Wang Xiyu, Yuan set all-Chinese summit clash in Austin

TEXAS: With a victory over No 1 seed Anhelina Kalinina, Wang Xiyu set up an all-Chinese battle in the Austin Open against country women Yuan Yue, who also earned a straight-sets semifinal win. No 6 seed Wang sealed the second WTA singles final of her career with a 6-3, 7-6(4) triumph over No.1 seed Anhelina Kalinina.

The 22-year-old left-hander Wang defeated Ukraine's top-seeded Kalinina, who was going for her third WTA final and first on a hard court, in one hour and 46 minutes. Having defeated Kalinina in Acapulco in 2020, Wang leads the series 2-0 against the Ukrainian.

"I know [Kalinina is] a top player. I know she can keep high intensity all the time, so it forced me to be focused all the time and try to fight every point and play my best. It was a very good lesson for me to play," Wang said afterward as quoted by WTA. World No 64 Wang is one win away from her second career title on the WTA Tour.

The eighth seed Yuan did the same, defeating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia 6-0, 6-3 in the evening semifinal. In just one hour and ten minutes, world No 68 Yuan defeated Schmiedlova, a former player ranked in the top thirty. Eight games were won by Yuan before Schmiedlova entered the score at 6-0, 2-1.

Yuan persisted in her assault, holding a 5-2 match point, but Schmiedlova made a decisive play, breaking serve for the first time, to preserve the match. Schmiedlova then rallied from 0-40 to deuce, saving three more match points at 5-3.

But finally, Yuan prevailed when Schmiedlova missed a backhand and she converted her fifth match point. Throughout the game, Yuan converted break points six out of eleven times.