Tennis News

Serena Williams will continue her quest for Grand Slam history on Monday as the top half contests the Round of 16. We’re previewing the matchups at WTATennis.com, courtesy of contributor Chris Oddo.

Monday

Round of 16

[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ #52)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 4-0
Key Stat: Williams is bidding to pass Roger Federer for the all-time lead in Grand Slam match wins on Saturday.

Serena Williams waltzed through the first week in New York, dropping a mere 15 games and proving to the field that her serve is on point. The shoulder is fine, the footwork is fine and the game is dialing in. Now, the 22-time major champion moves on to the business section of the draw. It starts with a fifth career meeting with hard-hitting Kazakh Yaroslava Shvedova. Williams has taken all four of the pair’s previous meetings, but one shouldn’t discount the talents of Shvedova. The World No.52 has won all six sets she’s played in New York to reach the second week at a major for the sixth time. She has the firepower to challenge Williams, but does she have the nerve? Approaching 35, and closing in on the all-time Open Era Grand Slam title record, Williams seems more motivated than ever to win. “I don’t know,” she said on Saturday after storming past Johanna Larsson of Sweden. “I just am not ready to throw in the towel yet or just to have enough yet. I’m still having fun out there. I’m still able to compete with the best. I think that’s what matters most for me.”

Pick: Williams in two

[4] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #4) vs. Ana Konjuh (CRO #92)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads, 1-0
Key Stat: Radwanska is one of four players to have reached the round of 16 at all four majors this year (along with Serena Williams, Keys and Suárez Navarro).

The last time Agnieszka Radwanska and Ana Konjuh locked horns, intense drama ensued. The pair battled into extra time in the second round at Wimbledon this year, with Radwanska saving three match points in the final set before winning, 6-2, 4-6, 9-7. Making the experience all the more painful for Konjuh was the fact that she turned her ankle after stepping on a ball at 7-7 in the decider and was severely hobbled at the finish. Less than two months later promising 18-year-old Konjuh has put the past behind her and raced into the round of 16 at a major for the first time in her career. On Monday the youngest player remaining in the draw gets to try to erase the memory of a Wimbledon gone awry. Can she possibly produce the type of tennis that earned her the three match points against Radwanska at the All England Club? Or will the No.4 seed have the perfect gameplan to ensure that Konjuh is kept at bay all day?

Pick: Radwanska in three

[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. [11] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP #12)
Head-to-head: Tied, 5-5
Key Stat: Halep has won 20 of her last 22 matches.

Simona Halep really had to work to get past No.31-seeded Timea Babos on Day 6. Down a break in the third set and playing at a level or two below her best, Halep had to double-down on intensity and grind her way to a win. She did that, despite Babos’ inspired form, and lives to see another day in New York. “I don’t know how I came back,” a relieved Halep said on court after her 20^th hardcourt win of 2016. Will Halep’s narrow escape fuel her belief when she faces the proven veteran Carla Suárez Navarro for a spot in the quarterfinals? “Even if today I didn’t play my best, I played good tennis, good level,” said a confident Halep to reporters. “I was moving very well. I am happy to be back in the fourth round two years in a row, so it’s a good thing.” Halep and Suárez Navarro have gone the distance in each of their last three meetings, and they’ve split a total of ten matches since they first met in 2010. Who will break the tie on Monday?

Pick: Halep in three

[10] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #11) vs. [6] Venus Williams (USA #6)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 1-0
Key Stat: The last time No. 6-seeded Williams was seeded this high in New York was 2010, when she was the No. 3 seed.

Finally, Karolina Pliskova has reached the second week of a major. The hard-serving Czech had been pining for the milestone ever since she emerged as a formidable force among the WTA’s elite at the start of 2015, but in the last two years she’s had nothing but hard luck at the majors. Not anymore. The 24-year-old surged past Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Saturday and will now set her sights on legendary Venus Williams in what promises to be scintillating round of 16 encounter. Two-time US Open champion Williams continued her fine showing in New York by blasting past Germany’s Laura Siegemund, 6-1, 6-2, on Saturday. The American defeated Pliskova in the Zhuhai final last year but Pliskova will likely carry more confidence into this tilt. She has won eight matches in a row, four of which came against members of the WTA’s Top 20.

Pick: Pliskova in three

By the Numbers:

36 – The age of Venus Williams, who is one of just three thirtysomethings (also Serena Williams and Robert Vinci) remaining in the draw.

3 – Radwanska is one of three players that could finish the tournament at No. 1 in the rankings, along with Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber. The Pole will need to win the title to become No. 1.

307 – Matches won by Serena Williams at majors. She’ll bid to pass Roger Federer’s all-time record of 307 on Day 8.

428 – Pliskova leads the Tour with 428 aces in 52 matches this year.

9 – Of the nine teenagers that started in this year’s US Open main draw, Konjuh is the only one remaining.

The last two semifinal spots at the 2017 BNP Paribas Open are on offer today at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. We preview both mouthwatering quarterfinal matchups right here at wtatennis.com.

Thursday

Quarterfinals

[14] Elena Vesnina (RUS #15) vs. [12] Venus Williams (USA #13)
Head-to-head: Vesnina leads, 3-2
Key Stat: Venus Williams has a career record of 111-46 in WTA quarterfinals.

Though she is a tried-and-true veteran, 36-year-old Venus Williams is somewhat of a newbie at this stage of the BNP Paribas Open. Last year Williams dropped her first match in her return from a 14-year absence at Indian Wells, but this year Williams has marched into the quarterfinals, and has her sights set on her first trip to the semifinals at Indian Wells since 2001. Standing in her way will be a Russian on the rise who knows a thing or two about her legendary quarterfinal opponent. “I have so much respect for Venus and Serena; they’re great champions,” Elena Vesnina said after waltzing past Angelique Kerber for the first Top 2 win of her career on Tuesday. “I hope it’s going to be a great match because it’s always an honor to play against her.”

Vesnina owns a 3-2 lifetime edge over Williams, and even owns a win over the American at Wimbledon. But she knows that a big battle lies ahead, regardless of how well she plays. “We’ve had some great battles in the past; she’s won, I’ve won. But it’s a totally different story; it’s Indian Wells and I’m really enjoying my time here.” Will surging Vesnina enjoy another big win or will it be the crowd favorite Williams who keeps her latest dream run alive with a trip to the last four?

Pick: Vesnina in three

[28] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA #26) vs. [13] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN #14)
Head-to-head: Wozniacki leads, 3-0
Key Stat: Mladenovic is the first French player to reach the last eight at Indian Wells since Marion Bartoli in 2012.

By winning the title at Indian Wells, Caroline Wozniacki would return to the Top 10 for the first time since 2015, but she’ll have her hands full just reaching the semis because she is facing a Frenchwoman who is blossoming into a premier singles player. And 23-year-old Kristina Mladenovic has a rankings reward to chase as well this week—if she defeats Wozniacki on Thursday she’ll make her Top 20 debut on Monday. The Saint-Pol-sur-Mer native, who knocked off No.4-seeded Simona Halep in the third round and has not dropped a set all tournament, says she feels like a different player this year because of her improved movement. “I’m more powerful, which means that maybe my groundstrokes are kind of heavier, faster,” she told reporters after easing past Lauren Davis on Tuesday. But Mladenovic knows that 2011 BNP Paribas Open champion Wozniacki will make her work for every ball. “She’s a former World No. 1,” Mladenovic said of the Dane. “She’s coming back in great shape. She has won lots of matches lately. She has great confidence, I’m sure.”

Wozniacki, who moved into third on the all-time BNP Paribas Open win list with her victory over Madison Keys on Tuesday night, is aware of Mladenovic’s rise. “It’s not going to be an easy one-I played a tough one against her in Hong Kong, in the final,” said Wozniacki at the prospect of facing Mladenovic. “I’m expecting another tricky one, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Pick: Wozniacki in three

By the Numbers:

30-9 – Wozniacki’s lifetime record at Indian Wells. Only Lindsay Davenport (47) and Maria Sharapova (38) have more wins than the Dane.

3 – Number of players that reached their first Indian Wells quarterfinal this year at Indian Wells (Muguruza, Vesnina, Mladenovic).

3 – Number of quarterfinalists that have earned double-digit WTA titles. Williams has 49, Wozniacki 25 and Svetlana Kuznetsova 17.

2 – Number of players that have yet to drop a set at Indian Wells (Wozniacki, Mladenovic).

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.14 seed Elena Vesnina served out a gutsy three-set win over five-time Wimbledon winner Venus Williams to win, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, and reach her first-ever semifinal at the BNP Paribas Open.

“I’m in the semifinal of BNP Indian Wells tournament, one of the biggest tournaments. I guess I’m on fire,” Vesnina said in press, calling back to her on-court interview. “I’m enjoying myself on the court, and I’m really happy with my wins here.

“This win today against Venus really means a lot for me. It’s never easy to play against her. She’s a great champion and always fighting till the end.

“I’m really happy that I pulled it out.”

.@EVesnina001 slaps away a forehand winner! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/jzoGGSEBW7

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

Venus was playing at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for just the second time since 2001, and had shown tremendous heart through a pair of tough victories over rival Jelena Jankovic and Peng Shuai to reach the last eight.

On the other side of the net was Vesnina, already in the midst of a career-best run at a Premier Mandatory tournament, who lead the American in their overall head-to-head and beaten her in their last previous encounter at the Miami Open.

“I’ve played against Venus, I don’t know, four times. I kind of knew the way she’s playing, hitting, serving, and today was totally different story. Today she was playing totally different match.”

Taking advantage of the veteran’s slow start, the Russian raced out to a quick 3-0 lead and never looked back in the opening set, winning her sixth set over the former No.1 with the loss of two games or less.

Vintage @VenusesWilliams! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/B577065HNB

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

“She looked tired and slow on the court. Then, all of a sudden, she started moving around, hitting great shots, winners from all over the place. And in this momentum, I kind of lost my rhythm, because I didn’t know what to expect.”

Things only got more tense from there, as Venus made up for a subpar serving day with phenomenal groundstrokes, pushing Vesnina farther back and drawing errors from last year’s Wimbledon semifinalist to help level the match at one set apiece.

Magnificent touch from @EVesnina001! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/Vb24NeZFW4

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

“It was not easy. When she won the second set, I was thinking how I’d seen previous matches where she was down with match point or set point, and I was like, Uh-Oh, it’s happening again. I’m going to be another victim of Venus. I don’t want that. I want to win this. I want this match.”

Shaking off a frustrating first game in the decider, Vesnina buckled down and broke back, winning five of the next six games to tee the Indian Wells crowd up for the tensest of endings. Venus valiantly staved off three match points on her own serve, and held a whopping six break points in the hopes of clawing back even.

Wonderful backhand down the line from @EVesnina001! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/gDT6m78ry6

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

“I was actually very proud of myself, how I held my nerve. I was 0-40 down, but, like, I didn’t even think about that. It was point by point, trying to create a good rally, trying to move her around.

“I was struggling with the first-serve percentage in the end of the third set, so I started serving with a little bit less power, and a bit more pace.

“Couple of kind of big points she gave me unforced error, but I stuck to my game. I was like, ‘I’m never gonna lose this game.’ I was really fighting like it’s the last game of my life.

.@EVesnina001 grinds out a HUGE hold! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/1qPUpMtkzp

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

Vesnina displayed impressive mental fortitude to save all six – including three in a row at 0-40 – to convert her fourth match point and one of the biggest results of her career after two hours and 11 minutes on court.

“Maybe this kind of tactic helped me to win this last game. Because otherwise it would have been 5-4, she would serve for 5-5, and you never know. She could come back again.”

.@EVesnina001 breaks!

Leads 4-2, final set! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/hyB8qHLkHm

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

Employing solid aggression throughout, the Russian finished the match with seven more winners and nine fewer errors than her illustrious opponent, and made 15 charges to net, winning 10.

“I’m a little bit tired. Of course, it was not an easy match, especially mentally, because when you’re set up and then down with a break, it’s never easy coming back again.

Standing between her and the biggest final of her career is No.28 seed Kristina Mladenovic, who stunned another former No.1 in Caroline Wozniacki earlier in the day.

.@EVesnina001 nails the backhand down the line! ? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/QzI4ORdqL1

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

“Kiki is having a great season. She’s on fire. She won her first maiden title in St. Petersburg and then she made final in Acapulco. It’s going to be tough match. We played couple of times, but two, three years ago, and it’s totally different story now.

“I need to think how I need to play against her, because I have couple of thoughts on my mind. She’s a great doubles player, as well. She can come into the net. She’s using the dropshots, slices.

“So it’s going to be difficult match, but on the other hand, it’s very exciting to play the semifinal match here in Indian Wells.”

First Semifinal of 2017!@EVesnina001 battles past Venus Williams 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 at @BNPParibasOpen! pic.twitter.com/KtmBr6NFa7

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2017

But first, the Russian has a doubles semifinal to take care of; the No.2 seed partners with Ekaterina Makarova to take on Czechs Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova after a suitable rest.

“I have doubles coming in few hours. So I need to win that match, and then tomorrow I will be ready for the semifinal. I know how to recover. I’m not the new player on the tour. I know that I need to recover, and how to recover right and fast for that.”

DOHA, Qatar – Unseeded 18 year old Jelena Ostapenko displayed some blistering groundstrokes through a 7-5 opening set in the semifinals of the Qatar Total Open, and was leading by an early break in the second before Andrea Petkovic was forced to retire due to injury.

Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Petkovic survived several long games to take a 5-1 lead to start, but pain in her left thigh and increased pressure from Ostapenko saw that lead slip and the Latvian served out the opening set after winning six games in a row, hitting 26 winners to 17 unforced errors.

“I’m really happy with how I played today,” she said in her on-court interview. “I’m sorry for Andrea that she had to retire. It’s not nice after reaching the semis because she’s great player. I’m really happy that I could fight from 5-1 and win the set.

“I’m really happy to play the finals tomorrow.”

Up next for Ostapenko is No.8 seed Carla Suárez Navarro, who dismantled Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-2, 6-0, in the first semifinal. Into her second career final – and the biggest of her career after she finished runner-up at the Coupe Banque National last fall – Ostapenko beat Suárez Navarro in their only previous encounter, dropping just two games when they played at last year’s Wimbledon Championships. 

“She has been playing great this week; she had some really great matches and I hope I can show my best tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.”

A young woman of few words, the Latvian is poised to crack the Top 50 after an impressive week of wins over Svetlana Kuznetsova and Petra Kvitova, joining fellow 18-year-olds Belinda Bencic and Daria Kasatkina.

“It’s just the start of the career; I don’t think I have anything to celebrate because I still have to play the finals tomorrow!”

NEW YORK, NY, USA – CoCo Vandeweghe enjoyed a productive afternoon, winning alongside first Martina Hingis, then Rajeev Ram, to keep alive her bid for doubles silverware on two fronts.

After a slow start to the tournament, Vandeweghe and Hingis are improving with each match, and against quarterfinal foes Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova produced their most accomplished performance yet, romping home, 6-1, 6-2.

Breaks at the starts of both sets set the No.6 seeds on their way, running their young Czech rivals ragged for the little over an hour spent on court.

“I felt that we always had potential,” Hingis said. “It was just question of being solid for entire sets and entire matches, so it was nice to be able to hold that for 90 minutes today. I feel like my role is almost trying to get her to calm down and make her realize that even a shot with 80% of what she’s capable of is still a damn good shot.

“When you change partners, everybody gets excited. It gives you new energy and new motivation. That’s what keeps you going. I love the challenge. Matches like today that are almost perfect; why wouldn’t you keep going?”

CoCo Vandeweghe is bonding with new partner Hingis (and her vintage hairstyle). BASELINE: https://t.co/LnRqaGhoJA pic.twitter.com/YhOeQy7zfI

— TENNIS.com (@Tennis) September 7, 2016

A tougher test is sure to lie ahead in the semifinals, where they take on Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic, who booked their spot courtesy of a 7-6(3), 6-1 victory the previous day over Sania Mirza and Barbora Strycova.

On the other side of the draw, former champions and No.5 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina take on Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova.

The swiftness of her first outing afforded Vandeweghe the luxury of a longer break ahead of teaming up with Ram to defeat Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Robert Farah in a more taxing mixed doubles semifinal, 7-6(4), 6-4.

In the final the American dup will face Laura Siegemund and Mate Pavic, 7-6(5), 7-5 winners over Chan Yung-Jan and Nenad Zimonjic.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – After the dust cleared from a thrilling fortnight at the BNP Paribas Open, it was two Russians who prevailed in the California desert. Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Vesnina are both vying for their first Indian Wells title, but which will come out on top on Sunday’s showdown?

Here’s 10 things to know before the championship match.

[8] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #8) vs [14] Elena Vesnina (RUS #15)
Head-to-Head: Tied 1-1

1) “Thirty is the new twenty in tennis!”
Vesnina joked about it in her post-match interview, but now the players are starting to believe it.

At 31 years and 297 days old, Kuznetsova was the seventh oldest player ever to reach the Indian Wells final, while at 30 years and 231 days, Vesnina is the ninth oldest.

Also, it’s the second time this season that two players over 30 meet in a final. Last time it happened? Serena Williams vs Venus Williams in the Australian Open.

“Today was big, it was electric!” -@EVesnina001 #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/Ikjd8RDGo2

— WTA (@WTA) March 18, 2017

2) Vesnina is gaining momentum.
It’s been a bumpy road to the Indian Wells final for Vesnina. She opened the 2017 season with back to back first round exits, falling to Alizé Cornet at the Brisbane International and retiring against CoCo Vandeweghe at the Apia International Sydney.

She regrouped at the Australian Open, where she posted a third round appearance and backed it up with a quarterfinal run at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy. Now, she’s through to her first ever Premier Mandatory final at Indian Wells.

3) Kuznetsova keeps consistent.
On the other hand, consistency has been the name of Kuznetsova’s game.

The veteran Russian player has now reached the quarterfinals or better at six of her last eight tournaments: 2016 Tianjin Open (semifinals), 2016 Kremlin Cup in Moscow (champion), 2016 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global (semifinals), 2017 Brisbane International (quarterfinals), 2017 St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy (quarterfinal) and now the 2017 BNP Paribas Open (final).

4) Russians ruling the desert.
With both Kuznetsova and Vesnina through to the final at Indian Wells, they’ve set the second all-Russian final in tournament history, and the first in over 10 years.

The last time two Russians met at this stage was back in 2006, when Maria Sharapova braved high winds to defeat Elena Dementieva 6-1, 6-2 and claim her 11^th career title.

5) Third time’s the charm for Kuznetsova?
After a nine-year gap, Kuznetsova back into the Indian Wells final for the third time in her career. She posted back-to-back finals appearances, finishing as runner-up in 2007 (l. Daniela Hantuchova) and 2008 (l. Ana Ivanovic).

Will she finally go one better and take home the Premier Mandatory title?

#SAPStatOfTheDay: @SvetlanaK27 reaches 40th career #WTA Final! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/30zi68qpwP

— WTA (@WTA) March 18, 2017

6) Vesnina seeking new heights.
In addition to being the biggest title of Vesnina’s career, a win in the final would boost her ranking to No.13 – this would surpass her current career-high ranking of No.15, earned on February 6, 2017 following a run to the St. Petersburg quarterfinals.

7) Full circle moment for Vesnina.
A year ago, a No.86-ranked Vesnina fell in the first round of Indian Wells qualifying. A year later, she’s into the final.

“That was a big turnaround now for me, from first round of qualies and now being in the final. This is a dream,” Vesnina said in her post-match press conference.

“I hope it’s a great example for other players, you know, that everything can happen if you’re believe in yourself, you know that you have the game. Even when nothing is going your way and you’re losing in the first round of qualification, what can be worse?

“Don’t put yourself down and keep building these wins. Because last year, actually, I played a lot of tournaments from the quallies and it helps me. These kind of things give you belief that you’re almost there. Your ranking is not there, but your game is there. I think this is the most important.”

The last player to fall in Indian Wells qualifying then reach the final in their next appearance was Serena Williams (l. qualifying in 1997, won the title in 1999 – did not play in 1998).

8) Marathon woman Kuznetsova putting in the hours.
Kuznetsova has amassed an exhausting seven and a half hours on court throughout the fortnight, coming off a tight encounter with World No.3 Karolina Pliskova and earlier in the tournament posting wins over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Caroline Garcia, Roberta Vinci and Johanna Larsson.

If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because Kuznetsova has made a reputations of gritting through marathon matches throughout her career.

“I haven’t been worrying about two sets or three sets,” Kuznetsova said after her close, straight sets win over Pliskova. “I just feel great, you know, because I have been fighting for every ball.

“If she managed to win one of the sets and then we go for third, I would still be fighting and still playing every ball. If she manages to win me, I would say great job. But it doesn’t change my attempt in the match.”

.@SvetlanaK27 reaches FIRST Final of 2017!

Edges Pliskova 7-6(5), 7-6(2)!

Sets All-?? @BNPParibasOpen Final vs @EVesnina001! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/6M3FjsoqaY

— WTA (@WTA) March 18, 2017

9) But Vesnina’s got her beat.
After fighting past Shelby Rogers, Vesnina took down Budapest champion Timea Babos in three sets, before rallying to upset soon-to-be World No.1 Angelique Kerber and posting another three-setter against former World No.1 and Australian Open finalist Venus Williams.

Her heroics against arguably the tougher draw have accrued her almost nine hours on court – will she be able to recover in time to defeat her countrywoman?

10) Here’s where you can tune in.
Vesnina and Kuznetsova will battle it out on Sunday, March 19 at 11:00 am PST (14:00 EST, 18:00 GMT).

Click here to select your country and tune into the BNP Paribas Open final.