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.
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It would have been an injustice if the Sudanese club had snatched a draw, however, as they were outplayed by quicker, slicker Mouloudia for long periods of an often scrappy, foul-ridden match.
Despite losing for the first time in the group after two victories and two draws, Hilal retained first place with eight points.
Topping the table in the most competitive of the four groups is a remarkable achievement by Hilal given they have to stage home matches in Rwanda because of the ongoing Sudanese civil war.
Mouloudia had just one point after matchday three, but back-to-back home wins over Saint-Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Hilal have lifted them to second with seven points.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa have five points, one more than Lupopo, ahead of their clash in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
A win for Lupopo would leave Sundowns in danger of missing the knockout stage of the premier African club competition for only the second time since winning the 2016 final against Zamalek of Egypt.
In the final round on February 14, Hilal host Lupopo and Sundowns will have home advantage over Mouloudia, whose South African coach, Rhulani Mokwena, was formerly in charge of the Pretoria club.
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
Ferhat stars as Mouloudia get CAF Champions League boost
- Muslim Anatouf scored after 15 minutes and a Ferhat thunderbolt on 44 minutes gave Mouloudia a two-goal half-time advantage
- It would have been an injustice if the Sudanese club had snatched a draw
JOHANNESBURG: Zinedine Ferhat created the first goal and scored the second for Mouloudia Alger of Algeria in a 2-1 win over Al Hilal of Sudan 2-1 on Friday that threw CAF Champions League Group C wide open.
Muslim Anatouf scored after 15 minutes and a Ferhat thunderbolt on 44 minutes gave Mouloudia a two-goal half-time advantage before a near-capacity crowd in the 45,000-seat Algiers stadium.
Hilal rarely threatened to reduce the deficit in a cauldron of cheering, singing and flag waving until Mauritanian Ahmed Salem M’Bareck netted with 13 minutes remaining.
Ghanaian substitute Kamaradini Mamudu had a late chance to bring Hilal level, but his header from a corner flew wide.
It would have been an injustice if the Sudanese club had snatched a draw, however, as they were outplayed by quicker, slicker Mouloudia for long periods of an often scrappy, foul-ridden match.
Despite losing for the first time in the group after two victories and two draws, Hilal retained first place with eight points.
Topping the table in the most competitive of the four groups is a remarkable achievement by Hilal given they have to stage home matches in Rwanda because of the ongoing Sudanese civil war.
Mouloudia had just one point after matchday three, but back-to-back home wins over Saint-Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Hilal have lifted them to second with seven points.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa have five points, one more than Lupopo, ahead of their clash in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
A win for Lupopo would leave Sundowns in danger of missing the knockout stage of the premier African club competition for only the second time since winning the 2016 final against Zamalek of Egypt.
In the final round on February 14, Hilal host Lupopo and Sundowns will have home advantage over Mouloudia, whose South African coach, Rhulani Mokwena, was formerly in charge of the Pretoria club.
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