Noha Akugue fights back to topple top seed Blinkova in Courmayeur
Noma Noha Akugue came back from 3-1 down in the first set to beat top seed Anna Blinkova in straight sets and reach the Courmayeur final, where Alina Charaeva awaits.
Noha Akugue, 2023 | © Paul Zimmer/Psnewz
Germany’s Noma Noha Akugue reached the final of the Courmayeur WTA 125 on Saturday, beating top seed Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-3 in 1 hour 24 minutes.
The sixth seed lost her serve in the opening game and trailed 3-1. She broke back on her fourth break point to level at 3-3, then broke again at 5-4 to take the set.
The second set brought four breaks of serve in a row. Noha Akugue broke once more at 4-3 and served out the match on her first match point.
She broke Blinkova five times, and the top seed held only four of her nine service games.
Noha Akugue’s only previous tour-level final came in Hamburg in 2023, where she lost to Arantxa Rus 6-0, 7-6 (3).
In the final, she will face Armenia’s Alina Charaeva, the second seed, who beat France’s Elsa Jacquemot 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.
Courmayeur 2026 semi-finals
- Noma Noha Akugue (GER, 6) d. Anna Blinkova (1) 6-4, 6-3
- Alina Charaeva (ARM, 2) d. Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
Noha Akugue’s path to the final
- First round: d. Danka Kovinic (MNE) 7-6 (4), 6-1
- Second round: d. Linda Klimovicova (POL) 6-4, 6-3
- Quarter-final: d. Ayla Aksu (TUR) 6-4, 6-1
- Semi-final: d. Anna Blinkova (1) 6-4, 6-3
Blinkova’s path to the semi-final
- First round: d. Dalma Galfi (HUN) 6-3, 6-2
- Second round: d. Katarina Zavatska (UKR) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
- Quarter-final: d. Martyna Kubka (POL) 6-3, 6-2
- Semi-final: lost to Noma Noha Akugue (GER, 6) 6-4, 6-3
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