Vondrousova knocks off Svitolina, Pliskova bagels Mertens

• Internazionali BNL d’Italia, quarter-final

• VONDRUSOVA d. SVITOLINA 6-3, 6-0

• Key info: Marketa Vondrousova cruised past Elina Svitolina in straight sets for a Rome semi-final berth.
• You will also learn: A three-setter in the night match decided Vondrousova’s next opponent.
• Why read this story: The match was competitive early, but the left-handed eventually pulled away

No 12 seed Marketa Vondrousova took care of No 4 Elina Svitolina to advance to the semi-finals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, snatching the first set with a break and then serving a bagel in the second for a 6-3, 6-0 victory.

Six of the nine games in the tightly-contested first set ended up needing deuces to resolve them, with three off them going multiple deuces. After holding on to her serve by the skin of her teeth to start by staving off six break points, Vondrousova broke Svitolina on her third break point to go up 3-1. The world No 6 eventually had a golden opportunity for a break back, going up 0-40 on Vondrousova’s serve. However, all three of those were squandered and that was all she wrote as the lone break separated the two players in the first set.

The second was not the same story, though, as the Czech powered through Svitolina with a bagel — only allowing the Ukrainian to earn just two points in her own service games.

A quick sweep in Set 2 puts the 21-year-old in the Semifinals.🔥@VondrousovaM defeats Elina Svitolina in straight sets 6-3, 6-0.#IBI20 pic.twitter.com/TQKCOkY8XB

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) September 19, 2020

Pliskova powers past Mertens

Vondrousova  will face Karolina Pliskova in the semi-finals on Sunday.

The first set in her match against Elise Mertens saw Pliskova get off to a shaky start, fending off two break points in her first game. She was able to turn the tide immediately, finding four break points in the next game and breaking Mertens early. That set the tone of the action early on, with the world No 4 not allowing any more break points in the set. Pliskova took the momentum into the second early, breaking her opponent right away and holding to go up 2-0 and then 3-1. However, she imploded right after that, as Mertens swept through the rest of the set to tie up the match up.

Nonetheless, Pliskova was quick to restore order to the proceedings. Not unlike Vondrousova before her, the second seed delivered a bagel to reach the semi-finals — ending the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in two hours and eight minutes.

Back in the semis…

Defending champ @KaPliskova navigates her way past the winningest woman on tour this year in Mertens 6-3, 3-6, 6-0.#IBI20 pic.twitter.com/S6ObcIjDOW

— wta (@WTA) September 19, 2020

• Also read: Halep advances past Putintseva for semi-final matchup against Muguruza
• Also read: Halep extends winning streak; Pliskova, Mertens into last eight in Rome