ELINA Svitolina‘s last-minute wildcard entry to the Chicago Women’s Open has paid off in spades with the newly married Ukrainian earning her place in the final tomorrow, taking on ninth seed Alize Cornet for what will be both players’ first final of the year. At the Tennis in the Land tournament in Cleveland, unseeded Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu executed an upset to earn a final berth against Estonian Anett Kontaveit.

In Chicago, both finalists had to overcome forceful opposition with Svitolina requiring two hours and 26 minutes to overcome Swede Rebecca Peterson, 6-1 6-7(4) 6-3. The Swedish world number 59 would not back down after a shaky start, but despite her improved first serve effectiveness, could not compete with Svitolina’s seven aces and 70 per cent win rate off her first serve. Just as impressive off her second serve, Svitolina had a point to prove after earning bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics despite not reaching a final this season, and looks set to change that tomorrow against Frenchwoman, Cornet.

A shoddy start could have been the end for ninth seed Cornet when she took on Russian Varvara Gracheva, but she fired up from then on to eventually clean up the two hour contest, 4-6 6-1 6-0. Despite raking in the errors early, including four double faults in the first set, Cornet cleaned up her service games and only registered one double fault in the second set before starring in the third. She converted eight break point opportunities to claim the victory, and will look to bring that late form into the final.

In Cleveland, second seed Kontaveit was undeniable in her 6-4 6-4 victory over Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo, not allowing Sorribes Tormo a chance to take control throughout the one hour and 45-minute result. Kontaveit won 69 per cent of her first serve points off a 56 per cent clip and backed it up with a 61 per cent win rate off her second serve to clinch victory. She takes on unseeded Begu in the final, after the Romanian upset Pole Magda Linette, 7-6(5) 6-2 in one hour and 45 minutes, firing off a whopping 11 aces to dominate on serve and force errors from her higher ranked opposition.

CHICAGO WOMEN’S OPEN SEMI-FINALS RESULTS:

[1] Elina Svitolina (UKR) defeated Rebecca Peterson (SWE) 6-1 6-7 6-3
[9] Alize Cornet (FRA) defeated Varvara Gracheva (RUS) 4-6 6-1 6-0

TENNIS IN THE LAND SEMI-FINALS RESULTS:

[2] Anett Kontaveit (EST) defeated [7] Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 6-4 6-4
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) defeated [6] Magda Linette (POl) 7-6 6-2

Picture credit: AFP/Lauren Bacho