Grabher finds a quick route into the Curitiba final

Austria’s Julia Grabher reached the final of the Curitiba WTA 125 on Saturday, beating Argentina’s Julia Riera 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour 21 minutes.

The second seed broke serve five times on nine chances against the seventh seed, and lost her own serve twice. She landed 70 percent of her first serves and won 29 of the 44 points behind them.

It was her quickest match of the week. Her first three had all gone past two hours, including a 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 comeback against fifth seed Leyre Romero Gormaz in the quarter-finals.

Grabher, the world No. 102, reached a career-high ranking of No. 54 in June 2023.

In the final, she will face France’s Alice Tubello, who beat Brazil’s Nauhany Vitoria Leme Da Silva 6-0, 6-1.

Curitiba 2026 semi-finals

• Julia Grabher (AUT, 2) d. Julia Riera (ARG, 7) 6-3, 6-3
• Alice Tubello (FRA) d. Nauhany Vitoria Leme Da Silva (BRA) 6-0, 6-1

Grabher’s path to the final

• First round: d. Carolina Alves 7-5, 7-6 (1)
• Second round: d. Maria Lourdes Carle (ARG) 7-5, 7-5
• Quarter-final: d. Leyre Romero Gormaz (5) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5
• Semi-final: d. Julia Riera (ARG, 7) 6-3, 6-3

Riera’s path to the semi-final

• First round: d. Rebeka Masarova 1-6, 6-4, 6-1
• Second round: d. Yasmine Kabbaj 6-2, 6-4
• Quarter-final: d. Solana Sierra (3) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5
• Semi-final: lost to Julia Grabher (AUT, 2) 6-3, 6-3