WTA 250 ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Elisabetta Cocciaretto in semifinals

Elisabetta Cocciaretto’s run at the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch continues unabated. The Italian player, in great form, hit the semifinals of the WTA 250 tournament, the first event of the season on the lawns of the women’s major circuit, without conceding a single set. In the quarterfinals, the 24-year-old from Marche, current number 123 in the WTA rankings, overcame Dutch Suzan Lamens, world number 72, with a score of 6-2, 7-6(4), after just over an hour and a half of play.

This is the first semifinal of the season for the player from Fermo, who thanks to this result takes another leap forward in the rankings as well. In fact, she is getting closer and closer to the top 100 (she is virtually No. 103 WTA).

In the match against Lamens, the Marche player showed solidity and great lucidity in the key moments. In the first set she immediately set her own pace. Elisabetta broke her opponent’s serve already in the opening game and immediately confirmed the break by going up 2-0. After a brief lapse, in which she returned one of the two breaks, the Italian immediately regained control, closing the first partial 6-2 with an incisive first serve.

Much more contentious the second fraction, with Lamens managing to pull ahead 3-0. Cocciaretto, however, did not break down. Thanks to a twelve-point partial to one, she restored parity (3-3). Despite some errors in the following games, the Marche player showed great determination: down 3-5, she immediately recovered the break and took the set to the tie-break. Here, after a sprint start (3-0), she temporarily let herself be remounted at 4-4, but then placed the decisive stretch, closing the match.

On Saturday, in the semifinals, Elisabetta will face the winner of the challenge between Canada’s Bianca Andreescu (No. 118 WTA, in the draw thanks to a wild card) and Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse (No. 80 WTA), who came from the qualifiers.