Kristina Liutova storms into the final at the WTA tournament in Memphis. By reaching the final, the teenager has made a huge leap in the world rankings.
The 16-year-old tennis player Kristina Liutova has reached the final in her very first WTA tournament.
On Saturday evening, the Russian defeated American Elvina Kalieva 7-5, 6-1 in the semifinals in Memphis, Tennessee. In Sunday’s final, the world No. 229 will face Czech player Darja Vidmanová, who is ranked 115 places higher.
Tennis: Liutova Experiences a “Miraculous Journey”
Liutova, who described her tournament week as a “miraculous journey,” is the youngest player to reach a WTA final since American Coco Gauff did so in Linz, Austria, in 2019. By reaching the final, the teenager has moved up to No. 154 in the world rankings. A victory in the final would even propel her to No. 125.
Liutova benefited in the first round from the withdrawal of top-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova, who suffered a heat-related fainting spell.
In the second round, she defeated Australia’s Maya Joint in three sets before eliminating sixth-seeded Caty McNally of the United States 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.