Barbora Krejcikova saves seven match points to reach Sydney Classic final
World number four Barbora Krejcikova saved seven match points to edge an epic third set tie break against Anett Kontaveit and storm into the Sydney Classic final on Friday.
Putting on a show 🎉@BKrejcikova advances to the #SydneyTennis final in spectacular fashion, saving SEVEN match-points along the way. pic.twitter.com/jGP7rGfzyW
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 14, 2022
The French Open champion looked out for the count when she lost the first set to love against the seventh-ranked Estonian, but re-focused to take the match into a deciding third.
It could have gone either way in a high-quality toe-to-toe encounter from two of last year’s most improved players, who signalled they will be a real threat at next week’s Australian Open.
BELIEVE!!!
🇨🇿 @BKrejcikova turns it around and clinches her spot in the final 🙌#SydneyTennis pic.twitter.com/zwTGAK9DQA
— wta (@WTA) January 14, 2022
But it was Krejcikova who eventually triumphed 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (14/12) after 2 hours and 30 minutes on her fifth match point, after saving seven, to prevent Kontaveit from reaching her fourth final in a row.
She will play either in-form 26th-ranked Russian Daria Kasatkina or Spain’s world number nine Paula Badosa in Saturday’s decider.