Third-seeded Taylah Preston battled back from a set down to defeat Thailand’s second-seeded Mananchaya Sawangkaew 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a gruelling two-hour-and-two-minute semifinal to punch her ticket to the Odlum Brown VanOpen women’s singles final.

Preston generated 14 break point opportunities and converted seven to outlast Sawangkaew, setting up an all-Australian final against compatriot Maddison Inglis.

Despite dropping a tight opening set, Preston didn’t panic or overhaul her strategy. “Not a lot, honestly,” Preston said when asked what changed heading into the second set. “I think what I was doing was working. (There were) just a few really close moments here and there. So I didn’t change too much – I just stuck with what I was doing, and I managed to turn it around.”

That patience paid off as Preston seized momentum in the decider. “It’s tough, especially when every point is so tough. It was just more maintaining the physicality point to point and just building as much pressure as I can, and that’s something that we’ve been working on. I’m happy I was able to do that.”

Inglis, the main draw eighth seed, earned a swift 6-3, 6-4 straight-sets victory over Japan’s Mai Hontama in just 81 minutes. Powered by four aces and winning 78.1 percent of her first serve points, Inglis capitalized on four key break points to firmly maintain control throughout the semifinal match.

The win was a sweet turn of fate for Inglis, who had dropped her last two encounters against the Japanese standout. “She’s a really tough player – really tough opponent,” Inglis said after the match. “I know she’s been playing some really good tennis this week and the weeks before, so I knew it was going to be a tough match. I kind of just wanted to come out here and enjoy it. Nothing to lose, but I was a little bit nervous in the end, so I’m glad to get through it.”

The victory sets up an all-Australian showdown for the tournament championship, an achievement that carries extra meaning for Inglis at a venue she holds in high regard. “I always love playing here, so it means a lot to be in the final,” she added. “I’m super excited.”

Photo credit: Bo Mon Kwan