By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Friday, October 18, 2024

 

Daria Kasatkina saved a pair of match points in the tiebreaker edging Yulia Putintseva to battle into the Ningbo Open semifinals.

Photo credit: Korea Open Facebook

Defiance helped Daria Kasatkina save match points.

Determination drove Kasatkina into the Ningbo Open semifinals.

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Kasatkina denied two match points in the third-set tiebreaker out-dueling Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(6) in a two hour, 41 minute marathon to battle into her sixth semifinal of the season.

The 27-year-old Kasatkina, who was runner-up to Beatriz Haddad Maiaat last month's Korea Open, will play for a spot in her 19th career final tomorrow.

The fifth-seeded Kasatkina will take on former Indian Wells champion Paula Badosa for a spot in the final.

No. 8-seeded Badosa beat Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3, 6-2. World No. 15 Badosa is 3-2 lifetime vs. Kasatkina, including a 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-4 win at Wimbledon last July.



Seventeen-year-old Mirra Andreeva held a 7-6(5), 3-2 lead over Barbora Krejcikova when the Wimbledon winner retired.

The win sends Roland Garros semifinalist Andreeva into her third semifinal of the season. Andreeva will play either Karolina Muchova or Anna Kalinskaya for a spot in the final.