Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

Kuznetsova Holds Off Pliskova Fightback, Into Singapore Semifinals

Kuznetsova Holds Off Pliskova Fightback, Into Singapore Semifinals

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

SINGAPORE – There may have been no final set haircut, but Svetlana Kuznetsova underlined her box office status at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global on Wednesday evening with a thrilling victory over Karolina Pliskova.

Watch interviews and highlights from Singapore on the WTA Facebook page!

Kuznetsova withstood a spirited late comeback from No.4 seed Pliskova to eventually prevail, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(6), and confirm her place in the semifinals.

“After my journey here, and all the support of the fans and my team, I couldn’t let everybody down,” Kuznetsova said to Andrew Krasny in her on-court interview. “It’s from my heart. I have not been at my best these past years, but something just changed this year.

“I enjoy my game, I enjoy the crowd, I’m playing against the best players in the world and I really appreciate and am blessed to be here today.”

Svetlana Kuznetsova

This rediscovered joie de vivre has been evident for all to see in recent weeks as Kuznetsova embarked on an improbable late push for a Finals place. The Russian went from Asia to Russia in a desperate scramble for points, and so far her body is standing up to the arduous schedule.

Against Pliskova she started slowly, struggling to keep up with a blistering baseline assault. A couple of double faults gift-wrapped the decisive break in the first set, and when she fell behind in the second her prospects looked bleak.

This setback merely roused her into life, a more subtle approach starving the Czech of pace and sparking a run of four straight games. Skipping around second serves and buzzing to all corners of the court, the World No.9 levelled the match with another break before surging ahead in the decider.

The outcome, though, remained in the balance until the last. From 5-3 down, Pliskova went for broke, dragging herself back into contention only to fluff her lines when serving for the match at 6-5. In the tie-break, it was Kuznetsova’s turn to get jittery, watching three match points come and go. At 6-6 she carved out another, following a swinging a serve out wide with a forehand into the open court. This time there was no mistake, as she dragged Pliskova out of position just enough to send the next backhand beyond her reach.

For much of her 20s, Kuznetsova was a fixture at the year-end Finals but never made it beyond the round-robin stage. Now, on her sixth visit, the 31-year-old has finally broken her duck after defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska’s victory over Garbiñe Muguruza confirmed she would top the White Group.

On Thursday, Radwanska and Pliskova will battle it out to determine who joins her in the last four.

Official WTA Finals Mobile App, Created by SAP

Source link

Bacsinszky Tours The Rabat Medina

Bacsinszky Tours The Rabat Medina

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970
As the top seed at the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Timea Bacsinszky was treated to a special tour.

As the top seed at the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Timea Bacsinszky was treated to a special tour.

Bacsinszky got to visit Rabat’s medina and walk through the historic maze-like streets.

Bacsinszky got to visit Rabat’s medina and walk through the historic maze-like streets.

There’s much to see in Old Rabat: the entire quarter is listed as a World Heritage site.

There’s much to see in Old Rabat: the entire quarter is listed as a World Heritage site.

Bacsinszky also saw

Bacsinszky also saw “La Rue Des Consuls,” a part of the old town with local traditional shops.

There she was able to check out Rabat’s well known craftsmanship and jewelry.

There she was able to check out Rabat’s well known craftsmanship and jewelry.

After shopping, the Swiss player was treated to another Morocco tradition…

After shopping, the Swiss player was treated to another Morocco tradition…

…she learned the art of bartering!

…she learned the art of bartering!

Check out Bacsinszky’s new necklace!

Check out Bacsinszky’s new necklace!

Rabat is the WTA's lone stop in Africa, and has been staged in several cities in Morocco including Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech and finally the Moroccan capital.

Rabat is the WTA’s lone stop in Africa, and has been staged in several cities in Morocco including Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech and finally the Moroccan capital.

Source link

Safarova & Pliskova Clash In Prague SFs

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Lucie Safarova’s clay court revival at the J&T Banka Prague Open gathered further momentum on Thursday with a straight set win over Hsieh Su-Wei.

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

Going into her home tournament, Safarova had not registered a win all season, but after unraveling Hsieh’s unorthodox game in two tight sets she now has three in as many days.

In a topsy-turvy encounter, Safarova failed to serve out the opening set at 5-4, before coming within a few points of losing it two games later. In the tie-break, it was the Czech that held her nerve, taking it when Hsieh miscued a backhand into the tramlines.

Hsieh continued to pose problems in the second set, but once again it was Safarova that came out on top at the crucial moments, returning from a late rain delay to reach the semifinals 

Safarova’s 7-6(3), 7-5 victory followed on from an even more impressive performance from her compatriot and next opponent, Karolina Pliskova. Eager to minimize her time exposed to the elements on another chilly day in the Czech capital, defending champion Pliskova blew away Camila Giorgi, 6-2, 6-1, in just 51 minutes.

Pliskova and Safarova met only last week in Stuttgart, the former coming through a third set shootout, to add to victories over her Fed Cup teammate the previous year in Antwerp and Dubai.

Following her showing in Stuttgart and her run this week Safarova is feeling positive heading into the rematch. “I was on the way back already in Stuttgart, where I had a great match, and I was hoping the results would come. I’m happy and excited that it’s going this well.

“It was a tough match today; she’s always a very tricky player, defending the court very well and I’m very excited to be through to the semis.”

Source link

Vote: April's WTA Shot Of The Month

Vote: April's WTA Shot Of The Month

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

It’s time to crown April’s WTA Shot Of The Month. There were some incredible shots to choose from this month, and we narrowed it down to the five best – have a look at the nominees in the above video and cast your vote for your favorite shot before voting ends Thursday at 11:59pm ET!

The winner will be announced Friday, May 6.

How it works: five shots are selected by wtatennis.com, and the winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com.

WTA April Shot of the Month

Source link

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

DOHA, Qatar – Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was the only winner on Tuesday at the Qatar Total Open, moving through a rainy Valentine’s Day to dispatch former World No.1 Jelena Jankovic, 6-1, 6-4, and advance into the second round.

“It was quite a long day, but I’ll take it,” she said after the match. “I’m happy to be one of the first ones done today, and it’s a nice present for myself, as well.”

Pavlyuchenkova came in hot after a run to the Australian Open quarterfinals, completing a career set of last eight appearances at major tournaments. But stormy weather threatened to cool off the big-hitting Russian, who was set to open play against Jankovic, one of the most dangerous qualifiers in recent memory.

“I haven’t such a good start to a season before, but it’s exciting, and I’m just trying to take it tournament by tournament.”

Jankovic had to battle through three rounds of qualifying for the first time since 2004 (Filderstadt), but after a year full of injuries, the 2008 US Open finalist discussed the need for more matches to help ease her back into competitive play.

“I’m feeling good but I need to get my game up there and of course my confidence and just being comfortable in the matches, being in those situations all over again, match in, match out, day in, day out, compete and fight and find my way,” she said on Monday.

Even with multiple rain delays, the Serb ultimately had few answers against Pavlyuchenkova, who hit 23 winners to just 14 unforced errors while Jankovic went 0/5 on break point opportunities.

“I didn’t do much,” Pavlyuchenkova said of how she spent the time between play. “I was just talking with my coach, and some players as well. But I tried not to expend too much energy so I could keep as much as I could for the court. I don’t know how i managed, so I’m happy to finish this match.

“I guess I was calm,” she continued later on in a post-match interview, “and that’s the main thing, to accept the weather conditions. We were both in the same position, waiting for play to resume. I just tried to do my best.

“I haven’t done so well in the past at this tournament. I’ll try to go as far as I can and hopefully I can show some good tennis and have a great result.”

The Valentine’s Day victory reminded her of another from a few years ago at the Abierto Monterrey Afirme, where she fielded a proposal from an excited fan.

“I’d won a quarterfinal match in Monterrey, and he got on one knee with a ring. That was the last thing I expected, but it’s nice.

“At least somebody wants to marry me!”

Up next for the Russian is No.3 seed and reigning BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global champion Dominika Cibulkova.

Source link

Halep Flies Past Doi

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

MADRID, Spain – 2014 Mutua Madrid Open finalist Simona Halep got her outdoor clay court campaign off to a flying start on Court Manolo Santana; opening the night session on Sunday, the Romanian eased past Japan’s Misaki Doi, 6-0, 6-3, to reach the second round.

Watch live action from Madrid this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“It was a good match, a good start for me,” she said after the match. “The first set was fast; I had a good start because I was confident, and practicing very well the last few days here. In the second set, she started to hit faster, and I was hitting flatter than I was at the start of the match. That was good for her.

“I had to make it more of a clay court game, and that’s why I won.

Halep was suffering from the lingering effects of an ankle injury and breathing problems in a stunning loss to Laura Siegemund just two weeks ago in Stuttgart, but exhibited none of those health concerns in Madrid, racing through the first eight games of the match, hitting five aces and 19 winners in the match.

A dangerous floater, Misaki Doi came closest to preventing Angelique Kerber’s Australian Open run back in January – having held a match point on the German in their first round encounter – and leveled the second set by winning three games in a row after falling behind a break. Halep’s coach Darren Cahill took to the court to advise his charge, who brushed off the string of games to win the final four of the match to reach the second round.

Converting six of eight break point opportunities, Halep maintained an impressive 66% first serve percentage and won all four of her points at net.

Awaiting the former World No.2 in the second round will be Italy’s Karin Knapp. Knapp has spent much of the season dealing with a right knee injury, played some emphatic tennis to defeat rising Russian Margarita Gasparyan, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

“I have great memories from two years ago, so the game is ok here. It was a bit cold, but it’s always cold here in the evenings. It was ok, I was playing good and it was a good day for me.”

Sunshine Double winner and former No.1 Victoria Azarenka maintained an unbeaten streak that now stretches to 15 matches (including Fed Cup) with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Laura Robson. A former No.1 in Great Britain, Robson has been off the court for much of the last two and a half years, and had entered Madrid’s main draw with a protected ranking.

Nonetheless, she kept things close against the two-time Australian Open champion – particularly in the first set, where she maintained even footing until the crucial ninth game, in which the Belarusian broke serve to run away with the match. Azarenka’s next opponent will be Frenchwoman Alizé Cornet; though she trails 4-0 in their head-to-head, the last three matches have gone three sets.

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix finalist Laura Siegemund had retired from her doubles match on Saturday citing dizziness, but pushed through another impressive singles result on Sunday, dispatching 2015 Madrid runner-up and No.9 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3. A qualifier in Madrid, Siegemund is currently the No.4 German; should she hold onto that position, she is a likely candidate to qualify for the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She will next play fellow qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, who won a second straight match over Kristina Mladenovic, having narrowly taken out the young French star in a third set tie-break in Charleston. Mladenovic’s countrywoman and doubles partner Caroline Garcia reached the second round when Australian Open semifinalist Johanna Konta was forced to retire in the second set of their first round, citing an upper respiratory illness.

Earlier in the day, 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic captured a thrilling three-set win over qualifier Katerina Siniakova; the No.14 seed emerged victorious out of a titanic final game to win, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. No.11 seed and J&T Banka Prague Open champion Lucie Safarova enjoyed a seamless win over American CoCo Vandeweghe, while Romanian wildcard and former World No.21 Sorana Cirstea continued her charge back up the rankings with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Jelena Jankovic.

Source link