Tennis Frontier

Author: Owen Gigg

  • Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Wins the Open GDF SUEZ

    Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Wins the Open GDF SUEZ

    Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

    Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ended a memorable week in Paris by defeating Sara Errani at the Open GDF SUEZ. The Russian reeled off 48 winners en route to taking the match 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

    In a match of many momentum swings, Pavlyuchenkova began by racing out to a 3-1 lead in the opening set. She then dropped seven consecutive games to leave Errani firmly in the driving seat with a set lead and a 2-0 buffer in the second.

    The Russian then awoke from her slumber and took seven consecutive games of her own behind strong serving and huge groundstrokes. With the second set sealed, the match was carefully balanced as it progressed into the deciding stanza.

    Pavlyuchenkova took the opening game but her advantage was short-lived, with Errani reeling off three more consecutive frames to move out to a 3-1 lead.

    The see-saw battle turned on its head again – this time decisively, with Pavlyuchenkova recovering her rhythm and dropping only six more points throughout the remainder of the match. She won the remaining five games without reply to secure the biggest title of her career.

    “I just want to keep working hard and improving my game, and if I keep doing those things it will show in rankings and results,” said the Russian after the match.

    It was Pavlyuchenkova’s sixth career title and it was well earned. Earlier in the week, she defeated Carla Suárez Navarro, Angelique Kerber, and top seed Maria Sharapova.

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    Cover Photo: karlnorling, Creative Commons License (Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova)

  • Makarova Wins Pattaya Open

    Makarova Wins Pattaya Open

    Ekaterina Makarova

    Ekaterina Makarova won her first title in nearly four years clinching the Pattaya Open in Thailand with a 6-3, 7-6 (7) victory over Karolina Pliskova.

    The Russian took the match in 1 hour 36 minutes and fought off two set points in the second set tiebreak to take the championship.

    “It was a nervous ending and a really tough match, and she was playing really great tennis today,” stated Makarova after the match.

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    Cover Photo: angela n, Creative Commons License (Ekaterina Makarova)

  • Federer Commits to Davis Cup Action

    Federer Commits to Davis Cup Action

    Roger Federer

    Roger Federer will join the Australian Open champion and new Swiss No.1 Stanislas Wawrinka in their Davis Cup first-round tie against Serbia.

    “I can confirm that Roger is in Serbia and will play in the Davis Cup,” stated Sandra Perez of the Swiss Tennis Federation.

    It is the first time since 2012 that Federer has made the commitment to play Davis Cup and the last time he played a first round tie was back in 2005.

    The Swiss will begin the tie as favorites with Serbia missing Novak Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic. The makeshift Serbian team will provisionally feature Dusan Lajovic (ranked No. 102) and Filip Krajinovic (No. 280) in singles, with Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac pairing up for the doubles.

    The tie will be played on an indoor hard court in Novi Sad.

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    Cover Photo: Kenneth Hong, (Creative Commons License)

  • Cibulkova Thrashes Radwanska in Australian Open Semifinal

    Cibulkova Thrashes Radwanska in Australian Open Semifinal

    AO WTA Finalist - Cibu

    Dominika Cibulkova dominated Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska en route to a 6-1, 6-2 victory and a place in the Australian Open final.

    Radwanska, who had previously defeated defending champion Victoria Azarenka, struggled to negate the aggression and physicality of the Slovakian throughout the match.

    Cibulkova was in control from the outset, dominating the exchanges from the baseline and attacking the Radwanska serve with impunity.

    The first set was barely a contest as she ran out a convincing 6-1 winner, closing out the set with a monstrous backhand winner.

    The same patterns of play continued in the second set with Radwanska repeatedly defending way behind the baseline as Cibulkova dictated proceedings with pure power tennis.

    Radwanska had three break points at 0-2 down in the second set but failed to capitalize and only managed to finally break at 0-4. She held serve in the next game but it was a temporary respite as Cibulkova regained her poise and closed out the set 6-2 to take the match in convincing fashion and book her place in the final.

    Her opponent for the championship decider is China’s Li Na, who defeated young Canadian Eugenie Bouchard 6-2, 6-4.

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    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): robbiesaurus

  • Li Na Advances to the Australian Open Final

    Li Na Advances to the Australian Open Final

    Li Na 2014

    China’s Li Na reached the Ladies Australian Open final for the third time in four years with a 6-2, 6-4 win over young Canadian revelation Eugenie Bouchard.

    Li dominated the opening stanza, rushing out to a 5-0 lead in only 16 minutes before Bouchard finally registered a game on the scoreboard. She added another before Li closed out the set behind penetrating groundstrokes and strong serving.

    The Canadian steadied her nerves in the second set and made a match of it before her experienced opponent broke and closed out the set with a crosscourt backhand.

    Li Na will meet the winner of Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska who face off in the other semifinal.

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    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): globalite

  • Federer Defeats Murray to Set Up Nadal Semifinal Clash

    Federer Defeats Murray to Set Up Nadal Semifinal Clash

    Brisbane - Federer

    Roger Federer advanced to the Australian Open semifinals after defeating Britain’s Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 in 3 hours and 20 minutes in Rod Laver Arena.

    A revitalised Federer dominated the first two sets and much of the third where he served for the match at 5-4 before Murray gatecrashed the party to break serve and force the set into a tiebreak. The fourth seeded Scot made the most of the opportunity and went on to win the tiebreak after Federer squandered two match points.

    The momentum shift was short-lived as Federer regrouped to take the fourth and final set breaking Murray in the eighth game.

    Federer will now face old nemesis Rafael Nadal in the semifinal.

    “I’m looking forward to it,” he smiled when asked about renewing hostilities with the Mallorcan World No. 1. It is the first meeting at a Major of the two tennis greats since they met in the semifinals at Melbourne in 2012.

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    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

  • Radwanska Unseats Defending Champ Azarenka

    Radwanska Unseats Defending Champ Azarenka

    Agnieszka Radwanska

    Victoria Azarenka’s defence of her Australian Open title has been brought to an end by fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in Melbourne.

    Radwanska prevailed 6-1, 5-7, 6-0 in two hours. It continued a stream of upsets, coming in the wake of shock defeats to Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. It also snapped Radwanska’s own seven match losing streak to the World No. 2.

    The match began with Radwanska racing out to a 5-0 lead before Azarenka registered on the scoreboard. That game prevented the bagel but the Belorussian was powerless to prevent the Pole from closing out the first set.

    Azarenka rallied in the second set, making her move when Radwanska was serving to stay in the set at 5-6. She returned aggressively and finally got her reward by taking the game and the set with a powerful crosscourt winner.

    With the match carefully poised at one set each, the momentum switched again with Radwanska storming back on the back of some superb winners. Azarenka was visibly frustrated and it crept into her game.

    Radwanska was not to be denied and took the set with a 6-0 bagel to end the champion’s reign.

    “Play aggressive and go for every shot that I could. That was what I was trying to do and it worked today,” stated Radwanska after the match.

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    Cover Photo: globalite, Creative Commons License

  • Wawrinka Stuns Djokovic in 5 Set Thriller

    Wawrinka Stuns Djokovic in 5 Set Thriller

    Stanislas Wawrinka

     

    Stanislas Wawrinka produced the performance of his career to stun defending champion Novak Djokovic and march into the semifinals of the Australian Open.  The pair had met in two Majors last year with Djokovic triumphing in five sets on both occasions.  This time, the Swiss World No. 8 was not to be denied.

    Djokovic got off to a flying start by breaking Wawrinka twice to secure the opening frame 6-2. The Swiss finally made a breakthrough at 3-3 in the second set, capitalizing on a break point opportunity by unleashing a monstrous backhand that just clipped the line. The remainder of the set went with serve, allowing Wawrinka to level the match. It was the first set Djokovic had dropped during the entire tournament.

    An inspired Wawrinka broke twice in succession early in the third set to wrestle control of the match. He served it out and now the pressure was on his Serb opponent to match his intensity.

    The fourth set was a tightly contested affair before Djokovic broke the Wawrinka serve in the ninth game after coming back from 40-0 down.

    In common with their last three meetings at Grand Slam tournaments, this was going to a fifth and final deciding set.

    Both players had opportunities in the fifth and traded early breaks. The defining moment came at 7-8 on the Djokovic serve where the Serb shepherded a volley out of the court for Wawrinka to break and take the match in a nail-biting finish.

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    Cover Photo: karlnorling, Creative Commons License

  • Ana Ivanovic Shocks Serena Williams in Australia

    Ana Ivanovic Shocks Serena Williams in Australia

    Ivanovic beats Serena 2

    In a stunning upset, Ana Ivanovic defeated five-time champion Serena Williams in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Ivanovic came from a set down to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour and 56 minutes. It was the 26-year-old Serb’s first victory over Williams in five attempts.

    “It’s amazing,” said Ivanovic. “Honestly, I went on the court and I just wanted to play the best I could. I’m so thrilled.”

    It was Williams first loss since August 2013.

    Ivanovic, seeded 14, will face Eugenie Bouchard or Casey Dellacqua in the quarterfinals.

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    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): NAPARAZZI

  • France Overcomes Poland to Win Hopman Cup

    France Overcomes Poland to Win Hopman Cup

    Jo-Wilfred Tsonga

    Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Alize Cornet clinched a maiden Hopman Cup triumph for France as they prevailed over the Polish pair Grzegorz Panfil and Agnieszka Radwanska 2-1 in a titanic tussle.

    The final at Perth Arena lasted until the early hours of Sunday evening with France finally prevailing in the mixed doubles 6-0, 6-2.

    In the earlier matches, Tsonga defeated Panfil 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, and Radwanska defeated Cornet 6-3, 6-7 (9-7), 6-2.

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    Cover Photo: Yann Caradec, Creative Commons License