By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday August 6, 2021
Ana Konjuh reached will return to the Top-100 for the first time since 2018 after reaching the semis in San Jose.
Photo Source: AP
Croatia’s Ana Konjuh was ranked outside of the Top-600 as recently as last October, but she’s headed into the Top-100 after her victory over China’s Zhang Shuai on Friday in San Jose.
The 23-year-old has been through her share of strife on the WTA Tour, enduring four surgeries to her right elbow, but she has been in good health – and good form – this season and she continues to make her surge up the rankings.
She will return to the Top-100 in next Monday's WTA rankings for the first time since the spring of 2018.
On Friday she rallied from a set down to pummel Zhang, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, and set up a semifinal with American Danielle Collins.
Collins has been a story herself. The No.7-seeded American has now won eight consecutive matches after toppling No. 2-seeded Elena Rybakina, 7-6(5), 7-6(4). Fresh off her first title at Palermo, Collins played menacing tennis against the Kazakh, matching power with her foe and saving six of seven break points.
A resurgent Daria Kasatkina reached the semifinals as well on Friday, defeating Poland’s Magda Linette, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, while top-seeded Elise Mertens defeated Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, 6-3, 7-6(8), to set a date with Kasatkina in Saturday’s semi-finals at San Jose.