Top-seeded Barty through to China Open final

BEIJING (AP) — Top-seeded Ashleigh Barty advanced to the final of the China Open with a three-set victory over Kiki Bertens on Saturday.

The French Open champion traded breaks of serve in the third set before scraping past her Dutch opponent 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7).

“The quality from both of us was exceptional at times,” said Australian Barty, who credited new members of her backroom team and a better physical and mental outlook for the improvements she has made over the past 18 months.

“I’m pretty happy with the way I was able to fight and dig in,” she added.

Barty will face Japan’s Naomi Osaka or defending champion Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in Sunday’s final.

In the men’s event, top-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem battled to a 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 win over Russian Karen Khachanov.

Thiem, who also ousted Andy Murray in Friday’s quarterfinals, will play Germany’s second-seeded Alexander Zverev or Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

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