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Mike Chan

Clara Tauson raced into the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis 125 final – and then hoped injury would not derail her title bid.
The sixth-seeded Dane played Saturday’s straight-sets semi-final defeat of Varvara Gracheva of France with her left thigh bandaged, and said afterwards she had felt tense throughout the week in her quest for a third WTA singles title.
But she will be one of the last two women standing at Victoria Park on Sunday when she faces Ajla Tomljanovic after the Australian overcame Anna Blinkova in the late match on Centre Court.
“It’s feeling OK now after an ice bath, but we will see tomorrow,” Tauson said of her strapped leg. “It’s the end of the season, so everybody is a bit tired. I think it will be fine.”

Sunday’s match will be her first final since she fell just short at the Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal in April.
Last a winner on the WTA tour in 2021 when she triumphed at the Luxembourg Open, a 250 event, Tauson dominated fourth seed Gracheva, ranked 10 places higher than her at world No 62.
She fired 11 aces at the Frenchwoman, while also converting all four of her break points to progress 6-4, 6-3 in 75 minutes.
“I don’t think I played my very best tennis today, but I think my serve was very important,” said Tauson, who was ranked as high as No 33 in February 2022. “I like to hit a lot of aces, and I go a lot for my first serve.
“It’s a big part of my game that I’ve been missing a bit the past couple of months. I’m happy that I found it a bit more here, which was what helped me in the game today, and then I played well in the important moments, which are the best moments to play well in.”
In the subsequent semi-final, world No 107 Tomljanovic halted the run of Blinkova, who had defeated two-time grand slam champion Simona Halep and world No 8 Emma Navarro earlier in the week.
Tomljanovic took the first set before the world No 78 Russian drew level, but the Australian prevailed in the end, sealing her final spot with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win in two hours and 16 minutes.


Australian Open day 2: China’s Jerry Shang, Yang Yue out; Sinner, Alcaraz make solid starts

Australian Open, day 1: Zheng Qinwen battles through, Nishikori saves match points in epic

Australian Open: Zheng Qinwen leads Chinese charge – and gets favourable first-round draw

Tears for Naomi Osaka as she retires from Auckland final, days before Australian Open

WTA (Women's Tennis Association)

Prudential Hong Kong Tennis 125: Clara Tauson to meet Ajla Tomljanovic in final

Clara Tauson booked her place in the final despite carrying an injury. Photo: AFP

Clara Tauson takes on Martina Trevisan in the first round on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua

China Open: fairy-tale over for Zhang Shuai, Carlos Alcaraz has no time to celebrate title

After winning every set in the previous rounds, China’s Zhang Shuai finally met her match in Paula Badosa of Spain in the China Open quarter-final. Photo: AP

Paula Badosa of Spain (right) hugs Zhang Shuai after winning their quarter-final in straight sets. Photo: AP

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz rushed straight from winning the China Open in Beijing to the Shanghai Masters. Photo: AFP

Danish sixth seed Clara Tauson will meet Japan’s Nao Hibino in a Hong Kong Tennis 125 quarter-final. Photo: Xinhua

China Open: Zheng Qinwen loses in semis after Alcaraz silences Shang in Shanghai Masters

Zheng Qinwen takes a tumble during her semi-final with Karolina Muchova. Photo: Reuters

Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova celebrates winning her semi-final against Zheng Qinwen. Photo: Reuters

Jerry Shang hits a return to Carlos Alcaraz during their match at the Shanghai Masters. Photo: AFP

China Open men’s final: Carlos Alcaraz fights back to beat Jannik Sinner in thriller

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after defeating Jannik Sinner in the China Open final in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Carlos Alcaraz (right) greets runner-up Jannik Sinner during the trophy ceremony. Photo: EPA-EFE

Sport

Hong Kong

Tennis

Tauson admits being troubled by bandaged left thigh, but aims to power on to a first WTA crown in three years


Tauson admits being troubled by bandaged left thigh, but aims to power on to a first WTA crown in three years.


Hong Kong Tennis Association (HKTA)

Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open