COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Top-seeded Shahar Peer advanced to the finals at the Citi Open by defeating third-seeded Tamira Paszek of Austria 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 in a match that went more than three hours.
In the other semifinal match, second-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia beat American Irina Falconi 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Petrova started slow in the first set after playing past 1 a.m. the night before, but settled down and gained confidence to take a 3-0 lead in the final set after a back-and-forth third game that lasted 15 minutes.
It is the fourth time during the 2011 WTA season that the top two seeds advanced to a finals.
Peer and Petrova have met five previous times with Petrova winning all five times. Petrova will be looking for her 10th career WTA title, while Peer is aiming at her 6th WTA title.
