Three-time Grand Slam winner Šwiatek defeated Garcia for the second time in her career, avenging her defeat in the Warsaw home tournament this year. The number one seed has become the second certain semi-finalist in the Tournament of Champions after Maria Sakkariová from Greece. The Polish woman has won for the sixth time in a row and has achieved her 16th triumph in the last 17 games. After winning the US Open, only Barbora Krejčíková beat her in the final of the tournament in Ostrava.
21-year-old Šwiateková lost her serve in the third game of the first set, but thanks to two breaks she turned the tide of the set and won it in her favor. In the second set, the Pole was already 100 percent serving. After an hour and twenty-five minutes of play, she converted the first match point.
The Warsaw native has so far lost only ten games in the Tournament of Champions and scored her 14th consecutive win against a top ten player. Šwiateková is also the first player after Petra Kvitová to reach the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament before she turns 22. The Czech tennis player made a similar feat in 2011.
Šwiateková’s approach was confirmed by Kasatkinová. Although the seeded eight lost in the first set to Gauffova 1: 4, she was able to reverse the trend and win 8: 6 in a dramatically reduced match. In the second set, Russia lost their serve twice, but thanks to three breaks they won the duel for an important victory. On Saturday he will face Garcia for second place.
Fort Worth Tournament of Champions (hard court, $ 5 million endowment): |
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Single: |
Tracy Austin’s group: |
Šwiateková (1-Pol.) – Garciaová (6-Friday) 6: 3, 6: 2 |
Kasatkinova (8-Russia) – Gauffova (4-USA) 7: 6 (8: 6), 6: 3. |
1. | Šwiateková | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4: 0 | 2 |
2, | Garcia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2: 2 | 1 |
2. | Kasatkinova | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2: 2 | 1 |
4. | Gauff | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0: 4 | 0 |
Double: |
Pam Shriver’s group: |
Kuděrmětová, Mertensová (4-Rus./Belg.) – Danilinová, Haddadová Maiaová (7-Kaz./Braz.) 6: 4, 6: 3. |
1. | Kuděrmětová, Mertensová | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4: 1 | 2 |
2. | Danielin, Haddad | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2: 2 | 1 |
3. | Dabrovská, Olmosová | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2: 3 | 1 |
4. | Kičenokova, Ostapenko | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2: 4 | 0 |