American Riske Beats Radwanska To Highlight Day Of Upsets

January 5, 2017 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff


American Alison Riske knocked off top-seed Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the Shenzhen Open semifinals. 

American Alison Riske advanced to the semifinals of the Shenzhen Open on Thursday, knocking off top-seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 as a part of multiple upsets across the WTA spectrum on Thursday.

“I was just kind of focusing on one point at a time, and I know that’s what Aga does—she’s there for every single point, so I felt I had to match her in that regard,” said Riske. “I also tried to keep my energy high, and I think that I did a good job of that today.”

After Radwanska evened things up with a win in the second set, Riske made sure there would be no comeback. She broke in the opening game of the third set and never looked back, coasting in the decider to push through to the final four.

In the semifinals, Riske will take on Italy’s Camila Giorgi, who knocked off Qiang Wang 6-0, 6-2 in her quarterfinal. The other Shenzhen semifinal will see Johanna Konta take on Katerina Siniakova.

Over in Brisbane, sixth-seed Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine held her nerve to hold off world number one and top-seed Angelique Kerber 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to make her way into the semifinals.

“I was trying to just focus on my game because Angie is playing really well. She had a terrific year last year and obviously she’s pretty confident,” said Svitolina on-court afterwards. “I was just trying to fight for every ball.”

The 14th ranked Svitolina was chasing down every ball and gave herself 12 break point chances, converting on five of them.

Svitolina moves on to play Karolina Pliskova, who came back from a set down to beat Roberta Vinci 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in her quarterfinal matchup Thursday.

The other Brisbane semifinal will see fourth-seed Garbine Muguruza take on Alize Cornet. Muguruza ousted fifth-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, while Cornet defeated second-seed Dominika Cibulkova.

Madison Brengle’s Auckland run came to an end on Thursday, as seventh-seed Latvian Jelena Ostapenko beat the American 7-5, 6-3 to reach the ASB Classic semifinals, setting up a matchup with Lauren Davis. The American upset fourth-seed Barbora Strycova 6-1, 7-6(4) on Thursday.

Germany’s Julia Goerges launched an incredible comeback against third-seed Caroline Wozniacki, upending the Dane 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to book her spot in the final four.

Goerges will take on eighth-seed Ana Konjuh in the semifinals. Konjuh won the first three games against Naomi Osaka before Osaka retired with a wrist injury. 


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Centercourt
USTA NTC

January/February 2024 Digital Edition