SANTA PONSA/CALVIA, June 19, 2016
Caroline Garcia and Anastasija Sevastova will compete in Sunday’s final of the €250,000 WTA Mallorca Open. The sixth seed from France ousted Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 6-4, 6-1. Garcia sent down seven aces and won 85% of her first service points. The 22-year-old broke her opponent’s serve four times to advance in one hour and 49 minutes.
“When I arrived here I wasn’t expecting much because it’s normally very hard to reach the final in your first grass tournament of the year. I’ve just taken it match by match and slowly getting more confidence on the grass, even though still there’s things in the game that I want to improve.” Garcia said. She is looking forward to her second title match of the season after lifting the trophy in Strasbourg in May.
“Every final is a new experience, but definitely the results give me more confidence,” Garcia said. “There is always tension and emotion but with experience I can manage it better and do my best tomorrow.”
Garcia’s opponent on Sunday had a dicy road to the final. Sevastova spent the night after her first round win waylaid in the hospital after suffering a health scare but she was cleared to play the next day.
“I had a stomach virus and after my first round, I started cramping and became dehydrated,” Sevastova told press ahead of her semifinal match. “I was fine during my match and for a little bit afterward. Then suddenly I started cramping and couldn’t stop.”
The world number 82 from Lithuania knocked out eighth seed Eugenie Bouchard and continued her run on the Balearic Island with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over the tournament’s number two Jelena Jankovic on Saturday. Sevastova converted four of her eight break point chances to prevail in one hour and 50 minutes to reach her first WTA final since Oeiras 2010.
“I don’t know really how to feel, I’m quite tired but I’m very happy,” Sevastova said. “It’s sinking in right now, but we’ll see how it goes. Tomorrow is another match – you can’t stop, you have to go on.”
Tennis action continues at the Santa Ponsa Tennis Club with the “Toni Nadal Trophy” on Monday. Dominic Thiem, Feliciano López and Carlos Moya will compete in an exhibition tournament. In the course of the event, one fan will get the opportunity to win a flight ticket to Paris with Air Europa, one of the partners of the Mallorca Open.
