Stadium-2’s debut has come to a close here at the 2014 BNP Paribas Open. While Thursday was a day-off, the new venue hosted one final match on Friday – the remaining Women’s Doubles Semifinal with the top-seeded team of Su-Wei Hsieh and Shuai Peng vs. wild-cards Svetlana Kuznetsova and Samantha Stosur.
Stadium-2 Results from Friday:
- [1] S Hsieh (TPE) / S Peng (CHN) def. [WC] S Kuznetsova (RUS) / S Stosur (AUS) 3-6 7-6(5) 10-2
Last month in Doha, Shuai Peng became the first person from China, male or female, to attain the World #1 ranking. Winning their 10th title together, Su-Wei Hsieh became the World #2. After the first set on Friday, the two were in danger of a Semifinal exit in Indian Wells. Behind heavy first serves and defensive prefection at the net, Sam and Svetlana were in complete control of the match. The second set saw it’s share of service breaks, but the inspired shot-placement and strategic court positioning to which fans have grown accustomed with the top-seeds. With their two-handed hustle from both sides, Peng and Hsieh won the set in a tie-break, then ran away with the win in a match tie-break.
Hsieh and Peng will face 57-time doubles champion Cara Black and 2011 Indian Wells Doubles Champion Sania Mirza in the Final this afternoon. Looking for their 11th title, the #1 doubles team in the world is undefeated in Finals and before today, had not dropped a single set in the tournament. Friday’s match was a tough loss for Sam, who won two conseutive doubles titles here in 2006 and 2007, and made a Finals appearance in 2010. Svetlana Kuznetsova was a doubles finalist here 10-years-ago.
Yesterday on Stadium-1, John Isner needed two tie-break sets to eliminate “the old man” Ernests Gulbis and advance to today’s Semifinals. He’ll face Novak Djokovic, who lost only four games in his Quarterfinal with Julien “Why not?” Benneteau.
In the ladies Semifinals, the Cinderella story of the tournament, Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, managed a two-set win over the #1-seed Na Li after a tie-break battle to win the first set. In the previous match, Agnieszka Radwanska was unstoppable. In a rematch of their Semifinal in Doha, Radwanska’s determined play and impeccable shot placement proved too much for the Doha champion. Suddenly, the #3 player in the World is a favorite to win her 14th career title at Indian Wells.
Finally, fans enjoyed one last doubles match with Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka. The two packed Stadium-2 throughout the tournament with thrilling wins over Rohan Bopanna and Aisam Ul-Haq Qureshi, Ernests Gulbis and Milos Raonic, and Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek…but the #2-seeds and doubles specialists Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares proved too strong for the dynamic Swiss duo. Roger and Stan, 2011 Finalists here, were only able to win 5-games in the Semifinal. While Stan heads to Miami for the Sony Open, Roger moves-on to his Singles Semifinal with Alexandr Dolgopolov today at Noon.
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Men’s Singles Quarterfinal Results…
- [2] N Djokovic (SRB) def. J Benneteau (FRA) 6-1 6-3
- [12] J Isner (USA) def. [20] E Gulbis (LAT) 7-6(4) 7-6(3)
Men’s Doubles Semifinal…
- [2] A Peya (AUT) / B Soares (BRA) def. R Federer (SUI) / S Wawrinka (SUI) 6-4 6-1
>> MEN’S SINGLES DRAW || >> MEN’S DOUBLES DRAW
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Women’s Singles Semifinal Results…
- [20] F Pennetta (ITA) def. [1] N Li (CHN) 7-6(5) 6-3
- [2] A Radwanska (POL) def. [6] S Halep (ROU) 6-3 6-4
Women’s Doubles Semifinal…
- [1] S Hsieh (TPE) / S Peng (CHN) def. [WC] S Kuznetsova (RUS) / S Stosur (AUS) 3-6 7-6(5) 10-2
>> WOMEN’S SINGLES DRAW || >> WOMEN’S DOUBLES DRAW
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There are only four matches on the schedule for Day-14 of the BNP Paribas Open 2014: The Men’s Semifinal matches and both Doubles Finals.
STADIUM 1 start 12:00 noon
ATP – [28] A Dolgopolov (UKR) vs [7] R Federer (SUI)
ATP – [12] J Isner (USA) vs [2] N Djokovic (SRB)
WTA – DOUBLES FINAL – [1] S Hsieh (TPE) / S Peng (CHN) vs [5] C Black (ZIM) / S Mirza (IND)
Not Before 5:30 pm
ATP – DOUBLES FINAL – [1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) vs [2] A Peya (AUT) / B Soares (BRA)
