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Tennis
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By PAT HICKEY, Special to Postmedia Network
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MONTREAL — Can’t anyone here win her serve?
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That was the question Saturday afternoon as fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula of the United States moved into Sunday’s final of the National Bank Open women’s tennis championships with a 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-4 victory over top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland.
Swiatek’s forehand sailed wide to give Pegula a break at match point and it was a fitting finish to a match when both players struggled to hold service.
“We’re both good receivers and sometimes there are matches like this,” said Swiatek.
Pegula said swirling winds made if difficult for the servers and noted that players are adjusting to the Wilson extra-duty balls which are used in the U.S. Open series hard court events, They are heavier than the regular duty balls used on clay and grass.
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There were 19 breaks in 30 games with Pegula holding an 11-8 edge.
Pegula will face the winner of the evening semifinal between third-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and 15th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova of Russia in Sunday’s final.
Unfortunately, that other semifinal, scheduled for Saturday evening, was postponed because of rain.It was rescheduled for 1:30 p.m., on Sunday with the winner meeting Pegula in the final at 5:30.
Pegula was the fresher player in her semifinal. Swiatek was playing her third three-set match and said she was still feeling the effects of her Thursday marathon against Karolyn’s Muchoca which was halted by two rain delays.
That was the day Pegula romped over Jasmine Pasolini in the only match completed before the rainThere were break points galore on Saturday as both players had difficulty holding their serves in the opening set.
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After the players traded breaks in the first four games, Pegula broke for a 3-2 and added another break in the seventh game.
She cashed in on four of the eight break points Swiatek handed her while the Pole had two breaks on four chances.
Swiatek put 74 per cent of her first serves into play in the opening set which is very good but she won only 47% of those points which isn’t good.
Pegula did an excellent of returning serve and was steadier from the baseline.
The second set was more of the same. Swiatek broke Pegula but eight of the first 10 games resulted in breaks. Swiatek held for a 6-5 lead but Pegula matched that with a rare hold to set up the tiebreaker.
Pegula had an early mini-break to go ahead 4-2 but she gave the break back with a double fault and she made two unforced errors as Swiatek won five consecutive points to deadlock the match.
Pegula was broken twice to fall behind 4-2 in the deciding set but she won her next two service games at love and broke Swiatek twice to take the match.
“In the third set,she was going for it,” Pegula said. “But I knew if I could hold my serve, I would get another chance (to break), the way the match was going.”
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