Maria Sharapova hits a forehand against fellow Russian Alisa Kleybanova during semifinal action of the Rogers Cup Saturday in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)For the first time in the history of the Rogers Cup a pair of Russian women will compete for the title.
Russia's Maria Sharapova booked her ticket to the final with a hard-fought 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory against compatriot Alysa Kleybanova on Saturday night in Toronto.
Sharapova's victory sets up a showdown with countrywoman Elena Dementieva, who upset American Serena Williams in straight sets.
The Russians square off in the final on Sunday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 1:30 p.m. ET).
"It's going to be a tough considering many of the matches I've played against her have been pretty tough, and she's a great competitor so I look forward to the match," Sharapova told CBC Sports.
Leading by a game in the third set, Kleybanova converted a break after Sharapova double faulted for the 11th time in the match to take a 3-1 edge.
Unfazed, Sharapova broke back in the ensuing game, firing a forehand that Kleybanova couldn't return. Sharapova was also aided by three Kleybanova double faults.
With both players holding serve during the next three games, the turning point came late in the match. Sharapova converted her fifth break point of the night when she blew a forehand past Kleybanova to take a 5-4 lead.
She sealed the victory when Klebanova drove her return of serve into the net.
The Russian advances despite serving up 12 double faults.
"There were many ups and downs in the match but it was just real important to try and keep my energy level up," said Sharapova. "We both had pretty late nights [Friday] so it was just a matter of trying to do the right things and trying to play our best tennis."
Sharapova took advantage of the first set early, converting two of a plethora of break points to win 6-2.
Perhaps feeling the effects of a three-hour,16-minute match in her quarter-final game with Serbia's Jelena Jankovic on Friday, Kleybanova appeared sluggish from the beginning.
But after a brief conversation with her coach, Kleybonova responded, regaining her form from the baseline to break Sharapova twice and win the second set 6-4. It was the first set Sharapova dropped at the tournament.
In the first semfinal, Dementieva capitalized on a frustrated Williams for a 7-6 (2), 6-1 win during a match that lasted one hour 49 minutes, a far cry from the nearly three-hour, three-set battle they had at Wimbledon in June.
The win also made it four wins in five tries for Dementieva against Williams.
Williams entered the contest on a roll, having had her serve broken only once in the past three matches. But she never looked comfortable on the court against Dementieva.
Williams put routine shots into the net, wide and long while her opponent broke her serve five times on the way to the win.
"I can't say I was especially feeling the fire," Williams said. "Obviously you want to do well, and I always really want to do well. Honestly, I think I could have and should have won, but I didn't, so … it is what it is."
Dementieva looked sharp and said she hopes to use the match against Williams as preparation for Sunday's final.
"I think it's always good to play against such a tough opponent and have a positive result," she told CBC. "I hope its going to give me a lot of confidence."
Dementieva used an early service break to take a 3-0 lead in the second set and held serve throughout, putting the pressure on Williams to preserve her serve, but a frustrated Williams continued to rack up unforced errors.
The match was over when Williams pushed a forehand wide.
With files from the Associated Press
