DUBAI // The 2016 WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is surely the most unpredictable edition of the tournament yet.
Given the level of competition that is now customary in Dubai – this year boasted 10 of the world’s top 20 – shock results are not all that, well, shocking.
But even on that basis, 2016 has been particularly surprising. When was the last time all eight seeds were eliminated after their first matches? It has been a week for the unexpected, that’s for sure.
Sticking with that theme, Saturday’s final will be contested by a player that prior to this week had won just two matches in four tournaments this season against a player that had won just once in Dubai.
Sara Errani, the 2013 finalist, will take on the week’s ultimate surprise package in Barbora Strycova after the Czech prevailed 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in an absorbing contest with France’s Caroline Garcia in Friday’s evening semi-final.
Considering Strycova was 2-6, 0-3 down in her second-round match against Germany’s Julia Gorges, the fact she is one win away from the title sums up what this week has been all about.
In front of a lively, Mexican wave-producing Centre Court crowd, both players went on the attack from the get-go. Battles from the baseline were complimented by approaches to the net as Garcia and Strycova looked to apply pressure on each other. It made for an exciting intro, and at 2-2, the opening set looked like it would be decided by fine margins.
So it proved, even if the wide scoreline suggested otherwise. Two break point chances created, two converted. It was an impressive display of efficiency by Strycova, who did not face a single break point in the first set.
The momentum was firmly with the 29-year-old Czech, who after taking a 2-0 lead in the second set, was on a seven game win streak.
However, Garcia, roared on by the majority of the crowd, forced her way back into the contest, and after breaking back in game 4, proceeded to dominate the set and level the match.
Garcia, 22, seemed to have the match in her grasp, but Strycova had other ideas, and immediately levelled in the deciding set after dropping her first service game.
There had been two major momentum swings in the match, and such was the intensity of the battle unfolding, a third would be conclusive.
It went the way of Strycova at the worst possible time for Garcia, who having saved two break points when serving at 3-4, ultimately got broken.
Garcia then had two break point chances of her own when Strycova was serving for the match, but the powers of resilience that have served the world No 47 so well this week came to the fore as she closed out the match.
“I can’t believe it because it wasn’t an easy match for me today,” Strycova said. “I wasn’t feeling so well. The first set I was playing without any mistakes, but then 2-0 in the second I was a little bit down physically and I couldn’t pump it up again.
“So I’m happy that I pulled it through at the end.”
Strycova will face a tough task in world No 20 Errani on Saturday, having lost five of their six meetings, but her impressive performances against Garcia and Ana Ivanovic in the quarter-finals will give her great confidence.
“It’s going to be tough one,” Strycova said. “I lost to Sara in Eastbourne. It was on grass, but I lost from two match points down. So revenge.”
Given all that has unfolded this week, it would be far from unexpected if Strycova does, indeed, get her revenge.
jturner@thenational.ae
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