Tennis Acumen

MADISON KEYS Crowned 2012 Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Champion

PETE ZIEBRON in PHOENIX

Madison Keys unleashes a powerful backhand in the Goldwater Classic Final.   Charles Gabrean Photography

Seventeen year-old Madison Keys defeated fellow American and #8 seed Maria Sanchez 6-3 7-6(1) today at the Phoenix Country Club to win the 4th Annual Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic.  Keys did not drop a set during the tournament and managed to come back from a 3-5 deficit in the second set.

Keys served to open the match and both players comfortably held serve throughout the opening five games of the match.  The extended sixth game of the first set featured four deuces and Sanchez was able to defend one break point before Keys was finally able to break through for a 4-2 lead.  Keys would then hit a blistering backhand down the line at 40-30 on her serve to consolidate the break and get within a game of taking the opening set at 5-2.  Sanchez would hold her serve and Keys would then fire two aces in her service game, including a beauty out wide on set point to claim the first set.

17 year-old Madison Keys going all out in the Goldwater Classic Final.   Charles Gabrean Photography

Maria Sanchez served to open the second set and double faulted at 30-40 to hand the game to Keys.  Just as she did in the opening set, Keys would hold serve following the break to race to a 2-0 lead.  Each player held serve in the next two games, with Keys hitting her fifth ace of the match to seal the fourth game of the set and take a 3-1 lead.  

Now, the momentum appeared to be with Madison Keys as Sanchez served down 1-3, 30-40, however Sanchez was able to get to deuce, save yet another break point and then steady her play to close out the game.  Suddenly, Keys appeared to lose her way in her service game as she got down 15-40 and Sanchez was able to break for the first time in the match on her second break point opportunity and level the set at 3-3.

Maria Sanchez giving maximum effort in the Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Final.  Charles Gabrean Photography                  

Maria Sanchez lifted her game, served the next game at love and broke Keys yet again on her second break opportunity of the game to take a 5-3 lead and serve for the second set.  However, Sanchez would fall behind 15-40 and Keys broke on the next point to deny Sanchez the second set.  Keys stormed to a 40-0 lead serving at 4-5 and Sanchez would get to within 40-30 before Keys closed out the game to knot the set at 5-5.

Sanchez fell behind 15-40 and was called for a racquet abuse violation warning as she scraped the court in disgust with her racquet.  Despite saving the first break point, Keys would win the next point to take a 6-5 lead and serve for the Championship.  Immediately, the nerves got to Keys and she fell behind 0-40 and Sanchez would break on her second opportunity to take the second set to a tiebreaker.

Maria Sanchez fights back to take the second set to a tiebreaker.   Charles Gabrean Photography

Madison Keys got the mini break early as a Sanchez forehand sailed wide and then proceeded to win the next two points on her serve to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the breaker.  Sanchez would win the next point on her serve, however it would be the only point she would record as Keys won the next four points to take the tiebreaker 7-1 and win the Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Championship.

The victory for Madsion Keys was her 13th in her last 14 matches as she also won the $50K Challenger in Saguenay, Quebec late last month.  

2012 Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Champion Madison Keys.   Charles Gabrean Photography

 

Natalie Pluskota & Jacqueline Cako Win $75K Goldwater Tennis Classic Doubles

PETE ZIEBRON in PHOENIX

Natalie Pluskota and Jacqueline Cako are all smiles after winning the Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Doubles Championship   Pete Ziebron Images

University of Tennessee graduate and All-American Natalie Pluskota and Arizona State University All-American senior Jacqueline Cako teamed to win the Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Doubles Final today over 2012 Wimbledon Junior Singles and Doubles Champion Genie Bouchard and Ulrikke Eikeri 6-3 2-6 (10-4) at the Phoenix Country Club.  The unseeded victors dropped only 2 sets throughout the tournament and ironically played a lengthy 183 minute first round singles qualifying match against each other last Sunday, won by Cako.

Pluskota and Cako jumped to an early 4-0 lead in the first set, as Pluskota enthusiastically encouraged herself and her teammate throughout the majority of the match but especially so in the early stages of the opening set.  Despite the fact that Cako's serve was broken attemptng to stretch the lead to 5-0, Pluskota would hold her serve at 4-2 and later, Cako would serve out the opening set at 5-3.

Only 2012 Wimbledon Junior Girls Singles and Doubles Champion Genie Bouchard was able to hold serve in the 2nd set of the Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Final.             Pete Ziebron Images

Genie Bouchard served to open the second set and held at love and Bouchard and Eikeri would then break Cako's service game on the deciding point to take a 2-0 lead.  Eikeri and Plustoka would each be broken in their service games, marking three consecutive breaks of serve, until Bouchard would once again hold to get her team a 4-1 advantage.  Neither server could manage to hold serve in the next three games and Bouchard and Eikeri would win the set 6-2 on their 4th set point in the second set.  Of the eight service games in the set, each player served twice and only Genie Bouchard managed to hold serve throughout.

The Doubles Championship would now be decided by a ten point tiebreaker and in a very similar fashion as the opening set, Natalie Pluskota and Jacqueline Cako jumped out to a commanding 4-1 lead.  Each team would split the next six points, Bouchard and Eikeri could only get within three points and Pluskota and Cako enjoyed a 7-4 advantage.  They would go on to win the next three points of the tiebreaker and win the title.

Following the match, all players thanked the sponsors, especially Bill Luke Auto Group, as well as Tournament Directors Sara and Dan Stablein, USTA officials Missy Malool and Bunny Williams and all of the ball boys and girls.

 

Goldwater Finals Feature Young Americans Maria Sanchez & Madison Keys

PETE ZIEBRON in PHOENIX

Maria Sanchez has improved her world ranking more than 500 points since playing in the Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic last year.   Pete Ziebron Images

Maria Sanchez and Madison Keys, two young Americans who continue their climb up the WTA rankings will meet in the Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Final tomorrow at the Phoenix Country Club.  Both players dropped only 4 games in their semifinal matches earlier today.

Sanchez, a Finalist in last year's Goldwater Doubles event, was ranked #687 at this time last year.  She entered the tournament this year at #149 and will be very close to automatic entry into the 2013 Australian Open depending on her result in the Singles Final against Keys.  Last year at the Goldwater Tennis Classic, Sanchez fell in the opening round of qualifying to her doubles partner Yasmin Schnack.  

Today, Sanchez overpowered Canadian qualifier Gabriela Dabrowski 6-2 6-2 in the opening semifinal match on Stadium Court.  Yesterday morning, Sanchez dropped the opening set of her 3rd round match to #1 seed Camila Giorgi 1-6 but rallied to win the next two sets 6-0 7-5 to advance to today's semifinal.  Ironically, Sanchez beat two Junior Girls Grand Slam Champions in the first two rounds, defeating Wimbledon Junior Champion Genie Bouchard of Canada 7-5 6-3 and US Open Junior Champion Samantha Crawford of the USA 6-3 4-6 6-0.

Madison Keys, a Goldwater semifinalist last year, advances to Sunday's Final.  Pete Ziebron Images

The next semifinal featured yet another young American on the rise, Madison Keys, who entered the Goldwater Classic at world #153, up from #315 one year ago.  Keys reached the Goldwater semis last year, losing to eventual Champion Sesil Karatantcheva.  

Today, Keys simply overpowered the feisty Canadian Sharon Fichman 6-1 6-3 en route to the Final.  Early in the first set, Keys fired three aces in one game and later in the set, hit an amazing, untouchable kick serve out wide that bounced well out of the reach of Fichman for ace on a second serve.  Everything seemed to work well for Keys today, especially in the opening set as she dictated play on her terms.

Keys got to the semis defeating a couple of tricky opponents along the way.  In the second round, Keys beat fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-3 7-5.  Next up in the 3rd round was 1999 Wimbledon semifinalist Mirjana Lucic.  After winning the opening set 7-5, Keys coasted to the win, taking the second set 6-1.

2012 Wimbledon Junior Girls Singles & Doubles Champion Genie Bouchard reaches the Goldwater Doubles Final.        Pete Ziebron Images

Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway in action in Saturday's Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Doubles semifinal.                         Pete Ziebron Images

Prior to today's Singles semifinals, the second Doubles semifinal was contested and featured Wimbledon Junior Girls Champion Genie Bouchard of Canada.  Bouchard partnered with Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway and defeted the American duo of Emily Harman and Chieh-Yu Hsu 5-7 6-3 (10-4).  Bouchard and Eikeri will play Americans Jacqueline Cako Natalie Pluskota in the Final on Sunday.

Tomorrow's action at the Phoenix Country Club will begin with the Doubles final at 12 noon, followed immediately by the Singles final.

 

 

Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Player Party at the Phoenix Country Club

PETE ZIEBRON in PHOENIX

A good time was had by everyone who attended the Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Player Party last night at the Phoenix Country Club.

• All photos courtesy of Charles Gabrean and Charles Gabrean Photography

www.charlesgabrean.com

All players who attended interacted and shared a bit about themselves with the audience.

American Nicole Melichar and Jainy Scheepens of the Netherlands

USTA Official Missy Malool, #1 seed Camila Giorgi of Italy and Angelina Gabueva of Russia

American doubles partners Jacqueline Cako and Natalie Pluskota

Former UCLA Bruins, Ann Meyers Drysdale and Elizabeth Lumpkin.  Ann is the current General of the WNBA Phoenix Mercury and Vice President of the Phoenix Suns.

Mr. Barry Goldwater Jr. addressing the audience at the Phoenix Country Club.

USTA Officials Dianne Atkinson, Bunny Williams and Missy Malool

Goldwater Classic sponsor Mr. Grant Woods and Ann Meyers Drysdale

Dianne Atkinson and Tournament Director Sara Stablein

Jainy Scheepens dipping into the ever popular Fountain of Chocolate

Nicole Melichar and Tournament Director Dan Stablein

Sergio Giorgi, Father and Coach of world #79 Camila Giorgi

4th Annual Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic Opens with Sunshine & 90F

PETE ZIEBRON in PHOENIX

Tatum Prudhomme, a 15 year-old Wild Card, on her way to advancing to the 2nd round of qualifying.                      Pete Ziebron Images

Under clear and sunny blue skies and 90F heat, the 4th Annual Goldwater Women's Tennis Classic got underway at the Phoenix Country Club.  The event, a $75K ITF Challenger, is the last opportunity of the year in the United States for players to accumulate points in hopes of gaining direct entry into the 2013 Australian Open next January.

Today's opening round of qualification featured a match that lasted over 3 hours as well as a big upset.  Fellow Americans Jacqueline Cako and Natalie Pluskota started play at 9 AM sharp on Stadium Court 2 and did not conclude until just after 12 noon.  Cako battled back from a one-set deficit to advance to the 2nd round with a hard fought 4-6 7-5 7-6(2) victory.  Meanwhile, in the final match of the day on Stadium Court, 15 year-old local Wild Card Tatum Prudhomme also rallied from a set down, steadied her game in the process and stormed to a 3-6 6-1 6-1 triumph over American Nicole Robinson.

The victors will face tougher tests in their respective matches tomorrow as Prudhomme draws #1 seed Samantha Murray of Great Britain and Cako will play #3 seed Gabriella Dabrowski of Canada.  Both seeds dropped only 5 games each in their straight set wins earlier today.

American Jacqueline Cako battles for more than 3 hours in the November heat.   Pete Ziebron Images

Natalie Pluskota in opening round qualification action.   Pete Ziebron Images

Historically, several notable WTA players have competed in the Goldwater Tennis Classic the last few years, including:

• #21 Varvara Lepchenko   USA 
• #33 Christina McHale   USA
• #38 Sloane Stephens   USA
• #49 Heather Watson   Great Britain
• #51 Anna Tatishvili   Georgia
• #60 Chanelle Scheepers   South Africa
• #71 Jamie Hampton   USA

In fact, Lepchenko won the last 30 games of the tournament to claim the inaugural Goldwater Classic in 2009.  She would repeat as Champion the following year.  Lepchenko and McHale also represented the United States at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

This year's Goldwater main draw features several players with significant accomplishments:

• Mirjana Lucic  Croatia - 1998 Australian Open Doubles Champion (w/Martina Hingis) & 1999 Wimbledon semifinalist
• Melanie Oudin USA - 2011 US Open Mixed Doubles Champion (w/Jack Sock)
• Eugenie Bouchard  Canada - 2012 Wimbledon Junior Singles & Doubles Champion
• Taylor Townsend  USA - 2012 Australian Open Junior Champion
• Samantha Crawford USA - 2012 US Open Junior Champion

Play continues on Monday morning at 9 AM and the Player Party gets underway at 6 PM at the Phoenix Country Club.