(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Elina Svitolina scored a noteworthy win for herself in her comeback journey on Friday. The Ukrainian upset sixth seed Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 6-4 in their quarter-final match at the Strasbourg International. Svitolina won 80% of her first-serve points and 60% of her second-serve points.
She also won 44% and 48% points on return on Gracheva’s first and second serves respectively. She faced only one break point and wasn’t able to save that either. She, however, converted four of five break points on her opponent’s serve.
This is the first time in over two years that Svitolina’s made it to the semi-finals of a WTA event. The last time she did so was in 2021, when she made it to the semi-final en route to lifting the Chicago Open title.
Strasbourg International: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova exits
In the semi-final, Svitolina will play Clara Burel. The Frenchwoman upset fourth seed Bernarda Pera 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in two hours and two minutes to advance to the semis.
Burel saved 11 of 16 break points she faced and converted six of 11 break points she had on the American’s serve. Burel won 59% of her first-serve points to Pera’s 54%. She also 52% of her second-serve points to the latter’s 55%.
Pera’s compatriot, seventh seed Lauren Davis put an end to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova’s good run in the French city. Davis came from a set down to oust Pavlyuchenkova, 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-0. Davis converted six break points on Pavlyuchenkova’s serve and saved five of nine break points she faced.
Three of these nine break points came in the deciding set and all of them were saved by Davis. Anna Blinkova will be the world no. 58’s opponent in the semi-finals of the Strasbourg International. Blinkova defeated Emma Navarro 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 40 minutes. This is the second semi-final for Blinkova in 2023, after the Hobart International in January.
