MONTREAL: Fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic beat top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday to reach the National Bank Open final.
“I think I was super solid today,” Pliskova said. “Just did everything I was supposed to do to win this match.”
Pliskova will face Camilia Giorgi of Italy, a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 winner over US qualifier Jessica Pegula in the night match.
Pliskova broke early in the match, taking a 2-1 lead after Sabalenka sent a ball long following an extended rally.
Sabalenka began to settle in midway through the second set, coming toward the net, then dropping shots behind her opponent. Pliskova used her strong serve to stay ahead, saving a break point with an ace and two other serves Sabalenka couldn’t control.
“I’m quite calm. Of course I have some nerves and emotions but I try not to show it that much,” Pliskova said. “There is a lot of things happening on the court but I think the main thing is just to have a goal and follow that goal.”
Pliskova won the last of her 16 WTA Tour titles in 2020 in Brisbane. Last month, she beat Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semifinals, then lost the final to Ash Barty.
Giorgi has two career victories, the last in 2018 at Linz.
Pegula, the daughter of Buffalo Bills and Sabres owners Kim and Terry Pegula, won her lone WTA Tour title in 2019, beating Giorgi in the Citi Open final in Washington.
Karolina Pliskova, Camilia Giorgi advance to Montreal final
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Karolina Pliskova, Camilia Giorgi advance to Montreal final
- Pliskova will face Camilia Giorgi of Italy, winner over US qualifier Jessica Pegula in the night match
Pakistan bowl out Netherlands for 147 in T20 World Cup opener
- The Dutch looked to be in a good position at 127-4 with four overs to go
- But Pakistan applied the brakes with the slow men sharing six wickets between them
COLOMBO: Pakistan’s spinners turned the screws to bowl Netherlands out for 147 in the first match of the T20 World Cup at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club on Saturday.
The Dutch looked to be in a good position at 127-4 with four overs to go, but Pakistan applied the brakes with the slow men sharing six wickets between them.
Captain Scott Edwards anchored the innings with a polished 37 off 29 balls, but perished when he tried to take the aerial route against leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed.
Part-time spinner Saim Ayub then struck twice in the 17th over before left-arm quick Salman Mirza’s three-wicket burst dismissed the Dutch with one ball to spare.
Pakistan, who won the toss and chose to bowl, conceded just 20 runs in the final four overs backed up by a razor sharp performance in the field with several outstanding catches in the deep.
Pakistan cannot afford any slip-ups in the group stage after saying they will not play against India on February 15 on government instructions and forfeiting the points in Group A.
Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka in the 20-team tournament co-hosted by Sri Lanka and defending champions India.
