Svitolina: "It should be a good final, Daria is playing well, and she's won some tough matches"
Friday 23 February 2018 19:11, UK
Daria Kasatkina stunned Garbine Muguruza to reach the final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where she will play defending champion Elina Svitolina.
Russia's unseeded Kasatkina saved three match points before going on to upset Wimbledon champion Muguruza 3-6 7-6 (13-11) 6-1 in a match lasting two-and-a-half hours.
Spain's Muguruza was aiming to become only the fifth player to reach both Doha and Dubai finals in the same season having lost to Petra Kvitova in Qatar last weekend.
"I was just trying to fight for every ball because Garbine, she's playing unbelievable," said 20-year-old Kasatkina. "She's a very tough opponent. She's hitting so hard, playing so fast. I was just trying to do whatever I could.
"Before the match, I was really, really tired. When you're going on court, the adrenaline is coming."
She will next face top-seeded Svitolina, who made quick work of former world No 1 Angelique Kerber 6-3 6-3.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian has now won her last five encounters against the former two-time Grand Slam champion.
The victory puts Svitolina within touching distance of becoming only the third women's player, alongside Justine Henin and Venus Williams, to win successive Dubai titles.
"I'm very pleased to be in the final again," said Svitolina. "It was a tough battle. I played well in the tight moments, I tried to focus only on what I had to do on court and let nothing else into my mind.
"It should be a good final, Daria is playing well, and she's won some tough matches."
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