Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Shuko Aoyama of Japan on Saturday crashed out of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix doubles semi-finals, after losing to Coco Gauff of the US and Zhang Shuai of China in Stuttgart, Germany.
The fourth seeds managed to convert two of six break points in the 1 hour, 4 minute match, but were outplayed by first seeds Gauff and Zhang, who despite playing as a pair in their first tournament, earned a 6-2, 6-3 victory.
Eighteen-year-old Gauff and 33-year-old Zhang were yesterday to face Desirae Krawczyk of the US and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands in the final.
Photo:AFP
In singles, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek said she was “born to fight,” after battling past Liudmila Samsonova to seal a 22nd consecutive win and book her place in the final.
After just more than three hours, Swiatek converted her first match point having broken Samsonova’s service three times in the final set to claim a 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-5 win.
It was an impressive fightback by the 20-year-old who punched the air in delight after winning the final point.
“I honestly hate losing and you just don’t want to give up. Players like me are born to fight,” said an elated Swiatek, who has now reached four finals in succession and won titles in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami.
She was yesterday to face Aryna Sabalenka, who earlier reached the final for the second year running with a straight sets win over Paula Badosa.
“There isn’t much time to recover, but physically I am ready, so I am just going to go for it,” Swiatek said.
Sabalenka came out on top of a hard-fought battle for the first set, then turned up the pressure in the second to seal a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 victory.
Badosa has the consolation that she is to move up to second in the world rankings today.
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