Ana Ivanovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova Reach Pacific Life Open Final
Posted by Aaress Lawless on Mar 21, 2008 | Print | Email | Bookmark | Free Subscription
Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova will contest the 2008 Pacific Life Open final on Sunday in Indian Wells, California.
The seedings at the Tier I tournament held to perfect form as the top two seeds reached the championship match.
Kuznetsova snapped Maria Sharapova’s win streak at eighteen matches on Friday, handing the Australian Open champion her first loss of the season.
Sharapova had not lost to another Russian since the 2007 Pacific Life Open when she was beaten by Vera Zvonareva in the fourth round.
In the second semifinal of the day, Ana Ivanovic ousted her older Serbian countrywoman Jelena Jankovic 7-6(3), 6-3.
Jankovic managed to stay with Ivanovic through most of the opening set, but could not keep the momentum going into the second set.
Ivanovic’s best game of the match was at 7-6(3), 5-3 when a dramatic lob on the run set up two match points. She needed only one as a brilliant cross-court service return powered her into the championship match.
With her win today, Ivanovic is guaranteed to remain at No. 2 in the world when the latest Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings are released on Monday.
Should Ivanovic beat Kuznetsova on Sunday, Svetlana is projected to fall to No. 4 behind Jelena Jankovic. If Kuznetsova wins the Pacific Life Open, she will remain at No. 3.
Justine Henin is secure at No. 1 regardless of who wins Indian Wells.
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