BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) – Top-seeded Barbora Krejcikova and No. 2-seeded Jelena Ostapenko will contest the Birmingham Classic ultimate after taking contrasting paths.
Krejcikova hasn’t dropped a set all week after dispatching Zhu Lin of China 6-3, 6-2 within the semifinals on Saturday.
Ostapenko performed her fourth consecutive three-set match when she beat fourth-seeded Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.
In a matchup of former French Open champions, Ostapenko leads the head-to-head in opposition to Krejcikova 4-2, together with profitable their most up-to-date match final month within the Italian Open third spherical. But they’ve by no means met on grass.
By beating Zhu, the Twelfth-ranked Krejcikova will return to the highest 10. She shall be enjoying for her seventh singles title on Sunday and second of the 12 months, after the Czech received Dubai in February.
Ostapenko took greater than two hours to place down Potapova. Potapova wanted six set factors to clinch the primary set. Ostapenko constructed a 4-0 lead within the second to even the set rating.
The Latvian snatched the decisive break within the decider when she made 4 return winners to take Potapova’s service sport at 3-3.
“It’s important to win these kind of matches when you’re sometimes not playing your best, and you just fight for every point,” the Seventeenth-ranked Ostapenko stated.
In her first ultimate in virtually a 12 months, she shall be aiming for her sixth singles title.
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