Biel/Bienne: Marketa Vondrousova vs Kristyna Pliskova
Marketa Vondrousova takes on Kristyna Pliskova in the quarterfinals of the Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
Marketa Vondrousova takes on Kristyna Pliskova in the quarterfinals of the Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – 17-year-old Czech qualifier Marketa Vondrousova put together a commanding performance to stun Kristyna Pliskova, 6-2, 7-5 and reach the first WTA semifinals of her career at the Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
Earlier in the week, Vondrousova was named to the Czech Republic’s Fed Cup squad, set to make her debut as the defending champions take on the United States in World Group semifinals. Now Vondrousova’s backed up yesterday’s upset over Annika Beck with a win over a player ranked spots above her to prove why team captain Petr Pala made the right choice.
“It’s so super, because I didn’t even know I could play that good!” Vondrousova said after the victory. “I’ve had a great season so far, and I played qualies here and I’m so glad I made it through and keep playing so good.
“I’m just trying to focus on every match, every point, and just play like I have nothing to lose. I am calm and I feel confident.”
17 year old qualifier Marketa Vondrousova makes first #WTA Semifinal!
Beats Pliskova 6-2, 7-5 at @WTABielBienne! pic.twitter.com/SpAMUXUGBg
— WTA (@WTA) 14 de abril de 2017
Playing in her first WTA quarterfinal, Vondrousova wasn’t cowed by the occasion or by the big Pliskova serve. She set the tone early on, breaking in Pliskova’s opening service game and keeping her under pressure through the match. She brought up 12 break opportunities across both sets and converted five to put away her countrywoman in an hour and 20 minutes.
She joins Anett Kontaveit and Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the semifinals and awaits the winner between top seed Barbora Strycova and No.7 seed Julia Goerges,
Earlier in the day, Kontaveit survived a complicated three-set battle against the fast-rising Elise Mertens to advance 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-1.
Kontaveit was two points away from the match while serving at 5-4 in the second set when Mertens came roaring back to force a tiebreaker and a deciding set. But the Estonian stayed calm to break three times and reel off six games in a row in the final set to shut down the comeback and move into the Biel/Bienne semifinals.
Anett Kontaveit is first through to @WTABielBienne Semifinals!
Outlasts Mertens 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-1! pic.twitter.com/X4US4Co2kS
— WTA (@WTA) 14 de abril de 2017
Also through to the semifinals is Belarusian qualifier Sasnovich, who diffused the fast-paced Camila Giorgi in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
The Italian led by a break in each set – she was up 3-1 in the first and 4-2 in the second – but couldn’t hang on to the lead. Her eight double faults proved costly, coming at crucial times and allowing Sasnovich to break six times during the match.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich reaches @WTABielBienne Semifinals!
Tops Giorgi 6-4, 6-! pic.twitter.com/DcHCt8uZ8O
— WTA (@WTA) 14 de abril de 2017
More to follow…
BOGOTA, Colombia – Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone needed barely over an hour to take down top seed Kiki Bertens and book her place in the Claro Open Colsanitas semifinals, 6-1, 6-4.
The 36-year-old Italian, who is playing in her last season of professional tennis after announcing her retirement plans earlier in the year, will cap off her final trip to Bogota with her first semifinal appearance at the tournament – and her first semifinal of 2017.
.@Schiavone_Fra breezes through the opening set vs Bertens 6-1! pic.twitter.com/2I1ny6kz6r
— WTA (@WTA) 13 de abril de 2017
The semifinals seemed a long way off for Schiavone in the opening set, however, as she started off sluggish and struggled physically with lingering shoulder pains as she dropped her opening service game.
But the former French Open champion drew on all her experience to put it out of her mind and steamroll past a flat Bertens, who was playing her second match of the day after defeating fellow Dutch qualifier Cindy Burger in their rain delayed second round encounter.
Bertens’ normally powerful groundstrokes were missing their bite as she sprayed unforced errors and double faults to keep Schiavone in the match, dropping serve three times as the Italian snatched up six games in a row to comfortably wrap up the opening set.
.@Schiavone_Fra reaches @CopaWTABogota Semifinals!
Beats Bertens 6-1, 6-4! pic.twitter.com/ClrNY8T1WS
— WTA (@WTA) 13 de abril de 2017
The top seed put up a better fight in the second, finding her first serves to keep pace with Schiavone before the Italian came away with the crucial break early on to go up 2-1. Bertens was never able to get it back or put any pressure on the Schiavone serve as they stayed on serve to send the Italian through to her first semifinal of the year.
It won’t get any easier for Schiavone in the next round as she looks to reach her 19th career singles final; up next is the highest seed left in the draw, No.3 seed Johanna Larsson.
Larsson fought past a determined Sara Errani in a tight straights sets encounter to advance 7-5, 6-4 and take the final spot in the Claro Open Colsanitas semifinals.
More to follow…
BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – Fresh off her second win at the inaugural Ladies Open Biel Bienne, top seed Barbora Strycova put her culinary skills to the test, playing sous chef alongside Stefan Beer.
Strycova had just beaten Germany’s Carina Witthoeft in two tough sets, and channeled her signature focus and intensity towards this new endeavor, engaging in the art of plating haute cuisine in a country known famous for its delicious delicacies.
The Czech veteran has had a lifelong passion for cooking, even joking that she may one day trade in her tennis kits for a chef’s jacket.
“Maybe this could be a second career!” she joked.
Check out some of the best photos from the event courtesy of the Ladies Open Biel Bienne, along with a video posted on the official WTA Twitter:
Chef @BaraStrycova in the building! ? #WTABiel pic.twitter.com/yHMn4fOfai
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
BOGOTA, Colombia — Lara Arruabarrena is back in the semifinals of the Claro Open Colsanitas, after surviving a marathon against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
The 2012 champion has reached at least the quarterfinals in each of her five career appearances in the Colombian capital, and returns to the last four for the second straight season after falling to eventual champion Irina Falconi in 2016.
Playing for the first time, the two players traded early breaks in the opening set before it went with serve for nearly the duration, showing off some classic clay-court tennis in the forecourt and from the baseline.
OUTRAGEOUS way to save break point from @KrunicAlex! #ClaroOpenColombia pic.twitter.com/eXnaZjojyq
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
Superb touch from @LaraArrua on the backhand! ? #ClaroOpenColsanitas pic.twitter.com/xWZCOeaq7W
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
After saving two break points in the ninth game, Arruabarrena carved out her first chances on the Krunic serve since 3-3 in the final game, before the Serb double faulted to hand the No.4 seed a one set lead.
Though Krunic picked up an early break in the second, it was a series of four straight breaks of serve that proved to be the deciding margin in the second set. At 5-5, Krunic claimed a lengthy game on the Arruabarrena serve, winning it on her fourth opportunity, before serving out the set comfortably to send the match to a decider.
Incredible forehand on the slide from @KrunicAlex! #ClaroOpenColsanitas pic.twitter.com/AOzpUgktM4
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
After splitting the first two sets in two hours of play, it was Arruabarrena who was the fresher of the two in the decider as she claimed the first five games en route to the two hour, 37-minute victory.
2012 Champ @LaraArrua is back in the @CopaWTABogota Semifinals!
Edges Krunic 7-5, 5-7, 6-2! pic.twitter.com/49la2GAFLT
— WTA (@WTA) April 13, 2017
More to come…
Camila Giorgi stormed back from a set down to stun the No.2 seed Carla Suárez Navarro at the Ladies Open Biel Bienne and advance into her second quarterfinal of 2017.
Top seed Barbora Strycova survived another late push from a rising star to advance to the last eight in Biel/Bienne.
In the latest roundup of off-court action, Angelique Kerber watches a Champions League quarterfinal – and Lucie Safarova just wants to go home.
BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland – Former World No.1 Martina Hingis and fellow Olympic Silver medalist Timea Bacsinszky enjoyed a happy reunion at home, knocking out Diana Marcinkevica and Carina Witthoeft, 6-2, 6-3, in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
“It’s really cool,” Bacsinszky said after the match. “What we have together, we shared so many big emotions and two unbelievable weeks. Those memories will stay with me forever.”
Bacsinszky and Hingis paired up for the first time at the Olympic tennis event, stunning 2012 silver medalists Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka en route to the Gold medal match, where they lost a tense two-setter to Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
???@mhingis and @TimeaOfficial show off their victory dance! #WTABiel pic.twitter.com/AglQe6iiwd
— WTA (@WTA) April 12, 2017
Back together in Biel/Bienne, the pair reunited with the upcoming Fed Cup semifinal in mind; the Swiss team takes on Belarus in two weeks for a spot in their first final since 1998, when Hingis helmed the squad in singles and doubles.
“It was amazing to play again with her here, and great preparation for Fed Cup,” Bacsinszky added, “because you never know, if it’s 2-2 in a semifinal, you’ll want to have some matches under your belt to get the connection back.
“That was important for us, so that’s why we decided to play here. I’m thrilled to play here again in Switzerland with my home crowd!”
The Swiss are certainly looking strong at home. With Hingis and Bacsinszky cheering her on from the stands, Viktorija Golubic extended her winning streak to eight straight matches on Swiss soil, having won both singles rubbers in last year’s Fed Cup semifinal against the Czech Republic, her maiden title at the Ladies Championship Gstaad, and her first round match in Biel/Bienne, a nail-biting three-set win over Volvo Car Open semifinalist Laura Siegemund.
Viktorija Golubic battles past Siegemund 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(3)!
Makes @WTABielBienne Second round! pic.twitter.com/GwWuXaNEnF
— WTA (@WTA) April 12, 2017
All photos courtesy of Ladies Open Biel Bienne.
No.2 seed Carla Suárez Navarro kept up her momentum from Monterrey with a decisive win over American Julia Boserup to ease into the second round of the Ladies Open Biel Bienne.