TOP four seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Pliskova have set up a much anticipated semi-final in the 2021 National Bank Open following their respective quarter finals wins. In an all-Belarusian quarter final, Sabalenka took care of her more experienced compatriot Victoria Azarenka, while Pliskova was equally as dominant against Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Both matches lasted an hour and 20 minutes, with Sabalenka triumphant 6-2 6-4 over Azarenka, whilst Pliskova won 6-4 6-0 against Sorribes Tormo. The Belarusian top seed served seven aces to Azarenka’s nil, whilst winning 74.3 per cent of her first serve points to her opponents’ 58.6 per cent, She broke five times from 11 chances, whilst Azarenka only managed to convert two of four.

“I’m really happy with this, it was a tough match,” Sabalenka said post-match. “[Azarenka] played really well. The second set was a little tricky. I’m really happy that I came back in the end of the set and won it actually.”

Meanwhile Pliskova served the only three aces of her match with Sorribes Tormo, winning 66.7 and 43.5 per cent of her first and second serve points, as the Spaniard crumbled. Sorribes Tormo won only two of 14 second serve points (14.3 per cent) and did not fair much better on her first with 13 of 30 (43.3 per cent) to be broken six out of seven times. The worst aspect was the fact Sorribes Tormo had more break point opportunities (nine) but could only capitalise twice in that first set.

“I really improved my game, especially [at the] end of the first set,” Pliskova said post-match. “Of course, in the second set I think I did a good job, good points there, much better serving than in the first set.”

It was a couple of upsets in the other quarter finals however, with two unseeded players toppling their higher rated opponents. Italian Camila Giorgi had a great hard-fought win over the United States’ Coco Gauff, with the 15th seed teenager matching it well but unable to continue her run on her home continent, with Giorgi getting up 6-4 7-6. It was her third Top 25 victory at the tournament following wins over Elise Mertens and Petra Kvitova.

“I think it was a great match,” Giorgi said post-match. “I think I was very consistent. It was a great level, I think. “I think it’s the first time I don’t have interruption.

“I play many, many tournaments now in this year without stopping. So I think this is the key. I didn’t have [this] in other years. “I think I always had some issue physically, or injury or something. “So I think now I’m playing my game really.”

In the last match of he day, another United States representative in Jessica Pegula continued her strong 2021 form by bouncing back form a 6-1 opening set loss to post an emphatic win over Tunisian 13th seed Ons Jabeur. The match only lasted an hour and 28 minutes – eight more than Pliskova’s straight sets belting – despite going to three sets. A tight second set tiebreaker saw Pegula stay in the contest 7-4, then ran away with it in the third set to win, 1-6 7-6 6-0.

Remarkably, Jabeur had a chance to serve for the match at 5-4, but dropped the service game – her first break conceded for the match. It would not be the last however, as Pegula pulled out three consecutive breaks for the deciding set bagel.

NATIONAL BANK OPEN QUARTER FINALS RESULTS:

[1] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) defeated [8] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 6-2 6-4
[4] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 6-4 6-0
Camila Giorgi (ITA) defeated [15] Coco Gauff (USA) 6-4 7-6
Jessica Pegula (USA) defeated [13] Ons Jabeur (TUN) 1-6 7-6 6-0

Picture credit: Tennis Canada