Caroline Wozniacki survived a tough test at the quarter-final stage in Doha as she beat close friend Angelique Kerber 7-6 1-6 6-3 in an outstanding match.
The Dane was gracious in victory as she recognised how well her opponent had played. When she was asked during her on-court interview how much fitness affected the outcome, Wozniacki said, ‘Ange is in such great shape as well, so I knew going into the third set it would be an even playing field.’
The World No.1 continued, ‘I got a little bit lucky and I think we both played really well in big periods of the match. I’m sure she’ll have a great year going forward and I’m just happy to have won today.’
Kerber made the stronger start to the match and earned the first break of the opening set in the third game when she stretched to hit a brilliant forehand winner down the line. That shot established the standard for what followed, as the remainder of the set was lit up by a succession of high-quality rallies that typically ended with one woman producing a winner.
Kerber managed to maintain her break advantage until game ten, when a backhand winner from Wozniacki and an error from the German provided the Dane with two break points. She clinched the break at the first attempt in stunning style with an inch-perfect forehand winner down the line.
Kerber responded by thundering an unreturnable cross-court forehand to take the score to 0-40 in game eleven. But Wozniacki neutralised the threat superbly, sending down two winners and an ace to level, before hitting a forehand a winner to clinch the game. The German then held serve to take the set to a tie-break.
Wozniacki got the first mini-break with a fantastic cross-court backhand winner, and then clinically won both points on her serve to go 4-1 up. Kerber got a mini-break back by forcing the Dane into an error, but the World No.1 wrested back the advantage by reading a drop shot from the German and firing a forehand winner down the line. And an error from Kerber sealed the set for Wozniacki.
As she had in the opener, Kerber made the first move in the second set. In game three, a missed smash and a double fault from Wozniacki gifted the German two break points, and she forced an error from the Dane to take it at the first attempt.
The World No.9 dialled up the pressure on Wozniacki in game six and the Dane succumbed to it by making a succession of errors to hand Kerber a double-break. The German then wasted no time in levelling the match at one-set-all by holding to love. It took her just 24 minutes to win it 6-1.
Wozniacki was all over the place in the opening game of the third set, making three errors to gift Kerber an immediate break to love. But she snapped out of her malaise in the next game, cranking up the aggression to hit a succession of powerful winners and unreturnable shots. The result was an immediate break back which checked the German’s momentum.
The players exchanged comfortable holds until the eighth game went to deuce. Both hit eye-catching volley winners which drew plenty of applause, before Kerber hit a forehand long to gift Wozniacki a break point. The World No.1 accepted it gleefully by drilling a cross-court forehand winner to take a 5-3 lead.
Wozniacki successfully served for the match with the help of her 45th and 46th winners – one on her forehand side and the other with her backhand. The result means she holds onto the No.1 ranking for another day.
However, when the Dane was asked about it in her on-court interview, she said holding onto top spot was not on her mind. Wozniacki said, ‘Honestly, not really. My goal is just to be enjoying the game, having fun out there and staying healthy. I’ve achieved it and it’s something I’m very proud of, but right now I’m really not thinking about the ranking.’
Haleps wins then has to pull out
Simona Halep ended Cici Bellis’ excellent run in Doha with a comfortable 6-0 6-4 but withdrew from the tournament later in the day, citing one of the two injuries she suffered at the Australian Open – plantar fasciitis in her right foot – as the reason.
‘I am surprised that I could play three matches and to win them. I felt pain every day, so it was not easy to manage it,’ Halep told wtatennis.com. ‘I didn’t have much time to recover before this tournament, but today was too much, and I decided to stop.’ The Romanian hopes to return at Indian Wells.
Retirement also cut short the clash between Petra Kvitova and Julia Goerges. The Czech was leading 6-4 2-1 when the German pulled out due to a left hip injury. The two-time Wimbledon champion will now play the World No.1 in the semi-final tomorrow.
Garbine Muguruza was due to play Halep in the semi-final after coming out on top in an entertaining clash against the ever-improving Caroline Garcia 6-3 1-6 6-4. She now receives a walkover into the final, where she will await the winner of Wozniacki v Kvitova.
