MASON: Garbine Muguruza reached her first Western & Southern Open final with a 6-3, 6-2 upset of defending champion Karolina Pliskova on Saturday.
The Wimbledon champion will meet on Sunday the winner of the later semifinal between Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens.
Muguruza clinched the win when the top-ranked Pliskova sailed a forehand long on the fifth match point. Pliskova had 28 unforced errors to Muguruza's 13.
The Spaniard had lost six straight matches against Pliskova since winning their first in 2013. Muguruza took charge early, breaking Pliskova in the first and last games of the first set.
She gained a second-set edge with a backhand winner on break point for a 4-2 lead.