Tennis
Potapova downs Pliskova to become first lucky loser to reach a WTA 1000 semifinal
Anastasia Potapova became the first lucky loser to reach a WTA 1000 or Tier I semifinal since the Tier format’s inception in 1990 with a 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3 defeat of Karolina Pliskova in 1 hour and 54 minutes on Wednesday. Potapova led 6-1, 5-3 and held her first three match points in the second set, but ultimately had to reel off five straight games from 3-1 down in the decider to advance.
The World No. 56, who reached her first WTA 500 final three weeks ago in Linz but fell 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3 to Sinja Kraus in the final round of Madrid qualifying, has posted three straight wins over former World No. 1s or Grand Slam champions in the main draw, following her upsets of Jelena Ostapenko in the third round and Elena Rybakina in the fourth round. Potapova becomes the first player representing Austria to reach a WTA 1000 or Tier I semifinal since Sybille Bammer at Indian Wells 2007.
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It’s not something she would have believed after losing to Kraus (who, coincidentally, fell to Pliskova 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of the main draw).
I was given a second chance: Potapova
“Not for any money or anything,” Potapova said in her on-court interview. “That’s what makes our sport so beautiful. I was given a second chance and now I’m here, I’m speechless, I’m super happy and, well, there is nothing better that could happen with me in my life at the moment.”
At the start of the third set, Potapova’s boyfriend, ATP No. 33 Tallon Griekspoor, emerged in her box. The Dutchman had missed the first two sets due to his own doubles match — partnering Brandon Nakashima, he fell 6-2, 4-6, [10-3] to Luke Johnson and Jan Zielinski — but his arrival was a timely one. His consistent vocal encouragement enabled Potapova to pull herself out of her funk.
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“To be honest, I was a little bit gone mentally in the third set,” Potapova said. “I didn’t believe in myself at that moment. But — this is the first time I’m gonna say it — big respect to my boyfriend who came just on time. He saved me just on time.”
In her press conference, Potapova said that Griekspoor got through to her due to a combination of positive support and tough love. “I think he has bright future in coaching, we knew it before this match,” Potapova said. “The support he has, it’s unbelievable. He believes so hard. The things what he can say, I don’t think anyone can say that during the match, because [he’s not] afraid. Like, he’s not scared of me. He can tell me literally anything.
“Today, he just told me to shut up, to keep on working, to start working with my legs. And that we are both here together in this match, I’m not just by myself. It just happened at such important moment, and it gave me a lot of energy. Mentally, I think he got this match. I did it physically. He did it mentally.
Kostyuk downs Noskova, to face Potapova
Meanwhile, Marta Kostyuk defeated No. 13 seed Linda Noskova 7-6 (1), 6-0 in 1 hour and 27 minutes Wednesday night to extend the best stretch of her career and advance to the Madrid semifinals for the first time. It goes in the books as a dominant victory for the Ukrainian, who seized control in the first-set tiebreaker and never let go on a night when conditions were far from ideal.
Marta Kostyuk is also the only player, across both the women’s and men’s singles draw, to reach this year’s semifinal at the Mutua Madrid Open without conceding a set. Pics: Tennis Majors
“Conditions were incredibly difficult for both of us,” Kostyuk said in her on-court interview. “It was very windy, very cold and I felt like we started to gain some (momentum) only towards the end of the first set. Until then, I think we both weren’t sure where the ball was going sometimes. But I’m happy that I did my strategy today very well.”
Next, she’ll face lucky loser Anastasia Potapova for a spot in her first WTA 1000 final. Kostyuk is 2-2 against Potapova at the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz level, but she has won their last two meetings in straight sets, including their most recent encounter last year in Madrid. Mirra Andreeva and Hailey Baptiste will meet in the other semifinal.
Kostyuk is also the only player, across both the women’s and men’s singles draw, to reach this year’s semifinal at the Mutua Madrid Open without conceding a set.
That streak was in real danger early against Noskova, who opened with a 2-0 lead and won 10 of the first 11 points to make an immediate statement. But any momentum in the opening set proved fleeting. Kostyuk broke back on her fifth break point of the third game to get back on serve at 2-1, the first of four straight games she won.
Twice the No. 26 seed served for the set, and twice she was denied, as Noskova broke both times. Breaks and break points defined the set. Both players broke four times, with Noskova doing so efficiently (4 of 5) and Kostyuk far less so (4 of 18).
Noskova saved 14 break points in the set, more than any other player has faced in the opening set of a WTA 1000 match so far this season. But it wasn’t enough. Kostyuk raced out to a 6-1 lead in the tiebreak and closed the set in 64 minutes when a Noskova forehand sailed long.
The Czech never regained her footing. Kostyuk won 26 points to just eight for Noskova in the second set, needing only 23 minutes to dish out a bagel, which she iced with a blistering forehand return winner.