Iga Swiatek and Angelique Kerber win three set semifinal matches at United Cup

Three set women's matches were on the docket in 2024 United Cup semifinal action. World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, representing Poland, faced France's Carolina Garcia, and Angelique Kerber of Germany was involved in an instant classic against Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic.

Carolina Garcia played great tennis taking the first set 6-4. Swiatek, looking more intense than usual, proceeded to run away with the match in the final two sets, 6-1, 6-1.

Swiatek's win clinched a trip to the United Cup finals for Poland. Poland will face the winner of the Australia vs. Germany semifinal.

Iga Swiatek's three set win was much easier than Angelique Kerber's

While Swiatek breezed through the final two sets, Angelique Kerber found herself in a grueling two-hour and 34-minute match against Ajla Tomljanovic that came down to a third-set tiebreaker where she saved two match points.

Kerber managed the Australian fans who were pulling for Tomljanovic and Tomljanovic's excellent play to earn the win 4-6, 6-2, 7-6. The United Cup is her first event after maternity leave, and she has gotten better in each match. This is her first win in singles since she came back. The shotmaking and construction of smart points were evident as she had Tomljanovic on the run to earn winners.

Kerber was emotional after the match, talking about how much she had missed the game. She looks ready to contend for Grand Slam titles so the Top 10 players should beware. Kerber won the first match giving Germany a 1-0 lead for Alexander Zverev who was set to face a surging Alex de Minaur in the second match. In addition to a trip to the United Cup finals at stake, de Minaur would break into the Top 10 for the first time in his career with a victory over Zverev.

Should Germany advance to the finals to face Poland, Kerber would face her toughest test yet in her comeback, against Iga Swiatek in a clash of former and current World No. 1s.

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