Chris Oddo / Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Bojana Jovanovski and Olga Govortsova set up a final clash at the Tashkent Open on Friday.
Photo Source: AP
Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski will try to earn her second career title on Saturday at the Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan after defeating Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor of Spain, 6-2, 6-2. Top-seeded Jovanovski entered the event with a ranking of 58 in the world and she stands to reach the top 45 if she can take the title.
After coming through qualifying (she missed the main draw cut-off date), the 21-year-old has lost only one set en route to her second career final. Jovanovski won her only previous WTA final in Baku in 2012.
It has been a successful but trying year for the Serbian prospect. After reaching a career-best fourth round appearance at the Australian Open, Jovanovski had a back problem that sabotaged her spring. She lost eight matches in a row at one point, but she's hoping she'll find good health to go with her good form as 2013 winds down.
The Serbian No. 3 also had a wrist problem that forced her to withdraw from Carlsbad and Cincinnati this summer. "I had a disc problem after the Australian Open," she said. "I couldn’t walk for six weeks, but I’m happy to be back and playing. It’s third time I’m coming back this year. It took long time, but now I'm much better, I’m physically better but tennis-wise need much more practice to get sharper as I have five more events to go."
Jovanovski's opponent in the final will be 25-year-old Olga Govortsova. The Belarusian took out her doubles partner Mandy Minella, 6-2, 7-5, for her third career win in three tries against the Luxembourg native. Govortsova has had a great week in Tashkent, also reaching her first career doubles final with Minella.
Govortsova and Minella will meet the top-seeded duo of Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova in the final. “I’m thrilled to be playing in two finals,” Govortsova said. “Also personally for me it will be first time that I will be playing in the singles and doubles finals. Me and Mandy have played some matches but it’s our first doubles final together.”
Govortsova has reached three career finals, losing them all. Her last final was Ponte Vedra Beach in 2010. She is a former world No. 35 but has since slipped to her current perch of No. 113.
Jovanovski and Govortsova will be meeting for the first time in Saturday's final.