MADRID, Spain
Petra Kvitova survived a tenacious Monica Puig and an ill-timed Spice Girls interruption to extend her winning streak to seven, edging out the wildcard 6-3, 7-6(8) in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open - her first win over Puig in three tries.
The main hopefuls for the Mutua Madrid Open throne discovered their route to the final on Friday. In the draw on the VIP terrace, an event that was attended by Monica Puig, the WTA matches were decided as the players prepare to play on the Caja Mágica clay.
The defending champion, Simona Halep, first seed and winner of the last two editions of the tournament, will start her challenge against the Russian Ekaterina Makarova in a big WTA clash. Big names at the top of the draw include Sloane Stephens, Karolina Pliskova and Venus Williams.
MIAMI, FL, USA
Unseeded Monica Puig pulled off a second-round stunner at the Miami Open on Friday night into Saturday morning, as she upset No.2 seed Caroline Wozniacki after a first-set bagel, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.
INDIAN WELLS, CA,
Monica Puig upset the up-and-coming Beatriz Haddad Maia in the BNP Paribas Open as she claimed a 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over the Brazilian.
LUXEMBOURG
Carina Witthoeft battled past Monica Puig in straight sets to win her first WTA title at the BGL BNP Paribas Luxembourg Open.
Serving powerfully throughout the match, Witthoeft needed just over an hour and a half to weather a late comeback bid and defeat Olympic champion Puig, 6-3, 7-5.
Puerto Rico’s No.1 Monica Puig announced Wednesday on Twitter that she has set up a fundraiser to help her country’s victims of Hurricane Maria.
“I am heartbroken to wake up here in Tokyo this morning and see the devastation that hurricane Maria caused in Puerto Rico,” Puig said.
“I promise to do everything in my power to help my beloved island and fellow Puerto Ricans to rebuild, heal and restore Puerto Rico.”
USOpen.org: How tough has this season been after last year's huge breakthrough
Monica Puig: It has been a little bit crazy. I really haven't done as well as i would have hoped. It hasa been very disappointing. But, I am trying to work my way through it and I'm still learning. It's all about learning and continuing to grow. I know my tennis is there. At one point in time it will come back to me.
USOpen.org: Has there been anything good to come out from this year's struggles?
Puig: As long as I keep learning from these type of experiences, it will be good. If it it would happen again I think I will have a little bit better idea of how to handle things.
US Open.org: What is the most important thing that you have had to learn?
Puig: Dealing with the pressure and just having fun and embracing it all. Sometimes when you get caught up in all of the pressure there is a lot of stress, so you are not necessarily enjoying yourself out there. The number one thing is to try to have fun out on the court and that's what i was trying to tell the kids [today].. Even at this level if you are not having fun out there it is not going to work.
Monica Puig secured her first win over wily Italian Roberta Vinci to move into the Roland-Garros second round.
The Olympic champion prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 despite a series of nasty tumbles onto the red dirt that reduced her to tears as the emotions were released following match point.
“It's no surprise that I haven't had the most amazing year. I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself, and when you get to a Grand Slam it's just a different feel,” admitted Puig. “You want to do well. You want to pass rounds. You want to have some big wins. I've never beaten Roberta in competition before, and she's such a tough player, especially on the clay.
“Today was just all about the heart and the fight and just I was willing to go the extra mile to win. I'm just glad that at the end I was able to maintain my composure and close it out.”
MIAMI, FL, USA
Sorana cirstea produced a barrage of big hitting off the ground to defeat Olympic Gold medalist Monica Puig, 6-2, 6-4, to emerge victorious in the first WTA night match of the Miami open.
"Everyone knows I was out of the game with shoulder injuries," Cirstea said during her on-court interview. "Now it's a privilege and I'm very lucky to back here playing night sessions in Miami on the center court."
MIAMI, FL, USA
South Florida's own Monica Puig took to Crandon Park to have fun with the next generation of tennis stars at the Miami Open Kid's Day.
The Olympic Gold medalist was joined by Asb Classic champion lauren davis and ATP stars Jack Sock and Grigor Dimitrov, as well as legendary tennis coach Nick Bollettieri. Hundreds of kids got the chance to learn tennis from the professionals with interactive drills across eight different stations.
"If you do everything you can and give everything you have, then you're a winner," Bollettieri told the kids. "That's the attitude. No matter the result, you're a winner."
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA
Karolina Pliskova roared back from a set down to dispatch Olympic Gold medalist Monica Puig 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, to complete the top half's third round line up at the bnp Paribas open.
"I'm definitely happy I had my serve today; it was working with me, especially in the third set when I was 0-3 down," she noted during her on-court interview. "I'm happy with the win. It wasn't easy; she was playing really well, hitting the balls really fast and deep, making it tough for me to play my game. But I'm happy.
"It was far from what my plan was to play, and how my game should be," she added to WTA Insider. "I don't think I deserved to win tonight, but it happened."
ACAPULCO, Mexico
Christina Mchale put on an emphatic display to defeat Monica Puig 6-2, 6-2 to become the first semifinalist at the abierto mexicano telcel.
"I knew it was going to be a tough match going in; she's got a lot of power," she said after the match. "I was just trying to defend well because she's really tough when she's in control of the points.
"I think I served well today, which helped a lot."
ACAPULCO, Mexico
Mónica Puig is into the quarterfinals at the abierto mexicano telcel for the second time after a victory over Daniela hantuchova, 6-4, 6-4.
"Today I felt a lot better on court than I did yesterday," Puig said after the match. "I've definitely seen an improvement in my game during the past few days.
"And that's really my goal, to improve every match and not feel pressure, and just go out on court and play the best I can."
DUBAI, UAE
angelique kerber came out on top of a much-anticipated Olympic rematch against Monica Puig, dispatching the Puerto Rican star, 6-2, 6-3 to reach her first quarterfinal at the dubai duty free tennis championship.
"It's tough to play against Monica," she said during her on-court interview. "I know we we played a very good match in Rio and she deserved to win in the end; she played an unbelievable match. Today I was really happy with my performance; I was trying to stay focused and play my game. I'm happy to be in the next round here!"
DUBAI, UAE
Mónica Puig advanced to the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships defeating Yaroslava shvedova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
"My serving was pretty good today so I think I just believed that I could serve it out and be as positive as I could," said Puig. "She played a great match, she put me under pressure a lot and I'm just happy to get through."
DOHA, Qatar
Caroline wozniacki won her second match of the day in emphatic style, overcoming Olympic Gold medalist Monica Puig 6-1, 6-2, to reach the final of the qatar total open 2017
"It sounds amazing, but also makes me feel a little old!" she said during her on-court interview, when reminded of her last appearance in the Doha final, back in 2011.
"It's been a great week, really tough conditions with all the waiting, but I managed to keep focus and play some of my best tennis out there."
DOHA, Qatar
Mónica Puig advanced to her first semifinal since her historic gold medal run at the Rio Olympics last summer after fighting back to beat Russian teenager Daria kasatkina 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 at the qatar total open 2017
"At our match in Indian Wells I also had match points and lost the match but against her it's always going to be tough," she said after the match. "We're both up and coming and she's such a great player so it was a good match and I loved the fight out there."
With the match locked at a set apiece when the players were finally called off court due to rain on Thursday, Kasatkina came out of the blocks quickly, converting her fourth break point to move 3-2 ahead.
Puig saved two further break points in her next service game to keep her hopes alive before breaking back to level the match at 4-4.
A wayward stroke from Kasatkina, serving at 4-5, handed the 23-year-old a stunning comeback victory.
SYDNEY, Australia
Caroline wozniacki survived a titanic tussle against Olympic tennis event winner Monica Puig, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, to advance into the second round of the apia international Sydney.
"It's a tough match, because, you know, you kind of feel, like, oh, I'm winning pretty comfortably right now, but then she can go on a streak, starts hitting winners, has such a good serve," the Dane explained in her post-match press conference. "That's where it started going in in the second set, and then the third set I tried to stay closer to the baseline and maybe play a little deeper.
"It paid off. But, yeah, win is a win. I'll take it."
