Kiki Bertens the world no. 8 from the Netherlands and Croatia’s Donna Vekic have advanced to the final of the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy.
Bertens was first to claim her spot after defeating world no. 10 from Belarus Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(5), 6-2. The Dutch player got off to a good start as she broke her opponent in the opening game after Sabalenka hit long.
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Photo: Kiki Bertens of Netherlands during her WTA St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy 2019 tennis match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia on February 1, 2019 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Mike Kireev/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
In the fourth game, Sabalenka brought up a break point after she hit a volley winner. She then got the break back after Bertens served a double fault.
Both players held serve all the way to 6-6 to set up a tiebreaker to decide the first set. Bertens got a mini-break in the very first point after Sabalenka was drawn towards the net and hit an easy shot into the net. That was quickly lost as Sabalenka hit a winner. A double fault gave Sabalenka a mini-break.
Bertens was off to a slow start in the breaker and fell behind 3-1 after hitting an unforced error long. Sabalenka then let Bertens back into the breaker after a double fault.
Bertens hit an Ace for 3-3. A forehand winner followed from Bertens to go 4-3. Sabalenka fell further behind when she was late on a forehand and dragged it wide. Another unforced error from Sabalenka gave Bertens three set points.
The Belarusian blasted a cross-court return winner to save one set point, then an unforced error from Bertens saw another saved. On the next point, it was Sabalenka that was in control of the point and she made a move to the net, only to hit her volley a bit short, that opened up the court for Bertens to pass the big Belarusian, which she did to take the set.
Sabalenka sent a ball into the crowd in frustration after letting a good opportunity to level the breaker slip away.
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Photo: Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during a WTA St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy 2019 tennis match in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Mike Kireev/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
In the second set, it was Bertens that took control, she was able to break three times to one, the first break coming in the second game when Sabalenka netted a backhand. Bertens broke again in the fourth game after taking three break points and converting when Sabalenka blasted a backhand well wide.
The Belarusian broke in the fifth game then held to love on her next service game to see the score at 4-2 however Bertens held her serve then got another break to close out the match.
Vekic defeating Russia’s last home Verz Zvonareva 6-2, 6-2. Vekic had defeated world no. 2 and defending champion Petra Kvitova in the previous round.
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Photo: Donna Vekic of Croatia serves the ball during her WTA St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy 2019 tennis match in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Mike Kireev/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
It was an easy victory for the world no. 30 against the Russian veteran that is ranked at no. 97. Vekic broke on four occasions and was not broken herself. Zvonareva had a look at just one breakpoint on the Vekic serve.
In the head-to-head, it is Vekic that holds a 3-1 advantage winning their most recent round two meeting at the 2019 Brisbane International.
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