Johanna Konta's Practice Session At Indian Wells
Watch Johanna Konta hit the practice courts at the BNP Paribas Open.
Watch Johanna Konta hit the practice courts at the BNP Paribas Open.
Annika Beck battled back from a set down to oust Eugenie Bouchard from the BNP Paribas Open and book a second-round clash with Kristina Mladenovic.
Watch Simona Halep hit the practice courts at the BNP Paribas Open.
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.”
Good to be back at one of my favorite tournaments ? #BNPPO17 #TeamAngie pic.twitter.com/OiYamDyUCK
— Angelique Kerber (@AngeliqueKerber) March 6, 2017
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.
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.”
.@DonnaVekic puts the backhand away! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/ACj1y5hOwa
— WTA (@WTA) March 10, 2017
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.”
Great defense and winner from @DonnaVekic! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/QuSV6DSwPE
— WTA (@WTA) March 10, 2017
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.”
.@DonnaVekic ousts Riske 6-3, 7-6 (2)!
Faces 2015 @BNPParibasOpen champ @Simona_Halep next! pic.twitter.com/2OhG8NvgIt
— WTA (@WTA) March 10, 2017
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.
.@LaurenDavis93 edges past Golubic 6-4, 4-6, 7-5! #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/ppkWu5vk7z
— WTA (@WTA) March 10, 2017
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.
In today’s SAP Stat Of The Day, Jelena Jankovic is set to make her 16th main draw appearance at the BNP Paribas Open – and make history in the process.
Andrea Petkovic moves into the second round to face Angelique Kerber at the BNP Paribas Open – catch up with more of Day 2 results right here!
Check out this shot from Annika Beck against Eugenie Bouchard in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Venus Williams says it’s superb but strange to be thought of as a trailblazer – and names the legendary Billie Jean King as the woman who inspires her.
In an interview with Forbes, she says: “It’s surreal [to be considered a leader] – but at the same time, it’s extremely motivating to know that people are watching and that it’s improving their work and their lives – so it’s symbiosis.”
The Australian Open runner-up was talking about her dual careers in tennis and in business – and suggested that there are plenty of parallels.
“Absolutely sports prepares you to set goals, to fail and to win in a way that you don’t know when you are doing it,” she said. “Business and athletics really marry each other. I can only see similarities.”
Of course she was asked about her rivalry with sister Serena – and that history-making final in Melbourne in January.
“When we play against each other each other, there can only be one winner,” she pointed out. “When I see her do something great, I want to do better.”