Bertens to play qualifier Krejcikova in Nuremberg Cup final

Posted May 26, 2017 7:00 am

The Associated Press

NUREMBERG, Germany (AP) - Defending champion Kiki Bertens will face Czech qualifier Barbora Krejcikova in the final of the Nuremberg Cup.

The 254th-ranked Krejcikova upset Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 to end the Romanian's debut at the clay-court tournament, and Bertens advanced in the other semifinal on Friday when Misaki Doi became the sixth player to retire.

Bertens was leading 6-2, 0-1 when Doi retired with a right abdominal injury. The 64th-ranked Japanese player progressed in the first round and quarterfinals when injuries forced Maria Sakkari and then Yaroslava Shvedova to retire.

Laura Siegemund, Eugenie Bouchard, and Alexandra Cadantu also withdrew with injuries from the French Open warmup.

Bertens, from the Netherlands, has a 12-1 all-time win-loss record in Nuremberg.

Krejcikova is going for her first title.

"There are no expectations for me," Krejcikova said. "I will just go out there and try to play my game, try to do my best, fight for every point and just enjoy the final."

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.