Katerina Siniakova is in her third career final at the WTA level after notching a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Johanna Konta in the semifinals of the Shenzhen Open.
Konta effortlessly takes the first set
The expected mismatch appeared to be on as Konta broke serve immediately and after a love hold, the Brit was handed another break as the errors continued to flow from the Siniakova racket. Now at 3-0 ahead, Konta appeared to be in full control.
Konta's powerful game seemed to be overwhelming Siniakova and things would get worse for the Czech as she was broken again, Konta taking a 5-0 lead. Unexpectedly, she dropped serve to love, but quickly rebounded to break again, denying Siniakova a hold in the entirety of the set, wrapping it up 6-1 in 23 minutes.
Siniakova takes the second set behind improved effort off the ground
The second set was a major improvement for the young Czech as her forehand especially appeared to be doing damage and in the fourth game, she finally took the lead courtesy of a Konta double fault.
Now ahead 3-1, the task for Siniakova was to try and maintain her advantage and she did so with minimal trouble, needing to only save one break point over her final three service games. The set was hers by a 6-4 score and the match was level at one set all.
Siniakova wins up-and-down third set to complete the upset
Breaks were exchanged in the final set as Siniakova picked up where she left off in the second set and broke to start things off. Unfazed, Konta broke back to immediately level the set 1-1. Things were going according to form until the sixth game when the Brit broke from 40-0 down to take a 4-2 lead.
It appeared Konta was finally back on track, but little did she know that would be the last game she would win, capitulating and losing four games on the trot as Siniakova ran out a winner to seal the upset and reach the final.
Riske the hurdle for Siniakova as she seeks first title
Siniakova's championship match opponent is Alison Riske. The eighth seed knocked off Camila Giorgi in the other semifinal. Siniakova has won their only previous meeting.