Barbora
Krejcikova defeated Danielle Collins 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, and
Sofia Kenin crushed
Emma Navarro 6-2, 6-2, setting up the final showdown at the
San Diego Open.
The 4th
seed, Krejcikova (13th in the world rankings), had suffered three consecutive
first-round defeats during the hardcourt swing but made a triumphant return in
San Diego. She secured victories over world No. 28 Anhelina Kalinina (28th) and
Beatriz Haddad Maia (20th) before turning the tables on Danielle Collins (43rd)
in a thrilling match, winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Collins had previously eliminated
Louisa Chirico (213th), world No. 16 Jelena Ostapenko (16th), and Caroline
Garcia (10th).
The first
set saw Collins consistently ahead, with two breaks in the second and fourth
games, while Krejcikova managed only one break in the third game. Collins
displayed strong serving and clinched the set 6-3, capitalizing on crucial
moments with two breaks.
The second
set was evenly contested, with each player securing a break in the first two
games. Both held their serves for the next nine games, and Collins was unable
to take the set to a tiebreak. Krejcikova capitalized on errors in Collins'
service game, secured a set point, and leveled the match at 7-5.
In the
third set, Krejcikova dominated, achieving three breaks in three opportunities,
ultimately winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. The former French Open champion secured her
return to the top 10, surpassing Caroline Garcia, and is set to play in her
third final of the year, having been the champion at the WTA 1000 Dubai Open
and the runner-up at the WTA 250 Birmingham Classic.
Sofia Kenin
(93rd) had a remarkable week in San Diego, reaching a WTA tournament final for
the first time since the 2020 French Open, where she lost to Iga Swiatek. On
her way to the final, she defeated Veronika Kudermetova (18th), Katie Volynets
(117th), and Anastasia Potapova (27th).
The young
Emma Navarro, aged 22, who entered the tournament through the qualifiers,
caused an upset in the quarter-finals by defeating Maria Sakkari (9th).
Navarro's ranking is on the rise, as she started the year ranked at world No.
149 and is set to climb to world No. 49 after her semifinal performance,
marking her career-best ranking.
In their
match, Kenin initially dominated, with Krejcikova winning five consecutive
games, including two breaks, to take a 5-1 lead. Both players then held their
serves, and Kenin claimed the first set 6-2 in just 30 minutes.
Kenin once
again secured an early break and a 3-2 lead in the second set. Navarro won
three consecutive games, giving her a chance to take the set with her serve.
However, Kenin saved five set points, maintaining the suspense with a 5-5
score. Despite this, Navarro secured a new break to avoid a tiebreak and
leveled the match with a 7-5 score.
The third
set featured more irregularities in the serving of both players, with five
breaks in the first six games. Kenin took a 4-2 lead. Defending her serve, the
American managed to secure the victory with a final score of 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
In the
final, Kenin and Krejcikova will face each other for the second time in their
careers, with their previous encounter occurring in the second round of the
2021 Rome Open, where Krejcikova emerged victorious. However, this will be
their first meeting on a hardcourt surface.
