Former Grand Slam champion, Barbora Krejcikova, strikes again after beating an on-form Lin Zhu 6-3, 6-2 to advance to her first-ever grass court final.

“I’m really happy,” said the top seed. “Today was a difficult match; it was tough to play against Lin Zhu today, but I kept my focus.

“Grass is always very tricky; it’s up and down and you have to remain focused on every single point, and I did that today. It also came down to choosing my shots well, as well as my serve working well for me today.”

Early break points for the underdog prompted an early lead for Zhu, but four successive games for Krejcikova quickly saw the Chinese star’s advantage dissipate. The Czech player, seeded No.1, conjured seven break points in the opening set alone, but her conversion rate fell to 29% having won just two in seven.

Despite Zhu, ranked 39, delivering firm service holds at the set progressed, the former Grand Slam champion sealed the advantage on her second set point to leave the Chinese player trailing a set for a second consecutive match.

Zhu called for a medial timeout following her defeat in the opening set, showing signs of discomfort in right shoulder. However, the 29-year-old persevered as the second set got underway.

Krejcikova didn’t waste any time as the action continued, adding another four break points to her tally to go up a double break early in the final set.  

Although Zhu was able to produce to convincing service holds to get two games on the board, the momentum remained with the top seed, winning 11 of 15 points on her first serve to close out the match in timely fashion.

Meanwhile, a power exhibition took place on the Ann Jones Centre Court after yet another former Grand Slam champion progressed to the final following Jelena Ostapenko’s 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win over Anastasia Potapova.

“Honestly, I don’t know how I did it,” said Ostapenko. “I’ve played a lot of three-set matches this week, and it’s never easy, but I’m happy that I managed to come through this match.”

Speaking on her opponent, the Latvian added, “she made it very hard for me to win points and in the first set I felt like I was rushing it a little bit.

“It’s always tough to play her as you really have to be aggressive to be able to win. So, I’m just happy that I managed to stay calm in the second set.”

It was a fiercely contested battle between the two seeds in a high-octane opening set. In eight break point opportunities, six came and went as Potapova struggled to silence the Latvian. Yet, the 22-year-old lived up to her status as one of the best returners in the game after generating six set points on the Ostapenko serve, eventually taking the lead just under the one-hour mark.

The absorbing contest wasn’t over yet, however, as Ostapenko, who ranks just four places higher than her opponent, wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip as she charged into the second in masterly fashion, winning four consecutive games.

Meanwhile, the reigning Linz champion’s return percentage plummeted to just shy of 50% in the penultimate set, leaving Ostapenko plenty of leeway as she stayed on serve for the remainder of the second, calling for a decider.  

As the pressure heated up, fourth seed Potapova saved only two of four break points as Ostapenko, seeded No.2, was on the brink of her first final of the season with a double break lead.

Showing no signs of stepping of the gas, the second seed confidently approached the finish line, capitalising on her first match point opportunity to snatch up the win just over two hours.

Doubles

The success continued for Krejcikova as she booked her second final of the week, and first-ever Rothesay Classic final in both the singles and doubles draws.

Second seeds Krejcikova and Ukranian Marta Kostyuk ousted American/Polish partnership Bernarda Pera and Magda Linette 6-3, 6-4, making them the first duo to book their place in tomorrow’s final. This is the first time the pair will be playing together in a final.                                                                               

Fourth seed Anastasia Potapova snaps up the remaining place in the last four after her 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over home favourite Harriet Dart.

In the opening set, little separated the two players. However, Dart just claimed the scalp of the world No.21 having shown more efficiency in converting her break point chances. Despite Potapova clawing her way back from deficit early in the match, the Briton kept her composure, converting her third break point of the set to give her a cushioning set lead.

Buoyed by her gunning performance in the first set, Dart charged into the second, breaking Potapova for a third time in the match. Yet, the two-time Tour level champion is known for her comeback victories, having gone the distance in her first two encounters in Birmingham, and that she did.

Potapova wasn’t going to make the same mistakes again as she broke the Briton at the first time of asking. Dart, showing true character and tenacity, fought her way back into the running, but the recently crowned Linz champion found her fifth break of the match to lead proceedings once again, eventually winning in two hours and eight minutes.

Barbora Krejcikova won her second back-to-back all-Czech battle after beating up-and-coming star, 18-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova, 6-3, to progress to the semi-finals. Her next meeting with Lin Zhu will mark her first-ever semi-final on the grass.

The two compatriots first meeting at Tour level swung in Krejcikova’s favour as she comfortably earnt herself a solitary break in the first set and a double in the second to close out the match in straight-sets, clinging onto her 100% record here in Birmingham.   

Elsewhere, second seed Jelena Ostapenko reaches first semi-final in Birmingham after winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in her meeting with qualifier, Poland’s Magdalena Frech.

Accelerating into the match with some force, Frech won five break points on the Latvian’s serve in the opening set, converting one of five to earn the scoreboard advantage.

Outmanoeuvring her opponent, the world No.72 won seven consecutive games as she seemingly charged towards the finish line.

Forced to call a medical time out early in the second set, Ostapenko received strapping to her left carf as she appeared to nurse an injury.

Despite the signs of discomfort and heavy strapping, the former Eastbourne champion defied all odds, closing the chasm in the scoreline and winning five games in a row to turn the match on its head, eventually calling for a third where she’d close out the match with a double break lead.

Lin Zhu achieved her 14th career win on grass after overcoming lucky loser Rebecca Marino 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, continuing her winning streak to become the first semi-finalist of the tournament.

Showing no signs of a hangover from her four back-to-back three-set encounters, the Canadian refused to the let the scoreboard pressure build up as she immediately recovered from a break of serve to eventually claim her third successive opening set.

However, as fatigue began to set in for Marino, Zhu was able to capitalise on her increasing number of unforced errors, winning three consecutive games to call for a deciding set.

Requiring instant traction on the scoreboard after Zhu’s successive fourth game, Marino came back from break point to get the crucial hold, but it wasn’t long before the top 50 star forged her twelfth break point of the match to seal the win at the first time of asking.

Doubles

Ukranian Llyudmyla Kichenok and Latvian Jelena Ostapenko advance to their second successive semi-final in Birmingham, and third overall for the Latvian, after outfoxing Norwegian duo Ulrikke Eikeri and Alexandra Panova 6-4, 6-1.                                                                                                                                        

Former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko dispatched Venus Williams in a heart-stopping three-set showdown that saw the world No.17 eventually win 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 to book her place in the quarter-finals.

Today’s match was the first time the two have met in six years after meeting back in 2017. However, Ostapenko’s win in Edgbaston marked her first-ever win against the American having lost both previous encounters.  

“Venus, she is a great player and a great champion, and it’s an honour to share the court with her,” said Ostapenko. “She’s especially a very dangerous player on the grass, and it’s great to play against players like her. She’s an idol for a lot of people, so it was very special.”

Ostapenko, who’s ranked within the top 20, controlled the terms of engagement with pinpoint accuracy, dragging the five-time Wimbledon champion corner to corner to earn the winning solitary break in the opening set.

The Latvian remained dominant throughout the penultimate set, finding the second break of the match at the fifth time of asking. Edging ever-closer to the finishing line, the 26-year-old was awarded match point on the Williams serve, but she couldn’t capitalise on the opportunity as the American dug her heels in to keep herself in the match.

Still trailing a break, Williams needed to back up her hold with a break to stay in the match. As Ostapenko’s unforced errors began to rise, the seven-time Grand Slam champion took advantage, breaking her opponent not once, but twice to call for a deciding shootout.

Despite Williams getting off to a concrete start with an immediate 2-0 advantage in the third, Ostapenko’s pulsating shots got her out of unsteady waters as she clawed her way back into the set. A momentum shift in the Latvian’s favour saw her break to love to edge ahead, beginning to hit with true conviction as she chased down match point for a second time, eventually closing out the match in two hours and 24 minutes.

It was an all-Czech battle on the Ann Jones court as top seed Barbora Krejcikova went head-to-head with qualifier, Tereza Martincova, winning 6-4, 6-4 to progress to the quarter-finals.

The two former teammates – having both represented the Czech Republic at the Billie Jean King Cup in Prague – are no stranger to one another’s game, marking their fifth head-to-head match.

A set down, Martincova began to make leeway in the second set as she eyed up what would have been her first victory against her former teammate. However, Krejcikova averted any signs of danger as she claimed five of five encounters against her fellow Czech star.

Qualifier Magdalena Frech eliminated the fourth seeded player of the tournament after overcoming Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, ranked 38 in the world, in a three-set thriller.  

Despite Cirstea fighting to keep her quarter-final hopes alive, calling for a deciding shootout; it wasn’t to be for the Romanian as Frech sealed a 6-3, 6(1)-7, 6-4 victory.

Canadian Rebecca Marino also endured a marathon match to book herself a spot in the quarter-finals after defeating America’s Emina Bektas 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1).

Prior to her encounter with the world No.99, Bektas had achieved her first top 50 career win after defeating last year’s finalist Shuai Zhang in the opening round.

Elsewhere, the world No.64 Caty McNally found herself just inches away from claiming the scalp of the world No.21, Anastasia Potapova, but it wasn’t to be as the fourth seed clinched the 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(0) win to guarantee herself the final spot in the quarter-finals.

Doubles

Remaining British pair Freya Christie and Ali Collins bowed out of the second round following their 6-3, 5-7, [10-5] defeat to second seeds Marta Kostyuk and Barbora Krejcikova.

Meanwhile, Polish/American duo Magda Linette and Bernarda Pera advance to the semi-finals after beating Brazilian pair Lidziya Marozava and Ingrid Gamarra Martins 6-4, 6-2.

Linette and Pera will face Ukranian Kostyuk and Czech Krejcikova in the semi-finals.

Harriet Dart reached her second successive quarter-final following her 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over the Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina.

The 26-year-old ran away with the opening set, saving seven break points in three games, needing only one chance herself to break her opponent and take the lead. However, Kalinina wasn’t going to go without a fight as she gained momentum, testing the Brit as she claimed the second.

Dart, who defeated the world No.24 last week on the grass, still had some surprises up her sleeve as she charged into the third set, leaving the Ukranian trailing behind as she snatched the double break and sealed the win in one hour and 46 minutes.

Top seed Barbora Krejcikova, who first made her debut at Edgbaston in 2018, guaranteed herself a place in the last 16 after knocking out Spain’s Cristina Bucsa following her 6-4, 6-3 victory.

The Czech star, who currently sits just outside the top 10 ranked world No.12, found herself leading the opening set with a 3-1 advantage, but a number of double faults opened the door for Bucsa to soon close the gap. Yet, Krejcikova’s professionalism shone through, holding her nerve as she found her second break of the set to claim the advantage.

Much like the opening set, the top seed was first to take charge as she broke her opponent at the first time of asking before the Spaniard clawed her way back into the match. However, it was Krejcikova who would eventually prevail, concocting a cushioning double break to win the match in one hour and 22 minutes.

Elsewhere, Linda Fruhvirtova became the first player to advance to the quarter-finals after ousting the world No.27, Bernarda Pera, 6-1, 7-6(3), while Lin Zhu became the second after trouncing the No.3 seed Magda Linette. 

Pera and Linette were amongst the three seeded player to exit the tournament here in Birmingham following the defeat of last year’s finalist, Shuai Zhang. 

Rebecca Marino and qualifier Tereza Martincova also successfully banked wins today as they continue their journey and advance to the second round.  

Doubles

Australian/American duo Storm Hunter and Alycia Parks continue their journey in Birmingham after defeating Taiwan’s Su-Wei Hsieh and the Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova 7-6(4), 6-4.

Harriet Dart is the first Brit to advance to the last 16 after defeating this year’s Rothesay Open runner-up, Jodie Burrage, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.

It proved to be fierce battle, with both sides on the offense as the match went the distance. However, it was Dart who just had the edge as she found a solitary break in the deciding set to keep her Rothesay Classic hopes alive.

Katie Boulter, who returns to Birmingham a WTA Tour winner after her success at the Rothesay Open last week, exits the tournament after losing 7-5, 7-5 to China’s Lin Zhu in the opening round.

Both Boulter and Zhu are amongst the five players to have become first time champions this season, but it was Zhu who ultimately kept her dreams of a second alive after an emphatic performance. The world No.39 came back from a break down in the first set before prevailing in the second after edging her nose out in a nail-biting battle of the breaks.

Doubles

The British No.1 doubles duo, wildcards Alicia Barnett and Olivia Nicholls, suffered a 2-6, 6-2, [10-5] defeat to Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Alexandra Panova in the opening round of the doubles.

The pair dictated the terms of engagement in the first set, with a comfortable double break to put them in good stead. However, it wasn’t to be for the home favourites as their experienced opponents, having won a combined nine titles between them, upped the tempo to clinch the second set before eventually winning the match with a double mini break lead.   

Legend of the game Venus Williams claimed her second win at Tour level in two years after defeating Italy’s Camila Giorgi 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 in a titanic tussle to book herself a place in the last 16.

The American’s first serve played to her strengths in the opening set, racking up 70% of first serves compared to her opponents 50%. However, Giorgi wasn’t to be silenced for long, finding an early double break in the second set to call for a third.

With one set apiece, the former Grand Slam champion needed only once again dial into her strengths as she won 80% of points on her first serve to keep the Italian at bay. However, the reigning Merida Open champion continued to pile on the pressure, reigning in the unforced errors to return the break and claw her way back into contention at 5-5.

With little separating the two, both sides galloped towards a deciding set tiebreak. Yet, it was the seven-time singles Grand Slam champion who ultimately prevailed after three hours and 16 minutes of mouth-watering tennis.

Elsewhere, in the singles, the No.6 seed, Poland’s Magdalena Frech, became the first to advance to the second round after defeating Switzerland’s Jil Tiechmann 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. Frech’s compatriot Magda Linette was next to join her after ousting Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. However, it wasn’t to be for 17-time Tour-level winner, Elina Svitolina, who bowed out of the opening round after her 6-2, 6-0 defeat to the Czech Republic’s Linda Fruhvirtova.

Also, through to the second round in the singles is America’s Bernada Pera, and the Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina.

Doubles

In the doubles, wildcards Freya Christie and Ali Collins led the British charge in the doubles on the opening day of the Rothesay Classic, overcoming the doubles world No.79 Cristina Bucsa and the world No. Japan’s Makoto Ninomiya 7-6(6), 4-6, [10-7].

Christie and Collins remained resilient as they went toe to toe with a Spanish/Japanese partnership that has a combined seven Tour-level titles between them. Having gone the distance in the opening set, the British pair began to tail behind in the second but made a fighting comeback to claw their way back from a 4-1 deficit to level the scoreboard.

Despite losing the second 6-4, Christie and Collins kept their noses in front in the deciding shootout, eventually going up a doubles mini break to seal the win. 

The No.2 seeds Marta Kostyuk and Barbora Krejcikova were also amongst those to win their opening round clashes, as well as Su-Wei Hsieh and Barbora Strycova, and Lidziya Marozava and Ingrid Gamarra Martins.  

Day two of qualifiers saw second seed, and the remaining top seed, Anna Bogdan book herself a pla Rebce in the main draw after her 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory over former Canadian Fed Cup championecca Marino. Meanwhile, top seed in qualifying, Ukranian Lesia Tsurenko exited the tournament after losing to compatriot Dayana Yastremska in straight sets.

To accompany Bogdan in the main draw is fellow seeded players, Spain’s Cristina Bucsa and Czechia’s Tereza Martincova, with up-and-coming star Emina Bektas to join them.

Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Naiktha Bains, Eden Silva, Amelia Rajecki, and Emily Appleton exited the tournament on the opening day of qualifying.