Two wild cards, one a popular WTA Tour veteran, the other seeking the biggest title of her pro career, with face off on Sunday for the D.C. Open women’s singles title after a delay-marred semifinal Saturday.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka was leading Marie Bouzkova, 4-6, 6-3, 2-1, Saturday afternoon before torrential thunderstorms across the region sent the players off the court at the FitzGerald Tennis Center. After a 3:30 delay, and still up a break in the final set, she didn’t return the same player as before.
The first three games after the delay were all service breaks, before Bouzkova broke Sabalenka again to take the lead 5-3. The Belarusian’s serve was working, but her forehands lacked confidence and trying to adjust to predominantly using a two-handed backhand instead in the final two games proved too little, too late.
“I was just telling myself to be aggressive from the start and just be really, really active on my feet, just have kind of like a quick start and see how I can play after that,” Bouzkova said. “I think I returned pretty well tonight. Especially in the third set, I was able to neutralize her serve pretty well. That kept me alive.”
Bouzkova’s 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win is the biggest of her career, and she’ll now play in the biggest final of her career looking to ass to her lone 250-level singles title in Prague two years ago.
“Playing the finals, it’s always a privilege. Had to work really hard this week since the first round,” Bouzkova said. “So yeah, I’m really happy to make it all the way to the finals.”
The world No. 3 Sabalenka’s best friend on tour, Paula Badosa, got her match in without disruption, a 6-3, 6-3 win over American Caroline Dolehide. The Spaniard, who’s been ranked as high as No. 2 in the world, saved all three break points she faced in the match.
“I’ve been saying this since a few weeks ago that I’m playing well, that I knew my moment was going to come, but I didn’t know when,” Badosa said. “I was feeling that I was losing close matches lately and that my moment was going to come. I just needed to have patience.”
After dealing with injury issues and seeking a return to form, Badosa is back to a WTA semifinal for the first time in more than two and a half years, last appearing in one in Sydney ahead of the 2022 Australian Open.
“For me, the emotions are more that especially the beginning of the year, a year injured and everything, there was moments that was coming to my mind, ‘Am I going to be able to get back to the level I want to?’” Badosa said.
“That was tough for me because my back wasn’t responding. Finally, it is. My body, I’m feeling now like an athlete again.
She’s seeking her fourth WTA title and to keep her perfect 3-0 record in tour finals in Sunday’s title match, which will begin after the ATP doubles championship and no earlier than 2:30 p.m.
• George Gerbo can be reached at ggerbo@washingtontimes.com.
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