step instruction on how to hit it.
“I love that we were able to bring someone out from the crowd,” she said. “She was very good, I was really impressed!”
Check out the best photos from Workout With USANA, and see how well Genie and Madison did in coaching their young protégés, Paige and Haynes!
USANA is the Official Vitamin & Supplement Supplier of the WTA, and over 170 Athletes – including 8 out of the Top 10 and 15 out of the Top 20 use USANA products. Former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, Samantha Stosur, Eugenie Bouchard, and Madison Keys are among several USANA ambassadors, and 2016 marks the 10th Anniversary of the USANA-WTA partnership. Check them out on Instagram at @USANAInc.
HONG KONG, SAR – Angelique Kerber has crashed out of the Prudential Hong Kong Open, succumbing 6-3, 6-1 to Daria Gavrilova in the quarterfinals to throw her status as year-end World No.1 in doubt.
The German started the match at a canter, holding easily before breaking thanks to a pair of wayward forehands from the Australian after pushing her to deuce.
However, Kerber’s set collapsed from there, losing five games, surrendering her lead thanks to a forehand into the tramline. Kerber squandered four break points in Gavrilova’s next game before the 21-year-old moved ahead.
A second break, confirmed with an emphatic volley, put Gavrilova firmly in the ascendancy and though Kerber halved her deficit, the eighth seed took the set by breaking once more.
The first three games of the second set went with serve before Kerber sent down a double fault to give Gavrilova a break. There was little sign of a comeback from there. Though the US Open champion squandered two break points in the next game, she was broken to love thanks to a series of unforced errors to give the underdog a 5-1 lead.
The youngster made no mistake from there, wrapping up a big-name scalp, with Kerber sending yet another shot into the net.
“[I was not surprised by Gavrilova] because I know how she is playing but I was not playing my best tennis and my serve wasn’t working well and I can just say that I was not at my best, that’s for sure,” Kerber said after the match.
“It’s a long season and we’ve been playing for 10 months. I’ve been playing a lot of matches this year, and I think I need a few days off to get ready for Singapore because I am tired and I need a lot of treatment to get ready for the next one. I was not serving at my best, I made a lot of double faults which is not normal for my game.”
Gavrilova, meanwhile, was delighted after recording her first career win over Kerber.
“I guess I’m really excited, I’ve played Angie six times and now I’ve finally won, it’s really exciting,” she said.
“I was prepared for a battle. I think Angie has had a long season. I didn’t expect to win that easily but I was ready to turn it around and get a win against her.”
CHARLESTON, SC, USA – It came down to the wire for top seed Angelique Kerber, but the reigning Australian Open champion outlasted a spirited challenge from unseeded Lara Arruabarrena, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(3) to reach the third round of the Volvo Car Open.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Charleston right here on wtatennis.com!
Kerber had only dropped five games in her two previous encounters with the Spaniard, and it looked like it would be more of the same for the German, who broke through after some tight opening games to run away with the opening set.
But Arruabarrena drew the World No.2 into more than a few lung-busting rallies and, despite failing to capitalize on an early break in the second set, managed to force a decider against the defending champion who was playing her first match on clay in 2016.
“First of all, the first rounds are always tough and Lara played an unbelievable match,” Kerber told Andrew Krasny after the match. “After the first set, she was fighting. She is a great player and a great clay court player.”
Quality @AngeliqueKerber @laraarrua @VolvoCarOpen. pic.twitter.com/4dMx0pzFAp
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) April 6, 2016
Kerber served for the match at 5-3 in the third but played some tentative play allowed a Arruabarrena to take advanage and draw level, leading to thrilling third set tie-break. Both finished the match with a positive winner/unforced error differential, with the german hitting 49 winners to 46 from Arruabarrena, and 44 errors to 40.
“It was really tough and a tricky match but I’m really happy to be back here. It’s one of my favorite tournaments. After last year to playing tonight on the Center Court; thank you guys for coming and supporting us,” Kerber said, addressing the crowd after converting the win on her second match point.
“For me, it’s a really special place because last year, I came here and didn’t have the best start to the year. But I came here and won the tournament; from there everything changed. It’s really special to be back and I hope I will play a few more matches here. It’s great to be back!”
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Some impressive play from both @AngeliqueKerber and @LaraArrua! #VCO2016 https://t.co/lOSn4hUzf9
— WTA (@WTA) April 6, 2016
Up next for Kerber will be the winner of the second round between qualifier Kristina Kucova – who eased past American Madison Brengle in straight sets Tuesday afternoon – or the resurgent Kateryna Bondarenko, who began the week with an upset victory over No.16 seed Misaki Doi in three sets. Ever the perfectionist, the top seed already had an idea of what she planned to improve for her next encounter with the feisty Spaniard.
“Sometimes I was too defensive and too much trying to wait for the balls and running too much,” she said after the match. “I think next time I play against her, I will try to just go for it and try to step maybe one, two steps in the court and just try to hit the balls and going for it.
“It was a little bit tough because two days ago I was in Miami and it was a little bit different than here tonight. It was actually windy. It was cold, and we started when it was like the sun was still there, and then it’s getting dark. So it was not so easy, but it’s good to have a match like this down already, and I’m looking forward to play the next one.”
Earlier in the day, Mirjana Lucic-Baroni became the first woman to reach the third round in Charleston, surviving a topsy turvy match against No.11 seed Kristina Mladenovic. The Croat had to save four match points while needing seven of her own to close out a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(13) victory. Lucic-Baroni, who will play either No.8 seed and 2015 Charleston finalist Madison Keys or Laura Siegemund next, hit 15 double faults but managed to save 15 of 23 break points faced with her signature fearless play.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands also enjoyed a three-set triumph on Tuesday, recovering from a set down to outfox Brazil’s Teliana Pereira, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. Monica Puig took out last year’s semifinalist Lucie Hradecka, 6-3, 6-2, while Australian Open quarterfinalist Zhang Shuai dropped only three games to defeat qualifier Lesley Kerkhove, 6-1, 6-2.
Starting the day on Billie Jean King Stadium Court, Daria Kasatkina – seeded at a Premier level tournament for the first time in her young career – showed why she will be one to watch on her beloved clay courts as she picked apart China’s Zheng Saisai, 6-2, 6-1 after opening up a 5-0 lead in the second set. The win was the 2014 French Open junior champion’s 100th match win (including Challengers), leading to an entertaining reaction from the Russian teenager.
“100, already? I just started to play pro last year!” a flabbergasted Kasatkina told Andrew Krasny.
2010 champion Samantha Stosur also withstood a tough test from Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic, who led by a break advantage in each set; the No.10 seed advanced into the second round, 6-4, 6-4.
When @AndrewKrasny says you have 100 career wins ?
Congrats, @DKasatkina! ? https://t.co/KCHxYCJqmm
— WTA (@WTA) April 5, 2016
Linz, Austria – Dominika Cibulkova has bagged her third title of 2016 thanks to victory over Viktorija Golubic at the Generali Ladies Linz.
The Slovakian has now qualified for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global for the first time in her career thanks to her 6-3, 7-5 win.
Cibulkova sidelined for 5mos last year w/ heel surgery. Fell out of Top 50, finished at No.38.
2016: 3 titles + 3 finals + Top 10 return.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 16, 2016
Cibulkova had started the brighter of the two players, coming close to breaking in Golubic’s opening service game but squandering two break points.
The 27-year-old continued probing for the advantage, letting another two opportunities slip before finally going 5-3 ahead and serving out the first set.
It was Cibulkova who made all the running in the final set, taking a commanding lead by breaking to love in Golubic’s second service game before being unexpectedly pegged back by the World No.62, who converted her first break point.
For the first time, Golubic began to pose a threat to Cibulkova but failed to take any of her seven set points before losing her serve and allowing the No.2 seed to complete her victory.
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.