By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, February 2, 2018
A flurry of forehand winners from Daria Kasatkina overwhelmed Caroline Wozniacki in the tie break.
When Kasatkina wasn’t disarming the world No. 1 with drives, she was discombobulating her with devious drop shots.
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In a dazzling performance of shifting spins, Kasatkina unleashed crackling forehands and clever touch upsetting the top-seeded Wozniacki, 7-6 (2), 6-3, storming into the St. Petersburg semifinals for the second time in the last three years.
It is Kasatkina’s second career triumph over a world No. 1 coming 13 months after she defeated then No. 1 Angelique Kerber, 7-6 (5) 6-2, in the Sydney International round of 16.
Certainly, the quick turnaround time Wozniacki experienced edging Simona Halep in a classic three-set Australian Open final for maiden major on Saturday night left the Dane drained.
Trying to amp up her aggression, the usually tidy Wozniacki sprayed 35 errors—10 more than her opponent—and struggled to control an unruly forehand.
While fatigue was a factor for the Australian Open champion, Kasatkina controlled the center of the court from the first game, dictated most of the key rallies and, aside from failing to serve out the first set, looked completely confident dissecting the top seed in a masterful 91-minute performance.
“She just won the Australian Open and since I beat her it means I was playing really well,” Kasatkina told a translator in her post-match interview. “I would like to thank the crowd for their non-stop support.”
A considerable talent who can play astute angles, Kasatkina can summon her best tennis against elite opponents. She conquered then world No. 2 Kerber in Doha last year before thrashing then second-ranked Halep, 6-2, 6-1 in Wuhan last fall.
Kasatkina’s all-court acumen has earned her a loyal fan following—including 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who told Vogue Magazine last month she is a Kasatkina fan.
A shrewd mixture of force and feel—and her ability to break down the Wozniacki forehand on pivotal points—were key components to Kasatkina’s triump. The world No. 23 did it with style and flair.
At 4-all, Kasatkina evoked shades of the young Marcelo Rios with a clever leaping backhand drop shot.
Wozniacki netted a backhand—her 13th unforced error—to face break point. Unloading a vicious crosscourt backhand, Wozniacki denied it and worked through a challening hold for 5-4.
Racing through eight straight points, Kasatkina held at love then broke at love for 6-5.
Serving for set, the Russian showed jitters doble faulting off the tape to face double break point then slapping a loose backhand long to drop serve.
Shaking the mis-step off, Kasatkina blew open the breaker with a series of crackling forehands. Drilling a forehand down the line—her fourth forehand winner of the tie break—Kasatkina went up 4-1 then earned five set points on back-to-back Wozniacki forehand errors.
On her second set point, Kasatkina seized the 51-minute opener when Wozniacki curled a crosscourt backhand wide.
Swinging freely in the second set, the Russian broke for 2-0 when Wozniacki sent a slice backhand into the middle of the net.
Elevating her level Wozniacki played her most assertive tennis of the match closing to 2-3.
"I was not really thinking about [Wozniacki's charge]," Kasatkina said. "I aas just trying to play it point-by-point and focus on the rally and that’s it."
Changing direction beautifully, Kasatkina broke down the Dane’s forehand side drawing an errant running forehand to break again and regain a two-game cushion for 4-2.
Still, Wozniacki, who saved match points to win her first major in Melbourne, went down battling. A fine full-stretch forehand volley capped a love hold for 3-5 and forced Kasatkina to serve for the biggest win of her career.
Saving a break point, Kasatkina blistered a backhand down the line for match point.
Deploying the drop shot again, she dragged the top seed forehand then shoveled a forehand into the open court closing with a smile.
The 20-year-old Russian, who fell to Belinda Bencic in the 2016 semifinals, will face defending champion Kristina Mladenovic for a spot in Sunday’s final.
Earlier today, the fourth-seeded Frenchwoman dispatched Katerina Siniakova, 6-4, 6-3, stretching her St. Petersburg winning streak to seven matches.
Australian Open doubles champion Mladenovic beat Kasatkina, 6-2, 6-3, in their lone prior meeting at the 2015 US Open.