This year’s Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova beat Coco Gauff 7-5 6-4 to advance to the semifinals at the WTA Finals in Ryadh. Krejcikova improved to 2-0 in her head-to-head matches against Gauff.
Krejcikova will take on the number 2 player from the Purple Group Zheng Qinwen, while Coco Gauff will face world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
After Swiatek’s win over Daria Kasatkina and Krejcikova’s win win over Gauff. Krejcikova, Gauff and Swiatek finished with the same record of 2-1 in the Orange Group. The percentage of sets won determined the standings. Krejcikova won the group with A 5-2 record. Gauff finished second at 4-2 ahead Swiatek, third at 4-3.
Krejcikova broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Gauff broke back in the 10th game to draw level to 5-5. Krejcikova broke for the second time in the 11thgame to 6-5 lead and served out the first set on her second set point after saving four break points to won the first set 7-5. She converted two of the three break points and saved five of the six break points she faced on her serve. Gauff made her fourth double fault at 4-4 30-30 to face the first break point. The Czech player converted her first break point with a backhand winner and served out the win.
Krejcikova fended off 11 of 12 break points she faced.
“Well I was definitely super excited to be here, to come here, to qualify to play against the best ones. I don’t really know where everything started to come together. Before the tournament, I had a couple of days where we hit lightly and already during those hits, I felt quite good. And I think definitely for me, it’s a big thing that it’s the last tournament of the season.”
