Kvitova, Safarova into New Haven final
Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova set up an all-Czech Republic final at the Connecticut Open, with respective two-set wins in New Haven.
Caroline Wozniacki's bid for a fifth Connecticut Open title was ended in the semi-finals on Saturday, with Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova to play off in an all-Czech final.
Kvitova downed four-time champion Wozniacki 7-5 6-1, the Dane still yet to reach the final in New Haven since her most recent title win in 2011.
Wozniacki had the upper-hand early, though, opening up a 5-3 lead and holding one set point on Kvitova's serve in the ninth game.
But the two-time Wimbledon champion held serve, and broke Wozniacki twice in succession to seal the set.
Kvitova needed four break points to gain the advantage in the second set at 3-1, and it seemed to also break Wozniacki's resistance - the former world number one winning just one point thereafter as the Czech cruised into her 22nd career final.
Kvitova will meet Safarova in the WTA Premier hard-court decider, after the latter got past lucky loser Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 7-6 (7-4).
Tsurenko, who dropped just seven games in four sets after earning an 11th-hour berth into the main draw via Simona Halep's withdrawal, made Safarova work for it.
Safarova had a 4-1 double-break lead in the second set, only for the Ukrainian to work back to 4-4.
Tsurenko then surrendered her serve again, only to save a match point on Safarova's serve to prolong the match.
The plucky world number 46 then had the mini-break lead in the tie-break at 4-3 up, but could not capitalise - losing four straight points as Safarova qualified for her 15th career final.
Each of Kvitova and Safarova are into their third final of 2015, the former winning two-from-two, while Safarova has the Qatar Open crown to her name - falling short in the French Open decider against Serena Williams.
History says Kvitova will make it three-from-three - she has never lost to Safarova in six career meetings, including their first clash at New Haven in 2012.