Toronto (Canada) (AFP)
Phew! Serena Williams overcame the stunning Czech Marie Bouzkova on Saturday to advance to the WTA tournament final in Toronto, where she will challenge local nugget Bianca Andreescu.
Qualifying result, Bouzkova posed enormous problems to the American, triple winner of the Canadian tournament and who finally emerged in three sets 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
To reach the final four, Bouzkova, 21 and 91st world, has eliminated the American Sloane Stephens, winner of the US Open 2017, Jelena Ostapenko, crowned at Roland Garros the same year, but especially the old N. World 1 Simona Halep, who won Wimbledon a little over a month ago.
But it is Williams who will face the local nugget Bianca Andreescu. A title in Canada would give "Queen Serena" her first title since her victory at the 2017 Australian Open, her 23rd Grand Slam.
"I only have to be more consistent and not make that mistake, I have to be ready to hit a thousand balls if I have to," Serena Williams said.
"In the first set, I was trying to do a little too much so I had to adapt my game," she added.
Andreescu, she became the first Canadian to reach the final of the Canadian tournament since 1969 dominating the American Sofia Kenin, 20, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).
The 19-year-old has never done better than a second Grand Slam round but she made her name on the circuit by winning at Indian Wells in March.
"I'm coming out of two complicated months," said the one coming back from injury, a problem with a shoulder that had forced him to give up on Roland-Garros, and makes Toronto his return to the courts.
"All I can say is that I'm happy to be back, my shoulder is fine, I'm in the Rogers Cup final, life is really great!"
© 2019 AFP