By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, February 23, 2017
Pushed into the doubles alleys chasing CiCi Bellis’ drives at the outset, Caroline Wozniacki plopped down in her court-side seat facing a 1-3 deficit fully aware of the danger the teenager posed.
Impressed by Bellis’ aggression, Wozniacki answered with unerring consistency.
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The former world No. 1 rose from her seat, reeled off nine consecutive games and showed the 17-year-old American the door, 6-3, 6-2, rolling into her sixth Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semifinal.
In a match that was delayed by about 40 minutes due to rain, Wozniacki got off to a defensive start.
Once she found her groove, the 10th-seeded Dane didn’t miss much.
“(I changed) a little bit my serve and stepped in a little bit closer to court,” Wozniacki told Annabel Croft afterward. “And took the ball a little bit earlier, gave her less time.”
The 70th-ranked Bellis played with fearless aggression upsetting sixth-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska yesterday for her first career Top 10 victory and first berth in a Premier series quarterfinal.
Bellis burst out to a fast start, but began overhitting as Wozniacki effectively absorbed her pace. Bellis hit 30 unforced errors more than doubling Wozniacki’s error total.
Still, the youngest player in the draw showed the former No. 1 considerable skills. Bellis is just five months into her pro career and Wozniacki sees a player with great promise.
“She’s a great player. We’re gonna see lots of her in the future there’s no doubt,” Wozniacki said. “She came out firing. I think I made her play a couple of extra balls.
“She’s a great player, she takes the ball early, she has a great forehand and she’s not afraid. I’m sure we’re gonna see lots of her.”
The 2011 champion will play Anastasija Sevastova for a place in the final. Sevastova was a 6-4, 7-5 victor over Qiang Wang, raising her Dubai record to 6-2.
Driving the ball with authority and forcing a scrambling Wozniacki to defend the edges, Bellis broke first for 2-1.
Wozniacki’s two-handed backhand is one of her biggest weapons, but Bellis boldly attacked that wing in a riveting exchange. Pushing the Dane well wide into the doubles alley to clear the court she whipped a backhand winner down the line consolidating for 3-1.
Father and coach Piotr Wozniacki came out to deliver a pep talk to his daughter after she held in the fifth game.
Putting words into action, Wozniacki found the line with a backhand, increased her depth and drew successive errors breaking back for 3-all.
The former No. 1 refused to miss and Bellis made a tactical misjudgment playing too much to the Dane’s backhand. Wozniacki whipped her two-hander down the line breaking for her fourth straight game and a 5-3 lead.
Wozniacki reeled off 15 of the last 19 points wrapping up the opening set on a five-game surge.
Throwing in some high looping topspin to thwart the teenager’s rhythm, Wozniacki drew a wild backhand error snatching her sixth straight game to start the second set with a break.
Pressing to create openings, Bellis began spraying the ball. The American’s second serve is still a work in progress. Bellis netted a double fault then put a backhand into the middle of the net as Wozniacki broke for her eighth consecutive game and a 3-0 lead.
Bellis finally stopped her nine-game slide holding for 1-4.
When the teenager netted a final forehand ending one of the longest rallies of the match, Wozniacki was through in a clean 67 minutes.