NÜRNBERG, May 25, 2018
With Johanna Larsson of Sweden and US-American Alison Riske two unseeded players will compete in Saturday’s singles final of the Nürnberger Versicherungscup. Larsson, who clinched the doubles title in Nürnberg in 2016, rallied past No. 8 seed Katerina Siniako from the Czech Republic 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
The 29-year-old Helsingborg resident broke her opponent’s serve five times to prevail after two hours and one minute. “Although I had a lot of success in doubles, I feel as a singles player,” told Larsson, who lifted her lone WTA singles trophy on home soil in Bastad three years ago.
Riske won two matches on Friday and advanced to her first final appearance of 2018, as the 27-year-old US-American claimed a 6-3, 6-1 semi-final victory over Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium.
.@Riske4rewards books her spot in the @NuernbergerCup final!
Beats Kirsten Flipkens 6-3, 6-1! pic.twitter.com/5v2W6sRXeH
— WTA (@WTA) 25. Mai 2018
Earlier in the day, Riske benefited from the retirement of Sorana Cirstea, leading 1-0 in the final set.
“I feel like a final’s been a long time coming, and I definitely haven’t had it easy, I feel like, in the last year as far as results go,” Riske told afterwards. “So it’s very exciting to be back in a final, and I’m just excited to be playing in it.”
Riske will also go for the second title of her career, her first since 2014. She won the two previous meetings with Larsson in Barnstaple 2010 and Guangzhou in 2014.
