NEW HAVEN: Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska upset China’s second-seeded Li Na 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (11/9) on Friday at the New Haven Open to reach her first WTA final.
Cetkovska, who saved a match point in the tie-breaker before winning on her fifth match point, will face the winner of a later semifinal between Danish World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and Italian third seed Francesca Schiavone.
“This is my best win,” Cetkovska said. “I’m so happy to win this match. There were so many ups and downs.”
Cetkovska dominated early, struggled with errors to let Li back into the match, but then finally broke through after two hours and 41 minutes to reach the title match at the US Open hardcourt tuneup event.
“I’m really very excited about this week,” Cetkovska said. “At this stage, you don’t think about being tired.”
Li made 55 unforced errors, 10 more than Cetkovska, and hit 26 winners to 20 for the qualifier.
Li was down a set and a break but rallied to force a third set, only to have the Czech seize a 4-1 lead.
But Cetkovska struggled to close out the match, with the eighth break of the final set coming when Li pulled even at 5-5, her Czech foe denying herself on a match point with a double fault.
Both women held in their final game of the match to force a deciding tie-breaker, each struggling with errors in reaching 3-3. (Agencies)