Stuttgart: American CoCo Vandeweghe cruised past Caroline Garcia 6-4 6-2 in the semi-finals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Saturday to move a step closer to her first title of the season. Vandeweghe needed 74 minutes to knock out the French world number seven for her third win over a top 10 player this week. The 26-year-old Vandeweghe beat world number one Simona Halep and US Open champion Sloane Stephens earlier in the event.
Flushing Meadows semi-finalist Vandeweghe takes on Karolina Pliskova in Sunday’s final after the fifth seed beat Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit 6-4 6-2.
Asked about her success in Stuttgart on a clay surface that she has previously stated a dislike for, Vandeweghe said: “My mom told me I have some German heritage from my great grandmother so that’s probably why it’s clicking here.
“I’m definitely trying different things and enjoying my time out on the court instead of taking it too seriously. It’s chill. It’s like I’m back in California on the beach and I don’t care.” Vandeweghe won her first break with the scores at 4-4 before serving out for the first set. Garcia held firm up to 2-2 in the second but despite her best efforts, the sixth seed could not stop Vandeweghe from running away with the match. Vandeweghe has beaten former world number one Pliskova three times in five career meetings but the Czech prevailed in straight sets when they faced off in the last 16 in Stuttgart last year. — Reuters
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