GUANGZHOU, China - 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur will contest her first WTA singles final in two-and-a-half years at the Guangzhou International Women's Open.
The 35-year-old wildcard rallied after a slow start to defeat Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic in Friday's first semifinal, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-1.
"I just tried to hang in there and find a way to start playing a bit better," Stosur said after the match. "She's very tough to play against so I'm just happy to get through.
"This is where everyone wants to be, so to now make it to the final, I'm really happy and I'll give it my best shot tomorrow."
Stosur was slow out of the gates to start the match, as she lost the first four games in her first career meeting against the crafty Swiss, who saved all three break points against her in the opening set.
However, the Aussie ultimately earned herself ample opportunities to break serve as she put together her rally over the course of the second and third sets.
She ultimately went 5-for-14 on break points in those two sets to seal victory, as she nonetheless needed to hold off a Swiss comeback in the second set.
Stosur, who came into the week ranked World No. 129, is guaranteed a return to the Top 100 with the result, and will play for her first title since winning in Strasbourg in 2017.
Stosur is looking to claim a 10th career title in her first final on hard courts since 2014, and will face American Sofia Kenin in the final.
Kenin reached her fourth final of 2019 with a 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-1 win over Russian Anna Blinkova.
"I'm very happy to be in the final. It's beem a great year and I'm really proud of myself," Kenin said. "Sam is a really tough player. I've played her twice and I've lose to her twice. She's having a really good tournament and playing really good tennis.
"We're both going to fight for the title, but I'm going to try and relax... and see how it goes tomorrow."
