Tennis Tennis Stephens into Charleston final as ill Kerber quits Top seed Kerber of Germany was understood to be suffering a viral illness before retiring at 6-1, 3-0 down. Stephens will face Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina in Sunday's final. AFP Charleston 10 April, 2016 00:33 IST Angelique Kerber talks with trainers during a timeout in the semifinals at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston on Saturday. - AP AFP Charleston 10 April, 2016 00:33 IST American seventh seed Sloane Stephens reached the final of the Charleston clay court tournament on Saturday when Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber was forced to quit their semifinal. Top seed Kerber of Germany was understood to be suffering a viral illness before retiring at 6-1, 3-0 down. Stephens, with titles in Auckland and Acapulco already in 2016, will face either Italian fifth seed Sara Errani or Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina in Sunday's final. "I wish Angie a speedy recovery, she's a great girl — I'm happy to be in the final though," said Stephens. Elena Vesnina sealed her place in the decider with a surprise 6-4 4-6 6-2 victory over Sara Errani, becoming the first qualifier to reach the final in the tournament's 44-year history. The Russian outsider won 65 per cent of points on her first serve and broke six times to set up a showdown with Stephens at the expense of the fifth seed. Support Sportstar Dear Reader, Support our journalism — where text and pictures intermingle so seamlessly — and help us scale up your experience as the world changes around us. Your contribution is vital to our brand of uninfluenced, boots-on-the-ground reportage that’s worth your while. Clickbait sensationalism is not for us, but editorial independence is — we owe it to you. Support Quality Journalism Subscribe to our daily newsletter Get your daily dose of Sportstar with handpicked stories delivered right to your inbox! SUBSCRIBE Please enter a valid email address. Dugout videos