By Tennis Now | Saturday, July 16, 2022
American qualifier Bernarda Pera swept Anna Bondar to reach her first WTA final at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Photo credit: Getty
Playing for a place in her first WTA final, Bernarda Pera didn't hold back.
Pera broke serve five times powering past Hungarian No. 1 Anna Bondar 6-3, 6-4 into her first Tour-level final in Budapest.
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Qualifier Pera has not surrendered a set in six tournament wins en route to to the final. Pera will play Aleksandra Krunic in the Hungarian Grand Prix final tomorrow.
Earlier, world No. 105 Krunic reeled off the final five games dismissing third-seeded Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 6-2. It is Krunic's third career final.
The Belgrade-born baseliner will play for her second title and first since she won s'-Hertogenbosch on grass in June of 2018.
"Playing well is what will keep me where I am and what will help me improve," Krunic said. "I’m happy to be in the final, but I think first of all, my game is what brings me to the final. So that’s definitely the most important thing.
"And I’m just focusing on keeping that level, so I can hopefully have more finals like this."
The 130th-ranked Pera has beaten Krunic in both of their prior meetings. Pera posted a 7-6(3), 6-3 win in the 2021 Moscow first round and a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph in the 2018 Guangzhou quarterfinals.