Marie Bouzkova produced an upset win as she rallied to beat top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 3-6 6-3 on Saturday night after a long weather delay in the Mubadala Citi DC Open semi-finals.
Down 2-1 in the third set when lightning and rain stopped play for three and a half hours, Bouzkova broke Sabalenka’s serve in the first game after they resumed before breaking again for a 5-3 lead and closing out the Australian Open champion with a love game.
Sabalenka was playing her first tournament since withdrawing from Wimbledon because of a shoulder injury.
Awaiting Bouzkova in her first WTA 500 final is Paula Badosa of Spain, a 6-3 6-3 winner over Caroline Dolehide of the United States in the first semi-final.
Bouzkova won her lone career title in 2002 in Prague. Ranked as high as No 2, Badosa has slipped to 62nd after a back injury sidelined her for six months last year.
Fourth-seeded Sebastian Korda will face 10th-seeded Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the men’s final, with both looking for their first ATP Tour title.
Korda beat fifth-seeded Frances Tiafoe, from nearby College Park in Maryland, 6-4 6-4 in an all-American match that ended shortly after midnight.
Cobolli knocked off second-seeded Ben Shelton of the United States 4-6 7-5 6-3 in a match moved to a secondary court.
Korda is trying to become the first American to win the Washington event since Andy Roddick in 2007.
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