Ohio (USA), August 16: Top-ranked Dinara Safina dispatched a worn-out Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-0 to reach the final of the Western & Southern Financial Group Open.
Safina will play recent No 1 Jelena Jankovic in the final after the Serb came back from 6-2 down in the last-set tiebreaker to beat Elena Dementieva 7-6, (2), 0-6, 7-6 (6).
“I don’t believe I won this match,” Jankovic said.
Safina reached her eighth final in 14 tournaments this year, ending Pennetta’s winning streak at 15. After a ragged opening match, the Russian favorite has gotten a little stronger and sharper each day.
“Every match I feel better,” she said. “Today, stepping on the court, I was feeling very good and confident. I was feeling very good stepping in.”
After two weeks of grueling and winning tennis, Pennetta didn’t feel so good.
–PTI