Angelique Kerber upsets Jelena Ostapenko in three sets at BNP Paribas Open

Former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber clenches her fist during the second round of the BNP Paribas Open. 

Angelique Kerber held in through a tough battle to win again at the BNP Paribas Open Friday. Jelena Ostapenko gave it her all against the tennis veteran, who made her return something special in a three-set fight that went the way of the German 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 on Stadium 2 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

The two met for the first time in three years when they played twice and split wins in Rome and Cincinnati. The German holds the lead after three matches but faced an active Latvian, who has 16 wins under her belt this season. Ostapenko’s consistency slowed down last month, losing in Dubai in the third round. Her time at Indian Wells has been successful, looking forward to getting in position to surpass the second round. Kerber did well against Petra Martic, taking the victory by a comfortable stance on the court. If her timing works out, she could down the tenth seed and climb on in the California desert.

She battled in her attempt to take advantage of Ostapenko’s early double fault. They got to deuce where Kerber had a break point but saw it countered and clinched by the tenth seed. They went through three games of serve with Kerber in control of her serve, while Ostapenko battled the second serve. Aces came through for the tenth seed, but double faults were still an issue. The Latvian scored the break, but the German broke back to sit a game down after five.

The 36-year-old battled the aces and winners from Ostapenko, but her second serve remained a problem. Though it opened the door for Kerber, the 26-year-old fought through five breaks but couldn’t hold off the loss of serve. The German got things leveled after six and made it 4-3 on a break to love of the tenth seed. She made it 5-3 and served for the set, only to suffer a break in the tenth. The Latvian was back in charge, blasting the right balls to hold the 11th and regain a 6-5 lead.

In a perfect response, Ostapenko fired winning returns to smash Kerber on serve in the 12th, completing the comeback of trailing midway through the set that took 49 minutes. The tenth seed won 15 of the last 18 played in the set. The first serve was her major success, serving 65 percent of shots despite four double faults. The aces and winners were able to downplay her problems and reel herself in.

In the second set, it was Ostapenko early on taking a grip of the competition against Kerber. The 36-year-old tried to destabilize her opponent in the third, achieving the break late, bringing an end to the winning streak. After two games, Kerber got into the lead, scoring the double break on Ostapenko. The Latvian tried to deny her opponent a hold of serve but didn’t produce enough break points to counter.

Ostapenko held the seventh, but the double faults continued to rattle her. Kerber took it upon herself to make a change in scoring, serving the Latvian to love. In the ninth, after the tenth seed scored, the German took the next four straight points to bring into action a decider, taking 42 minutes to level the match. Ostapenko’s second serve remained a mess, serving 26 percent from it and a lower output of aces.

Kerber had her chance to dictate but struggled to hold back her opponent. The Latvian rallied the breakpoints to score the early lead, but her efforts didn’t roll forward. Ostapenko suffered a bad service in the second, gifting the win to the 36-year-old. The Latvian thought she was facing a second loss to Kerber, but her efforts paid off to lead 2-1. Kerber locked down the fourth straight break of service, then backed it up with a shutout of the tenth seed.

The Latvian leveled back and suffered a setback in the seventh, losing her chance to run off. The fight was still on in the eighth, as the two traded off points and remained so close. It was just one break of deuce until Kerber clinched the penultimate break and serve for the match. The points traded off to one another until the 36-year-old reached match point. It went sour on a winning return from Ostapenko, bringing them to deuce.

After three deuces, the German watched a return go into the net from Ostapenko, bringing up a fourth attempt. She forced an error from the tenth seed to take a massive upset in hand that took 2 hours and 13 minutes.

Swiatek stamps out Svitolina in straight sets at DDF Tennis Championships

Iga Swiatek readies herself for a smash during the third round of the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships. 

Iga Swiatek marched to victory and a quarterfinal spot at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday. Elina Svitolina didn’t have the tools to overpower the number one seed, who took it in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 on center court at the Dubai Tennis Stadium. It was the 24th win of 25 matches played for the world number one, gaining a second win over the top Ukrainian.

The two met for the second time last year in a thrilling quarterfinal at Wimbledon. It was there on the grass courts that Svitolina took down the world number one to make it as far as the semifinals. Since her return from a back injury suffered at the Australian Open this season, the Ukrainian performed well in her first two matches in Dubai to face her younger foe. Swiatek managed to straight sets win against Sloane Stephens, but not before being broken three games in a row. The Pole converted one of ten break points in the second set before her 6-4, 6-4 win. It marked three years since Swiatek beat the Ukrainian, hoping to keep her winning ways in check.

The top seed opened the scoring, struggling to hold serve against the Ukrainian. Svitolina answered with a serve to love in the second and continued her attack to achieve a break on Swiatek. The Pole held the third game and sent a message to the 15th seed, breaking in the fourth. The 22-year-old backed up the work against the Ukrainian, making it 4-1 to her end. The Ukrainian didn’t struggle on serve, but returning against Swiatek proved challenging.

It resulted in a double break for the number one seed, who served for the set in the seventh. She played aggressively to bring up a set point on serve, watching Svitolina return it into the net ending 28 minutes of play. Swiatek had seven winners and six unforced errors, but the lack of points won by the 15th seed made the scoring look the way it did.

Svitolina knew she needed a strong start to the second set, getting a 40-0 stance in front of Swiatek. Unfortunately, it didn’t result in a serve to love and instead went to deuce on errors from Svitolina and big returns from the top seed. They went to deuce twice before Swiatek took a seventh straight game. With the break in hand, the Polish star tied in the hold of serve to sit up eight straight. Svitolina managed to end her slide offensively and hold serve in the third, but it was an uphill battle to force a decider.

Svitolina countered in the fourth, scoring a big lead to hold Swiatek to a point. The Ukrainian fired well on serve in the fifth but her forehand erred during critical moments. It left the top seed to reclaim the lead on deuce and try to return to run away with the set. Svitolina raised her level of offense, getting a jump on the scoreboard in the sixth. Swiatek turned the tables to surge back on serve and double her lead in the set.

Svitolina dug deep on serve in the seventh, keeping her hopes alive with the victory. She converted the break, leveling the score with Swiatek as they entered the business end of the set. The 22-year-old captured the break back, scoring four unanswered to Svitolina before serving for the match. Svitolina battled to bring up a break point, but Swiatek countered to force deuce and reach match point. 

On the eighth point played, the Polish star won the match on an ace attempt that turned into a short rally before Svitolina long-balled it for the error. It took 83 minutes for Swiatek to get into the last eight, where she would face Anastasia Potapova or Qinwen Zhang on Thursday.

Svitolina scores place in third round of DDF Tennis Championships

Elina Svitolina enjoyed the victory she earned at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday. The 15th seed managed her service game to fend off Tatjana Maria in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 on Court Three at the Dubai Tennis Stadium. It was the first time in five years the Ukrainian earned consecutive matches at the tournament.

The two met for the fourth time, the first in six years dating back to the US Open. The Ukrainian returned to Dubai ready to take on the challenges, forced to a second-set tiebreak against Anhelina Kalinina. Her experience got her out of going the distance against her compatriot while brushing off the rust from her back injury. The German struggled to put wins together as pairs or better. Facing top 20 players she won just once since September of last year, giving Svitolina a chance to win back-to-back matches in the tournament since 2019.

Elina opened the service in the second round, giving Maria a point before holding the service. The 36-year-old followed along, establishing her offense against the 15th seed. Svitolina coasted through the third, with Maria right behind her holding on. The fifth game was the first to see the competition end, with Maria trying to force deuce. Svitolina won the critical point to deny the German that chance and remain on serve.

The Ukrainian took advantage of a window of opportunity when Maria suffered a double fault after landing an ace. Svitolina charged forward to gain the break and lead 4-2, backing up the service on errors from the German. Maria got back on track in the seventh, containing the serve to deny Svitolina the set. The 29-year-old got it done on serve in the ninth, scoring an ace along the way to taking the set in 28 minutes on a long ball return from Maria. The two had strong first-serve output, but the second-serve of Maria’s struggled to produce.

She put that aside and got into a battle in the second set, fighting off a break from Svitolina. Maria forced deuce on serve, but the 15th seed got a grip of the AD point to take the win away. The German made her pay for the change in action on the court, breaking back in the second. Svitolina chose to stick to the pace and attain a double break in response. The 15th seed got her offense back in check, tying a service hold with the double break in the fourth.

Maria also returned to holding serve in the match, cutting Svitolina off from forcing deuce. Control remained with the 15th seed after six games, where she held to double the margin against the German. Maria was under threat in the seventh, denying the Ukrainian an early chance to break. On deuce, the 36-year-old fended off four breaks before clinching the service. She rallied to a pair of break points on Svitolina’s serve, only to see the Ukrainian recover all of them. It was a tug of war for the AD point until Svitolina fired an ace to make it 5-3 and play for the match.

Svitolina finished strong, gaining two break points for the match, and ended with one remaining. A battle on one end of the court finished with Maria returning wide to end the match in 1 hour and 12 minutes. The Ukrainian’s serve was well-rounded from start to finish, earning a place in the third round where she’ll await the winner between Sloane Stephens and world number one Iga Swiatek.

 

Svitolina returns to Dubai a winner at the DDF Tennis Championships

Elina Svitolina readied the backhand during her opening round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Elina Svitolina battled through a tough match to emerge victorious at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday night. Anhelina Kalinina gave the 15th seed a run for her money in the latter stages of the second set, pushing her to a tiebreak before ultimately falling 6-3, 7-6(7) on center court at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.

Svitolina, a former world number three, suffered a setback last month in Australia when she injured her back in the fourth round of the Australian Open. But after battling back to fitness, the 29-year-old returned to Dubai, hoping to get back into a comfortable position. Kalinina, Svitolina's compatriot, had not won consecutive matches this season and faced a tough challenge in facing the experienced 15th seed. Kalinina began the match by taking a point off Svitolina's service game, but the 15th seed battled back and established herself near the net to score a break and take control of the match. Svitolina then held serve to love in the third before Kalinina fought back to hold her own serve in the fourth. However, Svitolina stepped up her game and nailed three straight aces in the fifth to assert her dominance. Despite Kalinina's valiant efforts, Svitolina coasted to victory in the first set, winning in 33 minutes and producing a good momentum. The number one Ukrainian had 14 winners and scored 94 percent from the first serve, while her opponent had 14 errors and a lower serve percentage overall. Kalinina remained firm on serve in the second set, but Svitolina anticipated flawlessly during points and held serve in the second game. Kalinina made a statement on serve in the third, blanking Svitolina in response. She then got a jump on Svitolina's service in the fourth, forcing the seeded star to turn the table and hold. Despite Kalinina's efforts to force a decider, Svitolina raised her level of gameplay higher than her opponent, celebrating big points in the sixth. Kalinina remained locked on holding serve, forcing the top Ukrainian to either even the score or fall behind. The 27-year-old almost shut out Svitolina in the ninth but ultimately held to threaten her opponent with a third set. Svitolina fought back from a 15-40 deficit and saved two set points off Kalinina in the tenth before holding to dive deep into the set. Although Kalinina had a chance to shut out Svitolina, she could not capitalize and took a pivotal 6-5 lead to add pressure. Svitolina handled the pressure well, fighting back to set up the tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Svitolina took an early lead, but Kalinina leveled the score and stayed with her through six points. Critical mistakes allowed Kalinina to take a 5-3 lead until two long returns made it five-all. Svitolina then brought up match point, but a return into the net kept Kalinina in the action. The two players continued to trade points until Svitolina finally won on a five-shot rally, tapping the ball in front of Kalinina to win in a hard-fought 1 hour and 40 minutes.

"It was a tough one to play," said Svitolina during her on court interview. "Its always tough to play someone from the same country and I'm just happy to finish in two sets because obviously, I dont want to play a third set." She'll see the competition hold its pace facing Tatijana Maria of Germany in the second round Tuesday.

Victoria Azarenka takes another from Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets

Victoria Azarenka clenches her fist after a point played during the third round of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open. 

Jelena Ostapenko had a dismal start that she couldn’t pull out of at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open Wednesday night. The Latvian was blanked by Victoria Azarenka and fought back in the second to lose 6-0, 6-3 on center court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex. It notched the fifth win for the former world number one against Ostapenko to enter Thursday’s quarterfinal.

The WTA’s hottest rivalry this season made its third match-up between the eighth seed and the former world number one. For Azarenka, she managed to win at Brisbane and Melbourne and is still undefeated against the Latvian. On Tuesday, both Azarenka and Ostapenko won their respective third rounds in straight sets. The 26-year-old committed a few unforced errors to ready herself for this situation, with a ten-match winning streak in hand.

The 34-year-old got off to a rousing start, taking Ostapenko on a run through her service, allowing two points in the game. She went on to break her due to three double faults from the Latvian. Azarenka sped through the third in a serve to love and nine minutes elapsed. A second service game didn’t go the way of the Latvian, who committed another two double faults, allowing the world number 31 to make it 4-0 to her name.

Feeling the comfort of a large lead, Azarenka coasted through her serve in the fifth, drawing easy errors from Ostapenko. Double faults continued to rattle her offense and with unforced errors, the fight at deuce was brutal for the 26-year-old. Screams at the end of points were positive to start, but after seven times at deuce, Azarenka was the one celebrating the set win after 28 minutes. Ostapenko had seven double faults and a second serve percentage below 10 percent. The Latvian added up 23 unforced errors in the set, knowing that it was going to be an uphill climb.

Azarenka faced a challenge from the Latvian to begin the second set, taking the competition to deuce for the second time in the match. Azarenka saved three breakpoints in the game before winning it on third. Ostapenko managed to build up a service hold in the second, gaining cheers from the crowd. While she held for the first time, the eighth seed didn’t take anything from Azarenka’s who cruised through the third. Ostapenko brought winners into the mix, containing the service to remain level.

The fifth game was a battle for Azarenka, who lost the chance to lose it out at 40-30. Ostapenko produced breakpoints twice but after the fifth deuce, the win went to Azarenka. The eighth seed took a medical timeout off the court before returning to action. She held for the third time, making it an even output of service holds through six games. Azarenka marked her fourth service game, holding off Ostapenko from a late push to deuce.

She took the challenge to the Latvian, who had double faults in her game and fell to a break in the eighth. The 34-year-old served for the match but fell behind the scoring. She scored the next three straight to watch match point go into the net from Ostapenko and end the night in 1 hour and 28 minutes.

“She tried everything to get back into the match,” Azarenka said about her opponent. “There was evidence of that, but I’m happy that I was able to hold my serves, and I think that was important to keep that pressure from that first set, and I was able to close it out.” Standing in her way was world number one Iga Swiatek, whom she faced at the US Open four years ago.

“Iga’s been improving so much,” Azarenka said about her next challenge. “She’s been playing incredible, so it’s going to be a great challenge and I’m looking forward to seeing how my game matches up to her and try my best for sure.”

Jelena Ostapenko flies through Anhelina Kalinina at Qatar Open

Jelena Ostepanko celebrates her opening round of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open.

Jelena Ostapenko coasted to victory after a strong performance at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open Tuesday night. The eighth seed won her 14th match of 16 played taking down Anhelina Kalinina 6-0, 6-3 on Grandstand 1 Court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex. The Latvian had 30 winners, six aces, and 12 unforced errors to make the third round.

The Latvian faced the Ukrainian for a fourth time and the first since 2022 when she won both matches. Ostapenko carried a 13-2 record on the WTA tour, coming off her seventh WTA title at Linz. The 26-year-old didn’t know when to quit as her stamina proved stronger than anyone on the tour. Having been a champion and finalist in the past, she’ll try to avoid going out early like she did two years ago. Getting Kalinina was a break for the slam champion, but her opponent’s win over Emma Raducanu on Monday stood out. With one big name off the draw, the Ukrainian would go for broke and try to make it two in a row.

Ostapenko got a terrific start from the baseline, holding the Ukrainian from making any threats to her service game. The eighth seed wiggled away on the last point of the second, breaking Kalinina to back it up on serve for a 3-0 run. The 27-year-old double-faulted for a second time, opening the door for Ostapenko to dictate. She put a bow on the fourth game, driving a return down the tramline, widening her lead in the set.

The Latvian battled briefly with Kalinina in the fifth at deuce. A winner in the open court on the first AD point handed Ostapenko another victory. The Ukrainian struggled with the serve, making it easy for the eighth seed to smack the returns hard. It was two set point chances for Ostapenko, who didn’t do much to earn the win after 22 minutes, watching Kalinina err the serve into the net. The Latvian had double the success from the 1st serve than her opponent, who served 38 percent. With a low output and 16 winners from the eighth seed, it had been a one-woman show in the first.

An ace was the first score Ostapenko put up to start the second, stretching the Ukrainian to crack under the pressure.  When it came time for Kalinina to serve, she improved with an 80 percent service output, assisting in her snapping the seven-game slide. It didn’t take anything away from Ostapenko, who served Kalinina to love in the third. The eighth seed backed things up with a break, scoring easy on return winners.

A surprise came in the fifth when the Ukrainian battled to deuce and captured the break over Ostapenko, putting her a game behind. She managed to level the score, getting the best of the Latvian once more to back up the break. Despite the slip-up, Ostapenko reeled her service game in and got back on track, regaining the lead. The Latvian scored the break to serve for a place in the third round, taking very little time to get it done. She landed her sixth ace of the night, drew an error, lost a point, and landed a winner for a match point. Ostapenko forced a final error from Kalinina to end it all in 53 minutes.

For the third time this season, it was Ostapenko facing Victoria Azarenka in a hot matchup Wednesday.

Victoria Azarenka cruises to defeat Xinyu Wang at Qatar Open

Victoria Azarenka hitting a forehand shot during the second round of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open. 

Victoria Azarenka improved her game to handle the second round like a boss at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open on Tuesday. The 34-year-old battled through the talent of Xinyu Wang, holding her in straight sets 7-6(1), 6-2 on center court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex. It marked her 193rd win in WTA 1000 events and a spot in the round of 16.

The former world number one didn’t have the greatest opening and instead struggled with numerous unforced errors to barely make it through the first round. She needed three against Magdalena Frech to get it done, and facing the Chinese star would be the same level of skill. The 22-year-old got the best of Beatriz Haddad Maia, who was tired from her run at Abu Dhabi days back. Given that she won so fast, Wang had plenty of gas in the tank to continue Azarenka’s early exits in Doha for a third time.

The two started the match holding serve, but more grip from Wang, who recorded several winners. After a two-all score, the 22-year-old jumped ahead and played through deuce tightly, watching her opponent make the mistakes to take the first break. Azarenka broke back in the sixth but suffered a double break of serve after the seventh. Wang had a tough service in the eighth, double-faulting twice and somehow forced deuce. Azarenka kept her deep and responded to a drop shot near the net to smack a winner for the win.

The 34-year-old ended the streak of four breaks of serve, backing up the double break she got on Wang to hold the ninth. She played for the set, only to see Wang recover her service tactics and hold to make it five-all. She added a break to lead after 11 and served for a chance to drop Azarenka a set down. The 34-year-old moved her opponent around during the rallies to deny her that chance and bring the tiebreak.

She forced errors from Wang twice to lead the way but suffered a long ball on the third point. Azarenka continued to force errors from the Chinese player, gaining her fourth that widened the gap. Back-to-back winners gave the former world number one so much breathing room to achieve a set point. On her second attempt, Wang was forced to play defensively and sent one wide to lose the first in 56 minutes. Azarenka was solid near the net, where she won seven of nine and three of four breakpoints, including the minibreaks in the tiebreak.

She built up the depth on court against Wang, scoring the early breaking, then fought to hold serve. Azarenka was all over the competition, forcing Wang to play extra balls and captured the double break. Leading 3-0, the 34-year-old backed up the effort to hold the fourth, inching closer to a shutout. Wang fought back the forced errors that Azarenka was pushing for in the fifth. Gaining control of serve in the fifth ended the scoreless streak in the set but the six-game run for Azarenka.

The 34-year-old battled in the sixth to get a fifth win under her belt, with Wang hitting the returns well. Despite forcing deuce, Azarenka waited patiently until an error from the 22-year-old got her out of a tough place and in a position to play for the match. Wang refused to let it happen on serve, making it a 5-2 score before calling out the trainer. The Chinese star had her foot tapped up before Azarenka cracked out a big serve to reach three match points. A shot went long, but her second attempt clinched it to end the match in 1 hour and 41 minutes.

“It was pretty fun to play against her,” Azarenka said about Wang. “She’s a great player, and also very young, so I’m sure she’ll improve her game.” “She definitely has a lot of power and can actually create some variety, which surprised me, but I think she developed a success she has had in doubles, and pretty fun to play against her.”

Azarenka awaits a potential face-off with Jelena Ostapenko for the third time this season but will have to defeat Anhelina Kalinina to make that possible on Thursday.

Victoria Azarenka fights to win opening round at Qatar Open

Victoria Azarenka celebrates a point during her opening round match at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open.

Victoria Azarenka worked out the kinks to get through the opening round of the Qatar Total Energies Open Monday night. The conditions from day to night caused problems for the former world number one against Magdalena Frech, who took it to the distance in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 result on Centre Court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex.

The 34-year-old took a break after the Australian Open to prepare for her eighth appearance in Doha, facing the Pole for the first time. The two-time champion comes to the Middle East comfortable as her success in the area gave her a chance to get on the right foot. Frech’s win over Caroline Garcia in Melbourne marked her first top-50 win. Getting one more facing Azarenka proved a tougher challenge against the hard hitting righthander.

The former world number one opened scoring on serve and the two remained that way through three games. Frech faced a break late in the fourth for Azarenka to capture a two-game lead on her second chance, taking one from the 26-year-old. The wind picked up during the fifth, making it tough for Azarenka to serve it just right. Frech forced deuce and had a break chance, only to see it slip on the second deuce.

The 34-year-old made it 4-1 on serve, but couldn’t convert another break in the sixth. Frech’s offense was great, holding her opponent to a point on serve and playing well under the conditions. She dug in during the seventh game, forcing deuce from 30-40 down. She played five breaks with Azarenka until the win came into her hands. The margin fell to one for the 34-year-old, who blew her first service game of the match, opening the door for Frech to convert.

Azarenka traded points in the eighth, waiting for her time to strike late and take the break back. She put a bow on the first set, shutting Frech out while on serve to lead the match after 54 minutes. She had 12 winners but a hair more unforced errors pushed her to improve late and roll it into the second set.

It was there that she pulled tricks out of her bag, responding well on the returns. She almost broke her to love but despite a missed shot, didn’t allow her to climb back. Frech answered back, building up a few breakpoints, holding Azarenka to saving one. The 34-year-old worked the drop shots into her attack in the third, scoring the double break on Frech. She tied in a comfortable service hold in the fourth increasing the first serve percentage. The Polish star denied a double break from building together, earning points on mistakes from Azarenka’s return.

She turned the tables to break Azarenka in the sixth, evening up the score on beautiful winners. It took effort on the part of Frech to hold serve, battling Azarenka’s crosscourt shots and edging away enough to lead for the first time. She enjoyed the comfort of having good break opportunities against the former world number one, waiting for the right one to convert and lead 5-3.

The 26-year-old had every element of her game right where she wanted it, controlling the game on serve to come out on top. Winning her fifth game in a row against Azarenka allowed her to take the set and force a decider after 40 minutes. The second serve of Azarenka’s was beyond dismal and a major factor in her losing the chance to win in straight sets. Frech didn’t have many winners or unforced errors, but her offense was well-rounded to put her on the right path.

The two players put a lot of effort into the first game which lasted 11 minutes. Azarenka came out with the victory on serve, but her struggles continued to rattle. In the third game, the 34-year-old saw her opponent stand with a break in reach. She fought to turn things around and bring up deuce. Through four breaks, Frech produced three chances for herself, but couldn’t get it done. After five games, they remained on serve, with Azarenka upping the ante on her offense.

She achieved her second shutout of Frech in the match, hoping that it was the statement to turn the set in her favor. A break opportunity arrived and slipped away for the 34-year-old, who watched her opponent save breakpoints and level the score at three-all. The seventh was heavily contested, with Frech fighting to deuce and getting a breakpoint in position. Azarenka took the second break for the lead and went on to make Frech regret it. The 34-year-old dominated the eighth, holding the 26-year-old to a point on serve.

Serving for the match, Azarenka hit well on the forehand, positioned herself well for the returns, and earned match point on a long ball from Frech. She capped it with a winner to take the win after 2 hours and 35 minutes.

                                                           

Dayana Yastremska wins in straight sets over Linda Noskova to make semifinal

Dayana Yastremska celebrates her quarterfinal victory at the Australian Open

Dayana Yastremska achieved a milestone at the Australian Open on Thursday. The Ukrainian qualifier took out Linda Noskova in the quarterfinal, winning 6-3, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park. She became the first qualifier since 1978 to make the last four in the grand slam.

The two players entered uncharted territory in their tennis careers by making a grand slam quarterfinal. The Ukrainian played a physical match to defeat Victoria Azarenka on Monday, gripping the second set to clinch her spot. Noskova was given a sudden pass as Elina Svitolina suffered a muscle pull in her back to exit the slam in heartbreak. The Czech’s win against the world number one gave her an edge coming in to the last eight and gave Yastremska a fight to the end.

Yastremska opened service blanking Noskova, scoring two winners from her end of the court. The 19-year-old showed great rhythm on her serve, but the Ukrainian dug in to respond and forced deuce. Noskova forced an error from Yastremska and laid down an ace to even the score. The Czech launched an attack, scoring the break in the third game on a string of errors from the 23-year-old.

Yastremska turned things around with backhanded winners to break back at Noskova, but her offense struggled in the fifth. A double fault opened a pathway for the Czech, but the Ukrainian battled to hold serve while regaining the lead. By the sixth game, the players returned to service holds, including a tough one from the Ukrainian, who committed a second double fault. Noskova added one to her service game in the eighth, opening the door for Yastremska to launch winners and take a 5-3 lead.

Serving for the set, the 23-year-old recovered from a deficit on serve, forcing deuce and bringing up set point. It was a five-shot rally, that ended, with a winner ending 36 minutes of play. Yastremska had 11 winners to Noskova’s four and won more points from the first serve despite two double faults.

The Czech teen began the second, drawing errors from Yastremska on both sides of her racket. Despite committing a double fault, Noskova got out of trouble to hold serve. Yastremska followed suit in the second, followed by Noskova, remaining on serve through three service games. They added another pair, with the 19-year-old maintaining her lead in the set. The Ukrainian leveled the score and broke the Czech in the seventh, inching herself closer to the semifinal.

On serve in the eighth, Yastremska drew errors from Noskova, while staying solid near the baseline and driving the shots to make it 5-3. The teen kept herself in the competition, holding an important ninth game and being in touch with the Ukrainian. Yastremska suffered key errors including a 20-shot rally that landed long. She managed to fight back and get to 30-all and forced an error from Noskova to bring up match point. She got it done on a long ball from the Czech to clinch the win in 1 hour and 19 minutes.

“I think it’s nice to make history because I still wasn’t born when it last happened,” she said. “As the next generation, it’s nice to make history and super happy…and tired.” The 23-year-old will get a day off while awaiting the winner between Anna Kalinskaya and 12th-seeded Qinwen Zheng of China.

Dayana Yastremska punches Australian Open quarterfinal ticket in straight sets win over Victoria Azarenka

Dayana Yastremska clenches her fist during the fourth round of the Australian Open. 

Dayana Yastremska got the best of her game and her opponent to go into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Monday. Victoria Azarenka met her match against the 23-year-old, who hit big and moved well to upset the 19th seed 7-6(6), 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena.

The two met twice two years ago in matches that the 34-year-old won. The 2018 champ remains the only finalist left in the top half after defeating Jelena Ostapenko for the second time this month. She rallied against the Latvian from 2-5 down in the second to make the second week.

It was the third match that she avoided going three against her opponents. The Ukrainian made the second week of a slam for the second time in her career defeating Emma Navarro. Since fighting through qualifications, Yastremska went the distance in four of six matches. Gaining a top-10 win was a huge feat, but getting another victory against Azarenka would even the series and put her into the last eight.

The first game took five minutes for Yastremska to hold serve, preventing the 18th seed from clinching a break chance. The time came for Azarenka to serve and rushed through her service game, allowing Yastremska a point from it. The Ukrainian put together a string of tough balls for Azarenka to return, getting the win on an error into the net. Yastremska scored breakpoints in the fourth to move two games ahead of the 18th seed.

The 18th seed broke back in the fifth and went on a three-game winning streak, scoring the double break to regain the lead. The eighth was heavily competitive, trading off points and late mistakes from Yastremska made it 5-3 for the 34-year-old. The Ukrainian refused to go down on serve, putting together a convincing game.

A break to love incensed Azarenka, who struggled on serve and gave Yastremska a short run of points. The Ukrainian had seven before it was broken in the 11th, which went to deuce. Azarenka countered for the AD point and broke the qualifier for the third time. The 18th seed served for the set but her opponent responded well to the first serve, trading points along the way. They went to deuce six times until the 23-year-old forced the set to a tiebreak.

The two stayed tight after six points and remained so after ten. After 12 points, Yastremska gained a second set point on her 20th winner, scoring her 21st on a swing and a miss by Azarenka ending a 74-minute battle. Yastremska had three aces and dominated on the returns, winning 71 percent to Azarenka’s 42. Both combined for 41 unforced errors, with Yastremska recording 25.

In the second, Azarenka caught her opponent moving slower and coasted through her service. The 34-year-old battled off a game-point chance for Yastremska, forced deuce, and took the break on the second deuce. She consolidated a 3-0 run in the shape of a shutout, only to see her winning streak snap. Yastremska battled to hold serve, stopping Azarenka from a breakpoint, and took it on the first deuce.

She converted a break in the fifth, playing extra balls with Azarenka and extending the game deep. Yastremska tied a hold of serve in the sixth and captured a big double break to lead 4-3. The momentum remained with the 23-year-old, who consolidated on serve to sit up 5-3, playing for an upset. Azarenka didn’t give her a shot on serve, inching closer to tie up the set and produce a chance. Yastremska got into place, with two match points and fired one into the corner, which Azarenka missed to close out a thrilling victory that took two hours and seven minutes.

Victoria Azarenka survives a three setter against Camila Giorgi at Australian Open.

Victoria Azarenka worked hard during her first round match at the Australian Open. 

Camila Giorgi pushed round one to three sets but went down at the hands of Victoria Azarenka at the Australian Open. The 18th seed breathed a sigh of relief in an up-and-down battle at Margaret Court Arena winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. The loss for the Italian snapped her streak of five first-round wins at Melbourne Park.  

The two met for the fifth time and the first since Miami where the former world number one handled the match swiftly. The Italian last defeated someone highly ranked as Azarenka in the 2015 edition and hoped to not drop a first-rounder in Melbourne since 2017. The 34-year-old did well in Brisbane, making it to the semifinal which set her up for another comfortable run at the slam. With the series tied, and the 18th seed holding a streak against Giorgi, she had a chance to jump off the blocks right.

The Italian was first to act and served well to open the scoring, but Azarenka drew easy errors and aced it to serve to love. In the third, the 18th seed anted up with a break to love of Giorgi making a statement and the lead. Azarenka blew a third shutout of Giorgi in the fourth game but landed an ace to end it. The 34-year-old ran off to a 4-1 score, drawing further errors from the Italian, who struggled to dig in.

Giorgi threatened Azarenka’s service in the sixth game, but a force of deuce from the 18th seed helped her reel the momentum in and make it 5-1 to her end. Giorgi’s first serve continued to have issues, gifting set point to Azarenka, who got it on a double fault from the Italian. It was a 31-minute rush for the 34-year-old, who scored 90 percent of first-serve points, while her opponent had 16 unforced errors.

Giorgi got another good start to open the second set, breaking her opponent. The 18th seed answered with a break back and consolidated in the third, putting a halt on the break opportunity for the 32-year-old in the third. The Italian fought hard to secure service in the fourth, leveling the score but also giving her offense life to challenge the former world number one.

Azarenka changed things up by notching her third shutout of the match on Giorgi. The Italian had enough of being blanked and built together another service hold to keep Azarenka in reach. She went after the 18th seed in the seventh, hunting down chances for the AD point on deuce. Two breaks went the way of Azarenka, who drew an error to take the lead back. Giorgi added another big hold of serve to remain even with the 34-year-old as they reached the business end of the second.

Giorgi put herself in a good position, running well with the momentum while rushing Azarenka to falter on serve. A double fault handed the Italian a 5-4 lead to serve for the set and bring in a third. She had Azarenka on the ropes in the tenth game, but a long return brought up deuce which went Giorgi’s way to send them to a decider and a break from the heat. It was a 53-minute success for the Italian, who improved on points from the first serve while forcing errors from Azarenka. With the pace of play to Giorgi’s advantage, she had every chance to pull off an upset of the two-time champ.

Azarenka refused to allow her opponent to take another opening game and hold serve to start the deciding set. She forced deuce on Giorgi’s service and played five deuces before the Italian held on.  It was the only win she saw for the next three games as the 18th seed held strong and battled for the break. The 34-year-old swept through the fifth and watched Giorgi tie a service game to her name.

Azarenka scored a great hold to deny any surge from the Italian and pressure her to stagger while facing defeat. The 18th seed played the returns smartly, drawing errors from Giorgi, who faced two match points. Two crosscourt winner returns forced deuce, followed by drawn errors from Azarenka to extend play. New balls were in hand for the 34-year-old, who double-faulted on serve for the match.

The 18th seed got aggressive, smashing the open court and double-faulting again. The score went to deuce while Azarenka went to the towel to slow things down and gain match point. A seventh double fault and third of the game went to Azarenka, who soon gained a fourth match point attempt. She got the serve in and forced Giorgi to err the ball wide, getting out of trouble in a 2-hour and 28-minute fight.

Elina Svitolina takes out Taylah Preston in straight sets

Elina Svitolina waves to the crowd after completing her first-round match at the Australian Open. 

Elina Svitolina turned up the heat to advance to the second round of the Australian Open on Monday. The 19th-seeded Ukrainian fixed the issues during the straight-sets match against Taylah Preston to win 6-2, 6-2 on 1573 Arena at Melbourne Park.

The Australian made her debut at Melbourne Park after earning a wild card to get in. The 18-year-old wasn’t fortunate to draw against the Ukrainian, who put in a lot of time in Auckland, making the final there against Coco Gauff. Despite going down against the American, she was warmed up to accept the challenge against the hometown girl and face any tests that Preston brought to the court. The Australian teen invested time in the ITF to prepare for her first main draw appearance, winning seven of the last ten.

The 19th seed faced a break of serve from Preston but handed one right back to level the score. Svitolina tried to get a service game secured, but the teen fought back to force deuce and scored the double break. The Ukrainian got a jump on the 18-year-old in the fourth game, allowing her a point from her end. Svitolina smartened up on serve in the fifth, executing the winners, and watched Preston err into the net to notch the match’s first service hold.

Svitolina backed up the hold and dominated the teen, shutting her out on service. The 29-year-old made it 5-2 on the serve, maximizing pressure on Preston to get the set closed. The Ukrainian reached set point at 40-30 but erred a return into the net. After three breaks, it was Preston who cracked under the stress, double-faulting the set to Svitolina after 30 minutes. Neither player did well on the first serve, but 18 unforced errors from Preston weighed down her problems.

The Ukrainian got the serve locked down in the second set, holding the Aussie to a point. She got into the groove of holding serve, but Svitolina dug in to hold and catch the break of serve in the fourth. The 19th seed continued to build a positive outlook for her side of the court, backing up the break for a 4-1 commanding lead. Preston built up a great set of shots that silenced the 29-year-old in the sixth to sit two games down.

Svitolina faced a tough service, with the two trading points until a late error from Preston behind the baseline gave the 19th seed a 5-2 stand. Preston was in the hot seat to stay in the match, but despite her early performance, she opened the door for Svitolina to force a deuce. After three breaks, the Ukrainian achieved a match point to get the job done in under an hour.  

Caroline Wozniacki gets early win on Linette retirement at Australian Open

Caroline Wozniacki in action at the 2024 Australian Open 

Magda Linette came into the opening round and lost the battle with a tough injury at the Australian Open on Sunday. The Pole gave it her best against Caroline Wozniacki, who took the opening set and was given the pass to the second round. Her 6-2, 2-0 result on Margaret Court Arena left many disappointed but happy that the 33-year-old was advancing.

The 2018 champ returned to Melbourne Park feeling capable after a three-year absence to go for another slam to begin 2024. She had a tough matchup against Elina Svitolina in Auckland, being knocked out in the opening round. Having two matches against Linette dating to 2017 and on hard courts, allowed her to recall her success against the Pole and try to upset the 20th seed. The 31-year-old tallied three matches in Brisbane and Adelaide, but facing the former world number one proved challenging for an opening match.

Linette had a tough opening service, playing at the baseline with long rallies but suffered the break to love. Wozniacki had to shake off the rust, falling behind on the score, but managed to force deuce with the 20th seed. She got out of trouble after two breaks, forcing the Pole to err and fall two games back. She delivered better in the third game, moving into the court and finding an ace in her bag to secure the serve.

She fought hard to break back and level the score against Wozniacki, who dug in for a lengthy fourth game. Wozniacki scored the breakback in the fifth as Linette suffered a double fault, followed by numerous errors. Wozniacki had a quick finish to her serve due to a lack of effort from Linette, who called the trainer mid-game and missed on points. The 31-year-old handed the break to Wozniacki, taking a conference with the trainer due to an upper left leg issue.

She left the court for a medical timeout and returned three minutes later with much more tape on her left leg. Facing the Dane on serve to stay in the set, the 20th seed grinded through the points but ultimately fell out of the first set after 47 minutes. She tallied 16 errors and struggled with the serve as her injury caused her discomfort where it mattered most.

Wozniacki got the break coming out the gate in the second set, throwing the heat at Linette, who showed further struggle. The Dane earned her first and last shutout as the 31-year-old bowed out after two games in the set.

Victoria Azarenka wins tight three setter against Jelena Ostapenko

Victoria Azarenka gives a smile after her three set win against Jelena Ostapenko at the Brisbane International

Victoria Azarenka went the distance for the first time and was victorious at the Brisbane International on Friday. The former world number one used her experience with depth to take down Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 at Pat Rafter Arena at the Queensland Tennis Center. It was full effort battle between the two stars, with the 34-year-old entering her 64th career semifinal.

The two clashed for the third time and were the first to come on hard courts. Both came out hot in Brisbane, with one finding her comfort, and returning to the tournament. The other made her debut strong, defeating Camila Giorgi and Karolina Pliskova. Though her round three match took much more effort, the Latvian was in to change tactics against the former world number one. The 34-year-old took down Clara Burel in straight sets, reeling the competition in late against the French star. Having two wins against Ostapenko, the charm of getting a third would put her into the semifinal.

Azarenka allowed a point on serve and went for the break in the second due to Ostapenko’s frustrations on the first serve. The eighth seed backed it up for a comfortable 3-0 run, hoping that she could keep the heat on her opponent. The third seed succeeded in holding serve in the fourth. Due to a second double fault in the match from Azarenka, the Latvian took control during deuce, scoring the break.

Azarenka reestablished her gap in a break back to love, playing in the middle of the court and firing the ball deep. The tactics gave her a 5-2 control of the set, anticipating a potential double break to end it. Ostapenko remained firm on serve delivering the winners to get a third win. Azarenka put things into high gear and built three set points to force Ostapenko to err and end the set in 36 minutes. Errors were the difference maker for the eighth seed, who only had three while the Latvian reached double digits.

On serve in the second set, Ostapenko rallied to lead the way on serve and try to turn the tables. They went through five holds of serve until the sixth where Ostapenko dug in deep with her skills and emotions to gain a break. Azarenka fought through three deuces, but the winners that the Latvian fired were too much to manage. Seeing a two-game gap, the third seed backed up the break and sat a game from forcing a decider.

The 34-year-old handled the pressure on serve in the eighth, smashing big shots deep to extend the set forward. Ostapenko got the job done, forcing a last error from Azarenka in the ninth to take the second in 44 minutes. Both launched 25 winners in total in the set and committed very few errors, but despite nine aces from Azarenka, Ostapenko outscored her on points.

Azarenka was first to strike in the third set, with Ostapenko following along despite challenges. They held serve through four games before the fifth became highly contested. It was the eighth seed, who suffered a break, but scored the break back to remain even at three-all. The seventh game stood out as the biggest tug of war for the lead, with both players playing nine deuces. Azarenka managed to find the winner on the court to take the lead.

Ostapenko refused to let anything slip away on serve and made it four-all with the break in hand. The eighth seed got the upper hand and on the last point, got the ball over the net. Ostapenko refused to believe that the ball bounced only once on her opponent’s side and got into it with the umpire. Despite her anger to never have her officiating her matches, she steadied her service to make it five-all. The 34-year-old notched her third shutout on serve, winning the 11th and a shot to play for a place in the semifinal.

Azarenka took advantage of a double fault from Ostapenko, gaining two match points to see the return go into the net ending a dramatic 2-hour and 30-minute fight. “With Jelena, sometimes you have to put on helmet and try to stay in there,” said Azarenka joking. “She’s an incredible player, we have seen it many times and she’s a grand slam player, and proved many times that she can beat anybody on any given day and is always very dangerous.”

With a major obstacle out of her way for the third time, she’ll go into Saturday’s semifinal awaiting Aryna Sabalenka or Daria Kasatkina.

Jelena Ostapenko ousts Pliskova in three sets

Jelena Ostapenko performed well enough to defeat Karolina Pliskova at the Brisbane International Thursday. 

Jelena Ostapenko felt the pressure and managed it at the Brisbane International Thursday. The Latvian struggled at times against Karolina Pliskova but edged the Czech in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 at Pat Rafter Arena at the Queensland Tennis Center. The 26-year-old remained hot at the start of 2024, getting the wins tied together.

The two superstars met for an 11th chapter to their long history. Last year they met twice, with Ostapenko taking wins in Adelaide and Cincinnati against the Czech. In her first appearance of the tournament, the Latvian manhandled Camila Giorgi in straight sets. She notched 23 winners and only had 14 unforced errors throughout the 17 games played.

Being reminded of her run at the Australian Open last year put her in a place to potentially repeat against Pliskova. The six-foot-one star put her best against returning former world number one Naomi Osaka, scoring 16 aces. Despite having 11 double faults in her victory, Pliskova has a good history in Brisbane and is eager to take on another big name in the sport.

Ostapenko opened scoring to lead 40-15 until the Czech fought to force a deuce. The two traded AD points through four breaks until the Latvian held up. She captured the break in the second and went three straight before Pliskova got on the board. The Czech faced a steep climb as Ostapenko left nothing back in her offensive strengths. By the sixth, the third seed was a double break and up 5-1.

Pliskova denied her to serve out the set, breaking back in the seventh. The 16th seed wanted to hang around in the set, serving up an ace in the eighth, until an error forced deuce. Ostapenko was gifted set point twice, failing to lock it down and put Pliskova a set down. After six breaks, the Czech handed Ostapenko a third shot that was good to close the first in 46 minutes. It was a rough conclusion for the Latvian, who had three double faults and ten unforced errors.

Managing to keep the numbers low, the third seed got into position but the second set didn’t start the way she wanted. The 16th seed came to life, allowing a point from her opponent before getting the break. Pliskova backed up a two-game margin on serve getting in place for what the third seed responded. Ostapenko smashed out a quick third game, blanking the Czech, and ending the short streak.

She turned it around in the fourth to hold serve for the lead, but Ostapenko followed suit to keep the margin small. She broke Pliskova in the sixth to level the score and go for the lead change on serve. Pliskova broke back to retain control of the scoreboard, with Ostapenko close behind. The 16th seed widened the gap to make it 5-3 to consolidate her hard work and force a third set.

Ostapenko refused to go down on serve, smashing big with the forehand to bring it back within a game. Pliskova served for the set but two chances went down on winning returns by the Latvian to force deuce. The 16th seed rushed to gain a third set point that was the charm to force the match to a decider after 40 minutes.

It was a race to the finish as both players battled it out in the opening game that went four breaks. Ostapenko struggled with errors sprinkled in the game but came through with the hold. Pliskova made it look easy in the second, switching up fast to challenge the third seed serving the third. They played 11 points and three breaks before Ostapenko sealed the win. The pace settled down with a pair of quick games and the Latvian leading by a small margin.

She jumped out to 5-2 after putting in work in the sixth to break Pliskova and get in place for the match. The 16th seed shut her down in the eighth, giving up a point on serve, with the aces in tow. Ostapenko had the time to get it done on serve, overcoming a loss of points and surging to the AD point where she capped it on the second attempt to finish in 2 hours and 17 minutes.  

The competition wouldn’t drop for the third seed as she faced Victoria Azarenka in Friday’s quarterfinal.

Azarenka pushes late to enter Brisbane International quarterfinal

Victoria Azarenka celebates a third round victory against Clara Burel at the Brisbane International. 

Victoria Azarenka finishes strong to snap her opponent out of the Brisbane International on Thursday. Moving into the court late against Clara Burel, allowed her to dominate to victory in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 at Pat Rafter Arena at the Queensland Tennis Center. It marked Azarenka’s 98th career quarterfinal in a tournament she loves.

The 34-year-old opened the 2024 season with a strong victory over Anna Kalinskaya, winning 6-1, 7-6 back in Brisbane. Finding the comfort early, the former world number one readied herself for a new challenge in Burel. The Frenchwoman extended her match streak to eight after her defeat of Anhelina Kalinina in straight sets, losing just five games in round one. Since July, she has carried a 27-8 record on hard-court matches. With a spot in the quarterfinal looming, both players would stir up challenges for the other to gain the top-eight spot.

Azarenka served up the first win to her name, giving Burel a point. She notched a break of the 22-year-old and backed things up with a hard-fought third game. Burel pushed her to deuce, but after a couple of breaks, the former world number took a 3-0 lead. Burel managed to get a service hold in the fourth, but once her opponent had the ball back, it was 4-1 for Azarenka.

Burel secured a second consecutive service hold in the sixth, cutting into the margin on the eighth seed. She went on to come up, with a break to love opportunity, but two lost breaks went by before Burel held Azarenka back. She backed it up to level the score at four-all, handing the eighth seed a wakeup call to change tactics. The 34-year-old made good on her service in the ninth, denying the Frenchwoman any further steps forward to regain control.

Burel achieved the serve to love in the tenth as a statement to Azarenka that the set would go the distance. The eighth seed responded with a hold and focused on the break in the 12th. Azarenka built together two set-point chances and waited patiently for her opponent to err, bringing the first to a close after 56 minutes. Burel had more winners than Azarenka, but the 34-year-old dominated with the first serve at 78 percent, rolling her success into the second set.

She constructed another lead for herself, hoping that she could keep the French star far back. With the break in hand, Azarenka fought back Burel to contain service and lead 3-0. Burel finally found a way to dig into the fourth with balls in hand and use her skills to play deep and finish it on an ace. By the end of the fifth, the set mirrored much like the first, with Azarenka back to a three-game margin.

Burel was on point with her service game, but her opponent made other arrangements to try and close out the match. Errors from the 22-year-old handed Azarenka easy match points to attain and get into place with three straight match points. The eighth seed watched her opponent hit one into the net that ended her lengthy winning streak and put Azarenka into her fifth quarterfinal of the tournament after 1 hour and 33 minutes. 

"She was changing up the game," Azarenka said about her opponent after the match. "I was trying to be aggressive and come to the net, but I felt like she was on top of me and made some amazing passing shots." 

"It was a very competitive match, very good, and thought that when I needed to I could step up my game."

She’ll take another good performance in stride to prepare for her quarterfinal against the winner of Jelena Ostapenko and Karolina Pliskova on Friday.