By Adrianna Outlaw | Saturday, February 13, 2016
Roberta Vinci swept Ana Ivanovic, 7-5, 6-4 to reach her 15th career final in St. Petersburg.
Photo credit: St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy
Roberta Vinci applied forward thinking to advance to her 15th career final in St. Petersburg.
Vinci won 19 of 22 trips to net defeating Ana Ivanovic, 7-5, 6-4, to reach her first final since she fell to good friend Flavia Pennetta in the 2015 US Open final.
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"I'm so happy," Vinci said. "It was an incredible match. I think I played a good game. It's always difficult to play Ana. She plays so flat and so quick."
The 32-year-old Italian will face top-seeded Belinda Bencic in the final. In a battle of 18-year-old talents, Bencic beat Russia's Daria Kasatkina, 6-4, 6-3, in 93 minutes.
the victory will vault Bencic into the Top 10 for the first time when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday.
"This is a huge moment for me," Bencic said. "To be in the top 10 is always like a dream for every small kid."
It was Vinci's first win over Ivanovic since the 2012 Montreal tournament.
The former world No. 1 had won six of their prior nine meetings and rolled out to a 3-0 lead today.
Blunting the bigger hitting Serbian's power with her low slice backhand, Vinci mounted a comeback with some timely trips to net.
Deadlocked at 5-all, Ivanovic was up 40-15, but could not close. Vinci teased the former No. 1with her slice and broke for a 6-5 lead before serving out the opening set.
Vinci tested Ivanovic's weaker wing with her slice, forcing the 6-foot Serbian to bend low for replies. She broke for a 4-3 second-set lead.
Ivanovic netted a drop shot giving the Italian match point. Chipping deep and charging net, Vinci drew an errant backhand pass to conclude a one hour, 18-minute victory.