WTA Bogota: Anisimova, Haddad Maia, Arruabarrena and Sharma hit semis
The 6th seed Amanda Anisimova has successfully passed stern Maria Camila Osorio Serrano challenge, beating the fellow youngster 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 in an hour and 51 minutes to reach the semis. The American won just one point more than the Colombian coeval, digging deep to save 13 out of 17 break points and securing five breaks on the other side to cross the finish line first and stay on the title course. Amanda saved three break points in the opening game of the match and had the upper hand in the rest of the opener, breaking Osorio Serrano in games two and eight for a nice start.
World no. 438 took charge in set number two, though, wrapping it up in less than 30 minutes after a great performance on both serve and return to gain the momentum and become the favorite before the start of the decider. There, Anisimova recovered her game and grabbed three breaks for a strong finish and the place in the first WTA semi-final since Hiroshima in September. A qualifier Beatriz Hadad Maia has joined Amanda in the last four, ousting the 7th seed Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 in a grueling two hours and 45 minutes.
This is the first WTA semi-final for the Brazilian since Seoul 2017 and she earned it with a rock-solid display in sets two and three, getting broken six times in total but scoring ten breaks of her own to move over the top in just under three hours. They traded six breaks in the opening nine games and went into a tie break that the Spaniard stole 8-6 after trailing 6-4, fending off two set points for a huge boost. Instead of keeping that momentum, Sara suffered three straight breaks at the beginning of the second set and Beatriz had the upper hand in the decider as well, delivering four consecutive breaks to advance into the next round.
The 11th seed and last year's finalist Lara Arrubarrena toppled the 5th seed Tamara Zidansek 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 18 minutes, defending five out of six break points and stealing almost half of the return points to notch four breaks and control the result all the time. Zidansek stayed in touch in the first seven games before Lara rattled off nine of the last 11 games, taking the opening set with a break in game nine and never looking back, racing into a 5-0 lead in set number two and sealing the deal on the sixth match point in game nine that saw seven deuces. The 23-year-old Aussie Astra Sharma is through to the first WTA semi-final following a 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Sara Errani in an hour and 17 minutes, repelling seven out of nine break points and delivering five breaks to enter the last four.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2VGkRtL
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