Reigning Wimbledon Elena Rybakina beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-4 to reach her third WTA 1000 final this year.
Rybakina came back from 1-4 down in the second set to clinch the win after 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Rybakina has moved up to world number 5 for her first time in her career after reaching the final in Rome. Earlier this year she won the title in Indian Wells and reached two finals at the Australian Open and Miami.
Ostapenko came into the semifinal with a 2-1 lead in her three previous head-to-head maches against Rybakina with her wins in Linz 2019 and Eastbourne 2021. Before the Rome semifinal Rybakina beat Ostapenko only once at last January’s Australian Open.
Rybakina broke twice to race out to a 4-1 lead in the first set and held on her next service games to win the first set 6-2 with her fifth ace after 43 minutes.
Ostapenko hit a forehand return winner to earn her first break for 2-0 lead. The Latvian player fended off a break point to open up a 4-1 lead.
The match was suspended by rain before Ostapenko went down 4-2 15-40 on her serve before a longer rain delay. When the match resumed, Ostapenko won won just four points in the next games. Rybakina won five games from 1-4 down with two breaks of serve to seal the second set 6-4.
“I did not start that well in the second set. A bit low in energy. Lpst my serve. So it was difficult. Then a few good shots from her, good serves. It changed very quick”, said Rybakina.
Rybakina set up a final against Anhelina Kalinina, who reached her first WTA 1000 final of her career with a 7-5 5-7 6-2 win over Veronika Kudemertova after 2 hours and 51 minutes.
Kalinina is projected to make her top 25 debut. The Ukrainian player lost to Yulia Putintseva 6-4 6-0 in her only previous final in Budapest in 2021.
Kalinina has become the second best Ukrainian player to reach a WTA 1000 final following Elina Svitolina, who won two titles in the Italian capital.
Kalinina fended off the first eight break points she faced in the first set to take a 5-3 lead. Kalinina was not able to serve out at 5-4, but she broke serve with two backhands to take a 6-5 lead. Kalinina forced a long return on her third set point to seal the first set after 66 minutes.
Kalinina served for the match at 5-3 in the second set. Kudemertova won 16 consecutive points, breaking twice at love to seal the second set 7-5.
Kalinina raced out to a 4-0 lead with two breaks and held on her two final games to seal the third set 6-2.
Kalinina won 91% of her first serve points and never faced a break point.
“I won the first set 7-5, then I lost a little bit maybe concentration. Also too much nerves because I was serving for the match. Yhis is my first WTA 1000 semifinal. I was trying to turn off the emotions, but it’s very tough when you are playing such tough matches”, said Kalinina.
Earlier this week Kalinina beat Sofia Kenin in the third round before earning three three set wins over Madison Keys, Beatriz Haddad Maia and Veronika Kudemertova in three sets. Her win against Haddad Maia was the longest match of the season. It lasted 3 hours and 41 minutes.
Kalinina beat Rybakina 4-6 6-2 6-4 in their only previous head-to-head matches in Charleston last year.
