By Ros Satar
- Harriet Dart [Q] def. Nuria Parrizas Diaz 6-3 6-2
- Faces former world no. 1 Karolina Pliskova in her first WTA semi-final
- H2H: Pliskova leads 2-0
CLUJ-NAPOCA, ROMANIA – Harriet Dart eased into a first WTA semi-final at the Transylvania Open where she will face Karolina Pliskova.
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Harriet Dart [Q] def. Nuria Parrizas Diaz 6-3 6-2
It was an impressive display by Harriet Dart in her first WTA quarter-final outside the UK. She recovered from an immediate break of her serve in the first game of the match, and then went on to break Nuria Parrizas Diaz again to gain the upper hand in the first set.
Dart took control of the second set, jumping out to a 3-0 lead before Parrizas Diaz traded breaks for the next four games with the Brit. Dart held on to close out a spot in her first WTA semi-final, where she will face former world no.1 Karolina Pliskova.
Harriet Dart [Q] v Nuria Parrizas Diaz | H2H: Pliskova leads 2-0
| Harriet Dart [Q] v Karolina Pliskova | H2H: Pliskova leads 2-0 |
| WTA Cluj-Napoca | Romania |
| Hard (I) | Prize Money: $11,610 |
| First on Centre Court at 5pm (3pm GMT) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2024)
| H2H: | Harriet Dart (WR 103) | Karolina Pliskova (WR 78)) |
| Tournament Previous Best | R16 (2022) | Title (2017) |
| 1st Serve Return Points Won % | 40.3 | 26.7 |
| Return Points Won % | 46.2 | 30.1 |
| Break Point Conversion % | 46.3 | 50.0 |
| Break Points Saved % | 60.9 | 73.3 |
| Overall Service Points Won % | 54.1 | 53.8 |
Dart is far more effective on return but Pliskova has had the edge in terms of converting and saving break points.
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Playing Styles & Prediction
It has been an incredibly busy week for Dart, who came through qualifying to get this far, and is also playing in the doubles this week as well. So, it remains to be seen how much the Brit has left in the tank.
Pliskova had a late match on Friday evening, albeit a quick one, to book her spot in semi-final and she has come through all her matches in straight sets this week.
Pliskova had not won back-to-back matches since Stuttgart last year, and so this signals a return to some kind of form for the former world no. 1, who was unseeded here at a WTA 250.
Whatever happens in the semi-final, this should put Dart firmly back in the Top 100, and she ought to take comfort that in her first meeting against Pliskova, she forced the Czech into a decider.
Prediction: Pliskova in three sets
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