By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, May 11, 2018
Cracking her shin with her racquet on her serve follow through left Kiki Bertens with a few black-and-blue marks en route to the semifinals.
Today, a bruising Bertens dispensed a competitive contusion.
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The unseeded Bertens overwhelmed seventh-ranked Caroline Garcia, 6-2, 6-2, charging into the Mutua Madrid Open final with a 66-minute thrashing.
It is Bertens' seventh career final and first Premier Mandatory final and will propel her to a career-high ranking when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday.
The Charleston champion will play for her sixth career title in the final. Bertens awaits the winner of tonight's all-Czech semifinal between two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and sixth-seeded Karolina Pliskova.
The 26-year-old Dutchwoman dominated this semifinal from start to finish posting her 10th victory in her last 11 matches. Five of those wins have come against Top 20 opposition, including a 6-2, 6-2, sweep of world No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki in the round of 16.
Rallying past two-time French Open champion Maria Sharapova yesterday, Bertens served with authority today, beat Garcia to the ball and often beat her to the punch. Bertens, who did not face a break point, hit five more winners 16 to 11) than her opponent.
Contesting her 70th clay-court match since the start of 2016, Bertens banged a backhand crosscourt rattling out the opening break for 2-1.
The Dutchwoman's depth and clarity taking the first strike frequently forced the 24-year-old Frenchwoman to counter off the back foot.
Denying Garcia angle with a churning return down the middle, Bertens coaxed another backhand error breaking again for 5-2.
The 20th-ranked Bertens whipped a wide serve for double set point. A frustrated Garcia checked out tapping a forehand drop shot into net as Bertens collected the opening set in 32 minutes.
The challenges were considerable for Garcia, who was missing by wide margins at times, struggled to counter the weight of Bertens' heavy forehand and showed signs of morose body language. Garcia, who had served 89 percent and had not dropped a set in her four tournament victories, never gained much traction in the match.
The 2016 French Open doubles champion flubbed a backhand drive volley to face a second break point. Spreading the court with an inside-out forehand, Bertens bolted a forehand into the corner earning her third break of the match for a 2-1 second-set advantage.
Bertens backed up the break after 50 minutes.
Beaten in baseline exchanges, Garcia tried moving forward into the court, but Bertens flicked a fine forehand pass. That shot helped Bertens, who was averaging five service breaks in the tournament, score her fourth break for 4-1.
When Garcia scattered her 24th unforced error on match point, Bertens was through to the biggest final of her career.