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Djokovic Eases to Win Over Pospisil @AegonTennisEB

Posted by Admin on June 28, 2017
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Novak Djokovic Eases to Win Over Vasek Pospisil at Eastbourne International
Elliot J. Cornish in Eastbourne

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Novak Djokovic recorded his first victory of the grass court season with a 6-4 6-3 win over Vasek Pospisil on a rain-curtailed day at the Eastbourne International.
The Serb, making his debut appearance and Eastbourne and his first appearance in a Wimbledon warm-up for seven years, proved too strong for his Canadian opponent who reached the last eight a fortnight ago in s’Hertogenbosch.

There was also success for Eastbourne’s Johanna Konta, who rattled past Sorana Cirstea 6-2 6-2 in a rematch of their controversial Great Britain-Romania Fed Cup encounter in April. Konta was scheduled to return last on Centre to duel French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, but was halted by the weather.

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Meanwhile, world number one Angelique Kerber improved her chances of holding onto the spot with a battling performance against Kristyna Pliskova, in which she prevailed 7-5 in the third set – but only after Pliskova failed to serve out the win. Her closest rival Simona Halep came through her first match of the day in three over Ying Ying Duan, but found herself a set down to grass specialist Tsvetana Pironkova before rain brought proceedings to an end at around 5pm.

Elsewhere, Richard Gasquet escaped from a set and a break down against American 19-year-old Frances Tiafoe to reach the second round on Court 1, ultimately coming through 5-7 7-6(4) 6-3.

Djokovic gets the job done
Djokovic, now world number four, was first on Centre Court to complete his second-round match which briefly began on Tuesday.

Pospisil was an apt first test for the Serb given he has already acclimatised himself to the grass this year and after a wobble in the first game on Tuesday – where he had to save two break points – he managed to knuckle down on his serve on Wednesday, before landing the decisive blow with a break of serve in the 10th game of the first set.

The Canadian was presented with another chance in the fifth game of the second set, but failed to make good of it as Djokovic held and then promptly broke in the next for a 4-2 lead. He then closed out the match three games later, converting on his second match.

Djokovic was in typically jovial mood after the contest, but spoke of how he finds it “good” that there is – at least perceived – less expectation on him for Wimbledon next week.

“For a change it’s good to not be one of the top favourites. It is liberating a bit, it releases a bit of the pressure,” he said.

“But the pressure is always there, you still feel it. It’s part of who I am, what I do. I try to lower them [expectations] as much as I can. In this stage of my life and career, it’s trying to focus only on what comes up next, which doesn’t mean that I don’t want to win the trophies and so forth,” added Djokovic.

Djokovic will face American Donald Young in the quarter-finals on Thursday after the latter knocked out countryman Jared Donaldson with a 6-4 7-5 win.

Tiafoe falls short

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Tiafoe often looked prime for a breakthrough win over Frenchman Gasquet, especially after moving up 7-5 2-0 on a misfiring and occasionally irritated opponent.

However, he opened the door by dropping serve straight after breaking, and despite forging opportunities in the back end of the set, he froze at big moments – missing two break points to go 5-3 clear and slipping from a 30-0 advantage on Gasquet’s serve as he tried to stay in the match.

Gasquet won the tiebreak 7-4 and doubled the pain soon after, breaking the Tiafoe serve to 15 to establish an immediate two-game lead. To the American’s credit he dug in and forced Gasquet to serve it out – saving a match point at 2-5 – but the world number 27 did, and Tiafoe will be left to rue his chances.

Mischa Zverev moved through with a 6-4 7-6(9) victory over Ryan Harrison, while Daniil Medvedev thwarted big-serving Sam Querrey, prevailing 6-3 7-5.

Caroline Wozniacki fought past Naomi Osaka 6-2 7-6 on Court 2, and China’s Peng Shuai won a topsy-turvy three-set match with Timea Bacsinszky. But Spain’s Garbine Muguruza suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of an impressive Barbora Strycova, winning just one game in a 6-1 6-0 rout.

Other matches
Men’s 2nd round:
Dusan Lajovic def. Jeremy Chardy 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3
Thomas Fabbiano def. Franko Skugor 7-6(5) 6-4
Women’s 2nd round:
Tsvetana Pironkova def. Monica Niculescu 6-0 6-4
Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Mona Barthel 4-6 7-5 6-2
Elena Vesnina def. Veronica Cepede Royg 6-3 6-3
Kristina Mladenovic def. Zhang Shuai 6-0 6-4

Thursday’s schedule
With rain playing spoiler again, it’s another packed schedule on Thursday, with a few players set to have to compete twice again.

First on Centre are Gael Monfils and Cameron Norrie (Monfils leads 6-3 2-0) to finish their second round match, after which Djokovic and Young will take to the court. Ostapenko and Konta unsurprisingly keep Centre Court billing for the third match of the afternoon.

On Court 1, Steve Johnson will look to finish off Italian qualifier Thomas Fabbiano from 6-3 2-2 before Wozniacki plays Elena Vesnina. Kerber then faces Lara Arruabarrena with the prospect of taking on Ostapenko or Konta later in the day – the match is provisionally scheduled for Court 1, although it could potentially move to Centre.

Dusan Lajovic and John Isner will complete their match on Court 2, with Kristina Mladenovic v Svetlana Kuznetsova to follow. As the day draws to a close, the yet-to-be-confirmed women’s and men’s quarter-finals will take place.

Halep and Pironkova will finish on Court 4 after Kevin Anderson and Gasquet play their second rounder. Wildcard Heather Watson versus Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is also on that court as a last 16 match.

Play is due to get under way on all courts at 10.30am local time.

Wats-Up! @HeatherWatson92 Shocks Defending Champ Domi @AegonTennisEB

Posted by Admin on June 26, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Eastbourne, Wimbledon, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Heather Watson shocks defending Eastbourne International champion Dominika Cibulkova
Elliot Cornish in Eastbourne

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A determined Heather Watson roused a raucous home crowd to knock out defending Eastbourne International champion Dominika Cibulkova 7-5 6-4 in the second round on Monday afternoon.

There were also victories for last year’s runner-up Karolina Pliskova, who won in straight sets over Alison Riske, and for French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who fought past Carla Suarez Navarro in three sets on Court 1 on a toasty day on the south coast of England. But there was disappointment for 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard, who fell to Barbora Strycova in three, and for Britain’s Naomi Broady, who also lost in a decider against Kristyna Pliskova.

In the first round of the men’s ATP 250 draw, 21-year-old Cameron Norrie chalked up his first ATP main draw win 6-4 7-6 over Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos to fix up a second round encounter with French second seed Gael Monfils. However, Kyle Edmund’s Wimbledon preparations hit another snag with a three-set defeat to Donald Young to go with his loss at Queen’s Club last week to Denis Shapovalov. Meanwhile, Vasek Pospisil’s reward for his 6-3 6-4 trouncing of Jiri Vesely is a Tuesday morning match with Novak Djokovic.

Watson wows in Eastbourne sun

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Showing no signs of weariness from her three-hour battle with Lesia Tsurenko a day earlier, Watson made early headway – breaking the Slovak twice – only to be pegged back both times. Controversy struck deep in the first set when Cibulkova correctly challenged an out call, only to be awarded a first serve instead of the point. A fruitless exchange with the umpire merely drew ire from an already partisan crowd, but Cibulkova kept her nerve to dig out a hold for 5-5.

However, Watson’s pressure eventually tolled, as she snared the opening set at the first opportunity with a third break of the Cibulkova serve – this time to love. Watson would only grow in the contest from thereon, regularly out-rallying her opponent as she opened a 5-2 lead in the second. But a big win was never likely to be without some drama, and after Cibulkova saved match point to hold, the Brit relinquished a 40-15 advantage on serve as the world number nine rolled off four points to break back. But once again, Cibulkova undid her good work, surrendering her serve for a fifth time as Watson wrapped up the win on her fourth match point.
After the match, Watson, who has slipped to 126 in the WTA rankings from a high of 38, said, “The atmosphere was incredible, I was getting goosebumps at the end. I got a little nervous but I’m pleased I got through it in that last game.

“She’s a hard worker and a fighter so I knew it was never going to be easy. She’s very aggressive but I’m OK with that. I have some wheels so I’ve got to use them.”
Playing her first match since losing to Simona Halep in the French Open semi-final, Karolina Pliskova looked solid throughout in her 6-4 6-3 dispatching of American Alison Riske. Typically, it was the Czech’s serve which proved the foundation for her win, and the two break points which she faced and saved in the opening game of the match was the only time Riske threatened.

Watson will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in round three after the Russian overturned a one-set deficit to down Elise Mertens, while Pliskova’s last 16 test will come in the form of Timea Bacsinszky or Peng Shuai.

On her first outing since storming to the Roland Garros title, Ostapenko was up and down. Suarez Navarro was powerless in the opener as the Latvian’s penetrating groundstrokes told, but the Spaniard raced through the second, dishing out a bagel as Ostapenko faltered. But the latter showed the necessarily steel in set three to notch a 6-3 0-6 6-4 triumph and a potential third-round encounter with local star Johanna Konta.

Sorana Cirstea capitalised on her lucky loser berth with a comfortable win over Katerina Siniakova and will be Konta’s round two opponent. Naomi Osaka rattled past Risa Ozaki 6-0 6-1 in an all-Japanese clash and will play sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki in the second round.

Australia’s Bernard Tomic saw off Norbert Gombos 7-6 6-3, while Jared Donaldson scraped past Diego Schwartzman 7-5 in the third to book a round two match with compatriot Donald Young.

More Women’s Singles results
Veronica Cepede Royg defeated Su-Wei Hsieh 4-6 6-3 6-3
Peng Shuai defeated Francesca Schiavone 6-3 6-4
Zhang Shuai defeated Varvara Lepchenko 6-2 6-1
Lara Arruabarrena defeated Daria Gavrilova 6-2 2-6 6-3
Lauren Davis defeated Kristina Kucova 6-4 6-2
More Men’s Singles results
Robin Haase defeated Nicolas Mahut 6-4 7-6
Kyle Anderson defeated Thomaz Bellucci 6-3 6-1

Djokovic to enter the fray on Tuesday
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Top seed and surprise wildcard Novak Djokovic starts his tournament at 11am on Tuesday morning on Centre Court against Vasek Pospisil. In Monday’s press conference, Djokovic confirmed that new coach Andre Agassi would not be in attendance this week, but would be present with the Serb at Wimbledon.
Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep will also open their Eastbourne campaigns on Tuesday against Kristyna Pliskova and Duan Yingying respectively. Depending on results, Halep could theoretically overtake Kerber and become world number one for the first time.

Kerber will be in action second on Centre, while Halep is first on Court 1. In the other Centre Court matches Cirstea takes on Konta before Young dukes it out with Donaldson.

Big serving Sam Querrey is second on Court 1 against Daniil Medvedev before grass specialist Richard Gasquet plays the talented Frances Tiafoe.

Fiery @Cibulkova Downs Pliskova To Win Eastbourne

Posted by Admin on June 26, 2016
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Fiery Cibulkova Downs Pliskova To Win Eastbourne
Elliot Cornish for Tennis Atlantic

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Dominika Cibulkova won her first grass court title with victory over Karolina Pliskova in the final of the Aegon International in Eastbourne.

The Slovak prevailed 7-5 6-3 in the entertaining encounter to claim her second title of the season and the sixth of her career. For Pliskova, the result marked her ninth defeat in 14 WTA finals, and the sixth loss in her last eight.

Cibulkova was broken immediately on a windy day in the south east, but was not punished after her Czech opponent double-faulted three times in her opening service game. The 12th seed then continued to make headway with Pliskova unable to find her range, moving 3-1 clear.

However, it was then Cibulkova’s turn to slip up. Three lost games in a row – two on serve – handed the initiative back to Pliskova, who proceeded to donate it back again after being broken herself in the eighth game.

It was, in many ways, a typical topsy-turvy set in the WTA, with neither seeming too keen to win it at times. But an errant game from Pliskova when serving to take it to a tie-break proved very costly. A backhand into the net and a forehand long handed Cibulkova a 0-30 lead, and the set was hers when Pliskova dragged a backhand wide.

A fired up Cibulkova, whose intensity on court has become a hallmark of her game, refused to let up in the second set, securing an early break of serve in the second set – thanks to a stunning pass – as her groundstrokes became increasingly potent from both the forehand and backhand.

While Pliskova turned on the style in bursts, a noted lack of consistency thwarted the Czech’s hope of serious threateningly Cibulkova. The seventh game of the second set offered her the best chance of finding a foothold, but an inability to capitalise on any of the four break points she carved out would haunt her. Knowing the importance of averting the danger, Cibulkova let out a giant roar when getting the hold to go 5-2 up.

If there was any finishing line fever, the former Australian Open runner-up showed few signs of it. She immediately raced 40-0 clear, and became triumphant when Pliskova pulled a backhand wide on Cibulkova’s third match point.

Speaking to BBC Sport afterwards, an ecstatic Cibulkova commented, “This is my best week on grass. I was playing really well. The conditions were very hard.

“I said when I arrived that Martina Navratilova has won it 11 times – it would be good to win it once.”

Pliskova’s serve, such a key facet of her game, was not as much of a weapon against Cibulkova as it was in her semi-final versus Johanna Konta. Just four aces – two in each set – were dealt from the Czech’s racket, as her adversary managed to formulate rallies and dictate the play, and exploit Pliskova’s inferior movement.

The windy conditions also favoured Cibulkova, whose compact style was always going to be less affected than Pliskova’s more languid approach.

The win moves Cibulkova up to 18th in the WTA rankings, and Wimbledon’s 19th seed will begin her SW19 quest against Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Pliskova, meanwhile, can still be happy with another successful week on the grass, as she maintained her ranking at 17. Yanina Wickmayer awaits in the first round of Wimbledon.

But Eastbourne belonged to Dominika Cibulkova, thanks to successes over Jelena Ostapenko, Kateryna Bondarenko, Agniezska Radwanska, Monica Puig and Pliskova. The pocket rocket of women’s tennis is enjoying a fruitful year and now lies 7th in the WTA race.

Her forceful, aggressive mantra is suited well to tennis’ quickest surface, and with Radwanska in her section of the Wimbledon draw, there’s no reason why the 27-year-old can’t have a deep run over the next fortnight.

Doubles

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The Croatian-Australian pairing of Darija Jurak and Anastasia Rodionova overcame the Chinese Taipei duo of Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan in three sets.

The unseeded Jurak/Rodionova dropped the first set 7-5 but won the second 7-6 in a close encounter. They then wrapped up the title courtesy of a 10-6 win in the super tie-breaker. It was the pair’s first triumph together as pairing, Jurak’s third overall and Rodionova’s 10th.

Brits Fall on Rain-Hit Day in Eastbourne

Posted by Admin on June 20, 2016
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Brits Fall on Rain-Hit Day in Eastbourne
Elliott Cornish for Tennis Atlantic from Eastbourne

eastbourne rain

 

EASTBOURNE—British trio Heather Watson, Tara Moore and Naomi Broady all suffered first-round defeats on a rain-affected day at the Aegon International in Eastbourne.

Watson, the British number two, would have been hopeful of a deep run on home soil in the last Wimbledon warm-up but missed chances throughout against Elena Vesnina, losing 6-2 6-3 in an hour and 12 minutes.

The Russian saved all six break points she faced – three in each set – ensuring she was always in control of the contest. Vesnina also prevailed when the pair last played at Eastbourne in 2013, and will now face defending champion Belinda Bencic in round two.

Wildcard Moore failed to capitalise on a productive past few weeks, falling 7-5 6-4 to Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova in the second match of the afternoon. The Brit begun brightly in the apparent mismatch – she is ranked 190 places below Makarova at 229 – breaking for a 5-3 lead in the eighth game.

However, three set points spurned on serve, followed by two more in the following game, put paid to her chances. After losing two lengthy games, Moore succumbed quickly from 5-5, dropping the final eight points of the set.

Makarova broke midway through the second to assert further command, but was made to work for the victory after she was broken while serving for the match. However, Moore’s inexperience eventually showed, as Makarova broke for a fourth time to seal the win and a second-round meeting with the second seed Roberta Vinci.

Kate Makarova (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots)

Kate Makarova (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots)

Broady, sister of ATP player Liam, was unable to get a foothold against qualifier Monica Puig, picking up just two games in a 60–minute rout. The Puerto Rican broke the Briton’s serve five times, while Broady could not create even a single break point.

Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard made swift work of Varvara Lepchenko on Court 1, breezing through 6-1 6-2 in under an hour. The Canadian, who has slipped to 48th in the rankings, will play Irina-Camelia Begu in the last 32.

Andrea Petkovic, Ladies Linz Open 2010, Courtesy Kicker.de

Elsewhere, Andrea Petkovic scraped through against China’s Saisai Zheng in the day’s only three-setter. The lucky loser snatched the first set 7-5, but a determined Petkovic fought back – winning the last two sets 6-2 6-4 – to advance in two hours 42 minutes.

Heavy rain prevented any play before 3pm, and only six matches were completed on Monday after play on all outside courts was called off. However, the tournament will be confident in making up for lost time with the forecast looking much brighter for the rest of the week.

Tuesday’s matches

Top seed Agniezska Radwanska and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will enter the fray on Tuesday. The former will take on either Denise Allertova or Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, while Kvitova is first on Centre Court versus Timea Babos.

Monday’s cancelled match between Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur will be second on Centre, and 11th seed and home favourite Johanna Konta will also open her bid on Tuesday against Lesia Tsurenko or Zhang Shuai.

In Tuesday’s other selected matches, Timea Bacsinszky will face Kristina Mladenovic and Vesnina will square off against Bencic.

2016 WTA Eastbourne Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on June 20, 2016
Posted in: ATP, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

WTA Eastbourne Preview
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Wozniacki vs Gajdosova 2015 WTA Eastbourne (Elliot Cornish)

The WTA tour hits Eastbourne as the Wimbledon preparations conclude this week.

Aegon International Eastbourne
Tier: Premier
Location: Eastbourne, UK
Surface: Grass
Prize money: $711,778
Date: June 19-25

Top eight seeds (ranking)

  1. Agnieszka Radwanska (3)
  2. Roberta Vinci (7)
  3. Belinda Bencic (8)
  4. Timea Bacsinszky (10)
  5. Petra Kvitova (11)
  6. Svetlana Kuznetsova (12)
  7. Sam Stosur (14)
  8. Carla Suarez Navarro (15)

There are 16 seeds who receive an opening round BYE. Lucie Safarova is the last seeded player in the draw.

First round matches to watch

Barbora Strycova vs CoCo Vandeweghe:

Barbora Strycova

In a rematch of the Birmingham semi final in which the Czech  pulled out a three set victory, Strycova meets Vandeweghe for the second time in as many weeks in the first round of the Aegon International.

It is a nice contrast in styles with the crafty Strycova against the big hitting and heavy serving Vandeweghe. The American looked on her way to victory in Birmingham but Strycova fought back well to take a three set victory.

Vandeweghe’s extra day of rest might play it’s part however as Strycova has to play the final of Birmingham against Keys. Strycova’s game did manage to frustrate her though, will we see a repeat In Eastbourne?

Kristina Mladenovic vs Yania Wickmayer:

Kiki Mladenovic (Photo: Christopher Levy for TennisEastCoast.com)

Kiki Mladenovic (Photo: Christopher Levy for TennisAtlantic.com)

Both players have looked pretty good since the transition to grass and could set up an interesting match against Bacsinszky in the second round.

Wickmayer went to the quarter finals in Birmingham where she eventually lost to the in form Vandeweghe. Mladenovic made the final in ‘S-Hertogenbosch where she also lost to the American, so both players know their way around the grass.

Mladenovic leads the head to head 1-0, but that encounter was three years a go on the hard. Expect plenty of good all court tennis and rallies in what should be a close encounter.

Draw analysis

Top Quarter:

Top seed Radwanska is still trying to find her footing on grass after an early exit in Birmingham last week Unfortunately shew could meet the very player that dumped her out of that tournament in the second round. Vandeweghe is possible, and if it is not the American it could be the in form Strycova. A tough draw for the Pole who could face an early exit. Irina Begu also lands here and will play the winner of Eugenie Bouchard vs a qualifier in the second round.

Kuznetsova has enjoyed a positive 2016 thus far and will look to continue her form on the grass. It’s not the Russian’s best surface though and Yulia Putintseva could make life difficult in the second round. Dominika Cibulkova will look to take advantage as the 12th seed, but she herself will have a testing round two against Daqria Kasatkina or Jelena Ostapenko.

Second Quarter:

Bacsinszky might just be many people’s pick for the title, but first the Swiss must navigate her way through a tough section. Mladenovic or Wickmayer will welcome her to Eastbourne. Former Wimbledon semi finalist Lucie Safarova is also in this section and could be a dangerous player in the draw if firing.

Stosur enters Eastbourne as the seventh seed after a positive clay season. Grass is not her best surface though, and she will meet either Alize Cornet or Caroline Wozniacki in the second round. Madison Keys is in red hot form on the grass, but her exploits in Birmingham could lead to withdrawal or  possible fatigue in Eastbourne.

Third Quarter:

Bencic is the defending champion here and returns as the third seed. The Swiss has been struggling with injury as of late though and  might find her title defence difficult. Heather Watson in front of her home crowd can be a difficult player to beat, and Elena Vesnina is a former champion here herself, so Bencic has a tough opening match. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova  is the other seed in this section.

Suarez Navarro had a good tournament in Birmingham last week, but she was eventually stopped by Keys in the semi finals. The eighth seed has a rather kind draw in the second round, but Pliskova is a dangerous prospect in the third. The Czech faces either Daria Gavrilova or Anna Schmiedlova in her second round encounter.

Bottom Quarter:

Vinci comes into Eastbourne as the second seed but short of form. The grass could help her game though, and we will see an indication against Ekaterina Makarova in the second round. Sara Errani is a player that ahs never been able to really get it going on grass, and the 13th seed could find Andrea Petkovic too much in the second round.

Kvitova is normally a name you mention amongst the favourites in a grass court event, but the Czech has struggled with her form this year. Timea Babos and Camila Giorgi are both big hitters in their own right and could spring a surprise in the second round. Johanna Konta will look to repeat her exploits from last year, but faces a tough round two against Lesia Tsurenko or Laura Siegemund.

Predictions:

Quarter finals:

Radwanska def. Cibulkova

Bacsinszky def. Keys

Pliskova def. Pavlyuchenkova

Konta def. Vinci

Semi finals:

Radwanska def. Bacszinsky

Pliskova def. Konta

Final:

Radwanska def. Pliskova

If Radwanska can get past her second round match then she will be well positioned to take the title here. The Pole is good on grass and has the experience to get through this field.

.@BelindaBencic Claims First WTA Title in Eastbourne

Posted by Admin on June 27, 2015
Posted in: Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Belinda Bencic Claims First WTA Title in Eastbourne
Eastbourne, E. Cornish

Bencic won her maiden WTA title with a 6-4 4-6 6-0 win over Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska at the Aegon International in Eastbourne.

The 18-year-old Swiss, who had reached the final in s’Hertogenbosch earlier this month, regrouped after dropping the second set and coasted through the decider as her opponent faded.

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It capped off a superb week for Bencic, who overcame defending champion Madison Keys, British hopeful Johanna Konta, as well as Eugenie Bouchard and Caroline Wozniacki after they had to withdraw.

She said: “I was very focused and I played very free. I was disappointed I didn’t close out the second set and I was starting to get tired but then I started (the third set) very focused. I (got to) 3-0, so after than I relaxed a little bit and could close it out.

“I have so much confidence now that I played the final, said Bencic. “I have nothing to prove at Wimbledon and can just play relaxed and be satisfied with my results.”

On a windy day on the south coast of England, the opening six games of the first set went with serve before Bencic was able to forge out a break in the seventh, only to relinquish it in the following game. However, Radwanska could not press on and dropped serve again in the ninth – after initially saving two break points – and Bencic wrapped up the set in the following game, converting on her second set point.

A more focussed Radwanska started the second brightly, coming to the net more often and finding more winners as she leapt into a 3-0 lead, but Bencic broke back after a lengthy fifth game. A hard fought contest reached its peak in the latter half of the set as five consecutive games went to at least deuce, yet each player managed to hold serve until late on. Eventually, the Swiss was broken in the 10th game to hand Radwanska the set, shortly after she failed to capitalise on a break point, which would have allowed her to serve for the title.

The Pole looked to have seized the initiative after fighting to level up the battle and her 14 titles to Bencic’s none suggested it would be hers for the taking. However, as in her semi-final in Nottingham against Monica Niculescu, Radwanska’s challenge faded dramatically in the deciding set while her adversary produced her most consistent tennis of the final.

The ninth seed could only stave off one of the four break opportunities afforded to Bencic in the third set as the youngster surged clear, losing just 10 points in the entire set on her way to sealing the victory in the most comfortable fashion.

The Premier win moves Bencic up to a career-high ranking of 24 and will leave her brimming with confidence ahead of Wimbledon which begins in earnest on Monday. Radwanska’s first appearance in a final in 2015 sees her advance two spots in the rankings to 11th, and signals her as a dark horse for the grass court slam despite her defeat at Devonshire Park.

Bencic will arrive at Wimbledon as the 30th seed and will clash with Tsvetana Pironkova in the first round – who fell in the Eastbourne quarter-finals to Radwanska – and she is projected to meet Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic in the third round.

Radwanska, meanwhile, begins her quest for a maiden grand slam against Lucie Hradecka, and could face defending champion Petra Kvitova – who is without any competitive tennis on grass this year – in the last 16.

Doubles

Caroline Garcia and Katarina Srebotnik won their first doubles title as a pair, defeating the Asian team of Yung-jan Chan and Jie Zheng 7-6(5) 6-2.

Srebotnik, who won her third Eastbourne doubles title, commented: “This is our first title together and somehow I had a feeling in Stuttgart when we lost our second final that perhaps third time lucky, so I’m really, really happy for Caroline especially.”

Garcia/Srebotnik will enter Wimbledon as the 10th seeds and are scheduled to play Tereza Smitkova/Xu Yifan in the first round.

Aga Survives Sloane, Bencic Reaches Maiden Premier Final on Wozniacki Retirement at Eastbourne

Posted by Admin on June 26, 2015
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Aga Survives Sloane, Bencic Reaches Maiden Premier Final on Wozniacki Retirement at Eastbourne
Elliot Cornish for Tennis Atlantic

Eastbourne (Photo: Elliott Cornish)

Agnieszka Radwanska survived a fightback from Sloane Stephens to return to the final of the Aegon International in Eastbourne, a tournament she won in 2008.

The Pole will face Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic – who reached her first WTA Premier final – after her opponent, Caroline Wozniacki, was forced to pull out of their semi-final due to a back injury while trailing 3-0 in the first set.

In what had up until now been a comfortable week for Radwanska – she had not lost more than two games in any set she played – a similar story looked to be unfolding on Centre Court on Friday as she won five consecutive games after saving six break points in her second service game, to take the opening set 6-1.

The American settled into the match after falling behind and moved into a 3-1 lead in the second, but she immediately surrendered her advantage and was then broken to love at 5-5. However, Radwanska was unable to serve out the match, sending the set into a tiebreak, which Stephens won 7-3.

Refinding her groove, the Polish ninth seed broke at her first attempt in the final set but was pegged back as Stephens capitalised on an opening in the fifth game. A sloppy service game featuring a double fault and some wayward groundstrokes allowed Radwanska to restore a two-game gap at 4-2.

Despite continuing to look dangerous at times, the American couldn’t keep up a high enough level to consistently threaten and was broken for a third time in the set as Radwanska completed a 6-1 6-7(3) 6-2 victory in exactly two hours.

“It’s always tough to play someone for the first time,” said the Pole. “She is very talented and she’s had a great season so far. I will the first few games and see what to do after that.

“I will be extra motivated because I never win the same tournament twice so I will try extra hard to win. I wake in the morning and I just want to win,” Radwanska said.

While Radwanska had to struggle, Bencic received an easy pass into her second WTA final of the month, having to play only three games before Wozniacki withdrew.

She said: “It’s like a dream come true. I’m very happy about it when I can face those players.

“It’s a very good tournament for me. I’ve played a lot of good matches. I’m very happy about it.”

Meanwhile, Wozniacki does not expect that the back injury will hinder during Wimbledon which begins next week, commenting: “Normally my body is very receptive to treatment, so hopefully I’m going to fine in a couple of days.”

Final Preview

Radwanska will be appearing in her first final of the season after enduring a listless few months while Bencic is set to play in the third WTA final of her career – she has lost both of her previous encounters.

The former has excelled on the grass, however. Radwanska reached the semi-finals in Nottingham and did not drop a set until the last four in Eastbourne. Bencic has also been strong, being tested only by Britain’s Johanna Konta in a week where she also knocked out the defending champion, Madison Keys.

Radwanska has so far compensated for her lack of power with some crafty play, making good use of the slice throughout the week. In Bencic, she is up against another attacking player who will look to assert control. How the Pole counters that, and whether she can force the young Swiss to play the extra shot could be the determining factor of the match.

Doubles

Top seeds Martina Hingis/Sania Mirza were beaten in straight sets in the semi-finals of the women’s doubles tournament, falling to the pairing of Caroline Garcia/Katarina Srebotnik 7-5 6-4 in the first match of the day.

They will take on Yung-jan Chan/Jie Zheng in Saturday’s final after the Russian team of Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina pulled out due to Makarova’s abdominal strain injury.

Set For Semis In Eastbourne: @CaroWozniacki, @SloaneTweets, @ARadwanska, @BelindaBencic

Posted by Admin on June 25, 2015
Posted in: WTA. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Semifinals Set In Eastbourne
Eliot Cornish for Tennis Atlantic

Eastbourne Thurdsay (Photo: Elliott Cornish)

Caroline Wozniacki beat Andrea Petkovic in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the Aegon International in Eastbourne for the third year in a row.

In a topsy-turvy first set, it took until the seventh game of the match for either player to hold when the Dane moved 4-3 ahead. An engaging set looked destined to go to a tiebreak until Wozniacki worked her way into the Petkovic serve in the 12th game, where she broke to take it 7-5.

The second set was a stroll for Wozniacki, the 2009 Eastbourne champion, as she raced into a 5-0 advantage as the German started to wilt. A sympathetic crowd let out a loud cheer as Petkovic got on the board but it failed to spark a resurgence as her opponent clinically closed out the win in the following game, coming through in an hour and a half.

“It’s been a lot of years since 2009 and I have improved a lot,” said Wozniacki. “I’m excited to play tomorrow, to get another semi-final here and it’s nice to have got a few more matches under my belt before Wimbledon.”

She said: “I don’t care who the favourite is, and who is not the favourite. It’s all about winning the match you have in front of you. I just want to win everything I play.”

Johanna Konta’s dream run at Devonshire Park came to a frustrating end in a three-set defeat to Belinda Bencic, to the disappointment of a hopeful home crowd.

The plucky Brit was looking to make her first WTA semi-final in what has been a tremendous week for the world number 146, but it was Bencic who prevailed to build on what has already been a superb month.

As has been the theme with all her matches throughout the week, Konta started strongly, and surged through the opening set, taking it 6-2 in only 36 minutes.

However, she was quickly stopped in her tracks as Bencic stormed back in the second, breaking three times to secure an ignominious bagel and force the contest into a decider.

The long week appeared to take its toll on Konta as the match wore on, and despite her best efforts, she soon found herself trailing and was unable to get back on level terms as the 18-year-old Swiss maintained her advantage, wrapping up a 2-6 6-0 6-3 win in around two hours to book a semi-final match with Wozniacki.

“I’m excited to be through to the finals here in Eastbourne,” said Bencic. “There was a lot of home town support for Jo but the atmosphere for both of us was amazing out there.”

Speaking after the loss, Konta commented: “She definitely stepped up her level – she played very well. I have been struggling with some things this week, and it kind of caught up to me today. All credit to her. She played tough and solid when she needed to.”

An Eastbourne resident, Konta also thanked the fans who rooted for her in a week which saw her beat three players ranked over 100 places above her.

“I have had a very blessed week – to be able to play in front of such a loud and supportive crowd. It’s humbling and it’s a pleasure.

“You know, I enjoyed every single match I went out there to play, and I’m just very proud of my effort this week and my ability to deal with whatever situation was presented to me on court,” she said.

Agnieszka Radwańska continued her fine form on the grass with a 6-2 6-2 win over Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova in the first match of the day.

The Pole, who is now into her third semi-final of the season, was rock solid on serve and broke her opponent four times to seal victory in just one hour and six minutes, without having to face a single break point.

The former Wimbledon finalist looks to be hitting her stride at just the right time with the grass slam now less than a week away. Her crafty, skillful game has so far deserted her this year, but the easiness of her quarter-final win as well as the triumph over Karolina Pliskova in round three, bodes well for Radwańska.

She will face Sloane Stephens in the last four after the American received a walkover when lucky loser, Daria Gavrilova, withdrew citing an abdominal injury.

Semi-Finals Preview

Stephens and Radwanska will be first to take to the court on Friday at around 1.00pm local time. The latter has won all of their previous three encounters – all of which were on hard courts – but the two have not played each other since August 2013.

The American has had the benefit of a day off due to Gavrilova’s withdrawal but Radwanska will also be fairly well rested after a comfortable win on Thursday. Stephens is in search of her first WTA title while Radwanska is looking for her second grass tournament victory in Eastbourne.

Following on from that match will be Wozniacki against Bencic. They have split their previous two matches but they have never met on the grass before. Bencic won their most recent bout in Indian Wells earlier this year while Wozniacki delivered a double bagel to her opponent in Istanbul last season.

The Dane won Kuala Lumpur back in March but is without a title since while Bencic is looking to make her second grass court final of the year after finishing runner-up to Camila Giorgi in s’Hertogenbosch earlier this month.

Doubles

Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina and Yung-jan Chan/Jie Zheng reached the semi-finals of the doubles at the Aegon International after wins over Cara Black/Lisa Raymond and Julia Goerges/Lucie Hradecka respectively.
Both last four contests will be played on Centre Court on Friday – sandwiching the two singles matches. Martina Hingis/Sania Mirza will take on Caroline Garcia/Katarina Srebotnik in the first match, with Makarova/Vesnina against Chan/Zheng set to conclude the day’s action.

2015 WTA Eastbourne Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on June 21, 2015
Posted in: Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2015 WTA Eastbourne Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

AEGON International, Eastbourne

It is the final step towards Wimbledon as the players’ preparations for the third grand slam of the year come to a close before the big two weeks at SW19.

Eastbourne is the last stop before we reach Wimbledon, and it is where the players can find their form at the right moment.

The Aegon International is situated in Devonshire Park, which is Eastbourne’s oldest park and has hosted lawn tennis since the 1870’s. The facilities have been used for a host of Davis Cup ties and has been the home of the Aegon International since 1974.

Martina Navartilova has the distinction of holding the most titles at this event, winning it an incredible 11 times. Other all-time greats who took the title here include Tracy Austin, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Chris Evert, Justine Henin, Monica Seles and Virginia Wade.

Rising star Madison Keys was the 2014 champion. The American claimed her first WTA title beating Angelique Kerber in the final.

The Aegon International
Tier: Premier
Location: Eastbourne, England
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: $665,900
Date: June 21st- June 27th 2015

The 16 seeds who receive a first round bye (Ranking)
1. Petra Kvitova (2)
2. Caroline Wozniacki (5)
3. Lucie Safarova (6)
4. Ekaterina Makarova (8)
5. Carla Suarez Navarro (9)
6. Angelique Kerber (10)
7. Eugenie Bouchard (11)
8. Karolina Pliskova (12)
9. Agnieszka Radwanska (13)
10. Andrea Petkovic (14)
11. Elina Svitolina (17)
12. Madison Keys (18)
13. Sara Errani (20)
14. Garbine Muguruza (21)
15. Flavia Pennetta (22)
16. Sam Stosur (23)

Six of the top ten playing, 13 of the top 20 and all the seeds are seeded for Wimbledon too.

First round matches to watch:

Caroline Garcia vs Roberta Vinci:

What do you get when you put one the tour’s most talented youngster’s against a crafty and experienced Italian? The answer is this match-up between Caroline Garcia and Roberta Vinci.

Possessing a big serve and strong ground strokes, Garcia is one of the most talented players on tour, and at 21 years of age has yet to reach her peak. However the Frenchwoman is yet to mature mentally as shown by her results this year. After a disappointing loss at the French Open, Garcia took to the grass in Birmingham last week making the second round before falling meekly to Klara Koukalova.

Roberta Vinci is not the top twenty player she was, but with her crafty game and deadly slice, she can be highly dangerous on the grass. The 32 year old now has more time to focus on singles after splitting with doubles partner Sara Errani, but at this stage in her career the expectations are lower. She fared slightly worse in Birmingham than Garcia, losing in the opening round to Timea Babos.

There is always intrigue when Garcia steps on to court. Her talents will be on display, but it is a question of whether she can keep it going throughout the match. Can she cope with the Vinci slice, which can be a big weapon on the low bouncing grass courts? Conversely, can the Italian deal with her opponents serve? All questions will be answered Sunday when they step on to the court.

(WC) Naomi Broady vs Sloane Stephens

A transatlantic contest between Great Britain’s Naomi Broady and America’s Sloane Stephens will undoubtedly be of keen interest to the home crowd.

Broady has been spending most of her time playing ITF’s this year, but after receiving a wildcard into the Birmingham main draw, she defeated Alija Tomljanovic before losing to top seed Simona Halep. The Stockport native possesses a big serve which can be a huge weapon on this surface, but her movement issues and height may be an issue.

Once touted as the brightest prospect on tour, Sloane Stephens’ career has not panned out like many had hoped. Now ranked 42, Stephens is hoping she can sue the grass as a catalyst to boost her ranking back towards the top 20. This is the American’s first match since her fourth round exit to Serena Williams at the French Open. As a former Wimbledon quarter finalist, Stephens has proven she can go on the grass, and with that forehand and good movement you can see why.

Game wise, this should be a routine victory for the American however the crowd factor could make a big different. If Broady serves well with the crowd on her side then an upset is possible. I do predict a Stephens victory though, but one thing to remember is it is her first match on grass this season.

Irina Begu vs Barbora Strycova

Irina Begu is perhaps one of the more forgotten players on the tour, but her match against Barbora Strycova certainly provides interest.

Ranked number thirty in the world, Begu is having her best season to date, reaching a career high of 29 earlier this month. The Romanian had a good clay season highlighted by her quarter final run in Madrid. Her transition to grass did not start well, as she lost to Daniela Hantuchova in Birmingham last week.

Strycova is only ranked two places higher than her opponent, but she comes in with more confidence after a third round run at Birmingham last week despite a poor end to the clay season. The Czech made her big breakthrough last year, finishing inside the top 30 for the first time. Since then she has become a tricky customer for anyone on the tour.

Two Wimbledon seeds ranked so close together looking to get the perfect confidence boost before Wimbledon equals a good match. Their previous and only meeting went the way of the Romanian in Madrid, but on grass Strycova should be the favourite. Expect a tight contest between two very good players.

Draw Analysis:

Top Half:

Petra Kvitova, 2013 New Haven

Defending Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will begin her preparations as the top seed at Eastbourne. Looking to find the perfect momentum, and confidence heading in to Sw19, the world number two will kick off her tournament on the Tuesday or Wednesday as virtue of her first round Bye.

The round two opponent will be either Camila Giorgi or a qualifier, but it will most likely be the Italian, unless of course she enters Kamikaze mode. Giorgi decided to skip Birmingham after winning the Topshelf open the other week, so right now she will be full of confidence and very dangerous. She is not the type of player you want to face in your first match on grass. This will be a big hitting contest, and Kvitova will be forced to player her best tennis from the off. An upset is highly possible if the Czech is not on her game.

The third round test will likely be the winner of Barbora Strycova vs Irina Begu as 13th seed Sara Errani is not strong on the grass. Strycova is the most likely as she is the strongest grass courter of the three, but if the Czech can weave her way through this section, her tournament likely ends in round three against Kvitova or an in form Giorgi.

Carla Suarez Navarro was dumped out of Birmingham by Karolina Pliskova earlier than she would have liked, but her doubles run to the final has given the Spaniard some extra grass court preparation. After her bye in round one, Navarro will face the winner of the Stephens vs Broady match in the second round. Both present different problems. If Broady comes through I expect Suarez Navarro to be too much for the Brit, but if Stephens comes through things could get interesting. The Spaniard is not her strongest on grass, whilst Stephens has proven she can play on the lawn.

The winner will face either 11th seed Elina Svitolina, Heather Watson or Vavara Lepchenko. Svitolina will be making her first grass court appearance of the year, which means she is untested on the surface this year. The second round draw is kind to her however, especially given Watson’s elbow troubles. The consistent Ukrainian is an unknown on the grass, so it is hard to see her getting past the third round on this occasion.

Third seeded Lucie Safarova is enjoying the high life after her final run at Roland Garros- her best result to date. Now the Czech must get back to business as she prepares to defend her Wimbledon semi final points. Strong on the grass and full of confidence, Safarova should have no problems making to at least round three where Sam Stosur should be waiting.

Safarova may face a returning Dominika Cibulkova in round two, who has not played since Antwerp. Stosur on the other hand faces a bigger test from Tsvetana Pironkova, but it is one she should pass. The Czech’s new found confidence and ability on the grass should be enough to take her past Stosur whose game is perhaps more suited to hard courts and clay.

After a final run in Birmingham last week, one might wonder whether she will even show up at Eastbourne, or give 100 percent as she might be tired. But if she does, she is hugely dangerous as proven this week. With her big ground strokes and effortless power, Pliskova is suited to the grass. Her second draw is Anna Schmiedlova- who is more suited to clay, or Casey Dellacqua- who is a good player but should not trouble the Czech. Both of those matches are should-win for Plsikova and when she see’s struggling Agnieszka Radwanska as her third round opponent, the 22 year old might be able to get to the quarter final without much trouble.

Bottom Half:

Caroline Wozniacki made it to the semi-finals here last year, and the second seed will be looking to go two steps further this time around. Her section is fairly good as it is littered with qualifiers and players she should be beating. A qualifier will definitely be meeting the world number five in round two, then it should be Flavia Pennetta who will fancy herself to beat Svetlana Kuzentsova who is not in the best of form on a surface not suited to her game. Wozniacki’s 7-1 record against the Italian speaks for itself, and therefore the Dane will be expected to make it out of this section.

Angelique Kerber is in the same boat as Karolina Pliskova- they made the final of Birmingham, so how much effort if any at all will they put in to this tournament? Knowing Angie, she will put in 100 percent like she always does, but will it be enough? Coco Vandeweghe could pose problems in round two with the serve, but Kerber should have enough to overcome that weapon.

Andrea Petkovic’s injury issues mean that there is a big chance for Garcia or Vinci to make a fairly deep run here. The Frenchwoman especially is in dire need of confidence, and with an injured Petkovic and tired Kerber in her draw, the quarter finals is a possibility- if she can keep her head and emotions in check. She must of course find a way through a tricky Vinci before she can even consider a deep run, but the opportunity is there.

Ekaterina Makarova will like her section of the draw, which sees her projected round three opponent being Garbine Muguruza. The Spaniard struggles on the grass as it ruins her timing, and her movement is not good on the surface. Madison Brengle will be looking to take advantage of that in round two if she gets past a qualifier.

Makarova will either play Johanna Konta or Zarina Diyas in round two. The Brit will see that as a winnable round one, but Makarova will likely be too much for Konta. The Russian’s section looks good for her to reach the quarter finals, as she should beat Muguruza or Brengle in round three.

It has been a hard few months for Eugenie Bouchard whose slump has now reached comical levels. As a runner up at Wimbledon last year, the Canadian has proved she can play well on grass, however the form is not encouraging. It is a wonder when she will next win a match, and with a difficult round two against Alize Cornet or Alison Riske, it does not look like it will be in Eastbourne.

Madison Keys (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Defending champion Madison Keys got the best of all Wimbledon preparations last season, but an injury prevented her from making an impact at SW19. The big serving American faces a tough draw if she is to defend her title, starting with the winner of Belinda Bencic vs Mona Barthel. Bencic might have been on the receiving end of Sabine Lisicki’s record 27 aces in Birmingham, but before that she made the final of the Topshelf open.

The battle of two of the biggest prospects on tour is a very real possibility, and certainly one to watch. Keys will be favourite to make it out of this section, especially given that the other seed is a slumping Bouchard.

Predictions:

Quarter Finals:
Kvitova def. Stephens
Safarova def. Pliskova
Keys def. Makarova
Wozniacki def. Garcia

Semi finals:
Kvitova def. Safarova
Keys def. Wozniacki

Final:
Kvitova def. Keys

I feel Petra might reign in Eastbourne to get herself into the right gear for Wimbledon. She should make it past Stephens, and given her record against Safarova, I expect the Wimbledon champion to make the final at least.

I predict Keys to make the final and come close to defending the title only to be stopped by Kvitova. The American has the game for grass, which should be enough to overcome Makarova and over-power Wozniacki. I predict a good run for Garcia despite her form due to the kind draw, and possibility of a Keber withdrawal, but Wozniacki will be too consistent.

Kvitova seems to have a habit of stepping up in finals, and she will have too much game for Keys in the final.

 

Lopez Heats Up With Eastbourne Win Before Wimbledon, Bautista Agut Wins Maiden Title at Den Bosch

Posted by Admin on June 22, 2014
Posted in: ATP, Den Bosch, Eastbourne. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Lopez Heats Up With Eastbourne Win Before Wimbledon, Bautista Agut Wins Maiden Title at Den Bosch

Feli Lopez

Feli Lopez

ATP Eastbourne
After coming up just a point short of taking the title at Queens club, Feliciano Lopez repeated as Eastbourne champion with a three set victory over top seed Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-7 7-5.

Lopez was able to bounce back after having a chance to close out the match in straight sets and breaking for the win over the Frenchman.

Lopez has been on fire the past two weeks and he didn’t drop a set against Tobias Kamke, Jeremy Chardy and Sam Querrey this week.

Gasquet found some form with a three set win over Bernard Tomic, and straight set victories over Martin Klizan and Denis Istomin.

Treat Huey and Dominic Inglot won the doubles title, they beat Alex Peya and Bruno Soares in the final.

ATP ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Roberto Bautista Agut won a much deserved first career ATP title in Den Bosch this week. The Spaniard has now moved into the top 30 and is having a career season. He improves to 1-1 in ATP finals in his career.

RBA beat former champion Benjamin Becker 2-6 7-6 6-4 in the final and he played some long matches this week, as his semifinal win over Jurgen Melzer had a 4-6 6-2 7-6 scoreline, and his quarterfinal win over Nicolas Mahut had a 6-3 4-6 6-3 scoreline. RBA also beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver and Matt Ebden this week.

The German vet Becker reached his third career ATP final and his first since 2009 with a three set win over Marcel Granollers, a straight sets drubbing of Dudi Sela, a three set victory over Vasek Pospisil and a two set win over Joao Sousa.

His play was a welcome surprise this week and Den Bosch was an entertaining event even without a lot of big names
in the field.

Jean-Julien Rojer/Horia Tecau won the doubles title over Santiago Gonzalez and Scott Lipsky.

—Steen Kirby, Tennis East Coast