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By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, February 4, 2023

 
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Alycia Parks pounded 13 aces subduing Maryna Zanevska 6-3, 7-6(4) to reach her first Tour-level final in Lyon and rise to a new career-high ranking.

Photo credit: Getty

The roof over the Lyon court can't contain Alycia Parks' ascent.

An assertive Parks pounded 13 aces subduing Maryna Zanevska 6-3, 7-6(4) to reach her first WTA Tour-level final in Lyon today.

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The victory propels Parks 17 spots to a new career-high of No. 62 in the live rankings. 




The powerful Parks, who has hit 37 aces in four tournament wins, will play home favorite and WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia in tomorrow's final.




The top-seeded Garcia smacked seven aces stopping 73rd-ranked Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-2 for her first final since she defeated Aryna Sabalenka to collect her 11th career championship at the WTA Finals Forth Worth last November.

Tennis Express

It is the 15th career final for Garcia and third title match on home soil.

Playing before a supportive home crowd, including her parents, Garcia was sharp swatting 13 winners to 1 for Osorio in streaming to a one-set lead after 29 minutes.

Garcia, who whipped 24 winners compared to 9 for Osorio, carries an 11-3 finals record in the title match.

The finals pits a pair of aggressive baseliners possessing point-ending power and jolting serves.  

A 22-year-old Atlanta native, Parks ended 2022 on a 10-match tear, including wins over former major finalists Sabine Lisicki and Marketa Vondrousova, capturing successive WTA 125 titles.



Picking up where she left off, Parks has launched the 2023 season playing some of her most dynamic tennis.

Cruising through her service games at the outset, Parks powered out to a 5-1 lead against world No. 93 Zanevska today. Parks served out the set to move to within one set of her first Tour-level final.

The pair traded breaks in the fifth and sixth games of set two.

Firing her forehand with ambition, Parks charged through eight straight points backing up a love hold with a shutout break. Serving for the final at 5-4, Parks held two match points, but Zanevska saved both and rallied to break back.

Two games later, Parks played bold offensive tennis saving a pair of set points and holding strong to force the tiebreaker.

A willingness to take her attack forward helped the American close. Parks snapped off a smash for two more match points before closing with a final forehand flourish.

 

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