Tennis News

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – Nao Hibino is back into the finals of an event that kickstarted her career; the No.4 seed dispatched Denisa Allertova, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the Tashkent Open final for a second straight year.

“It’s unbelievable,” she said after the match. “I was nervous, and wanted to make the final at any cost. I focused on every point and it helped.”

Hibino cracked the Top 100 for the first time in her career by taking the title in Tashkent a year ago, and the Japanese star has held onto that momentum in 2016, reaching the final once more without dropping a set.

“I started my Top 100 journey in Tashkent,” she recalled. “I realized what I was trying in my game for the last year has started working here this week. I think the Tashkent Open is lucky for me; I like the courts here because they suit my game .

“I feel like this is my second home and would like to stay for longer. If possible, I could take back home the court from here!”

The ensuing transition onto the WTA tour had been a struggle; after winning Tashkent last fall, she went on a five match losing streak in the spring but showed signs of turning things around at the Olympic tennis event, where she upset Irina-Camelia Begu in the first round of Rio after reaching the quarterfinals in Florianopolis.

“I’ve had tough year on the tour,” Hibino said, reflecting of the time since winning her maiden WTA title. “I didn’t do well at all because it was tough playing very good players when I had no experience and didn’t get the results I was expecting.

Awaiting Hibino in the final is Kristyna Pliskova, twin sister to US Open runner-up Karolina. Pliskova came to Tashkent having already won a WTA 125K Challenger event in Dalian to start the month, and will be a favorite against Hibino, by the Japanesewoman’s own admission.

“I have played against Pliskova twice and have lost both times. I will be the challenger tomorrow, but I will be looking forward to break the Tashkent jinx of a player never having won the title for the second time by winning here tomorrow!

“I hope this second year as Top 100 player will be good one for me and I will have some good results.”

Pliskova was the first to make her Top 100 debut of the sisters, but has been on the outside looking in as Karolina rose to a career-high ranking and beat both Williams sisters to reach her first Grand Slam final. But even as Karolina turned heads in Flushing, Kristyna was plugging away in Dalian with the help of a new coach, and is now into her first WTA final.

“It feels great to be in my first ever WTA tour event final,” she said after beating Kateryna Kozlova. “It was a tough first set; she was playing well and didn’t give me many chances. It was also very cold, and so the balls were heavy. I’ve played her before and knew she’d make some mistakes. So, I waited for my chance; I called my coach at 2-5, and he pepped me up and told me to be calm. That helped me a lot. 

“Before I came here didn’t have too many expectations beyond earning enough points so I can play the main draw at the Australian Open, but this result will take me to my highest ranking.”

Indeed, Pliskova is set to crack the Top 80 for the first time in her young career.

WUHAN, China – No.4 seed Simona Halep slid past young American Madison Keys, ousting the No.8 seed, 6-4, 6-2, to reach the final four of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, and officially qualify for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

Watch live action from Wuhan on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“It was a great match for me,” she said during her on-court interview. “I played really well; I knew she would be very tough because she’s strong and serves really well. But I was moving well and I enjoyed my time on court.”

Halep had won her last three encounters with Keys, including two in 2016, but twice had to battle back from an early break before finding her rhythm and using the American’s power against her to hit 10 winners and 15 unforced errors. Keys, by contrast, managed 17 winners but 24 unforced errors, and found herself unable to break serve after the first set, falling in an hour and 11 minutes.

While Keys’ own chances of qualifying for Singapore took a hit, Halep secured her spot by reaching the semifinals. The Romanian has made it to the WTA Finals every year since the year-end championships moved to Singapore in 2014, when she reached the final and earned her first career victory over then-World No.1 Serena Williams in round robin play; the pair met again in the final, when Williams emerged the winner.

“I knew before the match that I’d qualify if I won today. I’m really happy that I did it. It’s amazing to be playing three years in a row in Singapore. I hope this year I do better than last, that I enjoy my time on court, and that I’m happy, because when I’m happy I play well.

Up next for Halep is either No.14 seed Petra Kvitova, who won a WTA classic to defeat new World No.1 Angelique Kerber, or No.11 seed Johanna Konta, who is in the hunt for Singapore and a Top 10 ranking.

“I'm really happy to qualify for #WTAFinals. It's amazing to play three years in a row!” -@Simona_Halep pic.twitter.com/OLFA9z7sZC

— WTA (@WTA) September 29, 2016

WUHAN, China – Svetlana Kuznetsova came from match point down to defeat Agnieszka Radwanska once again and advance to the semifinals of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.

Watch live action from Wuhan on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Stepping onto court having tasted defeat just once in her previous eight encounters with Radwanska, Kuznetsova had the right to feel confident. In the end, though, she was forced to draw on every ounce of self-belief to close out a thrilling 1-6, 7-6(9), 6-4 victory.

“I was getting better as the match was going on. Aga played well in the first set, but I wasn’t moving so well,” Kuznetsova said. “In the second set I wasn’t playing my best game. But I was trying to stay in there, trying to fight, trying to be smart and turn things around.

“Then I served good in the third set and took control of the game. I don’t know how many match points I saved, I was just trying to play normal points as it was very even. I had some set points, so I was just trying to stay calm.”

For the first half an hour, Kuznetsova looked distinctly second best, Radwanska pulling out the party pieces to pocket the first set. The Pole was unable to sustain this level in the second set and as her level dipped, Kuznetsova got a belated foothold in the match.

However, it still appeared that her efforts would be in vain, Radwanska canceling out an early deficit to serve for the match at 6-5. The Russian chose this moment to up her level, fine winners off either wing earning the opportunity to get back on level terms, which she took when the No.3 seed’s drop shot drifted wide.

Feathery touch from @SvetlanaK27! ? pic.twitter.com/F8Beb1x0pH

— WTA (@WTA) September 29, 2016

The ensuing tie-break contained more drama than many matches, Kuznetsova surging 6-3 ahead, then fending off a match point before rifling a backhand down the line to close out the set at the sixth time of asking.

When she quickly slipped 2-0 behind in the third set, it looked like the effort of dragging herself back into the contest had taken its toll. Yet Kuznetsova had one last push in her, reeling off five of the next six games, closing out the match with 51st winner.

WUHAN, China – Barbora Strycova won the first of two scheduled matches after getting rained out on Wednesday, recovering from a set down to defeat Guangzhou runner-up Jelena Jankovic, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Strycova will play No.10 seed and WTA Finals darkhorse Dominika Cibulkova, who roared past No.5 seed and US Open runner-up Karolina Pliskova, 6-2, 6-2.

Watch live action from Wuhan on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

“It’s great to have the roof because we got to play,” the Czech veteran said in her on-court interview. “I’m very happy to be through to the quarterfinals. It was a very tough match for me, with a lot of ups and downs, but I’m happy to get the win.”

Strycova had reached the round of 16 in her last two Wuhan appearances, but was in trouble early on against Jankovic, a former No.1 overcoming an injury-prone season to reach a final at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open just last week.

“You have to find the motivation all the time if you want to compete and bring a good level. The first set wasn’t really the way I wanted to play. I didn’t move well, so I started to move better, put more balls into the court. That helped me get my rhythm.”

When you can't stand the rain…☔️☔️☔️

…against your window! https://t.co/eOUN40H3iq

— WTA (@WTA) September 29, 2016

Strycova overcame a few moments of frustration to level the match, but Jankovic made a battle of it in the end, saving a match point in the tenth game of the decider, but ultimately succumed on Strycova’s second match point after two hours and 21 minutes.

“At the end, I was able to win a few more points than her, and that made the difference.”

She has her eye on you, Domi.

Pliskova-Cibulkova underway under the roof. Winner plays Strycova tonight. pic.twitter.com/w06RFNJYOC

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) September 29, 2016

While Strycova struggled through three grueling sets, Cibulkova charged past Pliskova in an hour and 15 minutes, dropping just four games to keep her hopes of making her debut appearance at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global alive.

“This was my first match on Center Court against such a big-serving player. It was tough to play but I was really focused, mentally ready, and playing my good tennis. I’m really happy to be into the quarterfinals here.”

The roof remained closed in Wuhan, even as the rain abated on the outer courts.

“Last week, I played in Tokyo in similar conditions, and I play at home under a closed stadium. We’re professionals, so we have to be prepared to play in any situation.”

Cibulkova will play Strycova for the first time, as she aims to earn as many points as possible to remain inside the Top 8 on the Road to Singapore leaderboard by week’s end.

“It’s going to be another tough match, a different one. Two matches in one day isn’t easy, but I want to be ready for it.”