By Erik Gudris | Saturday, April 19, 2014

 

Top seed Dominika Cibulkova will seek her second title this season on Sunday at the BMW Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

Photo Credit: Mark Peterson / Corleve

Top seed Dominika Cibulkova overcame the defending champion in Saturday's semifinal to reach the BMW Malaysian Open final.

Cibulkova faced off against defending champion Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in Saturday's semifinal. Both women traded early breaks before soon needing a tiebreak. Pliskova's big serve earned her an early advantage that she didn't let go off as she soon claimed the set 7-6(3).

Cibulkova rebounded by taking the second set and staying even with Pliskova midway throughout the third set. A late break of serve for Cibulkova allowed her to secure the 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-3 victory that sends her into her third final this season. Cibulkova earlier won Acapulco and reached the Australian Open final in January.

"I'm playing so well this year. I think it's because I'm just trying to enjoy myself on the court," Cibulkova later said to WTA.com

Vekic Wins in Three to Reach Third Career Final

17-year-old Donna Vekic of Croatia reached her third career final after upsetting No. 2 seed Shuai Zhang in the second semi.

Despite dropping the opening set 6-1, Vekic raced away to a 5-0 lead in the second set that she soon won. Earning an early lead in the third set, Vekic eventually claimed a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 win.

Kuala Lumpur is now the third career final for Vekic who earlier reached the same stage in Tashkent (2012) and Birmingham (2013).