Radwanska sets up Petrova Eastbourne title clash
Sunday, 22 June 2008
EASTBOURNE, England, June 21 (AFP): Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska denied 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli a second career final on grass with a 7-5, 6-3 victory at the Eastbourne Championships Friday.
Second-seeded Frenchwoman Bartoli, beaten in last summer's title match at the All England club by Venus Williams, failed in her bid to fine-tune for the season's third Grand Slam starting Monday.
Radwanska, who won the Pattaya and Istanbul titles this year, will aim to complete a 2008 hat-trick when she faces Russian eighth seed Nadia Petrova, who defeated Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-3
"She played tough at the Australian Open," Radwanska said of her fourth-round win in January over the Russian after rallying from 6-2, 3-0 love down to turn the tide for victory.
"I don't know how she's playing on this surface but I'm sure it will be a difficult final. I'm just glad to be in my first final on grass.
"I thought that I would play just one match here and then go to Wimbledon. This is a great warm-up and I want to keep doing well."
Second-seeded Frenchwoman Bartoli, beaten in last summer's title match at the All England club by Venus Williams, failed in her bid to fine-tune for the season's third Grand Slam starting Monday.
Radwanska, who won the Pattaya and Istanbul titles this year, will aim to complete a 2008 hat-trick when she faces Russian eighth seed Nadia Petrova, who defeated Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-3
"She played tough at the Australian Open," Radwanska said of her fourth-round win in January over the Russian after rallying from 6-2, 3-0 love down to turn the tide for victory.
"I don't know how she's playing on this surface but I'm sure it will be a difficult final. I'm just glad to be in my first final on grass.
"I thought that I would play just one match here and then go to Wimbledon. This is a great warm-up and I want to keep doing well."