Clijsters v Qualifier in WTA Hasselt Final

Posted on November 5, 2006

HASSELT, Belgium -- It will be the hometown girl versus this week's Cinderella in Sunday's final at the $175,000 Gaz de France Stars as Belgium's Kim Clijsters takes on qualifier Kaia Kanepi.

In the featured night semifinal on Saturday, top-seeded Clijsters survived a three-set thriller against No.6 seed Vera Zvonareva to advance to the final, 64 36 64.

After relatively easier matches earlier this week, Clijsters was tested by the former Top 10-ranked Zvonareva. In fact, the first set of this semifinal was longer than Clijster's 36-minute quarterfinal win over Sandra Kloesel on Friday.

While Clijsters edged past the Russian in the first set by converting crucial break points, Zvonareva took the advantage in the second set and forced a decisive third set, which was the grand finale of an already tight match.

Clijsters got the early break in the fifth game and although Zvonareva had many break chances, it was Clijsters' who came out on top, sealing the win with a backhand winner down the line on match point.

"It was very close. This was the type of match where every single point was important. But it was fun," Clijsters said. "This is what you work for, what you train for. Even if I lost, I would have had a good feeling about this match. Of course, when you come out of it a winner, it's much better."

The No.6-ranked Belgian is now one win away from defending her title in Hasselt but must get past an impressive Kanepi, who has been turning heads this week with remarkable wins over top players.

Kanepi contininued her dream run this week by reaching her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour final. The 21-year-old Estonian's previous-best results on Tour were two semifinal finishes at the Tier IV event in Prague earlier this year and at the Tier III event in Kolkata in 2006.

Now, Kanepi could make history as the first-ever Estonian to win a Tour singles title.

After stunning world No.15 and No.2 seed Francesca Schiavone in Friday's quarterfinals for her first Top 20 win, Kanepi, ranked No.91, scored another upset win over No.41-ranked Michaella Krajicek in the first semifinal of the day, 64 64.

Clearly, being the underdog has not disrupted Kanepi mental game so far. Against Krajicek, she fired off winners and held serve while Krajicek struggled with her shots, especially on her forehand side. Serving for the first set at 5-4, Kanepi saved a break point and eventually took the first set in 37 minutes.

Krajicek hung tough in the second set but at 4-all, Kanepi broke through Krajicek's serve to go up 5-4. Serving for the match, Kanepi faced no break points this time and secured the win at love.

Kanepi will now face another top-ranked player in Clijsters, whom she has never opposed, in the final on Sunday, which starts at 2 p.m. local time. The doubles final between top-ranked duo Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur and Eleni Daniilidou and Jasmin Woehr will follow the singles final.

The singles winner will pocket US$28,000, while the doubles champions take home a check for US$8,250.
-- WTA