Hello, here she is again… Five years later, Caroline Garcia is in the semi-finals of the Masters!
The Lyonnaise (No. 6) overcame the Russian Daria Kasatkina (No. 8) in the final group match (4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5)) in 2:27) to s to offer a place in the last Texas square of Fort Worth, where the competition takes place.
Sunday, the Habs will be opposed to the Greek Maria Sakkari to try to do even better than in 2017, when she had stumbled on the obstacle Venus Williams.
This time, the former world No. 4 therefore knows what to expect to approach this meeting, even if his professional balance has slightly swayed before the start of the competition with the departure of his coach Bertrand Perret, replaced temporarily. by Argentinian Juan Pablo Guzman.
“I learned a lot about myself, about my goals, to better manage my expectations, and those of others, she confided to us before the roller coaster at the end of the season.
On the sporting level, it's a bit the same situation as in 2017, when I qualified at the last moment thanks to the Asian tour.
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CARO IN THE HALF OF THE MASTERS 🙌
At the end of the suspense, Caroline Garcia overcomes Daria Kasatkina 4-6 6-1 7-6 to qualify for the 2nd time in the last four of the WTA Finals!
pic.twitter.com/gG0oIAaABD
— We Are Tennis France (@WeAreTennisFR) November 5, 2022
For this third and last day of round robin, there was no need to come up with mathematical formulas like certain years with well convoluted equality.
The equation was clear.
In a group overflown by Iga Swiatek where Coco Gauff completely failed, the winner of the day would have her ticket for the next day.
That's good.
From the start of the match and an authoritarian shutout, Garcia showed that there was no calculation.
Both in winning shots and unforced errors.
After conceding her serve at 1-1 on three big errors, the No. 1 tricolor, both feet still inside the court, quickly reversed the trend by following her attacks on the net.
"That's always been my mentality," she explained.
Gradually, I let myself go more and more.
We could see that it did a lot of damage to the players opposite.
It's a game that brought me a lot of success.
“A risky game, where you can have the ball 5-2 and end up at 4-3.
Lose the thread a bit in the face of your opponent's mid-high and rotating balls which break the rhythm and get frustrated.
Especially when you feel lacking in legs, as she slipped to her entourage at side changes.
And that's how the Belarusian quietly took the lead (6-4).
“Very happy and very proud”
Beyond the attitude, the statistics were hardly favorable to the Frenchwoman at the start of the second set.
Faced with all seven finalists Garcia had found herself trailing nine times without ever managing to get out of it.
But the ways of tennis are impenetrable.
While she had two balls on her faceoff to come back to 2-2, Kasatkina cracked in turn and martyred a few balls of anger.
A turning point.
Less than ten minutes later (and an ace on the second ball to conclude), Garcia had returned to its height (6-1).
In the last set, the Rhodanienne with turquoise blue nails believed several times to make the difference.
Break at 1-1.
Unbreak.
Break at 2-2.
Unbreak.
A 3-5 ball to erase on his serve from a lucky smash on the lane line.
Six unconverted break points at 4-4 and a more than palpable tension until the decisive game where Garcia, more conquering, did not let go.
Like an endless match point concluded at the end of its tether on the fly.
“I'm really happy to be out, smiles Garcia.
Daria is truly a fighter.
I am very happy and very proud of the work with the team.
Being in the semi-finals is great and Sunday will be a great match.
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Sunday, facing Sakkari, Caroline Garcia will try to imitate Mary Pierce and Amélie Mauresmo, her two eldest to have known the honors of a final.
Only the current director of the Roland-Garros tournament managed to win in 2005… against her compatriot.
In the other semi-final, the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (No. 7) will have to put out a hell of a match to try to unbolt the world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who acts as the big favorite of the competition.
In the suburbs of Dallas, the Pole seems ruthless.
