It’s Vania King who is the first finalist at Jiangxi Women’s Open in Nanchang. The 27-year-old American dominated the match with a double 6-2 and ended Risa Ozaki’s run in the semifinal. For King, who had won her first and only WTA title in Bangkok in 2006 (at 17 years old), it’s the first final since the one reached in Guangzhou in 2013, where she made a remarkable run as a qualifier before losing to Zhang Shuai in the final.
Risa Ozaki could still be satisfied with her overall run. After reaching her first quarterfinal two weeks ago in Washington, she had already improved her record with this debut in the last four of a WTA tournament.
King dominates to secure a one-set lead
The first set started all in King’s momentum, which she wouldn’t lose until the end of the match, despite a remarkable fight from her opponent.
Quickly 2-0 up, the American started to attack taking advantage of Ozaki who couldn’t make a real difference with her serve. The third game translated in a close battle, in which the Japanese needed to save three more break points, but eventually held with a well-placed drop shot and a forehand winner.
This didn’t end King’s run in the set; despite some errors from the American that brought the game to deuce, she ended it with two unreachable drop shots who let her keep the lead. She got one more chance to widen the gap in the following game; Ozaki granted herself a chance to hold with a bold second-serve ace, but two volley errors gave King a break point first and a double-break lead then, making the Japanese go 1-4 down, and slightly complicated her set.
A better control of the long rallies from King eased her path; forced to an all-court defense by the 27-year-old's aggressive game, Ozaki couldn’t handle it, hit the ball out and let King secure a 5-1 lead. A flawless game on serve and the Japanese won her second game of the set, but without interrupting the American’s momentum; a good first serve, two forehand errors from her opponent and another winner quickly delivered the set in King’s hands, with a 6-2 score line.
Ozaki’s defense isn’t enough, King takes the match
The second set started as well in King’s full control, who quickly won a break to 15, hitting three winners and then again pushing Ozaki to defend and forcing her into errors. The second game showed the Japanese immediately get a chance to break back, taking advantage by a ball miss from King. Again forced to defend, the Japanese couldn’t keep the ball in play.
Two more chances for the American, and she consolidated her lead, with a forehand winner and an ace on the center line. Too many errors from Ozaki didn’t make difficult for King to break her again, and then win another battled game (saving one more break point with an aggressive attack) to secure a 4-0 lead.
The Japanese found a comfortable game on serve, with a well-placed volley and a winner right on the line which helped her to hold and win her first game on the set, interrupting a five-games streak from the American. An almost perfect game on the first serve, and an attack strategy that again forced Ozaki to cover all the court to defend let the American hold to love, gaining the chance to serve for the match.
Ozaki needed to serve to stay in the match. With a forehand on the line (called out) and another unforced error, the 22-year-old fell 15-40 down and was forced to save two match points right away. The Japanese showed all her fighting spirit, and with an effective defense and a volley winner from the net she brought the game to deuce; she then hit one more winner from the net and benefitted from a huge error by King to hold her second game and keep her hopes alive.
It hadn’t been enough to put a stop to King’s aggressive dominance; quickly 40-0 up in the following game, a good first serve on match point closed it to love. King took the match 6-2, 6-2 and book her place in the final.
The second set had an Ozaki really vulnerable on her second serve, and King didn’t hesitate to take advantage of it, pushing on her returns to win important breaks. The American’s solid first serve let her keep her advantage and eventually claim the match.
Vania King will meet Duan Ying-Ying in tomorrow’s final after the Chinese successfully got rid of Misa Eguchi in straight sets.