Lulu sun beats Ekaterina Alexandrova, reach first WTA singles final

Lulu Sun’s breakthrough season hit a new heights on Friday when she squeezed past No.3 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(6) to make her first WTA singles final at the Abierto GNP Seguros.

The 23-year-old New Zealand-Swiss tennis player took 2 hours and 19 minutes to hold off Alexandrova in Monterrey, Mexico and notch her third Top 50 win in the last two months. Before this summer, 23-year-old Sun had never beaten a Top 50 player in her career.

“We were both holding serves pretty well, only one break in the first two sets for both of us,” Sun said after. “It came down to the last few points.”

“She did play those [three match] points more aggressively,” Sun said. “I was like, ‘OK, just keep going. If you do end up losing, you end up losing. But just give your all and then you won’t regret it.'”

Sun will face No.6 seed Linda Noskova in Saturday’s final at the WTA 500 event. Czech teen Noskova will also aim for her first title after she ousted No.2 seed Emma Navarro 7-6(7), 7-5 in the late semifinal.

Sun and Noskova faced off for the first time just two weeks ago. Sun won that match in the first round of the Cincinnati Open, 6-4, 7-6(4).