Anna Kalinskaya defeated Emma Raducanu 6-4, 6-3 at the Washington Open to reach the final, where she will take on Leylah Fernandez.
Both players started strongly, but Kalinskaya claimed the first break to go up 5-4 before closing out the opening set, handing Raducanu her first set loss of the event.
The second set saw early breaks exchanged before Kalinskaya regained control, building a decisive advantage before securing another break to confirm her victory.
By preventing a rematch of the 2021 US Open final between Raducanu and Fernandez, Kalinskaya now has the opportunity to claim her first WTA 500 title in Sunday’s showdown.
"It was an interesting match. Facing Emma was a good challenge," said world No. 48 Kalinskaya. "I’m pleased with how I played—staying aggressive and sticking to my strategy worked well."
Speaking about her next opponent, she added, "Leylah is a fierce competitor who never lets up. Our last meeting was tough, so I expect another hard-fought match tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to it."
In the earlier semifinal, Fernandez recovered from a set down to overcome third-seeded Elena Rybakina 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 7-6(3) in a grueling battle dominated by strong serving from both.
Rybakina narrowly took the first set, clinching the tiebreak with two sharp returns.
Despite Fernandez losing her serve at the start of the second set, Rybakina failed to close out the match at 5-4, allowing the Canadian to battle back and force a decider by winning the second tiebreak.
The third set mirrored the opener, with neither player losing serve, but Fernandez gained momentum to prevail after three hours and 12 minutes, securing her first final of the year.
Read next
"Guardian Sport Weekend: Lions' Third Test, England vs. India, Women’s Open Action"
Rugby Union
11am Australia v British & Irish Lions live
The Lions enter the third and final Test against the Wallabies with a chance to secure a historic series sweep, an achievement not seen in decades. Lee Calvert will provide updates throughout. No Lions team has remained undefeated since Willie
Wallabies crush Lions' clean sweep bid in storm-lashed Sydney clash
Lions Fall Short as Wallabies Secure Series Finale
The hopes of a dominant tour for the British & Irish Lions came to an end as they suffered their first defeat in Australia on a rain-soaked evening in Sydney. The home side rose to the occasion, overcoming challenging weather and a
"Live: England vs India in fifth men's cricket Test, day three"
39th over: India 155-2 (Jaiswal 80, Akash Deep 51) Overton moves away from short-pitched deliveries, conceding just a single.
Guy Hornsby observes, "England will regret those dropped catches as the runs pile up, especially once Jaiswal reaches his century. Woakes’ absence was significant, though England managed well initially. Now,