Britain’s Katy Dunne in the semi-finals of Aegon GB Pro-Series Gloucester
Quarter-finals day at Oxstalls Sports Park saw 19 year old Katy Dunne’s winning form continue as she booked her place in Friday’s semi-final.
Facing Nora Niedmers of Germany, a lucky loser from qualifying, Dunne started well breaking serve in the first game. The 19 year old German fought back and the pair exchanged a couple of breaks with both playing high quality tennis. The young Brit served for the first set at 5-4 but soon found herself at 5-6 serving to stay in the first set. A love service game took the set to a tie break, and with the momentum swinging the way of Dunne, she took a 4-0 lead. Niedmers saved one set point on her serve, however, Dunne did not miss the next opportunity on her own serve and claimed the first set 76(3) in 57 minutes.
The second set remained a close fight, and with one break apiece the set was level at 3-3. Dunne played a solid service game in the seventh game and found a way to break the German in the following game to lead 5-3. With a steely focus the Brit sealed the match with a love service game, reaching her second semi-final of 2014.
After the match Dunne commented “I played a really tough match, mentally I stayed strong and I didn’t drop my level much. [In the tie break] I made her play every point, but I stayed aggressive.
“Playing in the top junior events is good preparation, the level is similar to $10k events, and so I think it has helped me.”
With relatives from Gloucestershire, Dunne has ties to the area. Talking of the support from spectators when competing on home soil Dunne said “it is always good to play in front of a crowd as it creates a good atmosphere and that always helps.”
Dunne’s opponent in the semi-finals is Belgium’s Klaartje Liebens, after the seventh seed came through a tough encounter with fourth seed Anna-Giulia Remondina from Italy. Liebens, leading by one set, had a match point in the second set tie break but was forced into a third set by the gutsy Italian. Despite losing the tie break the 19 year old Belgian regained the momentum racing to a 3-0 lead for the loss of just two points. The third set was wrapped up quickly in just 25 minutes with Liebens winning 63 67(7) 60.
The top seed, Hiroko Kuwata from Japan, eased into the semi-finals with a straight sets victory over sixth seed Belarussian, Sviatlana Pirazhenka, 75 62. Her opponent on Friday is third seed Bernada Pera from USA, who ended the run of the un-seeded German, Justine Ozga, for the loss of three games, 62 61.
In the doubles the top seeded Anglo-Swedish pairing of Lucy Brown and Hilda Melander secured their place in Friday’s doubles final with a win over third seeds Harriet Dart (GBR) & Sviatlana Pirazhenka (BLR). They will take on British fourth seeds Beth Askew and Katy Dunne, who defeated Rona Berisha & Louise Ronaldson (GBR).
The semi-finals kick off at 10.30am on Friday with Katy Dunne on first, followed by the second semi-final before Dunne returns for the doubles final. Entry is free to spectators.
The final is being held on Saturday 12th April starting at 11.00am
Oxstalls Sports Park
Darren.Morris@aspiretrust.org.uk
01452 396969
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