Svitolina reaches first US Open semifinal with win over Konta

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Elina Svitolina celebrates during her quarterfinal match against Johanna Konta at the US Open 

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​The match came down to smallest mistakes and for Elina Svitolina, her poise got her into the semifinals of the US Open Tuesday. The world number five drew errors and won free points against Johanna Konta who had too much trouble to end the quarterfinal in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. The Ukrainian marked her second consecutive major semifinal increasing her career success.
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The series between the two sat heavily with the Ukrainian but Sunday showed that history could be changed. The tenacity and strength Konta found to upset world number three Karolina Pliskova led her to prove that it had the potential to happen again. This was their first meeting in a grand slam and all four of them have come on hard courts. With Svitolina seeking out her second consecutive major semifinal and the Brit looking for her third, the pace had the possibility of swinging in every direction with so much on the line.
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Strong service games started the opening set with Konta leading the way against Svitolina. Each got the other deep into rallies, but no breaks were apparent for either as they held through four games. In the fifth, Svitolina had the first breakpoint but a long ball past the baseline saved Konta’s serve. The Brit battled through two breaks but enabled a second chance for the fifth seed who clinched it to take the lead.
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Upping the ante to consolidate a break was challenged by the Brit who overcame a three-point streak and broke back keeping them level. A key mistake on a drop shot in the seventh gave the Ukrainian another break chance. She tried to do it again during the rally to save breakpoint but Svitolina got into position for the ball fast, ending it for the double.
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To not give away another break, the fifth seed held firm on serve but dealt with some late changes to Konta’s return tactics. Handling the situation, Svitolina pressured unforced errors from Konta to open the gap on the scoreboard and play for the set. Konta made sure not to let it end on her service and sealed the deal to get back into reach of extending the set. Svitolina had no intention of letting her serve to go waste and with drawn errors from Konta, the fifth seed got the job done gaining a leg up after 49 minutes.
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The second went the same as the first with Svitolina staying with Konta until her chance for the break came in the fifth with the Brit trailing in the game. She forced deuce but the first AD point was the last as the fifth seed locked it down for the 3-2 lead. Konta fought to avoid going down two games battling Svitolina to deuce and saved key points. Three was the charm for Konta who delivered a great baseline lob getting over the net and no chance for the fifth seed to return.
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Knowing she missed an opportunity to hold a service game, Svitolina captured the double break on Konta who erred on chances suffering the break to love. Consolidation for the world number five gave her a 5-3 stance hoping to smash the Brit on serve in the ninth. Errors continued to rack up for Konta who fell behind but gained one back on a longball return from the Ukrainian. A second error leveled the score for the Brit but a bad hit off the racket giving Svitolina match point.

History made! 👏@ElinaSvitolina defeats Johanna Konta 6-4, 6-4 to become the first Ukrainian woman to reach the SFs in Flushing Meadows.#USOpen | #WomenWorthWatching pic.twitter.com/kfV6sAQDZC

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 3, 2019

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She erred to save Konta for the second time in the match and after a few breaks of deuce, the Briton saved a second match point that kept her alive. Svitolina again found her chance to serve for the match and with great response during a wide crosscourt rally and aggressive response, the 24-year-old won her way into the semifinal watching a long crosscourt return land wide right near her ending the match in 1 hour and 40 minutes.
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"It was a very tough match," Svitolina said to ESPN's Pam Shriver. "I think we were both striking the ball and it was quite even and in the end, I had to close on my serve which was very tricky and just very happy with how I handle the pressure today." I was trying to take one point at a time and for me I was trying to stay calm and tried to think that I'm still up and have a chance to close the match again."
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With one step between the 24-year-old before the final, she’ll wait to see if she faces Serena Williams or Qiang Wang on Thursday.

Svitolina cracks into the last eight with straight sets win over Keys at US Open

Elina Svitolina celebrates her first round of 16 win at the US Open in straight sets over Madison Keys

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Elina Svitolina had a strong service game and kept the pressure high to move into her first US Open quarterfinal Sunday night. A relaxed and focused straight sets win over Madison Keys ended her opponent’s 10 match win streak at Arthur Ashe Stadium with a 7-5, 6-4 result at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. The 24-year-old officially marked her place in the quarterfinal of every single grand slam.

This marked the fourth match between the two with the American leading the series including her win two years ago. The Illinois native had yet to drop a set and held off Sofia Kenin from getting a leg up on her in the third round. The world number five had a similar result against Dayana Yastremska who she blanked in the second set.

Having yet to drop a set, the two top ten players would likely go to the brink of their match. Svitolina once again had a chance to surpass her round of 16 finish and would have a challenge getting any leverage against the 2017 finalist of the tournament.

The American opened with a 111mph ace but struggled with the first serve at times. She managed to hold serve against the fifth seed but found little chance of breaking the Ukrainian. After five service holds, Svitolina had a slight edge winning 9 of 9 from the first serve. Her first double fault was committed in the sixth but held firm to remain even with Keys. The fifth seed produced a chance for a break in the following game, but the defense from the 10^th seed shut the opportunity down maintain the pace for her benefit.

After the four-all tie, Keys not only upped her ace record to six but sent it to Svitolina at 122 mph. It set up a strong service hold from Keys pressuring the Ukrainian to falter. Errors assisted in the tenth straight service hold with Svitolina gaining a shot at the set. The backhand let the American down setting up two break points but a recovery of crosscourt winners brought the tenth seed to deuce.

Two smothered forehands gave Svitolina the break needed to serve for the set at 6-5.  

A good net-front crosscourt opened scoring for the world number five who painted the line on a great return. With an error giving her two set points, Svitolina watched a wide return from Keys put the set to rest after 38 minutes. It was the 21^st of the set that practically negated the 20 winners she produced.

To get back on the right track, Keys put together a strong service game in the second set. Svitolina looked to take advantage but committed the second double fault of the match. Errors blew her 40-0 start but held with another forehand from Keys going into the net. An early break arrived for the Ukrainian as the errors from the 10^th seed racked up quickly. They returned to service holds where the lead remained with Svitolina after seven.

.@ElinaSvitolina completes the quarterfinals for the bottom half at the @usopen!

She knocks out Keys in a tough 7-5, 6-4 decision--> https://t.co/s2XTYTuFSy pic.twitter.com/86Uyi33vhT

— WTA (@WTA) September 2, 2019

A key hold made it 5-3 for the fifth seed putting Keys on the edge with a hold needed to stay alive. Drawn errors by Svitolina kept the American in the hunt with a line drive winner clinching the ninth on serve. The fifth seed cruised to victory with Keys continuing the onslaught of backhand errors that finished the match in 1 hour and 14 minutes.

“It was really good serving for me tonight,” Svitolina said to ESPN reporter Renee Stubbs. “I was feeling very good with my footwork as well and very pleased that I could play very consistent tonight and to play in such a great atmosphere is very special.”

It was the first time Keys lost a match at night ending a decade long streak of success. With the motivation moving her into Tuesday match against Johanna Konta, Svitolina had her eyes set on further progress. “It’s gonna be another great battle and looking forward to facing her she said. “We always had some tough matches and for me, it’s gonna be another challenge which I’m going to accept and go out there and play my best game.”