Dubai Open: Paolini holds off valiant Cirstea to reach final

Italian Jasmine Paolini ended the brilliant run of Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 7-6 (6) as she advanced to the final of the Dubai Open at The Aviation Club Tennis Centre on Friday afternoon.

Paolini, ranked No 26, will face the winner of the match between Pole Iga Swiatek, the top seed, and Russian qualifier Anna Kalinskaya next. It’s the 28-year-old’s first WTA 1000 final.

Paolini took the first set and had match point at 5-4 in the second only for Cirstea, who saved six match points in a wondrous comeback win over Marketa Vondrousova the previous day, to save this one with a stunning backhand winner.

Cirstea then broke Paolini at 5-5 to serve for the second set but couldn’t close it out, despite five set points, and Paolini saved another set point in the tiebreak before winning it 8-6 to reach her fifth WTA Tour final.

“I gave you a little bit of drama at the end,” Paoloni told the crowd in her interview on court.  

Earlier in the tournament, the Italian won against Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, the No 11 seed (4-6, 6-4, 6-0), Canadian Leylah Fernandez (6-3, 6-4), Greek Maria Sakkari, the No 8 seed (6-4, 6-2) and Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the No 4 seed (W/O).

Cirstea, ranked No 22, beat American Sofia Kenin (6-3, 7-6 (2)), Russian Veronika Kudermetova, the No 13 seed (6-1, 6-4), Croat Donna Vekic (3-6, 6-3, 7-5) and No 7 seed Marketa Vondrousova (2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2) in the previous rounds of the Dubai tournament.

Dubai WTA 1000, other semi-final result (The Aviation Club Tennis Centre, hard, USD 3.211.715):

• Iga Swiatek vs. Anna Kalinskaya