honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 21, 2010

Tennis: Barrois beats King to reach Strasbourg final


Associated Press

STRASBOURG, France — Kristina Barrois of Germany reached her first WTA Tour final on Friday, outlasting Vania King of the United States 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) in the Strasbourg International.

The 77th-ranked Barrois converted her second match point in a tight match in which she won just one more point than King (86 to 85).

Barrois failed to serve out the match at 6-5, letting King break back to force a tiebreaker.

King took a 3-0 lead in the opening set, but Barrois broke twice in the second set to level.

Barrois will face either top-seeded Maria Sharapova of Russia or fifth-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain.

Sharapova beat Julia Goerges of Germany 7-6 (2), 6-1 on Friday to advance to the semifinals, while Medina Garrigues defeated Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 6-2, 7-5.

Both quarterfinals were interrupted by rain on Thursday. Sharapova was leading 3-2 while the fifth-seeded Spaniard took the first set.

Sharapova is recovering from a right elbow injury and is hoping to regain her best form before the start of the French Open.