Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and eighth-seeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova will meet in the final at the Internationaux de Strasbourg in France.
Rybakina outlasted No. 9 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 7-6 (7), 1-6, 6-2 in two hours and 46 minutes in Friday’s semifinals. Rybakina struck eight aces, saved eight of 11 break points and fought off a set point in the opening-set tiebreak.
Samsonova had an easier time against unseeded Danielle Collins, finishing her 6-4, 6-2 victory in 87 minutes. She tallied four aces and saved five of seven break points.
Samsonova has won four of five meetings with Rybakina, who won their most recent clash in three sets in the Abu Dhabi semifinals in 2024.
Grand Prix Sar La Princesse Lalla Meryem
Australian teenager Maya Joint and Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian will battle for their maiden WTA Tour title in the final in Rabat, Morocco.
Joint, 19, was leading 6-4 in Friday’s semifinals when countrywoman Ajla Tomljanovic was forced to retire. They are scheduled to meet again in the opening round of the French Open.
Cristian took a longer road to the final, knocking out No. 2 seed Camila Osorio of Colombia 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-4 in just over three hours. Cristian took advantage of 13 double faults by Osorio, breaking her serve nine times.
–Field Level Media
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