Barty, Halep Make WTA Finals; Osaka Withdraws
- No Comments
The dream final between Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep in Melbourne was dashed Saturday after Osaka withdrew ahead of her semifinal due to an ab injury.
The beneficiary is Veronika Kudermetova who gets into the final, her third WTA title match.
Meanwhile, Halep cruised into her final with a 6-3, 6-2 over Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen.
“I’m really happy that I can play the final for the first tournament of the year,” the 20th-ranked Halep said. “I’m feeling good, and I’m happy with the way I played.”
“I’m really happy with the way I bounced back,” said Halep, who struggled past Viktorija Golubic in a three-set quarterfinal on Friday. “It’s always tough, first tournament of the year, few matches played, tough matches. Yesterday was really tough, and today I felt like I played much better, I served much better, and that means physically I’m in a good spot.”
In Adelaide, world No. 1 Ash Barty thrilled the home fans taking down fellow French champion Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-4.
“Today I felt like I was probably able to look after my service games really well,” Barty said. “I felt like on Iga’s service games I was able to get into most of them, which is important when you’re playing someone who can dominate with that first ball and first strike. I felt like I was able to build pressure over time, making her play a lot of balls on her service games, not giving her too many cheapies.
“I think all in all I was able to stay in most games. I didn’t get blown away with too many runs of two, three, four points in a row, which was a nice improvement from the last couple matches.
She’ll meet Elena Rybakina in the final. The Kazakh knocked out Misaki Doi 6-4, 6-3.
“I’m very happy to be in the final,” Rybakina said, in her post-match press conference. “It’s just start of the season and I feel more confidence, of course.
“I served really well in the end of the first set and then second set. She played fast also. I just started a bit slow, maybe like yesterday. I have to improve it today for sure.”
Barty won their only meeting at the 2020 Australian Open, and she has won 20 of her last 23 in Australia.
In the Melbourne 2 final, American Amanda Anisimova will meet Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
You Might Like:
Osaka Withdraws From WTA Finals Shenzhen; Kvitova, Barty Fall
Osaka To Face Barty For Beijing Title
Osaka Battles Back On Barty For First Beijing Crown
Barty Clinches #1, Osaka Gets First WTA Finals Win On Day 1 In Shenzhen; Andreescu v Halep Mon.
Naomi Osaka Withdraws From French Open, Likely Done For The Year