Badosa clinches WTA semis berth

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Spain’s Paula Badosa fired 10 aces in a 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 round-robin victory over Maria Sakkari Saturday and secured a semifinal spot at the season-ending WTA Finals.

With one round-robin match remaining, Badosa was assured of top spot in her group when top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated Iga Swiatek, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.

Poland’s Swiatek was eliminated from semifinal contention, and Monday’s match between Sabalenka and Sakkari will determine the second semifinalist from the group.

Saturday’s clash between Badosa and Sakkari, the first Greek to qualify for the finals, was the first meeting between the two.

Badosa needed just over two hours to stretch her current WTA winning streak to eight matches. After eking out the first-set tiebreaker, she grabbed an early break on the way to a 3-1 lead in the second set.