By Katie
Spellman
 | |
| Defending champion Agi Radwanska, the tourney's No. 1 seed, will face Daria Gavrilova in the second semifinal match today. |
NEW HAVEN – It’s Day
6 of the main draw and that means it’s time for the women’s singles semi-finals
at the Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies with a pair of
up-and-comers ready to throw down the challenge to the top two seeds. Rounding
out the evening session will be former men’s legends Australia’s Mark
Philippoussis and American Mardy Fish pairing off in the PowerShares Series.
Philippoussis is a two-time Grand Slam finalist, while Fish climbed as high
No.7 in the rankings. He replaces an injured Andy Roddick, who himself was a
replacement for crowd favorite John McEnroe, who withdrew for personal reasons.
Today’s
Matches:
Singles
Semifinal 1:
[2] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) v Elise Mertens (BEL)
Slovak Dominika Cibulkova has found her range in New Haven,
reaching her first semi-final since February with back-to-back victories over
Alize Cornet and sixth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, respectively. After the
highs of claiming 2016’s season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore, this has been a
tougher year for the 28-year-old, battling shoulder and subsequent form
problems.
“I can't underestimate her because she has a really good season,”
Cibulkova said of her semi-final opponent Elise Mertens. “Yeah, it's somebody I
never saw playing better, and I never played before. So it is always
difficult.”
Belgium’s world No.46 Mertens is through to her fifth
quarter-final of the season by virtue of a walkover from the injured Zhang
Shuai. But she has done it the hard way getting that far coming through three
rounds of qualifying before seeing off Kiki Bertens and Daria Kasatkina to
reach the last eight. The 21-year-old will be attempting to reach her third
final of the season having won her maiden tour title in Hobart as a qualifier.
Cibulkova and Mertens have never played.
“Of course, I love to win. But, yeah, it's been an amazing
experience,” Mertens said. “I mean, I started last week on
Friday, and I'm still here. That was my dream, you know, to keep
winning, to keep playing level, just to be in the tournament.”
Singles
Semifinal 2:
[1] Agnieszka Radwanska
(POL) v Daria Gavrilova (AUS)
Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska won her first match against
China’s Peng Shuai in six years on
Thursday night to reach just her second semi-final of the season. The
Pole has won her past 12 sets in New Haven, including her title run last season
and consecutive triumphs over Eugenie Bouchard and Peng, respectively this
year. Her deft change of pace and court craft worked a treat against the
heavy-hitting Chinese but she will face a different prospect in the
fleet-footed, determined Australian Daria Gavrilova.
“I’m playing against her for the first time so it’s very
challenging but exciting playing someone for the first time after years playing
the same players,” Radwanska said. “She’s a great fighter so we’ll see tomorrow.”
Gavrilova is also appearing in her second semi-final of the
season, having finished runner-up to countrywoman Sam Stosur in Strasbourg. The
Aussie was on the front foot against Kirsten Flipkens in the quarter-finals,
turning the tactics on the net-rushing Belgian.
“I was just brave on the big points. I stuck to my plan. I think I
was actually coming into the net a lot more than I actually expected myself,”
Gavrilova said.
Now she has bigger plans than merely upsetting the top seed on Friday, with a maiden tour title within reach. “I've
come close before. Made two finals, so... I think I'm capable of it, of winning
the whole thing,” Gavrilova said of her form.
2017 Connecticut Open Attendance Update
Thursday Aug. 24
Day Session: 3,403
Evening Session: 4,151
Daily total: 7,554
2017 Total Attendance: 37,754
RESULTS -
AUGUST 24, 2017
Women's Singles
- Quarterfinals
[1] A. Radwanska (POL) d [8] S. Peng (CHN) 75 63
[2] D. Cibulkova (SVK) d [6] A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 75 64
D. Gavrilova (AUS) d [Q] K. Flipkens (BEL) 62 64
[Q] E. Mertens (BEL) d S. Zhang (CHN) walkover
Women's Doubles
- Quarterfinals
[2] A. Barty (AUS) / C. Dellacqua (AUS) d K. Flipkens (BEL) / D.
Schuurs (NED) 63 63
[Alt] N. Melichar (USA) / A. Smith (GBR) d S. Aoyama (JPN) / D.
Jurak (CRO) 64 26 10-2
ORDER OF
PLAY - FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2017
STADIUM
start 12:30 p.m.
[Alt] N. Melichar (USA) / A. Smith (GBR) vs. [4] G. Dabrowski
(CAN) / Y. Xu (CHN)
Not Before
3:00 p.m.
[Q] E. Mertens (BEL) vs. [2] D. Cibulkova (SVK)
Not Before
7:00 p.m.
[1] A. Radwanska (POL) vs. D. Gavrilova (AUS)
Mark PHILIPPOUSSIS vs.. Mardy FISH
CHANG or BLAKE vs.. PHILIPPOUSSIS or FISH
SPORTMASTER
GRANDSTAND start Not Before 5:00 p.m.
after suitable rest - E. Mertens (BEL) / K. Pliskova (CZE) vs. [2]
A. Barty (AUS) / C. Dellacqua (AUS)
The CT Open’s charity mission: http://bit.ly/2g9ySjR
Perseverence pays for Cibulkova: http://bit.ly/2wD5l9o
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