Chiang serves up win to make semis
A BEAMING Yuki Kristina Chiang is hopeful her careerbest form will continue into today’s semi-finals at the Cairns Tennis International.
The young American had never reached a semi-final at a $25,000 tournament, with yesterday’s straight-sets victory over Yuuki Tanaka sending her into uncharted waters.
Tanaka, the Japanese sixth seed in Cairns this week, got the better of the match-up the last time the two met in a three-set contest and 22-yearold Chiang knew she needed to be at her best.
Tanaka made it a contest in the first set before Chiang, a right-hander, broke it open, winning 7-5 6-1.
“I served much better in the second set, bigger serves with better aim,” Chiang said.
“It was kind of windy out there so you can get a few kick with that.”
Second seed and defending champion in the Far North Olivia Rogowska now waits today for Chiang to reach her first decider.
“This is the last of the four tournaments before there is a couple of weeks’ break,” Chiang said.
“I do not think I was playing badly the other weeks but the results were just not showing.
“I am glad it is paying off in Cairns this week.”
Chiang said she had her eye on qualification for the Australian Open in a few months.
Rogowska booked her spot in the last four with a 6-4 6-0 victory over Australian Ellen Perez.
Rogowska, 26, has barely been troubled all week and looks a strong chance of making it two straight titles.
In the other quarter-finals yesterday, Papua New Guinea’s Abigail Tere-Apisah advanced past Ramu Ueda while Australian Naiktha Bains fell to Japan’s Erika Sema.
Tere-Apisah will play Sema today for a spot in tomorrow’s decider.