Kontaveit advances in Sydney after opponent retirement
Estonian tennis player Anett Kontaveit is through to the semi-finals at the WTA Sydney Tennis Classic after her close friend Ons Jabeur retired after the first set of their quarter-final match-up on Wednesday.
After almost an hour of action, the Tunisian player took a medical time-out for a back injury, but it was clear she could not continue, especially ahead of the Australian Open. Kontaveit won the opening set 6:4 and then advanced after an opponent retirement.
"I really hope that Ons [Jabeur] is going to be fine for next week and that it's nothing too serious," Kontaveit said post-match, according to WTAtennis.com. "The first set was really competitive and we've had some tough matches before, but she's always come on top. I was really happy to get the set and that I was playing the way I was playing."
Get well @Ons_Jabeur ❤️ https://t.co/9S2FjwaGTR
— Anett Kontaveit (@AnettKontaveit_) January 13, 2022
Kontaveit will meet Czech player Barbora Krejcikova, who is ranked third in the world, in the semi-final after the Czech beat Caroline Garcia in straight sets in their quarter-final match. The Estonian defeated Krejcikova in their most recent match-up at the season-ending showcase tournament in Mexico.
It's definitely going to be a tough match. She is playing great. She has had good wins. The season is so early on. Last time we played was the end of the season. It was different conditions, of course," Kontaveit said of the upcoming match, adding that she is looking forward to the challenge.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste