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Glushko and Leonard to meet in WIPHOLD International Final

football23 February 2024 16:35
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Lina Glushko © Barco Greeff

Lina Glushko of Israel and Manon Leonard of France will battle it out for the singles title on Saturday after progressing to the final of the WIPHOLD International in Pretoria.

Opening her season in style, unseeded Glushko continued her impressive run at the ITF World Tennis Tour W50 women's tournament by stunning top seed Laura Pigossi of Brazil in their semifinal on Friday, earning a 6-3 6-4 victory.

Competing at an ITF tournament in Pretoria for the third year in a row, Glushko did well to book her place in her third straight singles final in South Africa's capital city, and she hoped to go one step further by lifting the trophy on Saturday.

"Coming into this match I believed in myself and knew I could win, but she's a good player and I just stuck to the tactics I agreed on with my coach. So, I'm really happy I was able to do it," Glushko said.

"It's my first final of the year and I'm super happy to open my season like this, and I'm looking forward to the final to try and get the winner's trophy."

In the other semifinal on Friday, Leonard defeated No 4 seed Guiomar Maristany Zuleta de Reales of Spain.

In a hard-fought contest which went to three sets, Leonard triumphed with a 7-6(4) 3-6 6-2 win.

Meanwhile, in the doubles semifinals, No 3 seeds Sofia Costoulas and Hanne Vandewinkel of Belgium beat No 2 seeds Rina Saigo and Yukina Saigo of Japan, securing a 6-4 6-1 victory.

Glushko also kept her doubles hopes alive, joining Czech partner Gabriela Knutson as they defeated Indy de Vroome of the Netherlands and Amelie van Impe of Belgium, wrapping up a 6-3 6-2 win.

Costoulas and Vandewinkel will face Glushko and Knutson in the doubles final on Saturday.

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