NETHERLANDS: Banned from Wimbledon this year, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova will meet in the 's-Hertogenbosch WTA final after winning their semi-finals on Saturday.
World number six Sabalenka beat the USA's Shelby Rogers 7-6 (8/6), 6-0 as Alexandrova overcame compatriot Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-1.
“It always feels great to be in a final,“ Alexandrova said.
“I didn’t expect to be in the final in the first few matches for sure, because I couldn’t feel the surface and everything was flying so far away from the court, but I’m glad I managed to find my game here,“ she added.
On Sunday, the pair will face each other for a fifth time.
Sabalenka, 24, and 27-year-old Alexandrova are banned from Wimbledon following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Wimbledon starts on June 27.
Meanwhile, top seed Daniil Medvedev, another player banned from the All England Club, made the men's final at the Dutch venue, defeating Adrian Mannarino of France 7-5, 7-5.
Medvedev, who will replace Novak Djokovic as world number one for the second time this year on Monday, faces wildcard Tim van Rijthoven for the title.
World number 205 van Rijthoven stunned Canadian second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7/5) in his semi-final.
“Last time I saw him was in juniors,“ said Medvedev of his Dutch opponent.
“Probably we saw each other last when we were 18 years old and he was always playing good on grass, so I’m not surprised.
“It’s a surface where sometimes we have these sensations. He’s a great player so I’m ready for a big fight tomorrow.” - AFP
