Caroline Garcia has reached the semi-finals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart (daily in the LIVESTREAM) for the first time. France’s world number seven defeated third seeded Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-2. Saturday Garcia will face Coco Vandweghe (USA) in her first semifinal of the season, who defeated Romania’s Simona Halep 6-4, 6-1 on Friday.
After 2:16 hours Garcia turned her first match point with her tenth ace. The power player from Saint-Germain-en-Laye had already lost 3-0 in the second round. Garcia, who has won five WTA titles so far in her career, then turned the corner. The preliminary decision was made when she managed to break 4-1 in the third set.
However, the 24-year-old could face a spicy “problem” during a triumph in Swabia. Garcia does not (yet) hold a driving licence – and in addition to the prize money of 113,000 euros, the winner will receive a 365-hp sports car from the main sponsor.
For Garcia, the double winner of the French Open 2016, it was the third victory in a row against Svitolina. The Ukrainian had already had difficulties the day before. Her opponent, qualifier Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic), had to give up at 2:6, 6:1, 3:2 for Svitolina because of a thigh injury.
Garcia and Vandeweghe have played twice before. Both won a match. The Frenchwoman 2014 in Wuhan, the US-American almost exactly one year later at the same place. Garcia celebrated a very strong finish last year: Triumph in Wuhan, triumph in Beijing, thus the last minute qualification for the WTA final in Singapore. And in the city state, she reached the semi-finals after a dramatic win over Caroline Wozniacki.