By Alberto Amalfi | Friday, October 25, 2019
Aryna Sabalenka topped doubles partner Elise Mertens 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 joining top-seeded Kiki Bertens, Karolina Muchova and Zheng Saisai in the Zhuhai semifinals.
Photo credit: WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai Facebook
Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens joined forces for a rousing run to the US Open doubles title last month.
Today, the doubles partners delivered major thrills in a riveting Zhuhai singles duel.
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Stepping inside the court and firing her forehand with ambition, Sabalenka squeezed out a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory over Mertens securing the final semifinal spot at the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
Sabalenka clinched the Rose Group of round robin-play joining top-seeded Kiki Bertens, 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova and wild card Zheng Saisai in a final four filled with maiden Zhuhai semifinalists.
In the end, the friends embraced at net after Sabalenka evened their career series at 2-2.
The pair will reprise their doubles partnership as the top-seeded team at next week's WTA Finals Shenzhen.
In the meantime, Sabalenka still has some singles work ahead.
The fourth-seeded Belarusian will play Muchova and Bertens will face Zheng in the Zhuhai semifinals.
Zheng needed to win seven games in her first meeting with fifth-seeded Petra Martic to book a semifinal spot. The 12th-seeded Chinese met the mark moving into the semifinals by clinching the Orchid Group despite a 6-4, 6-3 loss to Martic.
This highly-anticipated clash between doubles partners lived up to the hype pitting Sabalenka's power and explosiveness against Mertens' accuracy and flair for angle. Sabalenka scooped up a diagonal forehand winner scoring the lone break in the last game of the opening set.
Staying on serve throughout the second set, Mertens hit a churning return that backed up Sabalenka who was hitting off her back foot when she put a forehand into net.
The sixth-seeded Belgian forced a decider with a trip to the semifinals on the line.
The third set climaxed with a series of strikes and three consecutive breaks.
Jerking her partner side-to-side Mertens was in control of break-point rally until Sabalenka sprinted right and slashed a forehand strike down the line. That brilliant pass gave the Belarusian, who looked gimpy walking to her court-side seat, teh break and a 5-4 lead.
Undeterred, Mertens broke back in the 10th game only to see Sabalenka answer breaking again at 30.
Serving for the semifinals at 6-5, Sabalenka squandered a second match point double-faulting off the top of the tape. The Belgian earned a break point, but Sabalenka blistered a backhand crosscourt to save it.
On her third match point, Sabalenka slid an inside-out forehand, moved forward and exhaled in relief when Bertens' reply clipped the tape.
The last woman to qualify for Zhuhai made another three-set stand to reach the semifinals.
Karolina Muchova showed all-court skills subduing second-seeded Sofia Kenin 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in a tense two hour, 12-minute struggle.
After both women beat American Alison Riske in their Camellia Group openers, they took the court today with the semifinal spot on the line.
Serving with smooth precision, Muchova hit 11 winners against only two unforced errors collecting the opening set on the strength of the sole break in the last game.
Kenin came back breaking in the fifth and ninth games before serving out the second set to force the decider.
Ultimately, Muchova's serving and creativity under pressure proved to be the difference. The 11th-seeded Czech saved to break points to open the final set . Muchova broke in the fourth game then backed up the break at love for 4-1.