STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Francesca Schiavone beat Sloane Stephens of the United States 7-5, 6-1 on Friday to reach the Strasbourg International final, where she will play Alize Cornet of France.
The second-seeded Italian dropped her own serve three times, but broke Stephens’ serve six times.
Schiavone, the 2010 French Open champion bids for her fifth career title against Cornet, who rallied to beat fellow French player Pauline Parmentier 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 in a long, error-filled match that featured 16 double faults and 13 service breaks.
The 22-year-old Cornet won her only career title four years ago in Budapest, Hungary. The Strasbourg final is the fourth in her career, but first since 2008.
