By Chris Oddo | Friday October 2, 2015
Nao Hibino turned her first Tour-level win into a four-match winning streak in Tashkent.
Photo Source: Sky Sports
Japan’s 20-year-old Nao Hibino is a quick study. Just a week after winning her first ever Tour-level match, the 20-year-old has reeled off four consecutive wins to reach the Tashkent Open final.
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Her opponent in the final? Fellow rising star Donna Vekic.
19-year-old Vekic, a former finalist at Tashkent (2012, as a 16-year-old qualifier), eased past Evgeniya Rodina, 7-5, 6-1. The Croatian improves to 10-9 on the season and will bid for her second career title.
"It's a great feeling to be in the finals and I'm thrilled, but I'm happier that I'm playing well and regaining my confidence," Vekic said.
Hibino, an Aichi, Japan native, has won three challenger titles this season (Lexington, Stockton, Kurume), and amassed 41 wins in total. She was strong from the service stripe in taking down Bojana Jovanovski, saving three of four break points in a 6-3, 6-4 win.