WTA Linz: Sabalenka and Mertens fix dream finals
Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens are in the final of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz. This is where number one and number two of the tournament meet.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Nov 14, 2020, 08:17 pm
After Elise Mertens won a very close match against Vera Zvonareva in the round of 16, the Belgian had to work really hard in the semifinals of the WTA event in Linz. Mertens met the Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in this and had to give up the opening set with 2: 6. After the Belgian equalized with a clear 6: 1, it got really tight in the decision set. In the final phase of the match, the number two of the tournament showed the better nerve and finally moved 7: 5 in the third round into the final.
Sabalenka at eighth career title
In this, the Belgian now meets the tournament favorite Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus. Sabalenka had presented herself in extremely strong shape in the tournament so far and literally walked into the semifinals. In this, however, the Belarusian had to fight properly for the first time, against the Czech Barbora Krjcikova, the world number eleventh had to go into the decision-making round after winning the opening set. In this Sabalenka showed strong nerves and finally fixed with a 6: 3 the entry into the final.
The final is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. tomorrow. For Aryna Sabalenka it is about the eighth career title, for Mertens it would be the sixth title win in her young career.