Top seed Ana Ivanovic continued her dominant form at the Aegon Classic with a 6-1, 6-4 quarter-final triumph over Czech Klara Koukalova in Birmingham, England, on Friday.
The former French Open champion’s competition is dwindling with American third seed Sloane Stephens and No. 4 Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium ousted, 6-3, 6-1 by China’s Zhang Shuai and 6-4, 6-2 by Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova respectively.
Ivanovic needed just 27 minutes to win the first set for the loss of one game as she capitalised on Koukalova’s weak second serve.
The second set was a more even affair with the Czech momentarily leading 4-3, before Ivanovic reeled off the final three games to set up a semi-final with Shuai.
The Serbian has yet to drop a set in her three matches in the grasscourt tournament.
“I really tried to do my thing because I know she can be dangerous and last time we played, in Doha, I lost,” Ivanovic said.
“She’s won on grass in the past and is a great competitor, as she showed in her matches this week,” she said.
“I expected a tough match, so from the first moment on, I was trying to be really aggressive. I tried to dominate her and put pressure on her and I played really well in that first set,” she said.
“The second set was a lot tougher. She’s a tough competitor. I’m really happy to win in two sets,” Ivanovic added.
The other semi-final pits Strycova against Australian Casey Dellacqua, who beat 43-year-old Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-1, 6-0.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
US President Donald Trump said he would attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, but said he does not have much sympathy for ordinary basketball fans who cannot afford sky-high ticket prices to do the same. “They can watch it on television,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday as he flew to Wisconsin for an event with farmers, after he was asked about tickets that have climbed as high as US$8,000 each when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off in Manhattan for the first time in the series. “It’s sorta
RSS