BIRMINGHAM, England – Croatian teenager Donna Vekic reached her second career WTA final when she beat 2009 champion Magdalena Rybarikova 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-3 in the Aegon Classic on Saturday.
In the final, she'll face Daniela Hantuchova in the final Sunday of the grass-court tournament. Hantuchova defeated Alison Riske of the United States 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 in the other semifinal.
Riske had to play twice on Saturday, finishing off a three-set quarterfinal win over 2011 champ Sabine Lisicki of Germany after it was stopped at 2-2 in the third on Friday because of darkness.
Vekic, who turns 17 in two weeks, also beat Rybarikova en route to her first final in September in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. That was the last time she passed the second round until this week.
Hantuchova, the runner-up in 2011, will aim for her sixth title.
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