Caroline Garcia’s success in the quarter-finals against Victoria Azarenka (23rd in the world), her first of the season against a top 30 player, attracted attention at the WTA 1000 tournament in Guadalajara. Could the Lyonnaise get back on track three quarters into an extremely frustrating season? The response only lasted fifteen games, the time to be swept away (6-3, 6-0) by Maria Sakkari, 9th in the world and already a finalist last year in Mexico.
Garcia had however won three of his four previous duels with the Greek. But on Friday, she hit a wall. Tenacious and compact, Sakkari only committed seven unforced errors, thirteen fewer than the Frenchwoman. She also dismissed four out of four break points, including three while serving at 3-0 in the second set.
The 9th in the world has not given up a set all week. “I said from the first day that I felt this was THE week,” said Sakkari, who will try on Saturday to win his first title since the Moroccan Open in 2019. “This is where I was going to overcome a lot obstacles and difficult emotions. »
“I felt like it was THE week. »
For the Greek, a victory would be the culmination of a checkered season, marked in particular by an elimination in the first round of the US Open. She will face in the final the astonishing Caroline Dolehide (111th in the world), who defeated Sofia Kenin (7-5, 6-3) in the other half. At 25, the American will play the first final of her career. It is only the second time that a player ranked outside the world top 100 has reached the final of a WTA 1000 tournament since the format was introduced in 2009.
Despite his failure, Garcia will return to the top 10 on Monday. Probably little consolation.
2023-09-23 06:24:17
#Caroline #Garcia #sharply #eliminated #semifinals #Guadalajara
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