Tennis News

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – 2011 BNP Paribas Open champion Caroline Wozniacki eased past American Madison Keys, 6-4, 6-4, to reach the last eight in Indian Wells and complete the quarterfinal line-up at the season’s first Premier Mandatory event.

Wozniacki came from the Middle East swing on a strong run of form, having reached back-to-back finals at the Qatar Total Open and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Keys, by contrast, was playing her first event of the season after missing the first two months of the year recovering from left wrist surgery. The American had nonetheless played solid tennis to start her comeback, knocking out young rival Naomi Osaka in straight sets to reach the round of 16.

.@CaroWozniacki makes the most of a tumble! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/Cdpj7BP6jX

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017

“It’s always tough to play her, she has so much power and she can play some incredible shots from far behind the baseline and out wide,” said Wozniacki afterwards. “You just have to be ready for it and I was happy with how I managed to return quite a few serves back, get those extra balls back, and I think it frustrated her a little bit.”

The No.9 seed lost their only previous encounter to Wozniacki last summer at the US Open, and that experience likely assisted the Dane on Tuesday night as she advanced by a near-identical score despite some tough games in between.

“This is the furthest I’ve ever gotten at Indian Wells, funnily enough. So, go me!” Keys joked after the match. “I’m still pretty happy I was able to play three matches, and Caroline played really well. I feel like it was pretty tight for someone who’s played 20 matches against someone playing their third.”

In all, Wozniacki struck 16 fewer winners than her more aggressive opponent, but also eight fewer unforced errors, and gave the American a taste of her own medicine on match point, smacking a backhand down the line to clinch her spot in the quarterfinals.

.@CaroWozniacki secures last spot in @BNPParibasOpen Quarterfinals!

Beats Keys 6-4, 6-4! pic.twitter.com/qz8hrQRmhQ

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017

Standing between Wozniacki and her first Indian Wells semifinal since 2013 is surging Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic. The St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy winner earned another convincing victory against Lauren Davis, herself a fast-improving player, in the fourth round.

.@KikiMladenovic completes 6-3, 6-3 win over Davis!

Reaches her first @BNPParibasOpen Quarterfinal! pic.twitter.com/SqkvQA1j7k

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017

“It’s not going to be an easy one – I played a tough one against her in Hong Kong, in the final,” said Wozniacki at the prospect of facing Mladenovic. “I’m expecting another tricky one, but I’m looking forward to it.”

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.14 seed Elena Vesnina earned the first Top 3 win of her career on Tuesday night, shocking No.2 seed and next week’s World No.1 Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 6-3, to reach her first quarterfinal at the BNP Paribas Open.

“I think I played a really good match,” she said in her on-court interview. “Angie will be No.1 again next week, so congrats to her; she’s an amazing player who has had an amazing season. She’s such a great competitor and fighter.”

“I felt quite good today on the court, from the beginning of the match,” she added to WTA Insider. “I felt my shots, I felt my serve. Angelique brings a lot of balls back and is one of the best defenders on tour. Going into this match, I knew she hasn’t had the best season, but you have to take the match from a top player because they’re never going to give it to you. I tried to be aggressive, with enough pace to move her around.

“Everything worked well today.”

Both women had to battle just to make it into the fourth round; Kerber was a game from defeat against Pauline Parmentier while Vesnina fought off dizziness and an in-form Timea Babos from a break down in the final set.

.@EVesnina001 in control of the rally! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/pibliRwQue

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017

Swiftly breaking to start the match, Vesnina never trailed her higher-ranked opposition, holding off a late surge from Kerber when she took a set and double break lead.

“There were a few big games on my serve that I knew I couldn’t lose, because she’s a fighter and can regroup well enough to take control. I was trying to dictate and stay one step ahead of her. It wasn’t easy; I had a couple of tight moments.”

In all, the Russian struck an impressive 28 winners to 21 unforced errors, and broke hte Kerber serve five times in the match; as the two-time Indian Wells semifinalist threatened a comeback, Vesnina held to love to reclaim the momentum the break for the biggest win in her career after one hour and 24 minutes on court.

“I was a little nervous at the end of the match,” she said of Kerber winning eight of nine points to close the gap from 4-1 to 4-3, “but my dad came out on court and told me some simple things, reminded me to stick to the game plan I had before. I had a good first serve percentage in key moments, and I think my net game helped as well; it allowed me to put pressure on her by coming in.”

“It was actually not my day,” Kerber said in her post-match press conference. “I was doing a lot of mistakes. I was not moving good. But it happens. She played good tennis from the beginning until the end, and she was aggressive. She took the game in her hands.

“I’ll take the positive things from this tournament; I will sit down later with my team and my coach, and we will discuss about the positives and the plan going forward.”

Great work at the net from @EVesnina001! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/wIBvAJcSBP

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017

Up next for the Wimbledon semifinalist is No.12 seed and five-time Wimbledon winner Venus Williams, who recovered from a set down to escape against a surging Peng Shuai earlier in the day.

“I have so much respect for Venus and Serena; they’re great champions. I hope it’s going to be a great match because it’s always an honor to play against her.”

Vesnina leads their head-to-head 3-2, and won their most recent match at last year’s Miami Open, which she won in three sets.

“We’ve had some great battles in the past; she’s won, I’ve won. But it’s a totally different story; it’s Indian Wells and I’m really enjoying my time here.”

Upset complete! @EVesnina001 knocks out Kerber 6-3, 6-3 to set up @BNPPARIBASOPEN Quarterfinal match with @VenusesWilliams pic.twitter.com/B8xbKPAEL2

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Madison Keys’ comeback from wrist injury may not have ended on the note that she wanted, but the 22-year-old considered her Round of 16 run at the BNP Paribas Open a success.

Keys underwent left wrist surgery during the off-season, which ruled her out of the first two months of the year. Playing in her first tournament, she scored two solid wins over Mariana Duque-Mariño and Naomi Osaka, before losing to a steady Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday night.

“Funny enough, this is the furthest I got in Indian Wells, so go me!” Keys said after the match. “Obviously it sucks, but I’m happy I could play three matches. Caroline played well tonight. I thought it was pretty tight for someone who has played 20 matches this year and I’ve played three.”

.@Madison_Keys in control of the point! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/m1CjnChreb

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017

Earlier in the week, Keys said her expectations for her first tournament back were fairly low.

“I was, like, if I get a set, I’ll be happy. It’s always tough to come back and everyone is in the middle of their season. I definitely had really low expectations, which is probably why, when I was up there and serving for the match in the first round, I was, like, ‘Oh, this is exciting. I didn’t think this was going to happen.'”

Keys sustained the left wrist injury at the 2015 US Open but played the entire 2016 season while managing the pain. It ended up being her best season to date, as she broke into the Top 10, made the biggest final of her career at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and qualified for her first BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

“I don’t think I really compromised my game,” Keys said, referring to playing last season with the injury. “If anything, it made me play my game better, looking more for forehands, doing what I could, maybe not going for the winner down the line from 16 feet behind the baseline, playing a lot smarter.

“More than anything, I think it made me a lot more mentally tougher knowing it’s going to hurt, it’s going to be tough, but just wanting to make Singapore that badly, I was just going to do everything that I could to get there.

“I think it was after Wimbledon I found out it’s not going to go away and that I was going to need surgery to fix it. So the original plan was, ‘Okay, after US Open, [have the surgery], be ready for Australian Open.’

“And then after US Open, I was 9th in the Race to Singapore. There was no way you’re going to get me off of a tennis court right now. Then it was, okay, we’re going to do everything we can to get to Singapore. And then, if you don’t make Singapore, we’ll call it there. If you do, which I did, I got home on the 30th or the 31st of October and I had surgery November 2nd.”

Keys’ wrist was immobilized in a cast after surgery, but once that cast was removed her panic began to set in.

“For the longest time, I still couldn’t turn my steering wheel and I couldn’t use my left hand doing this and that,” she said. “It was tough, and it was really stressful.

“There were so many times when I’d be fine for, like, a week or a month and then all of a sudden I’d be, ‘Oh, my God, guys. What if I never win a match again? What if it’s over?’

“And that’s when my team was really great about, Take a breath. It is fine. You won matches [in 2016] when every time you hit the ball you were in horrible amounts of pain. You can do this.”

.@Madison_Keys saves break point with the drop volley! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/WUlSBTxbOM

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2017

Part of that team includes Lindsay Davenport, who rejoined Keys’ team during the off-season. The two worked together during the 2015 season and under Davenport’s tutelage Keys made her first major semifinal at the Australian Open. Family commitments led to a split but so far the reunion has been exactly what Keys needed.

“I think we both came to the table knowing what I could give, what she could give, all of that,” Keys said. “I have been lucky that I have also had the help of USTA in Orlando. So the weeks that she can’t do, I have a really good base to go home to and practice there. So that’s been really good. I think we both know what to expect.”

Going under the knife is never ideal for any athlete, but in Keys’ case there may have been a silver lining. In addition to spending time with her family – “It was nice to live a normal life for a bit” – the delayed start to her season also gave her a block of uninterrupted time to work on her fitness and improve her game.

Beautiful slice from @Madison_Keys! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/etTKNa2vLZ

— WTA (@WTA) March 14, 2017

“I worked on my slice a ton, obviously, because I had months where I couldn’t do anything else,” Keys said. “There were a lot of things I got to work on, which was great. And also, I got to work with Scott [Byrnes, her trainer] for the longest period of time without a tournament coming up. We worked on a lot of just little things we haven’t been able to.

“So I feel like I’m in the best shape that I have probably ever been in. Just feeling more comfortable coming to the net, using a slice, all of that. In a lot of ways it was really good to kind of just have the time to work on my game.”

Keys said the wrist is fully healed but she went into the tournament wondering how it would hold up through multiple matches. Under the duress of three matches, those questions were answered positively.

“I’m definitely excited to get back on the grind,” Keys said. “In a weird way I miss losing, because it means I was actually here.

Well that was fun ? thanks for the always amazing tournament @BNPPARIBASOPEN and thanks for all the support. Love you guys ? pic.twitter.com/YdUxxHH9cU

— Madison Keys (@Madison_Keys) March 15, 2017

“We do get to do what we love. I think that’s really special, and I think sometimes we get really caught up in the winning and the losing and rankings and all of that. At the end of the day, we get to play a sport that we love for our jobs, and just this whole time has made me realize how truly blessed I am to be able to do that.”

Keys’ next event is next week’s Miami Open.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova was made to work hard for her place in the quarterfinals of the J&T Banka Prague Open, eventually subduing a dogged Madison Brengle in three sets.

Watch live action from Prague & Rabat this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

On another bitterly cold afternoon in the Czech capital, Kuznetsova took some time to warm to the challenge, running out a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 winner after just over two hours on court.

“Yesterday was really hard and today as well,” Kuznetsova said. “It looks like it’s warmer, but it’s not – thankfully it wasn’t snowing! Today I put the heat cream on, and almost all the clothes I have with me.”

The conditions affected the Russian’s game as well much as her wardrobe choices, and it was not until the latter stages that she began to resemble the player that impressed so much en route to the Miami final earlier this month.

“It’s difficult, especially on the clay, because I like when the ball bounces high, and here it doesn’t bounce at all,” she added. “It was a little bit ugly, but sometimes you need to win ugly matches, especially for me.

“In the first set I didn’t really play my game. I was struggling to move and when I don’t move my game is a little bit off.”

Earlier in the day, Lucie Safarova continued her progress when Lucie Hradecka retired from their all-Czech clash with a neck injury. Safarova, who led 6-4, 2-0 at the time of the retirement, is now through to the last eight of a WTA event for the first time since last August, and there she will face Hsieh Su-Wei.

“Obviously it’s not the best feeling after the match to win like that, but I think I played really well in the first set, served really well – there was a key moment at 5-4 when I was down 40-0 and aced her three times,” Safarova said. “Overall I’m happy with my game and ready for the next one.”

Also advancing with minimum fuss was No.3 seed Karolina Pliskova, who defeated Katerina Siniakova, 6-2, 6-4. Next up will be another hard-hitter, Camila Giorgi, after she overcame a late wobble to defeat qualifier Virginie Razzano, 6-1, 7-5.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.6 seed Martina Hingis and Chan Yung-Jan are becoming one of the new teams to beat in 2017, roaring into their second final in just three events since pairing up in the Middle East, outlasting top seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova, 7-6(7), 7-5 at the BNP Paribas Open.

“This is a big win for us at a huge event,” Chan said after the match. “I’m happy we’re in the final because it was a really close match against the best team in the tournament. It’s good for our confidence to win this match. The key was our ability to put everything together when we had to. We stayed strong together as a team, even in the tie-break and on deciding points.”

Hingis and Chan, who often goes by her English name, Latisha, reached their first final at the Qatar Total Open, and have been equally impressive in the California desert, ousting No.4 seed Sania Mirza and Barbora Strycova en route to the final four.

“Lucie and Bethanie are the No.1 team, and not for no reason,” Hingis said. “They’ve had a great couple of years and know each other so well. I played them twice a couple years ago and was unsuccessful, so it was nice to go out there with Latisha and see how we’d end up. It’s only our third tournament, so I’m definitely pleased with this win.”

Mattek-Sands and Safarova had been forced to a match tie-break against another new team in Kristina Mladenovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova, but the Australian Open champions couldn’t find the extra magic on Thursday as their eight-match winning streak came to a close in the searing heat.

“It was hot all week! We tried not to have a dip, but at a set and 4-1, we were in the middle of an emotional mindgame with the nerves. Everything was involved, but it was great for the crowd to see a match like that; it was doubles at a very high level, and even if it had gone the other way, we couldn’t have been disappointed losing to one of the best teams out there.”

4th win here @BNPPARIBASOPEN ? one last to go!!???? @mhingis pic.twitter.com/IMV2hsU7Bg

— 詹詠然～YungJan Chan (@YungJan_Chan) March 17, 2017

Once rivals, now partners, Hingis and Chan feel they’ve grown by leaps and bounds since their first tournament together, and are pleasantly surprised with how quickly their bond has grown in the last four weeks.

“At the beginning, we were both excited when we decided to play together, but we didn’t know each other that well beyond playing against each other,” Chan said. “We had to build the trust between us. After the tournaments in the Middle East, we built up a greater relationship between the two of us.”

Standing between them and their first title as a team will be the winner of the second semfinal between Czech stars Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova and No.2 seeds, Olympic Gold medalists Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.

“I played Siniakova and Hradecka at the Taiwan Open with [my sister] Angel in the final. We know Lucie very well, and Siniakova is a young gun playing well. Whoever wins, we’ll have to step in and be aggressive”

“Vesnina and Makarova are another top team; I’ve played them a lot as well, and always great matches like the finals of Wimbledon and the Olympics,” Hingis added. “These are the matches you look forward to because the last couple matches have shown where women’s doubles is at and I’m proud to say I’m part of it.

“Either way we’re trying to go for the title!”

Smiles all around @mhingis & @YungJan_Chan advance to the final #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/DjwxuwYTdf

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 17, 2017

Are you ready for prime time? It’s semifinal Friday at the 2017 BNP Paribas Open and we’re previewing both matchups right here at WTATennis.com

Friday

Semifinals

[14] Elena Vesnina (RUS #15) vs. [28] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA #26)
Head-to-head: Vesnina leads, 2-0
Key Stat: Two Russians have reached the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open for the first time since 2013.

Two former Grand Slam doubles champions will battle it out on the singles court on Friday for the right to reach their first ever Premier Mandatory final when Kristina Mladenovic and Elena Vesnina lock horns for the third time. Mladenovic edged Caroline Wozniacki in three sets in the quarters on Thursday, ending a three-match losing streak against the Dane and assuring herself of a spot in the Top 20 next week, but the Frenchwoman would like to prolong her stay in Southern California a few days longer. “Every day I go out there on the court, in the gym practicing, it’s for moment like that,” she said after defeating Wozniacki for the first time. “So I’m not getting too excited. I’m just super satisfied that I am on these kind of stages right now and trying to use my chances.”

Vesnina fought past Venus Williams on Thursday to secure her spot in the semifinals. The Russian is a three-time major champion on the doubles court but is just now starting to blossom in singles. She reached the Wimbledon semifinals last year and could climb to a career-high ranking of No.13 in the world with a title at Indian Wells. But the veteran knows that she’ll have her hands full with Mladenovic. “Definitely she’s having a great season,” Vesnina said of the Frenchwoman. “It’s going to be tough match. She’s an upcoming player. We played couple of times, but two, three years ago, and totally different story now.”

Will it be the Russian who flies into the final, or can Mladenovic upend her and keep her hopes of becoming the first Frenchwoman to win the BNP Paribas Open title alive?

Pick: Vesnina in three

[3] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #3) vs. [8] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #8)
Head-to-head: Tied, 1-1
Key Stat: Both of the pair’s previous meetings have gone three sets.

Never mind the shy demeanor. Karolina Pliskova is very much a tennis player en vogue right now. She’s a rising star that possesses an electrifying game and has been tabbed by pundits as likely to become one of the game’s dominant forces for many years to come. On Friday the menacing Czech will square off against a player who has been there, done that and is now experiencing an inspiring renaissance. Two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova is back at the top of the game after six years outside of the Top 10, and she is relishing the experience of reaching the BNP Paribas Open semifinals for the first time since 2008. “If I look back, for sure, it was very long time ago,” she said of her last deep run at Indian Wells on Wednesday after taking out compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. “So it’s great. I’m enjoying it much more now, because now I know the value of this.”

This intriguing match-up of resurgent veteran and blossoming star will be a bit of a chess match between two stylistically opposite players. Kuznetsova will hope to use variety and get her opponent the move while Pliskova knows she’ll need to dictate, shorten points, and be decisive from the baseline. “We had two matches, two times, three-setters, and two times was really tough,” Pliskova said of her previous encounters with the Russian. “I have to play well. I just keep the same game plan and have to be aggressive… And don’t let her play, otherwise she’s going to let me run. That’s what she probably wants me to do.”

Pick: Pliskova in three

By the Numbers:

1 – Mladenovic is the only semifinalist that has yet to win multiple WTA titles.

20 – By reaching the semifinals Mladenovic has assured herself a spot inside the Top 20 when next week’s rankings are released.

19-2 – Karolina Pliskova’s record in 2017. The Czech is bidding to become the WTA’s first 20-match winner today.

27 – Number of career wins Svetlana Kuznetsova has achieved at Indian Wells. The Russian is now tied for sixth all-time with Martin Hingis.

2011 – The only year a Frenchwoman has reached the final at Indian Wells. Marion Bartoli lost to Caroline Wozniacki in three sets.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Elena Vesnina may have been victorious in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open – but she immediately took the time to pay tribute to her defeated opponent, Venus Williams.

“This win today against Venus really means a lot for me,” said the delighted Russian. “It’s never easy to play against her. She’s a great champion and always fighting till the end.”

Vesnina praised the seven-time Grand Slam winner’s dedication to tennis – and admired her love for the sport.

“She’s a great example of how you can love tennis,” she said. “You know, for so many years, she brings so much passion and love to this game. She’s coming and giving everything, you know. She’s always fighting, always enjoying, smiling. You know, you can see she’s, like, little girl on the court, actually, enjoying more than half of the WTA Tour. And we have to learn from her, you know, how she’s appreciating what she’s doing.

“I think maybe it came to her maybe kind of few years ago. Maybe when she was young she was a bit different, but now she’s totally enjoying herself and she’s, like, inspiring everybody around her, you know, her and Serena, as well. Because really what they bring to the tennis, to the woman’s tennis, is just amazing.”

And with a forehand winner, @EVesnina001 roars into her 1st SF in #IndianWells. She ousts Venus 6-2 4-6 6-3, sets up showdown w/ Mladenovic. pic.twitter.com/UT0qm6Cs8J

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 17, 2017

The 30-year-old had taken a 3-0 lead against the American in the first set – and then suddenly found herself under pressure.

“She was missing some easy shots, she looked tired and slow on the court,” Vesnina recalled. “Then, all of a sudden, she started moving around, hitting great shots, winners from all over the place.

“And in this momentum, I kind of lost my rhythm, because I didn’t know what to expect. I played against Venus, I don’t know, four times. I kind of knew the way she’s playing, hitting, serving, and today was totally different story. Today she was playing totally different tactic match.

“Yeah, so it was not easy. When she won the second set, I was, like, I saw previous matches that she was down with match point with a set point, and I was like, ‘Uh-oh, it’s coming back again. I’m going to be another victim of Venus. I don’t want. I want to win this. I want this match.'”

First Semifinal of 2017!@EVesnina001 battles past Venus Williams 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 at @BNPParibasOpen! pic.twitter.com/KtmBr6NFa7

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

So Vesnina battled back in the decider, revealing that she was pleased with the reserves of courage she drew upon to take the match 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 – particularly because she was 0-40 down in the final game.

“I was actually very proud of myself, how I held my nerve. I was love-40 down, but, like, I didn’t even think about that it’s love-40. It was point by point, trying to create a good rally, trying to move her around.

“It was difficult a little bit for me. I was struggling with the first-serve percentage in the end of the third set, so it was really important with me. I start[ed] serving with a little bit less power, and a bit more pace.

“[A] couple of kind of big points she gave me unforced error, and I stick to this game. You know, I was, like, I [am] never gonna lose this game. I was really fighting like it’s the last game of my life.”

In the semifinals, Vesnina will face Kristina Mladenovic – a rival who offers a fresh range of challenges.

“I need to think how I need to play against her, because I have couple of thoughts on my mind,” she mused. “She’s a great doubles player, as well. You know, so she’s kind of player on all the court, you know. She can come into the net. She’s using the dropshots, slices. So it’s going to be difficult match – but on the other hand, it’s very exciting to play the semifinal match here in Indian Wells.”