:strip_icc()/s02.video.glbimg.com/x720/9848073.jpg "Luisa Stefani suffers injury and leaves US Open semifinal in wheelchair | sneakers")
The Brazilian Luisa Stefani left the US Open women’s doubles semifinal on a wheelchair this Friday. In the tie-break of the first set, playing alongside Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski, when she was 2-0 for the Brazilian team, Luisa fell into the net. The fall was the result of an apparent twist in her right knee as she moved to the side. After a few minutes and medical attention, Luisa tried to get up. She was unable to support her right leg on the floor and had to leave the court in a wheelchair. With the Brazilian already in the medical field, the referee of the match announced that the confrontation, until then tied in 6 games to 6, was paralyzed. Minutes later, the game ended.
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Luisa Stefani sprains an ankle, falls during the tiebreak point and leaves the court in wheelchairs
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In New York, Luisa and Gabriela faced North Americans Cori Gauff, 17, and Catherine McNally, 19, who eliminated the main favorites for the title in the quarter-finals and had the support of most of the home fans in the stadium Louis Armstrong, to 14,000 fans. The Americans make the final of the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year against Australian Samantha Stosur and Chinese Shuai Zhang. This was Luisa Stefani’s first Grand Slam semifinal. Gabriela played three Majors finals in her career, being champion at the Australian Open (2018) and Roland Garros (2017), in mixed doubles, and runner-up in Wibledon (2019), in women’s doubles.
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Luisa Stefani leaves the court in a wheelchair in the US Open semis — Photo: Reproduction SporTV
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After making history by winning the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics alongside Laura Pigossi, aged 24, Luisa Stefani broke a 53-year-old writing by advancing to the semifinals of the US Open with her partner, Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski, 29 years old. The last Brazilian woman to achieve this feat in women’s doubles was Maria Esther Bueno, also in New York, in 1968. Interestingly, that was her last Major title, won with Margaret Court. Luisa and Gabi were coming from three finals in the three tournaments they played before the US Open.
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This Friday’s duel, in New York, was balanced from the start. But in the fifth game of the first set, Luisa and Gabi broke the serve of the young American duo and made it 3-2. Soon after, however, the hosts returned the break, tying 3-3. : 4 to 4. The Americans confirmed the 5 to 4. And, even with Gabi pressed on the serve, committing two double-faults, then saving four set points, the Brazilian and Canadian made 5 to 5. Again balance and serve confirmations : 6 to 6. Until Luisa fell in the first set tie-break and the game was over.
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Luisa Stefani and Gabriela Dabrowski advance to the round of 16 of the US Open — Photo: AONGphoto/USOpen
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