Google News Copa Colsanitas: Tatjana Maria's finale bound, again; awaits debutant Peyton Stearns
by ABBEY JOHNSON
Tatjana Maria put an end to the brilliant run of Francesca Jones at the Copa Colsanitas on Saturday. The second seed from Germany who’s also defending her title this week in Colombia’s capital won 6-3, 6-4 after an hour and 35 minutes.
Maria won 73% of her first-serve points to Jones’ 69%. The 35-year-old won 50% of her second-serve points and 69% points on return on the Briton’s second serve. Maria converted four of seven break points on Jones’ serve while saving two of four break points she faced.
Maria finished with 69 points to Jones’ 53. For the 66th-ranked Maria, this tournament in Bogota’s been quite successful. Last year, she won the title as a qualifier. It was also the second title of her career, coming almost four years after she won her first at the 2018 Mallorca Open.
The 2023 Copa Colsanitas final’s also the third time Maria’s made it to the finals of a WTA tournament.
Copa Colsanitas: Peyton Stearns makes her way forward
In the final, Maria will play American Peyton Stearns.
Stearns upset fourth seed Kamilla Rakhimova in their semi-final clash. Needing two hours and 14 minutes and despite a rain delay, Stearns came from a set down to beat Rakhimova 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. In the first set, Stearns failed to save all three break points she faced while Rakhimova saved two of the three break points she faced.
The seeded opponent also won 75% of her first-serve points and 52% points on return on Stearns’ first serve. In the second set, Stearns won 74% points on return on Rakhimova’s second serve and converted three of four break points.
In the deciding set, the 21-year-old unseeded player saved four of five break points she faced while converting three of four break points that came her way to advance to the final. For the match, Stearns finished with 27 winners while Rakhimova could manage only 13.
The Copa Colsanitas final’s the first of Peyton Stearns’ career and it will also be the first time that she will play Tatjana Maria. Photo Credit: Copa Colsanitas Twitter