By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 17, 2019
Svetlana Kuznetsova used an eight-game run beating Ash Barty, 6-2, 6-4, to reach her first Cincinnati final and deny the top seed a return to world No. 1.
Photo credit: @CincyTennis
As the daughter of Olympic cyclists, Svetlana Kuznetsova knows the value of hard yards.
The 34-year-old Kuznetsova has displayed a marathoner’s perseverance this week.
More: Osaka's US Open in Jeopardy After Injury
Today, the Russian wild card unleashed an eight-game run to sprint past Ash Barty, 6-2, 6-4, rolling into her first Cincinnati final.
“I felt like I was kind of in control of the match because I'm moving well, bringing every ball back, playing very consistent," Kuznetsova said. "Definitely is bringing more pressure to my opponent. I could read her game well and was really stable in my game. I thought it was the key."
The victory denies the top-seeded Aussie’s quest to regain the world No. 1 ranking and sends Kuznetsova into her first final since she won the 2018 Washington, D.C. championship.
"I think it probably started with the serve for me," Barty said. "I mean, giving Svetlana that many looks at second serves I know I'm not going to get free points off my first serve off Sveta. She's an incredible returner and retrieves a long way so is able to make a lot of returns.
"Just to be on the back foot of a lot of rallies from the start wasn't ideal, but, yeah, I felt like we have done well to fight all week and then to put ourselves in this position, but, yeah, Sveta was unreal today."
Visa issues prevented the world No. 153 from defending in D.C. this month, but quick court coverage and clever ball control have helped Kuznetsova craft a revitalizing week.
A knee injury knocked her off the pro circuit for seven months. Playing just her ninth tournament since her injury-induced layoff, Kuznetsova has hit her stride.
Kuznetsova knocked off three Top 10 players—Sloane Stephens, Karolina Pliskova and Barty—this week marking the first time she’s beaten three Top 10 opponents in the same tournament. For good measure, she also beat world No. 11 Anastasija Sevastova in her opener.
The two-time Grand Slam champion is projected to rise to at least No. 62 in the world by reaching the final. Kuznetsova could crack the Top 50 by winning her 19th career title tomorrow against the winner of tonight’s all-American semifinal between 16th-seeded Madison Keys and 22nd-ranked Sofia Kenin.
"Madison is extremely tough," Kuznetsova said. "When she's on fire, it's really hard to play against her. It's going to be difficult matchup against both of them. I think Madison is a little bit harder hitter, more aggressive. Kenin, I never played. I practiced with her couple of times. I don't have much clue about her game."
Today’s first semifinal between the reigning Roland Garros champion and 2009 French Open champ figured to offer running rallies between two woman skilled at imparting spin to bend the ball into obscure areas of the court.
Barty burst out of the blocks quickly earning the first break for 2-0. From there, Kuznetsova controlled the center of the court and punished the Aussie’s backhand in a dynamic run of eight straight games.
The 5’5” Barty struggled to handle the high ball to her backhand and could not consistently land her kick serve in the opening stages.
Reading the wide serve, Kuznetsova ran around her backhand and tomahawked a forehand return winner down the line from several feet outside the doubles alley scoring her third straight break for a 5-2 lead.
"I always love that shot," said Kuznetsova, who spent some of her teenage years training in Spain. "Just in Spain they teach me to go crosscourt. They say it's more stable. And the thing is why Russian people go so well with Spanish tennis, because we are, like, really crazy and really go 100% and risk it.
"Spanish, they put us calmer. So there I was going for Russian way. Sometimes I put patience but then something Russian comes out. You cannot hold it all the time."
The Miami champion’s forehand is one of her best weapons, but Kuznetsova beat Barty to the punch off that wing and changed direction more effectively in the opening set.
Rapping a forehand winner down the line brought the Russian set points. Kuznetsova closed the set on a Barty backhand error seizing her sixth straight game.
Calling out coach Craig Tyzzer for a consultation, Barty listened as her coach encouraged her to use her options and mix in the serve-and-volley occasionally.
“She’s dictating from the middle of the court,” Tyzzer said. “Look for the forehand. If you can back yourself to hit it, hit it. If you miss a few, you miss a few. You’ve got to be willing to take a few risks.”
At her best, Barty is a master of mixing height and spins of her shots. Today, Kuznetsova altered the height of her drives to befuddle Barty. Playing high, heavy topspin to the Aussie’s backhand she handcuffed Barty at times.
Kuznetsova coaxed another floated error for her seventh straight game to start the second set.
The top seed finally stalled an eight-game slide, dotting the service box with a short slice backhand to hold for 1-2.
"A 2 and 4 score line shows how much she was in control and how dominant she was and how she was able to put the ball into positions where I couldn't hurt her," Barty said. "I think effectively that was it. Yeah, I mean, there were parts of my game I would have loved to have done better, but that's the challenge it presents when you play such a champion and such a legend. Someone who is so smart on the court, they're able to take that away from you."
Grunting more forcefully with each passing point, Kuznetsova cranked a forehand and followed it forward. The wild card made a slick stab volley then stabbed a second backhand volley winner from the full stretch holding for 5-3.
Kuznetsova cruised through three love holds in the second set; she won 20 of 23 points played on her serve in the second set improving to 12-8 in 2019.