Strycova to face Errani in Dubai Tennis Championships final

Dubai - "I am so happy to win this match as it wasn't easy at all against her today."

Barbora Strycova survived a great three-set battle against Caroline Garcia to enter the Dubai Tennis Championships final for the first time in her career.
After a delayed start to their semifinal clash on centre court at Dubai Tennis Stadium, both players produced some engrossing rallies and in the end it was Strycova who booked a place in the final with a 6-2 3-6 6-3 victory on Friday. After dominating her French rival in the first, Strycova lost her rhythm in the second set and recovered quite brilliantly in the third as she finished the match with an ace.
"I am so happy to win this match as it wasn't easy at all against her today. It feels great to be in the final," the 29-year-old player from the Czech Republic said after the match. Saturday will be her sixth WTA final.
"Yes, I am looking forward to playing a great final tomorrow against a great player," she said. And that great player is Italian Sara Errani who was magnificent in her 6-4 6-4 win over Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the first semifinal in the afternoon.
The 28-year-old baseliner from Bologna later lost the doubles semifinal. But she said it was really special for her to be in the singles final of the Dubai championships for the second time in her career.
"At the moment I am very angry with the doubles result. But, of course, it is really special and amazing for me to be in the final in singles," Errani said at the post-match Press conference.
For the second successive day, Errani had to play two matches on trot. When asked about the demands of playing in two formats in the same tournament, the five-time Grand Slam doubles champion said: "Of course physically it can be tough, but I play at 100 per cent both in singles and doubles. I love doubles and that's why I play it." Errani revealed she has learned how to play even when she is tired.
"I just try to fight. I always try to fight and stay there even if I'm dead! "Of course, I practise a lot on that aspect of the game."
The 2012 French Open runner up says she enjoys playing in Dubai.
"Yes, of course. I think the condition of the court is good for me. The ball bounces a lot. This is important for my game.
"I struggle a bit when the court is faster and the ball doesn't bounce too much. "But here I try to do the right things, to play my game, and of course, if I play with spin here it's good for me."
The Italian knows she will face a massive test against Strycova on Saturday.
"Yeah, her style is similar to mine. She can play good tennis here. She has a great volley. Sometimes she's more aggressive coming to the net. "She is a really tough player. It's going to be a great battle tomorrow."
Results:
Singles semifinals
Sara Errani (Italy) beats Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) 6-4 6-4
Caroline Garcia (France) beats Barbora Strycova (Czech Republic)
Doubles semifinal
Darija Jurak (Croatia)/ Chia-Jung Chuang (Taipei) beat Sara Errani (Italy)/Carla Suarez Navarro 5-7 7-6 10-7  
Today's Order of Play
Doubles final
5pm - Darija Jurak (Croatia)/ Chia-Jung Chuang (Taipei) vs Julia Goerges (Germany)/Timea Babos (Hungary) 
Caroline Garcia (France)/ Kristina Mladenovic (France)
Singles final
7pm - Sara Errani (Italy) vs Barbora Strycova (Czech Republic)
rituraj@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai