Jelena Ostapenko returns a Petra Kvitova shot during their Qatar Total Open match yesterday.
“I think she has the best hands on tour, very tricky player and very uncomfortable to play against,” Radwanska said of her opponent during her on-court interview.
“I knew it was going to be tough and a long one. What can I say? She really made me play my best tennis, so I’m very happy to win that match in two sets.”
Grabbing the opening set, Radwanska played impeccable tennis throughout, striking 31 winners to just 15 unforced; Niculescu wasn’t too far behind with 24 winners and 32 errors.
“I think when you play someone like Monica, you know there will be a lot of weird shots all around the court, and every shot is going to be different.
“She had a lot of highlights herself!”
In her six appearances at the Qatar Total Open, Radwanska has reached the quarter-finals or better five times, but is still looking for her first final in Doha. Asked about the increasing parity that the WTA has seen in 2016, the reigning BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global champion theorised that the upsets are part of what makes her tour so fun to watch.
“I think this is women’s tennis; you never know what’s going to happen! Every day, we’re playing different, but it makes us interesting. We’re always fun to watch, a lot of different scores, a lot of surprises on the way to the final.
“That’s the way we play!”
Up next for Radwanska is the winner of the third round between No 9 seed Roberta Vinci and wildcard Cagla Buyakakcay, who upset defending champion Lucie Safarova in her opening match.
Ostapenko stuns Kvitova
Jelena Ostapenko sprung the latest shock, battling back to knock out No 5 seed Petra Kvitova.
Seeds have been falling like dominoes in the opening few rounds and Kvitova’s 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 defeat means that just four of the original 16 remain. At last year’s Wimbledon, Ostapenko defeated Carla Suárez Navarro in a coming of age performance, imbuing her with the confidence to topple even bigger names.
“It gave me kind of confidence that I can play at that level,” Ostapenko said when reminded afterwards of her win over the Spaniard.
“Today, I’m just happy that I could play my best tennis.”
Kvitova started brightly enough, recovering from 3-1 down to take the opening set.
But as the contest wore on, the Czech cut an increasingly passive figure on the court, spending more and more time pinned behind the baseline.
Ostapenko, meanwhile, continued to exhibit the fleet-footedness befitting a former ballroom dancer; at 2-2 in the second set she flew across the court to unleash a fizzing forehand that left Kvitova grounded and, more importantly, a break down. The two-time Wimbledon champion did not win another game until midway through the decider and by that point the tide had well and truly turned. Showing no sign of nerves, the young Latvian confidently cruised to victory, breaking Kvitova for an eighth and final time.
Ostapenko’s positivity was born out in the numbers, outlanding the Czech 28 to 16 in the winners count.
“I play more matches, get some wins and I think [confidence] comes from there,” Ostapenko added.
Her reward for this incredible performance is a meeting with another of the draw’s giant slayers, Zheng Saisai, who followed up her victory over top seed Angelique Kerber by knocking out Eugenie Bouchard, 7-6(1), 6-1.
“She’s had some really great wins this week,” Ostapenko said when asked about her quarter-final foe.
“I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we can have a great match.”
THIRD ROUND RESULTS
Zheng Saisai (CHN) bt Eugénie Bouchard (CAN) 7-6 (7/1), 6-1
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) bt Petra Kvitova (CZEx5) 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
Garbine Muguruza (ESPx4) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 6-2, 7-5
Andrea Petkovic (GER) bt Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 6-3, 6-4
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x3) bt Monica Niculescu (ROM) 7-5, 6-1
Carla Suárez (ESP x8) bt Timea Bacsinszky (SUIx11) 6-2, 6-2
Elena Vesnina (RUS) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DENx13) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
wtatennis.com