Zhang to face Krunic in Guangzhou final

Aleksandra Krunic stands in the way of Zhang Shuai and a second Guangzhou Open title this weekend.

Zhang Shuai will face Aleksandra Krunic in the Guangzhou Open final on home soil after beating Evgeniya Rodina in straight sets.

Second seed Zhang won her first WTA singles title in Guangzhou four years ago before going on to win in Nanjing later in 2013, but has failed to add to those successes.

Zhang's long wait for another triumph could end in her homeland, though, after the World No. 30 dumped out the unseeded Rodina 7-6 (9-7), 6-3.

The Chinese served nine aces and broke six times, recovering from a shaky start to seal her place in the final.

Krunic will feature in her first WTA singles final on Saturday after getting the better of Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 6-3.

The 65th-ranked Serbian took the upper hand with a break to lead 3-2 and rounded out the first set when Wickmayer was serving to stay in it.

Wickmayer responded by taking a 2-0 lead in the second, but Krunic won four games in a row and although the Belgian got back on serve at 4-3, she was unable to force a decider.