2013/06/18

Vesnina Stuns Ivanovic in Eastbourne

Elena Vesnina

Elena Vesnina

By Ros Satar

 

(June 17, 2013) EASTBOURNE, England -

 

Elena Vesnina def. Ana Ivanovic 2-6, 6-4, 6-3

Elena Vesnina overcame the seventh seed Ana Ivanovic in the first match on Centre Court as the women had to regroup and restart when rain halted the beginning of their match.

 

Ivanovic certainly started well, racing to the first set, but soon after she started to struggle with key aspects of her game – the ball toss and also crucially her first serve deserted her long enough to give Vesnina an all important break.

 

The loss of the second set seemed to deflate the Serb, as she handed over a break at the start of the deciding set on a double fault.

 

The wind was occasionally gusting, sometimes perhaps guiding the odd ball on its way out, and it certainly seemed for a while that the South Stand side was the problem side for both.

 

For a while it looked like Vesnina would defeat herself after delivering a shocker of a game with three double-faults and a lot of frazzled yelling.

 

Somehow, the Russian regrouped, edging ahead before a long, tortuous Ivanovic service game where even the umpire lost where she was.

 

Three match points later – Ivanovic was left to consider what she would need to do ahead of the start of Wimbledon next week.

 

“I think on grass it’s very hard to get rhythm,” she said.

“It’s something that I want to build towards and now hopefully have another few good days of practice before Wimbledon.”

 

 

Heather Watson

Heather Watson

Heather Watson def. Varvara Lepchenko 6-3, 6-4

 

British No. 2 Heather Watson delivered some home cheer in the sunshine, defeating Varvara Lepchenko 6-3, 6-4.

 

Watson gave the crowd a few reasons to utter a collective sigh while serving out the match, having to claw her way back to match point after being a break point down.

 

It just needed the one match point to set Heather on her way in this tournament, putting aside the disappointment of an early exit at the French Open, and only a couple of rounds in Birmingham.

 

“I felt very motivated this week,” she said.

“I was mentally up for this match.”

 

There is still some room, she feels, for improvement saying that she had felt she had not made a lot of returns and could have a higher first serve percentage.

 

Watson, who had to take time out to recover from glandular fever, confessed to sometimes still feeling a little tired, but is looking forward to the grass season.

 

“People don’t think grass matches my game,” she said, “but it’s one of my favourite surfaces.”

 

Kyle Edmund def. Kenny De Schepper 6-4, 6-4

 

There was more British celebration when the junior sensation from Queens, Kyle Edmund, won his first round match against big serving qualifier Kenny De Schepper.

 

There are 360 places between him and his opponent today and he was very happy with his win.

 

“It’s nice to be able to know that I can play at that level,” he said, “but my goal is to play at that level and also have a ranking out of it.”

 

Ros Satar is a British Journalist- an IT journalist by day, and a sports journalist in all the gaps in between. She’s covering the AEGON International this week as media for Tennis Panorama News. Follow her tournament updates on twitter @TennisNewsTPN. She is the co-founder of Britwatch Sports (britwatchsports.com). Follow her personal twitter at @rfsatar.

AEGONInternational

AEGON INTERNATIONAL
Eastbourne, England
June 17-22, 2013
Grass/Outdoors

Results – Monday, June 17, 2013
WTA Singles – First Round
(6) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) 76(5) 61
Elena Vesnina (RUS) d. (7) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 26 64 63
Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 63 62
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Christina McHale (USA) 63 64
Heather Watson (GBR) d. Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 63 64

WTA Doubles – First Round
(1) Petrova/Srebotnik (RUS/SLO) d. Raymond/Robson (USA/GBR) 46 64 105 (Match TB)
Hsieh/Lucic-Baroni (TPE/CRO) d. (WC) Kvitova/Wickmayer (CZE/BEL) 61 64
Niculescu/Zakopalova (ROU/CZE) d. Babos/Minella (HUN/LUX) 64 63

WTA Singles Qualifying – Final Round
(1) Jamie Hampton (USA) d. Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) 62 61
Yulia Beygelzimer (UKR) d. (3) Jana Cepelova (SVK) 61 76(4)
Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) d. (7) Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 76(5) 36 63
Olga Puchkova (RUS) d. Melanie Oudin (USA) 75 36 64

ATP Singles – First Round
F Verdasco (ESP) d [6] A Dolgopolov (UKR) 16 63 62
[7] A Seppi (ITA) d [Q] G Rufin (FRA) 36 63 64
[8] F Fognini (ITA) d G Zemlja (SLO) 67(6) 62 64
A Ramos (ESP) d [Q] J Blake (USA) 62 64
[Q] R Harrison (USA) d P Mathieu (FRA) 64 26 76(4)
[WC] K Edmund (GBR) d [Q] K De Schepper (FRA) 64 64

ATP Doubles – First Round
M Matkowski (POL) / F Nielsen (DEN) d [2] R Lindstedt (SWE) / D Nestor (CAN) 62 63
[3] L Paes (IND) / R Stepanek (CZE) d I Dodig (CRO) / M Melo (BRA) 57 76(5) 10-6
M Klizan (SVK) / M Matosevic (AUS) d D Istomin (UZB) / J Monaco (ARG) 36 76(6) 10-2
P Hanley (AUS) / K Skupski (GBR) d T Bednarek (POL) / P Marx (GER) 26 64 10-8    


Order Of Play – Tuesday, June 18, 2013
CENTRE COURT start 11:00 am
B Tomic (AUS) vs [WC] J Ward (GBR) – ATP
Not Before 1:00 PM
A Cornet (FRA) vs [2] [WC] N Li (CHN) – WTA
[Q] Y Beygelzimer (UKR) vs L Robson (GBR) – WTA
Not Before 4:00 PM
[5] K Anderson (RSA) vs J Benneteau (FRA) – ATP
[WC] J Delgado (GBR) / J Ward (GBR) vs [4] C Fleming (GBR) / J Marray (GBR) – ATP

COURT 1 start 11:00 am
T Paszek (AUT) vs [5] C Wozniacki (DEN) – WTA
J Nieminen (FIN) vs F Lopez (ESP) – ATP
V Troicki (SRB) vs M Klizan (SVK) – ATP
[1] A Radwanska (POL) vs [Q] J Hampton (USA) – WTA

COURT 2 start 11:00 am
[3] A Kerber (GER) vs S Cirstea (ROU) – WTA
M Niculescu (ROU) vs [4] P Kvitova (CZE) – WTA
[WC] S Stosur (AUS) vs [8] N Petrova (RUS) – WTA
J Murray (GBR) / J Peers (AUS) vs F Fognini (ITA) / A Seppi (ITA) – ATP

COURT 3 start 11:00 am
[WC] J Konta (GBR) vs S Hsieh (TPE) – WTA
[WC] E Baltacha (GBR) vs [Q] K Pliskova (CZE) – WTA
D Istomin (UZB) vs I Dodig (CRO) – ATP
R Stepanek (CZE) vs M Matosevic (AUS) – ATP

COURT4 start 11:00 am
K Zakopalova (CZE) vs L Safarova (CZE) – WTA
D Jurak (CRO) / H Watson (GBR) vs [2] L Huber (USA) / S Mirza (IND) – WTA
[Q] O Puchkova (RUS) vs E Makarova (RUS) – WTA
[4] F Pennetta (ITA) / E Vesnina (RUS) vs C Black (ZIM) / M Erakovic (NZL) – WTA
N Grandin (RSA) / V Uhlirova (CZE) vs O Kalashnikova (GEO) / A Rosolska (POL) – WTA

COURT 5 start 12:00 noon
[1] A Peya (AUT) / B Soares (BRA) vs J Cabal (COL) / R Farah (COL) – ATP
[WC] K Edmund (GBR) / S Thornley (GBR) vs [PR] E Butorac (USA) / A Ram (ISR) – ATP
H Chan (TPE) / L Safarova (CZE) vs J Husarova (SVK) / V Lepchenko (USA) – WTA

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Ivanovic, Jankovic and Pennetta Enter Southern California Open Field

AnaIvanovic

Carlsbad, CA (June  13, 2013) – The Southern California Open, a stop on the Emirates Airline US Open Series calendar, has announced that Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, along with Italy’s Flavia Pennetta will be competing in this summer’s WTA Premier 700 tennis event. Currently in its 28th year, the Southern California Open will once again be hosted at the beautiful La Costa Resort and Spa on July 27-Aug. 4.

Ivanovic, Jankovic and Pennetta will be joining 2013 Australian Open Champion, Victoria Azarenka, and 2012 Wimbledon Finalist, Agnieszka Radwanska, who entered the Southern California Open last month, in what is expected to be a strong tournament field.

“We are delighted that these three WTA stars will be playing in the Southern California Open,” said Tournament Director Alastair Garland. “Our tennis fans will certainly be looking forward to seeing Ana, Jelena and Flavia in action during the tournament.”

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Another Late Night Victory for Radwanska, Conquers Ivanovic

Agnieszka-Radwanska-021-405x450

By Ros Satar

 

(June 2, 1013) PARIS – It was another late start for Roland Garros 4th seed Agnieszka Radwanska and from the outset, the games were going to be long rallies on Sunday.

 

Ana Ivanovic’s opening game saw 8 deuces before Radwanska could nail the break, forging ahead to enough of a lead, to give her the first set 6-2.

 

Double-faults seemed to plague the Serb, as Radwanska quickly broke to build up another lead.

 

With the light fading fast, and definitely not enough to last for a third set, Radwanska piled on the pressure, forcing errors from the 14th seed Ivanovic.

 

It felt as though she was trying to match Radwanska in mixing up where she could, but as though she could not quite execute as sharply.

 

And after losing the match on a double fault 6-2, 6-2, there was some honest reflection from Ivanovic in her post match news conference.

 

Ivanovic said: “I think it was maybe my serve and a few loose errors.

 

“There is a point where it’s frustrating and you have to stick through with it at some moments I didn’t and that made a big difference today.”

 

Ivanovic admitted that Radwanska makes you feel like you have to do more to get past her, and that perhaps that made Ivanovic rush – certainly something that could be seen with the number of double faults today.

 

But in comparing herself to the person who won the 2008 French Open, she sees an improvement – and room to grow further.

 

She said: “I am definitely more complete.

 

“It’s just that at the time I had more confidence at the high level and that’s something I put myself in a position to play against these top players.

 

“I just have to break through – I did that in Madrid and I really want to make that step forward.”

 

Radwanska had just been relieved to come through another late start.

 

Knowing that the light would start failing around 9pm, she was more motivated in the last few games to turn the screw, even joking that the first two games taking almost 15 minutes really did not help.

 

One of the highlights of the match was a “tweener” shot, that surprised even Radwanska.

 

She said: “It was the only way to hit that ball.

 

“I had nothing to lose, I just hit it and yeah it was in, so I was surprised a little bit but then excited that I did it.”

 

Perhaps the 15 minute, two-game experience will help – in Radwanska’s last game with her next opponent (Sara Errani), she played over three and a half hours, and had to play the semi-final the next day hardly able to move.

 

She said: “That match cost me a lot of energy and power.

“Like I was saying before I will have to prepare for a lot of rallies, a lot of running and for a good match.

 

“And this is the quarter finals, it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side of the net – they’re going to be someone good.”

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Ivanovic Moves Past Martic

 

AnaIvanovicBNPPOParty

By Ros Satar

 

(May 26, 2013) PARIS – Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic came through a sticky spell to win in three sets against Croatia’s Petra Martic, in her first round match 6‑1, 3‑6, 6‑3.

 

Ivanovic, who has not made it past the fourth round since winning Roland-Garros in 2008, started the more aggressive with an early break.

 

The crowd started to try and get behind Martic, who played a bit more competitively for the next couple of games, pushing with break point chances in the fifth game, but still just not quite able to take them.

 

Ivanovic needed just the one set point to take the lead.

 

It was a better start by Martic in the second set, as Ivanovic’s serve started to falter a little, with the set quickly getting away from the Serbian.

 

Martic looked tight serving out for the second set, starting with a double fault, and handing Ivanovic a lifeline to get to deuce with another one, before finally nailing the set on her second set point.

 

In almost a repeat of the first set, Ivanovic raced ahead to a 5-1 lead, in fairness more down to Martic leaking errors.

 

Martic rallied a little, bringing breaking Ivanovic while serving for the match, but at the second time of asking, Ivanovic sealed the match.

 

Ivanovic said: “I knew I had to step up and be aggressive and put pressure on her.

 

“And I’m just very happy to close that match.”

 

“Obviously it was a bit of up‑and‑down game today,” the Serb added.  I started really well, played very aggressive.  And in the second set I kind of let her back in a little bit.  She started serving better, going for her shots and mixing up a lot of dropshots and slices.

 

“Then in the third set I stepped up again.  Once, you know, I was 5‑Love up she started swinging a little more.  And I still had chances, still played good tennis, I felt.  But I’m really happy.  I managed to close the match at 5‑3.”

 

Ivanovic will face either Chanelle Scheepers or Mathilde Johansson in the second round.

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Sharapova Survives Another Three-Set Match to Move into Stuttgart Final

By Tumaini Carayol

(April 27, 2013) STUTTGART – In a world where the phrase “counterpuncher” has become maimed and warped beyond reason and measure, Angelique Kerber epitomizes the word in its simplest form. The difference between Kerber and the numerous defensive retrievers the phrase is tossed indiscriminately at is clear; while the German too attempts to initiate points with consistency and high margin, Kerber’s ultimate aim isn’t simply to await errors and grind her opponents into submission. In stark contrast, she surrenders the initiative to her opponent in the hope they they will arm her with pace to allow her to attack.

It’s a strange and unique approach to tennis, and made even more bizarre by the manner in which she achieves it. For one, she isn’t even a particularly consistent player. Her faulty technique often leads to both forehand and backhand easily breaking down under pressure, particularly when static. However, her speed deceitfully creates an environment in which her opponents feel it imperative to take risks, inadvertently tossing the advantage straight to German. Conversely, against players who offer her zero pace, the German almost always struggles.

Moreover, conventional wisdom states that players whose strength is to redirect the opponent’s pace are usually armed with pin-point footwork and smooth, seamless technique in order to properly deal with the qualities thrown at them. Kerber, meanwhile, can be found contorting her body into unimaginable positions and taking large and awkward steps that put her only roughly in the direction of the ball. Despite that, over the past eighteen months, the German has proven herself the most spectacular in the world when on the run, with her ability to change directions and create spectacular angles and shotmaking on the run the driving force behind her ascension to the top five.

During the early stages of her battle against Maria Sharapova in Stuttgart, however, such spectacle was far from view. After two lackluster matches which far more readily showcased her mental strength clearly than anything resembling her best tennis, the Russian arrived with much to prove. From the very first game, she attacked with brutal depth, precision and weight of shot. As is often the case with Sharapova, it’s that precision and weight of shot that sets her apart from the crowd rather than her often overrated power, and during the early exchanges, she simply overwhelmed her opponent and left the German incapable of countering or punching in any capacity.

But there was something strange about Sharapova’s start. It was almost as if, after defeating Ana Ivanovic a round earlier, she had absorbed the Serb’s game as her serve and forehand dominated proceedings. It’s no secret that both strokes are so often the undoing of the Russian, so when the forehand did begin to unravel, nobody bothered to feign surprise. Meanwhile, Sharapova’s famously majestic backhand was nowhere to be seen as she alternated between spraying errors and avoiding her backhand-down-the-line at-all-costs, which only created yet more problems. With her trademark weapon missing in action and the rest of her game following in its wake, shortly after securing the first set 6-3 Sharapova was suddenly struggling to win games.

Much of the blame rested on Kerber’s shoulders, however. As Sharapova’s length slowly declined in the second half of the first set and offered the home favorite breathing space, the German snatched her opportunity and began to weave her web, transforming the match from what resembled a one-sided boxing match into a track meet. As is often the case in her matches, the match began to closer resemble a training drill as Kerber expertly used the the angles of the course to force Sharapova on the run, the Russian having no choice but to reply with desperate down-the-line shots. A couple of spectacular Sharapova shots followed, but there’ is usually only ever one victor of such drills, and it isn’t the slow player covering more ground and taking greater risks. As Kerber eased through the second set 6-2 and established a 2-0 third-set lead with seven straight games, it was clear the scoreboard agreed.

It was here that the most interesting moment of the match occurred Down 0-2 in the third set and staring into the abyss of defeat, Sharapova briefly departed from the previous two sets of the match. Suddenly she was rolling her serves in and opted for more topspin and height on her groundstrokes, re-establishing the depth and regaining her timing. Though this brief interlude lasted a mere game, it was enough to right Sharapova’s turbulent ship and send her powering through the following three games. Such an adjustment from the world number two would not happen on a hardcourt.

As the momentum tipped heavily back in the defending champion’s favor, the battle reached its glorious peak. Out of nowhere, both reverted back to what they do best. Sharapova’s backhand finally arrived in Stuttgart as she uncorked an assault of brutish winners from that side. Meanwhile, Kerber desperately and gallantly defended her serve, absorbing and redirecting the immense pressure Sharapova was inflicting on her, and amassing some impressive winners in the process. Against all odds, it was Kerber who emerged victorious in that lengthy game, leveling the match at three-all.

This proved only a momentary set-back for Sharapova,however, as she powered though the following two games to establish a 5-3 lead. Similarly to Ivanovic’s semi-comeback a day earlier, Kerber took her final stand and leveled back the match at 5-5, but Sharapova once again exhibited the resilience that made her a champion as she broke back immediately and finally closed the contest out.

Afterwards, when asked whether she was prepared for a potential fourth straight three-setter in the title match, three words from Sharapova summed up exactly why she has achieved such great and undeniable success over the course of her career.

“Whatever it takes,” she said. “Whatever it takes.”

 

Tumaini Carayol is in Stuttgart covering the Stuttgart tournament for Tennis Panorama News. He is a contributing writer at On The Baseline, and writes about professional tennis at his site Foot Fault.
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Sharapova and Ivanovic Turn Back the Clock in Stuttgart

 

Maria Sharapova

By Tumaini Carayol

(April 26, 2013) STUTTGART – Six years ago, this battle was fought in the penultimate round of the greatest clay court event on the planet. As Ana Ivanovic dispatched forehand winner after stone cold forehand winner, the victor of the duel became abundantly clear long before the final ball was struck.

 

An hour later, with only three games relinquished, Ivanovic had waltzed into her first ever Grand Slam final over Maria Sharapova. The one unarguable implication this demolition exposed was the clear and seemingly immovable gulf in class between the pair on red clay and the superiority it was assumed Ivanovic would hold over Sharapova for years to come.

 

Over the course of those six years, this infallible truth slowly but surely unraveled. Despite arriving on the WTA as one of the most comfortable, natural and eventually best female claycourters on the planet, the years that followed brought more hardships on the surface than anywhere else. Before this week, Ivanovic’s form on clay court had sunk so low that her last quarter-final finish on the surface occurred in 2010. Since then, the faster hardcourts have proved her most successful surface, the quick courts supplying her thinner frame and more timing-reliant forehand with that crucial extra pop.

 

Conversely, Sharapova’s found her greatest early successes as a teenager on the hallowed lawns of England whilst famously dubbing herself a “cow on ice” when addressing her annual clay woes. Since her return from shoulder surgery, however, she has amassed a stellar 43-6 record on the surface as the red dirt has unarguably become. Thus, a gulf between the pair on red clay remains, but it has transformed far beyond logic.

 

Despite that, all that separated the pair on the day was a mere six points as Sharapova barely escaped a resurgent third-set comeback from the Serb, gritting out the match 7-5 4-6 6-4. Meanwhile, a disappointed but satisfied Ivanovic was more than aware of her changing fortunes on clay.

 

“You know, when I got back to play this year. I was training and I really, really was so happy and felt so good on clay,” she said. “And I love performing and it’s my favourite surface. You know, I grew up on it. So I really am really happy I have an opportunity to compete on it again. And I really find my best tennis there.”

 

Though the champion ultimately triumphed, the match serves as an important reminder that, in the game of tennis, only the present matters.

 

Tumaini Carayol is in Stuttgart covering the Stuttgart tournament for Tennis Panorama News. He is a contributing writer at On The Baseline, and writes about professional tennis at his site Foot Fault.

 

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Ivanovic and Petkovic Duel in Stuttgart

Ana Ivanovic

 

By Tumaini Carayol

 

(April 23, 2013) STUTGART – Despite what the order of play suggested, Monday evening marked the true beginning of the Porsche Grand Prix. As Andrea Petkovic and Ana Ivanovic marched the court, it was the first time the spectators filled the stadium to the absolute brim. The first time the sharp intake of one person’s breath was simultaneously mirrored by the rest of the grand stadium. And the first time that even the quietest mutter was met with a flurry of angry shushing noises.

 

It was understandably a highly-anticipated affair. On one side stood Andrea Petkovic who, despite her current ranking, has charmed the German crowds beyond repute since she rose to prominence during 2010 and 2011. Accompanying her was her Serbian friend who herself had enamored the entire tennis world and beyond five nostalgic springs ago.

 

Still, the result was never in doubt. In spite of a two-game interlude which saw Petkovic immediately seize a break to lead 2-1, suffocating the Ivanovic backhand with uncompromising depth before knelling the finishing blow off both sides, any positive play from Petkovic was merely a footnote in a match that was closer epitomized by the four errors in succession committed by the German from the very first point.

 

A smiling but disappointed Petkovic was quick to agree.

“I got a little overexcited and I was too aggressive,” she said. “I was going for the lines and I was missing everything a little. I didn’t really build up the points and Ana was consistent.”

 

Ivanovic once again dealt with her opponent superbly. In addition to serving at 73% and shutting the door on every possible entry back into the match for Petkovic, she was acutely aware of Petkovic’s struggles on high forehand and adjusted by ensuring that, whenever on the defensive, she simply looped the ball up to the German’s forehand and awaited the almost inevitable error.

 

The most noteworthy moment came at 6-3 4-1 to Ivanovic as Petkovic attempted to throw a spanner into the works with a successful net foray followed by an exquisite dropshot to force 15-30 on the Ivanovic serve. Two well-placed service winners and an ace later, Ivanovic had confidently held for 5-1, uncharacteristically dousing out the remaining fire in Petkovic with minimum hassle. That was to be Petkovic’s final stand. Five minutes afterwards, Ivanovic had closed her friend out and moved seamlessly into the second round.

 

For Petkovic, the loss brought immense frustration, but even in defeat she was still able to showcase her trademark sense of humor.

 

“I’m hopeful that everything will come together in the future and I’ll be as good as I was before. And if not, I’m going to shoot myself..I’m joking!”

 

Tumaini Carayol is in Stuttgart covering the Stuttgart tournament for Tennis Panorama News. He is a contributing writer at On The Baseline, and writes about professional tennis at his site Foot Fault.

 

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Ivanovic Surprises Germany In World Group Playoff

Ana Ivanovic

By Tumaini Carayol

(April 21, 2013) STUTTGART – There were few surprises on the first day of the Fed Cup World Group playoff tie between Germany and Serbia. As expected, Ana Ivanovic maneuvered past Mona Barthel in a tight three-set contest that showcased the young German’s knack for producing both the spectacular and the gruesome in equal measure. Similarly predicable was a tough but straightforward victory for Germany’s own number one, as Angelique Kerber outran Bojana Jovanovski to balance the tie precariously at 1-1.

 

As the two number ones took to court on Sunday, first indications pointed to a yet another predictable result as Kerber raced to a 3-0 lead over the former French Open champion. Ivanovic arrived attempting to play her well-known attacking tennis, but struggled to find a sizable chink in the German’s defense Before long, the Serb faced the indignity of possibly falling to a 0-4 deficit and yet another tame loss to a top player appeared likelier with every stroke.

 

A myriad of loopy backhands, a handful slices and a few dropshots later, the first surprise of the weekend arose. Ivanovic suddenly moved further behind the baseline and, seemingly on a whim, decided that the world number five was deserving of none of the pace the Serb had been feeding her with. It’s no secret that – as Sara Errani can proudly attest to – Kerber detests “junk” and struggles when forced to create her own pace. The scoreline also agreed. From 3-0 and break point, Kerber suddenly found herself down 3-4 as Ivanovic flipped the match on its head, opening up a box of tricks that had steadily collected dust since that glorious spring in 2008.

 

From 4-3, a shift occurred, confidence appeared to well up inside of Ivanovic as the aggressive play returned. Though she continued to struggle on her return of serve, Ivanovic attempted to wash away her opponent by returning to the familiar feeling of dominating with her forehand. The times she found herself down break point, she responded by aggressively playing her way out of danger or else attacking before throwing in a well-timed slice to throw her opponent off. Kerber hung on, but the rapidly rising wave of inevitability eventually crashed down. Ivanovic broke in the twelfth game to take the set 7-5, fittingly ending with Kerber struggling to time yet another pace-changer from Ivanovic’s racket and directing a forehand into the tramlines.

 

The second set followed a similar pattern as the pair exchanged service holds during the early stages. Once again, Ivanovic broke at an important moment – the ever-pivotal eighth game – and appeared well on her way to capturing the match up 7-5, 5-3. After scraping back triple break point down, she finally found herself up match point. A big first serve followed, and all that stood between Ivanovic and her first claycourt top five victory was an short backhand. Two seconds later, the backhand was dumped into the middle of the net and ten minutes later the scores were tied at 5-5.

 

The predictable response from Ivanovic after failing so spectacularly on match point would have been a total collapse as Kerber finally burst to life with a slew of her own trademark passing shots. However, in her own words, Ivanovic remained calm and coolly held serve for 6-5. More match points passed by but this time she refused to be affected as she gleefully sank to her knees after eventually closing out a masterclass in playing reactionary tennis and adjusting her gameplan mid-match. Now that – that was a surprise.

Tumaini Carayol is in Suttgart covering the Fed Cup World Group Playoff for Tennis Panorama News. He is a contributing writer at On The Baseline, and writes about professional tennis at his site Foot Fault.

 

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Stosur Building Confidence, Comes Back to Beat Peng

Sam Stosur interview

By Curt Janka

(March 11, 2013) INDIAN WELLS, California – Sam Stosur had to dig deep and come from behind in the third set to beat Shuai Peng 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. Peng may have been a familiar opponent, but the match was much more tightly contested than their lopsided head-to-head record would suggest. Stosur has now beaten Peng all 5 times they have met.

Sam Stosur

Sam Stosur

Asked if her previous record against Peng helped when the match was close, Stosur responded “Not necessarily, but I guess knowing that in the back of your head it does give you a little bit of comfort knowing that, ok, I’ve had success against her. There’s something about my game she doesn’t like and if I can get back to that then I’m in with a good shot.” However, she also added “You’ve got to stay focused on the match at hand. Having won those four doesn’t mean you’re going to win five.”

That was certainly true today when Peng upped her level of play in the second set, grabbing an early lead. Stosur fought her way close to breaking back, but couldn’t convert against her determined opponent.

Shuai Peng

Shuai Peng

Again in the third set, Stosur found herself down an early break. “When I lost serve early in that third, I knew that I really had to step it up,” she said. “I wasn’t playing bad, but I probably wasn’t doing enough. Then I played two really good games to get back on track, and then those last four, which I was really happy with.”

Stosur next faces the winner of a later match between Ana Ivanovic and Mona Barthel. Asked who she would prefer to play, Stosur said, “I’ve played Ana quite a few times—had some success, had some close matches—but I’ve never played Mona. I know Ana very well, I don’t know Mona so much, so I’ll take a little bit of a look at that one.”

Over Stosur’s career, her wins seem to come in patches when her confidence is elevated. This year got off to a rocky start, but it appears that she is starting to accrue confidence, reaching the quarterfinals in Doha and Dubai. The setting here in Indian Wells also seems to add to her comfort level.

“I do feel like I’m in a good spot at the moment. I feel like the conditions here suit my game. I’ve made it to the semis here one time. I do feel like I’ve played really good matches here and I’ve won the doubles as well. I think getting through a mach like today is really important for me.”

On the topic of doubles, Stosur was in that draw as well this year, playing with Lisa Raymond, until they ran into her countrywoman Casey Dellacqua. Asked what it was like losing to another Aussie, Stosur smiled wide and said, “I’m disappointed to lose not matter who I’m playing, but I guess if it’s Case, and she can go through, hopefully they can do very well.”

Stosur didn’t have a steady doubles partner lined up at the beginning of the year, but  she said, “Lisa’s partner that she was signed up with pulled out after Australia, so I said that I would play the Middle East, here and Miami. Now actually we’re going to go through and play the Slams together and a few other events. We’ll play a little bit more and hopefully we can do well.”

More wins in doubles could only add to her growing confidence in singles and bodes well for the rest of the season.

While it was a little cooler here earlier in the week, today was hot and sunny, which seems to be Stosur’s preference. Since spring is almost underway here and summer is just ending back in her Australian home, does she ever get to experience the winter season?

“I don’t typically like the cold too much,” Stosur laughed. “Tennis players follow the summer around the world. This is a really nice part of the year at home in Australia that I’m never home to experience, but this isn’t too bad either.”

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Players Including, Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, Azarenka and Ivanovic Help Break Ground for BNP Paribas Open Expansion

 

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(March 8, 2013) INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – The Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the home of the BNP Paribas Open unveiled its expansion plans expected for the 2014 tournament.

The expansion will include a permanent Stadium 2 that will contain 8,000 seats and two restaurants, additional practice courts, additional parking and moving the TV Production compound.

“We are extremely excited about our expansion and thrilled that the City of Indian Wells had approved the plans,” said Raymond Moore Chief Executive Officer of the tournament. “Larry Ellison’s vision for this tournament has been nothing short of incredible, and the innovations and enhancements he has put forth have benefited fans and players alike. These tournament-specific changes will continue to put this facility on par with the best in the world, deliver an unparalleled experience for fans and ultimately make the BNP Paribas Open better than ever before.”

 

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