Google News
Francesca (Fran) Jones wrote the story of the Copa Colsanitas Open on Friday. The Briton reached her maiden WTA semi-final after ousting Brazilian sixth seed Laura Pigossi in their quarter-final match. Jones won 6-4, 6-2 after 93 minutes of play.
Jones put in only 45% of her first serves but won 73% of her first-serve points. Pigossi who put in 68% of her first serves was able to win only 45% of her first-serve points. The 817th-ranked 22-year-old won 42% of her second-serve points and 71% points on return on her higher-ranked opponent’s second serve.
Jones could save only one of four break points she faced but converted six of nine break points that came her way on Pigossi’s serve. For the match, Jones won 63 points of which 17 were winners. Pigossi finished with 48.
Jones who’s making a comeback after having been injury-ridden 2022 has used her protected ranking to play the event. In the semi-final, she faces her stiffest challenge yet in the tournament as she will play Tatjana Maria.
Copa Colsanitas: Tatjana Maria doesn't miss a beat
The German, seeded second this year, won the 2022 edition in Bogota. Her opponent in the final last year was Pigossi. Meanwhile, in her quarter-final match, Maria defeated Italian qualifier Nuria Brancaccio.
Like Jones, Brancaccio was also a WTA quarter-final first-timer but she fell short in her match. Maria needed just 62 minutes to wrap up a 6-3, 6-2 win. Maria won nine of 10 points played on Brancaccio’s second serve. She also converted six of seven break points on Brancaccio’s serve while failing to save all three break points she faced.
Fourth seed Kamilla Rakhimova also advanced to the semi-finals. The 21-year-old ranked 90th in the world defeated seventh seed Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 7-5 after two hours and 14 minutes of play. Wanting to make the Copa Colsanitas final, Rakhimova will take on American Peyton Stearns.
The world no. 116 made it to her maiden WTA semi-finals after a win over Tamara Zidansek in their quarter-final match. Stearns needed over two hours to clinch a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory.