DOHA, February 26, 2016

Jelena Ostapenko and Carla Suarez Navarro will compete in Saturday’s final of the Qatar Total Open in Doha.

The 18-year-old from Latvia benefited from the retirement of Andrea Petkovic with a leg injury in her semi-final encounter, leading 7-5, 1-0.

Andrea Petkovic (photo: QTF)

“I’m really happy with how I played today,” Ostapenko said in her on-court interview. “I’m sorry for Andrea that she had to retire. It’s not nice after reaching the semis because she’s great player. I’m really happy that I could fight from 5-1 and win the set. I’m really happy to play the finals tomorrow.”

Ostapenko is bidding for her first WTA title. She could become the first teenager since Maria Sharapova in 2005 to lift the trophy in Doha.

Eighth seed Carla Suarez Navarro knocked out the tournament’s number three Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-0. The 27-year-old Spaniard won 68% of her first service points and converted six of her seven break points to advance after 62 minutes.

Carla Suarez Navarro (photo: QTF)

“Today I feel really, really good,” Suárez Navarro, who hit 20 winners and just eight unforced errors said. “I think also she was a little tired from yesterday.”

“I’m running a lot, I fight a lot, and sometime I finish like that! But now I feel good and I have doubles – I’m feeling better!”

By reaching the semifinals Suárez Navarro guaranteed a return to the Top 10 and her latest win will see her rise to a career-high No.6 in the new rankings.

“You work for a long time for this. And to be in the Top 10 is obviously good. I feel good, I feel happy and I think I’m ready for tomorrow,” she added.