Tennis, WTA – Megasaray Hotels Open 1 2026: Uchijima defeats Sherif

Moyuka Uchijima reached her first closing of the season on the Megasaray Hotels Open in Antalya, overcoming a set and a break deficit to defeat Mayar Sherif 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in a three-hour marathon.

The semi-final conflict between the No. 3 and No. 5 seeds was a masterclass in attrition, performed below the extraordinary Turkish solar. Uchijima, the world No. 104, entered the match with out having dropped a set all week, after scientific dismissals of Despina (*1*), Anastasia Gasanova, and Katarzyna Kawa.

However, that streak was rapidly snapped by Mayar Sherif’s heavy topspin and tactical aggression, which allowed the Egyptian to say the opening set 6-4.

The match seemed to be slipping away from Uchijima within the second set, however the Japanese star’s baseline resilience grew to become the defining issue. She started to seek out deeper angles, shifting Sherif, who had survived a three-set battle in opposition to Amarissa Toth earlier within the event, out of her consolation zone.

Uchijima snatched the second set 7-5 and maintained her composure in a bodily decider, finally breaking Sherif within the closing sport to sign her place within the closing.

This victory units up a high-stakes championship match in opposition to Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina. For Uchijima, the ultimate represents an important alternative to interrupt again into the Top 100, whereas her efficiency this week underscores her standing as probably the most harmful opponents on the clay-court swing of the WTA 125 sequence