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Sloane Stephens’ the only seed left in the draw at the Guadalajara Open as the tournament reached its penultimate stage on Friday. The sixth seed survived Daria Saville in their quarter-final clash, coming from a set down to oust the Australian, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in two hours and 29 minutes.
Both players won around 61% of their first-serve points. However, Stephens was able to win more off her second serves as compared to the Australian – 54% to the latter’s 34%. Likewise, it was Stephens who, despite facing more break points, was able to save them and hold onto her serves.
The former US Open champion saved nine of the 13 break points she faced while converting six of 10 break points on Saville’s serve. This is the first time in almost five years that Stephens’ reached the semis of a hard-court event.
The last time she did so was in 2018, at the WTA Finals that year. Stephens’ also seeking to reach her first final in as many years, with her last final coming at the same tournament (lost to Elina Svitolina).
Guadalajara Open: Anna Kalinskaya, Marie Bouzkova's upsetting run
In the semi-finals, Stephens will face Anna Kalinskaya.
The Russian upset fourth seed Camila Osorio of Colombia in their quarter-final clash. The world no. 100 won 6-4, 6-1 in an hour and 20 minutes. Kalinskaya won 69% of her first-serve points to Osorio’s 60% and almost 59% of her second-serve points to her opponent’s 33%.
In terms of break point conversions, Kalinskaya made good of five of the 10 break point chances she had on Osorio’s serve while conceding her serve just once. This is Kalinskaya’s second appearance in a semi-final of a WTA event, coming almost four years since her first, at the 2019 Citi Open.
In the bottom half of the Guadalajara Open draw, Marie Bouzkova posted the second upset of the day. Playing third seed and the defending titlist in the tournament, Sara Sorribes Tormo in the last match of the day, the Czech claimed a 6-4, 6-1 win in an hour and 46 minutes.
Bouzkova will now play Qiang Wang in the semis after the Chinese won her quarter-final against Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova, 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 25 minutes.