Kvitova downs Hsieh to reach Dubai final against unseeded Bencic

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Second seed Petra Kvitova recovered from a set down against Chinese Taipei's Hsieh Su-wei to end the unseeded player's run at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships to reach her third final of the year on Friday.

The 28-year-old Czech, this year's Australian Open runner-up and the champion in Dubai in 2013, won 3-6 6-2 6-4.

Hsieh, who knocked out Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber and fourth seed Karolina Pliskova during her remarkable run to the semi-finals, did give world No. 4 Kvitova a hard time.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova is one of the hardest hitters in the women's game, but found herself outwitted by Hsieh in a tense as she made 12 unforced errors to Hsieh's one in the opener.

Hsieh Su-wei in action against Petra Kvitova in Dubai, February 22, 2019. /VCG Photo

Kvitova switched things up in the second set, stepping up well within the baseline to take time away from Hsieh and rushing to the net behind her own powerful serve.

The new approach paid dividends and Kvitova began reeling off winners at will as she held her serve to get in front before wrapping up the win.

"It was a tough one today, for sure. She really didn't give me anything for free. It was a tough first set. I'm glad that I was able to came back in the second. I didn't play great at the end of the first," Kvitova said after the match.

Kvitova will play Switzerland's unseeded Belinda Bencic, who surprisingly beat Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), in Saturday's final.

Belinda Bencic beats Elina Svitolina in Dubai, February 22, 2019. /VCG Photo

The 45th-ranked Swiss, still only 21, lost to Kvitova in the Australian Open third round last month – her third defeat in three meetings with the Czech.

(With inputs from AFP and Reuters)