The Aegon Classic boasted some of the best in-form grass court talent on Day 5. Coco Vandeweghe won her second title on the grass courts of s-Hertogenbosch last week, Angelique Kerber is defending her Birmingham title, and Madison Keys is another player that knows her way around a grass court. One of the biggest surprises was what Carla Suarez-Navarro delivered in one of her most impressive grass court victories to date.
Suarez-Navarro comes through classic match against defending champion Kerber
Suarez-Navarro played some of the more aggressive and expansive tennis that the Spaniard has ever brought to a tennis court. The speed of the slick grass courts gave her the authority to be able to take the game to former Wimbledon semifinalist Angelique Kerber. It was a landmark win for the Spanish clay-courter as she finally made an impressive breakthrough on a surface she has never really fully adapted to. The reason behind the deficiencies on the British grass is because of her familiarity to the Spanish clay courts–a surface she has grown up on and posted phenomenal results on, with seven of her ten WTA finals coming on the clay.
Navarro’s effortless precision and angle on the one-handed backhand is like no other on the WTA circuit, but one element to her game that she had found difficult in the past is her ability to be efficient in competitive matches. The 2016 season definitely stands out as the year where Suarez Navarro realized her full potential on different surfaces. She clinched the title in Doha, which was her first title on a hard court and now she is applying herself to a grass court for the first time in her career.
Often one wonders how you determine the quality of a professional sportsperson. One of many ways is when you break down how many layers and dimensions they have to their game. The better players implement different strategies and find many ways to win a tennis match, and that is something that Suarez Navarro is coming to terms with when transferring positive results from her clay season to the grass court season.
Suarez Navarro, who will rise to at least No. 12 in the WTA rankings, had to play two matches on Friday–her second round match where she fought back to beat Andrea Petkovic 4-6 7-6 (5) 7-6 (5) and then she came out on top against Angelique Kerber in the late quarterfinal match.
Suarez Navarro provided her input on how the match played out against the defending champion here in Birmingham.
“I think we play a really good level. It’s tough for me. Angie fighting all the time until the end. She’s a good player. She’s with a lot of confidence. She really improve her game from the last month. I played really good. The second set- I was so-so. I feel tired a little bit but I played a really complete match. I play aggressive in important moments. I finish a lot of points in the net. When I play like this, it’s much easy for me. I’m really happy with the way I play, because Angie was tough today.
Madison Keys continues to show promise on a grass court and beats Ostapenko
Madison Keys also won her quarterfinal match. She came through 2014 Wimbledon juniors champion Jelena Ostapenko (1) 6-7 6-4 6-2. The American played a disappointing tiebreak where she was never really involved mentally, but found a way to win to stay alive in this tournament. Unlike Suarez-Navarro and Coco Vandeweghe, Keys had the luxury of knowing she only had to play one match today–her quarter final. The top half of the draw was behind schedule so had the daunting prospect of playing two matches in one day. Both Keys and Vandeweghe joked about the luck that Keys had received with her favorable scheduling this tournament.
Keys admitted her luck in her press conference.
“Yeah, going in knowing I only had one match is a huge thing. I’m sure everyone else was not super happy with it. It just happened to work out that way. Just really lucky.”
Vandeweghe jokingly mentioned Keys’ great fortune moments later.
“And Keys has had the luckiest time ever. We’re friends, so I told her this today. I said, Jesus, you’re the only one that finished every single day and doesn’t have to play two matches. You’re so lucky. She actually gave me a swat. That’s how sympathetic she was. She’s been pretty lucky and I told her so.”
Vandeweghe and Strycova meet in the Aegon Classic semi-finals
Coco Vandeweghe is now on an eight match winning streak on the grass as she won five matches en route to the title in s-Hertogenbosch and beat the No. 1 seed Agnieszka Radwanska on her way to the semifinals in Birmingham. Many can make that case that she is the most dangerous players coming into the third grand Slam of the year at Wimbledon. Vandeweghe strolled past Yanina Wickmayer 6-4 6-2, while her semifinal opponent Barbora Strycova won her quarterfinal 6-2 7-5 against Tsvetana Pironkova, rallying from a break down in the second set.
