Kristina Mladenovic claimed her third win over a top ten player this year after beating Elina Svitolina 6-4 4-6 6-3 in a hard-fought marathon match at the Zhengzhou Open, which ended at 1.00 am local time.
Mladenovic hit 59 winners to 55 unforced errors. Svitolina was forced to play two matches in the same day due to rain. The Ukraininan had beaten Yulia Putintseva in the tie-break of the third set earlier today.
Mladenovic earned an early break with a forehand winner after coming back from 40-15. The French player got through a long service game to hold on her serve for 3-1 after 18 deuces. Mladenovic broke for the second time with a forehand winner down the line to race out to a 5-1 lead. Svitolina fended off a set point and pulled one break back at 5-2. Mladenovic converted her second break point two games later to seal the first set.
Mldenovic fired a forehand return winner down the line to get an early break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Svitolina converted her break-back point chance to draw level to 2-2. Both players held on their next service games until 5-4. Mladenovic earned a 40-15 lead, but Svitolina came back to draw level to deuce. Svitolina hit a backhand return winner to hold a set point. The Ukrainian player hit a winner to seal the second set. ’19
The third set started with a streak of seven consecutive breaks. Svitolina broke straight back three times, but she dropped her serve in the next game each time.
Mladenovic did not convert three match points at 5-2 40-0, but she failed to convert them after a series of double faults. The French player converted her fifth match point with a backhand passing shot in the ninth game.
“The match was so physical. I am super proud that I got through it. Svitolina is the master of these kind of challenges and marathon matches, and I am just overwhelmed right now to get to the semifinals”, said Mladenovic.
Mladenovic set up a semifinal against Petra Martic, who battled past Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 5-7 6-4 after 2 hours and 38 minutes.
“Martic and I know each other really well. We have played each other already this season a couple of times. I followed the match between Martic and Sabalenka. Because I was after them, so I watched some of it”, said Mladenovic.
