Osaka Open: Birrell advances to final
Kimberly Birrell beat Aoi Ito 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday night. She’ll play the winner of the match between Dutch qualifier Suzan Lamens and Frenchwoman Diane Parry, the No 7 seed, for the title
Elyxandro Cegarra / Panoramic
Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrell beat Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito 6-4, 6-3 to reach the final of the Osaka Open at the Utsubo Tennis Center on Sunday night.
Birrell, ranked No 150, will play the winner of the match between Dutch qualifier Suzan Lamens and Frenchwoman Diane Parry, the No 7 seed, next.
In the previous rounds of the Osaka tournament, the Australian won against Chinese Saisai Zheng (6-2, 6-3), Belgian Elise Mertens, the No 3 seed (3-6, 7-5, 4-1 ret.) and Japanese wildcard Sara Saito (7-5, 6-4).
Ito, ranked No 188, defeated American wildcard Sofia Kenin (6-2, 3-6, 7-5), Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto, the No 8 seed (6-4, 6-3) and German lucky loser Eva Lys (6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-3) earlier in the tournament.
Osaka WTA 250, other semi-final result (Utsubo Tennis Center, hard, USD 267.080):
- Suzan Lamens vs. Diane Parry: sunday
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