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Petrova wins way to UNICEF final

Nadia Petrova, shown in a match earlier this month, on Friday earned her 22nd trip to a WTA final with a straight-set win at the UNICEF Open in the Netherlands. UPI/David Silpa
Nadia Petrova, shown in a match earlier this month, on Friday earned her 22nd trip to a WTA final with a straight-set win at the UNICEF Open in the Netherlands. UPI/David Silpa | License Photo

'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands, June 22 (UPI) -- Nadia Petrova's straight-set win Friday boosted her into the title match of the UNICEF Open in the Netherlands against first-time finalist Urszula Radwanska.

Petrova, the No. 8 seed, defeated Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals without dropping serve. She capped the win by holding serve at love as she lost only 15 points in nine service games.

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Flipkens was looking for a third win this week against a seeded player. She ousted No. 1-seeded Samantha Stosur in the first round and completed a rain-delayed victory over No. 6 Roberta Vinci Friday before taking on Petrova.

Radwanska walked into the finals when her scheduled semifinals opponent Kim Clijsters cited an abdominal strain and withdrew.

That put her into her first WTA tournament title match. Petrova is a veteran of finals, having won 10 of her 21 previous trips to finals. One of the losses was four years ago this week in the AEGON International to Radwanska's older sister, Agnieszka, who is now the No. 3 player in the world.

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