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By Alberto Amalfi | Saturday, May 18, 2019

 
Karolina Pliskova

Karolina Pliskova swept qualifier Maria Sakkari, 6-4, 6-4, setting up a Rome final vs. Johanna Konta.

Photo credit: Internazionali BNL d'Italia

The last time Karolina Pliskova met Maria Sakkari, the powerful Czech hacked a hole in the stand that supports the umpire's chair in protest of a horrific call against her.

In today's rematch, Pliskova kept her cool cutting down the Greek qualifier, 6-4, 6-4, to roll into the Rome final for the first time.

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The former world No. 1 charged into her third final of the season. Pliskova is the first Czech woman to reach the Internazionali BNL d'Italia final since Hall of Famer Hana Mandlikova fell to Chrissie Evert in the 1982 final.

The seventh-ranked Pliskova will play for her 13th career title—and the world No. 2 ranking—when she faces Johanna Konta in tomorrow's final.




In today's first semifinal, Konta conquered Madrid champion Kiki Bertens, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, snapping the Dutchwoman's nine-match winning streak to reach her first Rome final.

The British No. 1 scored her third career Top 10 clay-court win following a victory over No. 8 Sloane Stephens earlier this week to reach her second clay final of the season.

The Australian Open semifinalist has won five of six meetings with Konta, who was runner-up to Sakkari in the Rabat final earlier this month.

A year ago, Pliskova was deadlocked with Sakkari at 5-all, deuce in the third set in Rome when both the lineswoman and chair umpire blew a call incorrectly ruling a Pliskova smash out when in fact the ball landed inside the line. The lanky Czech did not recover from the transgression and showed her frustration slamming her Babolat racquet against the chair.

Today, Pliskova kept her poise when she was 2-4 down and face a break point to trail 2-5.

Playing her seventh match of the tournament after beating former Top 10 players Andrea Petkovic and Vera Zvonareva in qualifying, Sakkari showed her speed around the court breaking at love for 2-1 then quickly confirming the break.

A brief rain delay that came with Pliskova staring down a 2-4 deficit helped the Czech refocus. Pliskova saved a break point then burst through five straight games seizing the first set and building a 1-0 lead in the second.




The WTA ace leader pumped an ace to seal her second straight love hold for a 5-4 second-set lead.

Down love-30 in the ensuring game, Sakkari slapped a routine high forehand volley into net facing triple match point. A strong return into the body closed it as Pliskova improved to 26-7 on the season.



In the day's first semifinal, Bertens broke first for a 3-1 lead, but made a couple of forehand miscues to give back the break in the fifth game.

Straddling the baseline and trying to take the ball on the rise, Konta saved a break point with a fine forehand drop shot. Konta revisited that play twice in a row carving out a slick forehand drop volley then caressing a backhand dropper that surprised Bertens, who lost her footing trying to change direction and tumbled to the court, as the Briton leveled after six games.

Driving Bertens backward with deep returns, Konta cranked a diagonal forehand winner for double break point in the ninth game. Konta defended the Dutchwoman's forehand down the line, flicking a backhand winner crosscourt for her second break and a 5-4 lead.

Serving for the set, Konta could not close dropping serve at love.

The sixth-seeded Bertens used her slice backhand and a loopy lob to reset the point then pounded a forehand winner down the line for triple break point.

Pouncing on another forehand, Bertens banged a forehand down the line breaking back at love to even the set.

Slashing successive aces, Bertens navigated a tough hold for 6-5. Empowered, the Madrid champion broke for the second time in a row to take a one-set lead.

The pair traded breaks in the first two games in the second set then worked through holds.

The world No. 42 stepped up to the line to extend the match at 4-5. Konta worked through a tense hold using a clever drop shot-lob combination to draw back even after 10 games.

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A feisty Konta continued creeping inside the baseline putting positional pressure on Bertens. The fourth-ranked Bertens showed the jitters coughing up her seventh double fault to gift the break and a 6-5 lead to Konta, who would again serve for a set.

This time, the Briton powered through a strong hold to snatch the second set and force a decider force a decider after a little more than two hours of play.

Playing bolder tennis in the final set, Konta broke for a 2-1 lead then broke again for 5-2. Konta converted her fourth match point to end it. 

 

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