Naoko to face Yuka in all-Japanese finals at Open

JAKARTA (JP): Second seed Naoko Sawamatsu will face seventh seed Yuka Yoshida in an all-Japanese Finals of the Danamon Indonesia Women's Open today at the Senayan rebound ace court.

The finals will be aired today live at 10 a.m. on ANteve.

Sawamatsu had to stretch her muscles to overcome Rita Grande of Italy 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-1, in a two-hour-and-11-minute match.

The 24-year-old player, who beat compatriot Nana Miyagi 7-5, 6-1, expressed her hope to win the US$107,500 tournament.

"We both played very well and it was a very good and long match," she said during a postmatch conference.

In the second set, Sawamatsu made many unforced errors and gave the win to the Italian 3-6.

"It was hard to win the second set because I made many errors," she said.

After a 10-minute break due to an extreme-weather rule at the beginning of the deciding set, Sawamatsu had a chance to get her second wind.

"The players' lounge is air-conditioned and it was very cold. It really helped me to regain my energy," she said.

Grande, who has big serves, had cramps in her legs.

"I had cramps. I couldn't move well and I couldn't play aggressively," said Grande, who has suffered cramps during an international tournament for the second time in her professional career.

"I think it was because of the weather. Besides, we both played very tough, specially in the beginning," she added.

Grande reached the semifinals after Nancy Feber of Belgium walked over due to her injury.

World ranked number 43 Sawamatsu, who wants to return to the top 40, hoped she could beat Yoshida in today's final.

In another semifinal, Yoshida defeated Alexia Dechaume- Balleret of France 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1.

Yoshida started the match shakily but fought from behind to force a tie-break after a five-time deuce. Dechaume-Balleret could only earn two points before Yoshida stole the second set.

"I tried until I led 3-0 but she equalize to 3-3. I was very tired then and couldn't play very well," Dechaume-Balleret said.

"Although I lost, I think I played good. But it's hard for me to win the tie break, moreover to win the third set," she said.

Dechaume-Balleret said humidity was a problem for her during the match.

In the third set, Yoshida dominated the games and won it easily 6-1.

Yoshida, who won 6-4, 3-2 against Wang Shi Ting of Chinese Taipei, who retired due to a stomach illness during the quarterfinals Friday, said she would do her best to beat Sawamatsu today.

"Naoko is a very good player and I've never won against her before. I'll just try my best," she said.

Today is Yoshida's first singles final, third doubles final and it is also her first time to reach the singles and doubles finals in a tournament.

"I think I'm lucky because Feber was injured so she couldn't perform in the singles and doubles with Nielsen Helgeson in the quarterfinals," she said.

Yoshida and partner Lenka Nemeckova of the Czech Republic won on a walk over from Feber/Helgeson in the doubles.

Yoshida/Nemeckova will meet Kristine Radford/Kerry-Anne Guse of Australia today. The Australians defeated Naoko Kijimuta/Nana Miyagi of Japan 7-5, 6-3. (yan)