Dubai: Fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland made her first final of the 2012 season with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-0 win over former world No 1 and Dubai resident Jelena Jankovic at the Dubai Tennis Stadium yesterday.
Tied one-all in career meetings going into last night's semi-final, Radwanska fought off a second-set loss with an authoritative show in the decider to enter her first Dubai Duty Free Women's Open final.
The last time these two players met was in October 2010, when Radwanska defeated Jankovic on her way to winning the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
The Polish player is playing on a career-high ranking of No 6 and could overtake Samantha Stosur should she win the title tonight. "She [Jankovic] put me in big trouble in the second set, so I am happy to come through here," Radwanska said.
The Pole showed more purpose in the first set as she hustled Jankovic around to break for a 2-0 lead. The Serb broke right back, but a double fault at 15-30 proved costly as Radwanska broke a second time and then held for 4-1.
There was a third break of serve in the eighth game, once again a double fault being the culprit as Radwanska was gifted the set 6-2 in 38 minutes.
In the second set, Jankovic broke in the first and third games in-between holding serve, to go 3-0 up. But, making her third semi-final appearance of the season, Radwanska broke back in the fourth (1-3). Jankovic broke back (4-1) and then served out the set at 6-2.
In the third set Radwansk broke in the second and fourth games and then held for 5-0 to deny Jankovic a second entry into the final here.
Results
Singles Agnieszka Radwanksa bt Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 2-6, 6-0.
Doubles Liezel Huber/Lisa Raymond bt Nuria Llagostera Vives/Anastasia Rodionova 6-3, 6-2.
