By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Thursday, August 1, 2024
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka got past countrywoman Vika Azarenka as Paula Badosa survived the heat to reach the Washington DC semifinals. Photo Credit: Getty
Battling a tough opponent and tricky weather conditions, Aryna Sabalenka weathered both to reach the Washington DC WTA semifinals for a second time in her career.
The top seed Sabalenka got past fellow Belarusian and No. 6 seed Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-4 to earn her spot the final four at the Mubadala Citi DC Open WTA 500 event. Sabalenka, now having played two matches (she defeated Kamilla Rakhimova in her first match in DC), is hopeful that her form will continue to improve ahead of the US Open.
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“This is definitely two really hard matches to play after a little time off after injury. At the same time I'm really happy to face such tough opponent at Kamilla (Rakhimova) and Victoria because they push me to the fight.
"That's what I need after little break. It just help me to get back faster. I feel like with every set I play better and better. Hopefully I can just build my level and by the US Open I'll be 100 percent ready,” Sabalenka said in her press.
It was an up and down performance for the reigning Australian Open champion as she found herself struggling to maintain momentum throughout the match. Windy conditions, especially in the first set, didn’t help either player as they frequently sprayed balls to no avail. Sabalenka, 25, earned a break for 4-2 in the first set and looked poised to serve it out quickly.
Yet, in only her second match back since withdrawing from Wimbledon with a shoulder injury, she struggled to maintain her form. Sabalenka dropped serve in the next game with a bad double fault. She did manage to eventually take the set 6-4 after Azarenka, herself a two-time Australian Open champion, sent a shot well long on set point.
Sabalenka broke early in the second set but then faced a real test serving up 2-0.
The 35-year-old Azarenka, finding the range better on her groundstrokes, earned multiple break points, but couldn’t convert. A frustrated Azarenka berated herself at her missed opportunities. Sabalenka finally held for 3-0 after ripping a cross court backhand Azarenka couldn’t handle.
Azarenka would eventually claw back to 3-all with help from more errors from her opponent. The crucial moment came two games later when Sabalenka, at 4-all, saved a break point against her with a big serve.
She crushed a forehand winner later to go up 5-4.
The final game saw Azarenka commit several errors from the baseline and she soon found herself down match point. Sabalenka quickly converted when Azarenka floated a final shot well long.
Sabalenka fired eight aces in the match and won 30 out of 39 first serve points. Azarenka lost 18 out of 22 second serves and was broken four times in the match.
Sabalenka next faces Marie Bouzkova who earlier in the day easily defeated wildcard Robin Montgomery 6-3, 6-1
Earlier in the day, Spain’s Paula Badosa got past Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu in a battle of wildcards in their quarterfinal. In very hot and humid conditions,
Badosa fought back from trailing 1-3 in the final set before finally closing out the 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win to reach her first WTA semifinal of the season.
The win is meaningful for Badosa who has fought hard to regain the form that took her to No. 2 in the world before she had to take most of last year off due to a going back issue.
“It means a lot, today especially because it was a tough one and it went my way. Lately it wasn't going my way. I really felt I needed a win like this,” Badosa said afterwards.
"I'm happy in the semifinals once again after a long time and a long stop for me. Yeah, I'm happy that lately I'm playing a lot of matches, I'm being competitive, and slowly getting back to the top.”
Badosa will face unseeded Caroline Dolehide in the other semifinals.
Dolehide reached her first semifinal of the season as well, coming through an all-American quarterfinal with Amanda Anisimova 7-6(5), 6-1.
Photo Credit: Getty