MATCH POINTS
Bianca Andreescu won her only previous pro meeting with No.5 seed Sofia Kenin, having defeated the American 6-3, 7-6(3) in the semifinals of the 2017 ITF W25 at Rancho Santa Fe en route to her second title at that level. The pair also squared off once in junior competition, with Kenin winning 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of Wimbledon 2015.
All four semifinalists are playing at least their second semifinal of the year. Sofia Kenin won her maiden title in Hobart in January, Donna Vekic was runner-up in St. Petersburg as well as a Brisbane semifinalist, Bianca Andreescu was the Auckland runner-up and Wang Yafan reached the last four in Shenzhen.
No.3 seed Donna Vekic has reached one WTA final every year since making her WTA Tour debut in 2012, except 2016 - but a win today in her first encounter with Wang Yafan would mark the first time the Croat has made multiple finals in the same year.
Wang Yafan is playing her fifth career WTA semifinal, and first outside Asia; having already reached the last four of Shenzhen in January, this also marks the first time the Chinese No.4 has reached two semifinals in one season. Wang is 0-4 in her previous last-four appearances.
No.5 seed Sofia Kenin's quarterfinal win over Victoria Azarenka was the American's first triumph over a former Grand Slam champion.
Victoria Azarenka is bidding to make her first doubles final in nearly eight years alongside Zheng Saisai. The Belarusian's last doubles final was at Toronto 2011 alongside Maria Kirilenko, a partnership that netted three titles and two runner-up plates, including the 2011 Australian Open.
ORDER OF PLAY
CANCHA CENTRAL (starts 4pm)
WANG Yafan (CHN) vs Donna VEKIC (CRO) [3]
After 1 ATP match, not before 8pm
Bianca ANDREESCU (CAN) vs Sofia KENIN (USA) [5]
GRAND STAND CALIENTE (starts 5pm)
Cornelia LISTER (SWE) / Renata VORACOVA (CZE) vs Desirae KRAWCZYK (USA) / Giuliana OLMOS (MEX) [3]
After 1 ATP match
Victoria AZARENKA (BLR) / ZHENG Saisai (CHN) vs Sharon FICHMAN (CAN) / Maria SANCHEZ (USA)
