Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Australia’s Destanee Aiava on match point. She defeated France’s Sherazad Reix to advance to the semifinals at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media)
Australia’s Destanee Aiava has twice reached a final in a tournament held in Canberra. Aiava lost the Clay Court final in 2016 to Japan’s Eri Hozumi 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3) and last October Aiava lost to Olivia Rogowska 6-1, 6-2 on hardcourts. Both Hozumi and Destanee are back in Canberra for the ACT Clay Court International.
Hozumi lost in the second round to France’s Sherazad Reix, while Aiava has reached the semifinal where she will face the second seed Miyu Kato from Japan.
Aiava advanced to the semis after a solid 6-4, 6-2 win over Reix. The 17-year-old Australian showed good patience to come through the match.
Kato had an easier time in her quarterfinal match where she defeated Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-0, 6-1. As the scoreline suggests, Kato dominated play as Perez found it hard to keep the ball in play.
Kato is only 156cm compared to Aiava at 1.75cm. The Japanese player is fast around the court and keeps the ball in play. Aiava will again need to remain patient and work hard for a finals berth.
In the other semifinal we will see Great Britain’s Gabriella Taylor face Slovenia’s Dalila Jakupovic. Both players advanced to this matchup after straight set wins over Australians.
Jakupovic had the easier win, defeating Lizette Cabrera 6-2, 6-2. Taylor jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set of her match against Abbie Myers, before taking the first set 6-4. In the second set, Taylor saved a lot of set points to come from behind to claim the match in a tie-break.
Taylor has been the form player on the Australian pro circuit claiming titles in Mildura on grass, Perth and Launceston on hard courts. In late 2017 Taylor won in Mumbai, India. All of the titles were at the $25,000 tournament level.
Jakupovic, after playing her singles match, teamed up with Australia’s Priscilla Hon to claim the doubles title. The heavier workload for the Slovenian player could give Taylor the edge.
The first semifinal between Taylor and Jakupovic will start at 11am at the Canberra Tennis Centre in Lyneham, with Aiava and Kato to follow. The women’s final will be played on Sunday, starting at 11am. The winner will earn 80 rankings points, with the runner-up taking 48.
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Australia’s Ellen Perez stretches wide to hit a forehand against No. 2 seed, Japan’s Miyu Kato in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: No. 4 seed Australia’s Lizette Cabrera hits a backhand against No. 5 seed, Slovenia’s Dalila Jakupovic in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Slovenia’s Dalila Jakupovic serving to Australia’s Lizette Cabrera in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media)
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Slovenia’s Dalila Jakupovic slides to chase down a drop shot against Australia’s Lizette Cabrera in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Australia’s Abbie Myers hitting a forehand against No. 7 seed, Great Britain’s Gabriella Taylor in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Great Britain’s Gabriella Taylor in the first set against Australia’s Abbie Myers in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media)
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Great Britain’s Gabriella Taylor in the first set against Australia’s Abbie Myers in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media)
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Great Britain’s Gabriella Taylor defeated Australia’s Abbie Myers to advance to the semifinals at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media)
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: France’s Sherazad Reix hitting a single handed backhand against Australia’s Destanee Aiava in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: France’s Sherazad Reix hitting a slice backhand against Australia’s Destanee Aiava in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: France’s Sherazad Reix hitting a slice backhand against Australia’s Destanee Aiava in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: France’s Sherazad Reix hitting a slice backhand against Australia’s Destanee Aiava in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: Australia’s Destanee Aiava hitting a slice backhand against France’s Sherazad Reix in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
Canberra, Australia – 23 March: No. 2 seed, Japan’s Miyu Kato hits a backhand against Australia’s Ellen Periz in a quarterfinal at the ITF Pro Circuit tennis event in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating/Keating Media) #ACTClayIntl #protour
