NÜRNBERG, May 26, 2017

The defending champion will take on a qualifier in Saturday’s singles final at the WTA Nürnberger Versicherungscup. Top seed Kiki Bertens benefited from the retirement of Japan’s Misaki Doi, leading 6-2, 0-1.

Doi suffered a right abdominal injury, making it the sixth retirement of a main draw player during the week at the Franconian metropolis.

Barbora Klejcikova – photo: Getty Images

Barbora Krejcikova fought past Sorana Cirstea of Romania, who had finished her quarterfinal encounter with second seed Yulia Putintseva earlier in the day, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.

The 21-year-old qualifier from the Czech Republic won 75 per cent of her first service points and broke serve six times to prevail in just under two hours of play.

Bertens and Krejcikova will meet for the third time. The 25-year-old Belgian won at the $75,000 clay court event in Sobota in 2015 but lost in the qualifying of the WTA tournament in Hobart on hard court the same year.

“She has enjoyed a fantastic week, coming from the qualifying. I did the same last year,” Bertens should be alerted. “However, I have come to Nürnberg with a lot of confidence and I am happy to be back in the final. The tournament is the perfect preparation on my road to Roland Garros.”

Saturday’s action will start with the doubles final, when US-American Nicole Melichar and Anna Smith from Great Britain will take on Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium and Johanna Larsson from Sweden, followed by the singles title match.