WTA

Voices from the US Open: Day 5

Published

9 years ago

30/08/2014

TENNIS US OPEN – Our Giulio Gasparin has selected the best quotes from Day 5 at Flushing Meadows. Federer, Sharapova, Wozniacki, Venus Williams, Errani, Halep, Lucic-Baroni and Belinda Bencic

US Open: All the interviews, results, draws and OoP

Roger Federer won in straight sets against the holder of the fastest serve in the men’s tour (263km/h!), Sam Groth.

The Australian was more than serve though, and volleying gave a great show on Arthur Ashe stadium.

“Whenever somebody is at the net or you’re at the net, there’s always something of the unknown that’s going to happen a little bit more,” said Federer. “Whereas at the baseline you’re so far away from your opponent that you see it happening.

You have time to react to it. That can become sometimes a bit boring, I must say, as well. Like the big serving can be boring, as well.

“I like the mix of playing these kind of opponents and then totally different in the next match. But got to appreciate, you know, those kind of matchups, because we don’t have them very often anymore, unfortunately.”

In regards of the big weapon of his opponent, he said: “The difference between 142mph and 147, there’s none really in the racquet. I think once you pass the 135mph range everything is just really fast. It’s true, though (smiling).”

He is on a mission in New York, going for the 18^th slam, likewise in the women’s draw Serena Williams is doing the same, but for the Swiss champion there is little in common between them two: “Probably serve about the same speed. That’s about it.”

Maria Sharapova had a tough night match against the women’s holder of world’s fastest serve, Sabine Lisicki, but managed to close in straight sets, proving to be one of the few big names surviving the last couple of days, when Simona Halep, Agnieszka Radwanska and Angelique Kerber all fell.

“Quite honestly, I have to follow my own path,” she said. “Of course, you know, I’m not someone that doesn’t look at the draw. I usually follow the draw. I enjoy watching matches occasionally when I have some time, some free time.

“I did see some of the results. Of course, that’s why we always play the matches. You always have favorites going into the tournament. The reason there’s so many players is because we have to go out and win those matches and compete.

“There’s a reason everybody puts the net up in the morning. It’s for us to go out and challenge ourselves. There have been a few upsets, and certainly happy that I got through today.”

The French Open champion will now play against Danish Caroline Wozniacki, who upset her in New York a couple of years ago.

“I’m happy I finished the match in two sets,” she admitted. “I had a very tough, physical, two and a half hour match a couple days ago, so I was glad I was able to finish this one a bit quicker and give myself more time to recover for the next one.”

A lot of tension, but also great quality were featured in the three sets match between Venus Williams and Sara Errani. The match finished with the bizarre score of 6-0 0-6 7-6 for the Italian, who found two of the best points of the tournament to finish the match.

“I think she played really well,” said Williams. “I think she just played one of the best matches of her life. You know, that’s pretty much what I can say.

“Everybody’s playing well these days. You have to be ready. I mean, the last two points in the tiebreaker she played really flawless tennis.”

Sara Errani was over the moon after this win, though in the tiebreak she was involved in a small incident as she pulled her finger to the lips silencing a very noisy crowd.

“In the 5-4 to go 5-All in the tiebreak I heard the crowd,” she said. “Never hear the crowd like that strong. I was shaking for the crowd. Was unbelievable good.

“I think I will remember forever that moment. Of course in the point after I was nervous. I was, ‘Now you don’t scream’, like if they didn’t scream. But of course the crowd was for her, totally for her. I don’t know why I did like that.”

It was not the day for Simona Halep, instead. The second seed got upset in straight set by Croatian veteran Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, who had to qualify to the main draw and now will compete in her first round 4 after 15 years.

“Everything was in for her,” said the Romanian. “It wasn’t my best day, but still I did everything I could on court. She was better than me today.

“I can say I’m happy for her, because she played and she deserves to win. I wish her good luck for the next rounds.

“She plays really well, and, you know, when you play well you deserve to win. So was her chance today, and she took it.”

The Croat showed up a while later in the press room being still shocked but what she had done, after all the injuries she suffered over and over in her career.

“I mean, it’s amazing. I finally been able to play the tennis that I love the way I love to play,” said the 32 year old. “You know, being really aggressive and consistent at the same time.

“I keep playing better and better each round. Today was against one of the best players in the world.”

She hardly kept the tears from coming when she finally let her emotions out.

“Well, I mean, I’m a little bit emotional now. Sorry. (Crying.)

“It’s been really hard. Sorry. After so many years to be here again, it’s incredible. I wanted this so bad.

“I feel goofy right now. I feel like I’m 15 now. I feel so excited. It’s crazy. I’m 32, but I don’t feel like that. My body is really great. That’s really important. I feel fit. I feel strong in my mind. I feel very excited, even after so many years on tour.”

From a former junior promise, to the current teenage-sensation. Belinda Bencic caused the second biggest upset of the day by beating German Angelique Kerber in straight sets.

The win felt nowhere as good as for the Croat for the young Swiss, who saw this as one more step in her promising career.

“Yeah, it motivates me even more to work harder,” she admitted. “And now not just to be satisfied with it, but I want more. I will do my best that I can reach in all the Grand Slams a good result.”

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US Open 2014 – Maria Sharapova: “I'm not someone that doesn't look at the draw. I enjoy watching matches occasionally when I have some free time”

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Daria Kasatkina Criticises Decision To Not Use Roof At Sweltering Pan Pacific Open

Published

13 hours ago

28/09/2023

Adam Addicott

Image via WTA twitter

Daria Kasatkina has taken a swipe at organizers at the Toray Pan Pacific Open for not using the roof to cover their premier court on Thursday due to the heat.

The Russian played her second round match against Despina Papamichail in temperatures around 30 degrees with the humidity making it feel even warmer. Kasatkina battled to a 6-4, 6-4, win after spending more than two hours on the court. She dropped serve four times in the match but managed to break Papamichail seven times en route to victory.

Speaking on the court following his latest tour win, the world No.13 admitted that she struggled in the conditions and implied that she believed the roof should have been closed to shield the players from the sun. Tokyo, which is where the tournament is staged, has experienced a record-breaking number of ‘extremely hot’ days this year with their autumn season being warmer than usual. Something that some warn could be a more regular occurrence due to climate change.

“We cannot do much about it. We are using the ice towels and some supplements to keep you hydrated. By at the end, you cannot fight with something you cannot control,” Kasatkina commented on the conditions during her on-court interview.
“I think in these kinds of conditions, if you have a roof, better maybe to close it. If you have these opportunities, better to use it than to make players almost die on the field.” She added.

Kasatkina is through to her seventh Tour quarter-final of the season. Awaiting her in the next round will be second seed Jessica Pegula who beat Spain’s Cristina Bucșa 6-1, 6-2, in her second round match on Wednesday. It will be only the second Tour meeting between the two players and their first on a hard court.

Elsewhere in Tokyo, another player to reach the last eight in France’s Caroline Garcia who beat Anhelina Kahlinina 6-4, 6-3. Meanwhile, Anastasia Pavlychenkova defeated Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-0.

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Barbora Krejcikova Does The Double In San Jose

Published

2 weeks ago

17/09/2023

Adam Addicott

After what has been a challenging past few weeks on the Tour, Barbora Krejcikova has returned to the winner’s circle by claiming both the singles and doubles titles at the San Diego Open.

The world No.13 battled to a marathon 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, win over Sofia Kenin in what was a clash of the former Grand Slam champions. Krejcikova was pushed to her limits throughout the two-and-a-half-hour clash with there being no break in the decider until the final game. It is the second singles title the Czech has won on the WTA Tour this season after Dubai and her seventh overall.

“Normally I wouldn’t be here,” said Krejcikova, who received a wild card to play in the tournament “I really want to thank them (the tournament organisers). It was very special. I really enjoyed my stay here.”

Krejcikova’s run to the trophy has also seen her score wins over Beatriz Haddad Maia and Danielle Collins earlier in the week. She is the first player from her country to win the tournament.

Following on from that triumph, the 27-year-old then clinched the doubles title alongside compatriot Katerina Siniakova. The duo beat Collins and Coco Vandeweghe 6-1, 6-4.

Krejcikova came into San Jose on a four-match losing streak which started at Wimbledon where she was forced to withdraw from her secound round clash due to a left leg injury.

“I came here with not really good statistics after my injury, I didn’t actually win any matches,” she said. “So I just came here and I pretty much was hoping and believing that I could get the first win and go from there. It’s pretty special to be sitting here having won [the title].”

It is only the second time in Krejcikova’s career that she has won both the singles and doubles titles at the same event. The first time she did so was at the 2021 French Open where her partner in the doubles was also Siniakova.

Focus

Ex-No.1 Ash Barty Stands By Retirement Decision

Published

2 weeks ago

15/09/2023

Adam Addicott

Ashleigh Barty (AUS) playing against Angelique Kerber (GER) in the semi-final of the Ladies' Singles on Centre Court at The Championships 2021. Held at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Day 10 Thursday 08/07/2021. Credit: AELTC/Jed Leicester

Despite the growing number of players returning to competitive tennis after giving birth, Ash Barty says she is contempt in retirement.

Barty, who is still only 27 years old, stunned the sport at the start of 2022 when she announced her retirement from the sport just weeks after winning the Australian Open. She has won 15 WTA titles during her career with three of them being at Grand Slam tournaments. She also held the world No.1 spot for 121 weeks and earned more than $23.8M in prize money.

The Australian returned to the media limelight on Friday by attending a special event to announce the return of the Brisbane International next year. It will be the first time the tournament has been held since the COVID pandemic with the women’s draw being increased from 32 to 48. However, no such changes will be made to the men’s draw. There will be a record prize money pool of AUS$3.1M.

For those hoping that Barty might have a change of heart and return to competitive action at her home event in Brisbane, they are going to be disappointed.

“I don’t have the time – I don’t have the time to train, I don’t have the time to prepare, and I have so many great memories out on this court, and now I just get to create new memories,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Barty as saying.

“I’m certainly not coming out of retirement. Pat (Rafter) may be more likely than me.”

Earlier this year Caroline Wozniacki announced her return to tennis following a three-year retirement from the sport. Despite playing in only two WTA tournaments beforehand, she reached the fourth round of the US Open where she was defeated by Coco Gauff who went on to win the title. Meanwhile, Elina Svitolina returned to the Tour following the birth of her first child and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon.

Barty has previously said she would like to remain involved in tennis by helping support the rising stars of the game in her home country. Currently, Australia doesn’t have any players in the top 100 on the women’s Tour. In contrast, there are nine Australians in the top 100 on the men’s Tour.

“It’s depth, you have to play at your top level, you have to be consistent across a 52-week calendar to keep your ranking up with the top of the world,” she said.
“I think it’s exciting for the women’s game, it creates hunger, passion and drive for girls wanting to be the best and knowing there’s an opportunity to take that top spot.
“There’s obviously not as many girls in the top 100 as we would like, but there’s plenty coming through that are learning their craft, developing.
“It takes time to understand how you think you can fit in, how you think you can grow into your play. I’m excited for the next five or 10 years to see where they can get to.”

The Australian tennis season will begin on December 29th with the United Cup. A mixed-team competition that will be held in Sydney and Perth. Two days later, the first singles events in Brisbane and Adelaide will get underway.

The 2024 Australian Summer of Tennis calendar

United Cup
Venue: Perth – RAC Arena, Sydney – Ken Rosewall Arena
Group Stage – 29 December 2023 to 5 January 2024
Finals – 6 to 7 January 2024, more details to be announced soon
Category: ATP / WTA international mixed team competition

Brisbane International
31 December 2023 to 7 January 2024
Venue: Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane
Category: WTA 500 / ATP 250
Draw size: WTA – 48 singles / 24 doubles; ATP – 32 singles, 24 doubles

Canberra International
31 December 2023 to 6 January 2024
Venue: Canberra Tennis Centre, Canberra
Category: ATP Challenger 125 / WTA 125
Draw size: ATP – 32 singles, 16 doubles; WTA – 32 singles, 16 doubles

Adelaide International
8 to 13 January 2024
Venue: The Drive, Adelaide
Category: WTA 500 / ATP 250
Draw size: WTA – 32 singles, 16 doubles; ATP – 28 singles, 24 doubles

Hobart International
8 to 13 January 2024
Venue: Domain Tennis Centre, Hobart
Category: WTA 250
Draw size: 32 singles, 16 doubles

AO Opening Week, including Australian Open qualifying (8 to 12 January)
8 to 14 January 2024
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne
Category: Grand Slam
Draw size: Q128 singles

Australian Open
15 to 28 January 2024
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne
Category: Grand Slam
Draw size: 128 singles, 64 doubles