Daria Saville aims to maintain her positive streak into the upcoming Australian Open, following her series of surprising victories at the Hobart International that was cut short by top-ranked player Elise Mertens. Saville, who is making a comeback on the tour after recovering from a severe knee injury in June, was defeated by the 29th-ranked Mertens with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in the semi-finals on Friday.
Saville, ranked 195th in the world, received a wildcard spot and defeated three top 50 players in Hobart, including reigning Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin and China’s 33rd-ranked player Zhu Lin. The 29-year-old was given a wildcard spot for the main draw in the first major tournament of the year and will face Poland’s Magdalena Frech, ranked 72nd in the world, in the opening round.
Saville, a former top 20 player, battled against Mertens. Surprisingly, both players won 37 points in the first set and ended with a total of 100 points in the match. Saville fell behind with an early break in the final set but managed to tie at 3-3 before losing serve in the second-to-last game.
Saville expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating that he was proud of himself. He admitted to feeling some nervousness towards the end, possibly due to a lack of experience in semi-final matches. Nevertheless, he considered it a great week and believes he can use this as a stepping stone for future success. He is looking forward to playing at Melbourne Park, which he considers his favorite time of the year.
Mertens mentioned that Saville had made progress since their last encounter in Hong Kong in October, where the Belgian had won in two sets. Mertens acknowledged Saville’s skill as a player and recognized that the match would be challenging. She also shared her goal of winning her third Hobart title, having previously been victorious in 2017 and 2018.
The outcome was uncertain, with numerous 40-all moments. The tennis played was of great quality. She is making notable progress, hitting the ball with increased force and committing fewer errors.
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On Saturday, Mertens will face either Emma Navarro, the second-seeded American, or Yue Yuan, the Chinese qualifier, in the final.
