In today’s quarterfinals of the 2014 Nürnberger Versicherungscup, the German tournament lost its two remaining home stars – top seed Angelique Kerber and Mona Barthel – while Canadian second seed Eugenie Bouchard grabbed the last semifinal spot by winning two tiebreaks.
Angelique Kerber fell to Karolina Pliskova 7-6(5) 6-4, who recorded her first Top 10 victory. In the beginning of the match it looked as if it would be eighth Top 10 loss for the 64th-ranked Czech, as Kerber gave away just one of first 17 points. However, even that set wasn’t lost for Pliskova, who won it in a tiebreak and then in the second set full of breaks she held serve twice, while Kerber did it just once.
In tomorrow’s first semifinal on the schedule, Pliskova’s opponent will be fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, who downed Mona Barthel 6-4 6-4.
The second upset this Thursday was Karin Knapp‘s 6-7(9) 6-4 6-4 victory over seventh seed Caroline Garcia and it will be the Italian’s first appearance in the final four this year. Her opponent there will be Eugenie Bouchard, who overcame Yaroslava Shvedova in a two-setter decided in two tiebreaks, as both players converted two break points in the first set and three in the second, 7-6(3) 7-6(6).
Would this be Eugenie Bouchard chance at title? I like to think so! Who is left aren’t big guns in WTA
Dxana, but still it will not be an easy road. If Svitolina turns out to be her opponent in the final, Bouchard is 0-2 against her, on hard surface, but still. She beat her in two three-setters, Indian Wells 2013 and Miami 2014.
Well Eugenie will not have worried about Svitolina in the finals but I know she still might not win chance are much better now.