Timea Bacsinszky outlasted Ana Ivanovic in a tough three-setter 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 here on Saturday to reach the final of the China Open.
She will face Garbine Muguruza in the final, who edged past Agnieszka Radwanska in a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 game earlier on Saturday.
Ivanovic snuck out a 58-minute first set, 7-5, and after falling behind 5-1 in the second set she clawed back to 4-5 and brought up two break points, very nearly making that set an even 5-all.
But the No.12-seeded Bacsinszky held in the end for the set and rolled through the third, eventually closing it out, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. She actually ran away with 16 of the last 17 points of the match.
"I just tried to focus on my game plan and not look further - I was only thinking about the next ball, the next point, not what was going to happen after that," Bacsinszky said in her on-court interview after the match.
"I want to thank the whole crowd - many people have been cheering for me, and I'm sorry for Ana's fans too, you were cheering for her a lot too. But I'm happy you could all make it. I love you guys - you're an awesome crowd. I love playing in China, also last year, and I'm really enjoying my time here."
