Lugano semi finals

Semi final day in Switzerland.

Samsung Open presented by cornèr -  a WTA International category tournament, on Red Clay, in Lugano, Switzerland, 8-14 April 2019.

Defending champion:

Elise Mertens (2) who defeated Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 6-2

Semi finals

- Fiona Ferro v Polona Hercog 

The pair had never played each other before. Hercog last appeared in a final in Istanbul in 2018, and her last trophy was lifted in Sweden 2012. Ferro is aiming to win her first WTA title, having won four titles on the ITF circuit.

Ferro served first and held, winners from both wings on display. Hercog was taken to deuce, two double faults not helping, but a couple of winning forehands saw her through and it was 1-1. Ferro then lost her way after leading 30-15. A poor drop shot attempt and loose backhand brought up break point and a repeat failed backhand confirmed the dropped serve. 

This triggered a string of service breaks - six more in the next eight games. It left Hercog at the line leading 6-5 and serving for the set. In her previous service game, also serving for the set, Hercog had three set points, which disappeared, and eventually Ferro broke for 5-5. This time, in the third attempt to serve it out, Hercog began with a volley winner, received a backhand error from Ferro, and fired a forehand winner, to produce three more set points. One vanished, but a Ferro backhand drifted long and Hercog grabbed a 7-5 lead.

Hercog broke the French serve in set two, again in the third game, a poor drop shot the final point. Ferro broke back in game six, a simple Slovenian overhead crashing into the net on break point. Hercog then broke Ferro to love and was ahead 4-3 with serve to come. No more break points were faced and Polona Hercog served out the match 7-5 6-4, booking a place in the final.

- Kristyna Pliskova v Iga Swiatek 

17 year old Swiatek has been doing Poland proud with her performances this week, wins over seeded players Kuzmova and Lapko. Her ranking has improved from #186 at the beginning of 2019 to #115 at the start of this tournament. Pliskova made her first WTA semi final since Prague 2017.

Well, the semi final was no contest, as Swiatek tore Pliskova apart. The statistics are telling.

Swiatek won 24 of 29 points on her first serve, and 63% of points on all of the Czech deliveries. Pliskova had seven break chances and converted none. Swiatek had eight, and converted five.

The match was won 6-0 6-1 in just 54 minutes. 

28 winners against only 13 unforced errors. Irrespective of the result in the final, Iga Swiatek will crack the top 100 for the first time, and now be ranked her nation’s #1 female player.