I am at 2-1 for Swiatek and 30-30 with service for Aryna Sabalenka the score in the first set of semifinals of the WTA Finals in Cancun when heaven has said enough. It darkened throughout the day, with big clouds threatening their final exit after a few short breaks due to rain, it left a certain storm that surely turned the last tournament of the season upside down: The second semi-final will end this Sunday and the grand final has been moved to Monday.
Rain played a role on Thursday and Friday, but despite this the organization was able to save the individual matches to continue with the planned program until this Saturday. With him, however, everything changed. It is possible to complete, not without delays, the very convincing victory for Jessica Pegula by 6-2 and 6-1 against Coco Gauff which put the passive New York player in the final. But the possibility that the rivalry for the final and almost for the world number 1 between Sabalenka and Swiatek could come to fruition remained in the air.
Both players warmed up, waiting to see what the sky offered. This is how the match started, with a passive Swiatek in the first game, hitting the ball hard enough to assert the fact that he started serving first. Sabalenka responded less firmly, going for a break in the third game of the match. Serving and serving, Swiatek saves a break point and had a long and torturous game, although Sabalenka was unable to follow her pattern of transition game comfortably.
So, at 2-1, it started to rain. The organization kept two players on the court, with information that the storm would pass within minutes. This was before tournament workers began drying the playing field. However, when both players had given their approval to continue the match, the final storm came, a final volley sent Sabalenka and Swiatek to the locker room and forced the organization to postpone the resolution of the tournament by one day.
The rivalry between the two best players in the world looks to be resolved this Sunday, though this will be done no earlier than 10:30 pm and subject to the progress of the doubles tournament where both the closing of the group stage with the duel between Gauff and Pegula against Siegemund and Zvonareva (6-3 and 1-1) and the dispute in the semifinals are still pending. They will take center stage, with Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe as rivals of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Pérez and with Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens waiting for the resolution of the group that is still ongoing. Then the continuation of Sabalenka-Swiatek was planned, incl the two finals moved to Monday to, heaven permitting, put an end to a giving contest constant headache for the organization.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
