Tennis News

SINGAPORE – Karolina Pliskova marked a memorable debut at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global by defeating Garbiñe Muguruza from match point down on Monday.

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A couple of hours on from Svetlana Kuznetsova’s back-from-the-brink victory over Agnieszka Radwanska, Pliskova produced an even more unlikely turnaround to triumph, 6-2, 6-7(4), 7-5.

“Inside I’m still in shock that I won this one. Inside I still believed that I could win, but she was playing so well in the second and third sets,” Pliskova told BT Sport after stepping off the court. “There’s always a chance in tennis until it’s done, so I’m really happy with the win today.”

No.4 seed Pliskova was quick out of the blocks, dropping only seven points on serve en route to the first set. When she then broke at the start of the second, a comfortable victory looked on the cards. However, Muguruza, making her second appearance at the Finals, made a better fist of the second set, drawing level before recovering from 3-0 down to take a scrappy tie-break.

With confidence now coursing through her game, Muguruza surged 4-0 ahead in the decider. Try as she might, though, the Spaniard could not find the knockout blow, dropping serve in a 15-minute sixth game to leave the window ajar for a comeback.

At 5-2 she arrived at match point, only to snatch at a routine volley. The mistake proved costly as Pliskova found a second wind, rattling off 15 of the last 19 points to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Karolina Pliskova hit some major aces today! See how she stacks up to the rest of the #WTAFinals field! @WTA @WTAFinalsSG #ace #wtatennis pic.twitter.com/xe4G7gXbYi

— SAP Sports (@SAPSports) October 24, 2016

Despite being broken five times, Pliskova still struck 14 aces in her two and a half hours on court, taking her annual tally to 522. This number is nearly 200 more than her nearest competitor on tour, Serena Williams (324), or at the WTA Finals, Madison Keys (277).  

Pliskova will next play on Wednesday, taking on fellow comeback queen Kuznetsova.

SINGAPORE – World No.1 Angelique Kerber took control of the Red Group on Tuesday, beating No.4 Simona Halep 6-4, 6-2 to move perilously close to qualifying for her first semifinals at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

Read how the match unfolded in the WTA Insider Live Blog.

– This is the Kerber we’ve watched all year.

There were questions surrounding Kerber coming into Singapore. She was, arguably, the least in-form player in the Red Group and had not played particularly well since the US Open. But through two matches now, especially in her win over Halep, she’s proved to herself and everyone else that she’s ready to play.

Kerber’s defense and counter-punching was top notch against Halep. She prolonged rally after rally with her speed into the tramlines and then pounced on anything Halep left short. The decision-making was there, the shots were there, and most importantly, the confidence was there.

This was the Angelique Kerber who can win this tournament.

The dropper of the highest order from @angeliquekerber! #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/iOVgdzp45C

— WTA (@WTA) October 25, 2016

– The two “Fs” let Halep down.

The Romanian played well in spurts and she deserved a better scoreline for her efforts, but her forehand and finishing let her down. As she battled hard to penetrate Kerber’s defensive shell, she lacked the rhythm on her forehand side to pressure Kerber consistently. Halep chalked it up to a bad day at the office.

“The court here is slow and the ball doesn’t bounce,” Halep said. “Her balls are very low, so it’s tough to go from down, deep down, to make a winner.

“So I tried just to restart the points all the time, and just when I had the opportunity, good opportunity to finish the ball, I took it. But I missed a lot with the forehand, so I think that was the problem.”

Coach @Darren_Cahill telling @Simona_Halep to hit the high balls hard. Can she comeback? #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/VgJ0AD7i0P

— WTA (@WTA) October 25, 2016

– Kerber will qualify for her first semifinals if she wins a set, though she may not have to.

On Thursday, Halep will face Dominika Cibulkova in the first singles match (starting at 4pm local time) and Kerber will follow against Madison Keys (starting at 7:30pm). The only scenario in which Kerber does not qualify out of the group stage is if Halep beats Cibulkova in straight sets and Kerber loses to Keys in straight sets. If she wins a set, she’s through.

To the extent there may be additional pressure on Kerber, she’ll know the result of the Halep match before she takes the court. If Halep goes three sets, meaning Cibulkova wins one set, Kerber is through as well. But if Halep wins in straight sets, Kerber will know she has to win a set off Keys to qualify. The good news for the German is that she’s won five of her six matches against Keys.

Turning point: @AngeliqueKerber saves break point at 3-4, goes on to win nine of last 11 games vs Halep @WTAFinalsSG pic.twitter.com/mCxuZ2v70q

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 25, 2016

A cornerstone of Kerber’s 2016 story is of course her failure to pull off this very feat 12 months ago. Last year, Kerber took the court in Singapore knowing she just needed to win a set off an ailing Lucie Safarova to advance. She lost in straights.

“Of course I have much more confidence right now because I know how to win very big matches, tight matches,” Kerber said. “I know what to do to go for it and just take the game in my hands. Of course I believe much more in my game and in myself than like 12 months ago, especially after Singapore one year ago.”

The press conference for @Simona_Halep, who is still well alive in @WTAFinalsSG! #WTAFinals https://t.co/M0hdDW5SsR pic.twitter.com/z9eJLDiSw9

— WTA (@WTA) October 25, 2016

– Kerber’s biggest fan on Thursday? Halep.

While Kerber’s fate is entirely in her hands on Thursday, Halep needs some help from Kerber. And so the vanquished becomes the cheerleader.

If Kerber wins on Thursday, the only scenario in which Halep would not advance is if she loses in straight sets to Cibulkova. Taking a single set off the Slovak would put her through so long as Kerber wins.

But if Keys beats Kerber in straight sets, and Halep loses a set to Cibulkova, she’s out.

How do you say “Auf geht’s Angie!” in Romanian?

SINGAPORE – “If you could turn the last week you’ve had into a movie, what would you name it?”

That was the question posed to an exhausted, punchy Svetlana Kuznetsova after yet another epic three-set comeback victory at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, this time over big-serving Karolina Pliskova.

“The Life of a Hustler: the Nonstop Life,” she laughed in her post-match press conference.

“I’m just, I don’t know, a workaholic I guess. But I do love this life and enjoy it, and I feel I’m really blessed to be here and to be able to win matches.”

Given the nonstop, rollercoaster past few weeks that Kuznetsova’s had, the name makes perfect sense.

Last to arrive, first to advance.

It’s been seven years since the last time Kuznetsova competed at the WTA Finals, and after ending the long drought the Russian made sure that her return was fittingly dramatic.

She snagged the eighth qualification spot on the last possible day – the very last day of the WTA season, in fact – with her win in the final of the Kremlin Cup. Her victory also knocked out Johanna Konta, who was waiting in Singapore and would have qualified by default if Kuznetsova hadn’t won the title.

Now, Kuznetsova continues to tear through the draw in Singapore and is already breaking new ground: she’s 2-0 in the group stage and, as a result of Agnieszka Radwanska’s win over Garbiñe Muguruza, she’s through to the semifinals at the WTA Finals for the first time in her career. She’s the first player to secure a semifinal spot, too.

17,086 miles, 1600+ minutes.

If Kuznetsova looks a little tired on court, it’s only understandable.

Her journey to Singapore was anything but straightforward, taking her from New York to Wuhan, and then to Beijing, Tianjin and Moscow before she landing in the Lion City. Along the way she racked up a dizzying 17,086 miles (27,497 kilometers) of travel.

She played for four weeks straight while chasing a qualifying spot for the WTA Finals, and spent more than 27 hours on court (more than 1600 minutes).

Those 27+ hours weren’t easy, either; Kuznetsova has played 30 three-set matches this year and recorded a WTA-leading 22 three-set victories. In fact, 46.6 percent of her matches in 2016 have been decided in three sets, including six during her post-US Open campaign.

So how much energy does Kuznetsova have left in the tank? How far can she go in Singapore?

Your guess is as good as hers:

“If I would know, I would answer that,” Kuznetsova joked during the press conference. She looked completely exhausted, but that was fine – that’s off the court.

“I can be tired now, it’s okay. Sometimes it’s okay.”

Take a nap, Sveta. You’ve earned it.

MADRID, Spain – The Mutua Madrid Open draw is out. Here are our biggest questions as the tour turns to the biggest clay court tournament before the French Open.

1. How will Agnieszka Radwanska do as the top seed?

It’s no secret Radwanska isn’t in love with this part of the season. Asked during All-Access Hour where she would rank clay as a surface, she smiled ruefully. “Third,” she said with a laugh. “But that’s still good, right?”

With Serena Williams’ withdrawal, Radwanska is indeed the top seed in Madrid, a turn of events that she jokingly referred to as “weird”. She sits atop the top half of the draw, which includes Victoria Azarenka and defending champion Petra Kvitova.

Radwanska opens against No.38 Dominika Cibulkova. Radwanska leads their head-to-head 7-3 but this will be their first meeting on clay in a decade. Given Cibulkova’s prowess and confidence on clay – she was the 2009 French Open semifinalist and 2012 quarterfinalist – and Radwanska’s lack of confidence on the surface, this is as tricky a first rounder as Aga could have been handed. The winner gets another challenge in either Caroline Garcia or Johanna Konta in the second round.

2. Will Victoria Azarenka pick up where she left off?

Madrid sees the return of Azarenka, who has not played a WTA event since completing the Sunshine Double by winning Indian Wells and Miami. Her 24-1 record remains the standard on tour and she told reporters her training block after Miami introduced some new elements to her clay court game.

“It was my first real preparation on clay with my new team so there were a few new things and tips that I learned a little bit for my movement that were insightful,” Azarenka told reporters during All-Access Hour on Friday.

“Fed Cup was in the middle of my preparation but I felt like the little adjustments were already working. I was just trying to play them through the matches. I felt the last week or so after Fed Cup, I spent a good [amount of time] playing on clay. But you never know. Sometimes you have great preparation and it doesn’t work and sometimes you don’t have any preparation and you play well.”

Azarenka opens against Laura Robson, who is into the main draw with a protected ranking.

3. Can Kerber keep it going?

Success during the early part of the clay season isn’t new for Kerber. Sustaining that momentum into the big events is. After winning Charleston and Stuttgart last year, Kerber lost in the first round of Madrid, the second round of Rome, and the third round of the French Open.

“I mean, it just can be better than last year,” Kerber said during All-Access Hour. “I’m looking forward. I’m feeling good, I’m practicing a few days here. I’m healthy so that’s the most important thing for me.”

Kerber has never made it past the quarterfinals in Madrid but she is relaxed and full of confidence after her Stuttgart win. She opens her tournament against Barbora Strycova. Kerber has won all eight sets they’ve played, so the match-up has been one that’s favored her. They played recently at the Miami Open, where Kerber dropped just two games.

4. Can Petra Kvitova steady herself for a third Madrid title?

There’s a lot at stake for Kvitova in Madrid. The defending champion has 1,000 points to defend and the World No.6 could fall out of the Top 10 depending on her results. But Kvitova has shown her propensity to find her best tennis at the tournaments she’s won in the past and there is no clay court more suitable to her flat-hitting style than Madrid.

But will we see that pure flat-hitter this year? It’s not clear.

“We are trying to play a little but more [variety], probably I what showed in Stuttgart,” Kvitova told reporters at All-Access Hour. “Drop shots, slice, these things. He wants me to still play aggressive from the baseline and really push the opponent. That’s what I’m trying.”

5. Is Garbiñe Muguruza poised for a breakout run on home soil?

Yes. Muguruza has shown glimpses of her 2015 run this year but she just hasn’t been able to get that one big win to unlock her confidence and get her on a roll. Her draw in Madrid is set up for her to show her Spanish fans she’s ready to to challenge in Paris.

Muguruza opens against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, who has struggled to win matches this year. She could then face either Eugenie Bouchard or Irina Camelia-Begu, a possible third round against Karolina Pliskova. From there she could face Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber. That’s a draw that should give her a few matches under her belt before taking a crack at some of the game’s best.

6. Can Simona Halep find her clay-court mojo?

Halep’s season has been a curious one. From her injury and illness affected start to the season, to signs of life on the US hardcourts after making back-to-back quarterfinals in Indian Wells and Miami, only to be derailed by a stressful Fed Cup weekend and early exit from Stuttgart, where she won just three games off Laura Siegemund in the second round. Halep admits she isn’t thinking about titles at the moment. She just wants matches.

“Now I feel ok. I have nothing to defend I’m all good for this next period,” Halep said with a laugh. “I just want to play, to feel again my game on court, to feel confident. I’m just waiting to win matches, if that’s possible again.”

The Romanian’s draw is set up perfectly for her to get those matches. She opens against Misaki Doi and would play either Margarita Gasparyan or Karin Knapp in the second round. From there she could play either Andrea Petkovic or Timea Bacsinszky (the two former French Open semifinalists drew each other in the first round).

7. Which matches did we circle?

Pop your popcorn for these first round clashes:

– Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Dominika Cibulkova
– Caroline Garcia vs. Johanna Konta
– Daria Gavrilova vs. Yulia Putintseva (pictured above, following their 2010 US Open girl’s singles final, won by Gavrilova)
– Petra Kvitova vs. Lara Arruabarrena
– Timea Bacsinszky vs. Andrea Petkovic
– Lucie Safarova vs. CoCo Vandeweghe
– Angelique Kerber vs. Barbora Strycova

Save some of that popcorn for these possible second round clashes:

– Garbiñe Muguruza vs. Eugenie Bouchard
– Sloane Stephens vs. Daria Kasatkina
– Angelique Kerber vs. Madison Keys
– Roberta Vinci vs. Jelena Jankovic
– Petra Kvitova vs. Jelena Ostapenko

Main draw play begins on Saturday.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.