First time time finalist to be crowned in Austria as Bouchard and Tig face off in Istanbul

Wta Tour September 13, 2020

Pic: Getty Images

THE upsets continued in the semi-finals of the Generali Open for a couple of title-less ATP Tour players to book spots in the final, while a former Wimbledon finalist takes on another top 100 title-less hope.

FIRST TIME FINALIST TO BE CROWD IN KITZBUHEL

Yannick Hanfmann has continued his remarkable run at the Generali Open, with the German qualifier booking his spot in the final. The world number 118, who has played just 21 ATP Tour matches and has a career-high ranking of 99, was able to outlast his higher ranked opponent Laslo Djere in three sets.

Hanfmann won 4-6 6-3 7-6, surviving an early scare and then a third set tiebreaker that only ended after a 7-5 victory. The German 28-year-old won 63 per cent of his second serve points and won off his third match point opportunity with a backhand winner in a match that lasted two hours and 25 minutes.

”I didn’t feel so good [after the first match points]. At that level, if you miss those chances you can lose the match right away,” Hanfmann said post-match. “I was happy that I had chances to go back up 6-5 and break him. I didn’t make that, so it was a tough few minutes for me to really get settled again.

”In the tie-break, I had a pretty clear mind. I was just trying to play point-by-point… really go for my game and that is what I did. It is fitting that I finished it with a backhand return winner.”

Hanfmann has not only not won a title, the German had not won a Tour match since 2018, but he is on a roll now with six straight victories and eyeing off a seventh in the final. It is not the first time he has stunningly reached an ATP Tour final from qualifying, going all the way in the 2017 Swiss Open before falling to Fabio Fognini.

Now he takes on the much higher ranked Miomir Kecmanovic. The 47th ranked Serbian is also yet to win an ATP Tour title, though his form has been much better. Kecmanovic had a fight of his own against Swiss qualifier and 303rd ranked 24-year-old, Marc-Andrea Huesler. Kecmanovic won 6-2 5-7 6-3 in two hours and 19 minutes, winning 86 per cent of his first serve points.

Kecmanovic did reach his first ATP Tour career final at Antalya last year before losing to Lorenzo Sonego, but the 21-year-old is one of the Next Gen ATP Finals contenders and heads into the match as a strong favourite. However he is not taking anything for granted.

“I know it is not going to be easy because [Yannick] is a big guy [who] serves well, but hopefully I can make him play,” Kecmanovic said post-match. “Like today, [I need to] stay in the point as long as I can and just try to force him to go for too much.”

BOUCHARD DISPOSES OF BADOSA TO FACE TIG IN FINAL

Former world number five and 2014 Wimbledon finalist, Eugenie Bouchard is through to her first final in more than four years after booking her place in the Istanbul Tennis Championships. The Canadian talent defeated Spaniard Paula Badosa in straight sets, 6-3 6-2 and will set her sights on Romanian, Patricia Maria Tig who won 6-3 6-3 over Tereza Martincova.

Bouchard won 55 per cent of her second serve points and broke four times to one during the one-hour and 25-minute victory over Badosa, serving up five aces. The 26-year-old took control of her opponent by winning 75 per cent of her second serve points, and 51 per cent of total return points overall.

The win sent Bouchard into her first final since Kuala Lumpur in 2016, and marked her sixth WTA Tour final. The Canadian said she was just focused on trying to get back to her best.

“During quarantine I was in the gym every single day working super hard,” Bouchard said post-match. “It was tough, because I didn’t have an end goal or a tournament to look forward to, but I decided to really focus on my fitness, because I think that’s so important now in the game. “It’s something I’ve started doing a lot in the past year – I have days where I just work physically with a great trainer, so it’s been one of my goals. “And this week shows me that it’s been worth it, and gives me the trust that I’ve done the right thing.”

While admitting she did not know Tig, Bouchard said she was just going to “leave everything on the court” in a bid to win her second WTA Tour title. The player hoping to stop that happening is Tig, who saluted in straight sets taking an hour and 49 minutes to knock off Martincova. Whilst serving five double faults, Tig won 58 per cent of her return points, and broke a remarkable seven times from nine games to book her place in the Istanbul decider.

Tig has become somewhat of a Tour favourite, returning from motherhood and having her daughter Sofia join her in Turkey.

“There are many, many moms right now and I hope it’ll be more in the next years,” Tig said. “I think it’s very satisfying that you can do not only one thing – not only taking care of your baby, but to do what your passion is. I hope we’ll see other women deciding to have babies and still play. I am not only a different player but a different person. It gives you strength and only the best energy that you can take from your baby.”

Picture: Getty Images

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

News 1 day ago

Italy goes one better to win 2024 BJK Cup

AFTER suffering a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Canada 12 months ago, Italy has transformed from bridesmaid to the bride with a 2-0 victory over Slovakia in the Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup overnight. Winning both the singles matches meaning there was no requirement to play the doubles, Italy showed it was the team […]

Match Report 2 days ago

Slovakia makes history by reaching BJK Cup final

A TRUE underdog tale is emerging in Malaga with world number 10s Slovakia – expected to essentially make up the numbers coming into the Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup Finals – reaching the decider for just the second time in the nation’s history. The small European country – least population of any nation at the […]

Match Report 3 days ago

Italy holds nerve to reach BJK Cup final

IT WAS far from easy for the Italian Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup side, with the reigning runners-up having to overcome a fierce challenge from Poland to books its place in the 2024 final. Having achieved the feat 12 months ago but fallen a win short of ultimate glory, the second ranked side will now […]

Match Report 4 days ago

Reigning champs out as Brits bounce into BJK Cup semis

A NEW Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup champion will be crowned this week after reigning titleholders Canada were knocked out of the event overnight. Great Britain proved too strong for the North Americans, cruising to a 2-0 result to rubber stamp its entry into the final four and the chance to reach the deciding match. […]

Match Report 4 days ago

Slovakia sweeps Aussies in dominant performance

SLOVAKIA proved too strong for reigning semi-finalists Australia in the Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup overnight, denying the green and gold a place in the final four. After a tight first singles match, the Europeans easily destroyed Australia in the second with no need for the doubles and a spot in the semi-finals secured. Coming […]

Match Report 5 days ago

Swiatek saves day for Poland, secures semi

WORLD number two Iga Swiatek is still working back to her best form but the Polish star did what she needed to do against the Czech Republic in order for her nation to reach the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup. Poland got past danger side Czech Republic with Swiatek coming in with […]

Match Report 5 days ago

Perfect Paolini steers Italy to BJK Cup victory

COMING off a huge WTA Finals in both the singles and doubles formats, world number four Jasmine Paolini did not slow down when representing her nation in the Billie Jean King Cup overnight. The Italian star steered Italy to a 2-1 victory over Japan, picking up straight sets wins in both the singles and doubles […]

Match Report 6 days ago

Brits Boult into BJK Cup quarters

GREAT Britain will have the chance to test itself against world number ones and reigning Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup champion Canada after sweeping Germany in the first round of the BJK Cup Finals overnight. Taking place in Malaga Spain, Great Britain needed just over three hours to secured the victory with a full-strength squad […]

Match Report 7 days ago

Sramk-ova for ‘Danimal’ as Slovakia stuns USA

DESPITE bringing a half-strength side to the Billie Jean King Cup, few would have predicted that super power tennis national the United States could not get past Slovakia in the first round of the knockout stage. However that was exactly the case with the world number fives suffering a shock 2-1 defeat to the 10th […]