Aryna Sabalenka reached the WTA Silicon Valley Classic final after easing past Donna Vekic on Saturday. Belarusian Sabalenka – the second seed – was too good for Vekic, winning the semifinal 6-4 6-3 in San Jose.
Sabalenka and fifth seed Vekic traded breaks in the opening set but the former broke in the 10th game to close it out on her opponent's serve.
Vekic fended off a match point at 5-3 in the second set but it only delayed the inevitable as Sabalenka served it out in the next game. Sabalenka – a three-time winner on the WTA Tour – will face Zheng Saisai in Sunday's decider.
Zheng stunned seventh seed and last year's runner-up Maria Sakkari 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 to advance to the final of the WTA Premier event.
After upstaging seeds Danielle Collins and Amanda Anisimova en route to the semis, Zheng continued her fine run as she eyes her maiden WTA crown.
Giorgi reaches Washington final, McNally and Gauff win doubles title
Camila Giorgi booked her spot in the WTA Citi Open final after overcoming American wildcard Caty McNally in straight sets on Saturday. Italian Giorgi moved through to her seventh WTA final courtesy of a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 victory in Washington.
McNally had impressed in the American capital this week, 17-year-old upstaging fourth seed Hsieh Su-wei in the quarterfinal for her first career top-50 win.
However, McNally was no match for Giorgi – who hit three aces and was only broken once throughout the straight-sets triumph. Standing in the way of Giorgi and a third WTA crown is Jessica Pegula after the unseeded American outlasted Anna Kalinskaya 6-3 1-6 6-1.
While McNally failed to make it through to the singles showpiece, she teamed up with teenage sensation Coco Gauff to claim the doubles title. Gauff announced herself on the WTA Tour at Wimbledon, where the 15-year-old stunned Venus Williams en route to the fourth round.
The American prodigy and McNally united for glory on Saturday, with the unseeded pair shocking fourth seeds Maria Sanchez and Fanny Stollar 6-2 6-2.
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