By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday February 1, 2025
Ekaterina Alexandrova made it four wins from five meetings with Karolina Muchova to reach the final in Linz.
Photo Source: TTV
Ekaterina Alexandrova has Karolina Muchova’s number. The 30-year-old Russian blitzed past the top-seeded Czech on Saturday in Linz, notching a 6-0, 6-4 win to make it four wins from five lifetime appearances against the former Roland-Garros finalist.
Alexandrova, seeded fourth, will face fifth-seeded Dayana Yastremska in Sunday’s final.
Yastremska battled past Dane Clara Tauson, 6-1, 6-4, in Saturday’s first semifinal.
“Of course I’m happy,” she said. “To be back here in the final, it’s an amazing feeling for me.”
Alexandrova, now a three-time finalist in Linz, raced through an opening set unblemished before Muchova could get a toe-hold in the contest. But Alexandrova weathered the tough moments of the second set and broke for 5-3 to take a lead that she would not relinquish. She served out the contest two games later.
Alexandrova finished with 26 winners against 18 unforced errors, and saved all four break points she faced. Muchova was able to manage only 8 winners against 18 unforced. She was broken four times.
“I started the match very well because I knew there were not going to be many chances for me – I needed to do something fast,” Alexandrova said. “In the second set I think it was pretty close, only a few points or maybe one game that decided the set, but overall it was a great performance for me and I’m very pleased today.”
Alexandrova, bidding for her fifth title on Sunday, is into her first final since last year at Linz, where she lost to Jelena Ostapanko. She is now 16-6 lifetime at Linz.
72nd-ranked Yastremska is into her first final since 2022. She will bid for her fourth career title.
“I’m really hoping that the third one is the lucky one,” Alexandrova said.