Kalinskaya sets up DC final with Fernandez
Anna Kalinskaya prevented a rematch of the 2021 US Open final by ousting Britain's Emma Raducanu, booking a berth against Canada's Leylah Fernandez in Sunday's DC Open final.
The 26-year-old Russian, seeking her first WTA title, downed Raducanu 6-4, 6-3 in Saturday's Washington hard court semi-finals to reach her third career tour final.
It denied what would have been the first meeting between Raducanu and Fernandez since they met as teen prodigies four years ago in the Flushing Meadows final, which Raducanu won 6-4, 6-3.
"I think for the both of us, it would be a tremendous result," Fernandez said of the rematch. "We've come a long way from the 2021 US Open final."
Left-hander Fernandez rallied to defeat third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3) after three hours and 12 minutes to reach Sunday's final.
"It was definitely a tough match. It was a battle from beginning to end," Fernandez said. "In important moments I was able to pull through."
Fernandez won her only meeting with Kalinskaya, taking a first-round victory in 2021 at Guadalajara.
"She's a very fast player, so it's going to be very intense rallies," Kalinskaya said. "I just hope I'm going to play great and I want to enjoy it."
World number 36 Fernandez seeks her fourth career WTA title and first since the 2023 Hong Kong Open.
Fernandez reached her seventh career WTA final and first since June 2024 at Eastbourne. Kalinskaya reached her only tour finals last year at Dubai and Berlin.
Raducanu, ranked 46th, has not reached a WTA final since her Grand Slam breakthrough in New York.
The men's final sends 13th-ranked Australian Alex de Minaur, who eliminated French lucky loser Corentin Moutet 6-4, 6-3, against 26th-ranked Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who eliminated eighth-ranked American Ben Shelton 6-2, 7-5.
De Minaur is 2-2 lifetime against the Spaniard, winning their most recent meeting in a 2023 Canada semi-final.
World number 12 Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner, and Fernandez each surrendered only one break.
Rybakina fired winners on the final four points of the first tie-break to claim the opening set after 53 minutes.
Rybakina broke to open the second set. Fernandez fought back from 0-40 down to hold in the fifth game then broke Rybakina in the 10th to pull level at 5-5.
"I wasn't telling myself much in that moment," Fernandez said. "Listen to my coach and execute. Don't overthink too much."
Fernandez jumped ahead 5-0 in the second tie-breaker and 4-0 in the third on her way to winning both, a far cry from leg cramp issues on Friday.
"If I was going to get rolled out in a stretcher today, then so be it, but I was just going to give it my all," Fernandez said.
Kalinskaya broke Raducanu in the ninth game and held to take the first set in 53 minutes.
World number 39 Kalinskaya fired a backhand cross-court winner to break in the opening game of the second set but Raducanu broke back at love.
Kalinskaya broke again for a 3-2 edge and held to the end, which came when Raducanu netted a forehand after 94 minutes.
On the men's circuit, De Minaur, who lost the 2018 Washington final to Alexander Zverev, seeks his 10th ATP title.
The Aussie broke for a 4-3 lead, took the first set in 57 minutes, then won the first 14 points of the second and cruised despite 33 unforced errors.
"It wasn't pretty tennis, but I knew it was going to be a tricky match without a lot of rhythm," De Minuar said. "I had the mentality of doing whatever it took to get into the title match."
Davidovich Fokina took the first set in 27 minutes and captured the match in 80 as he pushes for a first ATP title, having lost February finals at Delray Beach and Acapulco.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
9 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Swiatek sinks, Osaka shines at Canadian Open
Clara Tauson reacts after winning a point against Iga Swiatek in fourth round play at IGA Stadium. Photo: REUTERS Iga Swiatek was the latest top player to suffer an upset loss in Montreal as the Wimbledon champion and tournament second seed fell 7-6(1) 6-3 to Dane Clara Tauson in the Canadian Open round of 16 on Sunday. The 22-year-old Tauson used her creativity and firepower to frustrate the six-time Grand Slam champion from Poland, staying calm when she was broken in the second set and sealing the win when Swiatek's backhand landed in the net. "It's tough conditions here with the wind but I tried my best to keep my head cool and keep working," Tauson said in her on-court interview. "Even though I got broken in the second set, I was feeling confident and I'm really happy about the win." Swiatek's loss came a day after top seed Coco Gauff was stunned in straight sets by Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, and both Swiatek and Gauff will look to sharpen their games ahead of the start of the U.S. Open later this month. World number one and U.S. Open defending champion Aryna Sabalenka is not competing in Montreal. Tauson, seeded 16th, will face Madison Keys in the quarterfinals after the big-serving American saved two match points to emerge with a hard-fought 4-6 6-3 7-5 win over Czech Karolina Muchova. Tauson beat Keys in their only previous meeting in Auckland in January. Keys went on to capture her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open later that month. Former world number one Naomi Osaka showed flashes of her past dominance to reach the quarterfinals, needing just 49 minutes to steamroll Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 6-0. It marks the first time the Japanese player has advanced to the last eight of a WTA 1000 event in 19 months, which came in Doha in 2024. "I had a solid plan coming in here, and it happened to work out very well," Osaka said in her on-court interview. Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka will face either American Amanda Anisimova or Ukrainian Elina Svitolina for a place in the semis. De Minaur beats Tiafoe On the men's side of the tournament, which is being played in Toronto, Alex de Minaur used his speedy defense to edge American Frances Tiafoe 6-2 4-6 6-4. The ninth-seeded Australian, who is coming off a victory at the ATP 500 Washington Open last week and who is in search of his first Masters 1000 title, will next face American Ben Shelton, who beat Italy's Flavio Cobolli 6-4 4-6 7-6(1). "It was never going to be easy and Frances has the ability to turn the switch on whenever he wants, so it is always very tricky to put him away," De Minaur said. "I think I battled him, myself, and the conditions and I am happy to sneak away with a win today." Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time after Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was forced to retire from the match with an injury while trailing 7-6(3) 6-7(2) 3-0. Second-seeded American Taylor Fritz will battle 19th-seeded Czech player Jiri Lehecka later in the evening.
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Swiatek sinks, Osaka shines at Canadian Open
Iga Swiatek was the latest top player to suffer an upset loss in Montreal as the Wimbledon champion and tournament second seed fell 7-6(1) 6-3 to Dane Clara Tauson in the Canadian Open round of 16 on Sunday. The 22-year-old Tauson used her creativity and firepower to frustrate the six-time Grand Slam champion from Poland, staying calm when she was broken in the second set and sealing the win when Swiatek's backhand landed in the net. 'It's tough conditions here with the wind but I tried my best to keep my head cool and keep working,' Tauson said in her on-court interview. 'Even though I got broken in the second set, I was feeling confident and I'm really happy about the win.' Swiatek's loss came a day after top seed Coco Gauff was stunned in straight sets by Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, and both Swiatek and Gauff will look to sharpen their games ahead of the start of the U.S. Open later this month. World number one and U.S. Open defending champion Aryna Sabalenka is not competing in Montreal. Tauson, seeded 16th, will face Madison Keys in the quarterfinals after the big-serving American saved two match points to emerge with a hard-fought 4-6 6-3 7-5 win over Czech Karolina Muchova. Tauson beat Keys in their only previous meeting in Auckland in January. Keys went on to capture her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open later that month. Former world number one Naomi Osaka showed flashes of her past dominance to reach the quarterfinals, needing just 49 minutes to steamroll Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 6-0. It marks the first time the Japanese player has advanced to the last eight of a WTA 1000 event in 19 months, which came in Doha in 2024. 'I had a solid plan coming in here, and it happened to work out very well,' Osaka said in her on-court interview. Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka will face either American Amanda Anisimova or Ukrainian Elina Svitolina for a place in the semis. De Minaur beats Tiafoe On the men's side of the tournament, which is being played in Toronto, Alex de Minaur used his speedy defense to edge American Frances Tiafoe 6-2 4-6 6-4. The ninth-seeded Australian, who is coming off a victory at the ATP 500 Washington Open last week and who is in search of his first Masters 1000 title, will next face American Ben Shelton, who beat Italy's Flavio Cobolli 6-4 4-6 7-6(1). 'It was never going to be easy and Frances has the ability to turn the switch on whenever he wants, so it is always very tricky to put him away,' De Minaur said. 'I think I battled him, myself, and the conditions and I am happy to sneak away with a win today.' Defending champion Pegula sent packing by Sevastova at Canadian Open, Swiatek through Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time after Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was forced to retire from the match with an injury while trailing 7-6(3) 6-7(2) 3-0. Second-seeded American Taylor Fritz will battle 19th-seeded Czech player Jiri Lehecka later in the evening.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Marchand, McIntosh dominate at WAC
Gold medallists Canada's Summer McIntosh and France's Leon Marchand pose after winning best female and male swimmer of the World Aquatics Championships. Photo REUTERS Leon Marchand and Summer McIntosh sealed their golden swimming world championships with dominant victories on Sunday's final day as the United States signed off with a relay record. Eight days of competition in Singapore wrapped up with French superstar Marchand and 18-year-old Canadian sensation McIntosh underlining their supremacy. Marchand, who won four individual golds and was the face of his home Paris Olympics a year ago, added the 400m individual medley crown to his 200m medley title this week. The 23-year-old arrived in Singapore with a lighter programme in an effort to smash Ryan Lochte's 200m IM world record from 2011 — and he did just that. Marchand on Sunday cruised to victory in the 400IM, powering to the wall in 4min 04.73sec, more than three seconds ahead of Japan's Tomoyuki Matsushita (4:08.32), with Russian Ilia Borodin (4:09.16) third. "It's not perfect because it's never perfect, but it's more than I expected, especially the world record in the 200m medley," said Marchand. "It shows that I still have a passion for swimming, that I love it." Not to be outdone, McIntosh was similarly emphatic in winning the women's 400IM for her fourth gold in Singapore, to go with triumphs in the 200m medley, 200m butterfly and 400m freestyle. The world record holder led from start to finish to romp to victory in a championships-record 4:25.78, with Australia's Jenna Forrester and Japan's Mio Narita sharing silver (4:33.26). McIntosh's only defeat of the championships came on Saturday when she finished third in the 800m freestyle, with the American Katie Ledecky reigning over that event once more to underline her enduring quality aged 28. "Overall happy with my meet but always wanting more," said McIntosh. "Even if I were to get five golds, I would still want more, that's just my mentality." The US team were battling acute gastroenteritis all week and faced flak from Olympic greats Michael Phelps and Lochte. But they silenced the doubters by breaking their own world record in winning the women's 4x100m medley relay. The Americans were victorious in 3:49.34, beating their previous record of 3:49.63 from Paris a year ago. They also set a mixed 4x100m freestyle world record on Saturday. The US ended a turbulent week top of the pile with nine golds, ahead of Australia with eight and France and Canada on four — all by McIntosh. American three-time Olympic gold medallist Bobby Finke called the criticism "weak" and "stupid". "Someone wants to say our swimmers are entitled, that's just the dumbest thing I've personally ever heard," world record holder Finke said after winning bronze in the 1,500m freestyle. China's 12-year-old schoolgirl Yu Zidi — whose presence at the championships at such a young age has ignited debate — was just out of the medals in fourth in the 400m medley. Yu was fourth in all three of her individual events and looks set to become a superstar of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. She goes home with a relay bronze from earlier in the week, and with it a slice of history as the youngest medallist ever. Australia's Meg Harris beamed from ear to ear after joining compatriot Cam McEvoy as a 50m freestyle champion. A day after McEvoy won the men's sprint, Paris Olympics silver medallist Harris powered home in 24.02sec to beat Chinese pair Wu Qingfeng (24.26) and Cheng Yujie (24.28). Harris, 23, said becoming an individual world champion was "the dream I have been dreaming of the whole time". Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi added the 1,500m freestyle world title to his 800m crown. Jaouadi grabbed gold in 14min 34.41sec, ahead of Germany's Sven Schwarz (14:35.69) and American Finke (14:36.60). There was a Russian victory in the men's 50m backstroke, with world record holder Kliment Kolesnikov dominating for gold in a championships-record 23.68sec. Russian swimmers are competing as neutrals because of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The Russians won the men's 4x100m medley relay from France and the United States. Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte sealed a career fourth women's 50m breaststroke world crown.
