Muguruza sets up final with Barty

MELBOURNE: Two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza crushed Marketa Vondrousova for the loss of just one game Saturday to set up a Yarra Valley Classic final with world number one

Ashleigh Barty.

Last year’s Australian Open finalist smashed 20 winners and broke the 21st-ranked Vondrousova’s serve five times en route to a 6-1, 6-0 win in 53 minutes.

“I’m very happy to get through. It’s good to play the top players and I’m expecting another tough battle against the world number one,” said the Spaniard.

Muguruza has shown the form that put her top of the rankings in 2017, dropping just 10 games in four matches so far including her quarter-final thrashing of America’s Sofia Kenin—her conqueror in last year’s Australian

Open final.

Muguruza will next play Barty, who reached the decider with a walkover after Serena Williams pulled out due to a shoulder injury. Earlier, 2016 Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber knocked out Maria Sakkari in the quarter-finals of the Grampians Trophy.

The German will next play Estonia’s Annett Kontaveit who progressed after two-time Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka withdrew due to injury. Elise Mertens will play Kaia Kanepi or Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final of the Gippsland Trophy after world number three Naomi Osaka withdrew with a shoulder injury.