Sports
Former world number one Victoria Azarenka trounced Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-1 6-3 on Saturday to reach the final of the J&T Banka Ostrava Open.
In the final, she will meet fellow Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, after the third seed beat American Jennifer Brady 6-4 6-4 in the other semi-final.
Azarenka, who is seeded fourth, was dominant in her first career meeting with Sakkari, racing into a 5-0 lead before her opponent managed to get on the board.
She broke Sakkari’s serve five times to reach the 40th WTA singles final of her career.
The Greek paid the price for making more than twice as many unforced errors as her opponent.
Sabalenka, who came within a whisker of being dumped out by world number 73 Sara Sorribes Tormo in the previous round, fired 22 winners.
She won 72 per cent of her first serve points.
She beat Brady to set up the first all-Belarusian WTA final, but will however, have to be at her very best to have any chance against Azarenka.
The Belarusian has been in top form since tennis restarted after a pandemic-imposed hiatus.
She beat her compatriot 6-1 6-3 in the U.S. Open second round.(Reuters/NAN)
Oct 25 2020 @ 00:19 GMT
Tags: Azarenka and Sabalenka set for all-Belarusian final in Prague
