PETRA KVITOVA REASSERTS CLASS WITH WUHAN WIN

This Week In Tennis
​Vol. 39

The WTA Race to Singapore tightened considerably after the completion of the Wuhan Open in China. Petra Kvitova(+9 to #12) won her second title in Wuhan, while Dominika Cibulkova (finalist) and Svetlana Kuznetsova (semifinalist) strengthened their positions to qualify for the 2016 WTA Finals. Elsewhere, Tomas Berdych won in Shenzhen in just his second tournament back since missing the U.S. Open, and Karen Khachanov and Kristyna Pliskova earned the first ATP and WTA titles of their careers respectively.

If you've missed any of the recent action, #ThisWeekInTennis recaps the last week of tennis through tweets, press conferences, articles, podcasts, and rankings. ​

Chinatopix via AP

RUNDOWN
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• Petra Kvitova won her second Wuhan Open last week, beating world #1 Angelique Kerber along the way. Kvitova overcame six opponents in six days to claim the title: Ostapenko, Svitolina, Kerber, Konta, Halep, and Cibulkova in the final.
• With her run to the final in Wuhan (her 5th of the season), Dominika Cibulkova rises four spots to #8 in the new WTA rankings.
• Tomas Berdych won the Shenzhen Open in his second tournament back from missing the U.S. Open due to appendicitis. After reaching the semifinals last week in St. Petersburg, Berdcych's title run leaves him just 330 points behind Rafael Nadal for the final spot in the ATP World Tour Finals.
• Karen Khachanov won the first ATP title of his career. The 20-year-old vaults 46 spots to #55 and is the ninth first time winner on the ATP Tour this season.
• Serena Williams took to Facebook to share a personal story with her nephew, and vows 'I won't be silent" when it comes to race in America. Williams will also kick off her 2017 season in Auckland at the ASB Classic.
• In failing to defend her title from 2015, Venus Williams (R16 loss) exits the WTA top 10, falling six spots to #13. 
• Novak Djokovic withdrew from Shanghai citing an elbow injury.
• Kristyna Pliskova won her first WTA title at the Tashkent Open and jumps 34 spots to a new career hight #66 in new WTA rankings.
• The doubles team of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarovaclaimed the title in Wuhan, beating Sania Mirza and Barbora Strycova in the final. Team "Bucie" also qualified for Singapore with the title. 
• A big life change for Kimiko Date-Krumm. Recovering from injury, the 46-year-old still has her sights set on another comeback.

PRESS

Q. Having this great match against Angelique is one big thing. But repeating the same quality day after day until the end, do you feel reassured after that week that your level can go back and be consistent again?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I hope so, for sure. I think I played great six matches in six days, which it's unreal for me to just think about. I'm really proud of myself how I did it, how I handle it physically, how everything went.
Even I came late to my hotel room, I couldn't really fall asleep straightaway, so it took me a while to get over it. I was sleepy all day. I really had to start warming up and prepare for the match which always kind of gave me some kind of, you know, like ready to be there.
Especially the match against Angie was really difficult, for sure. The next days, I mean, playing Konta or Halep, they are really great players, Domi today. I was able to play and not have that many unforced errors.
Yeah, I mean, that's the tournament. I need this kind of consistency all year, which to be honest, I don't think I can really do that. I'm probably the player who has up and downs. Of course, I going to try to be better in the downs. But I don't really think that I can be, like, consistent all season. I'm just how I am probably, and I can't really change it.
I'm happy that my ups, they are really high, which I love of course. The downs are very low, but that's how it is.

Q. We were talking to Steve Simon today about many different topics. One of them is about speeding up the game. One of the things he mentioned is in the doubles they put the no-ad scoring and the third set super tiebreak. Do you imagine something drastic like this changing in the WTA for singles?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think it would be horrible call, though. For doubles they make it so singles players play it. I think this is what gives you drive.
I would take out five sets of men's, that's what I would do for sure. I was thinking about it. The men always say we shouldn't earn that money or whatever it is. But I never watch one match from beginning to end of five sets. They start and you say, I'll come back in fourth, fifth. You turn the channel. It's no point. It's too hard for the guys.
But three sets, deuce, advantage, this is the point of singles game. I think it's very interesting and it's going to be physical and everything. It's not only luck. On doubles, it's so much luck sometimes.

Q. How much does getting back in the top 10 mean for you?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: This is maybe third time in my career coming to top 10. Second time this year. I want to go further. I was top 10 twice, only just No. 10. I want to get the number only on one number, not two numbers anymore.

​Q. Your sister yesterday put out an emotional, heartfelt post on Facebook on Black Lives Matter. How important do you think it is for you and your sister and other black athletes to speak out on those issues?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I haven't seen the post. I think all lives matter, so... I can't really comment.

Q. I was speaking to Torben the other day. He said in previous years at this time you were always counting points. How nice is it not to have to do that?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's really nice, because I remember every year actually when I played Istanbul or Singapore, I was always like eight or nine. We always like counting points. Actually, he is counting and I try to focusing on the matches.
It's actually nice. It's actually nice to being here and know you are already in Singapore and not to counting, and to win match by match, know you have to win one or two matches to get qualified.

​Q. Do you think about the WTA Finals? How significant is it making it there for you?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think about it. Yes, I think about it. I don't mind. I mean, I just try to play every match. If in the end I get in there, it's good. If not, I'm not going to die from that. My life will still keep moving and everything will be great anyway.

Q. What was the process to finally accept changing? Was it trusting Darren?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, because of Darren, because his style is very relaxed. He doesn't think that it's a big deal if you change something. He shows me it's not a big deal if I change something. So now I'm more relaxed to change things and I'm more relaxed to try to do better. Even if next day is not going to work as I want, maybe in the future is going to work how we want, how we wish.
Yeah, now it's much easier for me to change things. It is much easier to listen, to accept things that I have to change and just going forward.

Thank you @wuhanopentennis for your hospitality and all of #teampetra for setting your alarm clocks this week ⏰□□ pic.twitter.com/Yk5wJf31MJ

— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) October 1, 2016

https://t.co/4IMftGi46r

— Bethanie MattekSands (@BMATTEK) October 1, 2016

The shortest way to find yourself is around the world! □ pic.twitter.com/hPyhQIxwv8

— Monica Puig (@MonicaAce93) October 3, 2016

Came up one short today □□ solid week □ off to Beijing now.. #norestfortheweary #travelisnofunwithtoothache □ @BaraStrycova □□ pic.twitter.com/TIx43TEoyY

— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) October 1, 2016

Thas Not Gon Be Enough □□ https://t.co/eSI2STwFTK

— Dustin Brown (@DreddyTennis) September 30, 2016

Thanks to #TBTeam □#ShenzhenOpen pic.twitter.com/yJrWtOYR8h

— Tomáš Berdych (@tomasberdych) October 2, 2016

Yo @DarianKing20... #BlessUp #SoonCrackDi□ #IslandStyle□□□□ #CongratsBigMan□□ pic.twitter.com/5Mwd5anhnd

— Dustin Brown (@DreddyTennis) October 3, 2016

pic.twitter.com/BJsfyHZxA2

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 2, 2016

Told you I was born with this face. いつもこのかおあたよ□ #fingersabnormallylongalready pic.twitter.com/JHi7CjBXBR

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@NaomiOsakaWTA) October 3, 2016

Wuhan party□ pic.twitter.com/0ZkpJTxK7Y

— Karolina Pliskova (@KaPliskova) September 24, 2016

RANKINGS WATCH

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• ​ATP: Ramos-Vinolas (+4 to #27), Lorenzi (-4 to #39), Anderson (+4 to #41), Delbonis (-6 to #47), Jaziri (+5 to #50), Khachanov (+46 to #55), Pella (-7 to #57), Haase (+4 to #61), Bellucci (+14 to #67), Garcia-Lopez (-16 to #73), Bagnis (+18 to #74), Estrella Burgos (-6 to #82), Herbert (+24 to #83)

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• ​WTA​​: Kuznetsova (+3 to #7), Cibulkova (+4 to #8), Kvitova (+5 to #11), V. Williams (-6 to #13), Kasatkina (+4 to #24), Ivanovic (-4 to #38), Vandeweghe (-8 to #40), Bouchard (+4 to #47), Siniakova (+5 to #51), Chirico (+11 to #63), Pliskova (+34 to #66), Rogers (-7 to #72), Schiavone (+3 to #99)

​ON THE WEB

Monica Puig has Struggle to Concentrate Since Winning Olympic Gold in Rio
​Mailbag: 2016 Hall of Fame nominees, rejected candidacies and the criteria debate
The Four Year Chase for Serena
​INTERVIEW: Angelique Kerber on her mental fortitude, being world No1, and her hunger for more
​Djokovic Says Grand Slams, No. 1 Ranking No Longer Priority
​Herbert Delights Home Crowd In Orleans
​WTA CEO Steve Simon discusses tour calendar changes, says matches need to be shorter
​Garbine Muguruza: Losing is not the end of the world, I don’t need to win everything
Murray: Reaching Number 1 is a Goal
Kuznetsova Reflects on Comeback Season with Signature Wit
Schiavone Still Soaring in Tashkent
Tennis is Better when Petra Kvitova and Dominika Cibulkova are Playing Well

​PODCASTS

The Body Serve - ​Falling Into The Asian Swing
The Tennis Podcast - Wuhan Review & Beijing Preview
The Tennis Podcast - Osaka, Zverev - Future No.1's; The Davis Cup Debate; A Surprising Guest
​Tennis.com - Focusing on the Fall
Beyond the Baseline - ​Eric Butorac on new USTA role, retirement
Break Point Podcast - Davis Cup Draw