The top star of the $259,303 WTA 250 tournament in Linz is in the semifinals!
Maria Sakkari prevailed on Friday evening after a tough fight against the Croatian Donna Vekic 6: 3, 7: 6 (8) and thus reduced the head-to-head with this year’s Australian Open quarter-finalist to 3: 5. The world rankings-7. now meets a Croatian again, because Petra Martic defeated the 20-year-old Dane Clara Tauson 6:4, 7:5 in the last quarter-finals. The Czech Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) and Anastasia Potapova (RUS-8) had already won qualified for the preliminary round. Vondrousova benefited at 4: 1 from the surrender of Hungarian Dalma Galfi. Potapova had much more trouble with the German Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) in the 2:6, 6:4, 6:1. The victory was a small milestone for Potapova: “It’s my first semi-final this year – and with this win I made it into the top 40 for the first time in my career – I’m speechless with joy,” said the 21-year-old Potapova still on the pitch. “Beating a player like Donna in her current form is a confidence boost. Donna has started the year very strongly. She played an outstanding tournament at the Australian Open. I knew she was in very good shape and I’ve lost to her many times,” Sakkari said with relief. “It was tough today, but I saved five set balls in the second set and showed mental strength. I’m very happy about that,” said the 27-year-old. In the second set she already had match point at 5: 4, but had to accept the rebreak. The tiebreak was particularly tight when Vekic was unable to use three and then two more set balls at 6:3. But then Sakkari’s second match ball sat. “The reason why she was able to prevail: “I was more solid from the baseline, made fewer mistakes.”
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