2013/05/25

Radwanska Prevails over Stephens in Three Sets at Sony Open

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By Amy Fetherolf

(March 25, 2013) MIAMI — “I’m 16 in the world. I can lose in the first round the next two months and I probably would still be top 30,” Sloane Stephens snapped defensively in her press conference after World No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska beat her 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, her glare showing how disappointed she was to let the match slip from her grasp.

Indeed, it looked like Stephens was poised for another big win against a top player earlier in the day. The match unfolded in front of a sleepy Grandstand audience that hardly reacted as Stephens took the first set, 6-4.

Radwanska looked as weary as the crowd in the first set. She became frustrated by Stephens’ pace. She rolled her eyes as she dumped an easy volley into the net, and cursed at herself for missing the lines. Stephens was holding serve easily, putting pressure on Radwanska’s serve, and winning all the big points.

But similarly to how Serena Williams seemed to come back from the brink against Dominika Cibulkova earlier in the day, Radwanska took complete control of the match as if she had flipped a switch, breaking Stephens early in the second set, and she never looked back.

The timing of the breakdown of Stephens’ game seemed to coincide with her coach, David Nainkin’s visit after she won the first set. From that point on, she was almost a different player. Perhaps it was Radwanska who composed herself during the break between sets, or maybe Stephens tightened up, knowing she was a set away from a big upset. Either way, the more experienced player showed resilience on a day when she was not at her best.

Stephens had one more chance to stay in the match early in the second set. Radwanska took a 3-0 lead, and Stephens broke back for 2-3. She was up 40-15 on her own serve to level the set at 3-all, but the determined Radwanska dug in and managed to break for 4-2. Stephens didn’t win a single game after that.

In her post-match news conference, Stephens bristled as she was asked about her post-Australian Open struggles after the loss. She has lost four of her last six matches since Melbourne.

“There’s no specific thing that I’d say has happened or is not happening, but I don’t think it really matters,” Stephens said.

Hard to believe that, given the tone of her words.

Radwanska, who is defending ranking points from winning the title last year in Miami, was pleased to get the win over Stephens.

“I think middle of the second set was very important,” Radwanska said. “I think we had like one or two games were really tight and long. I think it was the key in that match. After that moment I was playing much better and much more aggressive.”

Radwanska will play Kirsten Flipkens next in the quarterfinals.

Pictures from the match:

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Amy Fetherolf‏ is covering the Sony Open as media for Tennis Panorama News (@TennisNewsTPN). She is a co-founder of The Changeover. Follow her on Twitter at @AmyFetherolf.

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Venus Williams Withdraws from Miami

 

Venus Williams flora quarters

(March 23, 2013) Venus Williams withdrew from the Sony Open with a lower back injury on Saturday. She was scheduled to play Sloane Stephens in the third round.

Williams said that on Friday she had some pain and wanted to see how she felt in the warmup.

“Just after my warmup. I just realized that I wasn’t going to be able to be competitive at all today,” she said.

“It’s really disappointing,” Williams said.

“This is just the kind of tournament that, you know, you want to play well at.  But, you know, I have faced disappointments in my life and my career.  It’s not the first; probably not the last.

“Just have to get through it and stay positive.”

Williams spoke about her upcoming schedule: “Well, I’m playing in Charleston, so that’s really still my goal, to get ready to play there.”

“That’s always a concern, but I have dealt with injuries before in my whole career,” she said in reference to her injury. “I feel like also I know how to hopefully recover quickly from them.”

Williams said that she’s available to play for the US in Fed Cup in Delray Beach the weekend of April 20-21 for the World Group Playoff tie versus Sweden.

“Yeah, I’m available,” she said.  “Yes.”

With the withdrawal, Sloane Stephens will advance to the next round to play Miami defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska.

 

Karen Pestaina for Tennis Panorama

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Serena Destroys Pennetta, Venus Edges Date-Krumm in Miami

Serena Williams with Noah Makarome, aged 13 from Wesley Chapel, Dylan O'Brien, aged 12 from Altamonte Springs, Morgan Cooley, aged 14 from Boca Raton and Ashley Kratzer, aged 13 from Juno Beach. Photo by Robin Fenlon

Serena Williams with Noah Makarome, aged 13 from Wesley Chapel, Dylan O’Brien, aged 12 from Altamonte Springs, Morgan Cooley, aged 14 from Boca Raton and Ashley Kratzer, aged 13 from Juno Beach. Photo by Robin Fenlon

(March 21, 2013) Playing her first tournament since reaching world No. 1 again, Serena Williams demolished Italy’s Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-1 on Thursday in the second round of the Sony Open in Key Biscayne, Florida.

 

“I don’t think it was too much rust,” Williams said of her tennis. “I think I missed a few shots, but only because I was off footwork-wise. It’s always just good to win a match and stay in the tournament and keep going.”

 

“It was a little frustration because I felt like I should be putting the balls away for my opponent quick, but she was so quick and she was running every ball down,” Williams added.  I was trying to get myself more pumped up and more energy because I was playing a former ‑‑ I believe she was in the top 10 at one point.”

 

Should Williams win the tournament, she would break the tournament record of five titles, a record she shares with Steffi Graf.

 

“That would be really cool,” Williams said.  “I have a lot of matches to play.  If I can just stay relaxed ‑‑ I really feel like I can do it, but, you know, I’m sometimes my own worst enemy.  I just want to get through every match one at a time.”

 

American Sloane Stephens, who defeated an injured Serena Williams to make the Australian Open semifinals in January, recovered from a first set bagel to beat Olga Govortsova of Belarus 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.

 

“I wasn’t playing that great,” Stephens said of the first set. “I mean, it’s not that I wasn’t playing great.  I was asleep out there.  I definitely just needed to wake up and start playing.
“I thought I played some good points even in the first set when I was, like, not there.  But definitely tough.  A lot of just battling and just hanging in there.”

 

“I was just happy to get through in the end.”

 

“I think after I won a game in the second set I was much better and I thought, I’m just going to go ahead and play,” added Stephens.
“She played actually really well.  It wasn’t all just me, but she was playing some good tennis.
So it was tough in that case, too.  But just, you know, once I got a game, I was like, Okay, now I can play.

 

Stephens will be taking on Venus Williams in the third round.  In a clash of veterans, 32-year-old Venus Williams defeated 42-year-old Kimko Date-Krumm in a very tight contest 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4  which lasted more than two-and-a-half hours in the evening session.  Venus Williams needed 7 match points to close the match. The match was so close that Venus Williams won just two pints more than her opponent – 106-104.

“The toughest part is when you reach the finish line and you’re not able to get across,” Venus Williams said after the match. “Really it’s credit to her as she really hit amazing shots. I was pretty determined out there and one (match point) had to come through if I kept putting myself in that position.”

 

Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland took out Taiwan’s Su-Wei Hsieh 6-3, 6-2 in the second round.

 

“Just very happy to have a quick match,” Radwanska said. “The first match is always a little bit tough and tricky.”

 

“I was really trying to focus on my serve especially.  You know, against the wind it’s a little bit difficult.  Really tried to stay close to the baseline to be strong, as well.
“And I think that was the key.”

Tenth seed Marion Bartoli was forced to retire from her match with Andrea Petkovic with a left foot injury.

On the men’s side,  Bernard Tomic  earned second round meeting with second seed Andy Murray after beating qualifier Marc Gicquel 7-5, 7-6(3) on Thursday afternoon. Jarkko Nieminen came back to beat David Nalbandian 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

 

Other winners on the day included Viktor Troicki, Yen-Hsun Lu, Santiago Giraldo,.Alejandro Falla, Daniel Gimeno-Traver, Olivier Rochus and Guillaume Rufin.

More to follow…

 

Results so far for Thursday, March 21, 2013

 

WTA Singles – Second Round
[1] S Williams (USA) d. F Pennetta (ITA) 61 61
[4] A Radwanska (POL) d. S Hsieh (TPE) 63 62
[5] N Li (CHN) d. K Bertens (NED) 63 61
[7] P Kvitova (CZE) d. S Peng (CHN) 57 62 62
[9] C Wozniacki (DEN) d. [Q] K Pliskova (CZE) 57 63 63
[WC] A Petkovic (GER) d. [10] M Bartoli (FRA) 63 41 ret. (left foot)
[13] D Cibulkova (SVK) d. K Mladenovic (FRA) 62 63
[16] S Stephens (USA) d. O Govortsova (BLR) 06 64 64
R Oprandi (SUI) d. [17] L Safarova (CZE) 76(4) 46 76(5)
[19] V Williams (USA) d. K Date-Krumm (JPN) 76(3) 36 64
[WC] G Muguruza (ESP) d. [23] A Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 46 62 62
[WC] A Tomljanovic (CRO) d. [24] J Goerges (GER) 76(4) 62
[25] V Lepchenko (USA) d. I Begu (ROU) 63 64
M Rybarikova (SVK) d. [27] M Barthel (GER) 63 76(5)
[30] K Flipkens (BEL) d. [Q] S Voegele (SUI) 64 62
A Morita (JPN) d. [31] Y Wickmayer (BEL) 76(2) 26 63

ATP Singles – First Round
B Tomic (AUS) d. [Q] M Gicquel (FRA) 75 76(3)
J Nieminen (FIN) d. D Nalbandian (ARG) 26 64 63
T Bellucci (BRA) d.*[LL] D Brands (GER) 26 64 62
Y Lu (TPE) d. [Q] R Ginepri (USA) 63 61
S Bolelli (ITA) d. J Levine (CAN) 46 63 76(4)
D Gimeno-Traver (ESP) d. D Istomin (UZB) 62 64
S Giraldo (COL) d. [WC] R Williams (USA) 62 64
V Troicki (SRB) d. P Andujar (ESP) 62 63
[Q] G Rufin (FRA) d. [Q] M Copil (ROU) 64 46 61
L Kubot (POL) d. [Q] F Dancevic (CAN) 46 64 63
[WC] G Pella (ARG) d. C Berlocq (ARG) 21 ret. (left knee)
[Q] O Rochus (BEL) d. T Ito (JPN) 46 64 31 ret. (cramping)
D Goffin (BEL) d. R Haase (NED) 76(4) 36 61
I Dodig (CRO) d. L Lacko (SVK) 46 60 64
A Bedene (SLO) d. B Becker (GER) 64 63
A Falla (COL) d. G Soeda (JPN) 75 61
WTA Doubles – First Round
[WC] L Raymond (USA) / L Robson (GBR) d. [6] R Kops-Jones (USA) / A Spears (USA) 75 62
[8] J Goerges (GER) / Y Shvedova (KAZ) d. D Jurak (CRO) / K Marosi (HUN) 26 75 10-8
D Hantuchova (SVK) / A Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. [WC] M Keys (USA) / A Tomljanovic (CRO) 62 63
A Groenefeld (GER) / P Martic (CRO) d. V King (USA) / M Niculescu (ROU) 26 62 11-9
T Babos (HUN) / M Minella (LUX) d. L Dekmeijere (LAT) / O Govortsova (BLR) 62 62
S Hsieh (TPE) / S Peng (CHN) d. M Lucic-Baroni (CRO) / J Zheng (CHN) 16 62 10-6

ATP Doubles – First Round
[5] A Qureshi (PAK) / J Rojer (NED) d. J Janowicz (POL) / F Mayer (GER) 46 64 10-6
[7] M Llodra (FRA) / L Paes (IND) d. C Kas (GER) / P Kohlschreiber (GER) 63 75
N Almagro (ESP) / O Marach (AUT) d. J Cabal (COL) / S Gonzalez (MEX) 63 64
T Huey (PHI) / D Inglot (GBR) d. J Isner (USA) / S Querrey (USA) 64 63
SCHEDULE – FRIDAY, 22 MARCH, 2013

STADIUM start 11:00 am
[WC] M Keys (USA) vs [2] V Azarenka (BLR) – WTA
[3] D Ferrer (ESP) vs [Q] D Tursunov (RUS) – ATP

Not Before 3:00 PM
T Kamke (GER) vs [5] J Del Potro (ARG) – ATP

Not Before 5:00 PM
[WC] E Bouchard (CAN) vs [3] M Sharapova (RUS) – WTA

Starting at 8:00 PM
[1] N Djokovic (SRB) vs L Rosol (CZE) – ATP
[8] S Errani (ITA) vs D Hantuchova (SVK) – WTA

GRANDSTAND start 11:00 am
[18] E Makarova (RUS) vs S Kuznetsova (RUS) – WTA
[WC] J Blake (USA) vs [24] J Benneteau (FRA) – ATP
[19] A Dolgopolov (UKR) vs N Davydenko (RUS) – ATP
[11] G Simon (FRA) vs [WC] L Hewitt (AUS) – ATP

Not Before 5:00 PM
[22] J Jankovic (SRB) vs [WC] V Duval (USA) – WTA

COURT 1 start 11:00 am
I Sijsling (NED) vs [15] T Haas (GER) – ATP
[6] A Kerber (GER) vs F Schiavone (ITA) – WTA
[14] M Kirilenko (RUS) vs [Q] B Mattek-Sands (USA) – WTA
U Radwanska (POL) vs [12] A Ivanovic (SRB) – WTA

Not Before 6:00 PM
[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) vs M Mirnyi (BLR) / M Youzhny (RUS) – ATP

COURT 2 start 11:00 am
[15] R Vinci (ITA) vs C Mchale (USA) – WTA
[12] J Monaco (ARG) vs A Ramos (ESP) – ATP
[Q] D Sela (ISR) vs [7] J Tipsarevic (SRB) – ATP
[6] A Peya (AUT) / B Soares (BRA) vs D Marrero (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) – ATP

Not Before 5:00 PM
S Devvarman (IND) vs [30] F Lopez (ESP) – ATP

COURT 3 start 11:00 am
J Hampton (USA) vs [20] C Suarez Navarro (ESP) – WTA
M Llodra (FRA) vs [32] F Fognini (ITA) – ATP
[32] A Cornet (FRA) vs L Robson (GBR) – WTA
[26] K Anderson (RSA) vs H Zeballos (ARG) – ATP

COURT 6 start 11:00 am
V Hanescu (ROU) vs [13] K Nishikori (JPN) – ATP
A Medina Garrigues (ESP) vs [21] K Zakopalova (CZE) – WTA
J Zheng (CHN) vs [11] N Petrova (RUS) – WTA
[4] E Makarova (RUS) / E Vesnina (RUS) vs N Grandin (RSA) / V Uhlirova (CZE) – WTA

COURT 7 start 11:00 am
[22] J Chardy (FRA) vs X Malisse (BEL) – ATP
[31] M Granollers (ESP) vs J Melzer (AUT) – ATP
S Halep (ROU) vs [26] T Paszek (AUT) – WTA
[WC] S Kuznetsova (RUS) / F Pennetta (ITA) vs [2] A Hlavackova (CZE) / L Hradecka (CZE) – WTA

Not Before 4:00 PM
[WC] C Harrison (USA) / R Harrison (USA) vs G Dimitrov (BUL) / F Nielsen (DEN) – ATP

COURT 8 start 11:00 am
[29] E Vesnina (RUS) vs [Q] D Vekic (CRO) – WTA
G Zemlja (SLO) vs [23] F Mayer (GER) – ATP
[Q] S Soler-Espinosa (ESP) vs [28] S Cirstea (ROU) – WTA
A Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) / L Safarova (CZE) vs [WC] G Muguruza (ESP) / F Schiavone (ITA) – WTA

COURT 9 start 11:00 am
M Cilic (CRO) / L Dlouhy (CZE) vs D Bracciali (ITA) / J Knowle (AUT) – ATP
R Gasquet (FRA) / E Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs [3] M Bhupathi (IND) / D Nestor (CAN) – ATP
[4] R Lindstedt (SWE) / N Zimonjic (SRB) vs M Klizan (SVK) / A Seppi (ITA) – ATP
I Begu (ROU) / A Rosolska (POL) vs M Erakovic (NZL) / H Watson (GBR) – WTA
[5] L Huber (USA) / M Martinez Sanchez (ESP) vs K Mladenovic (FRA) / G Voskoboeva (KAZ) – WTA

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On the Green Carpet – Photos from the 2013 BNP Paribas Open Players’ Party

Victoria Azarenka and Redfoo

Victoria Azarenka and Redfoo

"Austin Powers" and Caroline Wozniacki

“Austin Powers” and Caroline Wozniacki

(March 7, 2013) INDIAN WELLS, California – The BNP Paribas Open held their players’ party at the IW club on Thursday night. The tennis players drove up to the “Green Carpet” in classic cars included  Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Victoria Azarenka, Redfoo, Sloane Stephens, Petra Kvitova, Andy Murray, Ana Ivanovic, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, John Isner, Agnieszka Radwanska, Sam Stosur, James Blake, David Ferrer,  and a host of others including Austin Powers.

Photos by Curt Janka and Maria Noble. Follow Tennis Panorama News’ BNP Paribas Open coverage here and on our twitter @TennisNewsTPN.

 

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Sloane Stephens Joins Charleston Field

Sloane Stephens

(February 19, 2013) Sloane Stephens, World No. 16, has committed to the 2013 Family Circle Cup, March 30th – April 7th in Charleston, SC.
Stephens recently had a major career breakthrough at the 2013 Australian Open when she upset World No. 1 Serena Williams in the quarterfinals, becoming the youngest American to ever defeat Williams.

“After watching Sloane perform so well in the Australian Open, we are excited to see her game continue to mature at the Cup,” said Eleanor Adams, Tournament Manager. “The fans love watching her play, so Charleston could be a place for her to really shine.”
The 2013 Family Circle Cup will mark Stephens’ third appearance in Charleston.

“I’ve put a lot of hard work in over the past year and it’s starting to pay off,” said Stephens. “I’m looking forward to returning to the Family Circle Cup as it’s our first clay court tournament of the year. Charleston is a beautiful city with great tennis fans”

She made it to the third round of the 2011 and 2012 US Open, the third round of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, the fourth round of the 2012 French Open and the semifinals of the 2013 Australian Open.
She joins Williams, Samantha Stosur, Venus Wiliams, Sara Errani and Mona Barthel in a world-class player field assembling in Charleston for the Family Circle Cup, featuring three of the world’s top 10 players.

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Stephens Out of Fed Cup with Injury, Oudin to Replace Her

MelanieOudin7172012

Melanie Oudin

(February 3, 2013) U.S. Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez announced on Sunday that Melanie Oudin will replace Sloane Stephens on the United States Fed Cup team for the World Group First Round in Rimini, Italy, February 9-10. Oudin joins Fed Cup rookies Varvara Lepchenko and Jamie Hampton as well as doubles stalwart Liezel Huber.

 

“Melanie is such a team player to answer the call at the 11th hour. She has played some of her best tennis in Fed Cup,” said Fernandez, who is in her fifth year as U.S. Fed Cup Captain. “We were excited for Sloane to make her Fed Cup singles debut, but that will have to wait for another day.”

 

Oudin, 21, was scheduled to play in the $100,000 Dow Corning Classic, a USTA Pro Circuit event in Midland, Michigan this week. She led the United States to the Fed Cup Final in 2009 and 2010 (both runner-up finishes to Italy). Overall, Oudin has played in seven Fed Cup ties and has a 5-8 singles record in the competition. The Marietta, Ga., native is currently No. 85 in the world and won her first career WTA Tour singles title last year in Birmingham, Great Britain, defeating former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic in the final.

 

Stephens suffered an abdominal strain during her run to the Australian Open semifinals last month.

 

“I’m terribly disappointed that I won’t be able to play for my country in Italy,” said Stephens, who is ranked a career-high No. 17 in the WTA Tour Rankings and is 10-3 this year. “I played a lot more matches than I expected in four straight weeks in Australia and need to be careful not to let this ab injury sideline me for a long time.”

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Serena Williams Slayed by Rising Star Stephens in Australian Open Quarterfinals

SloaneStephens

By Jaclyn Stacey

 

(January 23, 2013) MELBOURNE PARK, Australia – 19-year-old Sloane Stephens shocked the tennis world on Wednesday at the Australian Open, defeating 15-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 and progressing into her first career Grand Slam semifinal.

 

“Today I just really didn’t have anything to lose, “ Stephens said. “I mean, you’re playing for the semis of a Grand Slam. You just got to go out and do it really.”

 

Williams’ 18 years of experience as a pro shone through in the opening set and a half as she got herself ahead of the younger American claiming the first set 6-3 and leading a break in the beginning of the second set.

 

Being down 0-2 in the second set Stephens picked up her game and really took it to her mentor.

 

“I think I was convinced that I was able to do it when I lost serve in the first game in the second set and I went down 2-0.  And I was like, Hmm, this is not the way you want it to happen. But you just fight and just get every ball back, run every ball down, and just get a lot of balls in play, I think you’ll be okay.”

 

“From then on I got aggressive, started coming to the net more, and just got a lot more comfortable. I just kind of just kind of played my game from there, I think.”

 

Stephens got a break on Williams and attempted to serve out the set leading 5-3. At the same time her opponent down the other end was moving around the court in pain from a back spasm.

 

Williams explained the moment she felt the injury take place.

 

“Well, I was running to the net for a dropshot. As I went to hit it, it was on the backhand. I even screamed on the court. I was like, Ahh. I totally locked up after that. It was just like — it was a little painful.”

 

The five-time Australian Open champion managed to ignore the pain and break Stephens back by taking advantage of the nerves of the young American who double-faulted to go break-point down during the game. Williams held for 5-all but was again broken by Stephens in the next game as she struggled to serve without pain. Stephens then capitalized on her second opportunity to serve out the set 7-5 and took the match into a decider.

 

Williams left the court for medical treatment on her back at the break and came back serving balls at just 89mph, a whopping 39.7mph slower than her fastest recorded speed at the tournament of 128.7mph.

 

“Yeah, I mean, she was serving at lower speeds, but her serve, she hits spots. No matter how slow it’s going, it’s right on the line. It’s still a really good serve even though it’s much slower,” Stephens said of the slowed down balls coming her way.

 

The women held serve to start a very tense third set, both women hitting with impressive power and putting their all into the fight.

 

At the first change of ends a frustrated Williams smashed her racquet into the ground but remained quiet. The last two weeks had been tough on her body as she battled through an ankle injury in her first round match and then the back injury.

 

Williams got a break in the seventh game of the final set to take a 4-3 lead but was immediately broken back by Stephens to level at 4-4. From there she held and broke Williams again to claim her space in the semifinals.

 

It was a momentous win for the young American who defeated her childhood hero on tennis’ biggest stage at a Grand Slam. When asked about the poster of Williams she kept on her wall as a child she said through tears, “This is so crazy but – oh my goodness – I think I want a poster of myself now.”

 

Stephens plays world number one and defending champion Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals and says she will give it her all.

 

“Gonna be a totally different match. I’m just going to go out and play my best, obviously. Do what I do really well and just play my game. Just hopefully, you know, play well again.”

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Stephens Sets Up Master and Apprentice Quarterfinal Clash With Williams

SloaneStephens

By Jaclyn Stacey

(January 21, 2013) MELBOURNE PARK, Australia – Sloane Stephens continued her dream run at the Australian Open, defeating young Serbian Bojana Jovanovski in a tough three set match 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 on Monday to set up a quarterfinal clash with Serena Williams on Wednesday.

 

Stephens is a part of the next generation of American tennis players and will compete in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal against her idol Williams. The two played recently in Brisbane, Williams winning that match in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.

 

Stephens served superbly with 80% of first serves in during the match. She also managed 90% of returns into play and created 11 break point opportunities in the match, converting 7 of them.

 

The young American required only 25 minutes to win the first set, allowing Jovanovski just one game before claiming the set 6-1.

 

The Serbian came back firing in the second set however, picking up her game considerably and playing more aggressively to level the match at one set a piece.

 

The third set was very evenly matched as the two struggled to hold serve early on. With the set level at 5-5 Stephens put her foot down and broke Jovanovski to love with a forehand winner. From there she closed out the match on serve 6-1 3-6 7-5 to progress to the quarterfinals.

 

“No, I obviously didn’t feel like I had to go for more because I was hitting the ball in the service line every time.  At one point I was just like, Okay, I didn’t want to stay out there all day, you got to hit the ball or go home.”

 

“First set I came out, I was playing good, not missing much.  She was making a few errors.”

 

“Then she brought it full force second, third set. I just had to find a way. I think mentally it was pretty tough. I was thinking, Oh, my God, this is for the quarters of a Grand Slam and I’m completely just like not here right now. I was like, I need to refocus. I was playing my own self, I guess you could say. But I managed to get through, so that was good.”

 

Stephens will play her mentor Serena Williams in the quarterfinal after the top American crushed her Russian opponent Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-0 in 57 minutes.

 

Stephens said that having already played Williams in the past will take away the intimidation factor coming into her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

 

“Yeah, I mean, it will be tough obviously. Its quarters of a Grand Slam. There won’t be that like first time, Oh, my God, I’m playing Serena. That’s kind of out of the window now. So that’s good. And then it will feel more of like a regular match instead of all the other like things to think about.”

 

“She’s obviously one of the greatest players to ever play the game.  Without all that, it’s still a tennis match.  You have to go out and play your game, no matter what.  Without the titles, with the titles, it’s still a tennis match.  The court’s the same size.  You’re still playing a regular person across the net.  You’ve just got to go out and play.”

 

Jaclyn Stacey is a Melbourne based freelance journalist covering the Australian Open tournament as media for Tennis Panorama News.  Follow her Australian Open updates on @TennisNewsTPN. Follow her personal twitter @JackattackAU.

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Stephens Beats Robson in Battle of Teenagers at Australian Open

 

Sloane Stephens Tennis Panorama

(January 19, 2013) Before a very pro-Robson crowd, American Sloane Stephens won the battle of the only two teenagers left in the women’s draw on Saturday at the Australian Open. The 19-year 29th seed defeated Great Britain’s Laura Robson 18, 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 49 minutes.

 

Stephens ran out to a 4-0 first set lead knocking winners past Robson at will. Robson won the next four games to make it eve. In the fifth game, Robson was treated for a shoulder issue.

 

“I felt something in my shoulder yesterday, but we still don’t know what it is because I haven’t had time to see the doctor or anything yet,” Robson said.

 

The medical time out seemed to deflate Stephens’ momentum as her attacking game turned into a passive retrieving one. Robson turned into the aggressor.

 

Stephens had two set points on Robson’s serve at 5-4 but could not covert. The American did convert at 6-5 when Robson fired a backhand wide.

 

Serving for the match at 7-5, 5-3, Stephens had to save two break points before sealing the victory.

 

“It was super intense” Stephens said describing the match.  “I think there wasn’t a point where there wasn’t something like, Oh, my goodness, this is intense.  I was up like 4‑0, 4‑All.  We had some pretty intense games.  That’s what it’s about, getting out there and getting after it.”

 

“Laura and I are good friends.  She’s obviously a good player.  We’re going to have a rivalry, all that good stuff.”

 

“ I’m sure I’ll play Sloane a lot in the future.  I’m sure after today she’s going to be top 20, Robson said.  “So good for her.”

 

Stephens, who also beat Robson in Hobart last week, will play either 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm or Bojana Jovanovski for a place in the quarterfinals..

 

“Date, that’s funny, because they were saying she could be my mom, which is like kind of weird, “ Stephens said of potentially playing Date-Krumm.  “It would be like playing one of my mom’s friends, which is kind of, hmm, not so fun.

 

“But, yeah, I have seen her a couple of times, Jovanovski.  Sort of kind of the same age as me.  She’s a little bit older.”

“Just another match.  Just got to go out and play my game.”

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Robson Stuns Kvitova in Marathon to Move into the Third Round

Mirror Court Adidas Event4

(January 17, 2013) For Great Britan’s Laura Robson  it’s a  the second straight major that she taken down a former Grand Slam winner, this time in 2011 Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. Robson survived No. 8 seed Kvitrova  2-6, 6-3,,11-9 in a match which lasted past Midnight in Melbourne.

At the US Open the teenage Robson upset both Kim Clijsters and Li Na.

Robson took advantage of poor serving by the Czech who hit 18 double faults. Robson rallied from 2-4 down in the final set to win.

“I never gave up,“ said Robson.  Even when she went up a break twice in the third, I just thought I can always break her serve, I just have to get as many returns in as I can.

“And in the end, I just thought I’ve got nothing to lose.  So I’m just going to relax on my serve a bit more and just go for it.”

“I knew it was going to be very, very tough and trying to return her serve in the first set was very, very hard,” the No. 53 Robson told the audience on court after the match.

“But I knew once I got my returns firing and a bit more confidence on my serve I could get myself back into the match and that’s what I did.”

“I just have to say I feel I was playing better in New York,” said Robson in comparing her play in the match to that of her play at the US Open when she stunned two seeds. “I thought today was pretty ugly, but in terms of how tough it was to close it out in the end, I think it’s right up there with one of the best wins.”

Robson will face another teenager in the third round – 19-year-old American Sloane Stephens. Stephens recently defeated Robson in the first round at a pre-Australian Open tournament at Hobart.

“She beat me last week in Hobart, and it was a pretty close match, but, yeah, I definitely feel like I could play a lot better than I did last week, and it’s going to be really tough, for sure, “ Robson said of Stephens.

“She’s in good form at the moment.  She’s a good mover, good ball striker.  It’s always going to be a tough match, but yeah, hopefully I can play better than I did today.”

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