Anastasia Potapova and Marie Bouzkova are the finalists of the 2022 Prague Open. On Saturday, the seventh-seeded Potapova and the eighth seed from the Czech Republic got through their respective semi-finals in the Czech capital.
In the first semi-final, Bouzkova beat fellow Czech, 17-year-old wildcard recipient, Linda Noskova. Bouzkova won 7-6(4), 6-3 in an hour and 42 minutes. Bouzkova won 68% of her first-serve points and 58% of her second-serve points.
Noskova, on the other hand, won 66% of her first-serve points and only 41% of her second-serve points. The four double faults Noskova hit also let her down. In terms of break points, Bouzkova was able to secure three breaks of serve while conceding her serve twice in the match.
Earlier, in the quarter-finals, Bouzkova had beaten Oksana Selekhmetova, 6-3, 6-0. Noskova had advanced after her opponent, Nao Hibino retired in their clash with the teenager leading 6-3, 4-2.
Prague Open: Anastasia Potapova’s having a fun week
Meanwhile, Potapova posted a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Qiang Wang in their semi-final in exactly an hour’s time.
So far in the event, Potapova’s not gone down a set in any of the four rounds played. Potapova won 78% of her first-serve points and 55% of points on return on Wang’s first serve. She also won 47% of her second-serve points and 65% of points on return on her opponent’s second serve.
Five breaks of serve also helped Potapova keep herself ahead in the clash even as she lost her serve once in the proceedings. The 21-year-old’s route to the Prague Open final included an upset over the world no. 2 and the event’s top-seeded player, Anett Kontaveit.
Potapova had taken merely 49 minutes to oust the Estonian, 6-1, 6-1 in their quarter-final match. Wang had needed three sets and three hours to beat Magda Linette, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4 to reach the semis. Photo Credit: Prague Open Twitter
