No. 1 seed Karolina Muchova has been through to the Linz semifinal after overcoming sixth-seeded Anastasia Potapova in three sets 6-3 3-6 6-3.
Through the first set and a half, the 2023 French Open runner-up appeared to be in control and it looked like she would get the job done in two sets.
But then, she failed to convert on some second-set chances and ended up finding herself in a decider.
However, Muchova kept her composure and delivered in the third set to book a semifinal ticket.
On Saturday, the Czech will battle against the winner of the match between Ekaterina Alexandrova and Petra Martic for a place in the final of the WTA 500 tournament in Linz.
How Muchova beat Potapova?
Early in the first set, the top seed missed out on a break point in the second game but also saved a break point in the fifth game.
Shortly after saving a break point, the Czech tennis star earned the first break of the match in the sixth game and that was enough for her to bag the first set.
Up by a set, Muchova also had a chance to go up by a break in the second set but didn’t realize any of her two consecutive break points in the fifth game.
The No. 1 seed paid the price for those missed opportunities as Potapova got her first break in the sixth game to open a 4-2 lead and then simply held on to her serve for the rest of the set to force a decider.
Anastasia Potapova© WTA Linz/Instagram – Fair Use
After a brief second-set collapse, the former world No. 8 bounced back by earning the first break of the third set in the fourth game.
Just as was the case in the first two sets, one break of serve was enough to seal the set for the player who got the break as Muchova completed her three-set win.
Tennis World USA