At the Ladies Open Biel Bienne, seventeen-year-old qualifier Marketa Vondrousova first reached her first WTA quarterfinals by beating world No.60 Annika Beck and then backed up that victory with a 6-2 7-5 triumph over world No.58 Kristyna Pliskova, proving the wise decision of Czech Fed Cup captain Petr Pala to put the youngster in the defending champion’s squad against the United States in World Group semifinals.
After the quarterfinal win, Vondrousova, who converted five of 12 break points against the big-serving Pliskova, said that she didn’t even know she could play that good. Actually, Vondrousova first broke fellow Czech Pliskova in her opening service game.
Next up for the 233rd-ranked Vondrousova is another big challenge and another countrywoman, top seed Barbora Strycova, who advanced when Julia Goerges retired in the beginning of the third set of their encounter.
The other semifinal pair features Anett Kontaveit of Estonia, who defeated Belgium’s Elise Mertens 7-5 6-7(2) 6-1 in the quarterfinals, and qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus, who eliminated Italian Camila Giorgi 6-4 6-4.
To better remember the face of Marketa Vondrousova, visit our Thursday’s Biel gallery and photos from her upset of Annika Beck.
Czech alway have good tennis players.
Česi su uvek imali dobre teniserke.
Czech Republic is a powerhouse country and it shows on their players/talents. Marketa is a future Grand Slam champion for sure. She really transitioned well from Top Juniors play to WTA circuit.