Potapova tops Pliskova in Madrid to become 1st 'lucky loser' in semifinals at a WTA 1000-level event
Anastasia Potapova dropped to her knees, put both hands on her face and started crying. The “explosion of emotions inside” came after the 56th-ranked Austrian became the first “lucky loser” to reach a WTA 1000 semifinal by defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3 on Wednesday at the Madrid Open. “I (had) a few match points in the second set, on serve, but I couldn't manage my nerves at that time,” the 25-year-old Potapova said.
MADRID (AP) — Anastasia Potapova dropped to her knees, put both hands on her face and started crying. The “explosion of emotions inside” came after the 56th-ranked Austrian became the first “lucky loser” to reach a WTA 1000 semifinal by defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3 on Wednesday at the Madrid Open . She almost gave up the victory, squandering three match points in the second set and having to overcome a 1-3 deficit in the decisive set.
“I (had) a few match points in the second set, on serve, but I couldn't manage my nerves at that time,” the 25-year-old Potapova said. “It seems that this tournament keeps giving me second chances and I keep using them. So yeah, supper happy.
” The Russian-born Potapova said she got a huge boost when her boyfriend, Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor, arrived to watch. “I was a little bit gone mentally in the third set. I didn’t believe in myself at that moment,” she said.
“But big respect to my boyfriend who came just on time. He saved me. He kept telling me, ‘You can do this, we are all together here, just keep going.