MOSCOW: Serbian lucky loser Olga Danilovic reached her first WTA final with a stunning upset of fifth seed Aliaksandra Sasnovich, 6-2 5-7 7-5 at the Moscow River Cup on Saturday. Seventeen-year-old Danilovic, who overcame world number 10 Julia Goerges in the quarter-finals, started the match on the front foot as she converted two break points to claim the opening set against Sasnovich. Danilovic continued to be the aggressor in the second set but a couple of miscues allowed her Belarusian opponent to force a decider. Sasnovich fought back from two breaks of serve down in the final set to level at 5-5 but could not seize the initiative, with Danilovic dominating the rallies to set up a third chance to serve out the match. A long forehand from Sasnovich gave Danilovic – who was granted a place despite initially failing to qualify – victory and a place in the final on Moscow clay against fellow teenager, Russian wildcard Anastasia Potapova, who came back from a set down to take the other semi-final. Potapova, the 2016 Wimbledon girls’ singles champion, struck 26 winners in an hard-hitting display before her Slovenian opponent Tamara Zidansek, who was struggling with illness, retired, trailing 3-6 6-4 5-2. Published in Daily Times, July 29th 2018.