Karolina Pliskova yesterday became the first woman to advance to the last four of the WTA Finals, when the Czech put on a controlled display to defeat compatriot Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-4 in their final round-robin encounter in Singapore.
The former world No. 1 is to be joined in the last four by either Elina Svitolina or defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, who were to complete White Group play later yesterday.
Kvitova had lost her opening two matches and knew that only a straight-sets victory would give her any chance of advancing, but Pliskova stayed calm and focused to record a first win over her compatriot in four attempts.
Photo: Reuters
“I cannot be more happy right now. It was a good match and she’s a great player. She has always beaten me in the past, but I knew I had a chance as I have been playing well,” Pliskova told reporters.
Kvitova needed to make a fast start to put her opponent under pressure, but the double Wimbledon champion lacked movement and coughed up a slew of double faults to fall 4-0 down in the blink of an eye.
Kvitova worked her way back into the contest, rallying twice from 40-0 down to win back-to-back games in the middle of the set that finally gave Pliskova something to think about.
Pliskova’s coach Rennae Stubbs urged her to “stay disciplined” in the next changeover and the Czech heeded the advice to curb her attacking instincts as she ended Kvitova’s tournament by holding serve to take the opener in 41 minutes.
In the late match, Ukraine’s Svitolina was to advance if she won one set against Wozniacki, who needed a straight-sets triumph to continue her title defence.
On Wednesday, former US Open champion Sloane Stephens overcame gallant Kiki Bertens in another marathon match, a result that breathes life into Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka’s teetering Singapore campaign.
The American struggled mid-match, but fought back from an early break in the third set to prevail 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-3 in 2 hours, 20 minutes.
It was the result Osaka needed after she fell to No. 1 seed Angelique Kerber in a three-set classic to put her on the brink of elimination.
World No. 6 Stephens has moved into pole position after her second straight victory.
“I just tried my very best from the first point in the third set and it didn’t go my way immediately, but I just kept battling,” Stephens said after the match.
It was the sixth consecutive match to go the distance at the unpredictable WTA Finals.
A sharp-moving Stephens started well and methodically constructed points to rattle Bertens before the Dutchwoman clawed back into the contest.
In the tournament’s first tie-break, Stephens took advantage of a misfiring Bertens to draw first blood.
Bertens hit back in the second set, working Stephens around the court to take control of the rallies.
A demoralized Stephens had no answer and her slump continued into the deciding set, where she was broken in the second game.
However, the twists continued, with Stephens coming back from nowhere to break twice and reel off four straight games.
Earlier, Kerber had a chance to serve it out against Osaka in the second set, but triumphed the hard way in a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory in 2 hours, 30 minutes.
The German appeared to be hampered by a back injury in the third set, but dug deep and gained the crucial break in the seventh game.
“I will try to recover as soon as possible,” Kerber told reporters. “It was just one, two points which decided the match. I’m just happy that I won the battle.”
Osaka seemed to struggle at times with a left hamstring injury.
“It doesn’t feel good... It’s nothing that concerning, I think,” she said. “This match was sort of a continuation of my last match in a way ... that I didn’t serve well.”
Today, Stephens is to play Kerber and Osaka takes on Bertens in the final round-robin matches.
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