María Sakkari defeated Pegula in a great three set match. The Greek got into the final of the WTA in Washington and won 6-3 4-6 6-2 against the current number four in the world. Wait for Gauff or Samsonova in the final instance.
tournament results
Semifinal Saturday in Washington. The American tournament reached its final instances and two high-ranking players competed for the pass to the final. The match was between local Jessica Pegula (No. 4 WTA) and Maria Sakkari (No. 9 WTA), both players have been established among the top ten in the world for several years. Seven were the times they met in her entire career, the Greek leads the H2H with a record of four games won and three lost. But the last time they saw their faces was in February of this year. Pegula would win the match in three sets and advance to the Doha WTA final.
The Greek reached her sixth semifinal of the season, having lost all the previous ones she played. Sakkari owns a very physical and tenacious game. Since 2021 she has established herself among the best in the world but failed to lift important or large-scale titles, said by Sakkari herself, her biggest opponent is herself. Of the American we could say that she is one of the most regular players on the circuit, in silence and without taking too much prominence she always tends to reach the final instances of the events that she disputes.
Sakkari imposes a minimal difference
Both began by proposing a very similar match from the tennis point of view, opening the court and then playing quickly into empty space. Sakkari seemed much calmer at the beginning of the match, more calm to take the shots, on the contrary, Pegula was making more mistakes. The Greek took a quick lead and went into the first break, breaking up with a 2-1 lead. From there, each player held her serve. At the end of the set, Pegula was on serve being 3-5 down, Sakkari came out forceful from the return and executed a fast game with great solidity. The Greek broke again and took the first set 6-3.
Pegula turns the set
Sakkari was the first to serve in the second set. Pegula was excited when she got 30-0 on her rival’s serve but then the Greek won four consecutive points and took the game. The American’s body gestures showed her discomfort, she could not take the chances that were presented to her and the game kept advancing. Maria got a break again and everything worked for her, she was able to dominate intense rallies with comfort and execute deep and powerful shots. Pegula wasn’t keeping up with the Greek. 4-1 up Sakkari.
Being set and 4-1 up, Sakkari could see the end of the match. But once again, she provokes her own boycott and lets Pegula into the party. The Greek woman began to get tense and stopped having clear ideas, she began to make mistakes and rush into decision-making. Pegula won five straight games, taking the second set 6-4.
The Greek takes the third set
Definitely the beginning of the third set was where the most even of the match was seen. In the first four games of the match each player kept her serve but she also had to face a break. However Sakkari was the first to make a difference on the scoreboard. The Greek once again had an advantage, after getting a break she was 4-2 and served. After holding her serve after a very close game where she faced the possibility of a break. Sakkari came out determined and broke Pegula again to win the second set 6-2. After an arduous confrontation, María Sakkari advanced to the final in Washington
2023-08-05 22:39:55
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