Elina Svitolina in action against Xiyu Wang. Photo / Photosport
Elina Svitolina in action against Xiyu Wang. Photo / Photosport
Elina Svitolina had already endeared herself to the crowd at the ASB Classic. Whatever happens next, her reputation has been cemented after Saturday night’s semifinal.
The Ukrainian produced a performance of courage and quality to overcome Xiyu Wang, battling through a debilitating hip injury to set up adream final against Coco Gauff.
The tournament’s top two seeds had seemed destined to meet in its showpiece match, Gauff easing her way through the field while Svitolina dispatched a couple of big names.
But Svitolina’s back and Wang’s forehand rendered that scenario unlikely, the latter capitalising as the former required two medical timeouts.
Svitolina could easily have succumbed with a glance towards the Australian Open. Instead, with pained expressions following clean winners, she fought back into the match and eventually triumphed 2-6 6-4 6-3.
It remains to be seen whether the former world No 3 has enough remaining energy to test the current No 3 on Sunday afternoon. But no matter the result, her resilience tonight in fading light was greatly appreciated by those in attendance.
And those compounding efforts appeared to have taken effect right from the opening game of her semifinal, going behind 0-30 before grinding out a hold. That was as good as it got in the first set, falling into that hole or worse in each of the four games in which she served.
Wang deserved credit for seizing the opening, nailing a sharp forehand winner for her first break. But the developing injury was the decisive factor of the first set, with Svitolina’s serve a problem.
A double fault and a number of uncharacteristic errors in her third service game saw Svitolina broken to love, calling for the physio 1-4 down.
She received attention courtside before taking a medical timeout and using every second. Receiving a warm reception upon return, the treatment initially looked to have worked as she broke back with a classy forehand down the line.
Elina Svitolina receives medical attention during the semifinal. Photo / Getty Images
But with the injury still seeming to impinge on Svitolina’s serve, Wang immediately reestablished the double-break to move ahead 5-2. The Chinese then twice double faulted while attempting to serve out the set but escaped with another powerful forehand winner, taking it n 49 minutes.
With 16 unforced errors from Svitolina and only seven of 15 points won on her first serve, the match appeared set for a quick conclusion. But the 29-year-old instead showed her resolve.
A double fault and yet more errors were hardly the ideal start to her resurgence. Yet, still moving gingerly, Svitolina managed to take the game and grew in confidence after holding to love on her next serve.
Stretching during the changeovers, she started to look a little happier and healthier as the set progressed, delivering a couple of aces and fine winners. And after moving ahead 5-4, she earned her first and only break point of the set, Wang sending a backhand long to leave the match level.
A second medical timeout was followed by yet another 0-30 hole to begin the third set, before an ace secured a hold and boosted the morale. A beautiful backhand pass helped seal her second service game, then the third of three break points was converted to move ahead 3-1.
Svitolina saved two break points in the next game — albeit both owed to opponent errors — and built a double-break to leave her serving for the match. Wang wouldn’t quit and broke back to hand Svitolina one final test, one the world No 25 summarily passed to clinch a rousing win.
