[Singles Semifinal]
Ashlyn Krueger (USA) 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 Ann Li (USA)

■It was a match that could have gone either way. After dropping the first set, Li appeared to be showing signs of fatigue. However, she mixed powerful groundstrokes with a variety of shots, including drop shots, to take the second set in a tiebreak. In the deciding set, though, Krueger said she “focused on putting the previous set behind” and immediately broke Li’s serve in the opening game. She then held serve comfortably to take a 2-0 lead. Leading 5-3, Krueger unleashed a series of aggressive shots in the ninth game, overpowering Li’ persistence.

■“I don’t think there was one particular game that was the key. Every game was important, and they were all closely contested, so I had to stay focused throughout the match,” Krueger reflected. Krueger had lost all three of her previous encounters with Li, including their meeting at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing two weeks ago. This time, however, “my serves were better than last time. The court was also playing faster, and I was able to hit good shots on the first ball of the rally, both on serves and returns,” she explained. Her first-serve percentage was an impressive 71 percent, and she won 74 percent of the points played behind her first serve.

■Krueger, the 2023 champion, has been in excellent form throughout this tournament, reaching the semifinals without dropping a set. Her confident strokes reflected her belief that the conditions suited her game. “The speed of the court really suits my game,” she said. This marks Krueger’s first final appearance of the season. Having defeated the top seed, she is now within a striking distance of claiming the title for the second time in three years.

(Japan Tennis Association)