By Chris Oddo | Sunday, June 14, 2015

 

17-year-old Ana Konjuh won a pair of straight-setters to reach her first career final in Nottingham.

Photo Source: Jon Buckle/Getty for LTA

Ana Konjuh survived two matches and two rain delays with aplomb on Sunday, as the Croatian moved into her first career WTA final with wins over Americans Sachia Vickery and Alison Riske to set up a final with Monica Niculescu at the inaugural Aegon Open in Nottingham.

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Konjuh and Riske had their semifinal delayed for nearly two hours by rain in the back half of the opening set, but when they returned Konjuh picked up where she left off to finish off the American with a display of clutch serving, arresting power and some feathery touch, too.

After closing out the opening set Konjuh broke for 3-2 in the second set with a tidy forehand drop shot that Riske didn’t even bother to make a play on. She then saved three break points—the first with a bomb ace and the second with a crafty dropper—in the next game to consolidate and never looked back.

“It was a tough day for me,” said Konjuh. “In the morning I played quarterfinals and now against Alison—she’s a great player—and I’m really happy to manage the win today.”

Konjuh’s opponent in the final, Monica Niculescu, fought back from a set down to rally past top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, 5-7, 6-4, 6-0. The Romanian is into her first final of 2015, fifth of her career, and first on grass.