Kontaveit into Stuttgart final without playing single semi-final point
If international tennis were a board game, then Estonian star Anett Kontaveit has landed on a ladder, rather than a snake, catapulting her into the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany.
Whereas two days ago, Kontaveit, 23, from Tallinn, was booking her place in the quarter finals with a straight sets win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, her progress on the clay courts at the Porsche Arena since then has become even more of a formality.
First, Kontaveit's quarter-finals opponent, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, ranked 61st in the world, had to drop out of the game in the third set, trailing three games to love, due to a shoulder injury. Azarenka had won the first set 7-5, only to lose the second to the Estonian (same scoreline), before the third set came to an abrupt end, BNS reports.
Konaveit was due to play none other than world number one Naomi Osaka of Japan. However, the latter withdrew from the tournament, giving the Estonian a bye into the final on Sunday, where she will meet either Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic), who defeated Kiki Bertens (Netherlands), 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-1 in the other semi-final Saturday.
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is an all-woman event, in its 42nd year this year.
Editor: Andrew Whyte
