Dubai loss ends Kerber’s number one dream Wozniacki to meet Svitolina in final
DUBAI: Angelique Kerber lost the chance to return to the top of the WTA rankings, after losing 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to Elina Svitolina on Friday in the Dubai Tennis Championships semifinals.
Had Kerber won the tournament, she would have retaken the world No.1 spot she held after winning the US Open in September, until Serena Williams wrestled it back in claiming Australian Open glory last month.
But Kerber, winner of two Grand Slams in 2016, fell victim to back problems during her match with Svitolina, who has now won her last three meetings with the 29-year-old German.
The top seed produced eight doublefaults and left the court for medical treatment when a set and a break down.
Her return produced some momentarily inspiring tennis, with two bouts of light rain adding to complications.
It finally took a winning second-set tiebreaker from Svitolina to end the drama, sending the challenger into a Saturday title showdown against Caroline Wozniacki, who reached her second final in as many weeks, beating Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-4.
Denmark’s former world No.1, currently 15th, took just 90 minutes to beat her Latvian opponent and move into the title match at the Aviation club.
Wozniacki lost to Czech Karolina Pliskova in the Doha final last weekend.
“It’s been a pretty good couple of weeks for me, I’m very happy with how I have been playing. Very happy how I have managed to get through these two weeks,” Wozniacki said.
“It’s been very tiring mentally. The fact that I have just been staying in there and keep grinding, I’m kind of proud of that.
“She definitely was a tricky opponent.pp I knew going into it that she was going to be difficult. She mixes the pace up. She really tries to break your rhythm. I was really pleased with how I was playing.g I tried to stay aggressivegg and tried to mix it up, as well.”
Nursing an aching right shoulder injury, Novak Djokovic planned to return to tennis at Indian Wells in the California desert. But the Serbian star changed his mind and accepted a wild card to play in the Acapulco tournament that starts Monday.
Djokovic, who earlier this month requiredq treatment in the shoulder after a four- set Davis Cup win over Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, joins a loaded field of six top- 10 players, tournament director Raul Zurutuza announced Thursday.
The 29- year- old Serbian Djokovic declined to play in Dubai, where he has played every year since 2007.
“Great news, you’ll see me back on court next week in Acapulco,” Djokovic said on Twitter. “Did you miss me?“
Besides Djokovic, the Mexican Open will feature Milos Raonic ( 4), Rafael Nadal ( 6), Marin Cilic ( 7), Dominic Thiem ( 8) and David Goffin ( 10). US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro also is playing.
“When we saw the chance we did not hesitate to offer an invitation. We knew it was tough, but we were gladly surprised when we got his answer,” Zurutuza said. “Novak is thrilled to come to Acapulco for the first time and to be a part of the best field in the tournament’s history.
“Having Nadal, Raonic, Cilic, Thiem, Goffin and now Djokovic makes us very proud, there are just of handful of tournaments in our category, that can brag about having six of the top 10 players in the world.”
Djokovic has played in only eight matches this season.
He opened the year beating Andy Murray for the Doha title, but then suffered and unexpected loss against Denis Istomin in the second round of the Australian Open.
His last match was on Feb. 3, against Medvedev in the first round of the Davis Cup.