Yastremska, Tomljanovic reach Thai tennis final

HUA HIN, Thailand: Ukrainian 18-year-old Dayana Yastremska edged out Magda Linette on Saturday to make it into the finals of the Thailand Open, where she will face off against Ajla Tomljanovic. The teenager and eighth seed beat Linette in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 in the second semi-finals of the $250,000 WTA-sanctioned tournament in the seaside city of Hua Hin. Yastremska broke Linette’s serve to clinch the hard-fought first set with a fierce return winner down the line, capitalising on the momentum to roll over her unseeded opponent in the second and walk off in less than 90 minutes. The victory comes on the heels of an impressive run after the world number 47 dispatched the tournament’s top seed Garbine Muguruza in the quarterfinals. She took home her first career title in September. Now she must turn her attention to hard-hitting sixth seed Tomljanovic for Sunday’s final. She beat Tomljanovic in China Open qualifying last year. But both players are in top form in Thailand, having not dropped a set all week. Australia’s Tomljanovic made quick work of Tamara Zidansek in the other semi-final Saturday, winning in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. After the world number 49 clinched the first set against Zidansek she darted ahead 4-0 in the second with the help of a powerful backhand winner during a long rally in the fourth game. Slovenia’s Zidansek was unable to make up the lost ground and Tomljanovic polished off the match with a blast return.