Tennis News

GSTAAD, Switzerland – Kiki Bertens upset top seed Timea Bacsinszky on Saturday to end hopes of an all-Swiss final at the Ladies Championship Gstaad.

Two Swiss players have never met in the final of a WTA event, and Bertens ensured this statistic remained intact with a 7-5, 7-6(1) win.

Due to the torrential rain earlier in the week, the weekend began with the completion of the backlogged quarterfinals, Bertens living up to her No.3 seed status by making short work of Irina Khromacheva. However, against Bacsinszky she was made to work considerably harder, coming from a break down in both sets to edge into the third final of her career.

“I think the tournament would have loved two Swiss players in the final – so sorry for that! – but I’m really happy,” Bertens said afterwards. “I think we both played a lot of matches in the last few hours, so physically it’s really tough.”

On the other side of the draw, Viktorija Golubic finally halted the run of teenager Rebeka Masarova, keeping her cool to run out a 6-3, 6-2 winner. Along with the weather, Masarova, who was crowned junior champion in Roland Garros last month, has been the story of the tournament, becoming the first player in nearly four years to reach the semifinals on their WTA main draw debut.

Golubic was also appearing at this advanced stage for the first time and managed the occasion with aplomb, surging into an early lead and never looking back. After fending off the threat of a comeback to take the first set Golubic took a stranglehold of the contest with a break in the fourth game of the second before repeating the trick to close out victory.

“I feel great! It was great to play in an all-Swiss semifinal – and for the popularity of tennis in Switzerland it was also very helpful,” Golubic said. “I enjoyed today, I won two matches and feel amazing. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

“I really did a good job mentally this week because I had lots of moments where I felt my shots were not quite there. And at these moments it’s hard to perform and not lose yourself, so this is definitely the part of my game I managed best this week.”

wenn es nur Sieger gibt #WTAGstaad #ViktorijaGolubic #RebekaMasarova pic.twitter.com/w7HKrMhIvR

— Ladies Open Gstaad (@WTA_Gstaad) 16 July 2016

KEY INFORMATION:
Tournament Level: Premier
Prize Money: $846,000
Draw Size: 28 main draw (4 byes)/16 qualifying
Qualifying Dates: Saturday, July 16 – Sunday, July 17
First Day of Main Draw: Monday, July 18
Singles Final: Sunday, July 24, 2pm PDT
Doubles Final: Sunday, July 24, after singles final

MUST FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
@WTA
@WTA_Insider – WTA Insider, Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen
@BOTWClassic – Official handle
Get involved in conversations with the official hashtags, #BOTWClassic and #WTA.

TOURNAMENT NOTES:
· Two-time champion Venus Williams returns to tournament for the 13th time as top seed.
· Dominika Cibulkova, another former winner, is No.2 seed while Johanna Konta is No.3 seed. The 2012 runner-up, CoCo Vandeweghe, Jelena Ostapenko and Alizé Cornet are also in the draw.
· The draw’s highest-ranked player, World No.7 Venus Williams is nearly 20 years older than the lowest-ranked player 16-year-old Maria Mateas.
· Click here to see the draw after it is made on Saturday evening.

WILDCARDS:
CiCi Bellis (USA), Julia Boserup (USA), Maria Mateas (USA), Carol Zhao (USA)

WITHDRAWALS:
Timea Babos (left shoulder), Daria Kasatkina (illness), Mariana Duque-Mariño (gingivoplasty), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (left abductor), Agnieszka Radwanska (right hand), Lesia Tsurenko (left thigh)

GSTAAD, Switzerland – World No.797 Rebeka Masarova’s dream run at the Ladies Championship Gstaad continued on Saturday with a straight set win over No.5 seed Annika Beck.

Delivering another performance to belie her tender years – and lowly ranking – Masarova prevailed 7-5, 6-2 to set up an all-Swiss semifinal with Viktorija Golubic.

Earlier this summer, Masarova tripped up a couple of highly touted rivals to lift the junior French Open title. It was a performance that earned her a wildcard for the WTA’s return to Swiss soil, a chance she grabbed with both hands by knocking out first former No.1 Jelena Jankovic then Anett Kontaveit in the opening two rounds.

Beck had her chances, but despite serving for the opening set she was unable to avoid becoming the 16-year-old’s third Top 100 victim.

“It’s just amazing that I’ve won another match. I can’t quite believe I’ve beaten three Top 100 players so far this week. I think I played a great match against Annika and I hope I can keep this going in the semis!”

Golubic was made to work far harder in her quarterfinal, eventually subduing Carina Witthoeft, 7-6(4), 7-6(4).

The other semifinal will also feature a Swiss player, after top seed Timea Bacsinszky raced past Johanna Larsson, 6-0, 6-1 in just 56 minutes. Her reward is a meeting with No.3 seed Kiki Bertens, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Irina Khromacheva.

Three swisswomen in semifinal! WOW! HOPP Schwiiz! @TimeaOfficial #Golubic #Masarova ????? @WTA_Gstaad pic.twitter.com/fHuR4iJjrk

— Davide Valentini (@DavideLiberista) 16 July 2016

BUCHAREST, Romania – Simona Halep has announced she will not be competing at the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Shortly after winning her quarterfinal at the BRD Bucharest Open, Halep took to social media to reveal her withdrawal from the Games, citing fears over the Zika virus outbreak across South America.

“The reason for my decision is the concern regarding the danger posed by the Zika virus,” was posted on Halep’s Facebook page. “After several talks with doctors and my family, i concluded that the risks are too high for my career and for my health, especially as a woman. Family is much too important for me and I can’t risk not being able to have one of my own after my career in tennis is over.”

GSTAAD, Switzerland – Top seed Timea Bacsinszky finally won her much-delayed second-round encounter against Mandy Minella at the Ladies Championship Gstaad.

After three days spent waiting for the rain to abate, Bacsinszky was clearly intent on making up for lost time, sweeping past qualifier Minella, 6-2, 6-2, in just 55 minutes. In the quarterfinals, the Swiss No.2 will face Johanna Larsson.

“We’ve been quite used to this for the past couple of months in Switzerland. You just have to be patient and you just have to have a good playlist and books with you,” Bacsinszky said. “And I’m also lucky to have a great team with me to help me pass the time quicker, so I don’t feel that I’m waiting so much.

“I’m happy that I was on court today and that I was able to catch the win. For sure it was a really good match for me and I’m looking forward to being on court again tomorrow.”

With the sun finally shining, Bacsinszky made the brightest of starts, a break in the opening game helping her to ease through the opening set.

“I started to be quite aggressive from the beginning on and I showed her that she would have to move me all around the court if she was to get some short balls. I was really focused on that and kept telling myself that if I kept the intensity up things would probably be okay!”

A lot of bang for the buck for the Swiss fans today! #WTAGstaad #SupportTheSwiss @TimeaOfficial pic.twitter.com/8MoHMil4LF

— Ladies Open Gstaad (@WTA_Gstaad) 15 July 2016

There was also plenty of home cheer elsewhere as Bacsinszky’s compatriots Viktorija Golubic and Rebeka Masarova both registered victories. Golubic overcame a slow start to defeat Evgeniya Rodina, 7-5, 6-1, while wildcard Masarova also finished strongly to defeat Anett Kontaveit, 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-2.

“It’s a great privilege to be one of those three players, and also to play the first tournament in 33 years here in Gstaad. Who knows, hopefully we will all go further in the tournament,” Bacsinszky added.

There were busy days for Bacsinszky’s fellow seeds, Kiki Bertens and Annika Beck, both of whom were on court early to complete protracted first-round assignments before returning later on to book their place in the last eight.

No.3 seed Bertens defeated Claire Feuerstein, 7-6(9), 6-1, while Beck, the No.5 seed, eased past Katerina Siniakova, 6-2, 6-1.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka has announced the exciting news that she is expecting her first child later this year.

While recovering from the knee injury that sidelined her for Wimbledon, Azarenka and her boyfriend found out they would soon be welcoming a new member to the family.

The former World No.1, who plans to return to the game at some point in the future, made the announcement on Facebook this Friday.

“The WTA Family extends its congratulations to Vika. There is nothing more special than becoming a parent and we look forward to having Vika with her family back on Tour and winning championships next year,” WTA CEO Steve Simon said.

I have some news for you all ☺️ pic.twitter.com/64Kf90tZF6

— victoria azarenka (@vika7) July 15, 2016

GSTAAD, Switzerland – World No.85 Lara Arruabarrena completed the outstanding first round matches at the Ladies Championship Gstaad with an upset of No.4 seed Caroline Garcia on Friday.

A contest originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon was eventually completed nearly 72 hours later, Arruabarrena emerging with a hard-fought 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4 victory.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever played a first round on Friday before! I was a bit surprised but we can’t do anything because it’s been raining,” Arruabarrena said. “I’ve played in Bogotá before, which is like 2,500 meters [above sea level], so this is not bad – thought it was going to be more tough, let’s say, but it’s okay, I like it.”

Arruabarrena’s experience in Bogotá, where she won the title in 2012 and has reached three subsequent quarterfinals, served her well as the match progressed, taking advantage of the faster conditions to romp through the second set then break decisively at the start of the third. Later on, she is due back on court to take on Carina Witthoeft for a place in the quarterfinals.

“I was expecting a tough match, obviously, and I think I played really well, serving really well. I have to play again this afternoon but there’s not a lot you can do,” she added.

Elsewhere, there was better news for the other three seeds in early action, with Kiki Bertens, Annika Beck and Julia Goerges all registering first-round victories. Goerges, the No.8 seed, was the most impressive, swatting aside Jana Cepelova, 6-0, 6-3, while No.3 seed Bertens saw off Tamira Paszek, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, and No.5 seed Beck beat Marina Erakovic, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

SINGAPORE – Friday marks 100 days until the start of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, and following an exciting, unpredictable and historic first half of the season all is still to play for.

The Road To Singapore leaderboard has started to take shape, with faces fresh and familiar occupying, while defending doubles champions Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza became the first to book their place at the season-ending finale.

At present Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza, Serena Williams, the winners of 2016’s first three Grand Slams, and Victoria Azarenka, who competed the rare Indian Wells-Miami double, are the mid-season pacesetters on the leaderboard. However, with defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska and the in-form Dominika Cibulkova among those in pursuit, there will be plenty of jostling for position as the tour heads for the hardcourts of North America. 

“It has been a truly exciting year for women’s tennis and as we mark 100 days out from the WTA Finals, we have seen different champions crowned at each of the first three Grand Slams this year. The Road to Singapore has never been more thrilling and this is testament to the current depth of the women’s game, as we look to the future of outstanding players rising up the ranks,” said Melissa Pine, Vice-President of WTA Asia-Pacific and Tournament Director of the WTA Finals.

Hingis and Mirza are not the only big names to confirm their place in Singapore: former champion Chris Evert will return as official event ambassador for the third consecutive year. In her role, Evert will work with players and other ambassadors including Martina Navratilova and Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario to promote and raise the profile of the event and the sport in the region.

“As WTA Finals ambassador for the past couple of years, I’ve seen the event grow, and with it, the popularity of tennis in the region,” Evert said of her role. “This has been a great year for women’s tennis and there is so much to look forward to in the coming months on the Road to Singapore as we head towards the big finale. The strength and level of competition have been simply amazing, and I’m looking forward to an exciting eight days of tennis in October!”

This has not been the only off-court development either. To coincide with the 100-days countdown, the second phase of ticket sales was launched, opening up single-session tickets to all matches, including the semifinals and final. Admission to single sessions will range from $16 to $226, and can be purchased on WTAFinals.com.

Elena Vesnina began the season ranked outside the Top 100, but you’d never know it after six months of impressive results.

“I was not putting any pressure on myself going on the court,” the Russian veteran said after reaching her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon. “I know I’m in good shape, I’m playing good. But it’s always tough when you know you’re in a good shape to build your game from beginning till the end and keep playing the same level.

“So I was just trying to be focused on every single game. I was not thinking about my draw. I didn’t see who I was playing next round. I was trying to enjoy myself on the court.”

Building her ranking back up with wins over the likes of Simona Halep, Venus Williams, and Belinda Bencic, Vesnina went farther than she’d ever gone at a major tournament in singles, breaking her second week duck against doubles partner Ekaterina Makarova and blasting into the final four against another in-form player in Dominika Cibulkova.

“I was watching Dominika’s match yesterday because we were going after this,” she said, referring to the Slovak’s win over Agnieszka Radwanska. “It was up and down, Dominika had match points. I knew she had long match.

“Me too. I had singles and we had to play doubles, as well. We finished quite late.

“I think first thing that I was not thinking about being tired. I was just thinking that this is my chance, and I had to use it.”

She certainly used it to full effect in the quarterfinals, dismantling Cibulkova in what might have been the best match of her career.

“I think it’s coming with experience. You really appreciate what you have now. You really enjoying what you’re doing. I love playing tennis. I’m really enjoying my time on the court, and off the court as well.

“I had really difficult beginning of the year, end of the year. I dropped out of the Top 100. I was playing all tournaments starting from qualifications. I had a lot of matches under my belt. It was not easy, to be honest, because I was in Top 30, then I was like No.120 or something.

“I’m really happy that it didn’t break me up. I think the difficult times, every single player has to go through it because it makes you better, it makes you stronger.”

For all of those reasons, Bertens is your Breakthrough Player of the Month!

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

1. Elena Vesnina (62%)
2. Madison Keys (31%)
3. Anastasija Sevastova (7%)

2016 Breakthrough Performance Of The Month Winners

January: Zhang Shuai
February: Jelena Ostapenko
March: Nicole Gibbs
April: Cagla Buyukakcay
May: Kiki Bertens