By Erik Gudris / Saturday, December 21, 2013
Two rising American players in Victoria Duval and Sachia Vickery will face off in the Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs final.
Photo Credit: USTA
Victoria Duval and Sachia Vickery will meet in the Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs finals after overcoming tough tests in the respective semifinals.
Duval took on top seed Shelby Rogers in the first women's semi. Despite having her left knee heavily taped, Duval was not impeded in her movement as she secured an early break of serve. The 18-year-old Duval soon closed out the first set 6-4 with a crosscourt forehand winner.
Though she would go up an early break of serve to start the second set, Duval couldn't maintain her lead. Rogers kept up the pressure and, in a long sixth game, broke back to level the set at 3-all. Duval would once again break Rogers to allow her to serve for the match at 5-4.
But Duval was broken again allowing Rogers to level the set at 5-all. Rogers couldn't keep up her momentum though as she double faulted to hand the break back at 6-5.
That would allow Duval to serve for the finals again. She made no mistake this time as she soon converted on her first match point to secure the 6-4, 7-5 win.
“First time playing her so I knew she was a powerful player,” Duval said about taking on Rogers. “So I knew I had to play smart and I think I did that pretty well.”
Vickery Outlasts Min in Three Sets
Sachia Vickery, this year's USTA Girls' 18 national champion, took on a familiar opponent in Grace Min in the second semi. Both players train with each other, and because both play a similar compact baseline game, this match proved too close to call.
Vickery secured the first set 6-3 thanks to a Min forehand error. But Min bounced back by jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Yet more errors from Min allowed Vickery to climb back to 4-all. A tiebreak was needed and it was Min who took advantage of an early lead to go on and claim the set 7-6(3).
Min again took charge in the third set as she held at 3-1 lead. But Vickery battled back with some aggressive play in the final stages of the match.
With a crosscourt backhand winner, Vickery soon closed out the 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-4 win to send her into the finals.
Vickery last defeated Duval in Midland, Texas, earlier this year. The winner of Sunday's finals will be awarded a main draw wildcard into next month's Australian Open.