By Chris Oddo | Saturday July 18, 2015
Sara Errani moved past Monica Niculescu to set up a final with Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in Bucharest.
Photo Source: BRD Bucharest Open
Top-seeded Sara Errani will bid for her 9th career title (in her 18th career final) on Sunday when she meets rising star Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the final of the BRD Bucharest Open.
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The Italian defeated an in-form Monica Niculescu, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, storming past the Romanian after dropping a 55-minute opener to earn her 18th clay-court victory over the season.
Errani, who also rallied from 2-1 down in the decider, taking the last five games to earn the victory in two hours and 21 minutes, owns a 7-4 career record in clay finals.
Waiting for her on Sunday will be rising Slovakian Schmiedlova.
Schmiedlova rallied from 4-1 in the opener to defeat Polona Hercog, 6-4, 6-3. The victory places the 20-year-old in her 3rd career final—and third of 2015. She lost to Errani in the Rio final earlier this season, 7-6(2), 6-1.
Schmiedlova owns an 0-5 record against the WTA’s Top 20. She’s had more success against the Top 50, going 9-18. Errani, meanwhile, is 3-2 vs. the Top 20 this year.