BSP-09 Wang downs Svitolina for biggest win of the year

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ZCZC

BSP-09

TENNIS-WTA-HKG-WANG

Wang downs Svitolina for biggest win of the year

HONG KONG, Oct 13, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Chinese number one Wang Qiang wrapped
up the biggest win of her season Saturday, after an overnight rain delay
forced her to wait to claim victory over world number five Elina Svitolina at
the Hong Kong Open.

She needed just 10 minutes on court to end the Ukrainian’s resistance,
sealing the 6-2, 6-4 quarter final win with an ace.

The 26-year-old was serving for the match at 5-2 in the second set when the
heavens opened Friday evening.

Svitolina, the tournament’s top seed, was Wang’s highest-ranked top 10
scalp this year.

She was unable to capitalise on her stay of execution despite breaking Wang
to go 3-5 and then holding her own serve.

The Rome champion, who had been hoping to sew up qualification in Hong Kong
for the WTA Finals, said Saturday that she was “fighter” and had come back on
court believing he still had a chance.

“But in the end (Wang) had the advantage, she had the confidence
definitely,” Svitolina said.

“Yesterday she was playing really great tennis — I was missing a lot, my
game was really off.”

She added: “It was a really bad performance from me so I was very
disappointed that I couldn’t play even 20 percent of the game that I can
play.”

Wang, the world number 24, grabbed headlines at the French Open with her
straight-sets demolition of Venus Williams, offering a hint of what was to
come, and later overcame Karolina Pliskova in both Beijing and Wuhan.

She also beat Caroline Wozniacki in 2013 aged just 21 when the Dane was
ranked number 10.

The Hong Kong quarter-final was a repeat of August’s US Open third round
contest, which the Ukrainian won in straight sets, but here the tables were
turned with Svitolina receiving a tennis masterclass from her opponent.

Both players came to the tournament in hot form, with Svitolina winning two
WTA titles in just four months. She is battling four other players, including
Pliskova, for the final three places at the WTA Finals in Singapore later
this month.

Svitolina, who is now looking for a tournament wild card to boost her
Singapore chances, is also in the hunt for a new fitness and main coach for
next season.

Wang leapfrogged Zhang Shuai to become China’s number one women’s singles
player after winning the Guangzhou Open in September.

It was her second career title after beating compatriot Zheng Saisai at the
Jiangxi Open in July.

She has said she is aiming to break into the top 20 in the new year.

Wang, a semi finalist in Hong Kong last year, faces former world number one
Garbine Muguruza later Saturday for place in the final.

BSS/AFP/MR/ 1414 hrs