By Chris Oddo | Friday October 19, 2018
Daria Kasatkina ended the run of Johanna Konta at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, notching a 6-4, 6-3 victory to book her second consecutive final appearance at the event and her third final of 2018.
The 22-year-old Russian improved to 13-4 lifetime at the Kremlin Cup and 2-1 lifetime against Konta with another inspired performance on home soil against the former World No.4.
Konta made a fight of it by saving three set points at 2-5 in the opener and then breaking on her fourth break point of the ninth game to get back on serve, but Kasatkina answered right back with a break to claim the set, converting her fifth set point with a spending defensive point that eventually ended when Konta sailed a backhand wide.
Kasatkina was broken in the first game of the second set but quickly responded by winning the next four games on the trot to take command at 4-1. Konta clung closely from that point on, saving a match point while serving at 2-5, but Kasatakina proved up to the task in the next game as she converted her second match point, finishing with a forehand winner to close affairs in one hour and 31 minutes.
Kasatkina will face maiden WTA finalist Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in the final on Saturday.
Behind 45 winners and five breaks of serve, Jabeur became Tunisia’s first ever WTA finalist by defeating Anastasija Sevastova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Jabeur, who won 18 of 23 net points against Sevastova, will reach into the Top 65 from reaching the final and could crack the Top 50 with a title.
Jabeur lost her only meeting against Kasatkina at the 2016 Olympic Games. Kasatkina is bidding for her second career WTA title--she won her first in 2017 at Charleston.