Top seed Sabalenka sets up Alexandrova final in Netherlands

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka returns the ball to Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl during their women’s singles tennis match at the Libema tennis Open in Rosmalen on June 7, 2022. (Photo by Sander Koning / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT

• As Maia Upset Sakkari At Nottingham Open

Aryna Sabalenka will meet Ekaterina Alexandrova in The Rosmalen Grass Court Championship final, while Beatriz Haddad Maia set up a showdown with Alison Riske in the Nottingham Open showpiece.

Sabalenka, ranked sixth in the world, put paid to Shelby Rogers 7-6 (8-6) 6-0, as the favourite in the Netherlands reached her second singles final this year.

World number, 30 Alexandrova had little difficulty against Veronika Kudermetova as she triumphed 6-3 6-1 to reach her first singles final of the season.

Sabalenka and Alexandrova have split four previous meetings with two wins apiece; with the latter taking the most recent clash in straight sets at the Moscow quarter-finals last year.

Seventh seed Haddad Maia stunned favourite Maria Sakkari in the quarter-finals to tee up the last-four clash with Tereza Martincova in Nottingham.

The Brazilian raced out the blocks once more to progress past Martincova, with the former 6-3 4-1 up before the Czech retired with injury.

Rain stopped play in the second semi-final between Viktorija Golubic and Riske with the scores level at one set each.

Sixth seed, Riske capitalised from that point onwards to edge past Golubic 6-3 4-6 6-3.

Meanwhile top seed, Maria Sakkari, was eliminated from the Nottingham Open at the quarter-final stage by world number 48, Beatriz Haddad Maia on Friday.

Haddad Maia made it three career wins out of three against Sakkari with a 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory to reach her first WTA semi-final on grass.

The Brazilian will now