Photo : Abierto Zapopan
After a whirlwind week, Genie Bouchard booked her place in her first WTA semi-final since September 2020 as she clinched a semi-final berth at the Abierto Zapopan. In her quarter-final match, Bouchard defeated American qualifier Catherine McNally in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.
Bouchard will face another qualifier, 20 year old Elisabetta Cocciaretto, in the semi-final. The Italian is enjoying a stellar week, reaching a first WTA Tour semi-final of her career without dropping a set and taking down No. 1 seed Nadia Podoroska of Argentina on the way.
Former World No. 5 Bouchard has now won six straight sets, dominating her matches since dropping her first set to Caroline Dolehide in the first round. The Montreal native will look to add a second title to her career, having reached the championship match six previous times, including Wimbledon in 2014. Her only title came in Nurnberg, Germany, also in 2014.
In a quarter-final encounter with difficult windy conditions, Bouchard showed some of the form that led her to the world’s top 5 six years ago, hitting an impressive 23 winners to McNally’s five, including a blistering forehand down-the-line passing shot on the run. Despite a good serving performance overall, winning 58% of points on serve, Bouchard had to stop a four consecutive breaks streak and served out the match to 15.
Cocciaretto will be the third qualifier Bouchard will face this week. The 20-year-old Italian, currently ranked No. 134, has improved as the week has gone by. In her quarter-final match against former World No. 26 Lauren Davis, Cocciaretto saved eight of nine break points faced and won nine straight games from 3-3 in the first set to close the match 6-3 6-0.
Awaiting in the final will be the winner of the seeded matchup between Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo, seeded No. 2 and No. 4, respectively. Both won their quarter-final matches in straight sets, with Sorribes Tormo defeating Canadian Leylah Fernandez’s conqueror Astra Sharma. Both players will be attempting to win their first career title this week, and Sorribes Tormo will also be attempting to reach her first final.
Genie Bouchard will play Cocciaretto tonight at 8pm.
