Kiki Bertens maintained her 100% record against Aryna Sabalenka by outlasting her 6-4 3-6 6-4 to book her place in the semi-finals of the Nature Valley International.
The Dutchwoman, 27, was victorious in all three of her previous meetings with the Belarussian. However, this was their first meeting on grass, and the World No.4 knew it would be a difficult match.
“I think it was a really good fight,” Bertens said. “It’s always tough to play her, because you get some winners and then some errors. But I think in the first set I played really well. I think it was my best match on the grass so far.”
The Dutchwoman believes her style of play helps her deal with the challenges posed by Sabalenka. “I have never lost against her so far,” she said. “I like it when someone’s playing powerful, and then I can just use the slice a little bit more. I don’t have to generate so much power myself.”
“I think today I had the right balance between where I could hit the slice and where I could play a little bit more aggressively.”
Bertens won the tight first set because she saved two break points and took one of the two chances she created on Sabalenka’s serve.
The Belarussian roared back in the second set. She attacked the World No.4’s second serve and broke her twice to take it 6-3.
Then the decider could have gone either way. It was neck and neck until the last two points when Sabalenka made unforced errors at exactly the wrong time to hand Bertens a final and the match.
Bertens improving on grass
The Dutchwoman is happy with the progression in her performances on grass. “Today I was really happy with the way I played. I feel better every match I play and my level is going up.”
She also believes she is beginning to cope better with the pressure of expectation. “They’re tough, but they’re also a good thing to have. I think at the moment I’m dealing pretty well with them.”
“In the past, I was struggling with it more, like when I made the semis in Paris a few years ago. At that time, I was really struggling with all the attention and the expectations.”
“But right now I feel like it’s going well, even if next week it can be over, so I’m just trying and enjoy it, stay in the moment and do whatever you can.”
Bertens to face Pliskova
That kind of positive thinking will be needed in Bertens’ last four match against Karolina Pliskova. The Czech demolished Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2 6-0 in just 54 minutes today and she is in red-hot form.
“It seems to me that she didn’t really see any way to beat me,” Pliskova said. “It’s tough because I can hold my serve more easily than other players and save break points with it.”
“Opponents try to do too much (against me). And I don’t mind this type of game because (it usually means) there a lot of mistakes from them.”
Despite the ease of her win today, Pliskova is wary of Bertens because the Dutchwoman beat her at Wimbledon last year.
“It’s going to be tough,” the Czech said. “(Last year) she was just too solid, too good for me. I started to play better in the second set, but it was too late.”
Pliskova is hoping the conditions will help her tomorrow. “I think she doesn’t like the wind much, so if it’s windy I think it’s better for me.”
The World No.3 described the challenges Bertens provides. “She can serve well,” she said. “She can also hit big and hit some slices.”
“I will need to be patient, because she definitely won’t make as many mistakes as Alexandrova. But I will have more time (to play my shots).”
Pliskova is much happier with her form on grass this year than she was in 2018. “I feel like I’m playing better this year,” she said. “I wasn’t playing well at these tournaments last year at all.”
“And at Wimbledon I was almost gone in the second round and then in the third round, and then I really was gone in the fourth round.”
