Tennis: Stephens, Bertens reach semis at WTA Finals
Fri Oct 26, 2018 03:09:pm World
3.2K By Obiaks Blog
Sloane Stephens and Kiki Bertens have made it through to the semifinals of the season-ending WTA Finals on Friday.
Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, beat Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3 to grab the final semifinal spot.
Bertens had a 6-3 lead when current US Open champion Naomi Osaka, making her debut appearance at the WTA Finals, opted to retire from the match with an upper left leg injury.
"I hurt my left hamstring in the first match," said Osaka, who finished the round-robin event with an 0-3 record. "It was just getting worse and worse every time I played.
"I just really wanted to try because this is the last tournament, and I felt it was really unfair to everyone that came to watch."
Elina Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova reached the semifinals from the other group on Thursday.
Osaka, the only woman from Japan to win a Grand Slam title, went off court to receive treatment on the injury after the eighth game while trailing 5-3. She lost her serve at love in the ninth game and then decided to stop.
Bertens qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals when No. 1 Simona Halep withdrew from the tournament with a lower back injury.
"That's how life can go sometimes," said Bertens, who has beaten 12 top-10 players this season. "I think I was a little lucky, maybe.
"I deserve to be here. Now I played three good matches. Let's play another one tomorrow."
The 21-year-old Osaka started the year ranked No. 68 and is now at a career-high No. 4.
"It's been a crazy year," Osaka said. "For me, it's just been a lot of new experiences. I'm very grateful that I was able to have the opportunities that I had."
ESPN
Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, beat Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3 to grab the final semifinal spot.
Bertens had a 6-3 lead when current US Open champion Naomi Osaka, making her debut appearance at the WTA Finals, opted to retire from the match with an upper left leg injury.
"I hurt my left hamstring in the first match," said Osaka, who finished the round-robin event with an 0-3 record. "It was just getting worse and worse every time I played.
"I just really wanted to try because this is the last tournament, and I felt it was really unfair to everyone that came to watch."
Elina Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova reached the semifinals from the other group on Thursday.
Osaka, the only woman from Japan to win a Grand Slam title, went off court to receive treatment on the injury after the eighth game while trailing 5-3. She lost her serve at love in the ninth game and then decided to stop.
Bertens qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals when No. 1 Simona Halep withdrew from the tournament with a lower back injury.
"That's how life can go sometimes," said Bertens, who has beaten 12 top-10 players this season. "I think I was a little lucky, maybe.
"I deserve to be here. Now I played three good matches. Let's play another one tomorrow."
The 21-year-old Osaka started the year ranked No. 68 and is now at a career-high No. 4.
"It's been a crazy year," Osaka said. "For me, it's just been a lot of new experiences. I'm very grateful that I was able to have the opportunities that I had."
ESPN
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