Sofia Kenin and Barbora Krejcikova will play the San Diego Open final. On Saturday, both players won their respective semi-finals against Emma Navarro and Danielle Collins respectively.
In the first semi-final, Krejcikova fought from a set down to get the better of her American rival. After two hours and 21 minutes, the Czech won 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Of the two players, it was Krejcikova who finished with more aces and double faults to her name. The fourth seed hit four aces to Collinsā three and have seven double faults to the latterās five. Krejcikova and Collins finished the match by winning around 48% of their second-serve points but the eventual victor won 70% of her first-serve points to Collinsā 57%. The two players combined to generate 14 break points, seven each on the otherās serve. However, where Krejcikova saved three of these, Collins could only save one break point.
The first and deciding sets were quite revealing in this regard. In the opening set, Krejcikova failed to save both break points she faced while in the final set, it was the American who couldnāt save any of the three break points she faced.
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Meanwhile, Krejcikovaās opponent in the title round, Kenin also needed three sets to come through in the American derby against Emma Navarro. Kenin took two hours and 10 minutes to wrap up a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win in her favour.
Keninās level dropped mid-match. Along with Navarro playing her best, this led to the young qualifier picking up the second set and pushing the match into the third set. However, her own erratic level in the decider coupled with Kenin finding her range again let her down for one last time in the match.
The San Diego Open final will be the second time Barbora Krejcikova and Sofia Kenin will be taking each other on. The last time they faced each other, in the round-of-32 at the 2021 Rome Open, Krejcikova emerged as the winner.