Linz Open: Maria Sakkari pips Donna Vekic to enter semis; Anastasia Potapova wins

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Maria Sakkari, who’s seeded no. 1 this week at the Linz Open defeated Donna Vekic in their quarter-final match on Friday. The Greek needed two hours and six minutes to come through with a 6-3, 7-6(8) win. Sakkari won 73% of her first-serve points to the fifth seed’s 60%.

Vekic, however, won a higher margin of second-serve points as compared to Sakkari’s – 52% to the latter’s 47%. Sakkari saved three of the five break points she faced while converting three break points on Vekic’s serve.

Sakkari ended the match eight more points to the Croatian’s 76.

Linz Open: Dalma Galfi's run ends on a sad note

In the semi-finals, Sakkari will play Vekic’s compatriot, Petra Martic. The Croatian, seeded sixth, defeated Clara Tauson 6-4, 7-5 in an hour and 40 minutes in their quarter-final meeting.

Martic won 74% of her first-serve points to Tauson’s 52% and 47% of her second-serve points to the Dane’s 50%. Martic also collective five break points on Tauson’s serve while saving three of the six break points she faced.

Sakkari and Martic will be playing each other for the third time in their career and the second time this year. The Greek holds a 2-0 win-to-loss record. When they played in the United Cup earlier in 2023, Sakkari won the match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.

Marketa Vondrousova reached the semi-finals after her quarter-final opponent, Dalma Galfi retired in their match in the first set. The Czech was leading 4-1 at the time. Vondrousova will play eighth seed Anastasia Potapova in an attempt to reach the Linz Open final.

Potapova came from a set down to beat Anna-Lena Friedsam, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in an hour and 43 minutes. Potapova won 74% of her first-serve points to the German’s 51%. The German fared better when it came to winning second-serve points, finishing with 76% to Potapova’s 53%. Potapova finished the match with 77 points, 10 more than her opponent’s.