WTA China Open final: Andrea Petkovic vs. Agnieszka Radwanska

Andrea Petkovic will take on Agnieszka Radwanska on Sunday for the China Open title.

Andrea Petkovic was on fine form on Saturday in the semi-finals of this year’s China Open. She swept aside the challenge of Monica Niculescu in straight sets (6-2, 6-0), and now stands just one win away from climbing back into the top ten.

Ninth-seeded Andrea Petkovic secured her berth in the final, in the first semi-final, where she beat surprise contender Monica Niculescu in straight sets with a 6-2 6-0 scoreline. After the match Petkovic quoted, "My opponent had a totally different style than all the other girls. I don't think I had a match like this the whole season." She further added that "So I prepared differently. I put my two coaches on the other side of the court and made them play slice all the time. So I think I was quite prepared for what was waiting for me here today.”

On the other hand, eleventh seeded Radwanska, who has been enjoying a fabulous run at the moment subdued experienced campaigner Flavia Pennetta 6-2 6-4 to set up this clash with Petkovic. The Polish recalled, "Flavia and I hadn't played in a long time. I knew she was playing well the last couple of weeks, so I was focusing on my game from the beginning." She further added that "When you're playing a top player it's hard to have specific tactics - you have to play 100% and be focused from the first point until the end, and fight for each point."

When asked about this title clash, Radwanska said, "We played two times against each other in the summer; I won both those matches. That doesn't mean anything though. It's always very tough and very tight against Andrea. She's playing well. I have to play even better than today to beat her tomorrow."

Petkovic’s opponent in the final will be Agnieszka Radwanska. Following her success last week at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, Radwanska also has an opportunity to crack the top ten here. Ranking points will be at a premium, with the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships edging closer.

Radwanska defeated Petkovic twice this summer, and her recent run of results could give her the momentum. Still, Petkovic has made great improvements this year, and she’ll be well prepared for Sunday’s clash. This match should provide an exciting finale to the week’s play.