Elena Rybakina survived a gruelling Miami Open quarter-final against Maria Sakkari on Tuesday as the former Wimbledon champion advanced to the last four for a second straight year with a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 victory. Rybakina, who will meet Victoria Azarenka for a place in the final, needed nearly three hours to beat Sakkari. The Greek saved two match points in the second set before ultimately succumbing to the fourth seed's overwhelming serve in the final game of the third set.

"I have no words because I'm so tired," Kazakh Rybakina said. "It was such a tough battle. I got a little bit lucky with new balls, so it was easier to serve it out ... now, I just need to recover."

Rybakina, the world number four and 2022 Wimbledon champion, will need to bring her best again when she takes on three-time tournament champion and former world number one Azarenka. The veteran Belarusian player contended with a near hour-long stoppage in the first set because of a power outage to the electronic line-calling system before beating Yulia Putintseva 7-6(4) 1-6 6-3 earlier in the day.

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Azarenka saved three set points en route to clinching the first set tiebreak in the 90-minute opener before her unseeded opponent raised her game in the second to force a decider. Azarenka proved too solid down the stretch, firing an unreturnable serve on match point.

"Very happy with today's win," the 34-year-old told reporters. "It's good to be back in the later stages of the tournament, it's what I work for."

Elena Rybakina survived a gruelling Miami Open quarter-final against Maria Sakkari on Tuesday as the former Wimbledon champion advanced to the last four for a second straight year with a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 victory.

Elena Rybakina survived a gruelling Miami Open quarter-final against Maria Sakkari on Tuesday as the former Wimbledon champion advanced to the last four for a second straight year with a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 victory. Rybakina, who will meet Victoria Azarenka for a place in the final, needed nearly three hours to beat Sakkari. The Greek saved two match points in the second set before ultimately succumbing to the fourth seed's overwhelming serve in the final game of the third set. "I have no words because I'm so tired," Kazakh Rybakina said. "It was such a tough battle. I got a little bit lucky with new balls, so it was easier to serve it out ... now, I just need to recover." Rybakina, the world number four and 2022 Wimbledon champion, will need to bring her best again when she takes on three-time tournament champion and former world number one Azarenka. The veteran Belarusian player contended with a near hour-long stoppage in the first set because of a power outage to the electronic line-calling system before beating Yulia Putintseva 7-6(4) 1-6 6-3 earlier in the day. Also read: Tennis: World number three Coco Gauff looking forward to clay season after Miami disappointment Azarenka saved three set points en route to clinching the first set tiebreak in the 90-minute opener before her unseeded opponent raised her game in the second to force a decider. Azarenka proved too solid down the stretch, firing an unreturnable serve on match point. "Very happy with today's win," the 34-year-old told reporters. "It's good to be back in the later stages of the tournament, it's what I work for."

Tennis: Elena Rybakina survives Maria Sakkari battle to enter Miami Open semifinals

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek.

U.S. Open champion Gauff looked far from her best early in the match as Sakkari drew first blood after a short rain delay by breaking the American third seed in the ninth game, before securing the opening set with ease.

The players were forced off the court for a longer spell as the showers returned at the start of the second set, but Sakkari picked up from where she left off when the action resumed and tightened her grip on the contest with a double break.

But Gauff was not done and the 20-year-old rediscovered her rhythm in the high-octane second set to save three match points and go level at 5-5, eventually forcing a tie break which she dominated to set up a decider.

Ninth seed Sakkari regrouped and showed her quality in the decisive points after swapping breaks with Gauff early in the third set to prevail in the late-night thriller.

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"I don't want to disrespect Coco, but it would have been amazing if this match was over an hour ago," Sakkari said after the epic battle that lasted two hours and 41 minutes. "I'm going to take this win even though it was in three sets. I was thinking of the finish line in the second set and then things got tricky. But that was an amazing win."

"Coco is such an amazing opponent. She's incredible. She fights for every point. I'm just so happy I'm in the final once again here."

Top seed Swiatek earlier produced a near-flawless display in chilly, windy conditions to cruise past Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 and remain on track for her second title of the year.

"For sure I'm happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I played here. The focus was high throughout and I didn't have any doubts," said Swiatek, who has not dropped a set in the Californian desert this year.

"It's already a great tournament."

The 2022 champion made her intentions clear early on with an aggressive start to break for a 2-1 lead and pulled further away when Kostyuk hit a double fault two games later.

The 21-year-old Kostyuk surrendered the opening set in 31 minutes and was put through the wringer again by world number one Swiatek at the start of the second set.

A powerful smash at the net gave Swiatek another break. The four-times Grand Slam champion withstood some pressure from the 31st seed in the next game before building a 3-0 advantage.

Kostyuk appeared to struggle with a left foot problem and a medical timeout only delayed the inevitable, as Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading 19th match win of the season, finishing off the match with a forehand winner.

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek.

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek. U.S. Open champion Gauff looked far from her best early in the match as Sakkari drew first blood after a short rain delay by breaking the American third seed in the ninth game, before securing the opening set with ease. The players were forced off the court for a longer spell as the showers returned at the start of the second set, but Sakkari picked up from where she left off when the action resumed and tightened her grip on the contest with a double break. But Gauff was not done and the 20-year-old rediscovered her rhythm in the high-octane second set to save three match points and go level at 5-5, eventually forcing a tie break which she dominated to set up a decider. Ninth seed Sakkari regrouped and showed her quality in the decisive points after swapping breaks with Gauff early in the third set to prevail in the late-night thriller. ALSO READ: Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald announces retirement "I don't want to disrespect Coco, but it would have been amazing if this match was over an hour ago," Sakkari said after the epic battle that lasted two hours and 41 minutes. "I'm going to take this win even though it was in three sets. I was thinking of the finish line in the second set and then things got tricky. But that was an amazing win." "Coco is such an amazing opponent. She's incredible. She fights for every point. I'm just so happy I'm in the final once again here." Top seed Swiatek earlier produced a near-flawless display in chilly, windy conditions to cruise past Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 and remain on track for her second title of the year. "For sure I'm happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I played here. The focus was high throughout and I didn't have any doubts," said Swiatek, who has not dropped a set in the Californian desert this year. "It's already a great tournament." The 2022 champion made her intentions clear early on with an aggressive start to break for a 2-1 lead and pulled further away when Kostyuk hit a double fault two games later. The 21-year-old Kostyuk surrendered the opening set in 31 minutes and was put through the wringer again by world number one Swiatek at the start of the second set. A powerful smash at the net gave Swiatek another break. The four-times Grand Slam champion withstood some pressure from the 31st seed in the next game before building a 3-0 advantage. Kostyuk appeared to struggle with a left foot problem and a medical timeout only delayed the inevitable, as Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading 19th match win of the season, finishing off the match with a forehand winner.

Indian Wells 2024: Maria Sakkari stuns Coco Gauff to book summit clash date with Iga Swiatek

American Jessica Pegula powered into the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Thursday, beating Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2 to complete an unbeaten run through the group stage. Pegula, the oldest player in the field at 29, had already clinched her spot in Saturday's semi-finals and Sakkari was already out of contention before the match on the Mexican outdoor hardcourts.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka and fourth-ranked Elena Rybakina were fighting to move through as second in the group when their weather disrupted match was halted for the night with Sabalenka leading 6-2, 3-5. Rybakina will be serving to level the match when play resumes on Friday.

Pegula, who went winless last year in her WTA Finals debut, seized control early, leading 4-1 in the opening set on the way to a dominant victory in difficult, windy conditions. She took full advantage of 35 unforced errors from Greece's Sakkari, including eight double faults, Pegula reaching the last four without dropping a set.

Pegula was pleased to keep things rolling in the unfavorable conditions, saying she tried to play to the middle of the court and keep down mistakes. "It's so tough to play in these conditions," she told Tennis Channel. "You're trying to do your best and as soon as you get some momentum, you still feel like you could lose it.

"If you just stop moving your feet for one second, you get one unlucky shot. So you're very on edge. "It was crazy out there today," added Pegula, the first American to reach the final four since Sloane Stephens made the final in Singapore in 2018. Pegula's brisk run through her group matches included an upset of Sabalenka, whose clash with Rybakina was a rematch of the Australian Open final.

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Sabalenka, of Belarus, triumphed in three sets for her first major title in Melbourne, pushing her career record against Rybakina to 4-0 before the 24-year-old from Kazakhstan won two straight, in the Indian Wells final in March and in the quarter-finals at Beijing last month. Sabalenka, who is one of several players who have complained about the condition of the court at this week's tournament, is not only gunning for the prestigious title.

She's also aiming to take the year-end number one ranking, which could still be claimed by Poland's reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek. Swiatek will be in action on Friday closing out group play against Ons Jabeur. US Open champion Coco Gauff takes on Marketa Vondrousova with all four players in that group still technically in the hunt for semi-final

American Jessica Pegula powered into the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Thursday, beating Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2 to complete an unbeaten run through the group stage.

American Jessica Pegula powered into the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Thursday, beating Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2 to complete an unbeaten run through the group stage. Pegula, the oldest player in the field at 29, had already clinched her spot in Saturday's semi-finals and Sakkari was already out of contention before the match on the Mexican outdoor hardcourts. World number one Aryna Sabalenka and fourth-ranked Elena Rybakina were fighting to move through as second in the group when their weather disrupted match was halted for the night with Sabalenka leading 6-2, 3-5. Rybakina will be serving to level the match when play resumes on Friday. Pegula, who went winless last year in her WTA Finals debut, seized control early, leading 4-1 in the opening set on the way to a dominant victory in difficult, windy conditions. She took full advantage of 35 unforced errors from Greece's Sakkari, including eight double faults, Pegula reaching the last four without dropping a set. Pegula was pleased to keep things rolling in the unfavorable conditions, saying she tried to play to the middle of the court and keep down mistakes. "It's so tough to play in these conditions," she told Tennis Channel. "You're trying to do your best and as soon as you get some momentum, you still feel like you could lose it. "If you just stop moving your feet for one second, you get one unlucky shot. So you're very on edge. "It was crazy out there today," added Pegula, the first American to reach the final four since Sloane Stephens made the final in Singapore in 2018. Pegula's brisk run through her group matches included an upset of Sabalenka, whose clash with Rybakina was a rematch of the Australian Open final. Also Read: NBA: Mark Cuban sells majority stake of Dallas Mavericks to Casino tycoon Miriam Adelson Sabalenka, of Belarus, triumphed in three sets for her first major title in Melbourne, pushing her career record against Rybakina to 4-0 before the 24-year-old from Kazakhstan won two straight, in the Indian Wells final in March and in the quarter-finals at Beijing last month. Sabalenka, who is one of several players who have complained about the condition of the court at this week's tournament, is not only gunning for the prestigious title. She's also aiming to take the year-end number one ranking, which could still be claimed by Poland's reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek. Swiatek will be in action on Friday closing out group play against Ons Jabeur. US Open champion Coco Gauff takes on Marketa Vondrousova with all four players in that group still technically in the hunt for semi-final

Tennis: American Jessica Pegula beats Maria Sakkari to complete unbeaten group stage run

Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek&nbsp;crashed out of the quarter-finals at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday, while Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari stormed into the semi-finals. Russia's Veronika Kudermetova, ranked 19th, served four aces and beat world number two Swiatek 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes.

"My service worked really well today," the 26-year-old said after the match.&nbsp;"In the last game, I tried to focus that I need to play point, I don't need to hit the ace and I just need to put the serve in and try to play a rally."

Kudermetova will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 86th, on Saturday. "It'll be an interesting and a very tough match," Kudermetova said. "I played worse," said Swiatek, who lost her number-one ranking at the US Open. "I know the mistakes I made... I know exactly how I should play differently so I'm not going to make these mistakes again," she said.

World number four Pegula of the United States beat 26-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, ranked 13th, 6-1, 6-0. "I thought I played a pretty flawless match. Played smart and played aggressive," Pegula said.

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She will face world number six Maria Sakkari in the semi-finals, who beat number 10 Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-2. Greece's Sakkari said she has played against Pegula many times and they know each other's game really well. "We never had an easy match. She's very solid and she's a fighter," the 28-year-old said. "It can be very tough but I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing."

Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title at the Guadalajara Open last week, where she beat Garcia in the semi-finals en route to lifting the trophy. She had come up empty in six finals since her breakthrough victory in Rabat in 2019. That included the Guadalajara final last year, when she lost to Jessica Pegula, and a loss to US Open champion Coco Gauff in the final of the Washington Open this year.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek crashed out of the quarter-finals at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday, while Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari stormed into the semi-finals.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek crashed out of the quarter-finals at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday, while Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari stormed into the semi-finals. Russia's Veronika Kudermetova, ranked 19th, served four aces and beat world number two Swiatek 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes. "My service worked really well today," the 26-year-old said after the match. "In the last game, I tried to focus that I need to play point, I don't need to hit the ace and I just need to put the serve in and try to play a rally." Kudermetova will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 86th, on Saturday. "It'll be an interesting and a very tough match," Kudermetova said. "I played worse," said Swiatek, who lost her number-one ranking at the US Open. "I know the mistakes I made... I know exactly how I should play differently so I'm not going to make these mistakes again," she said. World number four Pegula of the United States beat 26-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, ranked 13th, 6-1, 6-0. "I thought I played a pretty flawless match. Played smart and played aggressive," Pegula said. Also read: NFL: Spain, France and Brazil on radar as sites for future international games She will face world number six Maria Sakkari in the semi-finals, who beat number 10 Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-2. Greece's Sakkari said she has played against Pegula many times and they know each other's game really well. "We never had an easy match. She's very solid and she's a fighter," the 28-year-old said. "It can be very tough but I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing." Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title at the Guadalajara Open last week, where she beat Garcia in the semi-finals en route to lifting the trophy. She had come up empty in six finals since her breakthrough victory in Rabat in 2019. That included the Guadalajara final last year, when she lost to Jessica Pegula, and a loss to US Open champion Coco Gauff in the final of the Washington Open this year.

Maria Sakkari, Jessica Pegula reach Pan Pacific Open semi-finals as Iga Swiatek bows out

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title on Saturday, beating Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3 to win the 1000 level Guadalajara Open.

Greece's Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, had come up empty in six finals since her breakthrough victory in Rabat in 2019.

That included the Guadalajara final last year, when she lost to American Jessica Pegula, and a loss to Coco Gauff in the final at Washington this year.

An emotional Sakkari thanked her coach of five years, noting they'd waited "more than four years for a second title.

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"We've heard so many bad things - that I will never win a title, that I'm a top-five player with only winning one title, that was very hard for me to overcome," she said. "I'm so happy that I did it here this week."

The victory came less than a month after Sakkari was unceremoniously dumped from the first round of the US Open, her third straight first-round exit at a Grand Slam.

Sakkari had said at Flushing Meadows she was "suffering on the court" and was "uncertain" about what to do about it.

This week, however, Sakkari has looked in total command, becoming the first player this year to reach the final of a WTA 1000 event without dropping a set.

Sakkari ended a fairytale week for Dolehide, ranked 111th in the world and playing in her first career final.

Dolehide, who will rise to inside the top 50, came from a set down to beat Peyton Stearns in three tiebreaks in the first round, she beat eighth-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round and saved four match points in her quarter-final win over Martina Trevisan.

In her first career semi-final Dolehide defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

Dolehide demonstrated the same grit she'd shown all week when she clawed back an early break in the opening set to take a 5-4 lead.

But Sakkari won the next two games, taking advantage of one of Dolehide's six double faults to break for 6-5.

Down 0-30 in the next game, Sakkari battled back to take the set, and finally gained the upper hand in the second with a break for a 3-2 lead.

That proved to be enough, although there was a tense moment in the seventh game, when Sakkari's 40-0 lead evaporated before she steadied herself to take the game with her third ace of the contest.

She closed it out with one more break, converting her second match point.

When Dolehide's volley sailed long, Sakkari fell to the court and covered her face with her hands as the tears came.

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Second-seeded Maria Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title on Saturday, beating Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3 to win the 1000 level Guadalajara Open.

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title on Saturday, beating Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3 to win the 1000 level Guadalajara Open. Greece's Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, had come up empty in six finals since her breakthrough victory in Rabat in 2019. That included the Guadalajara final last year, when she lost to American Jessica Pegula, and a loss to Coco Gauff in the final at Washington this year. An emotional Sakkari thanked her coach of five years, noting they'd waited "more than four years for a second title. Also Read: Ten-man Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 to stay on top of Premier League "We've heard so many bad things - that I will never win a title, that I'm a top-five player with only winning one title, that was very hard for me to overcome," she said. "I'm so happy that I did it here this week." The victory came less than a month after Sakkari was unceremoniously dumped from the first round of the US Open, her third straight first-round exit at a Grand Slam. Sakkari had said at Flushing Meadows she was "suffering on the court" and was "uncertain" about what to do about it. This week, however, Sakkari has looked in total command, becoming the first player this year to reach the final of a WTA 1000 event without dropping a set. Sakkari ended a fairytale week for Dolehide, ranked 111th in the world and playing in her first career final. Dolehide, who will rise to inside the top 50, came from a set down to beat Peyton Stearns in three tiebreaks in the first round, she beat eighth-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round and saved four match points in her quarter-final win over Martina Trevisan. In her first career semi-final Dolehide defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. Dolehide demonstrated the same grit she'd shown all week when she clawed back an early break in the opening set to take a 5-4 lead. But Sakkari won the next two games, taking advantage of one of Dolehide's six double faults to break for 6-5. Down 0-30 in the next game, Sakkari battled back to take the set, and finally gained the upper hand in the second with a break for a 3-2 lead. That proved to be enough, although there was a tense moment in the seventh game, when Sakkari's 40-0 lead evaporated before she steadied herself to take the game with her third ace of the contest. She closed it out with one more break, converting her second match point. When Dolehide's volley sailed long, Sakkari fell to the court and covered her face with her hands as the tears came. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Maria Sakkari beats Caroline Dolehide in Guadalajara Open for second WTA title

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari beat third-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-0 on Friday to book a return trip to the Guadalajara WTA 1000 tournament, where she'll face first-time WTA finalist Caroline Dolehide.

Greece's Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, is in the Guadalajara final for the second straight year.

Last year she battled through a string of tough three-setters, but this year she hasn't dropped a set on the way to the final, where she'll be seeking her first title since Rabat in 2019.

A victory would be a late high note in an up-and-down season that included a first-round exit at the US Open last month.

"I said it the first day that I felt like this was the week," said Sakkari, who lost to Jessica Pegula in last year's final. "This is the place where I was going to overcome a lot of difficult obstacles and difficult emotions."

"I don't want to go back to the US Open because that's passed, but I'm just so happy to be back in the final, I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Sakkari had just three unforced errors in the opening set, breaking for a 3-1 lead as she took control.

She broke Garcia to open the second set in a game the French player led 40-15, and fought off three break points to push her lead to 4-0.

Sakkari had lost three of four prior meetings with France's Garcia, finally getting past her in Doha this year.

"The last match we played was one of the toughest matches in my career," Sakkari said. "My goal today was to smile, to enjoy, to come out here and have fun. Because those are the emotions that I haven't felt in a while.

"I'm going to have the same goal tomorrow," she said.

Dolehide, playing in her first WTA semi-final, booked her first title match with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over resurgent 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

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Dolehide rallied from a break down in each set to win the all-American semi, becoming the third unseeded finalist at a WTA 1000 event this year after Karolina Muchova in Cincinnati and Barbora Krejcikova in Dubai.

The 25-year-old ranked 111th in the world also became the second 1000-level finalist ranked outside the top 100 since the format was introduced in 2009.

Dolehide was down a break at 4-2 in the first set when she reeled off three straight games to take a 5-4 lead on the way to pocketing the set.

Trailing 3-1 in the second, Dolehide won five straight games for the victory, saving five break points in the final game before claiming the win on her first match point.

Dolehide's gritty victory follows a quarter-final win over Italian Martina Trevisan in which Dolehide saved four match points.

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Second-seeded Maria Sakkari beat third-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-0 on Friday to book a return trip to the Guadalajara WTA 1000 tournament, where she'll face first-time WTA finalist Caroline Dolehide.

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari beat third-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-0 on Friday to book a return trip to the Guadalajara WTA 1000 tournament, where she'll face first-time WTA finalist Caroline Dolehide. Greece's Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, is in the Guadalajara final for the second straight year. Last year she battled through a string of tough three-setters, but this year she hasn't dropped a set on the way to the final, where she'll be seeking her first title since Rabat in 2019. A victory would be a late high note in an up-and-down season that included a first-round exit at the US Open last month. "I said it the first day that I felt like this was the week," said Sakkari, who lost to Jessica Pegula in last year's final. "This is the place where I was going to overcome a lot of difficult obstacles and difficult emotions." "I don't want to go back to the US Open because that's passed, but I'm just so happy to be back in the final, I couldn't have asked for anything better." Sakkari had just three unforced errors in the opening set, breaking for a 3-1 lead as she took control. She broke Garcia to open the second set in a game the French player led 40-15, and fought off three break points to push her lead to 4-0. Sakkari had lost three of four prior meetings with France's Garcia, finally getting past her in Doha this year. "The last match we played was one of the toughest matches in my career," Sakkari said. "My goal today was to smile, to enjoy, to come out here and have fun. Because those are the emotions that I haven't felt in a while. "I'm going to have the same goal tomorrow," she said. Dolehide, playing in her first WTA semi-final, booked her first title match with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over resurgent 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. ALSO READ | IND vs AUS ODI Series: India draw first blood in Pre-World Cup showdown; Gill, Shami shine Dolehide rallied from a break down in each set to win the all-American semi, becoming the third unseeded finalist at a WTA 1000 event this year after Karolina Muchova in Cincinnati and Barbora Krejcikova in Dubai. The 25-year-old ranked 111th in the world also became the second 1000-level finalist ranked outside the top 100 since the format was introduced in 2009. Dolehide was down a break at 4-2 in the first set when she reeled off three straight games to take a 5-4 lead on the way to pocketing the set. Trailing 3-1 in the second, Dolehide won five straight games for the victory, saving five break points in the final game before claiming the win on her first match point. Dolehide's gritty victory follows a quarter-final win over Italian Martina Trevisan in which Dolehide saved four match points. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Second-seeded Maria Sakkari books Guadalajara WTA title clash with Caroline Dolehide

Aryna Sabalenka gave herself an early birthday gift by easing into the Madrid Open final for the second time in three years on Thursday.

The world number two turns 25 on Friday and the Belarusian celebrated in style by breezing past Greek world number nine Maria Sakkari, 6-4, 6-1.

Sabalenka, the 2021 champion in Madrid, will face either world number one Iga Swiatek or 13th-ranked Veronika Kudermetova in Saturday's championship match.

Reigning Australian Open champion Sabalenka will be chasing a fifth WTA 1000 title, a 13th career title overall and third in 2023.

On Thursday, she took her head-to-head record over Sakkari to 6-3.

From 3-3 in the opening set, Sabalenka won nine of the last 11 games including the last five.

Aslan Karatsev won the battle of the underdogs when he edged Zhang Zhizhen 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 to make the last four of the men's event.

Karatsev, the Russian ranked 121 in the world, had to come through qualifying in the Spanish capital.

Zhang, ranked 99, was the first Chinese player to make an ATP 1000 event last eight.

"I am happy with my condition. Back to the top level," Karatsev said. "Playing well and feeling well."

Between them the two men had knocked out six seeds to reach the quarter-finals with Karatsev dropping only one set in seven matches, as he eliminated second seed and compatriot Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16.

On Thursday, Karatsev kept his nerve better at key moments and saved all three break points he faced in the first set before winning the tie-break.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-unsurprised-by-the-approach-but-we-arent-tempted-alex-carey-plays-down-matching-engs-bazball-style-588795">Ashes: Unsurprised by the approach but we aren't tempted - Alex Carey plays down matching ENG's Bazball style</a>

He immediately broke in the opening game of the second set before going on to win in one hour and 40 minutes.

Karatsev, 29, reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2021 but had never previously made the last four in a Masters 1000 event.

He&nbsp;climbed to 14th in the rankings in early 2022 before sliding.

"I started the year inside the top 100, then I dropped and lost some matches. You have to keep going and believe," Karatsev said.

"From the qualifying, match by match, it has got harder, so mentally you have to be there more. Because your opponent doesn't give you any free points so you have to be there yourself. The important thing is now to recover well."

In the semi-finals, Karastev will face either world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas or 65th-ranked German Jan-Lennard Struff.

The other semi-final takes place on Friday when defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who will celebrate his 20th birthday, faces Borna Coric of Croatia.

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Aryna Sabalenka gave herself an early birthday gift by easing into the Madrid Open final for the second time in three years on Thursday. The world number two turns 25 on Friday and the Belarusian celebrated in style by breezing past Greek world number nine Maria Sakkari, 6-4, 6-1.

Aryna Sabalenka gave herself an early birthday gift by easing into the Madrid Open final for the second time in three years on Thursday. The world number two turns 25 on Friday and the Belarusian celebrated in style by breezing past Greek world number nine Maria Sakkari, 6-4, 6-1. Sabalenka, the 2021 champion in Madrid, will face either world number one Iga Swiatek or 13th-ranked Veronika Kudermetova in Saturday's championship match. Reigning Australian Open champion Sabalenka will be chasing a fifth WTA 1000 title, a 13th career title overall and third in 2023. On Thursday, she took her head-to-head record over Sakkari to 6-3. From 3-3 in the opening set, Sabalenka won nine of the last 11 games including the last five. Aslan Karatsev won the battle of the underdogs when he edged Zhang Zhizhen 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 to make the last four of the men's event. Karatsev, the Russian ranked 121 in the world, had to come through qualifying in the Spanish capital. Zhang, ranked 99, was the first Chinese player to make an ATP 1000 event last eight. "I am happy with my condition. Back to the top level," Karatsev said. "Playing well and feeling well." Between them the two men had knocked out six seeds to reach the quarter-finals with Karatsev dropping only one set in seven matches, as he eliminated second seed and compatriot Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16. On Thursday, Karatsev kept his nerve better at key moments and saved all three break points he faced in the first set before winning the tie-break. ALSO READ | Ashes: Unsurprised by the approach but we aren't tempted - Alex Carey plays down matching ENG's Bazball style He immediately broke in the opening game of the second set before going on to win in one hour and 40 minutes. Karatsev, 29, reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2021 but had never previously made the last four in a Masters 1000 event. He climbed to 14th in the rankings in early 2022 before sliding. "I started the year inside the top 100, then I dropped and lost some matches. You have to keep going and believe," Karatsev said. "From the qualifying, match by match, it has got harder, so mentally you have to be there more. Because your opponent doesn't give you any free points so you have to be there yourself. The important thing is now to recover well." In the semi-finals, Karastev will face either world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas or 65th-ranked German Jan-Lennard Struff. The other semi-final takes place on Friday when defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who will celebrate his 20th birthday, faces Borna Coric of Croatia. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Madrid Open: Aryna Sabalenka beats Maria Sakkari to enjoy early birthday present with final spot

Australian Open 2023 has been full of surprises, with most top seeds falling before even reaching the second week of the tournament. However, one rather bizarre connection has surprised the fans.

Australian Open 2023 has been full of surprises, with most top seeds falling before even reaching the second week of the tournament. However, one rather bizarre connection has surprised the fans. Netflix released the first part of its highly anticipated docuseries 'Break Point' earlier this month. However, every athlete to have been involved in the series has been knocked out of the tournament, leading the fans to believe that the 'Netflix curse' is real. Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime's fourth-round exit on Sunday meant that none of the players in the series had made it to the second week of the opening Grand Slam of the year. When quizzed if the 'Netflix curse' was real, Auger-Aliassime said, "I thought it was funny. Maybe the players that lost, maybe they do feel like it's connected, somehow. I don't think they do. I don't think it's connected, anyhow. It's funny how things work out sometimes." Read more: Australian Open: Andy Murray grinds down Kokkinakis in late-night epic The first five episodes of the series focus on the up-and-coming stars of the tennis world. The series attempts to create a narrative that these stars will be stepping out of the shadows of greats such as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams. Um. Felix Auger-Aliassime is out.#NetflixCurse #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/iDigzwLKRU — James Gray (@jamesgraysport) January 22, 2023 × However, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Matteo Berrettini, Ons Jabeur, Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Maria Sakkari - the ones to have appeared on the show have already been eliminated. Meanwhile, divisive Australian star Nick Kyrgios withdrew before the tournament began due to an injury. Ajla Tomljanovic and Paula Badosa were the other casualties to have not even made it to the court. Read more: Australian Open 2023: 'Devastated' Nick Kyrgios pulls out of the tournament due to injury Netizens had an amusing time as one said, "The Netflix Curse has been the best bit of the Australian Open to keep tabs on." Meanwhile, another drew comparisons with the first season of Drive to Survive by stating, "Same as DTS season 1, very few of the stars want to participate so the show gives a very flawed perception of who is capable of winning slams." The series is an attempt by the streaming giant to replicate the success of "F1: Drive to Survive". The Netflix docuseries took the world of F1 motorsports to households and the sport has seen a gigantic increase in popularity and audience. The makers of 'Break Point' used the same template where certain athletes are interviewed through the course of the episodes. The second part of the series drops in June. Read more: Another top seed casualty in Australian Open as Casper Ruud crashes in second round (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Netflix curse is real!': Netizens react after tennis players featuring in show crash out of Australian Open

Another obstacle on top seed Iga Swiatek`s path to a second French Open title was removed on Wednesday as fourth seed Maria Sakkari was knocked out 7-6(5) 7-6(4) by Czech Karolina Muchova in the second round at Roland Garros. Sakkari, a semi-finalist here last year, never found her groove on Court Suzanne Lenglen as her opponent, who reached the last four at the Australian Open last year, set up a meeting with American Amanda Anisimova.

The Greek is the latest casualty among the top seeds after Tunisia`s Ons Jabeur (6) and defending champion Barbora Krejcikova (2) were knocked out in the first round.

World number one and red hot favourite Swiatek and third seed Paula Badosa are the only two players from the top six left in the women`s draw.

"It`s very special. It was a big fight it was a big test for me, a challenge and I`m happy I won in two sets," said Muchova, whose last 12 months have been hampered by injuries.

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Sakkari, who had showed weaknesses in the first round against French hope Clara Burel, was outplayed initially and fell 5-2 down. Facing two set points at 40-15, she briefly found her range and her opponent got tight, allowing the Greek to reduce the arrears.

Serving for the set, Muchova then double-faulted twice as things went back on serve. Muchova wasted two more set points at 6-5 but she finally bagged the opener with a backhand winner in a tight tiebreak.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-jo-wilfried-tsonga-bids-tearful-farewell-to-18-year-long-career-after-first-round-exit-481993">French Open: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bids tearful farewell to 18-year-long career after first-round exit</a>

Sakkari dug deep in the second set to recover a break of serve for 4-4 and then saved break points with some powerful groundstrokes as the match headed into a second tiebreak.

Muchova opened a 3-0 lead in the tiebreak but got tight again, allowing her opponent to level for 4-4. 
She regained her poise, however, and wrapped up the win with a forehand winner.

Another obstacle on top seed Iga Swiatek`s path to a second French Open title was removed on Wednesday as fourth seed Maria Sakkari was knocked out 7-6(5) 7-6(4) by Czech Karolina Muchova in the second round at Roland Garros.

Another obstacle on top seed Iga Swiatek`s path to a second French Open title was removed on Wednesday as fourth seed Maria Sakkari was knocked out 7-6(5) 7-6(4) by Czech Karolina Muchova in the second round at Roland Garros. Sakkari, a semi-finalist here last year, never found her groove on Court Suzanne Lenglen as her opponent, who reached the last four at the Australian Open last year, set up a meeting with American Amanda Anisimova. The Greek is the latest casualty among the top seeds after Tunisia`s Ons Jabeur (6) and defending champion Barbora Krejcikova (2) were knocked out in the first round. World number one and red hot favourite Swiatek and third seed Paula Badosa are the only two players from the top six left in the women`s draw. "It`s very special. It was a big fight it was a big test for me, a challenge and I`m happy I won in two sets," said Muchova, whose last 12 months have been hampered by injuries. Also Read: Emma Raducanu's French Open campaign cut-short after loss to Aliaksandra Sasnovich Sakkari, who had showed weaknesses in the first round against French hope Clara Burel, was outplayed initially and fell 5-2 down. Facing two set points at 40-15, she briefly found her range and her opponent got tight, allowing the Greek to reduce the arrears. Serving for the set, Muchova then double-faulted twice as things went back on serve. Muchova wasted two more set points at 6-5 but she finally bagged the opener with a backhand winner in a tight tiebreak. Also Read: French Open: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bids tearful farewell to 18-year-long career after first-round exit Sakkari dug deep in the second set to recover a break of serve for 4-4 and then saved break points with some powerful groundstrokes as the match headed into a second tiebreak. Muchova opened a 3-0 lead in the tiebreak but got tight again, allowing her opponent to level for 4-4. She regained her poise, however, and wrapped up the win with a forehand winner.

French Open 2022: Road opens up for Iga Swiatek as Karolina Muchova defeats Maria Sakkari in 2nd round

Iga Swiatek of Poland defeated Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-4, 6-1 on Sunday to win the Indian Wells Open title and move up to number two in the Women's singles world rankings.

The 20-year-old Swiatek claimed six of those breaks including two in a one-sided second set, winning a second consecutive WTA 1000 title with a forehand winner.

Trailing 5-4 in the first set, Sakkari led 40-30 but sent two backhands into the net to give Swiatek a set point, which the Greek saved with a forehand winner.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/isl-final-2022-hyderabad-fc-hold-nerve-to-clinch-maiden-title-beat-kerala-blasters-on-penalty-shoot-out-464243">ISL final 2022: Hyderabad FC hold nerve to clinch maiden title, beat Kerala Blasters on penalty shoot-out</a>

The final got off to a sketchy start with four straight breaks of serve but Swiatek got the grip in the tricky conditions as she broke twice in the second game of the second set for a 5-1 lead.

She served out the match, winning on a forehand in the corner of the baseline.

With this win, Swiatek becomes the first woman to reach 20 match victories this season.

Former French Open champion Swiatek is the first Polish woman to claim the title at Indian Wells.

"At the beginning of the tournament, I wouldn't even think about winning, honestly, of course you have to believe in yourself, but I'm a realistic person," Iga Swiatek said in her post-match press conference.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-one-charles-leclerc-wins-season-opening-bahrain-gp-as-ferrari-finishes-1-2-464227">Formula One: Charles Leclerc wins season-opening Bahrain GP as Ferrari finishes 1-2</a>

"Winning after playing so well in Doha is giving me a lot of confidence and kind of belief that I can do it...I wouldn't think of myself as someone who's ready to play two tournaments in a row and win it. For sure hard work is paying off," said Swiatek.

"[The World No.2 ranking is] pretty surreal for now. I have to look at it and I have to check the rankings by myself and just see it. Right now it's too surreal to describe it, honestly....But for sure I want to go higher because I feel like getting No. 1 is closer and closer," she added.

Iga Swiatek of Poland defeated Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-4, 6-1 on Sunday to win the Indian Wells Open title and move up to number two in the Women's singles world rankings.

Iga Swiatek of Poland defeated Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-4, 6-1 on Sunday to win the Indian Wells Open title and move up to number two in the Women's singles world rankings. The 20-year-old Swiatek claimed six of those breaks including two in a one-sided second set, winning a second consecutive WTA 1000 title with a forehand winner. Trailing 5-4 in the first set, Sakkari led 40-30 but sent two backhands into the net to give Swiatek a set point, which the Greek saved with a forehand winner. ALSO READ: ISL final 2022: Hyderabad FC hold nerve to clinch maiden title, beat Kerala Blasters on penalty shoot-out The final got off to a sketchy start with four straight breaks of serve but Swiatek got the grip in the tricky conditions as she broke twice in the second game of the second set for a 5-1 lead. She served out the match, winning on a forehand in the corner of the baseline. With this win, Swiatek becomes the first woman to reach 20 match victories this season. Former French Open champion Swiatek is the first Polish woman to claim the title at Indian Wells. "At the beginning of the tournament, I wouldn't even think about winning, honestly, of course you have to believe in yourself, but I'm a realistic person," Iga Swiatek said in her post-match press conference. ALSO READ: Formula One: Charles Leclerc wins season-opening Bahrain GP as Ferrari finishes 1-2 "Winning after playing so well in Doha is giving me a lot of confidence and kind of belief that I can do it...I wouldn't think of myself as someone who's ready to play two tournaments in a row and win it. For sure hard work is paying off," said Swiatek. "[The World No.2 ranking is] pretty surreal for now. I have to look at it and I have to check the rankings by myself and just see it. Right now it's too surreal to describe it, honestly....But for sure I want to go higher because I feel like getting No. 1 is closer and closer," she added.

Indian Wells: Iga Swiatek beats Maria Sakkari to claim WTA 1000 title, becomes world no. 2

Maria Sakkari knocked out reigning champion Paula Badosa in Friday's Indian Wells semi-finals and will take on Iga Swiatek in the title decider after the world number four fought back from a break down in each set to overpower Simona Halep.

Sakkari, who had won only two of her last 14 semi-finals, broke down in tears after reaching the biggest title match of her career following a 6-2 4-6 6-1 win over Spain's Badosa in the California desert.

"I work my entire life to get to this, to the late stages of the tournaments. It means a lot to me," said Sakkari, who is ranked sixth in the world.

The 26-year-old powered through the opening set with ease but lost momentum in the second before rediscovering her first-set level and cruising to a nerveless conclusion, hitting 28 winners in total.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-wells-world-no-4-iga-swiatek-beats-romanias-simona-halep-to-book-final-berth-463662">Indian Wells: World No. 4 Iga Swiatek beats Simona Halep to book final berth</a>

Sakkari will take on Swiatek in Sunday's final after the Pole notched a 7-6(6) 6-4 win over Halep in just under two hours to extend her winning streak to 10 matches and reach her second straight final having won the WTA 1000 title in Doha last month.

"I know Iga really well... She's an unbelievable player," Sakkari added. "I respect her a lot and I admire her game. It`s just going to be an unbelievable fight for both of us and a very tough match for both of us."

Former French Open champion Swiatek prevailed in a topsy-turvy first set, saving two set points in the tiebreaker and hitting 19 winners to Halep's five to close out the opener.

Halep, a two-time Grand Slam winner, swung the momentum back in her favour in the second set but was unable to fight past the 20-year-old Swiatek, who rallied from 4-2 down before winning 16 of the final 21 points to seal the semi-final result.

After being pushed to three sets in her first three matches this week, Swiatek picked up her second straight-sets win in a row, following up her 6-1 6-0 dismissal of Madison Keys with victory over Halep.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-wells-andrey-rublev-eases-past-bulgarias-grigor-dimitrov-to-enter-semi-finals-463666">Indian Wells: Andrey Rublev eases past Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov to enter semi-finals</a>

"It is insane, honestly," Swiatek said, reflecting on her second straight final.

"At the beginning of the tournament, I wouldn't even think of it, especially after winning in Doha ... It's really over my expectations so I'm really happy."

"In my previous matches against Simona, I always felt like I had nothing to lose because I was always not the favourite, but this one, I felt like my ranking is higher and obviously I've been playing well."

"It was stressful for sure but I wanted to fight until the end and be mentally stronger because Simona is a really strong player, mentally. She's not giving up so I wanted to do that better. I'm pretty proud that I did that."

Maria Sakkari knocked out reigning champion Paula Badosa in Friday's Indian Wells semi-finals and will take on Iga Swiatek in the title decider after the world number four fought back from a break down in each set to overpower Simona Halep.

Maria Sakkari knocked out reigning champion Paula Badosa in Friday's Indian Wells semi-finals and will take on Iga Swiatek in the title decider after the world number four fought back from a break down in each set to overpower Simona Halep. Sakkari, who had won only two of her last 14 semi-finals, broke down in tears after reaching the biggest title match of her career following a 6-2 4-6 6-1 win over Spain's Badosa in the California desert. "I work my entire life to get to this, to the late stages of the tournaments. It means a lot to me," said Sakkari, who is ranked sixth in the world. The 26-year-old powered through the opening set with ease but lost momentum in the second before rediscovering her first-set level and cruising to a nerveless conclusion, hitting 28 winners in total. ALSO READ: Indian Wells: World No. 4 Iga Swiatek beats Simona Halep to book final berth Sakkari will take on Swiatek in Sunday's final after the Pole notched a 7-6(6) 6-4 win over Halep in just under two hours to extend her winning streak to 10 matches and reach her second straight final having won the WTA 1000 title in Doha last month. "I know Iga really well... She's an unbelievable player," Sakkari added. "I respect her a lot and I admire her game. It`s just going to be an unbelievable fight for both of us and a very tough match for both of us." Former French Open champion Swiatek prevailed in a topsy-turvy first set, saving two set points in the tiebreaker and hitting 19 winners to Halep's five to close out the opener. Halep, a two-time Grand Slam winner, swung the momentum back in her favour in the second set but was unable to fight past the 20-year-old Swiatek, who rallied from 4-2 down before winning 16 of the final 21 points to seal the semi-final result. After being pushed to three sets in her first three matches this week, Swiatek picked up her second straight-sets win in a row, following up her 6-1 6-0 dismissal of Madison Keys with victory over Halep. ALSO READ: Indian Wells: Andrey Rublev eases past Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov to enter semi-finals "It is insane, honestly," Swiatek said, reflecting on her second straight final. "At the beginning of the tournament, I wouldn't even think of it, especially after winning in Doha ... It's really over my expectations so I'm really happy." "In my previous matches against Simona, I always felt like I had nothing to lose because I was always not the favourite, but this one, I felt like my ranking is higher and obviously I've been playing well." "It was stressful for sure but I wanted to fight until the end and be mentally stronger because Simona is a really strong player, mentally. She's not giving up so I wanted to do that better. I'm pretty proud that I did that."

Indian Wells: Maria Sakkari knocks out defending champion Paula Badosa to book final date with Iga Swiatek

Jessica Pegula rekindled her love affair with Melbourne Park on Sunday by dumping Greek fifth seed Maria Sakkari out of the Australian Open 7-6(0) 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals for a second straight year.

Under a blazing sun at Margaret Court Arena, Pegula`s stonewall defence left the hard-hitting Sakkari a hot mess and the American only grew in confidence as the match went on.

Beaten by compatriot Jennifer Brady in last year`s quarters, 21st seed Pegula will have a chance to break new personal ground when she plays top seed Ash Barty or fellow American Amanda Anisimova in her next match.

With Madison Keys also reaching the last eight, the United States will again be well represented in the second week at Melbourne Park after having three quarter-finalists last year.

Reach Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/denis-shapovalov-sends-third-seed-alexander-zverev-crashing-out-of-australian-open-2022-446853">Denis Shapovalov sends third seed Alexander Zverev crashing out of Australian Open 2022</a>

"I think we all root for each other," Pegula told reporters. 
"It`s cool to see. You love to see Americans do well."

Having never reached the second week of another Grand Slam, Pegula has again found a spark on Melbourne`s blue hardcourts. 
She stayed firm as the aggressive Sakkari broke back twice in the first set only for the Greek to crumble in the tiebreak, losing seven straight points.

From there Pegula went on the offensive, swinging hard at the Greek`s serve and was rewarded with an early break. Sakkari battled to save a match point as Pegula served out but sent a defensive backhand wide to concede the match.

Pegula, whose billionaire parents own Buffalo`s NFL and NHL franchises, will be able to watch the Bills` NFL divisional playoff against the Kansas City Chiefs during her rest day on Monday, due to the timezone.

"It`s nice that everyone is fired up about me winning and fired up about the game," she said. "It makes it really fun." 
Greek trailblazer Sakkari rued a chance gone begging, having made the semi-finals of the French Open and U.S. Open last year in a breakout season.

She said she struggled in the heat and complained that the court was "dirty". 
"There were strings on the back of the court. There were flies from last night. I think the dirt always makes the court 
quicker," she said. 
"I was actually surprised. Maybe they tried to clean it but they didn`t have the time."

Jessica Pegula rekindled her love affair with Melbourne Park on Sunday by dumping Greek fifth seed Maria Sakkari out of the Australian Open 7-6(0) 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals for a second straight year.

Jessica Pegula rekindled her love affair with Melbourne Park on Sunday by dumping Greek fifth seed Maria Sakkari out of the Australian Open 7-6(0) 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals for a second straight year. Under a blazing sun at Margaret Court Arena, Pegula`s stonewall defence left the hard-hitting Sakkari a hot mess and the American only grew in confidence as the match went on. Beaten by compatriot Jennifer Brady in last year`s quarters, 21st seed Pegula will have a chance to break new personal ground when she plays top seed Ash Barty or fellow American Amanda Anisimova in her next match. With Madison Keys also reaching the last eight, the United States will again be well represented in the second week at Melbourne Park after having three quarter-finalists last year. Reach Also | Denis Shapovalov sends third seed Alexander Zverev crashing out of Australian Open 2022 "I think we all root for each other," Pegula told reporters. "It`s cool to see. You love to see Americans do well." Having never reached the second week of another Grand Slam, Pegula has again found a spark on Melbourne`s blue hardcourts. She stayed firm as the aggressive Sakkari broke back twice in the first set only for the Greek to crumble in the tiebreak, losing seven straight points. From there Pegula went on the offensive, swinging hard at the Greek`s serve and was rewarded with an early break. Sakkari battled to save a match point as Pegula served out but sent a defensive backhand wide to concede the match. Pegula, whose billionaire parents own Buffalo`s NFL and NHL franchises, will be able to watch the Bills` NFL divisional playoff against the Kansas City Chiefs during her rest day on Monday, due to the timezone. "It`s nice that everyone is fired up about me winning and fired up about the game," she said. "It makes it really fun." Greek trailblazer Sakkari rued a chance gone begging, having made the semi-finals of the French Open and U.S. Open last year in a breakout season. She said she struggled in the heat and complained that the court was "dirty". "There were strings on the back of the court. There were flies from last night. I think the dirt always makes the court quicker," she said. "I was actually surprised. Maybe they tried to clean it but they didn`t have the time."

Australian Open: Jessica Pegula rekindles love affair at Melbourne Park to reach quarterfinals

2019 champion Bianca Andreescu withstood a strong charge from American Alison Riske to win 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 and advance to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday.

Andreescu, 21, remains unbeaten in eight career matches at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Canadian now moves on to face 18th seed Anett Kontaveit, who advanced via walkover against Italy`s Martina Trevisan. Andreescu is winless in two previous encounters with the Estonian, including a 6-3, 6-3 loss earlier this year in the Round of 16 at Eastbourne.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-open-champion-emma-raducanu-sent-packing-by-world-no-100-at-indian-wells-419363">US Open champion Emma Raducanu sent packing by world No. 100 at Indian Wells</a>

Top seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic powered her way into the third round, smacking six aces and winning 79 per cent of her first-serve points (30 of 38) in a 7-5, 6-2 win over Poland`s Magdalena Frech.

Earlier in the day, two-time Slam champ Garbine Muguruza became a high-profile upset victim. The Spaniard fell to 47th-ranked Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, in one hour and 52 minutes. Muguruza, ranked No. 6, was coming off her second title of the year in Chicago, but couldn`t solve Tomljanovic at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. It marked Tomljanovic`s first Top-10 win of the year.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lost-and-found-andy-murrays-wedding-ring-remains-in-headline-as-he-reaches-second-round-at-indian-wells-419418">Lost and found: Andy Murray's wedding ring remains in headline as he reaches second round at Indian Wells</a>

Making her much-anticipated tournament debut, 17-year-old Coco Gauff battled past Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia in three sets, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-1, in two hours and 10 minutes in Stadium 1. Elsewhere, world No.46 Viktorija Golubic`s stellar 2021 season continued at Indian Wells, where the Swiss put on an all-court clinic to upset World No.9 Maria Sakkari, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the third round.

No.10 seed Angelique Kerber of Germany had to battle to the bitter end before edging Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-7(4), 7-5, and advancing into the third round after two-and-a-half hours of gripping play.

2019 champion Bianca Andreescu withstood a strong charge from American Alison Riske to win 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 and advance to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday.

2019 champion Bianca Andreescu withstood a strong charge from American Alison Riske to win 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 and advance to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday. Andreescu, 21, remains unbeaten in eight career matches at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Canadian now moves on to face 18th seed Anett Kontaveit, who advanced via walkover against Italy`s Martina Trevisan. Andreescu is winless in two previous encounters with the Estonian, including a 6-3, 6-3 loss earlier this year in the Round of 16 at Eastbourne. ALSO READ: US Open champion Emma Raducanu sent packing by world No. 100 at Indian Wells Top seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic powered her way into the third round, smacking six aces and winning 79 per cent of her first-serve points (30 of 38) in a 7-5, 6-2 win over Poland`s Magdalena Frech. Earlier in the day, two-time Slam champ Garbine Muguruza became a high-profile upset victim. The Spaniard fell to 47th-ranked Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, in one hour and 52 minutes. Muguruza, ranked No. 6, was coming off her second title of the year in Chicago, but couldn`t solve Tomljanovic at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. It marked Tomljanovic`s first Top-10 win of the year. ALSO READ: Lost and found: Andy Murray's wedding ring remains in headline as he reaches second round at Indian Wells Making her much-anticipated tournament debut, 17-year-old Coco Gauff battled past Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia in three sets, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-1, in two hours and 10 minutes in Stadium 1. Elsewhere, world No.46 Viktorija Golubic`s stellar 2021 season continued at Indian Wells, where the Swiss put on an all-court clinic to upset World No.9 Maria Sakkari, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the third round. No.10 seed Angelique Kerber of Germany had to battle to the bitter end before edging Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-7(4), 7-5, and advancing into the third round after two-and-a-half hours of gripping play.

Indian Wells: Bianca Andreescu, Karolina Pliskova advance; Garbine Muguruza, Maria Sakkari suffer upset

For a brief moment, an exhausted Barbora Krejcikova thought she had booked her place in the French Open final and she raised her arms in triumph. Unfortunately for the Czech, an incorrect line call by the umpire on match point put her celebrations on ice and she quickly realized that she had to do it all over again.

At 7-8, 30-40 in the decider of her semi-final against Maria Sakkari, the Greek hit a forehand that was called long by the line judge, only for the chair umpire to check the mark and call it in.

With the contest swinging wildly from one player to another, the momentum could have tilted back Sakkari's way.

TV replays showed that the ball was actually out and Krejcikova, who is bidding to become the first Czech woman to win the title at Roland Garros since Hana Mandlikova in 1981, then saw off a game point before wrapping it up on her next, and

fifth, match point for a 7-5 4-6 9-7 victory.

She could easily have lost her composure after the umpire's decision to rule the ball in, but Krejcikova barely protested.

While players at the other three Grand Slams can challenge line calls by using Hawk-Eye, with some slams relying on the system to make all line calls, Roland Garros organizers have adamantly refused to introduce the ball-tracking technology at the claycourt major.

Their argument has always been that umpires can easily spot the dent left by the balls to decide close calls. On Thursday, however, that could have cost Krejcikova a place in the final.

"No Hawk-Eye on clay, it's difficult. I mean, sometimes it's a help, sometimes it doesn't. I don't know. It's very difficult," said world number 33 Krejcikova.

"At that moment I was just like, 'Well, it's out, but what can you do?' The chair umpire, he has seen it as in. What can I do? I cannot do anything about it. I cannot call anyone, change his decision.

"I was like... it's fine. Doesn't matter. Just let's go."

Krejcikova, who will face Russian 31st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Saturday, six years after fellow Czech Lucie Safarova reached the final, quickly recovered her focus.

"You just have to put everything together and just keep working, next one, next one, next one," she explained.

The 25-year-old was also at a point where she felt simply being on the court in such a match was enough and said she would have been proud of herself even if she had lost.

"I always wanted to play matches like this. I always wanted to play tournaments like this, big tournaments, big opponents, last rounds. It was always something that I wanted to achieve. It was just taking so long," she said.

"It just took me some time, but I think right now it's actually the right moment. Especially mentally I think I'm just there. I really matured. I just really appreciate things a lot, especially after what I've gone through, also with this pandemic and everything."

For a brief moment, an exhausted Barbora Krejcikova thought she had booked her place in the French Open final and she raised her arms in triumph. Unfortunately for the Czech, an incorrect line call by the umpire on match point put her celebrations on ice and she quickly realized that she had to do it all over again.

For a brief moment, an exhausted Barbora Krejcikova thought she had booked her place in the French Open final and she raised her arms in triumph. Unfortunately for the Czech, an incorrect line call by the umpire on match point put her celebrations on ice and she quickly realized that she had to do it all over again. At 7-8, 30-40 in the decider of her semi-final against Maria Sakkari, the Greek hit a forehand that was called long by the line judge, only for the chair umpire to check the mark and call it in. With the contest swinging wildly from one player to another, the momentum could have tilted back Sakkari's way. TV replays showed that the ball was actually out and Krejcikova, who is bidding to become the first Czech woman to win the title at Roland Garros since Hana Mandlikova in 1981, then saw off a game point before wrapping it up on her next, and fifth, match point for a 7-5 4-6 9-7 victory. She could easily have lost her composure after the umpire's decision to rule the ball in, but Krejcikova barely protested. While players at the other three Grand Slams can challenge line calls by using Hawk-Eye, with some slams relying on the system to make all line calls, Roland Garros organizers have adamantly refused to introduce the ball-tracking technology at the claycourt major. Their argument has always been that umpires can easily spot the dent left by the balls to decide close calls. On Thursday, however, that could have cost Krejcikova a place in the final. "No Hawk-Eye on clay, it's difficult. I mean, sometimes it's a help, sometimes it doesn't. I don't know. It's very difficult," said world number 33 Krejcikova. "At that moment I was just like, 'Well, it's out, but what can you do?' The chair umpire, he has seen it as in. What can I do? I cannot do anything about it. I cannot call anyone, change his decision. "I was like... it's fine. Doesn't matter. Just let's go." Krejcikova, who will face Russian 31st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Saturday, six years after fellow Czech Lucie Safarova reached the final, quickly recovered her focus. "You just have to put everything together and just keep working, next one, next one, next one," she explained. The 25-year-old was also at a point where she felt simply being on the court in such a match was enough and said she would have been proud of herself even if she had lost. "I always wanted to play matches like this. I always wanted to play tournaments like this, big tournaments, big opponents, last rounds. It was always something that I wanted to achieve. It was just taking so long," she said. "It just took me some time, but I think right now it's actually the right moment. Especially mentally I think I'm just there. I really matured. I just really appreciate things a lot, especially after what I've gone through, also with this pandemic and everything."

French Open: 'Just fight, fight, fight until the last point': Barbora Krejcikova

Maria Sakkari stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek to become the first Greek woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open on Wednesday as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal closed in on another blockbuster clash.

World number 18 Sakkari triumphed 6-4, 6-4 over Polish eighth seed Swiatek and will face 33rd-ranked Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic for a place in the final.

Thursday's other semi-final sees Russian 31st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova tackle unseeded Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia.

For the first time in the Open era, the French Open semi-finals will feature four women who have never previously got this far at the Slams.

"I am speechless. It is a dream coming true. It's a very nice feeling and I could not have done it without my team and their support," said the 25-year-old Sakkari.

"We have a long way to go but we made a huge step today."

Swiatek had gone into the match on the back of 22 consecutive sets won at the French Open but her challenge was hobbled by a right thigh injury which needed taping during a medical timeout early in the second set.

Her defeat means that Justine Henin remains the last player to defend the women's title in Paris in 2007.

Greece will have two players in the semi-finals this year after Stefanos Tsitsipas made it to the last four on Tuesday.

Krejcikova knocked out American 17-year-old Coco Gauff 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 after saving five set points in the opener and then needing six match points to finish the job.

Gauff, the 24th seed and the youngest quarter-finalist at a major in 15 years, was undone by seven double faults and 41 unforced errors.

"I never really imagined I'd be standing here one day on this court, especially in singles, and being able to win," said Krejcikova, who had been so paralysed by fear before her last 16 victory over Sloane Stephens that she locked herself in a stadium office and wept.

Krejcikova, now on a 10-match winning streak, is having a busy week. She is also in the semi-finals of the women's doubles.

<h2>- Djokovic, Nadal on collision course&nbsp;</h2>

Later Wednesday, world number one Djokovic, the 2016 champion, and an 18-time Grand Slam title winner, faces Italian ninth seed Matteo Berrettini.

Victory would put the Serb into the semi-finals in Paris for the 11th time and only two wins away from becoming only the third man in history to win all four majors twice.

Djokovic had to dig deep against another Italian to guarantee his passage to a 15th quarter-final in Paris.

He was given a huge scare when 19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti raced into a two sets lead before running out of steam and quitting in the fifth.

"Berrettini has a big serve, big forehand. Two big weapons. He's in form," said Djokovic who defeated the Italian in their only previous meeting at the 2019 ATP Tour finals.

Djokovic will be into a 40th Grand Slam semi-final if he succeeds where Nadal could be waiting.

Berrettini has been solid on clay this year, finishing runner-up in Belgrade and Madrid but the highest-ranked player he has faced in Paris is world number 91 Kwon Soon-woo, his third round opponent.

He arrives fresher than Djokovic have been given a walkover into the last eight when Roger Federer withdrew from the tournament.

Nadal, who is bidding to capture a 14th Roland Garros and record-setting 21st major, is on a run of 35 consecutive winning sets at the French Open.

The reigning champion meets Argentine 10th seed Diego Schwartzman.

Nadal boasts a 10-1 record over Schwartzman, including a straight sets win in the semi-finals of last year's delayed French Open.

A victory for Nadal would put him into the last four at a Slam for the 35th time.

Meanwhile, the latest easing of Covid-19 restrictions in France from Wednesday and a later curfew from 11pm means a rise in the number of spectators at Roland Garros.

The final evening session of the tournament will have spectators for the first time with 5,000 fans able to watch the Djokovic-Berrettini quarter-final.&nbsp;

Maria Sakkari stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek to become the first Greek woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open on Wednesday as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal closed in on another blockbuster clash.

Maria Sakkari stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek to become the first Greek woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open on Wednesday as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal closed in on another blockbuster clash. World number 18 Sakkari triumphed 6-4, 6-4 over Polish eighth seed Swiatek and will face 33rd-ranked Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic for a place in the final. Thursday's other semi-final sees Russian 31st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova tackle unseeded Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia. For the first time in the Open era, the French Open semi-finals will feature four women who have never previously got this far at the Slams. "I am speechless. It is a dream coming true. It's a very nice feeling and I could not have done it without my team and their support," said the 25-year-old Sakkari. "We have a long way to go but we made a huge step today." Swiatek had gone into the match on the back of 22 consecutive sets won at the French Open but her challenge was hobbled by a right thigh injury which needed taping during a medical timeout early in the second set. Her defeat means that Justine Henin remains the last player to defend the women's title in Paris in 2007. Greece will have two players in the semi-finals this year after Stefanos Tsitsipas made it to the last four on Tuesday. Krejcikova knocked out American 17-year-old Coco Gauff 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 after saving five set points in the opener and then needing six match points to finish the job. Gauff, the 24th seed and the youngest quarter-finalist at a major in 15 years, was undone by seven double faults and 41 unforced errors. "I never really imagined I'd be standing here one day on this court, especially in singles, and being able to win," said Krejcikova, who had been so paralysed by fear before her last 16 victory over Sloane Stephens that she locked herself in a stadium office and wept. Krejcikova, now on a 10-match winning streak, is having a busy week. She is also in the semi-finals of the women's doubles. - Djokovic, Nadal on collision course Later Wednesday, world number one Djokovic, the 2016 champion, and an 18-time Grand Slam title winner, faces Italian ninth seed Matteo Berrettini. Victory would put the Serb into the semi-finals in Paris for the 11th time and only two wins away from becoming only the third man in history to win all four majors twice. Djokovic had to dig deep against another Italian to guarantee his passage to a 15th quarter-final in Paris. He was given a huge scare when 19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti raced into a two sets lead before running out of steam and quitting in the fifth. "Berrettini has a big serve, big forehand. Two big weapons. He's in form," said Djokovic who defeated the Italian in their only previous meeting at the 2019 ATP Tour finals. Djokovic will be into a 40th Grand Slam semi-final if he succeeds where Nadal could be waiting. Berrettini has been solid on clay this year, finishing runner-up in Belgrade and Madrid but the highest-ranked player he has faced in Paris is world number 91 Kwon Soon-woo, his third round opponent. He arrives fresher than Djokovic have been given a walkover into the last eight when Roger Federer withdrew from the tournament. Nadal, who is bidding to capture a 14th Roland Garros and record-setting 21st major, is on a run of 35 consecutive winning sets at the French Open. The reigning champion meets Argentine 10th seed Diego Schwartzman. Nadal boasts a 10-1 record over Schwartzman, including a straight sets win in the semi-finals of last year's delayed French Open. A victory for Nadal would put him into the last four at a Slam for the 35th time. Meanwhile, the latest easing of Covid-19 restrictions in France from Wednesday and a later curfew from 11pm means a rise in the number of spectators at Roland Garros. The final evening session of the tournament will have spectators for the first time with 5,000 fans able to watch the Djokovic-Berrettini quarter-final.

Tennis: Sakkari, Krejcikova into French Open last four as Djokovic, Nadal eye blockbuster

Former world number-1&nbsp;Karolina Pliskova, 26, repeatedly hit the umpire's chair with her racket after losing her match to&nbsp;Maria Sakkari in the second round&nbsp;of the Italian Open surprising everyone in the crowd since the Czech player has no history of misbehaviour.

Greece's Maria Sakkari defeated Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the WTA Italian Open, out of frustration, Pliskova furiously hammered the umpire's chair with her racket.

In the third set with the sixth-seeded Czech serving 6-3, 3-6, 5-5 (30/30) she had an overhead shot incorrectly ruled out and both the line judge and the umpire said they could not find the mark.

After vehemently arguing with the umpire to no avail Pliskova&nbsp;became furious as 42nd-ranked Sakkari was given the advantage and also a breakpoint at a crucial stage of the match.&nbsp;

Karolina Pliskova behaviour could attract a heavy penalty even the WTA hasn't announced its decision as yet.

Watch the video here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Holy moly Pliskova is the real MVP! Well done, she was right about that call! it was 10km in! <a href="https://t.co/YgJ5MHgmYo">pic.twitter.com/YgJ5MHgmYo</a>
— LorenaPopa? ??‍♀️ (@popalorena) <a href="https://twitter.com/popalorena/status/996735228394835969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Watch Pliskova arguing with the umpire:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
. Can totally understand her frustration. Here is the call... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wtaRome?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wtaRome</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pliskova?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pliskova</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sakkari?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sakkari</a> <a href="https://t.co/uDa04yt2O2">pic.twitter.com/uDa04yt2O2</a>
— Tennis/NBA (@BoomTSB) <a href="https://twitter.com/BoomTSB/status/996737622616805376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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For Sakkari it was the first top-five win of her career and she will face the winner of the second-round match between 11th seed Angelique Kerber of Germany and Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu.

Pliskova was furious when 42nd-ranked Sakkari was given the advantage and also a breakpoint at a crucial stage of the match

Former world number-1 Karolina Pliskova, 26, repeatedly hit the umpire's chair with her racket after losing her match to Maria Sakkari in the second round of the Italian Open surprising everyone in the crowd since the Czech player has no history of misbehaviour. Greece's Maria Sakkari defeated Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the WTA Italian Open, out of frustration, Pliskova furiously hammered the umpire's chair with her racket. In the third set with the sixth-seeded Czech serving 6-3, 3-6, 5-5 (30/30) she had an overhead shot incorrectly ruled out and both the line judge and the umpire said they could not find the mark. After vehemently arguing with the umpire to no avail Pliskova became furious as 42nd-ranked Sakkari was given the advantage and also a breakpoint at a crucial stage of the match. Karolina Pliskova behaviour could attract a heavy penalty even the WTA hasn't announced its decision as yet. Watch the video here: Holy moly Pliskova is the real MVP! Well done, she was right about that call! it was 10km in! pic.twitter.com/YgJ5MHgmYo — LorenaPopa? ??‍♀️ (@popalorena) May 16, 2018 × Watch Pliskova arguing with the umpire: . Can totally understand her frustration. Here is the call... #wtaRome #pliskova #sakkari pic.twitter.com/uDa04yt2O2 — Tennis/NBA (@BoomTSB) May 16, 2018 × For Sakkari it was the first top-five win of her career and she will face the winner of the second-round match between 11th seed Angelique Kerber of Germany and Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu.

Watch: Czech tennis player Pliskova 'smashes' umpire's chair

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