Jacquemot Prevails in Thrilling Contrexeville Semifinal Against Selekhmeteva

In a captivating semifinal clash at the WTA 125 tournament held in Contrexeville, France, local player Elsa Jacquemot secured a hard-fought victory over Russia`s Oksana Selekhmeteva. The encounter was a true battle, stretching over two hours and 45 minutes before the Frenchwoman finally clinched the win with a final score of 3-6, 7-6(0), 7-6(0).

Selekhmeteva, currently ranked world No. 144, started the match strongly, demonstrating solid form to take the first set 6-3. However, the momentum of the match began to shift as the higher-ranked Jacquemot (world No. 113) found her rhythm. The second set became a tight contest, ultimately leading to a tie-break. Jacquemot displayed remarkable composure, winning the tie-break decisively with a 7-0 scoreline to level the match.

The deciding third set mirrored the tension and competitiveness of the second. Both players exchanged blows, holding serve and battling for every point, pushing the set once again to a tie-break. In a remarkable, and perhaps slightly disheartening for her opponent, repeat performance, Jacquemot again dominated the crucial tie-break, securing it 7-0 to seal her place in the final.

The extreme closeness of this semifinal is perhaps best illustrated by the total points won throughout the match. Both players finished the marathon encounter having claimed exactly 108 points. This statistic perfectly underscores the fine margins and intense competition that defined this battle on the clay courts of Contrexeville. The result also levels the head-to-head record between the two players at 2-2.

With this hard-earned victory, Elsa Jacquemot advances to the championship match of her home tournament. She is set to face Britain`s Francesca Jones in the final, promising another intriguing contest.

While the loss in the semifinal is undoubtedly disappointing for Selekhmeteva after her strong run, her performance against a higher-ranked opponent, taking the match the full distance and challenging extensively, demonstrates significant potential moving forward. For Jacquemot, winning two tie-breaks with perfect scores in a row shows not only skill but immense mental strength under pressure.