Anna Kalinskaya reaches German Open final with impressive win over Victoria Azarenka, will meet Jessica Pegula
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 23/06/2024 at 10:44 GMT
Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya will play Jessica Pegula in the German Open final after a 6-1 6-7(3) 6-1 victory against Victoria Azarenka. The 25-year-old extended her unbeaten streak against top-10 players this season as she reached the second WTA final of her career. Pegula beat top seed and American compatriot Coco Gauff 7-5 7-6(2) in the other semi-final, reaching her first grass-court final.
Highlights: Sinner beats Zhang to book place in Halle Open final
Anna Kalinskaya reached the German Open final with a 6-1 6-7(3) 6-1 win against Victoria Azarenka.
Heading into the semi-final contest, Kalinskaya had a 7-0 record against top-10 players this season and was appearing in her first career WTA grass-court semi-final.
To get there, she was the beneficiary of two walkovers, including in the second round when Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova slipped and injured her right hip.
Kalinskaya continued where she left off against two-time Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka, who was forced to retire due to a shoulder injury trailing 5-1 to the World No. 24.
A love-hold in the sixth was the only blemish as Kalinskaya breezed through the first set 6-1, with Azarenka pushing Kalinskaya to deuce only once, in the opening game.
But the balance of the match began to shift in the second set, as Azarenka first held and then pushed her opponent to break point - her first in the match.
Kalinskaya recovered to hold, but soon found herself broken and 4-1 down, committing two unforced errors in quick succession to pass up a promising break opportunity of her own.
However, she did not pass up her next chance. The 25-year-old prevented an increasingly frustrated Azarenka from reaching set point to pull within one hold of levelling at 5-4.
A superb volley helped Azarenka take the lead once more, but Kalinskaya comfortably held to set up a tense tie-break.
The Russian was the first to slip up, finding the net in consecutive points on her serve, eventually winning just one of the last seven as Azarenka levelled the match.
Kalinskaya did not seem perturbed by the setback, breaking Azarenka early in the third set as she took a 4-1 lead.
Her opponent was reluctant to roll over, however, with Kalinskaya breaking Azarenka again on the third time of trying after a drawn out sixth game.
She then took match point on her fourth attempt, wrapping up victory in two hours and 10 minutes.
Pegula sees off Gauff
Kalinskaya will face Jessica Pegula in the second WTA final of her career, having lost the Dubai Tennis Championships final in February.
The encounter between Pegula and the top seed Coco Gauff was finished just before Sunday's final after the match was suspended overnight due to rain.
Pegula was on the verge of victory, leading 7-5 6-6(3-1), and she closed out the victory on Sunday morning, dropping just one point of the five that were played to beat world No. 2 and her doubles partner Gauff, who netted a forehand to seal her fate.
Pegula is into her first grass-court final in Berlin, and has four WTA Tour titles, with her most recent coming at the Korea Open in October last year.
"It’s always tough trying to close it out when you have a bit of a lead," Pegula said afterwards.
"The first few points were really important. I was able to win a couple of the long points that we had at the end. It’s never easy; you’re feeling each other out still. It’s much different compared to yesterday.
"It’s fun that [Coco and I] get to compete and play at a really high level on the singles and doubles court. We practise together, we’re friends. It’s more fun. I don’t think it’s that hard. It brings out the best in me, knowing that she’s playing at such a high level at No. 2 in the world. It motivates me. It’s a nice relationship."
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement