Alexandrova wins SZ Open

01 13, 2020

Ekaterina Alexandrova in action against Elena Rybakina during the women’s singles final at the Shenzhen Open on Saturday.Liu XudongRussia's Ekaterina Alexandrova captured her maiden WTA singles title at the Shenzhen Open on Saturday, powering past Elena Rybakina 6-2, 6-4 in the final.The fifth seed, playing in only her second WTA title clash and first since Linz in 2018, breezed through the first set and staved off a potential comeback from her Kazakh opponent in the next to become the first tour champion of 2020.“The whole week was pretty good for me, I think, right from the start,” said Alexandrova, who only dropped on set throughout the tournament in southern China.Having lost the opening set, seventh seed Rybakina raced ahead 4-2 in the second set, but Alexandrova held her nerve to reel off the next four games and secure victory.Alexandrova converted six out of her 15 break point opportunities in the match lasting 73 minutes. “It wasn’t easy, but I did it until the end. I won my first title, and it feels amazing. The first one is always special,” world No. 34 Alexandrova said.“I was playing my second final and the first one wasn’t so good for me, so I was trying to get this one.”In women’s doubles, Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic beat Duan Yingying and Zheng Saisai of China 6-2, 3-6, 10-4 to win the title.

Wang powers into SZ quarters

01 10, 2020

Wang Qiang celebrates a point during the Shenzhen Open match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus at Shenzhen Longgang Sports Center, on Wednesday.CGTN In a tense encounter that had pretty much everything, China's Wang Qiang turned back the challenge of the dazzling Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in three sets Wednesday to storm into the quarterfinals of the Shenzhen Open. The world No. 28 battled back from a dismal second set during which she did not save a single one of the three break points she faced and displayed tremendous resilience in the deciding set to eke out a 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (5) victory. After Peng Shuai slumped to a 7-6 (7), 6-1 defeat at the hands of fifth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia, Wang became the only Chinese left standing in the singles events. The 27-year-old later credited much of her comeback to the passionate support of the local fans and the wise words from her coach. “They didn’t give up on me, why should I lose faith in myself?” beamed the Chinese ace. “I played very smoothly in the first set but then she played more aggressively in the second set and it put me under a lot of pressure. Maybe I was overconfident but I had a successful winter training and I felt strong enough to match her,” she added. “At 1-3 down in the third set, I needed a change of strategy. My coach advised me to attack her forehand. He said I might need 15 minutes or so, but don’t give up — you will win this. That gave me a lot of confidence and I felt I could win. Luckily I managed to adjust.” Earlier, former world No. 1 Garbine Muguruza, who edged out Chinese youngster Wang Xiyu on Monday, continued her fine form as the two-time Grand Slam winner got the better of American Shelby Rogers with a 6-1, 7-6 (2) straight sets victory. “Every match is very important and it’s great to start the year here and get as many matches as possible. Every tournament is a challenge and I’m happy to keep playing, “ said the sixth seeded Spaniard. Meanwhile in the doubles quarterfinal contests, third seeded Chinese duo Duan Yingying and Zheng Saisai hurried past the Slovenian-Romanian pair Dalila Jakupovic and Raluca Olaru 6-2, 7-6 (5) to book their spots in the semifinals.

Alexandrova ousts Peng to reach SZ QF

01 09, 2020

No. 5 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova extended her winning streak to seven straight matches thanks to a straight-sets win over former finalist Peng Shuai at the Shenzhen Open yesterday. The Russian, who captured her third career title at the WTA 125 Series event in Limoges, France, to end 2019, bested the 2014 runner-up in Shenzhen, 7-6(7), 6-1, in 83 minutes to reach her first quarterfinal in her third main draw, and fourth overall, appearance at the tournament. “The first set was tough, because the start was good, then the middle was so bad, and the end was okay,” the Russian said after the match. “I think she played extremely well at the end in the first set. In the second set, I was lucky that I could break her, and after, it was much easier for me.” A tight opening set could’ve gone to either player, and ultimately proved to be decisive in the result of the match, as it lasted the better part of an hour. The Russian was the first to hold a lead, as she built a 3-0, 40-15 advantage, only to see the Chinese veteran turn the set on its head by winning the next five games. The World No. 108 could not take advantage of her momentum, however, losing serve to 15 in the 10th game — and ultimately, saw two set points slip away in the set. Alexandrova saved the first set point on her serve en route to forcing a winner-take-all tiebreak, and won the last three points to hang on at the end. With the first set in hand, the World No. 34 sprinted through to the finish, and a quarterfinal date with either No. 4 seed Wang Qiang or Aliaksandra Sasnovich, by winning the last five games of the match. “It feels great to finally play in the quarterfinals here, because I'm playing for the fourth time here,” she said. “I’m really excited and I hope I can do my best. I had a great preseason so right now, I’m feeling very confident and good on the court.”

Top seed Bencic bows to Blinkova

01 07, 2020

In what was the first big upset of the tournament, in-form 21-year-old Anna Blinkova secured the biggest win of her young career as she defeated Belinda Bencic 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 53 minutes to knock out the number one seed in the first round of the Shenzhen Open. At 5-1 up after six games, Swiss ace Bencic looked on course for a routine victory, but 2015 Junior Wimbledon runner-up Blinkova began to find her serving form and started putting her world No. 8 opponent under more pressure. The turning point of the match came in the sixth game of the second set that lasted a total of 16 points – Blinkova saved game point three times before breaking her frustrated opponent on the second time of asking to take a 4-2 lead. In the third set, the young Russian did not face a single break point and converted both the chances she created to complete her first career victory over a Top Ten player. “I’m feeling really good, I’m so happy I don’t know what to say. I did my job. I didn’t feel great in the beginning of the match. But it’s very important that I managed to increase the level of my game slowly step by step. I said to myself I need to put more balls in the court, because I was making too many mistakes. So I tried to close the wrist a bit more and stay aggressive on the shot and try to play the big moments with aggression,” said the Russian, who is at a career high ranking of No. 58.

Garbine Muguruza holds off Wang Xiyu upset bid in SZ

01 07, 2020

No. 6 seed Garbine Muguruza avoided an early exit at the hands of Chinese teenager Wang Xiyu in the first round of the Shenzhen Open yesterday. The Spaniard, who won just one match following last year’s French Open to season’s end, dispatched the wildcard, ranked No. 150, by winning the last nine games 3-6, 6-3, 6-0. Starting in similarly in-form fashion as she did in her last match against a Grand Slam champion in Shenzhen, Wang blitzed Muguruza for much of the first hour of the match with precise, flat hitting from the baseline, although she needed six set points to wrap up the opener. It was certainly enough to impress her accomplished opponent. Nonetheless, the Spaniard ultimately found her footing late in the second set, as she denied Wang two chances to level the scoreboard at 6-3, 4-4 and did not lose a game from then on. In another match yesterday, China’s Wang Qiang beat Ons Jabeur 6-0, 6-3. On Sunday, home favorite Zhang Shuai looked in complete control as she dismissed Magda Linette 6-4, 6-2, extending her dominant record against the Pole to five wins in as many matches. Zhang’s victory on Center Court came only hours after 18-year-old wildcard Wang Xiyu rallied from a set down to oust Romanian Sorana Cirstea 3-6, 6-1, 6-1. Mertens made a winning start to 2020 as she eased past Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko 6-3, 6-3 in the opening round of the Shenzhen Open on Sunday. A rare lapse in concentration cost Mertens two break-point opportunities to open up a 5-1 lead in the second set but her solid service rhythm guided her to a comfortable win in just over 90 minutes. China’s Wang Yafan also staged a comeback win over Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo, winning the 2nd and 3rd round 6-1, 6-3 after losing the first one 1-6. All three Chinese players in singles action broke into the next round Sunday.

Shenzhen Open 2020 singles main draw set to commence tomorrow

01 04, 2020

The Shenzhen Open 2020 singles main draw ceremony was held live at the Shenzhen Longgang Sports Centre this afternoon and revealed the first hurdles the WTA stars will be facing in the new season. Singles top seed Belinda Bencic was joined by Chinese ace Wang Qiang (No. 4 seed), fifth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and sixth seeded former world No. 1 Garbine Muguruza in the top half of the draw. The 22-year-old Swiss, currently just one spot shy of her No. 7 career high ranking, will start her campaign with a first-time encounter against Russia’s 21-year-old Anna Blinkova. World No. 30 Wang will face Ons Jabuer in the first round, having defeated the Tunisian in their only previous meeting on the hard courts of Dubai in 2017. Russia’s Alexandrova will have to get past 2017 Shenzhen Open singles champ Katerina Siniakova in her opening match that will be played tomorrow on Court 1. Meanwhile, two-time Grand Slam winner and current world No. 36 Muguruza drew 18-year-old local wild card Wang Xinyu in the first round. In the bottom half of the draw, defending champion and number two seed Aryna Sabalenka is accompanied by doubles partner Elise Mertens (the third seed), seventh seeded exciting rising star Elena Rybakina as well as eighth seed Zhang Shuai. World No. 11 Sabalenka is up against a qualifier in her first round match, while world No. 17 Mertens will need to overcome Lesia Tsurenko in tomorrow’s first match on Centre Court starting at noon. The Belgian has a 0-1 record against the Ukrainian, having lost to the then higher ranked Tsurenko at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2017. Twenty-year-old Kazakh-Russian Rybakina, who had a breakout season in 2019 in which she made her first two career finals and picked up her maiden title at the Bucharest Open, will take on Zheng Saisai for the first time on tour in her opening match. Meanwhile, the number eight seed Zhang Shuai faces Magda Linette on Centre Court in only other first round match to feature a seeded player tomorrow. The Chinese has never lost to the Pole and possesses a 4-0 record in head-to-head encounters from 2014 to 2018. The other two Chinese wild cards in the main draw – Duan Yingying and Wang Xiyu – drew Kazhakstan’s Zarina Diyas and Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in their respective first round matches. Last year’s semifinalist Wang Yafan was present at the draw ceremony and drew herself a tricky tie against Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo in tomorrow’s last match on Court 1. Wang has previously lost twice to the Spaniard on tour, the last coming at the Croatia Bol Open in 2018. “With this being the first tournament of the season, anything can happen and everybody will be giving it a go. I will also give it my best here,” said the 25-year-old world No. 48, who reached her career high of No. 47 last October after a semifinal run in Korea. The 2020 Shenzhen Open doubles draw, which was also announced today, features one of the most exciting fields in the tournament’s history, with three players that picked up Grand Slam titles in 2019 and four Top 10 players. U.S. Open champs Sabalenka (world No. 5) and Mertens (world No. 6) are the top seeds here in Shenzhen and will commence their campaign against the Ukraine-Belgium combo of Kateryna Bondarenko and Lidziya Marozava. The second seeded in-form Czech duo of Siniakova (world No. 7) and Barbora Krejcikova, who together won two titles last year at Toronto and Linz while also making the last four at Wimbledon, have drawn the German-Russian pair of Anna-Lena Friedsam and Margarita Gasparyan in the first round. Roland Garros finalists and US Open quarterfinalists Duan Yingying and Zheng Saisai are seeded third in the doubles and kick off their campaign against German-Swiss combo Tatjana Maria and Stefanie Voegele. Doubles defending champ Peng Shuai is back to defend the title she picked up last year (w/ Yang Zhaoxuan) but the former world No.1 will be teaming up with 2019 Australian Open doubles champ and current world No. 10 Zhang Shuai this year. The duo, who only partnered up twice last season but managed to notch an impressive run to the finals at Nanchang, will face local wild card pairing Jiang Xinyu and Tang Qianhui in the first round. In qualifying matches played today, Anna-Lena Friedsam, Timea Babos, Barbora Krejcikova, Varvara Gracheva, Nicole Gibbs, Jasmine Paolini, Margarita Gasparyan and Irina-Camelia Begu all notched wins to move into tomorrow’s final round. The Shenzhen Open is organized by the Chinese Tennis Association, Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, IMG and CCTV-IMG Sports Management Company and is co-organized by the Bureau of Longgang District Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau, Shenzhen Gemdale Sports Industry Co. Ltd. and Kaisa Culture & Sports.