The Berlin Open will crown a first-time winner after Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic and China’s Xinyu Wang won their semifinal matches on Saturday.
Despite dealing with shoulder injuries, Vondrousova took down World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka who, for the second straight day, attempted a late-match comeback. However, on Saturday, the Belarussian had the Czech player down 0-40 serving for the match but allowed Vondrousova to play her attacking style of tennis for a 6-2, 6-4 win. Vondrousova’s four consecutive wins in Berlin are the most she’s had since winning Wimbledon in 2023.
Wang, whose quarterfinal match against Paula Badosa was called after the first set due to the Spaniard’s hip injury, toppled former Berlin winner Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 6-1, to reach her first WTA Tour singles final. After some initial nerves and being broken mid-set, Wang responded immediately with a break of her own and ultimately took the first set before finishing the Russian off in the second set.
Lexus Nottingham Open
McCartney Kessler reached her first WTA final on grass after defeating Slovak Rebecca Sramkova in the semifinals at Nottingham, England.
The American had never won a WTA-Tour level match on grass before she upset No. 1 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the first round and continued her winning ways throughout the tournament with a powerful 6-4, 6-2 win over Sramkova.
The 25-year-old Kessler will face Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, who beat Polish sixth seed Magda Linette 6-4, 6-4 in a match that lasted an hour and 42 minutes with a 35-minute rain delay. After the weather-related break with Yastremska up 4-1 in the second set, Linette fought back to 4-3 before Yastremska powered back to a 6-4 win. Yastremska is also in her first WTA final on grass.
–Field Level Media
