Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm reached her third final in four weeks after beating the rain and 21-year-old Yi-Miao Zhou 6-2, 6-3 in a wet day at the 15th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge.
Date-Krumm, who won two titles in Gifu and Quanzhou early in the season, is hoping to add a third before 2012 comes to a close.
Facing a rival twice her age, Zhou, ranked 197 in the world, was broken in the very first game as Date-Krumm put away an easy backhand volley at the net.
The 42-year-old from Kyoto broke again two games later to open up a 4-0 lead, pushing Zhou around the court and showing some solid form at the net.
Date-Krumm got her first set point in the seventh game when Zhou netted an easy overhead but the young Chinese recovered to stay in the set and hold for 2-5. But that only delayed the inevitable as Date-Krumm comfortably served out the set.
Zhou started the second set much stronger and managed to take her opening service game but Date-Krumm managed to get her hands on a couple of break points in the third game with a brilliant backhand passing shot.
Zhou saved one with a big off-forehand winner but her following backhand went wide and the Japanese broke for a 3-2 lead.
The veteran campaigner upped the pressure in game nine when Zhou was serving to stay in the match and the former world No4 quickly went three match points up and sealed the match on her second chance thanks to a slick return winner, moments before the rain broke out again.
"Today was a very difficult situation. When I woke up it was already raining and I didn’t know when I could practice and what time the match was going to be played, or if there was going to be play at all. Lots of things to think about,” said Date-Krumm, who will have to wait to find out who her final opponent will be on Saturday.
“I only managed to practice for 20 minutes but I tried not to think too much. I’ve already spent many hours on court, it’s enough. I focused on trying to enjoy the semi-final.
"Zhou is a very tough player, very young, and she improved a lot the past three or four weeks a lot. She beat the top seed Begu this week so she had lots of confidence. So I tried to be ready physically and mentally.”
On her late surge this season, Date-Krumm added: “I’m finally doing well this season. I was suffering with injuries throughout the season, I wasn’t 100 per cent.
"And playing in the WTA, I always get tough draws, so I had a difficult season but as soon as I became fit, I started playing better and I’m very happy on the court, even if I’m losing. Trying to keep going.”
The other two semi-finalists, Yulia Putintseva and Kristyna Pliskova, were not as lucky, as their match was suspended for rain with Putintseva trailing 2-6, 3-3.
The 17-year-old Putintseva, who had acclaimed coach Patrick Mouratoglou and Swiss legend Martina Hingis in her corner, was starting to build some momentum before the weather intervened.
The match will resume on Saturday at 10.30am, with the final scheduled not before 2pm.
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