Alycia Parks scored a 7-5, 6-2 upset over seventh seed Danka Kovinic in the quarter-finals of the Lyon Open on Friday. The American needed an hour and 25 minutes to complete the match. Parks hit five aces and double faults each.
She also won 73% of her first-serve points and 57% of her second-serve points. The Montenegrin finished with an ace and two double faults, and won 59% of her first-serve and 43% of her second-serve points. Parks faced two break points and lost her serve once but went on to convert four of the five break point opportunities she had on Kovinic’s serve.
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This is the first time the 22-year-old’s reached the semi-finals of a WTA tournament. Looking to reach her first WTA final, Parks will now play Maryna Zanevska. The Belgian upset fifth seed Anastasia Potapova in a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback after two hours and seven minutes.
Zanevska faced 16 break points in the latter two sets, eight each in the second and third sets. She saved all eight break points she faced in the second set while dropping her serve once in the decider. Potapova lost her serve five times in the last couple of sets while conceding her serve twice in the first set.
She also went on to break Zanevska thrice in the opener, en route to winning it. At the top of the draw, Caroline Garcia, the top seed defeated Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 7-5 in an hour and 46 minutes. The world no. 5 hit nine aces and won 75% of her first-serve points.
She also broke the Italian’s serve thrice in the match while losing hers once, in the second set. She didn’t face any break point in the first set. The Frenchwoman will now play Camila Osorio for a chance to reach the Lyon Open final.
The Colombian halted Czech teenager Linda Noskova’s good form, 6-4, 7-6(3) in their quarter-final after 92 minutes of play. Photo Credit: Lyon Open Instagram
