Bartoli Overcomes Chan to Reach Carlsbad Finals

By Chris Oddo

(July 21, 2012) -- Top-seeded Marion Bartoli rallied after an error-prone first set to defeat Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Mercury Insurance Open on Saturday night.

Bartoli committed 20 unforced errors, including seven double faults, in the first set while apparently struggling with a left hip injury that has been nagging her throughout the tournament.

As the match wore on, however, Bartoli began to take control against the 162nd-ranked qualifier. The Frenchwoman converted on both of her break points in the second set to push the match to a decider, and in the third she held serve in her final three service games to put the pressure on Chan.

With Chan serving to stay in the match Bartoli broke to love--her third break of the set and fifth of the evening--to secure her place in the final alongside Dominika Cibulkova.

Bartoli has seven titles to her name, but she lost in her only final appearance of 2012, in Paris to Angelique Kerber in February.

In Saturday's other semifinal, second-seeded Dominika Cibulkova rallied from 4-0 down in a first-set tiebreaker to capture the first set, then went on to cruise to a 7-6(8), 6-1 victory over Nadia Petrova.

After the fourth-seeded Petrova called for the trainer to due heat-related fatigue at the end of the tiebreaker, she was never the same.

Cibulkova broke serve to start the second set then jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

The 23-year-old Slovakian will be looking for her second WTA title on Sunday. She defeated Kaia Kanepi for the Moscow title last October.

Hercog Reaches Bastad Final

Polona Hercog's resurgence continues at the Swedish Open in Bastad, as the defending champion has reversed course on a two-and-a-half month slump to reach her fourth career final by defeating Mona Barthel of Germany 6-1, 6-3.

All four of Hercog's final have been on clay-courts.

Hercog, who has dropped in the rankings all the way down to 86, thanks to four consecutive losses and time missed due to a back injury, will face surprise finalist Mathilde Johansson of France in the final.

Johansson defeated Johanna Larsson 6-4, 6-4 to reach her first career WTA final. The 27-year-old Frenchwoman is currently world No. 83, three spots ahead of Hercog in the rankings.

(Photo Credit: Stephen Dunn/ Getty)