Romero Gormaz outlasts Andreescu to claim the Cali title

Leyre Romero Gormaz of Spain kept clawing back breaks of serve in a seesaw opening set, then pulled away to beat eighth seed Bianca Andreescu of Canada 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the final of the Cali WTA 125 on Saturday.

Ranked No. 131 going into the final, she beat a former World No. 4 who stood at No. 109.

Romero Gormaz broke back for 4-4, then saved three break points in the next game to lead 5-4. Andreescu converted her fifth break point to serve for the set at 6-5, but the Spaniard broke straight back. Romero Gormaz took the tie-break 7-4 on her second set point, closing a first set that alone lasted 69 minutes. The return games decided the final. Romero Gormaz broke serve six times and saved seven of the 11 break points she faced. She won 63% of the points behind her first serve, against 53% for Andreescu. She also hit six aces to Andreescu’s one, despite seven double faults.

She then beat Solana Sierra of Argentina 6-4, 6-1 in the last 16. In the quarter-finals, she needed 3 hours 7 minutes to overcome Carole Monnet of France 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. She came from a set down again in the semi-finals, beating Julia Riera of Argentina 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in 2 hours 46 minutes.

The 2019 US Open champion, who beat Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 in that final, had previously reached a final at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2024, losing to Liudmila Samsonova 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. In Cali, though, it was the lower-ranked Spaniard who found the answers when it mattered.

Gormaz’s path to the title

First round: d. Polona Hercog (Q) 6-0, 6-1
Second round: d. Solana Sierra (3) 6-4, 6-1
Quarter-final: d. Carole Monnet 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
Semi-final: d. Julia Riera 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
Final: d. Bianca Andreescu (8) 7-6 (4), 6-3

Andreescu’s path to the final

First round: d. Tamara Zidansek 6-2, 6-3
Second round: d. Jazmin Ortenzi 6-2, 6-3
Quarter-final: d. Luisina Giovannini 6-1, 6-3
Semi-final: d. Alice Tubello (SE) 6-0, 6-4
Final: lost to Leyre Romero Gormaz 7-6 (4), 6-3