Get Guardian on GoogleSerena Williams defeated Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, 6/3; 6/1 to reach the finals in which she will face Canada’s Bianca Andreescu who outlasted Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 7/6 (3); 7/5.
Serena lost the first two points on serve in the opening game. From 15-40, her first ace cancelled the threat and she took the 6-minute game. In the same fashion, Svitolina battled for nine minutes before conceding the break for a 2-0 Serena lead. Thereafter, only the fifth eighth games got to deuce. Serving for the first set, Serena lost the first point but took four straight points to win 6/3.
Svitolina held serve at love to start the second set but Serena leveled and broke Svitolina’s serve in the third game and won three straight games to lead 5-1. Serving to save the match, Svitolina lost the first point and a Serena winner brought up a match point that Serena lost. At deuce, Elina had advantage point but Serena cancelled it and took the set 6/1.
Bianca won the toss and elected to receive and her opponent held at love. Bianca hit an ace on her very first serve and won the game without dropping a point. It was the pattern for the rest of the match. In the fourth game, Bianca survived two break threats before holding serve. She came from behind to win the sixth and tenth games.
The set was decided in a tie breaker in which Bianca won four straight points and the set 7/6. In the second set, Bianca lost her serve in the opening game of the second set while Belinda held serve to lead 2-0. After taking the third game, Bianca lost a long service game to give Belinda a 5-2 lead. Belinda lost the eighth game on her serve while Bianca won three games for a 6-5 lead. Serving to stay in the match, Belinda saved two match points before Bianca won the game and set 7-5.
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