Caroline Garcia Defeats Petra Kvitova to Claim Western & Southern Open Title

Posted on August 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Caroline Garcia has completed a historic run…

The 28-year-old part-Spanish French tennis player has generated momentum going into next week’s US Open by winning the Western & Southern Open women’s tennis championship with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Petra Kvitova on Sunday.

Garcia, already the first qualifier to reach the tournament final, clinched the victory when Kvitova sent a second-serve return into the net. Garcia dropped to her knees and lay on her back on the court after the final point.

“It’s hard to believe I’m standing here today,” Garcia said in her postmatch speech to the crowd. “It’s been such a week.”

Garcia went into Sunday’s match with a WTA Tour-leading 25 wins since June.

“Every single win is important. Every single title is very special,” Garcia said. “It’s always very hard to describe it. It’s not happening so often, and you have to really like enjoy it. I’m really grateful for this great week of tennis, and to win another title, it’s very special.”

The 28th-ranked Kvitova and 35th-ranked Garcia both shook off first-round losses the previous week in Toronto to make their first appearances in a Cincinnati final.

“Definitely not the result I wanted, but … I have to take it like this and see the positive things,” Kvitova said. “I know it’s hurting right now, but on the other side, I have to see it like overall and be proud on my 40th final of my career.”

Garcia broke her Czech opponent in the first game and raced to a 4-0 lead. Garcia also gained an early edge with a first-game break in the second set.

“It’s been such a crazy road the last couple of weeks, but I’ve really enjoyed it,” Garcia said. “[Let’s] keep it going.”

Kvitova left the court for treatment of an injury after falling behind 2-0 in the second set. She looked sharper after returning but couldn’t overcome the early break.

Caroline Garcia Defeats Aryna Sabalenka to Reach Western & Southern Open Final

Posted on August 20, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Caroline Garcia is one win away from another WTA title…

The 28-year-old half-Spanish French tennis player won her seventh straight match, beating sixth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 on Saturday to reach the Western & Southern Open final.

In the process, Garcia has become the first qualifier to reach the final in Cincinnati.

There were two rain stoppages during the match, totaling four hours. Garcia took the first set, but following an almost 2½-hour delay, Sabalenka forced a third set.

The second rain delay came with Garcia leading 3-1 in the third. But once play resumed, she made quick work of the Belarusian, winning three straight games to become the first qualifier to reach the finals in a WTA 1000 event.

“No one expected it, that’s for sure,” Garcia said. “It’s a long way to come from [qualifiers]. It’s one match at a time. Try to take the best from every match and improve through the tournament.”

Garcia will face Petra Kvitova, who outlasted Madison Keys 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-3 in the other semifinal match.

It will be the ninth meeting between Kvitova and Garcia, with Kvitova winning five, including two straight wins in Miami and Madrid.

“She’s a great champion,” Garcia said. “You have to play faster and move better on court against a player like this. It’s a great challenge for me to play against Petra.”

Garbine Muguruza Defeats Barbora Krejcikova to Claim Dubai Championships Title

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Garbine Muguruza is a titleholder once again…

The 27-year-old Spanish-Venezuelan professional tennis player and former world No. 1 has ended her almost two-year wait for a title with a 7-6 (6), 6-3 win against Barbora Krejcikova in the final of the Dubai Championships on Saturday.

“It means a lot,” the ninth-seeded Muguruza said, “it’s never easy to win.”

In her third attempt at a title this season, the former No. 1 hit seven aces and saved seven of the nine break points she faced to beat Czech doubles specialist Krejcikova.

It’s her first title since winning in Monterrey in April 2019. Muguruza lost the Qatar Open final last week to Petra Kvitova and the Yarra Valley Classic final last month to Ash Barty.

Overall, it’s Muguruza’s eighth career singles title, including two Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017.

Carla Suarez Navarro Advances to Connecticut Open Final…

Posted on August 25, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Carla Suarez Navarro is one win away from her next title…

The 29-year-old Spanish tennis player will compete for the Connecticut Open championship, despite completing just one full match this week and playing less than four sets.

Navarro advanced Friday when Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig retired during their first set of their semifinal with an abdominal injury.

Suarez Navarro will face Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka, who upset fifth-seeded Julia Goerges 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the first semifinal.

“I feel like I didn’t play and I’m in the final,” Suarez Navarro said. “But, well, I cannot do nothing.”

Suarez Navarro won her first match against Barbora Strycova in straight sets. Her second-round opponent, Johanna Konta, withdrew with an illness. She was leading 6-3 in the quarterfinals Thursday when third-seeded Petra Kvitova bowed out with a shoulder injury.

Puig was leading 4-3 after exchanging service breaks with Suarez Navarro when she left the court holding her abdomen. Puig, the reigning Olympic champion, returned five minutes later, lost the next game, then approached the net in tears and announced she could not continue.

“It was a bit of an abdominal strain that I started feeling in my second service game,” Puig said. “I just gradually got worse from there. Obviously, with the US Open so close, it’s better not to make it worse, miss a tournament. I mean, I already know the consequences of getting injured and missing a Grand Slam. That’s not ideal.”

Puig said she is hopeful of playing in New York against Stefanie Vogele of Switzerland on Tuesday.

Suarez Navarro will be seeking her third career WTA title.

Puig Gives Puerto Rico Its First-Ever Olympic Gold at the 2016 Rio Games

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Monica Puig is Puerto Rico’s first-ever Golden Girl…

The 22-year-old Puerto Rican tennis player’s Cinderella run through the 2016 Rio Games has ended with a gold medal around her neck, and the first ever Olympic gold medal for her home country. She’s also the first female medalist representing La Isla del Encanto.

Puig defeated world No. 2 Angelique Kerber of Germany in the women’s singles final.

Ranked 32 places below her opponent, Puig dominated the final set with an aggressive display of offensive tennis to round off a well-deserved 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 victory.

Puig dropped to her knees after securing the win as fans, who had chanted “si se puede” throughout the match, proudly waved Puerto Rican flags in the crowd.

The upset win also meant Puig became the first unseeded player to become Olympic champion since women’s tennis was reintroduced at the 1988 Seoul Games.

Puerto Rico had won just eight Olympic medals — six bronze and two silver — prior to Puig’s success. Six of those were collected in boxing.

After besting two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the semifinals, Puig vowed to win gold for her compatriots back home. “It would mean the world,” she told reporters.

Earlier in the tournament, this year’s Cinderella also soundly defeated 2016 French Open champion Garbine Muguruza.

“It’s just amazing. I know my country really appreciates this and I really wanted to give this victory to them. And the way I did this victory tonight, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” she said during the press conference.

Puig One Win Away from Earning Puerto Rico’s First-Ever Olympic Gold Medal at the 2016 Rio Games

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s either gold or silver for Monica Puig…

The 22-year-old Puerto Rican tennis player stunned two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the Women’s Signles semifinals, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, to advance to the Gold Medal match at the 2016 Rio Games.

Puig, who will face Angelique Kerber of Germany, has guaranteed Puerto Rico it’s ninth’s Olympic medal all-time, it made her the island’s first female medalist in any sport and gives her a chance to claim her country’s first-ever gold.

“For me it would mean the world,” said Puig. “It would be unbelievable and the biggest honor in the world. I’m doing it more for my country. This Olympics isn’t about me it’s about Puerto Rico and I know how bad they want this. This isn’t for me this is for them.”

Even Puig couldn’t have imagined she’d be in this position when the week began. Ranked 34th in the world, she owns just one career WTA title and has never been past the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

But she has found a different gear in Rio, upsetting French Open champion Garbine Muguruza and 11th-ranked Kvitova on her way to the final, double-jumping high into the air and covering her face with her hands as match point ended.

She also had significant support from the crowd, including a smattering of Puerto Rican flags waving through the stadium.

“I don’t think I’m so much a different play but my team sat me down after the first match her and said if you want to win you have to step it up and show everyone why you deserve to win,” she said. “That kind of changed my perspective. I have a lot of responsibility not just to myself but my country and if I want this I need to step it up.”

Puig Defeats Polona Hercog to Reach Women’s Singles Semifinals at the 2016 Rio Games

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Mónica Puig is one win away from earning an Olympic medal…

The 22-year-old Puerto Rican tennis play won her quarterfinal match at the 2016 Rio Games, and now she is thisclose to winning at least a silver medal.

Puig continues to take single women’s tennis by storm at the 2016 Summer Olympics, after beating Slovenia’s Polona Hercog in three sets: 4-6, 6-1 and 3-6 to advance to the semifinals.

She has also bested Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Spain’s Garbine Muguruza and Germany’s Laura Seigemund.

Muguruza, the fourth-ranked player in the world and 2016 French Open champion was bested by Puig, 6-1, 6-1 in three sets.

Puig is ranked 34th in the world, but her momentum at the Rio Olympics has pushed her to the semifinal round, where she’ll face the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitová.

Muguruza Defeats Petra Kvitova to Reach Semifinals at WTA Finals

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Garbine Muguruza has advanced to the semifinals at the WTA Finals in her first appearance.

The 22-year-old Spanish-Venezuelan tennis player beat former champion Petra Kvitova 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 on Friday to reach the semifinals.

Muguruza finished the round-robin stage 3-0 and needed to win only one set against Kvitova to earn a semifinal berth.

The other three players in the group all finished 1-2, but Kvitova advanced because of more sets won.

After losing to Muguruza, Kvitova needed the already-eliminated Lucie Safarova to beat Angelique Kerber without dropping a set, and her compatriot came through by winning 6-4, 6-3.

Kvitova will play Maria Sharapova, who won the other group, with Muguruza facing Agnieszka Radwanska in the other semifinal.

In a match that featured 15 breaks of serve, Muguruza converted her fourth match point with a backhand crosscourt volley to win in 2 hours, 33 minutes.

The Spaniard is also into the doubles semifinals with countrywoman Carla Suarez Navarro, and said the heavy workload is taking a toll.

“For sure I’m tired today,” Muguruza said. “It’s going to a challenge for me to see how much my body can handle, because now I don’t have a day off. It’s great to be in my position I think now, to be playing singles and doubles semifinals.”

Muguruza Defeats Angelique Kerber to Remain Undefeated at the WTA Finals

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Garbine Muguruza continues her winning ways…

The 22-year-old Spanish-Venezuelan tennis player, who won her first-ever match at her debut WTA Finals earlier this week, has improved to 2-0 in group-stage matches at the year-end event.

Muguruza, the tournament’s second seed, defeated Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 Wednesday.

Muguruza broke Kerber twice in each set to wrap up the win in 1 hour, 38 minutes.

She’ll next play No. 4 seed Petra Kvitova later this week.

Muguruza Named the No. 27 Seed at This Year’s Wimbledon

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s another first for Garbine Muguruza…

The 20-year-old half-Spanish-half-Venezuelan tennis player, who reached her first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinals at the French Open earlier this month, has been seeded No. 27 at this year’s Wimbledon.

All eyes will certainly be on Muguruza, currently ranked a career-high No. 27 in the world, following her impressive run at Roland Garros. She knocked out No. 1 seed Serena Williams in the second round and was thisclose to taking out eventual winner Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals.

Muguruza, who won her first WTA tournament title at Australia’s Hobart Internationaltournament in January, will be competing for the second time at the All England Club. At last year’s Wimbledon, she lost in the second round to No. 25 seed Ekaterina Makarova 2-6, 7-6, 4-6.

But Muguruza isn’t the only Latina to earn a seed at this year’s Wimbledon.

Fellow French Open quarterfinalist Carla Suárez Navarro, who reached the women’s doubles semifinals with Muguruza at Roland Garros this year, is seeded No. 15 by the All England Club.

She reached the fourth round at the grass-court tournament last year, her best showing at Wimbledon. The then No. 19 seed lost to No. 8 seed Petra Kvitová 6-7, 3-6.

Tournament officials take a player’s grass-court record into account when assigning the men’s seedings.

Here’s the complete list of seeds (with their world ranking in parenthesis):

Women

1. Serena Williams, United States (1)
2. Li Na, China (2)
3. Simona Halep, Romania (3)
4. Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland (4)
5. Maria Sharapova, Russia (5)
6. Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic (6)
7. Jelena Jankovic, Serbia (7)
8. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus (8)
9. Angeliq ue Kerber, Germany (9)
10. Dominika Cibulkova, Slovakia (10)
11. Ana Ivanovic, Serbia (11)
12. Flavia Pennetta, Italy (12)
13. Eugenie Bouchard, Canada (13)
14. Sara Errani, Italy (14)
15. Carla Suarez Navarro, Spain (15)
16. Caroline Wozniaki, Denmark (16)
17. Samantha Stosur, Australia (17)
18. Sloane Stephens, United States (18)
19. Sabine Lisicki, Germany (19)
20. Andrea Petkovic Germany (20)
21. Roberta Vinci, Italy (21)
22. Ekaterina Makarova, Russia (22)
23. Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic (23)
24. Kirsten Flipkens, Belgium (24)
25. Alize Coronet, France (25)
26. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia (26)
27. Garbine Muguruza, Spain (27)
28. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Russia (28
29. Sorana Cirstea, Romania (29)
30. Venus Williams, United States (30)
31. Klara Koukalova, Czech Republic (31)
32. Elena Vesnina, Russia (32)

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