MATCH NOTES: BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL BRISBANE, AUS | JANUARY 1-7, 2016 | USD $1,000,000 PREMIER EVENT WTA Website: www.wtatennis.com | @WTA | facebook.com/wta Tournament Website: brisbaneinternational.com.au | @BrisbaneTennis | facebook.com/BrisbaneTennis WTA Communications: Catherine Sneddon ([email protected]) 2017 BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL – SINGLES FINAL MATCH NOTES Ranking data reflects week of January 2, 2017 PAT RAFTER ARENA [3] KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE #6) vs. ALIZE CORNET (FRA #41) Cornet leads 1-0 SINGLES FINAL RECORDS (WTA MAIN DRAW) PLAYER LAST FINAL REACHED FINAL W-L [3] Karolina Pliskova 2016 US Open (R-Up) 6-10 Alize Cornet 2016 Hobart (W) 5-5 SINGLES FINAL QUICK HITS The Brisbane International welcomes two first-time finalists: Karolina Pliskova and Alize Cornet Both have played finals in Australia previously – Cornet was champion at Hobart in 2016, while Ka.Pliskova was runner-up at Sydney in 2015 Ka.Pliskova is the first Czech finalist here since Petra Kvitova won the title in 2011, while Cornet is the first French finalist since Marion Bartoli was runner-up to Victoria Azarenka in 2009; would be first French champion As was the case in 2016, Brisbane’s final features an unseeded player – Cornet. Last year, Azarenka was unseeded when she lifted the champion’s trophy (d. Kerber in F) Not including unranked Justine Henin in 2010 (l. Clijsters in F), Cornet is the lowest ranked finalist in the history of the Brisbane International; previously, No.36 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was runner-up to Serena Williams in 2013. In terms of lowest-ranked champions here, Kvitova was ranked No.34 when she won the title in 2011, and Kaia Kanepi was ranked No.34 when she was victorious in 2012 Of the nine WTA Top 10 players in action this week across events in Brisbane, Auckland and Shenzhen, Ka.Pliskova is the sole top tenner to advance to one of the finals PRIZE MONEY AND RANKING POINT BREAKDOWN SINGLES USD $ RANK POINTS DOUBLES USD $ RANK POINTS Winner 196,670 470 Winner 44,835 470 Runner-Up 104,890 305 Runner-Up 23,597 305 Semifinalist 56,298 185 Semifinalist 12,979 185 Quarterfinalist 21,780 100 Quarterfinalist 6,607 100 Round of 16 11,681 55 Round of 16 3,581 1 Round of 32 6,371 1 Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA 1 MATCH NOTES: BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL BRISBANE, AUS | JANUARY 1-7, 2016 | USD $1,000,000 PREMIER EVENT WTA SINGLES RANKING PROJECTIONS Projected WTA Top 10 for week of January 9, 2017 – week determining Australian Open seedings: 1. Angelique Kerber: Will enter Australian Open at No.1, but Serena Williams will have a chance to regain the top spot in Melbourne. The American would need to (at least) reach semifinals 2. Serena Williams 3. Agnieszka Radwanska 4. Simona Halep 5. Dominika Cibulkova: Unless Ka.Pliskova wins title 6. Karolina Pliskova: Can return to career-high No.5 if she wins the Brisbane title, overtaking Cibulkova 7. Garbiñe Muguruza 8. Madison Keys 9. Svetlana Kuznetsova 10. Johanna Konta Former world No.11 Alize Cornet is projected to rise as high as No.31 by reaching the final – thereby securing a seeding for the 2017 Australian Open – and No.26 with the title WORLD NO.1 DOUBLES RANKING ON THE LINE TODAY Sania Mirza has held the WTA Doubles No.1 Ranking since April 13, 2015, a total of 91-consecutive weeks (as of Jan 2, 2017), which includes 31 weeks as co-No.1 with Martina Hingis. Mirza faces a difficult task defending her top spot, though, as she is defending 2,960 points during the Australian swing. Last year she teamed up with Martina Hingis to win titles at Brisbane, Sydney and the Australian Open. This year in Brisbane, Mirza is the top seed along with partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands, currently No.5 in the WTA Doubles Rankings. If they go on to win today’s doubles final against No.2 seeds Makarova/Vesnina, Mattek-Sands will overtake Mirza for the No.1 WTA Doubles Ranking. The American would become the 34th woman in WTA history to secure the doubles top spot. Last year at the WTA Finals in Singapore, Mattek-Sands came within one win of climbing to No.1, but Makarova/Vesnina defeated Mattek-Sands/Safarova in the championship match. Most Consecutive Weeks at WTA Doubles No.1 (As of Jan 2, 2017) 181 Martina Navratilova (237 in total) 145 Cara Black^ 134 Liezel Huber^ 91 Sania Mirza 73 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario ^ Black & Huber held co-No.1 Doubles Rankings for 127 weeks (Nov. 12, 2007 until April 18, 2010) Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA 2 MATCH NOTES BRISBANE - AUSTRALIA | Jan 01 - Jan 07, 2017 | $1,000,000 | PREMIER [3] KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE #6) vs. ALIZÉ CORNET (FRA #41) Head to Head: ALIZÉ CORNET leads 1-0 2013 GUANGZHOU HARD O R16 ALIZÉ CORNET 7-6(4) 6-0 80 mins KAROLINA PLISKOVA ALIZÉ CORNET 6 WTA RANKING 41 - ROAD TO SINGAPORE LEADERBOARD - 21-03-1992 (24) DATE OF BIRTH (AGE) 22-01-1990 (26) $0 YTD PRIZE MONEY $0 $6,932,726 CAREER PRIZE MONEY $5,041,335 0 / 6 SINGLES TITLES (YTD / CAREER) 0 / 5 0 / 5 DOUBLES TITLES (YTD / CAREER) 0 / 3 5-1 BRISBANE W-L (MD) * 6-2 4-0 / 159-101 YTD / CAREER W-L (MD) * 4-0 / 236-225 1-0 / 53-32 YTD / CAREER 3-SET W-L (MD) * 1-0 / 84-75 0-0 / 34-36 YTD / CAREER TIE-BREAK W-L (MD) * 1-0 / 49-49 4-0 / 117-66 YTD / CAREER HARD W-L (MD) * 4-0 / 137-131 0-0 / 12-23 YTD / CAREER TOP 10 W-L (MD) * 2-0 / 12-43 2-0 / 29-45 YTD / CAREER TOP 20 W-L (MD) * 2-0 / 27-83 0-0 / 15-15 YTD / CAREER Left Hander W-L (MD) * 0-0 / 16-14 * Updated entering Brisbane final BRISBANE Tournament Performance - 2017 * Qualifying match Rnd Result Duration Rnd Result Duration SF K. PLISKOVA d. E. SVITOLINA 6-2,6-4 64 mins SF A. CORNET d. G. MUGURUZA 4-1 28 mins QF K. PLISKOVA d. R. VINCI 3-6,6-2,6-2 111 mins QF A. CORNET d. D. CIBULKOVA 6-3,7-5 123 mins R16 K. PLISKOVA d. A. MUHAMMAD 6-1,6-4 74 mins R16 A. CORNET d. C. MCHALE 6-2,6-1 81 mins R1 K. PLISKOVA d. Y. PUTINTSEVA 6-3,6-1 62 mins R1 A. CORNET d. E. VESNINA 3-6,6-4,7-6(5) 157 mins BRISBANE Tournament History * Qualifying match KAROLINA PLISKOVA ALIZÉ CORNET 2015 2016 R16 L - ALLA KUDRYAVTSEVA (RUS #100) 4-6 6-3 6-3 R16 L - ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA (RUS #28) 6-2 1-6 6-4 R1 W - VICTORIA AZARENKA (BLR #42) 4-6 7-6(7) 6-4 R1 W - KRISTINA MLADENOVIC (FRA #29) 6-3 6-4 2013 2013 R1* L - OLGA PUCHKOVA (RUS #106) 7-6(6) 7-6(1) R16 L - SERENA WILLIAMS (USA #3) 6-2 6-2 R1 W - BOJANA BOBUSIC (AUS #331) 2-6 6-3 6-1 Insights Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube:www.youtube.com/WTA from Ka.Pliskova: • Making second main draw appearance at Brisbane – finalist here for first time • Won 96% of first serve points against Svitolina in SF on Friday • Enjoyed a career-best season in 2016, ending the year at No.6 (up from No.11 in 2015), and posting a career-high ranking of No.5 (week of October 10, 2016) • Could return to No.5 by winning the Brisbane title today • 2016 season highlights included winning her fifth and sixth career singles titles, at Nottingham (d. Riske in F) and Premier 5 Cincinnati (d. Kerber in F, delaying the German’s ascent to the World No.1 ranking). Record in WTA finals stands at 6-10, having won titles on clay (2015 Prague), grass (2016 Nottingham) and hard (2013 Kuala Lumpur, 2014 Linz, Seoul and 2016 Cincinnati) • Reached career-first Grand Slam final at 2016 US Open (l. Kerber); first Czech to reach US Open final since Helena Sukova in 1993 (l. Graf in F). Defeat of No.1 S.Williams in US Open SF was career-best victory, and ended the American’s 186 consecutive week reign at the top of the rankings. Became first Czech to defeat a World No.1 since Kvitova at 2015 Madrid (d. S.Williams). Defeat of V.Williams (R16) made her the eighth player to defeat the sisters at the same tournament • 22nd active player to advance to a Grand Slam final; prior to New York, was only Top 20 player yet to surpass 3r at a major. Made simultaneous Grand Slam R16, QF, SF and final debuts at US Open • Other notable results in 2016 included R-Up finish at Eastbourne (l. Cibulkova in F) and SF runs at Indian Wells (l. eventual champion Azarenka) and at home event in Prague (l. eventual champion Safarova) • Captured fifth career doubles title at 2016 Birmingham (w/Strycova). Is now 5-2 in doubles finals • Qualified for season-ending 2016 WTA Finals in Singapore, going 1-2 in the group stage and failing to progress. Also contested the doubles competition (w/Goerges), losing opening match to top seeds Garcia/Mladenovic • Helped Czech Republic defend Fed Cup title in November 2016, going 1-1 in singles (d.