BEIJING, China – Garbiñe Muguruza edged Agnieszka Radwanska in a thriller – her fourth win in a row against the former World No.2 – to reach the final of the Premier Mandatory-level China Open.
The first momentum swing came mid-way through the first set – after Muguruza powered to an early 4-2 lead, Radwanska reeled off four games in a row to sneak out the 41-minute opening frame, 6-4.
Then, the big swing – Muguruza reeled off 11 of the next 15 games to not only take the second set, 6-3, but build a 5-1 lead in the third. The No.4-seeded Radwanska began closing in, winning the next three games in a row to make it 5-4, and she even had a point for 5-all, but it was just too little, too late.
The No.5-seeded Muguruza sealed the victory after two hours and 13 minutes on court, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Muguruza, who will now move from No.5 to a new career-high of No.4 on the WTA Rankings on Monday, is a win away from the biggest title of her career by far – the WTA Rising Star’s only WTA title to this point came at the International-level event in Hobart right before the Australian Open last year.
Awaiting her in the final will be the No.12 seed, Timea Bacsinszky, who also rallied from a set down to pull off an upset in the first semifinal match of the day.
Garbiñe Mugura acabo con las aspiraciones de Agnieszka Radwanska con su cuarta victoria consecutiva sobre la ex-numero 2 del mundo para avanzar a la final del abierto de China…
el primer anuncio de lo que seria el exigente compromiso se dio en el primer set con duracion de 41 minutos para Radwanska con parciales de 6-4…
Pero en el segundo Muguruza fue intratable con 11 de 15 juegos para imponerse 6-3 y obligar a un tercer y definitivo donde alcanzo a estar 5-1 al frente, pero Radwanska saco a relucir todo su talento y dio la pelea hasta ponerse 5-4…al final y despues de 2 horas y 13 minutos Muguruza se imposo en 3 sets con parciales de 4-6,6-3 y 6-4.
Garbiñe Muguruza saltara al cuarto lugar de las clasificaciones de la WTA, esperando la final frente a la numero 12, Timea Baczinszky a quien ha ganado los dos enfrentamientos previos, precisamente este año.