New York’s Chirico Powers Into Madrid Semifinals
The breakthrough week for 19-year old qualifier Louisa Chirico continued on Thursday, as the Harrison, N.Y. native hit her way into the Mutua Madrid Open semifinals with a 7-6(1), 6-2 triumph over Daria Gavrilova.
The former USTA Eastern star made her way into the tournament after receiving a bid into the qualifying draw and has since made the most of her opportunity. She took out 14th seed and former world number one and French Open champion Ana Ivanovic in the second-round, and after a late withdrawal from Victoria Azarenka in the third-round, the American found herself in a quarterfinal matchup with Gavrilova.
Neither play faltered on their own serve in the opening set, forcing the first set into a tiebreaker. Chirico would dominate the breaker, winning seven of the eight points, to take the first set.
Gavrilova came out firing in the second set, giving herself a couple of break point chances in the second game after holding serve, but Chirico held her nerve to save both and hold serve. She immediately responded with a break in the third game to turn the tide of the set.
Up a break advantage already, Chirico would secure one more break at 4-2 to open up a 5-2 advantage. The American would fall down 15-40 in the eighth game, but fought back to deuce, converting on her second match point to reach the first WTA semifinals of her young career.
“I am going to take it one match at a time,” Chirico said when asked if she thinks she can win this title. “I play every match to win so hopefully I can keep going.”
Chirico is the first American teenager to reach the semifinals of a Premier clay court tournament since Ashley Harkleroad did so at Charleston in 2003. She will take on the winner of Dominka Cibulkova and Sorana Cirstea.
