Buzarnescu, Mertens to square off for biggest final

SAN JOSE, CA, USA - No.4 seed Elise Mertens and No.5 seed Mihaela Buzarnescu will duel for the right to advance to the first Premier-level final of their careers on Saturday, after each woman passed their quarterfinal tests on Friday at the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic in straight sets.

Buzarnescu was the first of the two to reach the final four as she defeated Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic, 6-1, 7-5, before Mertens followed her into the semifinals with a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Johanna Konta.

The Belgian No.1 broke Konta at love when she served for the opening set, and later saved two set points before forcing a tiebreak, en route to winning the match in straight sets. 

After again dropping serve in the first game of the second set, Mertens ripped off the next four in a row, and never trailed again to secure victory in 93 minutes. 

"I just played point-by-point, because anything can happen. I believed in myself, because it was just one break, and I was really happy that I took the first set. It was nerve-wracking at the end," Mertens said on-court after the match.

"I think to play against great players like Konta...I tried to play aggressive with control. She has a lot of experience. I'm trying to get my experience up [there], and I'm really happy with this win."

The Belgian previously won just three games against the British No.1 when they last played this spring at the Miami Open, and had to find her feet in her first Premier-level quarterfinal after losing the first three games and five of the first seven.

"The last time, it was very quick - and at 3-0, I was like, 'Oh no!'," she said. "I kept on playing the game - I think [I was] more aggressive, more on the lines, more in the court, but not wanting it too much, and controlling the game."

Though Mertens featured in the semifinals of the Australian Open to start the year at Grand Slam level, she and Buzarnescu will be fighting to reach uncharted territory in Saturday's semifinal.

Combined, the two have contested a total of five singles finals on tour this season, but all have come at International-level events.

The pair faced off in one of those finals, with Mertens winning a three-set clash in the championship match in Hobart to begin the season.

More to come...