SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Open has been rolling all week at Barnes Tennis Center, and Saturday’s semifinals kept that energy going with two very different matches and one very clear outcome: we’re getting an all‑American final.
Elvina Kalieva (5) and Jennifer Brady (WC) kicked things off with the kind of match that featured momentum swings throughout. Brady came out sharp and took the first set 7–5, using her energy to control the pace early on. But Kalieva refused to go away. The second set turned into a grind, point after point, with four breaks of serve. Brady went up 6-5 but Kalieva held her serve to push the set into a tiebreak and take the set (and the win) away from Brady.
From there, the momentum flipped. Brady had her knee checked during the final set but played on, while Kalieva settled into a rhythm that just kept building. She closed out the third 6–2 and punched her ticket to the final with one of her strongest finishes of the week.
Elizabeth Mandlik’s (2) semifinal looked nothing like the previous one. She played clean, confident tennis from the start, taking the first set 6–4 and never really letting Mary Stoiana (6) get comfortable. Mandlik tightened things up even more in the second, using steady baseline pressure and strong serves to wrap it up 6–3. It was the kind of straightforward, no‑nonsense win that set up Mandlik nicely for a final.
With all four semifinalists representing the U.S., the tournament was already guaranteed an American champion, but Mandlik vs. Kalieva brings a fun contrast. Mandlik is all about consistency and control; Kalieva thrives on momentum and big swings.
They’ll meet in Sunday’s final on Sunday, closing out a week that’s been full of long rallies, late‑match drama, and a whole lot of talent on display at Barnes Tennis Center.
