Mattek-Sands & Safarova Into Fourth Major Final
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova ended the run of Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato on Wednesday to reach the final of the Australian Open.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova ended the run of Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato on Wednesday to reach the final of the Australian Open.
Dominika Cibulkova takes on Barbora Strycova in the quarterfinals of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.
WUHAN, China – Svetlana Kuznetsova’s self-awareness never ceases to disarm a press room. The Russian was the last teenager to win her maiden Slam, which she did at the 2004 US Open at 19 years old. Over a decade on, the 31-year-old is set to return to her highest ranking since 2010, moving as high as No.7 after making the semifinals of this week’s Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.
Kuznetsova is in good position to finish her year inside the Top 10 for the first time since 2009 and qualify for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global for the first time since that same year. All that is to say, the veteran is in the midst of an impressive career-turnaround, having been ranked as low as No.85 just three years ago:
Over the last two years, Kuznetsova stopped caring about her ranking or even her results. She just wanted to enjoy her tennis again and go back to playing her creative and, for better or worse, unpredictable, creative game style. She fancies herself “an artist” on the court. When she plays her best, there’s little argument.
The result? A more relaxed, go with the flow Sveta. She finished last season by winning the Kremlin Cup and qualifying for the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai, then picked up right where she left off, winning the Apia International Sydnery in January. Then came a run to the final of the Miami Open, where she beat then-No.1 Serena Williams en route and has been a consistent feature in the quarterfinals or better.
“All the life for me is mental,” Kuznetsova told reporters after saving match point to beat Agnieszka Radwanska in Wuhan. The press corp laughed. Kuznetsova shot a knowing grin.
“Right before the match, [my coach]. Carlos told me, Do you remember the time you play in Madrid?
“I said, ‘No, I don’t.’
“He said, ‘You were up 6-3 in the tiebreak, and then you lost it’.
“I’m like, ‘Oh.’
“Then here I go. I’m like 6-3 up, then 6-All. I’m like, ‘Damn, why did he tell me that?’
“Then I still have sometimes negative things appear in your head and you have to turn them around. After the match I said to Carlos, ‘Why did you tell me that before the match?’
“He said, ‘I know, I know. I was stupid.'”
What's more important: Talent or Work Ethic? @SvetlanaK27 says just win, baby. pic.twitter.com/GnLBLaNcFx
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) September 28, 2016
Over the years Kuznetsova has learned how to play tricks on her herself, to lie to her mind to get her body to do what she wants it to do. It’s part of the experience you gain as a veteran on tour and it’s particularly important at the end of the season, when fatigue can get the better of so many players.
“Like probably when I was 25, 26, I was like, Damn, I’m so tired,” Kuznetsova said. “Damn, when the season going to be over? Now I don’t feel tired because I believe it’s mental. If you say, ‘Oh, season is in the end, I’m tired,’ you will be tired.
“Now I know it’s not something, like, ‘I going to play for ages.’ It makes it easier for me. Now I know it’s a few years left. It’s like, ‘Do the best out of it and that’s it.’ When I was 25, I knew [my tennis career] was still long way to go. I was like, ‘Shit, I’m so tired.’
“Now I just enjoy it.”
Knowing that she is closer to the end of her career also helps take the pressure off. The prospect of competing is far less daunting, especially if you, as Kuznetsova does, trick yourself.
“I think about [retirement] in the positive way, to make me go for more,” Kuznetsova said, when asked how much she thinks about the end of her career. “I say, ‘Look, it’s one, two years, you’re done.’ Maybe it’s not [but] it’s something convincing. You have to work with yourself and find the keys to convince yourself to do good in the positive way. Whatever you say, it’s working. If it’s positive, it makes you go better, that’s good.
“Sometimes I have to lie to myself a little bit in a funny way. I say, ‘Yeah, it’s one tournament, that’s it.’ It’s not, it’s going to be more. But it helps mentally. If you think it very long-term, that comes very big in front of you, big wall. If you do short-term, is better.”
MELBOURNE, Australia – No.2 seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova survived a tense three-setter against the newly formed pairing of Andrea Hlavackova and Peng Shuai to win their second Slam in a row, winning the 2017 Australian Open women’s doubles title, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3.
“We were celebrating like five-year-old kids out there,” Mattek-Sands said after the match. “I mean, it still feels amazing to win it. It’s a Grand Slam. When we got the trophy, we saw our names written on it. We know we get it written on there again. It’s just special.
“So many great teams are on there. We played a lot of great teams to get to the finals. Part of it is really enjoying the journey, enjoying each match. Really, the celebrations kind of go quick. We’re going to make sure we enjoy this moment for a little bit.”
Mattek-Sands and Safarova have been the team to beat since last summer, when they won what was then their third Grand Slam title at the US Open and rode an 18-match winning streak into the final of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
“We go out there and have a blast. I mean, I think our first one here in 2015, I hadn’t played a lot of doubles the year before. Lucie and I had never played together as a team. We came out strong. I think it really has clicked from the beginning. It really hasn’t stopped. I think it’s gotten better.
“Lucie is one of my best friends off the court. We talk about life. We talk about tennis. I think more life stuff. But there’s a little tennis in there every once in a while.”
The American in particular had a career-best year in doubles last season, winning the elusive Sunshine Double at the BNP Paribas Open and the Miami Open with CoCo Vandeweghe and Safarova, respectovely, and became the top-ranked doubles player after starting 2017 with a win at the Brisbane International with Sania Mirza.
1…2…3…jump!#ausopen pic.twitter.com/SPguHHkBiB
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2017
Dropping just one set en route to the final, Mattek-Sands and Safarova looked more confident after each victory, dancing through off-days with the help of fitness guru Shuan T.
Across the net on Friday’s final was a familiar foe in Hlavackova, who was playing her second straight final in Melbourne, but with a new partner in Peng Shuai. Hlavackova and Peng had played together just five times heading into the first Slam of the season, but had an impressive record with three titles already under their belt, including the Shenzhen Open in the first week of the year.
They've done it! @BMATTEK and @luciesafarova overcome a one set deficit to win the women's doubles! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/CZH2Ucty2W
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2017
Making their major debut as a team, Hlavackova and Peng earned back-to-back wins over top teams in No.3 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the quarterfinals, and top seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic. Coincidentally, Vesnina, Garcia and Mladenovic were the only three women who could have usurped Mattek-Sands’ No.1 ranking, and their losses guaranteed her the top spot befor taking the court for the final.
Hlavackova and Peng exchanged breaks with Team Bucie to kick off the match, eventually edging through a 53-minute first-set tie-break and appearing on course for a big win on Rod Laver Arena.
“I think we were improving throughout the first set,” Safarova said. “I felt like our game was throughout the match getting better and better. We stick together. We were positive. Never doubted that we would be able to pull it out.”
Women's doubles Championship presentation #MattekSands #Safarova #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/oWOL1gGXqi
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2017
But Mattek-Sands and Safarova dug in their heels, racing out to a double break lead to start the second and continued breaking serve to stay ahead and level the match.
“I think we really balance each other out,” Mattek-Sands added. “We talk a lot during points, on the changeovers. It’s all positive. I know there was a couple games we were up 40-love and we lost them. It’s easy to think you had an opportunity and you missed it. But it’s not the case.
“We play every point new, fresh, and we play our game.”
The decider came down to one break, which the American/Czech duo earned in the fourth game and held on in a marathon fifth game to remain in the lead and eventually serve out the win in two hours and 14 minutes.
“It’s not like you would expect it, but after what we’ve been through, I also feel like our game got better and better,” Safarova said. “I believe we are one of the best teams out there.
“If we play our game, we are positive, keep like sticking together, pulling it out, I think we are going to hopefully get even more.”
After the trophy ceremony, Mattek-Sands and Safarova dusted off their dance moves to thrill the Aussie crowd one more time:
Smooth moves, @BMATTEK and @luciesafarova! Not a bad victory dance! ??? #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/rluxD9WOvW
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2017
WUHAN, China – Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova completed a dominant week together with their seventh WTA title, outclassing Sania Mirza and Barbora Strycova to win the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.
A sparkling performance saw Mattek-Sands and Safarova break six times to wrap up a 6-1, 6-4 victory after a fraction over an hour on court.
The result continues a memorable end to the season for the American-Czech duo, whose success in China follows on from victory at the US Open. This points haul has not only sent both players shooting up the rankings, but more importantly secures them a return to the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
The only wobble came with the finishing line in sight, Safarova surrendering her hitherto faultless serve to offer Strycova the chance to level the second set at 5-5. However, the No.5 seeds nipped the comeback in the bud, swatting away a couple of opportunistic volleys to close out the match.
“I think we had an amazing match today,” Safarova said. “We came out strong from the beginning. We returned great, served great, took their time away. That was the right strategy.”
The tone was set on the very first point of the match, Safarova firing a backhand past Strycova. Sensing an early opportunity, on the following point Mattek-Sands swept an inviting ball past the stranded Czech. They soon had the break and went from strength to strength, finding an answer for every question posed by the No.3 seeds.
“We went over our game plan and we just upped our game. So whether our opponents played well or didn’t play well, we were going to stick to our game,” Mattek-Sands added. “But I think, like Lucie said, we just took away their time and that’s what we did.”
Mattek-Sands and Safarova will hope to replicate this form in Singapore, where they have unfinished business. Last year, their challenge came to a premature conclusion, injury dashing their hopes in the round robin stage.
“It’s just awesome [to qualify]. we’ve been there last year but were a little bit injured and so it wasn’t the greatest performance,” Safarova said.
“But it’s amazing to make it again,” Mattek-Sands added. “Singapore is obviously is the best of the best. We literally just found out right after the match that we qualified so it’s still sinking in.”
MELBOURNE, Australia – No.11 seed Marta Kostyuk captured her maiden major title on Saturday, ousting top seed Rebeka Masarova, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 in the Australian Open girl’s singles final.
“I was more excited yesterday when I go through the semis,” she admitted in her post-match press conference.
Masarova made a breakout run last spring when she defeated Amanda Anisimova to win the the junior French Open crown, and arrived in Australia aiming to wrest the No.1 ITF ranking from Anastasia Potapova, who did not play this week.
Kostyuk, by contrast, was playing her third season on the junior circuit and had posted consistent, if unremarkable, results at the biggest events – making back-to-back quarterfinal appearances at Eddie Herr and the Orange Bowl.
But things started to change last spring when she began working with manager Ivan Ljubicic, a former ATP pro who coaches Roger Federer.
“I improved a lot, and I feel it. Maybe the biggest improvement period was in May when Ivan invited me to practice in Monte Carlo for ten days. And after that I won Grade Two.
“After that I start to work on my serve a little more and practice more and more. That’s when I signed with Ivan and start to practice in Cannes, in Kiev, so everywhere. It was fine. And I’m trying to work hard.”
Currently coached by her mother, Kostyuk credited Ljubicic with helping her rise so quickly, and with helping her meet Federer during her stay in Melbourne.
Congratulations to our #AusOpen 2017 Girls' Singles champion @marta_kostyuk! ??? pic.twitter.com/gPslwFxtS0
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017
“He did a lot. He give me a bit of his experience and big tennis. And I met finally Roger today. He congratulated me. And I took a photo with him, so I was very excited.”
The 15-year-old took a 5-2 lead to start Satuday’s final, only to see Masarova save four set points and level the opening set. Undaunted, the Ukrainian reeled off eight of the final 10 points to take a one set lead.
Still, Masarova was undoubtedly in the match by then, and made her presence known in the second set, breaking four times to force a decider.
“I won first set, but it was very tight, like it was 5-2. I had four set points, and I finished just on the score 6-5,” she explained.
“Maybe when we start to play second set, her consistency was like a bit more than mine, and she was more in the game. And I just lost a little bit of this.
“When I started to play second set, I just started to think how it was good that I almost won. And that what didn’t really helped me.”
The pair exchanged four straight breaks to begin the final set, with Kostyuk ultimately breaking in the crucial ninth game to serve out the biggest title of her young career in one hour and 55 minutes.
“Maybe when score was 3-1, I just stopped thinking and started to play again, so I was ready for the third set.”
The doubles final took place 24 hours prior and saw No.3 seeds Bianca Andreescu and Carson Branstine defeat the Polish pair of Maja Chwalinska and Iga Swiatek.
Congrats to @marta_kostyuk on taking the Junior AO Girl's Singles ?!!! #AusOpen #TeamWilson pic.twitter.com/ZnInycx9r9
— Wilson Tennis (@WilsonTennis) January 28, 2017
BEIJING, China – 2015 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global champion Agnieszka Radwanska is just two matches from booking a return to Singapore with a first round win at the China Open, defeating wildcard Wang Qiang, 6-2, 6-2.
Watch live action from Beijing on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
“First match is always tricky,” said the No.3 seed in her post-match press conference. “I just realized that the court and balls are much slower than the last week. Well, I was just trying to be more aggressive. If I had a chance, I was stepping in and moving to the net.”
Radwanska could have booked her ticket to Singapore last week had she won the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, but fell to former World No.2 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals – despite holding a match point in the second set.
“You are always trying to not think about pressure, especially here, close to Singapore.
“I just hope I can do it here, that’s for sure. But, well, I had the situation last year when I had to win the Tianjin Open to qualify for Singapore, and I did it. Of course, it was last-minute qualifying.
“I will try everything to qualify a bit before that this year. Everything is open. This is a big event. Everybody can do a lot of points here. It’s a little bit more pressure, but I think every year it’s kind of similar situation for everyone, especially a lot of girls this year is really close and the rankings are very tight.”
Easing ahead to a 6-2, 5-1 lead, Radwanska wobbled at the finish line against Wang, a talented player who started the year by taking out Sloane Stephens at the Australian Open, but the Pole rebounded to end the match in one hour and 24 minutes.
“I had a couple of matchpoints. It was still not a tragedy when I was 5-1 up. I was just very happy that I put a couple of good shots in next game and closed that set also very quickly.”
Up next for the World No.3 is Ekaterina Makarova, who dispatched fellow Singapore doubles partner Elena Vesnina, 6-2, 6-1, in their first round encounter on Sunday.
Incredible on the run shot from Qiang Wang!! #ChinaOpen https://t.co/bpJ22ZdFpp
— WTA (@WTA) October 2, 2016
WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen | Serena Williams will outlasted older sister Venus Williams in the 2017 Australian Open final, to nab the Open Era record and World No.1 in one fell swoop.
An interview with Angelique Kerber after her first round match at the China Open.
MELBOURNE, Australia – The first Grand Slam of 2017 saw the WTA rankings make its first major shifts since the end of last season – most notably at the top, where Serena Williams ended Angelique Kerber’s 20 weeks at No.1 after winning her 23rd major title at the Australian Open.
Williams has been ranked No.1 for 310 weeks since 2002, and shares the record for most consecutive weeks atop the rankings at 186 with Stefanie Graf – a record Kerber ended by winning last summer’s US Open.
Click here to check out the updated WTA rankings, as of January 30.
Who else made big leaps Down Under?
Venus Williams (+6, No.17 to No.11): Venus fell just shy of returning to the Top 10 after making her first Grand Slam final since 2009. The elder Williams sister has shown off some of her best tennis at major tournaments of late, reaching semifinals in two of the last three, and could continue adding points through the next few months of hardcourt tournaments.
Karolina Pliskova (+2, No.5 to No.3): Pliskova reached the second week of a Grand Slam for the second straight time in Australia; it was also her second time ever after falling before the fourth round in her first 17 major appearances. Pliskova started the season strong with a win in Brisbane before running into a razor sharp Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the quarterfinals.
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (+50, No.79 to No.29): Speaking of Lucic-Baroni, the feel good story of the tournament made an improbable run to the semifinals of the Australian Open, her first at a Grand Slam since 1999, when she was just 17 years old. The 34-year-old Croat hadn’t won a main draw match in Australia since 1998, and ousted two Top 5 seeds (Pliskova and Agnieszka Radwanska) en route to the final four.
CoCo Vandeweghe (+15, No.35 to No.20): Vandeweghe made her Top 20 debut after her run to the Australian Open semifinals. The American was the youngest of the semifinalists, but nontheless boasted big wins over two of 2016’s major title-winners in Angelique Kerber and Garbiñe Muguruza.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (+5, No.27 to No.22): The Russian made her second Grand Slam quarterfinal out of the last three, stunning an in-form Elina Svitolina before crushing compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova to complete her Last Eight Club membership at all four major tournaments.
Jennifer Brady (+38, No.116 to No.78): In an impressive tournament for Americans, Brady was the freshest face in the second week of the Australian Open. Forced to qualify, she saved five match points to defeat Heather Watson before using her big serve to dispatch Elena Vesnina in the third round.
Sorana Cirstea (+19, No.78 to No.59): The former World No.21 continued her march back up the WTA rankings by reaching just her second career Grand Slam second week, and her first since the 2009 French Open.
Jelena Ostapenko (+5, No.38 to No.33): Ostapenko, 19, earned a career-high ranking after reaching the third round of the Australian Open – her best-ever finish at a major – and pushing Karolina Pliskova to the brink in a 10-8 final set.