TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AP)—Top-seeded Ksenia Pervak won in straight sets Friday to set up a Tashkent Open final against Eva Birnerova, who advanced after her opponent retired.
Pervak defeated Urszula Radwanska 6-2, 6-4, while Birnerova trailed 3-6, 5-3 when defending champion Alla Kudryavtseva retired with a strained left thigh muscle in the second set. The 27-year-old Birnerova, who mostly plays on the ITF circuit, was playing in her first career WTA tour semifinal.
The 52nd-ranked Pervak is looking for her first career title and has not dropped a set on the way to her second final of the season.
The Russian won five consecutive games in the first set and another five straight in the second to rally from 4-1 down. She wrapped up the victory on her second match point.
The sixth-seeded Kudryavtseva dropped her first two service games before she found her rhythm to win six consecutive games and take the first set. She was a break down again early in the second set, but leveled at 3-all and was 30-15 up on Birnerova’s serve when she strained her left thigh while running to the net to return a drop shot.
She received medical treatment before returning to the court, but had to quit after losing her serve in the next game, leaving the court with tears in her eyes.
Pervak is enjoying her best season, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon and her first WTA Tour final in Baku in July.