FILE PHOTO: Mar 20, 2019; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Amanda Anisimova of the United States reaches for a backhand against Andrea Petkovic of Germany (not pictured) in the first round of the Miami Open at Miami Open Tennis Complex. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
April 14, 2019
Sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova overcame a slow start to rally past Brazilian qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 on Saturday and reach the Claro Open Colsanitas final in Bogota, Colombia.
It will be the second career final appearance for the 17-year-old Anisimova, who hadn’t won on clay in two years before entering the tournament. She had 13 chances to break Haddad Maia through the first two sets but converted only one, then converted three of four in the final set to wrap up victory in 2 hours and 40 minutes.
In the final, Anisimova will face Australia’s Astra Sharma, who downed former Bogata champion Lara Arruabarrena of Spain 7-5, 6-1 to also reach her first career final. Sharma, 23, completed the victory in just 66 minutes, breaking Arruabarrena — the 11th seed, who reached the final in 2017 and 2018 after winning it in 2012 — four times in five chances.
Anisimova and Sharma have never faced each other in WTA play.
Samsung Open
Polish 17-year-old Iga Swiatek was nearly flawless in her semifinal against the Czech Republic’s Kristyna Pliskova, cruising to a 6-0, 6-1 victory in Lugano, Switzerland, to reach her first career final.
Swiatek needed just 54 minutes to claim victory, despite having to save seven break points on her own serve, including two in the final game before two match points. She converted five of eight opportunities on Pliskova’s serve, winning the first nine games of the match overall.
Opposing Swiatek in the final will be Slovenia’s Polona Hercog, who dispatched France’s Fiona Ferro 7-5, 6-4 in 92 minutes. Hercog is seeking the third title of her career and her first since July of 2012 (Swedish Open). Her only final appearance since that victory came last April at the Istanbul Cup.
–Field Level Media
