Radwanska reaches Tianjin final with win over Pliskova

World number six Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat Russia’s Elizaveta Kulichkova at the Tianjin Open on Friday, setting up a semi-final clash with Czech Karolina Pliskova. Pliskova is further back, four spots out of the final place in the tournament.

With the victory, the Pole moves just one match win from qualifying for this year’s WTA Finals in Singapore.

The defeat for Williams meant that she missed out on a chance to re-enter the world top 10.

The 26-year-old’s good fortunes would continue as she broke again for 3-0 and consolidated her double-break lead for 4-0 in set two.

“I was trying to make the pressure on her and she was defending pretty well from the baseline, and serving quite well”.

“I’m in the final- I’m so happy!”

Agnieszka Radwanska and Danka Kovinic will contest Sunday’s Tianjin Open final after winning their respective semi-finals on Saturday.

The unseeded Kovinic will face Radwanska for the first time after beating Bojana Jovanovski 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-2. For Radwanska this is the third final of 2015, after Tokyo and Eastbourne, and the twenty-third of her career.