After a difficult spell, Clara Tauson has launched a staggering comeback at this week's WTA 250 tournament in Athens, but things went awry on Saturday evening's semifinal.
At the Olympic tennis stadium in the Greek capital, the Dane was defeated by former Grand Slam champion and World No. 32 Barbora Krejcikova following a titanic battle lasting two hours and 41 minutes.
Clara Tauson had staged an impressive comeback to win the second set after losing the first, but in the deciding set, frustrations got the better of her at a critical moment.
With an unwavering attitude and a versatile game, Barbora Krejcikova outmaneuvered the Dane to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
The match began as a tight affair, with both players creating break point opportunities. It took ages for Tauson and Krejcikova to complete the first four games, but the pace picked up after that—and not to the Dane's advantage.
It was the Czech player who secured the first service break to take a 3-1 lead, at which point Clara Tauson’s game faltered somewhat.
Barbora Krejcikova is one of the world's best doubles players, a fact that was evident several times during the first set. Clever volleys at the net and precise drop shots dismantled Tauson's game, allowing the Czech to win five consecutive games.
The second set began much like the first, with games taking a long time to resolve. Clara Tauson’s service games, in particular, were extended affairs as the Czech player fought tenaciously to claw her way back time and again. But then, Tauson suddenly found an extra gear.
Although she was broken twice, she immediately broke back on both occasions, and in the final game of the second set, she suddenly found her rhythm and broke Krejcikova to clinch the set.
However, things went wrong again in the third set during Tauson's second service game, leading to frustrations. Krejcikova needed to have her ankle taped, and Tauson could not understand why the Czech player was allowed to do so.
Consequently, she first complained to the umpire and then engaged in a heated argument about the matter with her coach and boyfriend, Kasper Elsvad.
Clara Tauson then fell further behind, trailing 1–4. The match seemed decided until the Dane opened a door of opportunity by breaking serve once more.
But Krejcikova once again demonstrated unwavering mental strength and booked her place in the final against local favorite Maria Sakkari.