CHARLESTON, S.C./WASHINGTON, March 16, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)
Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto has quietly but effectively gone about her business this week at the WTA Tour’s Fifth Third Charleston 125 hard-court event at LTP Mount Pleasant, winning four straight matches, each a bit more impressive than the previous one.
The No. 4 seed Cocciaretto’s 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory over No. 81 Greet Minnen of Belgium in one hour and 44 minutes Friday afternoon advanced her to her first WTA Tour final of the year. It’s been a nice turn-around for Cocciaretto following a first-round straight-set loss to American Peyton Stearns at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. last week.
Cocciaretto won her first WTA Tour title last year in Lausanne, Switzerland on clay, in a year in which she reached a career-best ranking of No. 29. Previously, she won a pair of WTA 125 titles, at Tampico in 2022 followed by San Luis Potosí in 2023.
Through her first four matches in the South Carolina Lowcountry this week, which has included victories over Arina Rodionova, Marina Bassols Ribera, McCartney Kessler and Minnen, the 60th-ranked Cocciaretto has yet to drop a set.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto (photo: Fifth Third Charleston 125)
“I came here to play matches and the funny thing is that I had never won a match in the United States in my life,” Cocciaretto said. “Never! My goal has been to win a match in the United States – US Open, Indian Wells, Miami.”
Much of the time, Cocciaretto has played from the advantage of being ahead in the score. However, to her credit, she saved a set point against Minnen at 3-5, 30-40 and turned the opening set around by breaking the Belgian, consolidating the break, and eventually winning the set in a tie-break on her fourth set-point opportunity.
Then, the 23-year-old Italian from Ancona cruised in the second set, going ahead by a double break at 5-1 and, finally, served out the victory at love.
Cocciaretto hit three aces, won 61 percent of her first-set points, saved eight of 12 break points and consolidated six of 10 break-point opportunities. She outpointed Minnen 86-69.
“My goal was to play as many matches as possible,” Cocciaretto added. “And, of ourse, because we are between Indian Wells and Miami – with 10 days off – I came here without any expectations, just to play. Now, I’m in the final!
“I love this place. Playing here is like playing at the tennis club where I grew up near Ancona, Italy.”
In Saturday’s final, Cocciaretto will face No. 7 seed Diana Shnaider of Russia who, like her, has won one WTA Tour title, at Hua Hin, Thailand, earlier this season. Friday afternoon, Shraider rallied to defeat No. 6 seed Yafan Wang of China, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, in two hours and three minutes. It was her 10th main-draw win in her last 12 matches.
After dropping the opening set, thanks to surrendering three breaks of her serve, Shnaider recovered nicely in the middle set and broke Wang in two of the final three games to level the semifinal match. Then, the 19-year-old Russian lefty took control in the final set. She broke Wang to go ahead 3-1 and consolidated the break for an insurmountable 4-1 advantage, exuding plenty of fighting spirit.
Diana Shnaider (photo: Fifth Third Charleston 125)
Soon, Shnaider served for the win, ahead 5-3, and found herself with three match points on her racquet. Perhaps, a bit too eager, Shnaider squandered each of the three match points – a couple of unforced errors sandwiched around a double fault – and found herself at deuce. However, a fifth-shot forehand winner set up match-point number four, and this time Shnaider garnered game, set, and match after Wang sent an eighth-shot backhand long past the baseline.
Shnaider, who had been working her returns to Wang’s backhand through much of the final game, let out a big scream of joy and satisfaction after securing her victory – maybe, relief, too?
“Coming into the final this week, it gives me extra confidence looking ahead to Miami,” Shnaider said after her semifinal triumph. “I’m very glad to be in the final. I’m proud of myself.”
Doubles: Errani and Mihalikova upset top seeds
Sara Errani, Tereza Mihalikova (photo: Fifth Third Charleston 125)
No. 4 seeds Sara Errani of Italy and Tereza Mihalikova of Slovakia upset top seeds Irina Khromacheva of Russia and Monica Niculescu of Romania, 6-4, 6-3, in an hour and 19 minutes to advance to Saturday’s doubles final.
The Italian/Slovakian duo won 83 percent of their first-serve points and saved both break points they faced. They converted two of 11 break-point opportunities and outpointed their opponents 62-43.
Olivia Nicholls, Olivia Gadecki (photo: Fifth Third Charleston 125)
In the final, Errani and Mihalikova will face unseeded Olivia Gadecki of Australia and Olivia Nicholls of Great Britain, who eliminated No. 3 seeds Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Shuai Zhang of China, 7-6 (6), 6-4, in one hour and 42 minutes.
Nicholls outpointed Danilina and Zhang 75-68. Two weeks ago, Gadecki and Nicholls won their first WTA doubles title together in Austin, Texas. They’re off to a 7-0 start this season.
Friday’s Fifth Third Charleston 125 results
Saturday’s Fifth Third Charleston 125 order of play
