Final for Amanda Anisimova

The remaining quarter final in the Hana-Cupid Japan Women’s Open in Hiroshima was played, and Ajla Tomljanovic (5) began slightly the better against Su-Wei Hsieh (2), winning 10% more points on her first serve.

One extra service break delivered the opening set to Australia but thereafter Su-Wei Hsieh took over.

Capturing the second and third sets for the loss of just two games, the Taipei number one flew into the semi finals 4-6 6-2 6-0, where she would play Qiang Wang.

Hiroshima semi finals

• A teenage qualifier, Amanda Anisimova, in her first semi final, had the tough assignment of doing battle with top seed Shuai Zhang.  The match was high quality, both players aggressive, and the attack resulting in many exhilarating rallies.  Plenty of winners and surprisingly not that many errors, considering the high margins of shot making employed. Rain delayed things for quite a while in the second game of the opening set, but didn’t quell the standard.

Shuai Zhang used her clever angled forehands and heavy down the line strikes to trouble the young American, and broke serve in the third game.

Amanda was unperturbed, dazzling the crowd, and her opponent, with stinging backhands to all parts, and volleys from the top drawer.  The break back came in the eighth game, and another had to be found after the top seed asserted control and served for the set.

A set point was lost with an errant forehand, and a double fault cost China the game - a tie break was required.

A long rain delay after the first point - then American backhand winners and another ill timed double fault from the Chinese racquet, ensured that Anisimova won the tie break and the set.

Six games went to serve in set two, before Shuai Zhang wasted four game points, double faulted, and found the net with a backhand.  The dropped serve presented Anisimova with the inside running at 4-3.

With a win in sight, nerves set in, and the backhand suffered.  Shuai Zhang pounced and won the next two games.

Down 4-5, Anisimova struck two blinders down the line on the way to holding serve, then a couple of return winners to place pressure on the Zhang serve at 5-5.  On break point, a double fault came, and Amanda would be serving for the match.

No stutters here as the teenager won 7-6(4) 7-5 to reach the final.  25 winners.

The youngest to make a WTA final since Donna Vekic in 2013 (then 16)

When the next rankings are next produced, Amanda will be the first player born in 2001 to crack the top 100.

• Su-Wei Hsieh (2), playing her second match of the day, defeated Qiang Wang (4) 6-4 6-4, and will play Amanda Anisimova in the final

Quebec City quarter finals

• Pauline Parmentier (8) defeated Varvara Lepchenko 7-6(7) 6-1
• Heather Watson defeated wildcard Rebecca Marino 6-3 6-4, and she will play Pauline Parmentier in the semis
• Sofia Kenin (5) defeated Monica Puig (3) 6-3 6-1
• Qualifier Jessica Pegula defeated Petra Martic (2) 6-3 7-5, and will play Sofia Kenin in the semis.