First-time finalists Trevisan, Liu to face off for Rabat title

A new Hologic WTA Tour champion is guaranteed at the Grand Prix Sar La Princesse Lalla Meryem after Martina Trevisan defeated Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-3 in an all-Italian semifinal, and Claire Liu advanced past No.5 seed Anna Bondar via walkover.

Indeed, each of the last four had reached her first tour-level semifinal. No.92-ranked American Liu, who collected the biggest title of her career so far last week at the Paris WTA 125 event, is on an eight-match winning streak. The 21-year-old went through to the final after a right shoulder injury forced Bondar to withdraw.

Trevisan, 28, had her breakthrough tournament at Roland Garros 2020, where she reached the quarterfinals. Though she struggled to adjust to the main tour in 2021, compiling a 3-16 record in WTA main draws, Trevisan rebuilt her form and ranking beneath that level, reaching the Karlsruhe 125 final last September.

This week in Rabat, No.85-ranked Trevisan has delivered in style. She ousted the No.1 seed, Garbiñe Muguruza, in the second round for the second Top 10 win of her career. Against a younger compatriot ranked only two spots ahead of her, Trevisan committed to a higher-risk strategy to control the majority of the match.

Bronzetti, 23, reached the quarterfinals of her first three WTA main draws last year in Lausanne, Palermo and Portoroz, and backed that up this year by making the last 16 of Miami. But despite capturing the first break of the match for 3-2 in the first set, the World No.83 paid the price for overly conservative tactics.

Trevisan went for the lines, tended to be the first to open up the court with her hefty forehand, and deployed fine dropshots at the right times. A swashbuckling drive volley levelled the match at 3-3, and an exquisite forehand angle enabled her to break for 2-1 in the second set.

That proved decisive. Though Bronzetti upped her aggression in the latter stages of the match, the resultant unforced errors only played further into Trevisan's hands. A fine inside-in forehand winner sealed victory for Trevisan, and a chance to capture her maiden title in a first-time encounter with Liu.