Magnificent Muchova books Cincinnati Open final with Gauff after thwarting Sabalenka again

Another tournament which has seen on paper a final between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka has flipped on its head, with Karolina Muchova set to face Coco Gauff on Sunday at the Cincinnati Open.

Muchova who famously defeated Sabalenka at the French Open hasn't played a lot of tennis since reaching the final at Roland Garros, but has shown why albeit on a different surface that she isn't a flash in the pan when it comes to high level success.

It was a 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 win for the Czech ace who will now face Gauff in the final with both on the verge of their biggest win of their careers no matter the outcome.

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After a messy opening set which Muchova lost, it was all the Czech ace. The former went 4-1 down in the first before bringing it back to lead 5-4. But dropped her serve again immediately as Sabalenka made it 5-5.

She survived three set points on her own serve later on at 6-6, but went onto lose the tiebreak.

But from there, she came into her own in a true masterclass. She carved up the game of her opponent who promised to learn from the mistakes of last time but received a lesson.

She did not have her serve threatened after the first and sealed timely breaks at 5-3 in the second to go onto hold to love and seal the second set. Before claiming a double break in the final set which she again saw out albeit not with a love hold but 40-15 on her first match point racing through.

After only playing three games against Marie Bouzkova yesterday, perhaps the less time on court has done the now top 10 player some good.

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