CLEVELAND (AP) — Seventh-seeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus moved within one win of her first WTA Tour title, rallying to beat eighth-seeded Alizé Cornet 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-3 on Friday in the semifinals at Tennis in The Land.
Sasnovich, ranked 36th in the world, won the final three games in the second set after Cornet served for the match up 5-4. She then jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the third before closing out the 2-hour, 50-minute contest with a drop shot.
"When Alizé had the chance to serve out the match, I was thinking, ‘If you are losing, lose aggressively,'" Sasnovich said. "I tried to do my best because that's all you can do in that situation."
No. 37 Cornet of France did not lose a set in her first three victories in Cleveland, which included the 500th of her career in the opening round.
Sasnovich, who advanced to her fourth career final, will play No. 45 Liudmila Samsonova for the championship Saturday.