Estoril Open News and Events

Maria Kirilenko

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Second-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko will look to win her third career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title against 2004 finalist Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic in the Estoril Open final on Sunday.

World No. 32 Kirilenko recorded a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over sixth-seeded Czech Klara Zakopalova in two hours and 22 minutes on Central court.

Zakopalova started strongly and broke three times in the opening set, but the World No. 56 couldn’t sustain her dominance.

Kirilenko received treatment for a right thigh injury at the start of the third set and after a tense finale was able to record her 10th win of the season. The 21-year-old also beat Zakopalova 6-4, 6-1 at Auckland in January.

Unseeded Benesova advanced to her second final at the Estadio Nacional by saving six of eight break points to beat Maret Ani of Estonia 6-2, 6-1 in 78 minutes.

The 25-year-old finished runner-up to Emilie Loit in the 2004 Estoril Open final and last year fell in the first round of qualifying (l. to Martinez Granados).

Kirilenko beat Benesova 6-1, 6-2 in the pair’s only career meeting at Warsaw in 2005. Benesova clinched her maiden Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title as a qualifier at Acapulco in 2004 (d. Pennetta).