WTA Tianjin: Tournament of promoted women
The WTA International tournament in Tianjin has emerged as a tournament for the whiz players of the past few weeks. In the hard court tournament, which is endowed with $ 500,000, the majority of players with top form are in the semi-finals.
by Robert M. Frank
last edit: Oct 11, 2019, 09:14 pm
At the WTA International tournament in Tianjin, China, numerous players confirmed their aspiring form over the past few weeks and months. The result is reflected in the tournament of the promoted women in the semi-final tableau: With Veronika Kudermetova (WTA 45), Rebecca Peterson (WTA 59), Ons Jabeur (WTA 61) and Heather Watson (WTA 125) and four players are in the final round, who are currently very strong.
Two of them have reached their personal best in the WTA world ranking with the semi-finals in Asia for the time being. The 22-year-old Russian Kudermetova, who defeated the number three seeded Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska (WTA 23) with 6: 4, 6: 0 in the quarterfinals, will be listed at least in 42nd place next Monday in the new ranking. Similarly, after her 6: 7 (5), 6: 4, 6: 2 in the quarterfinals against the Chinese Yafan Wang (WTA 47), the ranking will soon be better than ever in her career. The Scandinavian won her first tour victory at WTA International just five weeks ago.
Jabeur and Watson in a good mood lately
Just like the 24-year-old Swede on the steeply rising branch is the Tunisian Jabeur. The 25-year-old prevailed in the quarterfinals against Yulia Putintseva (WTA 36) 6: 7 (5), 6: 7 (4). The right-handed woman from Tunis not only gets closer to her biggest success on the tour with the final of the 2018 WTA tournament in Moscow, but could also surpass her personal career high of four weeks ago (WTA 51) in China with another victory. "I enjoy being here. I am happy about this victory because it is very important for my career. And I'm happy that I made it to the semi-finals, ”Jabeur told the WTA.
Watson's career peak was almost five years ago. The 27-year-old Briton has nevertheless been able to underline her rising form in recent weeks in Tianjin. A 7: 5, 6: 7 (4), 7: 6 (6) in the quarterfinals against Magda Linette (WTA 42) was a great success, as was a win in the round before against the number two Chinese local hero Qiang Wang (WTA 22). The three-time WTA tournament winner had last reached the semi-finals in September at the WTA-125k tournament in New Haven after having participated in ITF tournaments (with two titles).
In the semifinals in Tianjin, Jabeur and Peterson will meet in the first game of the day on Saturday (from 5 a.m.CET) before Watson will face Kudermetova.