Lucie Safarova beats Angelique Kerber to send Petra Kvitova into the semifinal - UBITENNIS

Lucie Safarova beats Angelique Kerber to send Petra Kvitova into the semifinal

By sampaolo
4 Min Read
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Lucie Safarova beat Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-3 to send her compatriot and Fed Cup teammate Petra Kvitova into the semifinal of the WTA Finals.

After the win by Garbine Muguruza over Kvitova in three sets in the first Friday match, Kerber just needed to win against Safarova to advance to the semifinals. Despite the defeat against Muguruza,  Kvitova still had a chance to qualify for the last four if Safarova defeated  Kerber in straight sets.

Kerber and Safarova were tied 1-1 in their head-to-head matches. Kerber beat Safarova 6-2 7-6 at Paris Indoors in 2012. The Czech player prevailed over her German rival 6-4 6-4 in the Fed Cup last year.

This week Kerber won her first round-robin match over Petra Kvitova with 6-2 7-6 but was beaten by Garbine Muguruza 6-4 6-4 in her second match.

Safarova, who reached the Roland Garros final this year, lost her first two matches in straight sets against Garbine Muguruza (3-6 6-7) and Petra Kvitova (5-7 5-7) and no longer had a chance to qualify for the semifinal.

The match between Kerber and Safarova started with three breaks of serve in the first three games with Safarova leading 2-1. Safarova held serve for the first time in the match to go up 3-1. Kerber earned a break-back point at 2-3 40-30 but Safarova saved it holding her serve to go up 4-2.

Safarova held her serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. Safarova earned two break points at 15-40 but Kerber fended off two set points by winning four points to hold her serve for 4-5.

Safarova won the 10th game to clinch her first set in this tournament – 6-4.

Throughout the first set Safarova hit 18 winners to 16 unforced errors and won 79 percent of her first serve points. She converted two of her seven break point chances. In contrast Kerber hit 11 winners to 9 unforced errors and won 61 percent of her first serve points. The German converted one of her two break points.

Kerber held her first service game before wasting a break point in the second game. Safarova went up a set and a break on her second break point chance for 2-1 in the third game of the second set. The Czech player backed up the break lead to go up 3-1. Safarova held her next service game after getting the early break to take a 4-2 lead but wasted a point at 4-2 30-30 which would have allowed her to earn a break point

Kerber served to stay in the match. The German went down 0-40 but clawed her way back. Safarova held her serve for 6-3 to take her first win since reaching the final in New Haven where she lost to Petra Kvitova.

Safarova’s win has sent her close friend Petra Kvitova into the semifinals.

Garbine Muguruza won the White Group ahead of Petra Kvitova. Tomorrow will feature two exciting semifinals: Sharapova vs Kvitova and Muguruza vs Radwanska.

Kvitova, WTA Finals champion in 2011, will play in the semifinals of this event for the third time in her career.

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