Juvan stuns Pliskova with aggression in Strasbourg
Aggression was the key for Kaja Juvan as she claimed the second top-10 win of her career, stunning Karolina Pliskova to reach her first WTA Tour final at the Internationaux de Strasbourg.
World No.81 Juvan knocked off world No.8 Pliskova 6-2 7-5 in just one hour and 26 minutes.
Speaking afterwards, the 21-year-old said: "This whole year, I feel like I've been so close to beating these players.
"I was like, 'OK, let's go for it, let's be aggressive, I can do it, I'm always so close.'
"We prepared well, and I think I stuck to being aggressive and trying to make the points, not just waiting for her, and that worked at the end.
"I felt like I was really fast, and I felt really strong, so I wasn't too worried if it's going to go to the third set, if it's going to be a long match. I relaxed and tried to stick to my plan, because I thought at the end it's going to be worth it, no matter what happens."
Juvan will face three-time grand slam champion Angelique Kerber in the final.
Kerber won the first set of her semi-final against Oceane Dodin on a tie-break and broke in the opening game of the second before her opponent retired.
At the Grand Prix Sar La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Rabat, Martina Trevisan beat fellow Italian Lucia Bronzetti in straight sets to book a final with Claire Liu, who won without hitting a ball as No.5 seed Anna Bondar withdrew because of a shoulder injury.
