Solana Sierra in Spain semis, cheered by Gabriela Sabatini 👏 | OneFootball

Argentina’s top-ranked player reached the semifinals of the Spanish tournament, doing so under the watchful eye of a legend like Gaby, whom she has admired since she was a child.

Gabriela Sabatini is always there. She didn’t stop at idolatry or at what she achieved during her immense career as a tennis player; she kept going to the courts, staying close to Argentines and encouraging them. Solana Sierra (No. 86), the highest-ranked among the Albicelestes, is proof of that and was once again at the WTA 125 in Mallorca: the legend came to cheer her on in her last match, a win that propelled her into the semifinals.

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While she set up at the back of the court, a glance to her right was enough to know she had Gaby’s support (captured by @tomistgg’s lens). With the boost that gives, how could she not go out and steamroll her opponent: after losing the first set, Solana came back to defeat Georgian Ekaterine Gorgodze (No. 235) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 in 1h40m.

After the match, Sabatini met with Sierra and, amid laughter, they shared another moment together. One of many that have occurred since this 21-year-old’s childhood: in 2010, when Argentina played a Fed Cup—now Billie Jean King Cup—tie against Ukraine, the girl took a photo with the legend. Images that foretell.

Solana Sierra is Argentina’s hope in Mallorca After María Lourdes Carlé (No. 132) lost to Serbia’s Teodora Kostovic (No. 213) 6-4, 6-2, the Mar del Plata native became the only Argentine left in the Spanish tournament. In the semifinals, she will face the local Andrea Lázaro García (No. 196). Besides winning and reaching the final, the right-hander’s goal will be to keep climbing the rankings, which already have her at No. 79 in the live standings.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.