Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany booked the first singles final berth at the WTA China Open hardcourt tennis tournament, beating Poland's Marta Domachowska 7-5, 6-3 on Saturday.
In a hard-fought action, Groenefeld trailed at 2-1, 3-2 in the first set, and then turned the tables to level the score 3-3, 4-4,5-5. Groenefeld broke Domachowska in the 11th game and ended the set 7-5.
Groenefeld, No. 30 in the world, led the second set until 4-1 when her rival managed to pull another two games back. Groenefeld then broke again to wrap up the match 6-3 upon 5 aces and 15 winners.
With this victory, 20-year-old Groenefeld improved her win-loss record to 36-21 in 2005 and that of her career to 137-79.
It was the second time for Groenefeld in her career to advance into the final of a WTA tour after 2005 Pattaya City tourney. She might meet top seed Maria Sharapova of Russia, who will encounter her compatriot Maria Kirilenko in a later semifinal.
Domachowska, 19-year-old finalist at 2005 Strasbourg Open, lost her chance to enter a WTA tour final for the third time in her career.
(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2005)
