Kuznetsova has always been a rough customer for Williams, beating her twice before, including at the French Open in 2009. The Russian is also a two-time Grand Slam champion and former World No.2.
But the No.1-seeded Williams would have none of that this time, storming to a 6-2, 6-3 victory against the No.24-seeded Kuznetsova, who had taken out No.13 seed Angelique Kerber the day before.
"Playing Svetlana, I know she's super tough - we always have super tough matches," Williams said.
"The last time we played I was just fighting my hardest and I was barely able to win, so today I knew I had to come out super super focused, and I really just tried to do the best I could out there."
Williams' numbers on the match were very impressive, finishing with a +9 differential of winners to unforced errors - 29 to 20. She also fought off all four of Kuznetsova's break chances in the match.
"That's a lot of winners - I'm just so happy to still be out here playing at home," she added.
For only the fifth time in the tournament’s three-decade history, an unseeded player has reached the women’s quarterfinals of the Miami Open.
Sloane Stephens, who hails from nearby Fort Lauderdale, knocked off Belinda Becic of Switzerland 6-4 7-6 (5) to advance Monday at Crandon Park Tennis Center.
The match, a battle between two of the WTA’s talented young players in the 22-year-old Stephens and 18-year-old Bencic, took two hours and seven minutes to finish.
“It's awesome. Obviously I have a lot of friends and family here in South Florida, so it's really nice for me,” Stephens said. “Growing up here, I mean, I'm used to playing here. I played Orange Bowl here and played this tournament a lot. It's home, so it's really nice for me.
”
Stephens, as well as No. 12 seed Carla Suarez Navarro, and No. 27 seed Sabine Lisicki, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Miami Open for the first time Monday. It’s been a solid three weeks so far for Stephens – she reached the round of 16 at Indian Wells – after a tough 2014 season in which she failed to get past the round of 32 in most of her tournament appearances.
“I’m definitely not focused on anything that happened in the past,” Stephens said. “I’m going forward and just getting out there and competing, trying to do my best every match.”
Venus Williams overcame a shaky start to roll to a 6-3, 7-6 (1) victory over fourth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki in front of a modest Monday morning crowd at the Crandon Park Tennis Center.
Venus’ victory kicked off the second week of play at the Miami Open.
With her fourth round win, Venus advanced to the quarterfinal at Miami for the first time since 2012.
After her straight sets triumph over Wozniacki, Williams now commandingly leads the match up of former world No. 1 players 7-0. It is Williams’ 16th appearance at the tournament, an event she’s won in 1998, 1999, and 2001.
The three-time champion was in a reflective mood after the match. “I think my first match [here] there was a rat in the stands. They had to stop the match,” she remarked. “It was intense.”
At the onset of her match today, however, both players seemingly lacked intensity.
The match started with five consecutive breaks of serve, before Williams finally settled in during the sixth game to hold. Both Wozniacki and Williams appeared uneasy at the start of the match, each committing a series of unexpected unforced errors in the first set.
After holding, Venus soon found her rhythm and consistently stepped into the court to unleash a barrage of powerful forehands and backhands, forcing Wozniacki to play from well behind the baseline for much of the match.
Putting in some work of a different kind today Emoticono wink BBQ season is coming!
Catherine Bellis, who had taken out No.29 seed Zarina Diyas en route to the third round, held serve once per set, but the No.1-seeded Williams was just too much overall, winning quietly in 41 minutes, 6-1, 6-1.
The World No.1 lost just eight points in the 12 games she won, and just two points on serve.
"It was tough. She's young, and her being an American and her just doing so well, you want to see people like her do well," Williams said. "So when you're up against them you have to kind of put that aside, even though I'm always cheering for her.
But I have to put it aside and just play the match.
"If you break down her age and ability and how well she handled the moment, it was good."
Williams was asked whether she remembers playing the top players when she was 15.
"I don't remember. I have been playing a little over 10 decades," she joked. "But I just remember playing Steffi, and Monica was amazing to play. But I was never really playing at 15. I never played that well at 15 to play the professionals.
I think I was still at school. I wasn't good enough back then.
"I turned pro at 15, but I lost one and one to someone and didn't play for another two years."
She was asked if she remembers who that loss was to. "Annie Miller. Sure did," she said.
Bellis met the press shortly afterwards and was asked how she felt about the experience.
Ivanovic and Lisicki had played five times over the last year and it was Ivanovic who had far more success in those, winning four of them in straight sets and pushing the only loss to three sets.
But this time the No.27-seeded Lisicki was too tough, rallying from an early break down to win the first set then digging out of a 4-1 hole in the second set to beat the No.5-seeded Ivanovic, 7-6(4), 7-5.
Lisicki's win over the World No.6 was her first Top 10 win of the year and the 13th of her career.
"I think I played really well tonight," Lisicki said. "In the beginning of the second set I stopped playing my game and my level went a little bit lower. The important thing today was to just keep playing my game, and that's what I started doing again after going down 4-1, and it worked out well."
Lisicki is fresh off a semifinal run at Indian Wells - she credited her Miami run to that run.
"I had a great two weeks there and I've brought that confidence with me," she said.
"That was very important in tonight's match, especially after the last match we played. I'm happy I pulled it off."
Awaiting Lisicki in the fourth round will be No.11 seed Sara Errani, who battled more than two hours to beat No.21 seed Garbiñe Muguruza, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, winning five games in a row to close it out.
Errani was in such a zone at the end she won 11 of the last 12 points of the match.
Lisicki leads Errani in their head-to-head series, 3-1, Errani's lone win coming on clay.
"We just played last week, and I actually played her twice in a row last year as well," Lisicki said.
"I'll have to be ready for that match because she's a fighter. I'm looking forward to it."
[15] Flavia Pennetta (ITA #28) vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR #36)
Head-to-head: Azarenka leads 2-1
Pennetta may have failed to defend the trophy in Indian Wells, but she displayed more than enough to suggest that her Indian summer on tour will not be drawing to a close any time soon.
Despite her opponent's form, Azarenka, as ever, will not be lacking in self-belief. The former World No.1 is clearly relishing being back on tour and competing regularly after an injury-ravaged couple of years. In the previous round, she was particularly impressive, dropping just two games against Jelena Jankovic to revive memories of her title runs in Crandon Park of 2009 and 2011.
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [WC] CiCi Bellis (USA #211)
Head-to-head: first meeting
On April 8, 1999, Catherine Cartan Bellis was born in San Francisco. Around five months later, on the other side of the country, a teenage Serena Williams picked up her maiden Grand Slam title. In the following years, Williams has fended off wave upon wave of young pretenders to reign supreme at the top of the women's game. To emphasize just how long she has been waging this battle, Bellis, whom she meets in the afternoon session on Stadium, will be the 17th different year-end junior No.1 she has taken on.
Williams originally led, 6-4, 5-1, when Samantha Stosur began storming back, winning four games in a row to bring it to 5-all and, after getting broken in the next game, breaking back to get the set to 6-all.
But the No.16-seeded Williams closed the No.23-seeded Stosur out in a tie-break, 6-4, 7-6(3).
"I served for it a few times, but the second set didn't go exactly as I wanted," Williams said. "It was so interesting, because once I got to the tie-breaker, that's when I really started to feel a lot more rhythm in my game. I think she did, too. So I think playing extra games actually helped me today.
"I think I'm going to be feeling a lot better once my next rounds come around.
"
Williams was asked about the potential of an all-Williams final here - but it's still far away.
"It's early. We're going to have to both play our part and get there," Williams commented.
"I would love it, though."
Next up is No.4 seed Caroline Wozniacki, who battled back from a set down, and eventually 2-1 down in the third set, to beat always-dangerous former Top 20 player Kaia Kanepi, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Ana Ivanovic comes to the 2015 Miami Open as the No. 6 ranked women’s player in the world.
But much more than that distinguishes her from her fellow players.
Whether it’s preparing for matches by doing Sudoku in the locker room, her superstition of not walking on the lines of the court, or her love of sushi, Starbucks Green Tea Lattes, shopping and fashion, the 27-year-old Serbian has her unique attributes.
Q: How do you balance your personal life and tennis?
A: “The fact we’re on the road 10 months a year makes it very difficult. It’s very frustrating sometimes because I’ve been trying to speak to my mom for the last five days and I cannot because of the time difference. But it’s just the lifestyle for the moment, and I still do what I love. And I enjoy this lifestyle.”
Q: What do you enjoy doing when you get time off?
A: “I love the beach. I love sun. So anything to do with these two. I really enjoy some time off here in Miami because I have a chance to do that, even though sometimes it’s too hot. I love to read as well, go for a walk at the park, the botanical garden, biking even. Just something to get your mind off tennis.”
Q: What’s the last thing you read and what’s your favorite book?
A: “A book by [British author] Tony Parsons. …I love the Notebook. That’s special.”
Q: If you weren’t playing tennis professionally, what would you want to do?
A: “It would be something completely different, more sort of intellectual. I love languages. I like psychology. So probably something in that direction.
[4] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN #5) vs. Kaia Kanepi (EST #51)
Head-to-head: Wozniacki leads 4-2
Miami is one of the few major hardcourt titles on tour to have eluded Caroline Wozniacki. In seven previous visits to Crandon Park, the best the Dane has managed is a semifinal run in 2012. However, with the bottom half of the draw now shorn of its leading seed, Maria Sharapova, Wozniacki may be thinking that this is her year.
In the next round, she faces Kaia Kanepi, whose heavy baseline game has caused her problems in the past. Kanepi ended a four-match losing streak with victory over Françoise Abanda in the opening round, following this up by upsetting No.28 seed Varvara Lepchenko.
Court 8
[8] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS #9) vs. Elina Svitolina (UKR #26)
Head-to-head: Makarova leads 1-0
Sharapova's surprise exit means Ekaterina Makarova is now the highest-ranked player in her quarter, although she would be well advised not to look too far ahead. Despite her impressive hardcourt pedigree - she has reached the last four at both the Australian and US Opens - Makarova has never gone beyond the fourth round in Miami.
Ivanovic seemed headed for a straight set victory against Falconi, building a 7-5, 5-2 lead and, after letting that lead close to 7-5, 5-4, holding three match points on Falconi's serve. But the American fought them all off, won the set, held then brought up double break point for a 2-0 third set lead.
The No.5-seeded Ivanovic regrouped just in time, though, saving those break points and then reeling off six of the next eight games to close it out after two hours and 35 minutes, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-3.
She may have had a close encounter in her opener, but Ivanovic absolutely loves the Miami Open.
"The tournament is great," she said. "Also the city is beautiful. We have so much sunshine and the beach, and this is the lifestyle I enjoy. I've been trying to use that for some relaxing down time."
How has the Premier Mandatory-level tournament changed over the years?
"It's growing. There's so much more awareness about this event.
And there are a lot of fans coming out - that's great to see."
Ivanovic's best performance at the Miami Open came in her first appearance in 2005, reaching the quarterfinals (falling to Amélie Mauresmo). She has reached the fourth round five times since then but hasn't gone further - can the former World No.1 get back into the final eight this fortnight?
Next up for Ivanovic is the No.27-seeded Lisicki, who was on court for even longer - two hours and 45 minutes - for a marathon 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 6-4 victory against fellow German Julia Goerges.
Serena Williams is 33 years old.
Many of the women across the net, the players she regularly interacts with in lounges and locker rooms, are teenagers. You wonder if Williams, two decades into a historic tenure of tennis, feels old.
“I always look at it and I’m like, ‘I have been on the tour a hundred years,’” she joked.
No, she doesn’t feel 33, she said.
She definitely doesn’t feel older than the rest of WTA players.
“I definitely listen to the same music,” Williams noted. “You know, I try to keep myself current. I say the current words like ‘fleek.’ I’m on top of it.
”
Williams laughed as the last two sentences spilled out.
She has kept up with her peers in pop culture. Meanwhile, they’re all still chasing her on the court.
Twenty years after she turned pro, Serena Williams is atop the world rankings. She’ll begin her quest for an eighth Miami Open championship Friday night against Monica Niculescu, dealing with an ailing knee, but as imposing as ever.
“I mean, she’s 33. It’s impressive, you know?,” said the world’s fifth-ranked player and good friend Caroline Wozniacki.
“Everyone can argue who’s the greatest player of all time, but Serena, if she’s not the greatest, she’s definitely one of them. What she’s done for the sport and how well she has been playing for so many years is impressive.”
“She’s my inspiration, because even though she’s the best player out there, she still wants to get better. She wants to achieve more.”
Gavrilova, a No.97-ranked wildcard, gave the No.2-seeded Sharapova all kinds of trouble from the beginning, her impressive athleticism and shot variety producing winner after winner and drawing error after error from the Russian megastar - soon enough she led 5-3 in the first set, and after dropping three games in a row from there, she closed out the lengthy 68-minute first set in a tie-break, 7-4.
She stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the second set and never really looked back, allowing Sharapova two games in a row to cut a 4-1 lead down to 4-3 but then promptly closing the match out, 7-6(4), 6-3.
"She runs a lot of balls down," Sharapova said. "I was committing a lot of errors off of those balls and not really staying patient, and maybe going for too many winners but not moving forward enough.
"Of course it's a bit of a surprise. It's the first round. I'm expected to win. But that's why we play the matches - you still have to go out and win it, no matter if you're the favorite. Today I didn't.
"
Gavrilova showed signs of greatness early on in her career, reaching No.1 in the juniors, but her progress in the seniors was stalled when she tore her ACL at the end of 2013 - she missed the first half of the 2014 season and has been working her way up mainly in ITF Circuit events and WTA qualies.
Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys, two of America’s young, rising stars, are set to go head-to-head in the second round of the 2015 Miami Open.
The matchup between Stephens, 22, and Keys, 20, was solidified with Stephens’ 6-1, 6-3 win against Yanina Wickmayer in the last match on Wednesday night.
“I thought I played really well,” Stephens said. “I’m happy to get the win. Playing in South Florida is always great for me, so I was really pleased with the way I played. …Every match is important, but being home and having the home crowd is always nice.”
The second-round matchup between Stephens and Keys will be their first meeting.
“Maddy is an awesome player,” Stephens said. “I know her really well. We’ve played on Fed Cup teams many a times. It’ll be an awesome match and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Stephens, No. 45 in the WTA rankings, reached as high as No. 12 in 2013 after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open, quarterfinals of Wimbledon, and fourth round of the U.S. Open and French Open.
Also Wednesday, former world No. 7 Nicole Vaidisova won her first WTA match since 2010. Vaidisova, who recently returned from a long hiatus from the tour, beat Timea Babos 6-1, 7-6 (4) to set up an intriguing second-round match against No. 3 seed Simona Halep.
After missing the Miami Open the past two injury-plagued years, two-time winner Victoria Azarenka made a triumphant return Wednesday.
The 25-year-old from Belarus, who won titles in 2009 and 2011, beat Spain’s Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-1, 6-3 on stadium court in the first round of the Women’s main draw.
“It’s been unfortunate the last couple of years for me, but I love this tournament,” Azarenka said. “You know, the field is very strong for me all the time. I’m just happy to play anywhere I can.”
She smiled, and then continued.
“Coming back to a place where I have a lot of memories, it’s always nice,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to build my momentum here again and try to play as many matches as possible, but really to improve my level.”
After playing a strong first set Wednesday, she fell behind 3-1 before rallying.
“I’m glad I could turn it around and play well when I needed to, but I just would like to see a little bit more consistency from my game,” she said.
“Most important for me is just one number: I’m trying to be No. 1. I don’t want to settle for anything else.”
Azarenka will face No. 20 seed Jelena Jankovic, runner up at Indian Wells and “always a dangerous player,” in the second round.
After Wednesday’s win, she thought back to the first two matches she won at the Miami Open.
“I was, like, ‘Oh, my God! I made it to the third round,” she said. “It felt like I won a Grand Slam. Being here at 25 feels a little different. Definitely, you evolve. Now, it feels so much different than when I was here at 19.”
Love the Air Max Zeros!!
Nike #theOneBeforeThe1
I’m speaking with Maria Sharapova from her hotel in Australia, less than 24 hours after she has won her 34th career title at the Brisbane International.
“It’s always nice to start off the year with a win,” she says casually, recognizing that this is the first of many tournaments she must win this year to maintain her number one position.
Beneath the calm façade is the heart of an intense player, whom John McEnroe called “tennis’ toughest competitor.” Behind the net she transforms herself from mild-mannered California blonde to a ferocious player, launching rocket-like serves to opponents, high-pitched screams, and the intensity of a puma fixed on its prey.
She was also involved in the creation of Avon’s Luck. “Working with Avon has been really rewarding,” says Sharapova. “Scents are so personal, and developing “Luck” and the messaging around the brand has been a great experience for me. Avon and I share a lot of the same passions for empowering and protecting women.
”
It’s these kinds of lessons, as well as an innate head for business, that have helped her to be a bigger success than she ever set out to be. Sugarpova, which she originally intended to start slowly and to grow into a bigger business after she retired, has taken on a larger life of its own. Sugarpova is now sold in more than 30 countries, selling millions of bags a year, inking deals with Pinkberry to sell it as a topping and branded pop-up shops at tournaments.
Sitting in the shade a few yards from a section of recreational sand that’s a new feature at the 2015 Miami Open, Maria Sharapova raved about returning to the tournament where she’s had much success, reaching the finals on five spate occasions.
“I always enjoy coming back to Miami,” Sharapova said Monday, the first day of two media days at the tournament. “I’m quite familiar with the city, with the tournament, so it’s always nice to come back to a familiar place.
”
This year, the Miami Open has a new look. It has added a beach-like area covered with white Adirondack chairs that will transform into a volleyball court when some of the world’s best pro beach volleyball players play in an exhibition tournament. The rest of the time, tennis fans can lounge in chairs, sink their feet into the sand, and watch matches on a large screen TV.
“There’s a lot of little things going on for the fans that us players don’t get to see as much,” Sharapova said, laughing. “We hear about it a lot. I just saw the sand there. I was, like, ‘All right, well I won’t be seeing that again.’ But it’s nice that I saw it. I think all of the things are to make it a fan-friendly event.”
The first round of women’s main draw singles started Tuesday while Men’s and Women’s qualifying singles continued. It’s a long, tough event, Sharapova said. But one she enjoys because of its unique nature.
“There’s a friendly vibe and atmosphere playing here. As big as the tournament has become, it still has a pretty intimate feel to it,” said the world’s No. 2 ranked player. “I always enjoy playing in intimate arenas. You feel the energy and atmosphere much more.”
Monica Puig isn't just one of the leading WTA Rising Stars at the moment, she's also the Latin American No.1 in women's tennis.
But this week the Puerto Rican is playing at the closest thing she has to a home tournament, the Miami Open - she resides in sunny Miami, after all.
And before the tournament began Puig spoke to CNN en Español, talking about everything from #PicaPower to winning last year's WTA Rising Stars Invitational and her Miami Open prospects.
Just wanted to say hello to everyone
Did a little bit of physical work today.
Watching the Sugarpova space come alive at the Miami Open retail tent.
Luv the crowd and energy of the Miami Open.
Looking forward to competing here!
#MiamiOpen
 |
| LAURA ROBSON |
The Miami Open announced its wildcard entries for the 2015 tournament to be held at Crandon Park Tennis Center March 23-April 5.
Among this year’s entries are 2014 U.S. Open phenom Cici Bellis, Olympic silver medalist Laura Robson, former top-10 Nicole Vaidisova, and local product Sachia Vickery.
Robson, who was awarded a wildcard entry into qualifying, brings an Olympic silver medal to Miami with her. She teamed with Andy Murray in mixed doubles at the 2012 Olympics in London and captured her first career Olympic medal.
Former world top-10, Vaidisova, is a six-time winner on the WTA tour. After almost a five-year absence, the Czech returned to tennis at the end of 2014 and is looking to make an impact on the purple courts.
Vickery, a local product out of Hollywood (FL), received a wildcard entry into qualifying. She was the 2014 USTA National Junior Champion; and has made two career Grand Slam appearances. Advancing to the second round of the 2013 US Open, after receiving a wildcard into the tournament’s main draw, the young American hopes to have success on her home turf.
Miami Open’s defending champion Serena Williams will kick off an incredible two evenings of tennis featuring the world’s No. 1 ranked singles players. Williams, the top-ranked woman in the world, will start defense of her Miami Open title on Friday, March 27 at 8 pm.
The world’s No. 1 ranked man, Novak Djokovic, will play his opening match on Saturday, March 28 also at 8 pm.
Tickets to the 2015 Miami Open are on sale now and can be purchased by phone (305-442-3367) or online at www.miamiopen.com.
Individual session tickets for Friday evening start at $47 with Saturday evening starting at only $53. Daily Double tickets for either Friday or Saturday are also available allowing attendees can extend the experience, enjoying all the matches from the day and night sessions as well as all the incredible shopping, food and entertainment options on site.
Considered by many to be the best value in tennis, fans who want to secure tickets for both matches can purchase an Opening Weekend package starting at just $206 for four sessions or $269 for all of the weekend’s six sessions.
An electrifying two weeks of tennis caps off with the women’s final on Saturday, April 4 and the men’s final on Sunday, April 5.
Williams etched her name into history last year when she captured her seventh Miami Open title becoming the all-time winningest player, male or female, in the tournament’s history. 2014 saw Williams continue historic feats.
It only makes sense that Simona Halep would have to go three sets to win her first BNP Paribas Open title.
Overcoming an apparent foot injury, a faulty serve and a former champion, Halep rallied from a set down to defeat 2010 winner Jelena Jankovic 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 in a gutsy performance.
“I don't know how I won today because I didn't play my best,” said a beaming Halep. “I didn't play good tennis, but I just wanted to fight till the end because I think that is the most important thing for my style, for myself.”
Halep had a grueling run to the finals, needing to go three sets to beat Daria Gavrilova in the second round, Varvara Lepchenko in the third round and Carla Suarez Navarro in the quarterfinals. She did appear to get a break in the semifinal when No. 1 Serena Williams withdrew because of a knee injury.
But Halep struggled with a left toe injury and had the trainer look at it before the second set. Several times in the second set, Halep would be bent over with her hands on her knees, apparently trying to deal with pain.
“I was tired a little bit and I had blisters only, so it's not that bad,” Halep said. “But still it's bothering you during the match, during the running. In the second set, I think in the end of the second set I had muscle problems. I don't remember very well.
“But I didn't think about anything. I just wanted to fight and to get like to win every ball. Just this was in my mind.”
TOURNAMENT INFO
TIER: Premier
PRIZE MONEY: $5,381,235
SURFACE: Hard
DIRECTOR: Adam Barrett
Miami is one of the most glamorous and upbeat cities in the world, which is why it is the perfect host for the Miami Open presented by Itaú - the largest tennis event in the world outside of the Grand Slams.
A combined ATP/WTA two-week extravaganza in March, this Premier Mandatory event was first held in Delray Beach in 1985.
After moving to Boca Raton in 1986, it settled in its permanent home in Miami's Key Biscayne in 1987 - its 30-acre facility eventually becoming known as the Tennis Center at Crandon Park.
Serena Williams became one of just four players in the Open Era with at least seven titles at one event by capturing Miami yet again in 2014. Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, five-time champ Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Monica Seles and Venus Williams also have multiple Miami Open titles. Jana Novotna has the Miami doubles record with seven titles.
Miami has twice been honored as the WTA Premier Tournament Of The Year - in 1995 and 2004.
When they announced they were joining forces a few weeks ago, the world was watching - they're two of the most successful doubles players out there, after all, Hingis with 11 Grand Slams in the team discipline (nine in women's and two in mixed) and Mirza with three Grand Slams (all in mixed).
But not many would have expected such a dazzling debut. The No.1 seeds, Hingis and Mirza didn't even lose more than four games in any set all fortnight. After cruising through the first set of the final that stat looked a little dicey as they fell behind 4-2 second set to No.2 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, but they flipped the script from there with four straight games to end it, 6-3, 6-4.
"This is something we were hoping for," Hingis said. "She hits a big forehand, especially on the right side, and I can move and finish off the point. She prepares, I finish. That's pretty cool to me.
"I'm very happy we made this move. Obviously we had partners we played well with, like me last year with Flavia, and changing was a big move. I'm very happy it worked out, because you never know what to expect. Winning the tournament in our premier, it's new energy, and hopefully we can keep it up."
"On paper, obviously we are supposed to be a good team, but it doesn't always turn out that way when you step on the court," Mirza commented.
"So we're really happy we weren't just able to win, but win in such dominating fashion, not losing a set and being down just two times in the whole two weeks."
Though she lost serve in the opening game, it certainly didn't take Lisicki long to get into the zone, as she stormed through the rest of the first set, 6-3, and twice went up a break early in the second set, breaking for 2-1 and, after failing to consolidate that first break, breaking Jankovic again for 3-2.
But the match turned on a dime from there, as Jankovic started tightening the screws and cutting back on her unforced errors, and Lisicki's errors started to mount. From there the No.18-seeded Jankovic ran off 10 of the next 11 games to run away with it against the No.24-seeded Lisicki, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
An overjoyed Jankovic jumped up and down as she addressed the crowd in her on-court interview.
"I just fought hard, stayed in the zone and took it one point at a time," the former No.1 said.
"Sabine has such a great serve. I had to be ready because anything can happen - she can come up with a really huge serve, then sometimes she takes off the pace, so I had to be ready for anything.
"I just fought hard - that's what I did, and that's what I do best."
Jankovic was asked about her player box - and specifically her mother, Snezana - afterwards.
"She has that sweet face - she's just always smiling there," Jankovic said. "I get so angry at myself, especially when I'm losing, and I want to yell at my box, but then I look and just see that face.
"I love my family. And my fans too - I want to thank everybody for their support tonight!"
Serena Williams had to withdraw from their semifinal with a right knee injury.
"I was on the practice court and everything was going well, but literally the last two minutes I went for a serve and felt a super sharp pain in my knee," Williams explained to reporters in her press conference.
"It was like, 'Okay,' and I served again. I felt it again. I just came off, and it hasn't been the same since. I have done everything. I have just pretty much done everything from taping to research.
"I even did an injection. I've never done an injection before. If this were any other event I probably wouldn't have considered it. But I wanted to give 200%. It just wasn't meant to be this year."
The prognosis for the injury isn't too bad though, and Williams is hoping to compete in Miami.
"It's just a question of a little time," the World No.1 continued. "It's not like I need three or four weeks. I really need just a couple of days and everything will settle down. I have a tremendous amount of inflammation in my knee, and it's going to go away. Unfortunately, I just need a couple of days."
"It's really tough for her that she had to withdraw," Halep said.
"I know how it is when you are injured. It's really difficult to go on court to play. It's dangerous, and you have to take care of yourself.
"You know, I cannot be happy. I cannot be sad. I just want to think that it's another final after tomorrow, and I have to stay focused, stay concentrated, and try everything on Sunday to win the title."
