(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Beatriz Haddad Maia had made a comeback from a set down in her last two matches but Iga Swiatek stopped her on her tracks in their semi-final. The world no. 1 ended the run of the Brazilian 6-2, 7-6(7) after two hours and nine minutes of play.
The opening set went Swiatek’s way without much fuss although the 14th seed was the one who started off the proceedings with a break. It didn’t take long for Swiatek to get the break back and thereafter, Haddad Maia was able to win only one more game on her serve before the Pole ran away with the set, making it halfway to the final.
As in the first, it was once again Haddad Maia who got the break for herself in the second set, this time in the third game of the set. Although she was able to consolidate the break right away, a break back ensued in the sixth game after which the set remained on serve.
Swiatek did, however, face three more break points combined in the seventh and ninth games of the set. In the tie-break, too, the Brazilian held a set point at 6-5 but an unforced error erased it away. At 7-6, Swiatek brought up the first of the two match points but a winner from her opponent brought the tie-break on…
