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Svitolina, Peer to meet in Baku Cup final

Shahar Peer, shown in a 2010 match, advanced to the Baku Cup finals with a 6-1, 6-1 win Saturday. UPI/John Angelillo
Shahar Peer, shown in a 2010 match, advanced to the Baku Cup finals with a 6-1, 6-1 win Saturday. UPI/John Angelillo | License Photo

BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 27 (UPI) -- Elina Svitolina and Shahar Peer posted solid wins Saturday that boosted them into the finals of the Baku Cup tennis tournament in Azerbaijan.

Svitolina, who was semifinalist last week in Austria, gained her first WTA final Saturday with a 6-1, 6-4 win over fourth-seeded Alexandra Cadantu. Svitolina, seeded seventh, ousted second-seeded Donna Vekic in Friday's quarterfinals.

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Svitolina had five breaks in nine games off Cadantu's serve and saved five of the six break points she faced.

Peer was a 6-1, 6-1 winner over qualifier Magda Linette while having to deal with only one break point in her semifinal. Peer won 71 percent of the points on serve and 61 percent off Linette's. She ended with five breaks.

Peer is 5-3 all-time in WTA title matches but hasn't won a tournament since September 2009. Sunday will mark her first finals appearance in two years.

Svitolina took a straight-set win in China earlier this year in the only previous meeting with Peer.

Sunday's Baku Cup champion will collect $40,000 with the runner-up taking home $20,000. Cadantu and Linette each earned $10,725 as tournament semifinalists.

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