Errani Dominates to Reach Barcelona Final

By Erik Gudris                           Photo Credit: Joseph Rozario

(April 14th, 2012) Italy's Sara Errani continues to serve notice she's a player to watch this clay court season as she reached her second final of the year. Errani will face Dominika Cibulkova in the finals of the Barcelona Ladies Open.

Errani, who has not dropped a set all tournament, continued her fine form against Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro. Errani ran through Navarro in the opening set and despite dropping her opening service game in the second set, the Italian resumed her domination by breaking the Spaniard right back.

Navarro was able to grind with Errani in the early stages of the second set, but it was the Italian who dictated pace in the rallies by stepping forwards into the court to keep the ball deep and then closing out points when she could up at the net. Errani earned three match points, but it was a double fault by Navarro that ended the match with a 6-1, 6-1 victory for Errani.

After struggling in her previous match, No. 3 seed Dominika Cibulkova had no problems against Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the other semifinal. Though Cibulkova has parted ways this week with coach of a year Zeljko Krajan, Cibulkova needed no instruction as she put away Cirstea 6-1, 6-1.

Cibulkova leads the overall head to head with Errani 4 to 2, with Cibulkova winning their last meeting at Linz in a tight three set match. Errani has won their only meeting on clay which was five years ago in Cueno.