Kasatkina to face Svitolina for Dubai title

DUBAI: Elina Svitolina beat Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3 on Friday to set up a Dubai Tennis Championships title defence against Daria Kasatkina.

Russia’s unseeded Kasatkina upset Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza 3-6, 7-6 (13/11), 6-1, saving three match points in her semi-final which lasted two and a half hours.

Svitolina is hoping to become just the third woman after Justine Henin and Venus Williams to win back-to-back Dubai titles.

The top-seeded Ukrainian dominated double Grand Slam winner Kerber in 85 minutes with five breaks of serve against the German, a former world number one.

“I’m very pleased to be in the final again,” said Svitolina after her fifth consecutive victory over Kerber.

“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.”

Kerber stalled again at the semi-final level where she exited last year.

“It was not my best day, I was trying to find my rhythm. But especially in my serve, I couldn’t find it,” the 30-year-old German said.