Svitolina on course for final showdown
The dream final is still on at the 2024 women’s ASB Classic.
It feels like second seed Elina Svitolina is the only player who can stop defending champion Coco Gauff — and that tantalising scenario remains a possibility, after Svitolina strolled through her quarter-final last night.
The popular Ukrainian destroyed Czech fifth seed Marie Bouzkova, taking only 65 minutes to seal the contest 6-0, 6-3.
There was only nine places between them in the rankings but a pronounced gulf on court, with Svitolina continuing the grand form she has displayed on her first visit to Auckland. The world No 25 has been in a rare groove, full of confidence and energy, after missing the last two months of 2023 with an injury.
She’ll be favoured in her semifinal today against world No 73 Xinyu Wang. The Chinese player has had a memorable week but might find it hard to live with Svitolina.
Wang will also have to recover from her own quarter-final, which stretched over three hours as she outlasted Frenchwoman Diane Parry 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4. However, Wang can’t be underestimated, with three career top-20 wins, including over Emma Raducanu.
World No 3 Gauff will be heavily favoured in the other semifinal against compatriot Emma Navarro (31) to make back-to-back finals here.
Svitolina started strongly last night. It was another late start — almost 10pm — but the Ukraine player showed no signs of fatigue after Thursday’s epic comeback win over Raducanu, one of the best matches in tournament history.
For Svitolina, the first set was beautiful. Bouzkova is a talent, with four wins over top-10 players, including Gauff in Rome last year, and she had beaten Svitolina once in their three previous meetings. But the world No 34 was stunned into submission.
Svitolina, wearing leggings and a long shirt, had the full repertoire, with beautiful timing, crisp power and great judgement. Her flat hitting was something to behold, especially off the backhand wing.
She had seven break opportunities, taking three, and her confidence was exhibited with a wonderful angled volley in the fifth game, after a precise drop shot, before she skipped away in delight. The first set was over in 25 minutes.
Bouzkova fought back, gaining an early break in the second set. But Svitolina fended off two break points at 1-3 down before reeling off four consecutive games.
“It was a great match for me, I wanted to really bring some great energy,” said Svitolina. “I’m happy that everything worked well for me and to get a win in straight sets was what I wanted.”
She admits she is feeling fatigue, after the long contests with Caroline Wozniacki and Raducanu.
“We try to do everything possible. I cannot say I’m fresh but the first tournament [of the year], it always takes a little more out of the body, and we are taking it one day at a time.”