DUBAI (AP) — Anna Kalinskaya, coming off the qualifying round, surprised Iga Swiatek with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the semifinal of the Dubai tournament after the world number one let go of the lead initial
Swiatek was up 4-2 when Kalinskaya took four games in a row to win the first set and ended with her third consecutive victory against a tennis player who is among the top 10 in the world.
Kalinskaya eliminated Coco Gauff (3) in the quarterfinals and Jelena Ostapenko (9) in the round of 16.
“Physically I feel better than last year. That gives me great confidence to play at that high level,” Kalinskaya said in the on-court interview.
Kalinskaya (40) said the key to beating Swiatek was staying calm — but being aggressive.
“I know that if I don’t stay calm and be aggressive it’s going to destroy me,” she admitted. “That’s my plan — stay aggressive and move it. Is incredible. “I’m happy to have the opportunity to face her.”
She will now face the Italian Jasmine Paolini in the most important final of both their careers.
Paolini who held on to beat Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 7-6 (6). She saved six set points in the second set to reach her first WTA 1000 final.
“I gave them a little drama at the end of the match,” the 29-year-old Italian said in the on-court interview.
With his victory in less than two hours against his Romanian rival, Paolini (26) is one win away from the second title of his career on the Tour.
Paolini reached the fourth round of the Australian Open last month — her best Grand Slam performance — and lost in straight sets to Kalinskaya.
With this triumph, Paolini ensured that he reached the top 20 places for the first time in the classification that will be published next week. In October he broke into the top 20.
Her only WTA title was in Portoroz, Slovenia in 2021.
Source: AP
2024-02-24 00:22:12
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