Caro Garcia snatches the semi-finals “after a crazy match”

At the end of the effort, Caroline Garcia defeated 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) the Russian Daria Kasatkina, Saturday in Fort Worth (Texas), to afford a semi-final of the Masters WTA within reach on Sunday against the Greek Maria Sakkari.

The 29-year-old Lyonnaise (world No.6), who had reached this stage during her first participation in the event in 2017, then deprived of the final by the American Venus Williams, will have for her this time the experience of this kind of challenge, facing an opponent (N.5), who certainly appeared formidable this week, but whom she has beaten twice in as many confrontations.

A long victory in the making

So here she is more than two victories away from becoming the second Frenchwoman to add her name to the winners of this event, after Amélie Mauresmo, who was crowned at the expense of Mary Pierce in 2005, during a 100% tricolor final of another time. In the meantime, she could savor her success, acquired as much thanks to her perseverance as to her offensive game.

“It was a crazy game. I had to give everything to win it, stay positive until the end. Daria is such a fighter, I’m happy to have been as much as her tonight, “she said hotly on the court, after 2:30 of a fierce fight against the 8th world.

“I tried to play aggressively, even though she’s probably the best defensive player in the world. We have very opposing games, which has resulted in some nice rallies,” she added.

A few moments before Neil Diamond’s famous “Sweet Caroline” hit rang out in the Dickies Arena, Garcia had just collapsed with joy, but above all with relief, when he saw the ball caught by Kasatkina die in the net.

The outcome is therefore happy, but it could just as well not have been. And then, she would have bitterly regretted these six wasted break points at 4-4 in the third set, after 13 minutes that this ninth game lasted.

Previously, the French had been able to get back into the match, swallowing the second set in an authoritarian way, after the loss of the first during which she nevertheless led 4-2.

A remarkable performance in itself, because when Kasatkina wins the first heat, she always wins behind. The Russian has won the 28 games in which she had the best start this year. But not the 29th.

Garcia did not deliver a perfect match, far from it. Evidenced by his more numerous unforced errors (48) than his winning shots (42), but his permanent aggressiveness rewarded him. As much as his faith in his game.

With this victory, imperative to hope to continue her journey in this competition, she thus made sure to finish second in the Tracey Austin group, behind the untouchable world No.1 Iga Swiatek who will be opposed to Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the other half.

Garcia was still 75th in the world in April

For “Caro”, this course is already a satisfaction after six difficult last weeks, victim of a phenomenon of decompensation after a flamboyant summer, which saw her win three titles (Bad Homburg, Warsaw, Cincinnati) , before reaching the semis at the US Open. Enough to go from 75th to 6th place in the world in a few months, and invite yourself to the Masters.

A rebirth, after more than four years without brilliance, between crisis of confidence, tennis in distress and recurring physical worries, which she managed to overcome this year, in a spectacular way, thanks to her work done with coach Bertrand Perret, key to its success.

However, in mid-October, after the elimination in the second round of the Guadalajara tournament, the latter decided to put an end to eleven months of a fruitful collaboration, citing without specifying the nature of the problems that had arisen in recent weeks. .

A decision that took Garcia by surprise, arriving in Fort Worth in the midst of uncertainty. Helped for the occasion by the Argentinian coach Juan Pablo Guzman, who had already worked with her last year, she however regained momentum at the best time.