2020 WTA Fantasy Mexican Open: Samsonova and Vandeweghe storm into semis
THE final four in the 2020 Mexican Open fantasy tennis competition has been decided following the quarter finals that were played today. Just two seeds remain in the hunt for the 2020 title in what was a mixed bag of results on day five of the competition.
Third seed and tournament favourite, Shuai Peng advanced through to the semi-finals courtesy of a three-set win over Belarusian, Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Easily taking the first set 6-1, Shuai was forced to come back from a set and a break down in the remaining two sets before winning six of the last seven games to run away with the win, 6-1 3-6 6-3.
Shuai now takes on Oceane Dodin of France after the up-and-comer saw off the challenge of Russian, Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets. After knocking out the second seed in the opening round, Kalinskaya made her way through to the last eight and took the first set off Dodin, 6-4. But the Frenchwoman bounced back with a crucial break at 5-4 to take the set, and then win the final one 6-1 in a match that lasted an hour and 47 minutes.
In the other half of the draw, Liudmila Samsonova stunned sixth seed Anna Lena Friedsam with a 6-2 6-0 smashing of highly fancied. Friedsam won the last 10 games of the match as she went to another level after being 2-2 at one stage in the first set. It raced her into title favouritism with such a commanding performance.
She now takes on United States’ Coco Vandeweghe who downed Beatriz Haddad Maia in equally similar fashion, 6-1 6-4. The match lasted an hour and 17 minutes as the American made the most of an early break in the second set – as part of an eight-game winning streak – to take control of the match and hold on from there to win with some strong play late in the match.
The semi-finals take place tomorrow with the third seed Shuai up against Dodin during the day, followed by Vandeweghe taking on Samsonova in what is anticipated to be a huge day of action.
QUARTER FINALS RESULTS:
[3] Shuai Peng (CHN) defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) 6-1 3-6 6-3
Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) defeated [6] Anna Lena Friedsam (GER) 6-2 6-0
Coco Vandeweghe (USA) defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) 6-1 6-4
Oceane Dodin (FRA) defeated Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) 4-6 6-4 6-1
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