Miami (USA), .- This time there was no surprise in the women’s competition of the Miami Open with the predicted triumphs of the favorites, the Romanian Simona Halep, second seed, and the Czech Karolina Pliskova, fifth preclassified.
The first to get the pass to the semifinals was Halep, who won by 6-4 and 7-5 to the Chinese Quiang Wang, the eighteenth favorite, in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open and got for the second time in her career to reach the semifinals of the most important tournament out of the four Grand Slams.
Halep’s rival in the semifinals will be Pliskova, who won the duel of Czech tennis players Marketa Vondrousova, 19, the youngest player left in the women’s box.
Halep, who won Wang for the second time, beat her in the first duel between the two in the fourth round of Indian Wells last year, did not play his best tennis, but managed the decisive goals and made seven “break” the last in the eleventh game of the second set that was the one that assured him victory.
The 27-year-old Romanian tennis player, who has played in the last few years in the quarterfinals, reached the semifinals for the first time in 2017 when she lost to the Danish Caroline Wozniacki.
The last time I had been in the quarterfinals was in 2015 and lost to the American Serena Williams.
Halep, with her triumph over Wang and the elimination of Czech Petra Kvitova, number three, in the quarterfinals against Australian Ashleigh Barty, only needs to reach the final to recover the world number one position, which now occupies the Japanese Naomi Osaka.
“I just learned from my coach that I need one more match to be number 1 again,” Halep said after the win against Wang. “I think it was something that I had in my mind and I’m happy to be in this position again. “
Being able to fight for a triumph that puts her back at the forefront of women’s world tennis gives her the motivation she did not have a few months ago in order to achieve that goal.
“It gives me confidence, because after two months of the off-season, I did not think I’d be that close so quickly, so it’s going to be a big challenge, but I like to play with the pressure. Play the best, “said the Romanian tennis player. “Every day that you are number 1 is a special day, so I will enjoy it, and if I can do it tomorrow, I will be very proud.”
The answer will be when he faces Pliskova for the eleventh time in the professional circuit and look for what would be the eighth victory after having 7-3 in his favor.
But Pliskova showed in the quarterfinal match, which she won against Vondrousova, in straight sets by 6-3 and 6-4, in just one hour and 20 minutes, she has found her best moment of play so far in the new season and comes with clear options to get the victory.
“I think I got better … I lost a bit in some games, and also my opponent put in good shots and I got good, I won a tight set in the first, and the games were pretty even,” Pliskova said.
“In general, I think the game was perhaps my best here, she is defending herself very well, so I always had to place the extra shot, but I think it was a good level.”
After needing to recover from a set in her third and fourth round matches against France’s Alizé Cornet and Kazakh Yulia Putintseva, the 27-year-old Czech was in charge for much of the duel with her compatriot.
“I think I’m now giving a hundred percent, maybe not physically, because I’ve had some difficult matches, but if from the tennis section,” said the ex-number one in the world.
Pliskova also recognized that as she played matches in the tournament her adaptation has been better, especially when having to play at night, something that she liked and that she considered to be good for her tennis.
“I’m playing with rivals who defend more than others, so I have to play so many lengths and they also help me,” added Pliskova.
As for the duel against Halep, he said that the match would be very equal since both know each other very well and the winner will be the one who makes his best tennis at the Stadim Hard Rock.
The other semifinal will be played by the Australian Ashleigh Barty, twelfth favorite, against the Estonian Anett Kontaveit, twenty-first. (EFE)
