Seeds scattered as Wickmayer, Linette reach Tokyo final

Belgian Yanina Wickmayer will meet Poland's Magda Linette in the Japan Women's Open final after both produced upsets Saturday to continue a trend this week in Tokyo.

Former US Open semi-finalist Wickmayer halted seventh seed Ajla Tomljanovic's fine run by catching the Croatian cold in a 7-5, 6-2 victory as sunshine finally graced the rain-hit tournament.

Linette, like Wickmayer also unseeded, fought back from a set down to carve out a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over sixth-seeded American Christina McHale in an absorbing semi-final.

Already shorn of its top five seeds and sentimental favourite Kimiko Date-Krumm as she approaches her 45th birthday, there was almost a sense of inevitability about Tomljanovic and McHale coming up short.

But Wickmayer, the world number 86 has shown glimpses of the form that took her to the last four of the 2009 US Open semi-finals this week as she chases a fourth career title.

Linette, ranked two players above the Belgian, is bidding for a first tournament victory on the women's WTA tour.
Source: AFP