Doi, Hibino set up all-Japanese final in Hiroshima
Dejan Kalinic
September 14, 2019 08:03 MYT
September 14, 2019 08:03 MYT
Home favourites Misaki Doi and Nao Hibino moved into the Japan Women's Open final on Saturday.
For the first time since it was founded in 2009, the WTA Tour event will have a Japanese champion after Doi and Hibino got through their semi-finals matches.
Doi upset second seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4 6-3 to set up a meeting with doubles partner Hibino.
The 28-year-old Doi managed to take her chances, converting three of six break points as Kudermetova capitalised on just one of four.
It will be an all-Final!@MisakiDoiTennis moves past Kudermetova, 6-4, 6-3.@jwo_tennis pic.twitter.com/8be3DZbtQr — WTA (@WTA) September 14, 2019
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Hibino overcame Mihaela Buzarnescu 4-6 6-0 6-3 to reach her fifth WTA Tour final.
It will also be the first all-Japanese WTA singles final since 1997, when Naoko Sawamatsu beat Yuka Yoshida in Jakarta.
Doi and Hibino have also reached the doubles final in Hiroshima, with Christina McHale and Valeria Savinykh awaiting them in that decider.
Nao Hibino hits her way through to the @jwo_tennis final She moves past Buzarnescu, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. pic.twitter.com/AaCm3myxkz — WTA (@WTA) September 14, 2019
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