Caroline Garcia advances to the semi-finals by taming Daria Kasatkina

Caroline Garcia will be present at the meeting of the semi-finals of the WTA Masters. The 6th player in the world enforced the hierarchy by winning in three sets (4-6, 6-1, 7-6) and 2h27 of play against Daria Kasatkina, 8th in the world, Saturday November 5 in Fort Worth (United States). United). The French will challenge the Greek Maria Sakkari (5th), imperial since the beginning of the week with three victories in as many matches, for a place in the final. The other semi-final will pit Iga Swiatek against Aryna Sabalenka

A rough start to the match, an overflowing second set and a hung third set: “Caro” went through all the states on Saturday against Daria Kasatkina. In a first set where the French seemed to have the advantage in the exchanges, she gradually tensed up, the fault, perhaps, of repeated breaks and unbreaks. Seeming to question her footwork, the Lyonnaise vented her frustration on her racket at 4-4, before dropping the first set by committing too many unforced errors (4-6).

Led 1-0 at the start of the second set, it was at this precise moment that Caroline Garcia began to unwind. Three aces, fewer unforced errors, many more winners (26 against 13 for the Russian) and six games in a row won allowed her to close the deal with a scathing 6-1.

In the third round, the two players seemed exhausted, more lucid enough to avoid repeated unforced errors (44 for the French player, 30 for the Russian on the total of the match). It was believed to be a turning point when, at 4-4, the game of 13 minutes turned in favor of Kasatkina, after the French wasted six break points. But once again Garcia came back at 5-5. Then at 6-6. At the end of his strength, “Caro” went to seek his qualification for the semi-finals in the tie-break (7-6 (7-5)).

Further proof that she has learned, in recent months, to control her nerves. It now remains to recover enough energy to fight against Sakkari, starting on Sunday.


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