Krystina Pliskova closing in on Prague glory

Karolina Pliskova won the Prague Open in 2016 and Krystina Pliskova is close to emulating her after a win against Jelena Ostapenko.

Krystina Pliskova is one match away from following in her sister Karolina's footsteps and winning the Prague Open.

Pliskova comfortably defeated Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-2 to ensure there will be a Czech finalist in the competition for the third successive year — Karolina triumphing in 2016 after Lucie Safarova won the inaugural event a year prior.

Her task was made somewhat easier by the fact that Ostapenko had to finish her quarterfinal against Ana Konjuh earlier in the day, completing a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win after play resumed at 1-1 in the decisive set.

Teenager Ostapenko could not carry that momentum into her match with Pliskova, who will face Mona Barthel in the final. The German fought back from a set down to eliminate the highest remaining seed and another home hope Barbora Strycova 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Elsewhere, Francesca Schiavone reached her second successive WTA final by defeating Varvara Lepchenko 7-5, 6-4 in the last four of the Grand Prix De SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem.

It will not be an all-Italian semi-final, though after Sara Errani went down to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets.

The Russian let a 3-0 lead slip in the first as Errani battled back to 4-4, but she won the next eight consecutive games to charge into the final 6-4, 6-0.