Tennis News

MIAMI, FL, USA – Angelique Kerber will look to recapture her Australian Open magic on Friday as the seeds in the lower half of the draw kick off their Miami Open campaigns.

Friday, Second Round

[2] Angelique Kerber (GER #3) vs. Barbora Strycova (CZE #32)
Head-to-head: Kerber leads, 3-0
Key Stat: Kerber has dropped only 12 games in six previous sets versus Strycova.
After producing the most brilliant performance of her career in Australia, Angelique Kerber suddenly finds herself in a bit of a funk. The German, now ranked No.3 in the world, has lost three straight and has dropped six consecutive sets since winning the Australian Open title. But Kerber is not panicking. “I had a lot to do after Australia, and I was really enjoying it.” Kerber said. “Now I had a little bit of time to rest, to work very hard again on the practice courts. I’m fit and I’m healthy and that’s the important thing, so I’m ready to go again.” The German will be tested by the always pesky Barbora Strycova in the second round. Though troubled by Kerber in the past, the wily Czech will surely be ready to pounce on the opportunity if Kerber isn’t up to snuff.

Pick: Kerber in two

[4] Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP #4) vs. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #54)
Head-to-head: Muguruza leads, 2-0
Key Stat: As a wildcard, Muguruza reached the round of 16 in her first two Miami appearances.
Perhaps a trip back to the place where the magic started will help Garbiñe Muguruza get her lethal game back on track in 2016. In 2012, the Spaniard was given a wildcard into Miami and proceeded to notch her first career WTA-level win before defeating two seeded players (Vera Zvonareva and Flavia Pennetta) on her way to the round of 16. Four years later, Muguruza is a proven Top 5 talent who is reeling a bit, and in search of her mojo. The Spaniard will look to find it against one of the most ornery fighters on tour in Dominika Cibulkova. The Slovakian was in play for an upset last week at Indian Wells, but squandered a match point and dropped the last five games to fall to Agnieszka Radwanska in three sets. Like Muguruza, Cibulkova is no stranger to having success in Miami. In her last appearance here (2014), she reached the semifinals for the first time.

Pick: Muguruza in three

[6] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP #6) vs. CoCo Vandeweghe (USA #38)
Head-to-head: Suárez Navarro leads, 2-0
Key Stat: Suárez Navarro had to pull out of Indian Wells with a right ankle injury.
Last year Carla Suárez Navarro reached the final in Miami and secured her place in the WTA’s Top10 for the first time. This year, the Spaniard returns with a lot of points to defend, some questions about her health and a very powerful second-round opponent to deal with. Suárez Navarro has never dropped a set against Vandeweghe, but the American is one of the few players on tour that can take the racquet out of her opponent’s hands when she is on. Still, on the slow-playing hard courts of the Crandon Park Tennis Center, one has to like the consistent grind of Suárez Navarro’s methodical attack against the hit-and-miss aggression of Vandeweghe, particularly if the Spaniard is well enough to capitalize on her fitness advantage.

Pick: Suárez Navarro in three

[13] Victoria Azarenka (BLR #8) vs. Monica Puig (PUR #67)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Azarenka leads the WTA Tour in percentage of service games won thus far in 2016.
Victoria Azarenka is one of two players to have won multiple titles on the WTA Tour this year. Can she make it three in Miami? The red-hot Belarusian will square off against Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig in the first round and the match-up should favor Azarenka. Puig is a hard hitter when she is in control of rallies and able to step in and rip, but with Azarenka serving and returning so well of late, it’s hard to imagine many rallies where Puig will be in the driver’s seat. Azarenka, who improved to 16-1 on the season with her victory over Serena Williams in the Indian Wells final, should be able to dictate, and advance, without too much fuss.

Pick: Azarenka in two

Around the grounds…
Three-time champion Venus Williams will look to get back to winning ways against Elena Vesnina of Russia. The pair have split four previous meetings with 10th-seeded Williams winning the last two. No.7 seed Belinda Bencic will take part in a study of contrasts when she takes on hard-serving southpaw Kristyna Pliskova in a first-time meeting. Madison Keys will begin a new era with Mats Wilander as her part-time coach by facing Kirsten Flipkens. Keys has only played once since the Australian Open, losing to Nicole Gibbs at Indian Wells.

– Chris Oddo, wtatennis.com contributor

MIAMI, FL, USA – No.2 seed Angelique Kerber showed signs of the form that took her to a maiden major title on Friday, dispatching Barbora Strycova in straight sets at the Miami Open.

Watch live action from Miami this fortnight on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Since her Australian Open triumph this January, things on the court have not exactly gone to plan for Kerber; a glorious Fed Cup homecoming was spoiled by a Belinda Bencic-inspired Switzerland before early exits in Doha and Indian Wells.

The draw in Miami, though, was kind to the German, pairing her with Strycova, against whom she had never lost. In fact, in their three career meetings Kerber had not even dropped a set, a record she maintained in emphatic fashion on Friday, completing a 6-1, 6-1 win in just over an hour.

“It was a great start for me,” Kerber said. “I knew that Barbora was a tough opponent and it was a tricky one – she’s played very well this year. But I always go out there and try to play my game again and try to be tough mentally, run for every ball.

“I worked very hard before Miami, because I had a lot of time after Indian Wells and I think the hard work pays off again. I’m also a little bit more relaxed and healthy.”

Grand Slam success has done little to erode Kerber’s famed work ethic. The World No.3 even sought the advice from 22-time major winner Steffi Graf in the build up to the Indian Wells-Miami double-header.

“At the end of such a great success it’s always good to celebrate a little bit and of course no one can ever take it away from me,” Kerber added. “But now it’s time to get on court and work hard again and do the same things that made me strong before Australia, getting ready for me next matches and tournaments.” 

Next Kerber faces Kiki Bertens, after she overcame a disastrous start to upset No.25 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Johanna Konta made a successful comeback from the left foot injury that kept her out of the Middle East Swing with a 6-4, 6-4 win over fellow Brit Heather Watson at the BNP Paribas Open.

“I think it’s definitely challenging to adapt to these conditions,” she said  the air is a bit drier and the ball travels a bit quicker. When the wind picks up, that can also complicate things. But it’s a beautiful center court to play on, so I hope to extend my stay here as long as possible!”

.@JoKonta91 bossing it vs Watson! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/7YFGlxyoOr

— WTA (@WTA) March 10, 2017

Konta had been forced to sit out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships due to what she described as an “irritated nerve” after a strong start to the season – winning her second career title at the Apia International Sydney and reaching a second straight Australian Open quarterfinal – and had to shake off the rust early on against Watson, who earned a hard-fought win over Nicole Gibbs earlier in the week.

“I think there is definitely an adjustment period,” she added in her post-match press conference. “I hadn’t played a tour match since the Australian Open and Fed Cup was about three weeks ago. It’s not that long of a time, but in terms of the tour, it’s a bit of time.

“I think there were definitely some moments there I will definitely try to get better and better at as the tournament goes on, and hopefully I will get more opportunities to get more and more match fit.”

.@JoKonta91 finds the line with the backhand pass! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/J6ED6J8b1P

— WTA (@WTA) March 10, 2017

The countrywoman recently paired up to lead Great Britain into Fed Cup’s World Group II Play-Offs in February, but were all business in the California desert on Friday, trading blows from the back of the court throughout the 94 minute affair.

That feeling when a net cord saves your opponent… again #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/7BZnsBDy6V

— WTA (@WTA) March 10, 2017

“We get along great off court. We actually recently spent quite a bit of time together because of Fed Cup. We had a great Fed Cup in Estonia. We had a little bit great experiences quite recently together.

“I think both of us went with the intention of giving our best and trying to do what we can to come through in the end. I was fortunate enough to come out on top today.”

The typically aggressive Konta maintained a fairly clean stat sheet – 20 winners to 21 unforced errors – and held on for a tense ending after Watson threatened to come back from 5-1 in the second set.

Up next for the British No.1 is No.21 seed Caroline Garcia, who ende the run of lucky loser Evgeniya Rodina, 6-3, 6-3.

.@JoKonta91 is first through to @BNPPARIBASOPEN Third round!

Defeats Watson 6-4, 6-4! pic.twitter.com/qVWsMqWDys

— WTA (@WTA) March 10, 2017

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.28 seed Kristina Mladenovic kept up her blistering form in the California desert, willing through a late wobble against No.4 seed and 2015 champion Simona Halep, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open.

“We always had very tough battles,” she said in her post-match press conference. “I was actually up in our head to head, 2-1. That’s not very often against a Top 5 player!”

“I think that match was a big win for me, physically. I was there solid and hanging in there and putting sometimes balls back and being brave. I perfectly played the game plan I had. Solid at times, make her play balls and making her take some risk at the time. Sometimes when I had the shorter one, like, stepping in it, playing my heavy shots with the forehand, and I think that worked pretty well today.”

.@KikiMladenovic on ?! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/nvwisgGaHS

— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2017

Mladenovic came to Indian Wells after a breakthrough month that saw her capture her maiden WTA title at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy and reach another final at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel – not to mention earning a win over Karolina Pliskova at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in between.

Halep, by contrast, had sat out most of the month to tend to a left knee injury, and though she showed signs of her best, the Romanian proved too rusty against the surging French star, who advanced through in one hour and 42 minutes to earn her second Top 5 win in two months.

How did @Simona_Halep win this point?! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/OuykeWlE9p

— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2017

“Based on how much I was able to practice before this event, I’m happy to have made the third round,” a wry Halep said after the match. “She’s playing well and has confidence, but I missed a lot. After the first set, my legs were gone. My tennis legs aren’t back yet, so I need to work a lot. But I’m ok; I don’t want to make a drama.

“I was very sore after the first match, and couldn’t walk too much. Yesterday was ok; I practiced for an hour. But the heat was killing me because I wasn’t used to being out there that long yet. I had a headache, my feet were burning and my muscles were gone.”

The toughest moment came toward match’s end as Mladenovic served for it having just earned a set and double break lead. Throwing in two double faults on her first two match points, Mladenovic engineered a third only for Halep to save it and break back, converting her third of 22 opportunities in the match.

.@KikiMladenovic knocks out 2015 @BNPPARIBASOPEN champ Halep!

Wins 6-3, 6-3 to set up @LaurenDavis93 clash! pic.twitter.com/2VvoZaaKyv

— WTA (@WTA) March 13, 2017

It only prolonged the inevitable, however, and the reigning French Open women’s doubles champion broke for a sixth and final time to earn a career-best result at the BNP Paribas Open.

Standing between her and a spot in the last eight is a similarly surging force in the women’s game, as American Lauren Davis continued her impressive run of form with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Julia Goerges.

Davis began the season with the win at the ASB Classic, and has already amassed 16 wins in main draw and qualifying matches. Mladenovic won their only prior meeting at the 2013 French Open.

Big win today against Simona! Happy to be into the fourth round here ????? @BNPPARIBASOPEN #MyGame #forza pic.twitter.com/L6aL9kSKnZ

— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) March 13, 2017

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Chinese qualifier Peng Shuai turned the tables on one of the most cerebral players in the game, using all the variety in her arsenal to upset No.6 Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets at the BNP Paribas Open, 6-4, 6-4.

Peng came into the matchup with two wins over the World No.6, and needed an hour and twenty-six minutes to score another one, defeating Radwanska 6-4, 6-4 in her first Top 10 win since 2014.

“She’s a really good player and we’ve faced each other many times – sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but I’m really happy I won today,” Peng said in her on-court interview.

“I’m really happy that I can come back and play this tournament again – after my back surgery [in 2015] I almost ended my career. But I spent a lot of time and fight hard to be here.”

The Chinese player had a long road to the third round; she made it through two rounds of qualifying to reach the main draw, then dispatched Lesia Tsurenko and ousted No.31 seed Ana Konjuh to bring up the matchup with Radwanska. She racked up a total of six hours and 20 minutes on court; Radwanska, by contrast, had spent just one hour and 43 minutes.

That battle-readiness showed for Peng as she kept pace with the 2014 finalist, trading breaks twice in the opening set. Peng gave Radwanska a taste of her own medicine, changing the pace and bringing out the variety that Radwanska herself is usually known for and drawing out the errors.

The pair wrestled with the momentum for much of the opening set before a late wobble from Radwanska gave Peng the opening. Radwanska’s first serves abandoned her at the worst time, and Peng broke to take the set.

She jumped out ahead to a 5-2 lead before Radwanska regained her footing; the Chinese player was a point away from bringing up match point on Radwanska’s serve when a netcord point breathed new life into the Pole’s game. She found her range to cut down on Peng’s lead, but it was too little too late as Peng broke again to take her spot into the BNP Paribas Open round of 16.

Peng will take on Venus Williams in the next round for a spot in the quarterfinals. She won the pair’s most recent encounter last year, beating the former World No.1 in straight sets at the China Open.

“I remember our last match in Beijing,” Peng said. “I had been back on the tour [from back injury] for half a year and then I beat her at the China Open.

“She’s an amazing player, so I just hope to keep going and try to fight and play some good tennis next round.”