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Marie Bouzkova reigns in Prague

Marie Bouzkova reigns in Prague

No. 5 seed Marie Bouzkova rallied to win the Livesport Prague Open on Saturday with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat of top-seeded Czech compatriot Linda Noskova.
It was the first tournament win for Bouzkova, 27, since collecting her maiden WTA Tour title at this event in 2022. She is the first two-time winner of the event since it was upgraded to a WTA 250 in 2015.
Bouzkova overcame nine double faults in the match as well as a 3-2 deficit in the deciding set to finish her victory in two hours and 12 minutes. She converted six of 11 break points against Noskova, 20, who had dropped just one set all week.
Mubadala Citi D.C. Open
Canada's Leylah Fernandez continued her stunning run in the nation's capital, beating No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the semifinals in about as tight a match as possible: 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3).
Rybakina was the lone seeded player left in the top four, in part because Fernandez knocked off top-seeded Jessica Pegula two rounds earlier.
Each player broke serve once in the match, both coming in the second set. Though Rybakina dominated 11-2 in aces, she also committed four double faults to Fernandez's one.
Fernandez will face Russian Anna Kalinskaya in the final. Kalinskaya swept past Emma Raducanu of the United Kingdom 6-4, 6-3. While both players faced six break points, Kalinskaya saved five of hers while Raducanu saved only two.
Fernandez will be looking for her fourth career WTA title, while Kalinskaya is seeking her first.
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Kalinskaya sets up DC final with Fernandez
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Anna Kalinskaya celebrates after match point against Emma Raducanu in the DC Open semi-final at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. PHOTO: GEOFF BURKE/REUTERS 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.

Marie Bouzkova reigns in Prague
Marie Bouzkova reigns in Prague

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Marie Bouzkova reigns in Prague

No. 5 seed Marie Bouzkova rallied to win the Livesport Prague Open on Saturday with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat of top-seeded Czech compatriot Linda Noskova. It was the first tournament win for Bouzkova, 27, since collecting her maiden WTA Tour title at this event in 2022. She is the first two-time winner of the event since it was upgraded to a WTA 250 in 2015. Bouzkova overcame nine double faults in the match as well as a 3-2 deficit in the deciding set to finish her victory in two hours and 12 minutes. She converted six of 11 break points against Noskova, 20, who had dropped just one set all week. Mubadala Citi D.C. Open Canada's Leylah Fernandez continued her stunning run in the nation's capital, beating No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the semifinals in about as tight a match as possible: 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3). Rybakina was the lone seeded player left in the top four, in part because Fernandez knocked off top-seeded Jessica Pegula two rounds earlier. Each player broke serve once in the match, both coming in the second set. Though Rybakina dominated 11-2 in aces, she also committed four double faults to Fernandez's one. Fernandez will face Russian Anna Kalinskaya in the final. Kalinskaya swept past Emma Raducanu of the United Kingdom 6-4, 6-3. While both players faced six break points, Kalinskaya saved five of hers while Raducanu saved only two. Fernandez will be looking for her fourth career WTA title, while Kalinskaya is seeking her first.

Kalinskaya beats Raducanu, De Minaur to face Davidovich Fokina in Washington final
Kalinskaya beats Raducanu, De Minaur to face Davidovich Fokina in Washington final

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Anna Kalinskaya outclassed Britain's Emma Raducanu 6–4 6–3 at the Washington Open on Saturday to advance to the final, where she will face Leylah Fernandez. After a strong start from both players, Kalinskaya secured the first break to lead 5–4 and served out the opening set, handing Raducanu her first dropped set of the tournament. The two exchanged early breaks in the second set before the Russian pulled ahead once more, taking a lead that proved decisive and breaking again to seal the win. Having denied fans a rematch of the 2021 U.S. Open final between Raducanu and Fernandez, Kalinskaya will now aim to capture her first WTA 500 title in Sunday's final. 'It was an interesting match. It's nice to play against Emma,' world number 48 Kalinskaya said. 'I'm proud of myself. I stayed aggressive and stuck to my plan.' Earlier, Fernandez came from a set down to defeat third seed Elena Rybakina 6–7(2) 7–6(3) 7–6(3) in a marathon battle marked by dominant serving from both players. Rybakina edged a tight first set, gaining the upper hand in the tiebreak with two clutch return winners. Fernandez dropped her serve in the opening game of the second set, but Rybakina was unable to serve out the match at 5–4, allowing the Canadian to rally and level the contest by taking the second tiebreak. As in the opener, neither player dropped serve in the third set, but Fernandez grew in confidence and secured victory in three hours and 12 minutes to reach her first final of the season. On the men's side, seventh seed Alex de Minaur blew hot and cold in his semi-final meeting with Corentin Moutet but was able to grind out a 6-4 6-3 win over the lucky loser. 'It wasn't pretty tennis, but I knew it was going to be a tricky match without a lot of rhythm… I had the mentality of doing whatever it took to get into the title match tomorrow,' said De Minaur, who also reached the final in D.C. in 2018. De Minaur will also return to the top 10 after reaching the final, where he will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, a 6-2 7-5 winner over Ben Shelton.

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