Radwańska, Peng Advance To Round of 16

By Bob Phillips                                                                                                     Photos by Bill Harper

No. 1 seed Agi Radwańska advanced to the Round of 16 with a
straight-sets win over Canadian Genie Bouchard.

NEW HAVEN–It was a steamy day and evening in New Haven on Tuesday, with day-time temperatures near 90 (triple-digits on-court) and oppressive humidity hanging over the Connecticut Tennis Center. But that didn’t seem to bother Agnieszka Radwańska. The Connecticut Open defending champion got off on the right foot by holding off a late-surging Eugenie Bouchard with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over the former world No.7 on Tuesday night. With the win, Radwańska, the tournament’s No. 1 seed and ranked No. 10 in the world, advances to the tournament’s Round of 16.

Red Sox fans are familiar with the Pesky Pole, the 302-foot right field pole capable of turning harmless pop-ups into home runs. In tennis, Radwańska is the “Pesky Pole,” and she did not take the free-swinging 23-year-old Bouchard lightly.

“I expected this kind of match,” said Radwańska “I think she seems better now than a few months ago, playing more consistent. I’m feeling much better than in the beginning of the year. I’m not struggling with my health anymore so I feel strong I feel better and more confident on court as well so that is helping.”

Bouchard was coming off a straight-sets win over American Lauren Davis in the first round, while this was Radwańska’s first match in the tournament. It was the Canadian, however, who showed greater signs of rust early on as she surrendered an error-ridden first set in 40 minutes.

Bouchard, currently ranked No.74, showed momentary fight when she saved a match point on serve at 3-5 in the second set and another two when Radwańska served for the match at 4-5. But the Pole steadied to hold for 6-5 when she flattened out a backhand winner down the line. She brought up match point No.4 a game later when Bouchard fired long and closed it out with a short forehand put-away.

Bouchard, currently ranked No. 74 in the world, gave Radwańska a run
for her money, particulary in the second set.

“Against good players there’s always troubles. I’m just very happy I could finish that second set,” Radwańska said. “I had break points all the way. I really had to push myself 100 per cent tonight. It’s been very hard conditions. It’s pretty humid and it’s really heavy to breathe but so far I’m doing good so hopefully I can keep going that way.”

Radwańska now advances to the Round of 16 where she will meet No. 8 seed Peng Shuai of China for a spot in the semifinals. Peng dismissed Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-2, 6-3 on Tuesday night. Lucic-Baroni, an Australian Open semifinalist this year, was the aggressor with 20 winners to her opponent’s nine. But ultimately, it was Lucic-Baroni’s 46 unforced errors (compared to Peng’s 12) that proved to be her ultimate undoing.

Peng, currently ranked No. 23 in the world, recovered from a nasty backwards tumble behind the baseline late in the second set to close out the match in one hour and 18 minutes.

“I hope the court is OK,” she joked, about the fall. “Even though I was falling down I still loved it.”

Peng and Radwańska have split their six meetings but Peng claimed their only match so far in 2017 on hardcourts at Indian Wells.

“She’s really talented and a really good player on tour,” Peng said. “I think I have to fight for the next round and hope for some good tennis.”

Roddick Out, Fish In

Former World No.7 Mardy Fish will replace 2017 International Hall of Fame inductee Andy Roddick in the line-up for the PowerShares Series Men’s Legends Event at the Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies. Roddick, DESCRIPTION GOES HERE, was a late replacement for John McEnroe, who withdrew a few weeks for personal reasons.

“Due to a leg injury I incurred while playing in the Winston-Salem final, I am very disappointed to have to miss the New Haven PowerShares Series event this year,” said Roddick. “I look forward to returning next year to make sure James Blake is not the best player in Connecticut.”

Making his PowerShares debut in New Haven, Fish will join Fairfield’s James Blake, French Open champion Michael Chang and defending champion Mark Philippoussis in the one set shootout. Fish has had a long-standing following in Connecticut. When New Haven was a stop on the men’s ATP Tour (first as the Volvo, then as the Pilot Pen), Fish’s followers would stake claim to one section which they would brand as the “Fish Tank” with signage (much as Blake’s fans would brand their section as the “J-Block”).

On Thurs. Aug. 24, following the women’s quarterfinal, Chang will play Blake, and on Friday, August 25, following the WTA semifinal, Fish will take on Philippoussis, with the winners of each match-up competing in a final on Friday night.

“I'm so happy to be returning to New Haven this year,” said Fish. “It’s a special place with special memories. Playing two finals there, including against James in 2008 was one of my greatest memories.”

Wednesday Play

Day 4 of the Connecticut Open marks Autism Awareness Day with a series of adaptive tennis and fitness clinics. For the kids aged 14 and under it is also Superhero & Princess Day. All costumed children will receive a free ticket at the gate when accompanied by a paid adult.

In the evening session, No.2 seed Dominika Cibulkova will her 2017 New Haven debut. It is Aetna Night at the Connecticut Open, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a special gift at the gate.

Key Matches:

[2] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) v Alize Cornet (FRA)
Dominika Cibulkova returns to New Haven for the eighth time where she bids to reach the quarter-finals for a third time. The Slovak beauty, currently ranked No. 11 in the world, 11 landed the biggest title of her career at last year’s WTA Finals in Singapore where she took down then-No.1 Angelique Kerber for the title. A former Australian Open finalist Cibulkova will meet a familiar foe in France’s Alize Cornet in her opening match on Tuesday night. The pair has clashed nine times already on tour with Cibulkova holding a 6-3 edge, including a straight-sets triumph in Cincinnati last week. Cornet, though, gained the upper hand when they met in Brisbane in January, en route to the final. Cornet also upset New Haven top seed Agnieszka Radwańska to reach the fourth round on home soil at the French Open this year.

[6] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) v Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
It’s a contrast in styles as the heavy-hitting Russian meets the Spaniard with arguably the finest single-handed backhand on tour. Pavlyuchenkova started the seaon on fire, claiming back-to-back titles in Monterrey and Rabat, the latter of which she defeated then No.1 Angelique Kerber for the title. A quarter-final run at the Australian Open made it a complete set of last-eight appearances at the four Grand Slams. Pavlyuchenkova will carry an imposing 7-1 head-to-head ledger into this clash. It has been a season marred by a shoulder injury for former world No.6, Suarez Navarro. It will be her fifth quarter-final showing of the season.

Ana Bogdan (ROM) v Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)
In an unlikely battle of the qualifiers it is 2013 Wimbledon semi-finalist Kirsten Flipkens and Romanian world No.127 Ana Bogdan bidding for their second quarter-final berth of their season. The 76th-ranked Belgian reached the last eight in Acapulco, while Bogdan reached the semi-finals on home soil in Bucharest. Both women are on a five-match winning streak after their qualifying exploits, with Bogdan coming off a first-round upset of fifth seed Elena Vesnina. She will face a different prospect in Flipkens, with her crafty slices and net charges. It is the pair’s first tour meeting.

For Wednesday’s order of play, click HERE.

—with staff reports