WASHINGTON – Leila Fernandez is about to win the first WTA title of the season, and Anna Kalinskaya seeks the first career of her career when they meet each other in the final of the Hardcote DC Open.
Fernandez, runner-up at the 2021 US Open, hit 12 aces and beat the 2022 Wimbledon Champions 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) over three hours, 6-6 (3), and 7-6 (3), and 16 minutes on Saturday to earn his second victory over top 20 opponents.
Karinskaya needed less than half the time to eliminate Emma Radukanu 6-4, 6-3 with the help of 14 backhand winners in the other women’s semi-finals. It was Radocanu who defeated Fernandez for the championship at Flushing Meadows four years ago.
Both finalists are not seeded. Fernandez, 22, of Canada, ranks 36th. The 26-year-old Russian Kalinskaya ranks 48th.
Karinskaya has moved to the third tour-level final. She went 0-2 in last season’s title match.
Fernandez, who passed top seed Jessica Pegra earlier this week, owns three titles. Sunday’s matchup will mark her seventh career final.
