Tennis News

DUBAI, UAE – 17-year-old Catherine Bellis earned the biggest win of her career over Agnieszka Radwanska, ousting the No.4 seed in three sets to reach the quarterfinals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

“It’s one of the best feelings in my life, for sure,” Bellis enthused in her post-match press conference. “I’m really happy about the outcome tonight. I work so hard for it and I think my work is paying off.

“I’m definitely playing some of my best tennis right now.”

The American teenager is the youngest player in the Dubai draw – and the youngest member of the WTA Top 100. Bellis made a name for herself last season, backing up a run to the Bank of the West Classic quarterfinals with a third-round appearance at the US Open and a title at the Hawaii Open WTA 125K event.

First Top 10 Win!

17 year old @CiciBellis99 knocks out 2012 champ Radwanska 6-4, 2-6, 6-2! #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/ggGOaQUEDO

— WTA (@WTA) February 22, 2017

A slow start to the 2017 season saw her miss the Australian swing with a hip injury and fall in qualifying at the Qatar Total Open, but the 17-year-old is back with a vengeance after her first Top 10 victory over Radwanska.

Bellis imposed her big-hitting game early on, leaving Radwanska with few answers to the American’s heavy pace. Her confidence only grew after shaking off an early Radwanska break opportunity, drawing the 2012 champion into making more unforced errors than her normally neat and tidy game would allow. Bellis grabbed the lone break a few games later for a 4-3 lead before taking the opening set.

But the teenager couldn’t keep up the high level as Radwanska changed tactics in the second set, coming up more frequently and taking time away from Bellis. She was rewarded with an early break, and four unforced errors in a row from the American gave Radwanska a 4-1 lead before going on to level the match with a second break of serve.

“I think in the second set she started playing a little bit better,” Bellis reflected. “I went off a little bit. I think I was going for a little bit too much.

“I just told myself stay calm and go back to my game and what I was doing in the first set.”

“I really can't believe it! This is the biggest win of my life!” ? @CiciBellis99 #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/fM5a9jKZmv

— WTA (@WTA) February 22, 2017

Bellis did just that and, after trading breaks with Radwanska at the start of the set, she reeled off the last four games in a row with a flurry of winners to clinch the biggest victory of her career after just under two hours.

“I have had kind of a dream couple of months since I have turned pro, but obviously it’s not always going to be always happy-go-lucky, but I have been really lucky so far,” Bellis said.

“I’m really just enjoying it more just thinking about how much fun I’m having and what an experience it’s been for me so far.”

With the victory, Bellis is projected to rise into the WTA Top 60, and can move into the Top 50 if she advances to the semifinals. She’ll take on the winner between Kateryna Bondarenko and Caroline Wozniacki for a spot in her career first WTA Premier-level semifinals.

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

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