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Tennis round-up: Zverev beats Nishikori in Citi semis, to face Anderson

August 06, 2017

IMAGE: Germany's Alexander Zverev hits a forehand against Japan's Kei Nishikori in the Citi Open men's singles semi-final at Fitzgerald Tennis Center. Photograph: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Alexander Zverev moved into the final of the Citi Open with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Japan’s Kei Nishikori on Saturday.

Zverev, who is looking for his fourth tournament win of the year, needed only 64 minutes to defeat Nishikori and move into the final in WashingtonDC where he will play Kevin Anderson after the South African beat Jack Sock by the same score.

Zverev, 20, broke Nishikori in the second game and dominated his own service, winning 94 percent of his first-serve points.

Anderson's serve was also a major weapon in his win over Sock. The 31-year-old is working his way back to form after dropping as low as 80 in the rankings this year as he fought to return from knee, ankle and shoulder issues.

“It's a great start to the summer. It's obviously a very big tournament so I'm very pleased to be through to the final,” Anderson told reporters.

Goerges rallies to beat Petkovic in Citi semis

Julia Goerges made it through an all-German semi-final at the Citi Open on Saturday with a 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 win over Andrea Petkovic, setting up a title match against Ekaterina Makarova.

In a match that lasted 2 1/2 hours, fourth seed Goerges rallied from a set down, producing 10 aces and breaking Petkovic’s serve five times on the way to victory.

She will next meet seventh seed Makarova, who also had to come from a set behind to beat Oceane Dodin 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and reach her first WTA singles title in over three years. Makarova, who moved past Simona Halep when the top seed retired due to heat in their quarter-final, found her form in the second set where she broke Dodin in the fifth game to seize momentum. She finished with 31 winners.

“I started today a bit slower than I have to be, but in the second set I tried to step in a little bit more and to make her move, and it started working,” Makarova told reporters.

“I’m so happy that finally, I finished it in my way.”

Keys downs Muguruza to reach Stanford Classic final

Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza was knocked out of the Stanford Classic on Saturday, losing her semi-final 6-3, 6-2 to Madison Keys.

American Keys was relentless against the top seed. The players traded breaks to start the match before Keys took control late in the opening set by winning 12 of the last 14 points.

Muguruza never recovered from losing the opening set and Keys wrapped up the victory in less than an hour.

Keys will face compatriot CoCo Vandeweghe in the final after she beat 18-year-old Catherine Bellis 6-3, 6-1.

Vandeweghe recorded seven aces and 30 winners in the win over Bellis.

Source: REUTERS
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