Martic Upsets Top Seed Sakkari In Linz, Will Face Potapova For Title
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Top seed Maria Sakkari tumbled out of the WTA 250 Linz event falling to No. 6 seed Petra Martic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Martic, ranked 34th, finished with eight aces, won 37/52 (71%) on first serve points, 19/40 (48%) on second serves, was 4 of 11 on break chances. She won the last three games of the match.
After dropping the opener, Martic broke in the ninth game of the third set for 5-4 then served it out to reach her 6th career WTA final.
The 7th-ranked Sakkari had four aces but won just 40/70 (57%) on first service points and was broken four times.
Martic and Sakkari are now tied 1-1 in tour-level head-to-head battles. Sakkari was hoping to reach her 8th career final.
“A really good match today,” Martic said. “Obviously, very physical, very long. Maria is a great player, she never gives you any free points, so you have to work really hard out there if you want to beat her.
“I think I played good from the beginning to the end. I used my serve really good, I tried to be unpredictable out there, and I think it made a difference in the end.”
The 8th-seeded Anastasia Potapova got by Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 6-7(4-7), 6-3 to reach her first WTA final. The 21-year-old Potapova converted on 6 of 15 on break chances.
Potapova broke in the eighth game of the third set for 5-3 after leading in the set 2-0. It was the Russian’s first tour win over Vondrousova in three tries.
“As I said yesterday, it was going to be a tough match with Marketa, she’s an unbelievable player,” Potapova stated. “I stayed very focused mentally, and I think that was the key today to give me the opportunity to win and to be in the final here.”
Potapova reaches her 5th career final. Vondrousova was bidding her 6th career final.
Potapova and Martic have split two head-to-head meetings on tour. Potapova will seek her second career title, Martic her third.
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