People Dolehide, Kenin look to advance

Caroline Dolehide was enjoying ITF occasions in Lexington, Kentucky and Landisville, Pennsylvania as lately as final month. The 25-year-old American misplaced within the first spherical of the US Open and, one week later, within the first spherical of qualifying on the San Diego Open.

Her greatest declare to fame — her solely WTA Tour title — got here in doubles in Monterrey, Mexico, with Asia Muhammad.

Learn how to clarify, then, what has transpired this week in Guadalajara, Mexico?

Thursdays outcomes:

With a 3-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3 victory over Martina Trevisan Thursday night time, Dolehide superior to the semifinals of the Guadalajara Open AKRON, a WTA Tour 1000 occasion. The day earlier than, Trevisan upset No.1-seeded Ons Jabeur.

Dolehide — ranked No. 111 amongst Hologic WTA Tour gamers — trailed a set and 4-1, then fought off 4 match factors, changing her sixth match level.

This wasn’t alleged to occur:

Dolehide has reached her first profession WTA semifinal — her earlier finest finishes have been the quarterfinals reached in Quebec Metropolis (2017) and Monterrey earlier this 12 months. She might develop into the second-lowest ranked participant to make a WTA 1000 last for the reason that introduction of the format in 2009 — ranked increased solely than No. 153 Svetlana Kuznetsova 4 years in the past in Cincinnati.

Guadalajara 2023: Scores | Order of Play | Attracts

“To be sincere,” Dolehide mentioned in her on-court interview, “I simply needed to discover a manner right this moment to win. I advised myself, do what you do in follow. I’m excited to be within the semis.”

Right here’s a breakdown of Friday’s semifinal matches:

Sofia Kenin vs. Caroline Dolehide, 4 p.m. CST

On this occasion that provides substantial rankings factors and prize cash, both Kenin or Dolehide — ranked No. 53 and No.111, respectively, goes to be in Saturday’s last.

That’s proper.

In a event lacking a number of the prime gamers, alternatives have abounded for these decrease on the tennis ladder. And certainly one of these People goes to reap the benefits of that unlikely opening.

After defeating Leylah Fernandez within the quarterfinals 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-1, Kenin is formally on fireplace. The 2020 Australian Open champion is now on the verge of advancing to her second consecutive WTA Tour last — for the primary time in her profession — after dropping to Barbora Krejcikova in final week’s San Diego last in three units.

“I managed to get by, in order that’s an important,” Kenin advised reporters. “I’m not going to really feel a one hundred pc day by day. What counts is enjoying, even in case you’re not a one hundred pc going by, it’s most likely perhaps even higher than higher profitable than feeling a one hundred pc and profitable.

“However in fact any win is nice, so …”

After all. It will be Kenin’s first profession WTA 1000 last, after falling in earlier semifinals in 2019, Toronto to Bianca Andreescu and Cincinnati to Madison Keys.

Kenin is simply the second participant ranked exterior the High 50 to succeed in a WTA 1000 semifinal this 12 months, after Sorana Cirstea at Miami. She’s in search of her ninth victory in 10 matches.

Kenin, 24, received six of seven video games within the third set towards Fernandez. She was the extra environment friendly of the massive hitters within the skinny air of Guadalajara, stroking 33 winners and 44 unforced errors; Fernandez’s numbers have been 23 and 58.

Kenin is 9-2 this 12 months towards opponents ranked exterior the WTA Tour’s High 50 on arduous courts, and Dolehide matches that description.

However, Dolehide has but to lose a three-set match this 12 months; she’s 4-0. Whereas they’ve by no means met in a tour-level match, Dolehide holds a 2-1 head-to-head benefit in ITF $25,000 occasions in 2016-17.

Dolehide is the primary American participant to make the semifinals of a WTA occasion ranked exterior the High 100 since Sloane Stephens in 2017. One other enjoyable truth: Dolehide has received 4 consecutive matches on the WTA degree — beforehand, her finest was two.

For the primary time in her profession Dolehide has registered 4 consecutive WTA wins. She had managed simply two beforehand.

No.2 Maria Sakkari vs. No.3 Caroline Garcia, not earlier than 6 p.m. CST

There’s one thing about Mexico and Garcia. That is her seventh profession semifinal at a WTA Tour occasion in Mexico after Acapulco 2014 and 2015, and Monterrey 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2023.

Garcia defeated No. 10 Victoria Azarenka 6-3 6-4, profitable for the fourth time in 5 profession matches. The champion of the WTA Finals final 12 months in Fort Price is once more getting scorching on the finish of the season. That is her fifth WTA 1000 semifinal.

The 29-year-old Frenchwoman couldn’t have been extra clutch, saving all 11 of the break factors towards her. She hit 10 aces within the match.

Subsequent up for Garcia can be Sakkari. She ended the stunning run from No.180^th-ranked Emiliana Arango with a 6-3, 6-4 victory late Thursday night time.

Sakkari is now into her ninth WTA 1000 semifinal and her third of 2023, after Indian Wells and Madrid. She reached the identical quantity a 12 months in the past. In 2022, she fell to Jessica Pegula within the last of Guadalajara. 

Enjoyable truth: Garcia knocked off Sakkari in every of their first three profession conferences, and every time, she went on to win the title (Wuhan 2017, Cincinnati 2022 and WTA Finals 2022). Sakkari received the final match, earlier this 12 months in Doha, an encounter that resulted in a third-set tiebreak.