Germany's Mona Barthel and Russian Elena Vesnina will contest Saturday's Hobart International final.
Barthel, the tournament's ninth seed, progressed to the tournament decider with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Belgian Kirsten Flipkens.
Vesnina caused an upset in the other semi-final by beating eighth-seeded Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-2.
Tags: tennis, sport, hobart-7000 First posted January 11, 2013 21:13:47Young German giant-killer Mona Barthel has added top seed Yanina Wickmayer to her stunning run at the Hobart International, taking the final 6-1, 6-2.
The 21-year-old world number 64 won her eighth straight match at the WTA tournament, progressing from qualifying to the final and beating the first, second, fourth and fifth seeds in the process.
Barthel won her first WTA title in her first final with a display of composure and precision, fittingly finishing the tournament with an ace after landing 82 per cent of her first serves in the decider.
Wickmayer appeared off colour from the start as Barthel flew out of the blocks, racing to a 4-0 lead in the first set before the Belgian got her first break.
That was all she got in the first, though, as the German broke her for the third time and then won her service game to love, converting her first set point with a sizzling forehand winner after just 20 minutes.
A Wickmayer comeback looked possible in the second set as she cranked up the power but her game remained erratic and Barthel added three more service breaks to her three from the first set.
When she broke for 5-2 with a precision cross-court forehand, all hope for the Belgian seemed gone as the young German served for the match.
Barthel had already beaten second seed Anabel Medina Garrigues, fourth seed Angelique Kerber and Australian fifth seed and defending champion Jarmila Gajdosova on her way to $US37,000 in prize money.
She plays doubles partner and world number 75 Anne Keothavong in the first round of the Australian Open - and already has history on her side.
Notable former winners in Hobart include defending Open champion Kim Clijsters, ranked 43 when she won in 2000, and 2012 second seed Petra Kvitova.
AAP
Tags: tennis, sport, hobart-7000, tas, australia First posted January 14, 2012 20:02:39German qualifier Mona Barthel has continued on her giant-killing way, reaching the final of the Hobart International with victory over fourth-seeded compatriot Angelique Kerber.
Barthel knocked off a seeded player for the third time in the tournament in downing world number 31 Kerber 6-0, 7-6 (8-6) in their semi-final.
The 21-year-old, who is at a career-high number 64, had already beaten second seed Anabel Medina Garrigues and fifth-seeded Australian Jarmila Gajdosova on the way to her first WTA final.
She will meet the winner of Friday night's second semi-final between top seed Yanina Wickmayer and sixth seed Shahar Peer.
US Open semi-finalist Kerber entered Friday's match under an injury cloud after hurting her wrist in her quarter-final win over Sorana Cirstea.
But it was Barthel's solid groundstrokes and calm demeanour that gave her the edge.
She flew through the first set in less than 20 minutes before Kerber rallied to go up 3-0 in the second.
Kerber served for the second at 5-4 but could not convert two set points and Barthel won the crucial game chasing down a superb drop shot and passing her opponent brilliantly.
Kerber led the tie-breaker 3-0 but Barthel fought back to 5-5.
She fell behind 6-5 before two consecutive mini-breaks set up match point on Barthel's serve and she converted.
Barthel was ranked 208 at the end of 2010 but is now one of the form players of the summer as she eyes a first Australian Open campaign.
She has drawn British world number 75 Anne Keothavong in the first round of the grand slam tournament.
AAP
Tags: sport, tennis, hobart-7000, tas, australia First posted January 13, 2012 18:19:49