By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, October 19, 2024

 

Seventeen-year-old Mirra Andreeva will face spin doctor Daria Kasatkina for the Ningbo title after each woman beat ailing semifinal opponents.

Photo credit: VCG/Getty

Survivors will square off for the Ningbo Open title on Sunday.

Seventeen-year-old sensation Mirra Andreeva will face spin doctor Daria Kasatkina for the Ningbo 500-level title after each woman prevailed over compromised opponents in today's rain-delayed semifinals

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Roland Garros semifinalist Andreeva led former French Open finalist Karolina Muchova 6-2, 1-0 when Muchova was forced to pull the plug due to a back injury.



It is Andreeva's second final following her title run at the 250-level Iasi on Romanian red clay in July.

Andreeva, who opened the season reaching the Brisbane quarterfinals and Australian Open round of 16, will face Kasatkina for the first time in tomorrow's final.



World No. 11 Kasatkina led Paula Badosa 6-4 when the eighth-seeded Spaniard retired from today's first semifinal due to dizziness.

"I feel sorry for Paula and I wish her all the best," Kasatkina said afterwards. "It’s never easy to finish a match like this, especially in the semifinals."

The fifth-seeded Kasatkina has passed tough tests en route to her sixth final of the season.

Kasatkina fended off Katerina Siniakova 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 in her opener then saved a couple of match points edging Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(6) in a frenetic quarterfinal.

Eastbourne champion Kasatkina is playing for her eighth career championship in her 19th Tour-level final.