By Chris Oddo | Saturday October 10, 2015
Timea Bacsinszky downed Ana Ivanovic to reach her first premier mandatory final at the China Open.
Photo Source: China Open
Timea Bacsinszky is back in business. A significant part of the WTA storyline for the first half of the year, the Swiss had suffered injuries and entered Beijing having lost four straight since Wimbledon. But the 26-year-old is finding her form in Asia. She surged past Ana Ivanovic, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, to reach the China Open finals and keep alive her hopes of making a debut appearance at the WTA Finals in Singapore later this month.
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The victory marks the Swiss’ first appearance in a Premier Mandatory final and secures a berth in the WTA’s Top-10 when next week’s rankings are released.
After dropping a close opener Bacsinszky would keep her nerve in the second set when she saved two break points to hold in the tenth game to level at one set apiece.
In the third set Ivanovic began to struggle with an upper leg injury and eventually called for the trainer with Bacsinszky serving at 1-0. After a quick meeting with the trainer she was quickly sent on court where the Swiss completed the hold for 2-0.
After holding for 2-1, Ivanovic had a lengthier meeting with the trainer but it didn’t appear to help her much down the stretch. She would not win another game as Bacsinszky raced to close affairs in two hours and 20 minutes.
The Swiss finished with 22 winners against 22 unforced errors and broke Ivanovic seven times on 20 opportunities to earn her 41st victory of 2015. The victory also vaults her into 9th place in the Road to Singapore standings.
If Bacsinszky can win the title on Sunday against either Agnieszka Radwanska or Garbine Muguruza, she will move into seventh in the race. She will need those points because she isn’t scheduled to play anywhere where WTA Finals points are on offer in the next two seasons.
Bacsinszky improved to 13-4 in three-set matches with the win, while Ivanovic dropped to 7-11 in deciders.
Ivanovic has been eliminated from the Singapore race with the loss. She told reporters that she plans to get some rest and play in Luxembourg, which begins in a week.