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News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

Kristina Mladenovic was one of the best players yet to win a WTA title. The French star had already taken home major titles in women’s and mixed doubles, but success on the singles court eluded her – that is, until she arrived at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.

Mladenovic roared through the draw in Russia, ousting Australian Open finalist Venus Williams and defending champion Roberta Vinci en route to the final, where she hit a stunning 62 winners to survive an inspired Yulia Putintseva in what will likely go down as one of the best matches of the season.

“I feel just amazing,” she told WTA Insider in her Champions Corner interview. “That was my first title. I lost three finals before that, always playing well but had a better opponent. It’s also a Premier event, so it’s even more special.

“The wait was definitely worth it and if you asked me whether to change the past or something I would probably not because this tournament as a first title is absolutely insane. I’m not saying that because I won it, but I think the atmosphere, the show, the organization, it’s just an amazing event. It’s probably the best WTA event during the season, really. They’re treating us so well and everything is super nice. So to hold this trophy here and have it as my first title, for sure it’s going to stay forever in my best memories heart for my career and maybe more.”

Her breakthrough month continued at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where she stunned good friend and reigning Qatar Total Open winner Karolina Pliskova in the opening round, and ended on another high after reaching the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.

“I’m really a hard worker. I guess all the players are on tour. It’s no secret that to achieve such a high level and get the results, you have to. I’m just very positive, working very hard every day, and having this fighting spirit it helps me to go through these tough moments.”

Looking to build on her career-high ranking of No.26, Mladenovic is your Breakthrough Player of the Month!

Kristina Mladenovic

Final Results for February’s WTA Breakthrough Performance Of The Month

1. Kristina Mladenovic (56%)
2. Elina Svitolina (26%)
3. Ashleigh Barty (12%) 
4. CiCi Bellis (6%)

2017 Breakthrough Performance Of The Month Winners

January: CoCo Vandeweghe

How it works:

Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Angelique Kerber is set to return to No.1 after the BNP Paribas Open, but her focus over the fortnight is finding her game.

Kerber’s return to the No.1 ranking comes after Serena Williams announced her withdrawal from both the BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open due to a left knee injury. The news meant Kerber, who ceded the top spot to Serena after the American won her Open Era record-breaking 23rd major title at the Australian Open in January, would move back up without swinging her racquet.

“I’ve been there already, but at the end, of course it feels good to reach the spot again,” Kerber told reporters at All Access Hour at the BNP Paribas Open, “but for me I came here to really focus not on becoming No.1 or the ranking.

“I was coming here to win matches. This is what I love and this is what I was practicing for the last weeks. This is more what I’m focusing on. I will try and really stay with my focus because this is my priority and I will try now not to think about getting No.1 again.”

Reflecting on her 7-5 start to the season, Kerber believes her best is just around the corner.

“Of course it was so-so,” Kerber said, rating her start. “It could be better. But in the end I’m still feeling good. I’m positive. So I practiced good. I think it’s just one or two matches that I have to win again and then I’m in my rhythm.”

Kerber is coming off her best result of the year so far, a semifinal run at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships two weeks ago, where she lost to Elina Svitolina. The 29-year-old picked up a knee and back injury in Dubai and hopes those problems will not flare up again when she gets back to competitive play.

“After Dubai I went back home and had treatments and everything and I started practicing here again,” she said. “That’s why I came here earlier.

“The knee is fine. I don’t how it is during a match, it’s always different. But for the moment it’s fine.”

A two-time semifinalist in Indian Wells, the German will be looking to snap a four-match losing streak in the California desert, having lost in her opening round the last three years.

Kerber opens her tournament on Saturday against either Andrea Petkovic or Vania King.

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News | WTA Tennis English

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Croatian wildcard Donna Vekic vaulted past American Alison Riske, 6-3, 7-6(3), to book a second round clash with 2015 BNP Paribas Open champion Simona Halep.

“I’m so happy,” she told WTA Insider after the match. “It was a bit tough in the second set, but I got through it.”

A former World No.62, Vekic has struggled with inconsistency since stunning Dominika Cibulkova to win her maiden WTA title in Kuala Lumpur back in 2014. Still, the 21-year-old has show signs of regaining her momentum to start 2017, reaching the second round of the Australian Open and the round of 16 at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy.

“This year, I’ve played some pretty good tennis. My level is definitely there, but I need to be more consistent to have it from the first point. Sometimes you need three matches to get the confidence to play well, because in practice I’m playing great. It’s just a few more matches and I’m sure it’s going to come.

“I feel really fit. I had some practice time before coming here, so I’m hoping I can keep the tennis level up.”

Against Riske, she posted impressive numbers off return, winning 68% of the Shenzhen Open runner-up’s second serve points and breaking the American five times in one hour and 42 minutes – all under the watchful eye of 1997 French Open champion Iva Majoli, the first Croatian woman to win a major title.

“I love playing on big courts and stadiums. This court is amazing; I warmed up on it this morning and it was huge. But I really enjoyed my time out there tonight.

“I was more nervous than I felt before the match, so I didn’t find my game straight away. I was struggling a little bit throughout the match, but that’s because the conditions here are so different. It’s not easy to play here, and playing the American as a wildcard was tough.

“I was just trying to work through the points. I was struggling with my serve in the wind and that’s usually my advantage, how I get some free points. I just had to work through it, stay in the rallies and win the hard way.”

Looming in the next round is No.4 seed and former French Open finalist Simona Halep, who will be playing her first match since St. Petersburg after skipping the Middle East swing to heal a persistent knee injury.

“I’m going to have to play good. But I’m really excited; she’s a great player. I’ve had one match here, and it’s not easy to come out and play your first match. But she’s obvious a great player who has played well here before.”

It wasn’t all bad news for the Americans; ASB Classic champion Lauren Davis survived a Swiss onslaught from Viktorija Golubic, winning, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. Davis next plays No.22 seed Anastasija Sevastova, who is coming off a run to the semifinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Around the grounds, Japanese teenager Naomi Osaka impressed in her Indian Wells main draw debut, knocking out countrywoman and qualifier Risa Ozaki, 6-4, 6-2, to book a second round clash with No.30 seed and former Australian Open quarterfinalist Zhang Shuai.

Shenzhen champion Katerina Siniakova recovered from a set down to defeat the resurgent Mona Barthel, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, while former World No.5 Lucie Safarova kicked off play on Court 4 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena.

Safarova will next play No.20 seed CoCo Vandeweghe, who is coming off a major breakthrough in Melbourne, where she reached the semifinals.

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