Barbora Krejcikova has secured her place in the semifinals of the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after defeating Coco Gauff in a thrilling encounter. The Czech star, who qualified for the tournament as the lowest-ranked player, has now won two of her three round-robin matches and will face Zheng Qinwen in the last four.
Krejcikova’s victory over Gauff was hard-fought, with both players showcasing their impressive skills. The American, who had upset world No. 1 Iga Swiatek earlier in the tournament, pushed Krejcikova to the limit but ultimately fell short in a match that lasted one hour and 42 minutes.
Krejcikova, who won her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon this year, has been in impressive form in Riyadh. She pushed Swiatek to the brink of defeat in her first match and then defeated US Open finalist Jessica Pegula in her second.
Gauff, on the other hand, had been equally impressive, winning her first two matches against Pegula and Swiatek. However, she was unable to maintain her momentum against Krejcikova, who proved to be too strong on the day.
In the other semifinal, top seed Aryna Sabalenka will face Zheng Qinwen. Sabalenka, who clinched the WTA Year-End World No. 1 ranking on Tuesday, will be looking to continue her impressive form and reach the final. Zheng, who finished second in the Purple Group, will be hoping to cause an upset and reach the final for the first time.
The WTA Finals is the season-ending tournament for the top eight players in the world. The tournament is divided into two groups, with the top two players from each group advancing to the semifinals.
