GUADALAJARA: Maria Sakkari needed almost three hours to upset top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (1), 6-7 (6), 6-3 on Monday and advance to a semifinal against Anett Kontaveit at the WTA Finals.
Fourth-seeded Sakkari took advantage of Sabalenka´s 19 double-faults in the longest match so far at the tournament in Mexico, lasting 2 hours and 47 minutes.
"I think it was a roller coaster match from both of us. I was up a break, then she was up a break. It was just a matter of who took the chances," Sakkari said. "I think at the end I just played with my heart and fought well, just turned things around."
"My season is not finished yet, but this tournament has been very successful after today's win," Sakkari said. "I'm just very, very happy that I still play with my heart even though it's been 11 months since we started this season."
Poland's Iga Swiatek was all smiles after defeating Paula Badosa 7-5, 6-4 in her final match of the round-robin stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Guadalajara on Monday, despite already being eliminated from the tournament. Agencies
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