MELBOURNE (Australia): Two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza thrashed Marketa Vondrousova on Saturday to set up a Yarra Valley Classic final with world number one Ashleigh Barty.
Last year’s Australian Open finalist Muguruza smashed 20 winners and broke the 21st-ranked Vondrousova’s serve five times en route to a 6-1, 6-0 win in 53 minutes.
“I’m very happy to get through. It’s good to play the top players and I’m expecting another tough battle against the world number one,” said Muguruza.
The Spaniard is in great form that saw her drop just 10 games in four matches so far including her quarterfinal thrashing of America’s Sofia Kenin — her conqueror in last year’s Australian Open final.
She will next play Barty, who reached the decider with a walkover after Serena Williams pulled out due to a shoulder injury.
Elise Mertens of Belgium will play Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi in the final of the Gippsland Trophy after world number three Naomi Osaka withdrew with a shoulder injury.
Kanepi beat Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 7-6 to reach her first WTA final since 2013.