Venus Rounds Out Miami Quarterfinals With Win Over Kuznetsova
Venus Williams won a battle of WTA veterans against Svetlana Kuznetsova, wrapping up the Monday night session and snatching the final Miami Open quarterfinal spot.
Venus Williams won a battle of WTA veterans against Svetlana Kuznetsova, wrapping up the Monday night session and snatching the final Miami Open quarterfinal spot.
Laura Siegemund takes on Kristina Mladenovic in the first round of the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
WTA Insider | The latest live blog takes you inside the semifinals of the Western & Southen Open as three of the Top 4 seeds face off for spots in the final.
Tuesday
Quarterfinals
[2] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #3) vs. [26] Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO #29)
Head-to-head: Tied, 3-3
Key Stat: Pliskova and Lucic-Baroni have played three-setters in each of their last three meetings.
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni has already matched her total of Top 10 wins from the previous four seasons by notching three in 2017 and, on Sunday, the 35-year-old will try to make it four when she meets No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova in her first Miami Open quarterfinal.
Pliskova, who is in the Miami quarterfinals for the second time, knows it will be a challenge. She was knocked off by Lucic-Baroni in January, falling 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to the Croatian in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, and their last three battles have all gone the distance.
“She’s always tough,” Pliskova told WTA Insider on Monday after easing past Barbora Strycova in straight sets. “She has a big game and it was close in Australia.”
The head-to-head points to a toss-up but Pliskova comes in as the favorite based on her ranking and the expectations she has set by becoming one of the most lethal players in the last 52 weeks. Now the No.1 Czech, Pliskova is expected to come through these types of matches and she certainly has the game to do it. But how can she keep her veteran opponent off balance so that her blistering groundstrokes don’t take over the match? It’s a task that has proved difficult for many this season and it will be interesting to see how Pliskova approaches playing Lucic-Baroni from a tactical perspective.
Lucic-Baroni, meanwhile, will approach the challenge of facing Pliskova’s game with no fear. She’s playing some of the best tennis of her life – why shouldn’t the fairytale continue?
“It’s always nice when you beat a top player and then beat them again not too long after, so it’s not a ‘fluke,'” Lucic-Baroni said last week in Miami after defeating No.5-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska for the second time this season. “I know people like to say stupid things sometimes. But I don’t pay attention to that. I know I can play some great tennis and that’s really all I care about doing.”
Pick: Pliskova in three
First #WTA Premier Mandatory Quarterfinal!
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni downs Mattek-Sands at @MiamiOpen! pic.twitter.com/h4SjEMPJj3
— WTA (@WTA) March 27, 2017
[12] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN #14) vs. Lucie Safarova (CZE #36)
Head-to-head: Wozniacki leads, 4-3
Key Stat: Wozniacki’s 21 victories in 2017 place her second on tour.
Caroline Wozniacki is back in the last eight of the Miami Open for the fifth time overall and the first time since 2014, and the Dane faces a former Top 10 player on the rise in Lucie Safarova. The Czech secured her first Top 10 win since 2015 when she defeated World No.4 Dominika Cibulkova on Monday in straight sets. If that doesn’t give you an idea of what type of form the 30-year-old Czech is in, consider this: Safarova’s 16 wins in the first three months of the season are already more than she had in all of 2016. She has yet to drop a set this week and has reached the Miami Open quarterfinals for the first time on her 12th career appearance.
Can the southpaw take it a step further and shut down Wozniacki on Tuesday? It will be a difficult task. Wozniacki has won three of her last four against Safarova and is running hot as she prepares to play her sixth quarterfinal of the season. The match will likely hinge on how well Wozniacki can implement her return tactics against Safarova’s serve. The Czech entered the tournament ranked fourth in percentage of service games won this season, while Wozniacki ranked No.6 in percentage of return games won.
Pick: Wozniacki in three
By the Numbers
4 – Number of wins that Lucic-Baroni notched at Miami from 1998 to 2016. She will try to win her fourth match of the 2017 tournament against Pliskova.
22 – Pliskova took over the WTA lead in wins for 2017 with her 22nd win on Monday.
9 – Number of times that Caroline Wozniacki has reached at least the quarterfinal in her last ten tournaments.
16 – Lucie Safarova’s 16 wins (16-6) in 2017 have already surpassed her win total for all of 2016 (15-18).
Caroline Wozniacki had Thursday’s shot of the day at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
NEW HAVEN, CT, USA – Agnieszka Radwanska took a wildcard into the Connecticut Open with the aim of putting the finishing touches on her US Open preparation and build on the momentum that took her into the quarterfinals in Cincinnati.
“I didn’t play that many matches this summer,” the top seed said during her pre-tournament press conference. “This is a great opportunity to have a couple more good matches against good players. It’s always a strong draw here, and I’m very happy to be back.
“As we know, courts are different everywhere. But here, it’s pretty much the same courts and conditions as the US Open, so this is great preparation.”
Looming in the second round for Radwanska could be former World No.1 and longtime friend Caroline Wozniacki, who plays Jelena Ostapenko to start the week.
“I think it’d be a great match before the US Open; she still has one match to win and it won’t be easy against Ostapenko, but we’ll see.
“We’ve known each other since we played a first round together when we were 10 years old. It’s great to have someone like this next to you your whole career since the under-14s, the under-16s then the 25Ks on the ITF Circuit. It’s more fun to know someone for years, but when we’re on the court, we’re opponents.
“When you’ve played so many matches and practices against each other, it’s tough, but every match is a different story, especially with different surfaces and conditions. I think you play each point as it comes.
“I think we both want to win on the court, but we’ve been good friends for so many years, and it’s good to be able to separate tennis and your private life. That’s what we’ve done well, and it’s why we’re still friends.”
Can't wait to see my @connecticutopen fans! Hope you can come out to watch and support me https://t.co/EqlrW74zCv #CTOpen16
— Aga Radwanska (@ARadwanska) August 20, 2016
The match would come at the end of an up and down summer for Radwanska, who suffered through a grueling travel itinerary to get to the Olympic tennis event in Rio de Janeiro only to fall in straight sets to Zheng Saisai.
“It’s always very tricky, especially since you don’t know how you’ll do before or after. You know scheduling will be very tight with everything in a row; that’s why I hadn’t entered here earlier, because I didn’t know how things would go. I didn’t play enough, and that’s why I’m here.
“I think tournaments like this are always very challenging. There’ll be good matches from the first round, and you have to push yourself 100%; it can be pretty hot and humid, and every match matters.”
Still, it has been a solid season for the Pole, who may rue her lost opportunities at Wimbledon, where she fell in a classic three-setter to rival Dominika Cibulkova, but hopes for a strong finish so that she may mount a defense of her BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global title.
“The beginning of the year was good, a couple of big semifinals, and winning a tournament to start the year. My grass court season was disappointing, and so maybe I’d’ve changed that, but it’s hard to play your best all the time. I was playing good tennis last week in Cincinnati, so hopefully I can do the same this week.
“Singapore was the biggest week of my career, with so many big matches. I remember it like it was yesterday. This year I’m fighting to get back, and plenty of players are hoping to be there as well. I think everything is open, and anyone can be there.”
Around the grounds, American wildcard Shelby Rogers played emphatic tennis to defeat Kristina Mladenovic, 6-1, 6-1, while Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova won a battle of veterans to defeat Sara Errani, 7-5, 6-2.
Madison Keys was set to play in New Haven before she was forced to withdraw due to a neck injury:
pic.twitter.com/J9vlowMHwQ
— Madison Keys (@Madison_Keys) August 21, 2016
MADRID, Spain – All of the world’s best players have been confirmed to attend the 16th Mutua Madrid Open, which starts on May 6.
With the exception of the injured Petra Kvitova, the field is as strong as it possibly could be according to the WTA rankings – with the returning Maria Sharapova also granted a wildcard along with four other players, to be announced.
To complete the 64-player main draw for the Mutua Madrid Open, eight players will come through the qualifying stages.
Fifth seeded Simona Halep is the reigning champion in a recent roll of honour that has seen Serena Williams triumph twice (2012, 2013) and Sharapova in 2014. The tournament will mark Williams’ return to action, the former champion having struggled with a knee injury since winning the Australian Open.
The @WTA Stars ⭐️ are coming back to Madrid! ☺️. Complete list of players: https://t.co/npBfnToFP5 ?? pic.twitter.com/mYiZUTRz4x
— Mutua Madrid Open (@MutuaMadridOpen) March 28, 2017
Kvitova is also a two-time winner of the event and tournament director Manolo Santana used the announcement as an opportunity to dedicate a few words to the absent champion.
“I would like to send my best wishes and affection to Petra Kvitova, who is unable to play this year for reasons I am sure you are all aware of,” he said. “I have special admiration for Petra’s capacity to overcome adversity and I would love to see her back here fighting for her third title next year.”
The players registered for the Mutua Madrid Open are:
1. Angelique Kerber
2. Serena Williams
3. Karolina Pliskova
4. Dominika Cibulkova
5. Simona Halep
6. Garbiñe Muguruza
7. Svetlana Kuznetsova
8. Agnieszka Radwanska
9. Madison Keys
10. Elina Svitolina
11. Johanna Konta
12. Venus Williams
13. Elena Vesnina
14. Caroline Wozniacki
15. Timea Bacsinszky
16. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
17. Kristina Mladenovic
18. Samantha Stosur
19. Barbora Strycova
20. Kiki Bertens
21. Coco Vandeweghe
22. Caroline Garcia
23. Carla Suárez Navarro
24. Anastasija Sevastova
25. Daria Gavrilova
26. Timea Babos
27. Irina-Camelia Begu
28. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni
29. Roberta Vinci
30. Ana Konjuh
31. Yulia Putintseva
32. Zhang Shuai
33. Lauren Davis
34. Ekaterina Makarova
35. Lucie Safarova
36. Katerina Siniakova
37. Alison Riske
38. Laura Siegemund
39. Monica Puig
40. Lesia Tsurenko
41. Daria Kasatkina
42. Peng Shuai
43. Alizé Cornet
44. Monica Niculescu
45. Christina McHale
46. Julia Goerges
47. Naomi Osaka
48. Yaroslava Shvedova
49. Misaki Doi
50. Kristyna Pliskova
51. Viktorija Golubic
– Serena Williams has pulled out of next week’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships citing illness. The withdrawal means the Australian Open remains Serena’s only competitive outing of the year.
– Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki are also out of Dubai: The Australian Open champion is still entered in Doha – a Premier 5 event this year – but has withdrawn from Dubai citing an upper right thigh injury. Wozniacki has also pulled out of Dubai citing a left knee injury. The Dane lost to Dominika Cibulkova, 6-4, 7-5, at this week’s St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
– Coach Henin in action: The first snaps of Justine Henin coaching Elina Svitolina in Dubai:
.@ElinaSvitolina & @Justine_Henin out on centre court this morning. #ddftennis pic.twitter.com/bU5rwqOnGE
— Dubai Tennis Champs (@DDFTennis) February 12, 2016
– Venus Williams makes her first final of 2016: The American held off a feisty challenge – is there any other kind? – from Yulia Putintseva to win, 7-5, 6-3, and advance to the Taiwan Open final. She’ll face Misaki Doi on Sunday.
– Belinda Bencic primed for a Top 10 debut: The 18-year-old Swiss phenom will make her Top 10 debut on Monday if she beats Daria Kasatkina in Saturday’s semifinal at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
– Bencic and Kasatkina meet for the first time: Well, at least as professionals. The two 18-year-olds faced off twice in the juniors, with Bencic winning both matches. Saturday’s match will be the first time two 18-year-olds faced off in a WTA semifinal since 2008 in New Haven (Wozniacki, Alizé Cornet).
– Count it: Some great stuff here from Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis on their 38-match win streak (“We’re counting also,” said Mirza) and Hingis has nothing but nice things to say about her former doubles partner, Anna Kournikova.
– Too good, Hev: Heather Watson wins the #TBT sweepstakes this week.
I remember I was SO mad at my mum for making me get the fro out for school picture day (18 years ago!) #throwback pic.twitter.com/zjguFjmWCf
— Heather Watson (@HeatherWatson92) February 11, 2016
– Wozniacki’s woes: Hard courts are supposed to be Wozniacki’s bread and butter. But after a solid clay and grass season last year, Wozniacki has made it past the Round of 16 at just three of her last 13 tournaments, all on hard courts. Her week ended prematurely in St. Petersburg, as she was defeated by Cibulkova in the second round.
– Lyndrea Price speaks to SI.com: The Beyond the Baseline Podcast features Serena and Venus Williams’ sister Lyndrea Price. It’s worth a listen.
– Oh, Donna: Ever wanted to know what exactly a WTA Supervisor does during the day? Introducing Donna Kelso, who has served as a WTA Supervisor for 19 years:
WTA Behind The Tour ? ?
From making OOP's to player services, live a Day in the Life of a #WTA Supervisor!https://t.co/xGRXPUoOSa
— WTA (@WTA) February 12, 2016
Courtney Nguyen, Point: World No.2 Angelique Kerber is in the midst of the most solid stretch of play in a year that has already included so many emotional and career-defining highs. Winning the Australian Open, defending her title in Stuttgart, making her first Wimbledon final, winning Olympic silver for Germany, the milestones have been there to check off.
Heading into Sunday’s Western & Southern Open final, she’s won 21 of her last 25 matches and has made the semifinals or better at four of her last five events.
Kerber has spent the last eight months proving to everyone that she is more than capable of conquering the challenges placed in front of her. The next challenge is simple: Beat World No.17 Karolina Pliskova to win her first title in Cincinnati and become the new World No.1 on Monday.
“I think now I’m showing that I’m really one of the best tennis players,” Kerber said after beating No.3 seed Simona Halep, 6-3, 6-4, in the semifinals. A win on Sunday would make her the first German to hold the No.1 ranking since Stefanie Graf in 1997. “It’s still one match away, but it’s still a match. I will not think about this yet. Let’s see what’s happening tomorrow.
“It’s a new opponent, a new day, and after that we will see what happened, it’s not over yet. Still one match to go.”
Throughout the week, Kerber has met the flurry of questions about the prospect of becoming the 22nd WTA No.1 with a shrug. When she says she isn’t thinking about it, that she’s focused only on the match in front of her, I believe her. This is a woman who has played 10 matches in 13 days across two continents.
During a press conference earlier in the week, she could not remember what day it was. She admits she is tired but her non-stop play over the last few weeks has helped her keep things remarkably simple: Wake up. Warm up. Play a match. Win the match. Recover. Go to sleep. Do it again. It has worked well.
“I came here without any expectation,” Kerber said. “I came here after Rio, after a lot of emotions what I have there. I mean, I had a great week in Rio. I won my medal which I will take home, what was always a dream.
“To come here, I was just trying to play match by match. Not thinking about my draws, my opponents, about nothing. Just going out there trying to win every match, because every match was different here. That’s why I’m really happy.
“I’m not surprised [I’m in the final], but I’m happy to go through it and be in another final.”
Kerber knows Pliskova well. They have not played in over a year but the two battled hard in two finals in 2015, both of which Kerber won in a narrow three sets. Despite her fatigue, Kerber has worked through a tough draw, beating Kristina Mladenovic, Barbora Strycova, Carla Suárez Navarro, and Halep, losing just one set all week. Her win over Halep was her tour-leading 47th win of the year and brought her season record against Top 20 players to 17-5.
“For me, there are no favorites,” Kerber said. “It’s 50/50 always when you go out there. You have to play your best, especially when you’re in the final. So that will be my goal. It’s step by step, and still one more step to go.”
David Kane, Counterpoint: Standing between Kerber and her accession to the top of the WTA rankings is Karolina Pliskova, a player who shrugs off suggestions that hers has been a sophomore slump of a season.
“Everyone is saying I didn’t have that good of a year as last year, but I didn’t have as many big matches, semifinals in Indian Wells and now this final,” she said after a comprehensive win over French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza. “I would say it’s maybe better than what I played last year, where I made a few finals at small tournaments.”
Pliskova played Kerber on two of those relatively smaller stages, twice losing in the finals of tough three-setters in Birmingham and Stanford.
Both matches came in the midst of a busy summer for the big-hitting Czech, who peaked at a career-high of No.7 after winning the Emirates Airlines US Open Series last August, but began feeling the fatigue from heavy scheduling soon after her aforementioned run to the last four of the BNP Paribas Open.
“I was thinking about whether to go to Rio or not, and there were more reasons why I decided to not go, but I think it was a good step for me.
“Last year I played a lot of tournaments, and at the end of the US Open I felt really tired. I just want to prepare for the big tournaments better than I did last year.”
Looking fresher through a winning week at the Western & Southern Open, Pliskova has dropped just one set in four matches, her high-octane game holding up even through the windier conditions that featured heavily in her semifinal encounter with Muguruza.
“With the wind, it wasn’t really easy. I didn’t play how I would love to play. I think yesterday I played little bit better, but the conditions are always different.
“But I was happy with how I played, and so happy with the way how I closed the match.”
Her thoughts on closing out a surging Kerber from reaching No.1 were more complex than most might think, but ultimately showed the steely resolve for which she’s best known.
“I would love to have her as a No. 1 after few years. But I’ll do anything for her to not getting there.”
Photos courtesy of Getty Images.
As we reach the business end of the Miami Open, there’s plenty going on – on court and on social media. Lucie Safarova, Sorana Cirstea and more have been posting their pics!