My Performance: Sorana Cirstea
The Romanian reflects after her match at the Miami Open against Monica Puig.
The Romanian reflects after her match at the Miami Open against Monica Puig.
MIAMI, FL, USA – Down match point in the decider, Yaroslava Shvedova produced some of her best tennis to defeat 2008 runner-up Jelena Jankovic in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3).
“It was an amazing match, a battle there on-court,” Shvedova told WTA Insider after the match. “Jelena is a great opponent, a tough opponent, and I’m happy I could manage to play well, relax and enjoy it, which I was missing a little bit for the beginning of the year.”
Snapping a seven-match skid that dated back to the quarterfinals of the China Open in Beijing last fall, Shvedova scored a victory in the matchup for the second time, and now both of her career victories against Jankovic have come in final set tiebreaks; the lone win for Shvedova in the pair’s previous five matches came 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(6) in the second round of the 2009 US Open.
Great return! @Jelena_Jankovic sneaks the first set 6-4! #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/FQDmN1Bimq
— WTA (@WTA) March 22, 2017
In addition, the Kazakh handed the Serb her fourth straight defeat in the first round after Jankovic reached the semifinals in 2013. While the two hadn’t played since 2012 prior to Wednesday’s match, a tough battle was to be expected — the match was the fifth three-set affair between the two players as well.
“She’s a fighter and it’s always been tough to play against her,” Shvedova said. “I was talking with my coach after the match and he reminded me [of their three-setters]. Somehow, our games match-up and it’s not easy to finish quickly!”
In an opening set that went with serve for the first nine games, each player only carved out one break point opportunity and proved particularly successful behind their first deliveries — both won over 70 percent of the points played behind them in the set. However, Jankovic’s second break point chance in the set proved to be vital, as she rifled a backhand return winner down the line to seal the opener in 43 minutes.
The second set was nearly identical in both score and minutes played, but the path to pocketing the set proved different for the Kazakh. Shvedova hit back well in the second, winning over 40 percent of points on return and break twice to wrap up the middle set by an identical 6-4 score and send proceedings to a decider.
.@SlavaSays saves a match point to edge Jankovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3)!
Advances to @MiamiOpen Second round! pic.twitter.com/Bx87UD9el7
— WTA (@WTA) March 22, 2017
With Jankovic ahead 3-2 in the final set, the pair rattled off four straight breaks of serve, the last coming as Shvedova broke the Jankovic delivery to 15 as she served for the match. Facing match point at 30-40, Shvedova reeled off the next three and rifled a forehand winner past Jankovic to knot the set at 5-5.
Trailing by a mini-break in the tiebreak, Shvedova rallied to knot the action at 3-3 before winning the next four points to score the come-from-behind win.
Looking to build on her first win of the year in March, Shvedova advances to face No. 17 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round, against whom she is 2-3 overall.
“My preparation was not good because I got injured in the off-season and I couldn’t practice that well,” Shvedova said about her start to 2017. “I couldn’t get my feeling, my game, my confidence, everything — and I was just going to tournaments trying to get it. It was not easy sometimes, unlucky — now I’ve had some time to rest and relax and clear my mind, [and] I can start to go up from the bottom.”
MIAMI, FL, USA – World No.1 Angelique Kerber took a break from the hardcourts of the Miami Open to hit the hardwood at a Miami Heat game.
The German got the chance to take in the Heat’s 112-97 victory against the Phoenix Suns at the AmericanAirlines Arena, as well as hit some tennis balls into the crowd and rub shoulders with players and mascots.
Tennis anyone? ?? I had so much fun at the @MiamiHEAT game last night! #PHXvsMIA pic.twitter.com/Tba0SRLc91
— Angelique Kerber (@AngeliqueKerber) March 22, 2017
She was also outfitted in a custom Heat jersey, complete with the roster number “1” – fitting for the No.1 player in the world.
Kerber will start her Miami Open campaign against Duan Ying-Ying on Friday.
In the meantime, here’s some of the best photos of Kerber at the Miami Heat game, courtesy of the Miami Open:
Watch the highlights from the first-round clash at the Miami Open.
Despite the disappointing news that Serena Williams will not be competing this year, older sister Venus returns to the scene where she won three of the greatest finals ever contested in Miami.
2001: Williams defeats Capriati 4-6, 6-1, 7-6
Two years after seeing off her sister in the Miami final for the first time, Venus took centre stage again, this time to take on fellow American Jennifer Capriati and yet again those lucky enough to have finals tickets were treated to another thriller.
It was Capriati who started the better, edging a tight opening set 6-4 before Williams roared back to dominate the second set and set up a decider in which she saved a remarkable eight match points before sealing a dramatic victory.
The title marked Williams’ third and final triumph in four brilliant years in Miami but it would be sister Serena who would triumph a year later, beating Capriati to complete a sister double over the New Yorker. They now boast 11 Miami titles between them.
Serena Williams first won WTA Miami 15 yrs ago in 2002, sister Venus Williams first won the title 19 yrs ago 1998!! 11 titles between them pic.twitter.com/cixAx4GBiB
— Chris Goldsmith (@TheTennisTalker) March 21, 2017
1999: Sisters take centre stage for the first time
An historic first meeting between the two most dominant siblings in tennis ended with older sis Venus taking away the honours. This was the first all-sister final since Maud and Lillian Watson contested the 1884 Wimbledon final but it certainly wouldn’t be the last, Serena now enjoying a 17-11 head-to-head against her sister.
On this landmark occasion, however, it was Venus who came out on top over three tight sets, winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
1998: Venus wins teenage tussle, defeats Kournikova 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
Seeded a lowly 23rd in the women’s draw, Russian teenage sensation Anna Kournikova became the first WTA player to defeat four Top 10 players in a single event, the 15-year-old upsetting Monica Seles, Conchita Martínez, Lindsay Davenport and Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario en route to setting up a dream showdown with fellow rising star and 11th seed Venus Williams in the final.
It was the glamour finale that the crowd wanted and there was little to separate the pair throughout, Kournikova racing out of the blocks to take the opener 6-2 with a dazzling array of winners before Williams took the match to a decider by edging a tight second set 6-4.
And with the momentum behind her, it was Williams who eased to victory, crushing Kournikova 6-1 in the final set.
“Sometimes people get on fire, and you have to be able to extinguish that no matter who they are; but I was nervous. It’s like the fifth biggest tournament, so I’m pretty happy about that,” Williams told the NY Times afterwards. “I was able to feel what it was like to win, and I think that will really help me, especially this year. Sometimes you have to make that extra step, so you can make the extra step in the slams.”
Highlights from the clash at the Miami Open between Sorana Cirstea and Monica Puig.
MIAMI, FL, USA – The top 8 seeds at the Miami Open answered fans’ questions via Twitter – was yours one of them?
“How much do you love your fans?”
.@orangegreatness #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/VUKBar2R89
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“If you could have one superpower, what would it be?”
.@popalorena #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/bzRut5rMck
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“What’s your favorite emoji?”
.@Halepenthusiast #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/42FDJNP8tl
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“What keeps you motivated to play tennis?”
.@carnesy56 #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/NXBiNpNJUw
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“Happy birthday, Karolina! How are you celebrating?”
.@AllThingsGenie #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/0apTlCySBQ
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“What’s your main goal this year?”
.@FaabiHola #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/FcV7frPEPn
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“Do you get to hear more Latin music in the Miami clubs?”
.@Erin_clp #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/SACVDRv0fg
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“What’s your favorite thing about Miami?”
.@ballbasher_ #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/2B78SYlQ0W
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“Do you like your fan pages on Instagram?”
.@SilkyPhilippe #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/Bk0Bzi4hVg
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“How do you stay mentally positive?”
.@k9lvCSGO #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/hKdFLpbWqc
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“How long do you see yourself playing for?”
.@tennisaddictdon #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/IESP1cHrAm
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
“What is your favorite holiday destination?”
.@tulasipavan #AskMiamiTop8 pic.twitter.com/WFGmERbExA
— WTA (@WTA) March 21, 2017
The highlights from the first-round matchup between Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Katerina Siniakova.
MIAMI, FL, USA – South Florida’s own Monica Puig took to Crandon Park to have fun with the next generation of tennis stars at the Miami Open Kid’s Day.
The Olympic Gold medalist was joined by ASB Classic champion Lauren Davis and ATP stars Jack Sock and Grigor Dimitrov, as well as legendary tennis coach Nick Bollettieri. Hundreds of kids got the chance to learn tennis from the professionals with interactive drills across eight different stations.
“If you do everything you can and give everything you have, then you’re a winner,” Bollettieri told the kids. “That’s the attitude. No matter the result, you’re a winner.”
Check out the best photos from Miami Open Kids’ Day right here!
– Photos courtesy of the Miami Open